What does everyone think of Abbot ?
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The problems the libs have got is
- There's an election coming later this year and there's no time to put another leader in place and get them known by the public.
- There are no libs we already know with real leadership qualities. Howard is gone, Costello is gone, they tried Nelson (remember him?), Turnbull's gone. They've got no new leader in the wings.
- Abbott is a bit embarrassing. Very right wing, speaks before he things (like admitting not telling the truth when he's interviewed), and does stupid stuff like agreeing to a health debate and turning up with no health policy (kinda hard to win a gun fight when you turn up with a knife).
So the libs have got to stick with him, but somehow muzzle him so he doesn't throw it away. It seems the only way the libs can lose the election is if they stuff things up. Unfortunately Abbott's doing a pretty good job of that.
I hope the libs win, but I think the heat's going to come onto Abbott in a big way shortly, and he'll be found lacking.
- There's an election coming later this year and there's no time to put another leader in place and get them known by the public.
- There are no libs we already know with real leadership qualities. Howard is gone, Costello is gone, they tried Nelson (remember him?), Turnbull's gone. They've got no new leader in the wings.
- Abbott is a bit embarrassing. Very right wing, speaks before he things (like admitting not telling the truth when he's interviewed), and does stupid stuff like agreeing to a health debate and turning up with no health policy (kinda hard to win a gun fight when you turn up with a knife).
So the libs have got to stick with him, but somehow muzzle him so he doesn't throw it away. It seems the only way the libs can lose the election is if they stuff things up. Unfortunately Abbott's doing a pretty good job of that.
I hope the libs win, but I think the heat's going to come onto Abbott in a big way shortly, and he'll be found lacking.
There's a very interesting story brewing in my electorate of Ryan (western Brisbane). I think this will become very big national news in time, and could be very bad for the Liberals. And I wouldn't be surprised if it blows up during the Election run-up. 
Our local member is a young man named Michael Johnson. We are a blue-ribbon Liberal seat, and Michael's been our (Liberal) member since 2000.
Well, what I confess I didn't realise until recently (I'm not into Party politics), the state branches of the Party get to nominate candidates for Federal seats in their state, and some people in the QLD LNP have it in for Michael Johnson, for reasons that are mysterious to me. (Personality clash? Some other LNP favourite in mind for the seat? Doesn't do what LNP want him to do? Not conservative enough?) Anyway, a couple of weeks ago they disendorsed Michael as the Liberal candidate for Ryan, and expelled him from the Party for alleged misappropriation of funds.
I have sincerely tried not to pre-judge but to find out the facts, but I can't understand what it is that Michael is alleged to have done which justifies this action. Michael has established a non-profit organisation for furthering business relationships between Australia and China, and I think there's some suggestion that it was improper for this non-profit to pay for his wife and child to accompany him to China. Yet this doesn't seem to breach any laws, or the charter of the organisation, and nobody who's involved with the non-profit seems to think there's any problem. There is no proof, nor even suggestion by the QLD LNP, that any Federal or Electoral or Party funds have been diverted to this non-profit, as far as I can see.
Several very senior Federal Libs have been singing Michael Johnson's praises and expressing support in the media (to the extent that they can); I get the impression they're embarrassed by the QLD LNP but have to respect that the state Party has the right to endorse whoever they want.
There is a suggestion that the QLD LNP have been pressuring Michael to withdraw as the Liberal candidate for Ryan for some months. It's illegal to try and persuade an MP to step down from their seat; a very serious offence because its intent is to protect MPs from corruption (at least I assume that's the intent of the law). Anthony Albanese (ALP) raised the matter in Parliament last week, and now Michael Johnson has written to the Federal Police requesting an investigation as to whether some of the very senior QLD LNP members have breached these Federal laws in pressuring him to stand down. (And I suspect that they have.)
My take is that the QLD LNP have royally screwed up. Regardless of party politics, I don't think there'd be any informed person in Ryan who doesn't believe that they have an extremely hard-working and dedicated local Member. The guy's everywhere! And he certainly gets involved very much in local issues, not just Federal issues. If he has done something inappropriate, the LNP are doing a terrible job of communicating with the people of Ryan what it is that has caused their local member to be disendorsed. Michael Johnson is now the Independent Member for Ryan, and has expressed his intention to stand as same at the next election. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the people of Ryan support him.
Watch this space; methinks this could get very interesting.
Our local member is a young man named Michael Johnson. We are a blue-ribbon Liberal seat, and Michael's been our (Liberal) member since 2000.
Well, what I confess I didn't realise until recently (I'm not into Party politics), the state branches of the Party get to nominate candidates for Federal seats in their state, and some people in the QLD LNP have it in for Michael Johnson, for reasons that are mysterious to me. (Personality clash? Some other LNP favourite in mind for the seat? Doesn't do what LNP want him to do? Not conservative enough?) Anyway, a couple of weeks ago they disendorsed Michael as the Liberal candidate for Ryan, and expelled him from the Party for alleged misappropriation of funds.
I have sincerely tried not to pre-judge but to find out the facts, but I can't understand what it is that Michael is alleged to have done which justifies this action. Michael has established a non-profit organisation for furthering business relationships between Australia and China, and I think there's some suggestion that it was improper for this non-profit to pay for his wife and child to accompany him to China. Yet this doesn't seem to breach any laws, or the charter of the organisation, and nobody who's involved with the non-profit seems to think there's any problem.
There is no proof, nor even suggestion by the QLD LNP, that any Federal or Electoral or Party funds have been diverted to this non-profit, as far as I can see. Several very senior Federal Libs have been singing Michael Johnson's praises and expressing support in the media (to the extent that they can); I get the impression they're embarrassed by the QLD LNP but have to respect that the state Party has the right to endorse whoever they want.
There is a suggestion that the QLD LNP have been pressuring Michael to withdraw as the Liberal candidate for Ryan for some months. It's illegal to try and persuade an MP to step down from their seat; a very serious offence because its intent is to protect MPs from corruption (at least I assume that's the intent of the law). Anthony Albanese (ALP) raised the matter in Parliament last week, and now Michael Johnson has written to the Federal Police requesting an investigation as to whether some of the very senior QLD LNP members have breached these Federal laws in pressuring him to stand down. (And I suspect that they have.)
My take is that the QLD LNP have royally screwed up. Regardless of party politics, I don't think there'd be any informed person in Ryan who doesn't believe that they have an extremely hard-working and dedicated local Member. The guy's everywhere! And he certainly gets involved very much in local issues, not just Federal issues. If he has done something inappropriate, the LNP are doing a terrible job of communicating with the people of Ryan what it is that has caused their local member to be disendorsed. Michael Johnson is now the Independent Member for Ryan, and has expressed his intention to stand as same at the next election. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the people of Ryan support him.
Watch this space; methinks this could get very interesting.
Big ears with a funny laugh who likes to exercise.
Dont think much else about him.
I guess I can see myself having a beer at a BBQ with Abbot more than I can see myself doing the same with Ruddy.
Cheers
Mick
Agree. But is that the sort of person you want running the country?
My point of view is they are all as bad/good as each other.
Broken promises seem to be the key to getting into government, and im sure Tony can do it just as good as Kevin can.
Cheers
Mick
Bit young to be that cynical, aren't you, Mick?
(I think) I am.
(I think) I am.
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