Firstly what a great weekend, I actually changes my views and voted for change ! (surprising but true !). I still admire Howard, but can now see he was divisive and maybe Costello wasn't the devil after all. So Will Turnbull be a threat to Rudd in 3-4 years time ? Or is Australias wealthiest Politician far to alianated from ordinary Australians ? Lets face it the spoilt rich electorate he owns is !
2007-11-25 10:21:11 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Elections
Howard was actually doing the Liberal Party a favour by not letting Costello get the leadership. They would have lost distrastrously, and this weekend only proved it! Although it was Rudd vs. Howard, it was really Rudd vs. Costello.
Howard had a great connection with "ordinary" Australians that no-one else in the Liberal Party has, particularly Costello. Turnbull will probably get the leadership, but he'll never be PM. The Liberal Party is in very serious need of re-invention, as they are in no form of government on any level, and they have been whitewashed this weekend. And we are in very good times, so they should have held on!
Wealth doesn't really have much to do with it, as Rudd is also very wealthy. It's more important to have the connection with the people and to at least look like you feel their pain and listen to their concerns. Howard was the only Liberal who could really do that!
Then again, Turnbull or another Liberal could rise up make a connection, so who knows!
2007-11-25 15:48:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think Howard, like many of the rest of us, new exactly what he was dealing with when it came to Costello. If everybody had been wrong he would have challenged Howard a year ago and if he had lost then he could have made a comeback now. He resigned because he knows he has been exposed and would never become PM.
I agree. What a great weekend. Malcolm Turnbull is probably the only choice the Libs. have left at the moment and after such a resounding defeat he would have to be looking at a loss at the next election, unless Kevin makes a terrible mistake, and only a slim chance at the next. That means the possibility of 9 years in opposition with the probability of being challenged well before then.
2007-11-25 14:39:55 · answer #2 · answered by Ted T 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think Costello was cheated by Howard, and I wonder how much of it was calculated as revenge for Costello's attempts at the leadership. Costello did the only thing he could do and maintain his dignity and credibility. It was, in part, Howard's refusal to relinquish to leadership that ultimately cost the Libs the election.
The Workchoices issue was the main thing and it has caused the lift in profile of unions that I predicted to my colleagues several years ago. They pooh-poohed the idea, saying the unions were dead. Well, the phoenix is rising.
I nearly voted Liberal for the first time in my life because I am concerned about what will happen when Rudd tries to unscramble the egg of Workchoices. If it is mismanaged and occurs too abruptly there will be chaos and confusion on a larger scale than when it was implemented. But sanity prevailed...after all, I live in the seat of Griffith.
Turnbull is no threat to Rudd as far as the common man is concerned, but could be seen as an icon by a lot of people who value material wealth above all else. In our current society there is little room for silver spooners and I doubt he would be popular. Joe Hockey is another thing altogether, I believe he could be a real threat because he projects himself as Mr Average. And I think he could really put some fire back into politics without the annoying eye rolling smugness that Barnaby Joyce uses.
2007-11-25 11:20:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes I think Howard should have given him a chance but Costello gave up politics at the right time otherwise he would always be watching out for knives in the back from Malcolm.
2007-11-25 20:53:12 · answer #4 · answered by molly 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Turnbull against Rudd???
No one but Wentworth electors can actually tolerate the man.
He will probably become the Lib leader - especially considering the big-business backing - but I don't think he would stand a chance against Rudd in the next election.
2007-11-25 11:32:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Cheating is always raised by the loser but it is very hard to prove. Hope that the new leadership will be serving the people.
2007-11-25 10:49:20 · answer #6 · answered by FRAGINAL, JTM 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋