Like most Labor supporters, I should think, I'm in two minds about the idea of Malcolm Turnbull as the new Labor leader. I rock queasily from being glad he won it to being worried about the number of voters who would always have gone back to the Libs in a flash if they'd been run by a greener republican with a spine. And now here we are.
I'm glad he won it partly because I've always sort of liked him (yes yes, I know), partly because it will be nice to have two leaders who, whatever their flaws may be, are both intelligent, dignified, grown-up and tough (can't remember the last time that was the case), and partly because I'm glad that unless Turnbull is distracted by constant attempts to knife him in the back, there'll be a serious Opposition that will force the Labor Party's nose not so much to the grindstone, where it seems already to have been since about 15 minutes after they got in, but also in a leftwards direction, simply in order to distinguish themselves more clearly from the other side.
It'll be fascinating to watch how Turnbull handles Nick Minchin and Tony Abbott, because I don't think either of them has given up yet on the idea of Abbott for PM. It'll also be interesting to watch how Minchin reacts to having a leader who is more intelligent than he is.
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9 comments:
At least if Abbott were PM Rod Quantock would have his raison d'etre back.
Now that you point it out, there are important considerations here for comedians and cartoonists. I remember seeing a program on the teeve once where they interviewed a number of political cartoonists about drawing politicians. All agreed that Whiltam, Hawke, Keating and Howard were absolute gifts to politicians because of their easily caricaturable features, Hewson and (very strangely) Beazley not so much. One of them always drew Joan Kirner in a polka-dot dress despite the fact that Kirner abominated polka dots and in fact habitually wore conservative two-piece suits with provocative and expensive camisole thingies peeking out from underneath them. Go figure.
Good old Whiltam. He was the one between McMhaon and Fresar.
Yes, yes, G E Whiltam. I knew immediately who you were talking about.
"but also in a leftwards direction, simply in order to distinguish themselves more clearly from the other side."
Or is it possible on social issues they may actually become indistinguishable, or even swap??
Nobody does a tantrum as well as Minchin. I hope he chucks lots.
Someone at LP (I think) was saying that he was so angry his head might explode on television.I can see the LOLcaption now.
My horse is smarter than Minchin. It also bares its teeth less often.
Vaguely hoping that Turnbull being closer to the centre than Brendie, will lead to pressure on Rudd to actually do something. Particularly on ETS. Comments so far re Turnbull's lack of clear policy on this ignores the fog of indecision Brendie wandered around in - making it impossible for anyone else to propose anything coherent.
I look forward to the shadow cabinet announcement....
Turnbull is ahead of Nelson just by virtue of never having let Paddy McGuinness veto ARC grant applications on the grounds of not liking them.
Nelson was not cleverer than Minchin, and certainly nowhere near as smart as Bernice's horse.
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