Liberal Leadership Challenge

[Juddkreuzer]

Even Rupert Murdoch couldn't save Abbott.

[Baggers]

Satan has left the building  ;D

Now the Labor Party is going to have to get a real leader.

And we still haven't heard from Tone... gone the sooky la la no doubt  :

[LP]

Satan has left the building  ;D

Now the Labor Party is going to have to get a real leader.

And we still haven't heard from Tone... gone the sooky la la no doubt  :

Sheez, just 4 days short of his PM retirement benefits, they must have really hated him!

I suppose all those rumors of internal head-kicking might have some substance, revenge is sweet for some!

[Lods]

. . . and no more fudging knighthoods!

....after I get mine! ;D

One of the things that some folk harp on both in this situation is that it's "for the people to select a PM not the party."

We vote for a representative who in most cases is part of a party.
We entrust them with the responsibility to make decisions on our behalf.
Included in those decisions is the 'party housekeeping' things like leadership.

While a leader can influence some peoples views it's more the policy that determines where our votes go.

Labor had every right to choose who led them during their time...the Libs had the same right to make the change they did last night.

Abbott, ever the politician, made an issue of it because it was a tactic designed to cement his position.
The shock-jocks will run with it today.

[Bear]

Satan has left the building  ;D

Now the Labor Party is going to have to get a real leader.

And we still haven't heard from Tone... gone the sooky la la no doubt  :

It is a bit strange that Tone hasn't fronted yet... given he is/was the elected PM, last night he should have made a statement to the media.

Nothing to do with what your political views are - there should have been some sort of formal acknowledgement of the change in leadership from the guy who was the elected PM. Otherwise, how do we know that he accepts what has happened?

Anyway, i'm having a nice bowl of pasta and a glass of wine for lunch today. Welcome to New South Italy. Get the tomatoes planted by cup day.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Dont turn your back on Julie Bishop....she must rattle when she walks past you with all those knives she is carrying....

Prefer Turnbull to Abbott but being a Labor man its just deckchairs on another Titanic.....not that I want Shorten getting the job either and would prefer Labor removed him as leader...

[Baggers]

....after I get mine! ;D

One of the things that some folk harp on both in this situation is that it's "for the people to select a PM not the party."

We vote for a representative who in most cases is part of a party.
We entrust them with the responsibility to make decisions on our behalf.
Included in those decisions is the 'party housekeeping' things like leadership.

While a leader can influence some peoples views it's more the policy that determines where our votes go.

Labor had every right to choose who led them during their time...the Libs had the same right to make the change they did last night.

Abbott, ever the politician, made an issue of it because it was a tactic designed to cement his position.
The shock-jocks will run with it today.

Price, Jones, Bolt... their heads just might explode! Deeply conservative, these d1ckheads now have to contend with 'their' party in power but with a leader who openly criticises them as clowns/insignificant. Notice that Janet Albrechtsen has quickly switched camps and gotten behind Turnbull... ah, what a day. There is a god and he/she/it/they aint your friend, Tone.

[LP]

Price, Jones, Bolt... their heads just might explode! Deeply conservative, these d1ckheads now have to contend with 'their' party in power but with a leader who openly criticises them as clowns/insignificant. Notice that Janet Albrechtsen has quickly switched camps and gotten behind Turnbull... ah, what a day. There is a god and he/she/it/they aint your friend, Tone.

The funniest one of all was Grahame Morris, his comments have almost been wake like! His face on that segment on The Project before the actual vote was unforgettable!

But these are the hard right head kickers, surely they knew what was coming, they have seen A Clockwork Orange haven't they! The Leader and his Droogs all got a kicking in the end!

[DJC]

Dont turn your back on Julie Bishop....she must rattle when she walks past you with all those knives she is carrying....

Prefer Turnbull to Abbott but being a Labor man its just deckchairs on another Titanic.....not that I want Shorten getting the job either and would prefer Labor removed him as leader...

Same, same 

[Mav]

Interesting challenge for Labor.  It goes without saying that they have to attack Turnbull and Bishop for knifing a PM who was elected by the people (and the Libs already know that it doesn't matter that this might not be technically the case, especially as they argued the opposite when Gillard was PM).  Already, Bishop sounds pathetic with her "Don't shoot the messenger" line, trying to suggest she had a duty as Deputy PM to tell Abbott that the backbench wanted him gone.

The next step is to focus on Turnbull's lack of principle in jettisoning his views regarding climate change and gay marriage.  To libertarian and swing voters, the ALP has to portray Turnbull as a sellout.  What good is it to them if Turnbull thinks like them but has done a deal with the Devil that will see him act like Abbott?  To the conservative/far right Wing voters, the ALP has to paint Turnbull as a wolf in sheep's clothing who will betray them at the earliest opportunity.

Well handled, Labor will be able to stoke resentment from the right Wing which will destabilise the Government and exacerbate tension with the Nationals.  Leaking and other tactics would help to paint Turnbull as a divisive and autocratic leader.  Right Wing voters might look for right Wing alternatives as they did with Pauline Hanson.  Meanwhile, centrist voters might be turned off by the sabre-rattling of the conservative Liberals, especially if Turnbull is prevented from shifting policy to the centre.

The problem is that these are contradictory messages.  It would be a disaster if rightwing voters remain confident that the conservative Wing of the party has Turnbull by the balls and will use him as a puppet, while the centrist voters firmly believe that Turnbull is playing the right Wing for fools and he'll eventually be able to implement his own agenda.

Tony Abbott has provided a road map, however, for  running contradictory lines successfully in negative campaigns and it wouldn't do for the Liberals to whinge about it now.