Oz Election Thread #7 - Turnbull's LNP

Been a crap week to be PM.

First time since Libspill2 that the ALP are ahead on Newspoll's two party preferred - 51% to 49%.

The Panama Papers thing is opportune for the opposition.

Having a perceived 'Toff' with money in the Caymans who can't control his extreme right wing, who talks about lowering company tax (a somewhat discredited version of trickledown economics), when the middle classes are facing economic uncertainty and are starting to perceive that their kids will have it worse than they did (something the USA has been struggling with for well over a decade and is a driver for the Trump phenomenon) is starting to make more people think Malcolm became PM for his own ego rather than for the good of the nation. Particularly the way he's done 180s on the couple of things that starkly contrasted him with Abbott (marriage equality, republic, government by grownup).

His brainfarts (like the state income tax idea) are coming as thick and fast as Abbott's - even if Turnbull is willing to let them fall off the table quickly as opposed to Abbott 'ragdolling' them to death.

Add to that the perception that the Scomo/Turnbull partnership is not so much Keating/Hawke or Costello/Howard but more Hockey/Abbott or Laurel/Hardy.

PJK's 'cherry on a compost heap' was a zeitgeist home run.

Best laugh of the week was Kevin Andrews' (apparently taken out of context) offer to accept the leadership for the good of the party.

Kind of relishing a rush to a double D that backfires completely. I wonder if the senate crossbenchers will be feeling a bit more confident about calling Turnbull's ABCC 'bluff'.

This turned up on twitter. Like.

The Malcolm Method

Haven't posted here for a while.

Lots of farcical shite has been happening, but it's kind of hard to take any of it seriously.

Shorten showed how easily a fractured party with a 1 seat majority can be derailed last week (which makes you recollect in awe how Gillard managed the hung parliament).

I imagine Shorten is in deep discussion with his advisors on whether to go Abbott-like in opposition or just watch them self destruct. I think he has a chance to show he cares more about the country than his ego by appearing to help Turnbull to a certain level of stability (particularly on budget reform) while simultaneously making Turnbull even more unpalatable to the far right of the LNP.

Keating-style he can 'do him slowly'.

The week of Senate maiden speeches.

Malcolm Roberts' was a car crash.

Hanson's was a repeat of her two decades old Rep's maiden speech but with the word 'Asian' replaced with 'Muslim'.

A twitter wag went one step further and replace 'Muslim' with 'bigot':

Malcolm is at the UN tell our good story on refugees

Well, the shadow cabinet have decided to vote against the plebiscite - saving a couple of $100m - and boxing Turnbull into an even more untenable/awkward position.

The word is a private members bill will be offered up in a few weeks. If that were to get up in both houses Turnbull will look even more ridiculous to the electorate and even more impotent to his own party.


PS, saved this from a few weeks back on twitter:

Yay and great image.

Well another week of LNP's 'Trump Lite' eating away at our trusted and prized institutions.

This week it's been the Human Rights Commission - and the Solicitor General.

You do not need to be Australian to appreciate the final frame.

I feel a little sorry for Turdbull - but the government he leads is exactly the sum of it's parts.

A new low. Govt announces that anyone who paid a people smuggler to get to Australia can never visit Australia, retrospectively.



I'm assuming that there are imminent plans to resettle at least the Manus refugees in a another country, possibly New Zealand, and this is to stop them from backdooring to Australia.

Am so hoping that one of these becomes a brain surgeon who is the only one who has the skills to save a prominent politician.

Think about it though - does this mean a refugee repatriated to New Zealand, who becomes an NZ citizen can't fly to Europe if it involves a transfer in Australia?

What the f is wrong with this govt? Remember these people are legitimate refugees according to the UN convention. Their crime is buying passage.