“The Herald Sun understands Peter Dutton has reached 43 names and the petition will be presented to the Prime Minister tomorrow morning calling for a leadership spill”, runs the one indication I am aware of that the Peter Dutton camp did not in fact spend last night butting its collective head against a ceiling of 40 signatures. That would ensure the proposed party room meeting goes ahead at noon; it is not clear Turnbull will be able to head off organisational pressure to have the situation resolved in any case. If so, a leadership ballot will proceed between Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop. The situation is fluid, but the prevailing view seems to be that Bishop will be excluded after a first round vote, setting up a decisive showdown between Dutton and Morrison. A lot may depend on the Solicitor-General’s advice on Dutton’s Section 44 issue, expected this morning.
It also appears to established that this will be immediately followed by Malcolm Turnbull resigning from parliament, and Nationals MP Kevin Hogan moving to the cross-bench. Hogan would continue voting with confidence and supply, but Turnbull’s absence could cause other votes to be lost if the cross bench was united against the government, unless Labor granted a pairing arrangement. Then there is the question of a by-election in Wentworth, which would not be a foregone conclusion for the Liberals – particularly, one suspects, if Dutton is leader. Labor was starting to look almost competitive in the seat before Turnbull made his mark there; failing that, there would seem to be a strong chance of a conservative independent emerging. While there will undoubtedly be a clamour for an early election, the scale of the Liberals’ unreadiness for one suggests it will not be so early as to preclude the need for the by-election.
Poll news:
• A ReachTEL poll for the CFMEU finds 55.5% rating themselves less likely to vote Liberal if Peter Dutton was leader, compared with 22.9% for more likely and 21.5% for no difference. A question on preferred Liberal leader had Peter Dutton on just 10.2%, behind Turnbull on 38.1%, Julie Bishop on 29.2%, Tony Abbott on 14.0% and Scott Morrison on 8.6%. This is consistent with other such polling of recent times, though perhaps a little stronger for Julie Bishop. On voting intention, Labor led 53-47; we haven’t had a ReachTEL poll from Sky News for three months now, but the last one had Labor leading 52-48. After allocating results of a forced response question for the undecided, the primary votes are Coalition 36.1%, Labor 35.0%, Greens 10.8% and One Nation 9.0%. The poll was conducted Wednesday night from a sample of 2430.
• Further bolstering Julie Bishop’s claim is another Morgan SMS poll, finding her favoured 64-36 over Bill Shorten as preferred prime minister, while Shorten held a bare 50.5-49.5 lead over Scott Morrison. The poll was conducted yesterday from a sample of 1126. Unlike Wednesday’s poll, which matched Bill Shorten against Malcolm Turnbull (unfavourably) and Peter Dutton (favourably), this one did not include an undecided option. Bishop’s lead was fairly consistent across the age spectrum, whereas Morrison did much better among older respondents.
Clover Moore wouldnt appeal to the crowd in Double Bay and Vaucluse. Her appeal ends in Paddington. Look at the state seat of Sydney V state seat of Vaucluse and see the changes in primary.
I am intrigued by the vandalism to PDuddy’s electorate office in Strathpine. My daughter lived in the neighbouring sear of Petrie for a while.
Very hinterland middle class. Many large religious schools, houses (with ponies) on acres, and many Macmansions. Not a single brown person for miles around, and definitely no anarchists. Of course with the excellent train line recently completed, it would be easy for a bunch of anarchists to travel from St Lucia to Strathpine.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. I thinks this is the biggest Dawn Patrol I’ve ever put together. I wonder why.
Peter Hartcher begins his contribution with, “Malcolm Turnbull won the Liberal leadership by striking a Faustian pact to sell his political soul to the devil. Now the devil has called time on the deal.”
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/malcolm-turnbull-made-a-deal-with-the-devil-now-the-devil-has-called-time-20180823-p4zzfc.html
Oh dear! Mark Kenny says that having declared its CEO unfit to lead, Australia’s self-proclaimed “business” party is now trading while politically insolvent, its legitimacy squandered and its stock price slashed to junk status.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/honour-left-the-building-some-time-ago-20180823-p4zz9z.html
In an incisive contribution Catherine McGregor opines that the Liberal Party is teetering on the brink of extinction. She describes Turnbull as a hollow, opportunistic impostor.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-liberal-party-is-teetering-on-the-brink-of-extinction-20180823-p4zzbb.html
Davide Crowe wonders what the point is of a Peter Dutton government? It is astonishing that the nation’s governing party has rushed toward a ballot on a leadership challenge that offers so little to justify a change.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/extraordinary-destruction-carries-little-reward-20180823-p4zzcn.html
Liam Mannix writes on how in Liberal heartland the thought of Dutton as PM is appalling.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/in-sunny-kooyong-liberals-find-the-thought-of-pm-dutton-appalling-20180823-p4zzd1.html
According to Latika Bourke Dutton has released new legal advice stating he is unequivocally entitled to sit in Parliament.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/i-was-not-in-breach-peter-dutton-releases-new-legal-advice-on-eligibility-to-be-mp-20180823-p4zzft.html
Katharine Murphy writes that MPs don’t know whether there will be a party room meeting on Friday or whether the crisis will roll on – but either way the stakes are immense.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/23/turnbull-shows-no-mercy-as-warring-liberals-tear-out-the-partys-heart-and-soul
The SMH editorial is headlined, “Slow motion coup makes Liberals look like a rabble”. It says the Liberal Party is trapped in an identity crisis.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/slow-motion-coup-makes-liberals-look-like-a-rabble-20180823-p4zzc2.html
Phil Coorey declares Australian politics to be sick and broken.
https://www.outline.com/fV9sM9
Politics professor Carol Johnson writes that a change at the top will not cure the Liberal Party of its ills.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/change-at-the-top-will-not-cure-the-liberal-party-of-its-ills-20180823-p4zza9.html
Jacqui Maley chronicles the spectacular rise and fall of Malcolm Turnbull.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-rise-and-spectacular-fall-of-malcolm-what-did-turnbull-get-so-wrong-20180823-p4zze5.html
Tony Wright says that when it comes to ferocity Rudd wouldn’t hold a candle to Turnbull. He says Turnbull is laying out a scorched earth for his internal opponents.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/malcolm-turnbull-promises-a-scorched-earth-for-his-liberal-enemies-20180823-p4zzdz.html
The AFR gets behind Morrison for the top job.
https://www.outline.com/TGeEr9
But Phil Coorey reckons that right-wing Liberals threaten to tear Scott Morrison apart.
https://www.outline.com/5ftKnq
Matthew Knott tells us that for whoever wins the PM ballot today Abbott will present a dilemma.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/tony-abbott-presents-a-dilemma-for-peter-dutton-or-whoever-becomes-prime-minister-on-friday-20180823-p4zzbh.html
Indigenous and migrant Australians are deeply worried bout the prospect of a Dutton government.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/24/dutton-as-pm-indigenous-and-migrant-australians-are-deeply-worried
Jenna Price says that we have self-interest replacing national interest.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/when-self-interest-replaces-the-national-interest-20180823-p4zzbs.html
Alex Smith reports that the former Australian ambassador to Israel, Dave Sharma, has emerged as the candidate most likely to replace Malcolm Turnbull in the seat of Wentworth.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-man-most-likely-to-replace-turnbull-in-the-seat-of-wentworth-20180823-p4zzdk.html
Tom McIlroy in the AFR says that the real winner of the Liberal fratricide is Bill Shorten.
https://www.outline.com/ezvJf2
Michelle Grattan has formed the opinion that a Dutton win would give the conservatives a stranglehold on the Liberal party’s throat.
https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-a-dutton-win-would-give-the-conservatives-a-stranglehold-on-the-liberal-partys-throat-102062
And Paul Bongiorno says we will have a new PM but the government will be nobbled. He reckons the odds are on an election sooner rather than later. The judgement of voters is likely to be very harsh.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/08/23/new-prime-minister-government-nobbled/
The ever-reliable Greg Jericho explains why Dutton’s GST plan smells of political desperation and policy stupidity.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2018/aug/23/peter-duttons-gst-plan-smells-of-political-desperation-and-policy-stupidity
Childcare consultant Lisa Bryant explains how the Dutton childcare cloud exposes problem with the entire sector.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-childcare-cloud-exposes-problem-with-entire-sector-20180823-p4zzdn.html
Meanwhile the Senate has voted to investigate the circumstances surrounding Peter Dutton’s decision to use ministerial intervention powers to save two foreign au pairs from deportation.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/23/labor-to-refer-peter-duttons-au-pair-visa-decision-to-senate-inquiry
Chris Uhlmann hit the spot with his big spit at the forces of evil in the mainstream media.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/sky-news-news-corp-2gb-waging-war-against-pm-chris-uhlmann-20180823-p4zz7f.html
Turnbull and his allies see them as a holy trinity of undeclared political actors.
https://www.outline.com/qEqztq
Dave Donovan as his say about the Murdochian influence.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-turnbull-demolition-and-the-murdoch-coincidence,11818
Bruce Guthrie tells us that anyone who doubts Rupert Murdoch’s role in the political chaos that has played out in recent days has never worked for him at a senior level.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/08/23/hello-rupert-bye-bye-malcolm/
Alan Austin reports that data showing Australia’s economy declining piles up every week as the various agencies release their regular bulletins. Whether by laziness, overwork or desire to protect the pro-big business Turnbull Government, little gets reported in the mainstream press. Independent Australia will now do the gleaning so you don’t have to.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/a-new-direction-the-truth-about-the-economy-they-dont-want-you-to-know,11817
Peter Hannam mulls over how we got climate policy so, so wrong.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/absolutely-daft-how-did-we-end-getting-climate-policy-so-wrong-20180823-p4zz83.html
The electricity grid operator says there is a one in three chance of power failure in Victoria this summer unless immediate action is taken. Its latest Electricity Statement of Opportunities forecast report painted a tough picture for Victoria as the energy network ages and Australia faces another record hot summer.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/action-urged-as-victoria-faces-summer-blackouts-20180823-p4zzd4.html
John Warhurst explains how corporate Australia is the big loser from the Liberal leadership uncertainty because of the collateral damage to its reputation. To shore up his position Malcolm Turnbull has not just abandoned his emissions target but rounded on business in an unprecedented way.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/leadership-uncertainty-throws-big-business-under-a-bus-20180822-p4zz11.html
Frank Bongiorno writes that with moment after moment of madness the Liberals manage the ugliest, messiest leadership challenge in history.
https://theconversation.com/moment-after-moment-of-madness-liberals-manage-the-ugliest-messiest-leadership-challenge-in-history-102035
Van Badham says no modern government has ever held Australians in such proactive contempt. Liberals will not do what needs to be done.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/23/it-doesnt-matter-whos-prime-minister-if-its-a-liberal-it-will-be-the-same
With the Australian Government plunge into unbridled chaos, Chris Graham looks to the past to explain a very bleak political future.
https://newmatilda.com/2018/08/23/history-repeats-lessons-another-political-suicide-party/
Doug Dingwall explains how agencies are in a holding pattern after their ministers abandoned Turnbull.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/agencies-in-holding-pattern-after-ministers-abandon-turnbull-20180823-p4zzat.html
Rebekha Sharkie says that crossbenchers won’t back a Coalition leader until hearing back from their voters. She’s thinking about surveying 20000 of her electors.
https://www.outline.com/T2Requ
Trump has drawn a sharp rebuttal from his Attorney-General on Thursday after he gave a scathing assessment of Jeff Sessions as being unable to take control of the Justice Department.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/attorney-general-hits-back-as-feud-with-trump-intensifies-20180824-p4zzfz.html
And raising the prospect of his own impeachment, Trump warned during a television interview on Thursday that his removal from office would hurt the economy.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/impeach-me-and-the-market-crashes-trump-says-20180824-p4zzfw.html
But Bloomberg says that Trump has it wrong – markets will jump if he is impeached.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/business/markets/trump-has-it-wrong-markets-will-jump-if-he-is-impeached-20180824-p4zzg1.html
The Washington Post unravels the litany of lies from Trump and his team over the hush money to over up his sexual exploits.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/a-changing-story-but-with-one-constant-it-wasnt-true-20180823-p4zza3.html
More from the Washington Post as it describes Trump as America’s illegitimate president.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/americas-illegitimate-president-20180823-p4zz63.html
Clancy Yeates tells us that banks and wealth managers face mounting pressure to scrap an estimated $300 million a year in kickbacks paid to financial advisers, after the royal commission highlighted the persistence of such conflicted payments.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/pressure-mounts-on-banks-over-300m-in-kickbacks-20180823-p4zz9n.html
Nick Miller outlines some of the unusual red tape headaches facing the UK as Brexit looms.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/danish-sperm-diseased-lungs-and-red-tape-brexit-nightmares-revealed-20180824-p4zzfx.html
And consumers would face slower and more costly credit card payments when they buy EU products, and British citizens living abroad could lose access to payments from their bank accounts, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the government has warned.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/23/britons-in-eu-could-lose-access-to-uk-bank-accounts-under-no-deal-brexit
The odds are on an election sooner rather than later. The judgement of voters is likely to be very harsh.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/are-bank-owned-wealth-management-groups-a-busted-flush/
It’s too late. Not even Pope Francis can resurrect Catholic Ireland.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/23/pope-francis-ireland-irish-catholicsm-catholic-church-abusive-institution
Electronic voting might be convenient, but in this age of personal data leaks it’s not a safe or secure option, writes Rosie Williams.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/deconstructing-the-democracy-sausage-the-risks-of-evoting,11815
Hello hello. Yet another franchisor behaving badly. Cara Waters reports.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/hell-on-earth-back-in-motion-physio-franchisees-bullied-and-trapped-20180823-p4zz74.html
And as a contender for “Arsehole of the Week” we have former AFL player Trent Croad who has been accused of ripping off thousands of dollars from clients of his Melbourne landscape gardening business.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/former-hawks-star-trent-croad-accused-of-ripping-off-clients-20180822-p4zz2k.html
Cartoon Corner
Two more from David Rowe as he gets darker and darker with his depiction of Dutton.
Mark David on Turnbull’s loss of support.
A nature lesson from David Pope.
Peter Broelman trots out Turnbull’s spine.
The prolific Matt Golding.
Paul Zanetti with Morrison the numbers man.
Mark Knight features on the front page of this morning’s Sun-Herald.
And for good measure he ventures into the royal bedroom.
Sean Leahy nicely sums up Mesma.
Alan Moir on what happened yesterday.
And he gives us one on Dutton having a makeover.
Roy Taylor at the presser.
Glen Le Lievre goes to the White House.
Jon Kudelka calls for more water.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/41780d1af4408d018b211b6ab379783d
David Pope with a very dark view on the adjournment of the lower house.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/act/david-pope-20120214-1t3j0.html
Lots of very good cartoons in here!
https://www.smh.com.au/world/best-of-fairfax-cartoons-august-24-2018-20180824-h14f2v.html
Good Morning
Latest mad claim. Business report has it someone has called sovereign risk over what is happening in Canberra. 😆
The Australian dollar has endured a tough night on the currency markets. It has fallen 1.4% to stand at US72.48c.
Libspill has been a plan of the head of Reserve Bank all along
‘James Newburrie
@DifficultNerd
7h7 hours ago
More
I think you all misunderstood: we didn’t mean “government that was stable”. No, we meant government like a stable: complete with tired nags, aggressive circling, and endless muck-raking #auspol #libspill’
Thanks BK. The first Rowe cartoon esp is brilliantly apt.
Turnbull is the one most likely to have fingered Dutton.
Remember, only a few months ago, both parties had all their MPs present evidence that they complied with S44. Turnbull has that list. He might be comparing it to another list atm.
Either way, Turnbull can’t have just found out. He has deliberately allowed someone to sit in Parliament when he himself (apparently) knew that person might be ineligible.
Ive heard little about Pyne. I hope to good they exclude him from the new ministry and he does us all a favour and resign from parliament.
It would be sensible to have it sorted today. So entirely possible it won’t be.
Even if they figure out a leader I suspect good government (even stable government) is still a whiles away…. unless Turnbull chooses to take the house down with him and somehow convinces (with SG advice and his threat to quit) the GG this morning that an election is needed.
@anusha_srini tweets
.@SenatorAbetz talking about virtues and values is hilarious enough but bemoaning the loss of the “secret ballot” with so much public leaking and brawling is cowardice part excellence
.@RNBreakfast
#auspol
Heaven forbid the ABC look for policy positions with the Lib contenders, more fun they concentrate on vacuous shots of Julie running around the world
The Solicitor General referral was a pretty dirty manoevure by Turnbull, but there has to be some realistic chance that the feedback expresses some uncertainty on the question and reccommends a referral to the High Court for certainty.
If it turns out that way, I would think, despite the whole opportunism of the moment, its a pretty effective argument that “we cant take a chance installing Dutton as PM with any chance that he gets ruled ineligible”.
Its certainly possible this would spook enough MPs to prevent him getting to a majority. In which case, you’d have to think ScoMo is a good bet.
If S-G completely clears him, then looks like a 50-50ish call anyway? I still dont understand why ScoMo wants the job now.
Electorally speaking, Mesma is surely the best furniture-saving play. But in terms of the Civil War the right wont wear it and nothing too much changes i guess.
The long-term best thing probably is that Dutton gets it, gives Abbott a high profile cabinet job, and the Coalition get trounced by ALP in an election thus ridding the country of both of them forever more (preferably with Dutton losing his seat)?
Wotamess
zoomster:
I’d bet London to a brick there’s more coalition MPs than just Dutton under a cloud which is why they won’t allow them to be referred to the HC. Turnbull knows about all of them and was prepared to look the other way for the sake of holding onto govt.
BK
I hope you were able to follow yesterday’s extraordinary events in Canberra while in the Flatlands yesterday. We live in exciting times!!
The NSW Editor for The Oz was on 702 ABC Sydney this morn. Sounds like the state liberals are praying for an earlier federal election to save Berejiklian.
Ha!
DavidW2035 tweets
People are too scared to go out to dinner in Canberra. There are gangs of old white men with blue ties stabbing each other in the back. They should go back to where they came from. #libspill #Dutton #Turnbull #LiberalParty #auspol
BK
The cartoonists are brutal today. I think they are rooting for a PotatoPM
fess
Exactly what I mean – does Malcolm walk into the party room and say the spill is off because X number of those who are going to vote against him are ineligible?
Apparently Abetz saying they don’t have 43 signatures…
Barrie Cassidy backing Ullman on his media interference comments.
zoomster:
If Turnbull is ousted and decided to resign from parliament he could certainly throw one hell of a flame on the govt on his way out the door by publicly naming the MPs under a cloud.
Ben Morton says he thinks he’s the 43rd signature.
What a farce!
I hope you were able to follow yesterday’s extraordinary events in Canberra while in the Flatlands yesterday. We live in exciting times!!
____
Guytaur
I did manage to catch the highlights as they happened.
BK
I bet they are.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/24/dutton-as-pm-indigenous-and-migrant-australians-are-deeply-worried
More bloody ABC Vox pop.. sell the crap thing now
srpeatling tweets
Mr Chester: “I am appalled and bitterly disappointed… every second and every minute that I spend on @RNBreakfast talking about the machinations of the Liberal party, people are switching off…..People get frustrated by this. It’s been a sad week, not just for me personally.”
At least Mr Chester seem to get it and seems to have behaved honourably through out the whole fracas. Kudos to him.
sprocket_
Yes, the cartoonists are having a ball in their individual ways with Dutton but the other two aspirants are also pretty good subjects.
IF the advice from the SG is that Dutton has questions to answer would that kill the leadership bid. I assume Bishop and Morrison are Turnbull backers so once Dutton is out of the way the threat is gone, unless Abbott wants to have a go.
BK
Good. It would have been a shame to miss. 🙂
I forgot to mention yesterday that Senator Richard Di Natale called out the LNP in a great angry speech.
Every word I think Labor agreed with. A full bore attack on the LNP and zero attack on Labor.
Much more effective and his like Mr Shorten’s speech yesterday was an excellent contribution.
Darren Chester seems a pretty reasonable and moderate bloke tbh.
It’s astounding how the RWNJs genuinely believe the public loves their ideology. It’d be like the ALP Left revolting over the Party not setting up a Comintern.
Walking Wentworth as we speak.
It really is an old money/finance type seat in the main. Most folk here would think that the residents of the Shire and Peninsula are rednecks and the North Shore types are slightly lower caste.
They are not overly knowledgeable of those beyond those areas.
A social conscience massively successful small business type with some worthy causes on the CV would go alright
@BreakfastNews tweets
.@barriecassidy: “Ordinarily people would stop me and say, ‘Who do you think will win?’ This time
they don’t care. They’re not even asking that question. All they want to do is have a real crack at what’s going on in Canberra, they’re just so disappointed with it.” #libspill https://twitter.com/BreakfastNews/status/1032747511503417344/photo/1
Those Rowe cartoons are absolute works of art. Genius.
A Liberal Historian pens a contribution
https://theconversation.com/balmain-basket-weavers-strike-again-tearing-the-liberal-party-apart-102044?utm_medium=amptwitter&utm_source=twitter
Well I have family who live in Wentworth and they most certainly are not insular or removed from the rich tapestry of our society.
PvO says Dutton et al need to own the mess they’ve made of the Liberals.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/peter-van-onselen/peter-dutton-and-supporters-need-to-own-the-mess-theyve-created-for-liberal-part/news-story/52c51baec5585916c1ac31435848ce30
Here’s another very good contribution from Eddy Jokovich.
http://newpolitics.com.au/2018/08/24/a-dark-day-in-australian-politics/
I reckon there will be a Melbourne Cup field of contenders in Wentworth. They can all afford the price of admission after all.
Jokovich:
Bloody tragic for us that we have such low-intellect, one-dimensional MPs.
BK says:
Friday, August 24, 2018 at 8:18 am
Here’s another very good contribution from Eddy Jokovich.
http://newpolitics.com.au/2018/08/24/a-dark-day-in-australian-politics/
________________
Thanks BK, and for your massive effort in putting together todays huge “news fit to print”. You do a fantastic job, as always.
But with regard to this link, and others, all and sundry are saying that Peter Dutton will be hopeless in the top job.
So why are so many (though less than 43!) of his colleagues willing to put him up as a challenger?
There must be something else going on. Is there a faustian pact with Tony Abbott, I wonder? That is, are the supporters using Dutton as a stalking horse for Abbott?
Lots of news from Trumplandia. According to Giuliani Trump sought legal advice on pardoning Manafort. And potentially giving rise to conspiracy theories about tampered juries, there was one juror in Manafort’s trial who blocked conviction on all counts. Every other juror wanted to convict Manafort on all charges.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/lone-holdout-on-manafort-jury-blocked-conviction-on-all-counts-juror-says/2018/08/23/72fcf926-a685-11e8-8fac-12e98c13528d_story.html?utm_term=.83b7be89c1e8
don
Sometimes an expressionless, decisive sounding boss is seen as a wise leader by his underlings.
Maybe the Liberals need to undergo the humiliating folly of PDuddy PM before they realise that dancing with the red-headed she devil won’t work for them.
.@barriecassidy: “Ordinarily people would stop me and say, ‘Who do you think will win?’ This time
they don’t care. They’re not even asking that question. All they want to do is have a real crack at what’s going on in Canberra, they’re just so disappointed with it
Note that Cassidy says ‘Canberra’, not ‘Liberal Party’. Be accurate, you hack.
Cannibalism may be a major human taboo, but it’s surprisingly common in the animal kingdom. And there are a lot of good reasons to eat your own kind. The larvae of tiger salamanders can take two forms. The smaller type eats aquatic invertebrates, while the larger “cannibal morph” feasts on its non-cannibal companions.
It looks like homo erectus liberali is a contender for this mantle.
Cormann has come out strongly supporting Dutton. They are obviously ideologically compatible but one would think Cormann would only support who he thinks has a chance to succeed. Very curious.
There has been nothing ‘intellectual’ about Turnbull.
It will be most disappointing if his tenure is given misty-eyed treatment in memoriam.