Heard Julie Bishop being referred to as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition yet again yesterday. It was ABC News reporting on the North Melbourne Grand final breakfast.
Perhaps we can forgive a sports journalist for getting it wrong. Google "grand final breakfast julie bishop deputy leader of the opposition" and a long list of offenders appears:
The Age
Daily Telegraph
Brisbane Times
MTR1377
4BC
Sydney Morning Herald
Ignorance is Bliss! Will the Real Alternative Deputy PM Please Stand Up? (Wednesday, July 21, 2010)
No wonder no one, especially the Independent MPs, takes Warren Truss seriously. Perhaps if they did, Tony Abbott would be Prime Minister, either at the ballot box or the negotiating table.
Showing posts with label nationals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nationals. Show all posts
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Julie Bishop: Still Not Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Labor Minority Government has Logic
If the final result of the Australian Federal election is 72 ALP, 73 LNP, 1 Green, 4 Independents, then logic seems to indicate a Gillard Labor Minority Government.
The three former Nationals (Bob Katter, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor) want a stable government that runs a full term of 3 years. If they go with their ideological home, giving the LNP 76 votes, then one by-election could cause a general election if the other independent Andrew Wilkie does not support the LNP. If they side with Labor then the margin is 77-73 with a one seat buffer.
If the result is 71/74 then the logic reverses with an Abbott conservative government more likely. Lots of counting left in Corangamite. Update: make that Brisbane.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Now for the Nationals Broadband Network?
While we wait for Sharryn Jackson to win Hasluck, a little speculation surrounding the unthinkable alternatives.
Will urban Australia help to fund a country version of the National Broadband Network? a country version of the education revolution?
Who would be the real losers if the $10 billion from the Resource Rent Tax goes west.
Were the mainstream media aware that Nationals and ex-Nationals were likely to decide our political fates?
Was the agreement between the 3 conservative independents mentioned publicly during the campaign? Did any journalists ask them about any wheeling and dealing? (I was out of the country for the 8 days before election night so I missed a bit.)
How many disgruntled voters realised that Warren Truss would be Deputy PM in a coalition government?
How much nasty stuff might still sneak through with Fielding's vote before July next year?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Where in the World is Warren Truss?
I'm trying to watch the real alternative Deputy Prime Minister Nationals' Warren Truss at the National Press Club. It's not easy. He's parroting the WA State slogans about the regions. He's proposing regional programs for the regions in areas like education despite the Coalition's vacuum on education policy.
He's proud of stopping the Emissions Trading Scheme that the National Farmers Federation strongly supported.
He seems to proposing a national hospital system. Wonder what the Western Australian colleagues think about that?
Lots of rhetoric and little detail or new programs. They must be the new green party going by their campaign slogan Think Local, Vote National which is of course a contradiction in terms. Is that a fancy way of saying pork-barrel? How come the media aren't caning the Nats for that one.
He's struggling on stay-at-home mothers versus paid parental leave, that has split the Coalition.
Waiting for a testing question on the National Broadband Network that the Coalition is against but his own members are keen about.
On water, he's quite open about the fight with Tony Abbott over his proposed referendum to take over the Murray Darling.
Anyway most people think Barnaby Joyce is the Nationals' leader. Haven't heard much concrete from him lately. Perhaps his minders are afraid the real Barnaby might have a "things that batter" moment like Tony Abbott's 'when Julia Gillard says "no, she really means it"' gaff yesterday.
Couldn't see Laurie Oakes in the audience. Might explain how few really probing questions were asked.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Irony Man's Sidekick: Back-flippant Barny
Barnaby Joyce's latest excuse for his foot-in-mouth disease is irony.
He wouldn't wipe his mouth with Productivity Commission reports apparently and made stupid remarks about both the insulation scheme and the Stimulus Package schools building projects.
More: Joyce backtracks on toilet paper quip (ABC Radio's AM program )
"It is a statement of irony. It is not a genuine belief that they are burning down houses to stimulate the economy, but they are definitely burning down houses," he said.
Joyce defends toilet paper humour (ABC News)
He joins the super-boy heroes club as Tony Abbott's sidekick, Back-flippant Barny. His super power will involve both feet.
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