Costello

[MrBurns]

It just dawned on me that Rudd's flattery of Peter Costello and offer of a job, although no specifics, is a calculated move to prevent Costello attacking the Govt.
Even though he is retiring he could be very damaging to the Govt by exposing their economic incompetance between now and the next election.

 

[Soft Dough]

It just dawned on me that Rudd's flattery of Peter Costello and offer of a job, although no specifics, is a calculated move to prevent Costello attacking the Govt.
Even though he is retiring he could be very damaging to the Govt by exposing their economic incompetance between now and the next election.

maybe, but I doubt it.

Costello was hanging around and ready to pounce for leadership for the next election.

He realised that libs cannot win the next election so has decided to call it quits.

If the liberals were starting to look like they could win, I am sure that he would have stayed on, and would have contested the next election as leader of the opposition.

 

[drsmith]

Isn't economic incompetance today regarded from all sides of politics an essential prerequisite to govern ?

 

[MrBurns]

maybe, but I doubt it.

Costello was hanging around and ready to pounce for leadership for the next election.

He realised that libs cannot win the next election so has decided to call it quits.

If the liberals were starting to look like they could win, I am sure that he would have stayed on, and would have contested the next election as leader of the opposition.

I was talking about Rudds motives not Costellos, I think Costello came to the crossroads he either had to challenge or leave altogether, he as you say, probably thought the libs cant win this one so he got out of Turnbulls way OR he just thought his chance had passed and he wasnt as driven for it as he was in the past.

 

[MrBurns]

Isn't economic incompetance today regarded from all sides of politics an essential prerequisite to govern ?

Yes politics has nothing to do with ability to govern just ability to get votes.

 

[Solly]

I was talking about Rudds motives not Costellos, I think Costello came to the crossroads he either had to challenge or leave altogether, he as you say, probably thought the libs cant win this one so he got out of Turnbulls way OR he just thought his chance had passed and he wasnt as driven for it as he was in the past.

MrBurns I agree with your position.

Also I would like to here gg's position on this, has he disappeared ?
He's been missing since the weekend.

Has he been to Melbourne recently or has he been causing marriage difficulties at Belmont and been taken out by a jealous husband..??

 

[MrBurns]

MrBurns I agree with your position.

Also I would like to here gg's position on this, has he disappeared ?
He's been missing since the weekend.

Has he been to Melbourne recently or has he been causing marriage difficulties at Belmont and been taken out by a jealous husband..??

I have every faith that gg will emerge victorious from any given situation.

Rudd is cunning he's trying to disarm one of the Libs most potent weapons against Labor at the next election by trying to befriend the enemy.

Costellos media comment in the leadup to any election would be very damaging.

 

[Glen48]

All Turnbull has to do is sit tight and let Rudd help him win the next election..maybe Costello sees how bad things will get and reaslises there will be nothing he can do to turn it around so time to bail out. Costello will get his super as well as work for Rudd so he will be better of than in power.
If QLD Gov thinks it will be 2017 before things turn around ( which is correct and then it will be a slow climb).

 

[Julia]

I

Rudd is cunning he's trying to disarm one of the Libs most potent weapons against Labor at the next election by trying to befriend the enemy.

Costellos media comment in the leadup to any election would be very damaging.

I agree with you. And Costello will feel justified in pursuing whatever avenue offers him the best advantage. I doubt he feels any loyalty to the Libs now.

 

[MrBurns]

I agree with you. And Costello will feel justified in pursuing whatever avenue offers him the best advantage. I doubt he feels any loyalty to the Libs now.

You may be right Julia, I'd be disapointed if that were the case but reality dictates that that may be how it will go.

I'd be rapt if he declined the Rudd bribe and helped the libs at the election..

 

[waza1960]

Costello always put the liberal party and Australias interests before his own I don't see that changing.I realize its hard for people not to be cynical cause he is a politician

 

[MrBurns]

Costello always put the liberal party and Australias interests before his own I don't see that changing.I realize its hard for people not to be cynical cause he is a politician

Agree

 

[Julia]

Costello always put the liberal party and Australias interests before his own I don't see that changing.I realize its hard for people not to be cynical cause he is a politician

Perhaps he did. Or perhaps he failed to challenge for the leadership simply because he knew he never had the numbers.

 

[ajjack]

Peter is a true blue Lib.
I had the opportunity to meet him some years back,
and was impressed by his manner and knowledge.

As for leadership, I dont think he has the "ticker" for it.
Too much of a nice guy, somewhat similar to Beazley
Very sad this.

 

[gav]

What is the role that Costello has been offered by Krudd?

By wanting to employ Costello, is Krudd admitting that Swan is incompetent, or that he doesn't have faith in Swan?

 

[kincella]

I think Andrew Bolt had a better handle on this.....last time Peter had to juggle numbers for 96 billion debt....today its 300 billion and rising ...a daunting task

I dont believe the next election is unwinnable...40/41 as yesterday...

Peter is too good at finance.....and the cunning krudd would want to keep him quiet....
(like where did the $600 money to carers approved yesterday come from....) and being paid out from Fri ???

I am hoping Peter just waits it out....maybe the electorate will get rid of Turnbull, Abbott and any other detractors....then Peter has the numbers...and take over

all he is doing now is getting away from the flack..the excuse that Turnbull has to look over his shoulder.....Turnbull is a dud, spends too much time smiling at that ugly Gilard, same as Abbott...
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[explod]

What a dreary thread. Peter the college kid who was always round for the smiley photo shoots and to disrupt class behind the scenes. An image he never lost in my eyes. Remember the smirk, never ever could get rid of it, though he had some training for the problem I understand.

But little worse than any of the others who are driven by inthemoney lobbyists and the next election (in that order) ALP seem to have a bit of a social conscience and Bob Brown does seem to be honest. Loved the day he balled out George Bush in our Parliament a few years back.

cheers explod

 

[kincella]

Bob honest...really...apparently he got donations before the court case of
750,000to cover the costs....then just recently asked for another 250k.....they want to know what happened to the original 750K's

 

[explod]

Bob honest...really...apparently he got donations before the court case of
750,000to cover the costs....then just recently asked for another 250k.....they want to know what happened to the original 750K's

Well I thought so, but glad you alerted me to that. Restores further my faith in my Dad who said 50 years ago that "they (p ollies)are all a pack of bl...y crooks"

 

[Duckman#72]

Costello always put the liberal party and Australias interests before his own I don't see that changing.I realize its hard for people not to be cynical cause he is a politician

I completely agree. Costello is no Mark "Loose Cannon" Latham - nor do I hope to see him as another John Hewson/Malcolm Fraser.

Costello is Liberal to the core. Much more so than John Howard. For this reason alone I can't see him "working for the enemy". The other reason is that he is a man of principles. He has been quoted as saying that he would rather lose an election and stand for something, than win an election and have been compromised. His core beliefs just won't fit with Julia's and Wayne's.

There are any number of opinions that have been expressed surrounding his "lack of ticker" and that he didn't "grab his chance at the leadership". That's harsh. Will we ever know? No. But put simply - Peter Costello never had broad party room support. He was never in a position to become Prime Minister. Challenging would have detrimentally affected his chances of becoming leader, and more importantly to Costello, it would have created complete disunity and instability within the Government.

If he is to be criticised, it should be for not being astute/capable enough to "play the party game" and "work the room". That Peter Costello never became Prime Minister was as much the fault of a partyroom blinded by success, as anything Costello ever did or didn't do himself.

Costello is believes that Australia's prosperity and proven economic standing can be attributed to him alone. Costello was constantly frustrated by Howards interference, not assistance, through Government handout packages, the refusal to lower taxes, and by not making more inroads into worker reform.

The only legacy that counts for Costello is Australia's wealth and prosperity during his "Golden Age". I don't think he is about to cloud his legacy by aiding Labour, at least to any great capacity.

It is a sad state of affairs where the primary criticism of arguably Australia's greatest Treasurer is that "I didn't like his smirk". Unfortunately when politics becomes as superficial as this you end up with someone like Kevin as Prime Minister.

Duckman