Best Opposition Leader Poll #2

[numbercruncher]

Yes i think top Politicians are underpaid (or atleast deserve what they get) when taken against corporate peers as a comparison.

I sort of think its good in a way too as it helps attract people who are genuinely wanting to to the job rather than in it for the cash.

 

[skint]

Well, it looks as though Nelson has won it (45 votes to 42). Bit of a surprise for mine. It'll be interesting to see how long he can hold on to it. Abbott will never be leader, but he's already flagged his intention to snipe at anything he deems as a repudiation of Howard's policies. As they say, those that don't learn from history are destined to repeat it.
P.S. anyone catch the 7:30 report last night. Abbott made a comprehensive galah of himself. It was like watching an episode of The Office where you need to regularly jump behind the couch in embarrassment.

 

[The Mint Man]

Well, it looks as though Nelson has won it (45 votes to 42).

Thats is the wrong decision

 

[skint]

Thats is the wrong decision

Egad, Mint Man! We agree on something! Do you he'll get ousted by Turnbull, somewhere down the track?

 

[ithatheekret]

Brendon Nelson , some relief in that .

 

[numbercruncher]

Just proves the right wingers are still in control, the young Liberal dont provide any relief either .... Sidelines for the Libs for a decade im sure

 

[doctorj]

Thats is the wrong decision

Probably the right decision in the long run for both Turnball and the libs.
Turnball is the rising star of the party and someone that's actually come out of the election arguably better than he entered it. Much better off keeping him in cotton wool for a couple of years to allow him to run for PM untainted. I really believe opposition leader right now for the libs is a losing battle. Afterall, when was the last time the opposition won an election after only 1 term in opposition?

 

[imajica]

thank god Tony abbott didn't win! I can't stand that wing-nut tawny frog mouth!

Overall I think Brendan Nelson was a good choice.

 

[Rafa]

Probably the right decision in the long run for both Turnball and the libs.
Turnball is the rising star of the party and someone that's actually come out of the election arguably better than he entered it. Much better off keeping him in cotton wool for a couple of years to allow him to run for PM untainted. I really believe opposition leader right now for the libs is a losing battle. Afterall, when was the last time the opposition won an election after only 1 term in opposition?

Agree 100%...

Let Nelson do his dash... Then turnbull can come and bring the party from the right back to the centre in a few years time, just like Rudd is doing now with the Labor party (tho from the left).

In the end, Australians are pretty cluey... we all want centrist govt... as soon as a govt leans too much right or left, its 'off with their heads'

Labor's left leaning fanatics won't really come to the fore for another couple of terms just like it took Howards right wing attributes a couple of terms to show...

By then Turnbull can take over, and we can all vote for the Libs once again. Although the way Turnbull is going, his re-modeled Liberals are going to be to the left of labor

Now that is going to complicate matter again!!!

 

[Aussiejeff]

45 votes to 42 is barely a clear cut choice....

Might be some further fallout from such a close ballot a little ways down the track methinks. Turnbull will be thinking "I've almost got the numbers - just a few more"... so, Brendan Babe better not start shooting himself in the foot anytime soon eh?

Obviously, Liberal Party power brokers don't take any notice of ASF polls, or they might have been shocked at the lack of support shown here for Nelson. . I guess they think they know best...

AJ

PS: Is that an angry "Super Hornet" I can hear, buzzing around Brendan's backside? LOL

 

[chops_a_must]

Thats is the wrong decision

Is that because he is a former member of the Labor party and a unionist? Lol!

For the times they are a changing...

 

[2020hindsight]

Is that because he is a former member of the Labor party and a unionist? Lol!
For the times they are a changing...

spot on chops .. and even Turnbull tried to unionise Paddy's market when he worked there as a youngster , lol - in fact that's when he met Bob Carr (and they've been mates ever since) . He went on to get Bob Carr his job as a journalist.

so the leadership tussle was really between 2 union bosses lol.

At least Labor has a non-union-boss at the top -

cripes those Coalition ads were a heap of garbage weren't they

PS I swear I have no idea which way Nelson would jump ... - totally bland sheesh (doesn't even have any eyebrows lol)

 

[trinity]

Great article Julia. I had hoped Turnbull would win. Unfortunately, the party voted otherwise. Hubby thinks Nelson is not too bright, hubby was watching some story on the tellie, wherein Nelson as defense minister bought some fighter jets. (ok, I don't know anything about fighter jets as hubby is into those things so I may not explain this as eloquently as I want) and hubby commented how he could go about and spend millions on an older technology fighter plane.

 

[2020hindsight]

and hubby commented how he could go about and spend millions on an older technology fighter plane.

Could be worse trinity - I understand that the NZ Air Force have old jets which are just a bit slower that the average Air New Zealand passenger plane

 

[Julia]

This is probably very unkind, but when I look at Brendan Nelson I find it hard not to imagine him with a feathered headdress and sequined dress as a member of "Les Girls". Could perhaps have found a role in "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". And that's even without the earring.

 

[wayneL]

Could be worse trinity - I understand that the NZ Air Force have old jets which are just a bit slower that the average Air New Zealand passenger plane

But nobody would want to invade NZ, would they?

 

[wayneL]

thank god Tony abbott didn't win! I can't stand that wing-nut tawny frog mouth!

Overall I think Brendan Nelson was a good choice.

... for the necessary fall guy.

 

[chops_a_must]

spot on chops .. and even Turnbull tried to unionise Paddy's market when he worked there as a youngster , lol - in fact that's when he met Bob Carr (and they've been mates ever since) . He went on to get Bob Carr his job as a journalist.

so the leadership tussle was really between 2 union bosses lol.

At least Labor has a non-union-boss at the top -

cripes those Coalition ads were a heap of garbage weren't they

PS I swear I have no idea which way Nelson would jump ... - totally bland sheesh (doesn't even have any eyebrows lol)

Not only have Labor won government, they've also won Opposition Leader. Lol!

He should get a bit of the Max Walker vote, if you know what I mean. Being a motorbike guy and all...

Very interesting times ahead...

 

[2020hindsight]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/29/2105652.htm

Nelson sees no need to 'say sorry'
Posted 8 hours 17 minutes ago
Updated 5 hours 36 minutes ago

Newly elected Liberal leader Brendan Nelson says he is not in favour of Labor's plan to say sorry to Aboriginal Australians.

Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd says there will be a formal apology to the stolen generation of Indigenous people.

Dr Nelson says he wants to discuss the issue with his Liberal colleagues, but he says he does not see the need for an apology.

"We in my view we have no responsibility to apologise or take ownership for what was done by earlier generations," he said.

The beaten Liberal leader candidate, Malcolm Turnbull, also supported the apology, and said it was a mistake for the Howard Government not to say sorry.

straight away, you see that Turnbull was into reconciliation, and Nelson is into confrontationism.

Dr Nelson has also criticised Labor's bid to scrap unfair dismissal laws.

But Labor's Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner says the new Government will not back down on their plan.

"There is probably no stronger example in the history of this country where you had a government that has been elected with a clear mandate," he said.

Labor is already working on the bills to scrap WorkChoices.


Aiming for a win

Dr Nelson says he and his deputy, Julie Bishop, can take the Liberal Party to victory at the next election.

"We will be a very strong, effective, alternative government and I very strongly believe we will be in a winning position three years from now," he said.

"You're going to see me all over Australia doing all kinds of things relating to all kinds of Australians, particularly those who feel they have neither power nor influence, because I will be their voice.

"I'm very privileged to lead the Liberal Party of Australia - but sadly in Opposition - but in three years I can assure you that we will be in a very strong and winning position."

Meanwhile Liberal MPs are attacking Mr Rudd's new Cabinet.

Mr Rudd has given his deputy, Julia Gillard, a super-ministry of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Victorian Liberal MP Sharman Stone has criticised the new ministries.

"I must say I was rather startled to see Julia Gillard given a great grab bag of what are in themselves quite significant portfolios," she said.

"How can one person seriously put policy in place with that grab bag of things, any one of them quite significant in itself."

Mr Rudd's Cabinet will meet twice before Christmas - the first meeting will be next Monday, the day they are sworn in.

 

[2020hindsight]

Nelson is aptly named
like old Horatio Nelson himself, - as a junior Admiral, when told (by signal flag) from his Admiral not to proceed into the battle (or rather to withdraw) , he put his telescope to his blind eye, and exclaimed that he saw no such signal .

"You know, Foley, I only have one eye – I have the right to be blind sometimes,"

"I see no ships, only hardships" as a bloke I know says.

After that, Nelson was posted to be in charge of de-Nile

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Nelson On 1 January 1801 Nelson was promoted to Vice Admiral of the Blue (the sixth highest rank). Within a few months he took part in the Battle of Copenhagen (2 April 1801) which was fought in order to break up the armed neutrality of Denmark, Sweden, and Russia. During the action, his commander, Sir Hyde Parker, signalled to Nelson to break off the action. This was to allow Nelson to retreat if he needed to – he could not legally do so without Parker's command – whilst Parker knew that Nelson would disregard the signal if he could continue the battle.[11] Nelson ordered that the signal be acknowledged, but not repeated. Legend has it that Nelson turned to his flag Captain, Sir Thomas Foley, and said "You know, Foley, I only have one eye – I have the right to be blind sometimes," and then holding his telescope to his blind eye, said "I really do not see the signal!".[12] His action was approved in retrospect, following a successful outcome to the battle, and in May he became commander-in-chief in the Baltic Sea. As a reward, he was created Viscount Nelson, of the Nile and of Burnham Thorpe in the County of Norfolk, on 22 May 1801. In addition, on 18 August 1801, he was created Baron Nelson, of the Nile and of Hilborough in the County of Norfolk, this time with a special remainder to his father and sisters.[13]