Who Will Make The Best "New Opposition" Leader

[Aussiejeff]

Well, with John Howard likely to lose his seat, it's perhaps timely to ask "Who do you think would make the best leader of the new Liberal opposition?"

 

[chops_a_must]

Well, with John Howard likely to lose his seat, it's perhaps timely to ask "Who do you think would make the best leader of the new Liberal opposition?"

Crean.

I think he is the only politician absolutely guaranteed of keeping interest rates low.

 

[Bushman]

As a true 'economic conservative' with a centrist view, Peter Costello must be the leader of the opposition. It could not be Abbott, Downer or Andrews. Unelectable extremists in my opinion. The only other viable candidate is Malcolm Turnbull and see what happened in Tasmania due to the pulp mill.

Left field candidate would have been Mal Brough but he has been unseated.

What a slaughter last night. People have taken prosperity for granted and this allows them to deal with the erosion of workers rights and the erosion of the 'fair go'. The three I - IR laws, Iraq and Immigration detention - have come home to roost for the Libs. Poor Johnny. When your time is up, your time is up and in gindsight he would have known that when a credible Labour 'populist' took the helm and started winning the 'battlers' off him. Kevin07 - will it be Peter11 in 4 years time? If not get set for a few more years with Kev, Julia & Wayne!

 

[Bushman]

Crean.

I think he is the only politician absolutely guaranteed of keeping interest rates low.

Crean? He is in the government now. Think the Finance gig will go to Lindsay Tanner rather than Crean.

 

[Yezzy]

I'd be very surprised if the Liberals stay together after this result. If the party goes with Costello for leader, Turnbull won't stick around. I imagine a similar situation if Turnbull was chosen as leader.

Won't bode well for the conservative vote if the above happens.

 

[Sean K]

Whatever they do, they can't have Abbott and Costello as the leading team.

Nelson has potential.

The others are too stuffy and smug.

Looks like a great opportunity for Jeff to make a run for a Federal seat.

 

[rederob]

Turnbull will lead the Coalition into the next election.
However, Turnbull is not likely to make any moves yet.
The mud of defeat needs to be well stuck on Costello so that his party will see he is a no go for PM.
Turnbull needs to get his numbers up, too.
And just as Rudd slid under the radar, so too will Turnbull.
Turnbull is about as close as a Lib can get to a "Rudd" and this will make the next contest very, very interesting.

 

[explod]

Turnbull will lead the Coalition into the next election.
However, Turnbull is not likely to make any moves yet.
The mud of defeat needs to be well stuck on Costello so that his party will see he is a no go for PM.
Turnbull needs to get his numbers up, too.
And just as Rudd slid under the radar, so too will Turnbull.
Turnbull is about as close as a Lib can get to a "Rudd" and this will make the next contest very, very interesting.

Could not agree more. And in support it is time for Michael Kroger to enter Parliament also.

 

[Aussiejeff]

Oh dear! Looks like I was a bit "premature" in putting up this thread today!! LOL

Ok, just ignore the guy on the top of the list, ie DONT VOTE FOR "IM!

As it stands, the few votes cast thus far show Turnbull is a SHOO-IN. Can I see a CHESHIRE CAT smile on Mr Turnbull's face right now?

Maybe by Wednesday the Downer option will have lapsed as well?


AJ

 

[So_Cynical]

Joe Hockey...its the sunrise effect.

 

[Knobby22]

Turnball or Hockey????

That's like Latham and Beazley.

What a terrible choice. There must be someone else.

 

[Aussiejeff]

Turnball or Hockey????

That's like Latham and Beazley.

What a terrible choice. There must be someone else.

Geez, Knobby22 ... you make it sound like all along there was only JH and PC steering the goodship S.S. "Coalition".

Hey! I just had some inspiration - everyone likes "experience" so hows about Mark Vaille? What" You NEVER HEARD OF THE GUY you say???



AJ

 

[chops_a_must]

Crean? He is in the government now. Think the Finance gig will go to Lindsay Tanner rather than Crean.

I know. But it's like juniour sport. When one team can't make up the numbers...

The Libs are allowed Crean, Garrett and Swan.

 

[Aussiejeff]

Oh yeah ... just like making up an Australia A side in the cricket eh? LOL

 

[Mofra]

With both Howard & Costello gone, there does seem to be a bit of a power vacuum.
Not sure if Hockey is tough enough to be an effective opposition leader, he plays the likeability card too much, and isn't nerdy enough to play the "me too" game Rudd perfected.

Turnbull may be inexperienced in parliamentary terms however is the only one who appears able to do the job effectively (Abbott could head-kick for a year or so but who would ever vote for that Darlek?).

 

[Aussiejeff]

With both Howard & Costello gone, there does seem to be a bit of a power vacuum.
Not sure if Hockey is tough enough to be an effective opposition leader, he plays the likeability card too much, and isn't nerdy enough to play the "me too" game Rudd perfected.

Turnbull may be inexperienced in parliamentary terms however is the only one who appears able to do the job effectively (Abbott could head-kick for a year or so but who would ever vote for that Darlek?).

I guess this is the price the Libs have to pay for relying so exclusively on the One Man Band - John Howard's personality and experience for most of the last 11 years and in the final runup to the election. Costello's role was only dragged out of the barrel at the last moment, really. It always exposed the party to the risk that has actually played out - that is, if Howard fell, they had no real depth to fall back on. Now, more than ever they really DO have to form a TEAM approach to working effectively in opposition. Or as I have postulated, they could end up in the cold for some considerable time.

 

[2020hindsight]

With both Howard & Costello gone, there does seem to be a bit of a power vacuum.
Not sure if Hockey is tough enough to be an effective opposition leader, he plays the likeability card too much, and isn't nerdy enough to play the "me too" game Rudd perfected.

Turnbull may be inexperienced in parliamentary terms however is the only one who appears able to do the job effectively (Abbott could head-kick for a year or so but who would ever vote for that Darlek?).

totally agree Mofra (although I had to remind myself what "Darlek" meant lol )

If Abbott gets anything higher than tealady, I'll be reluctant to vote for them in the foreseeable future as well.

I guess this is the price the Libs have to pay for relying so exclusively on the One Man Band - John Howard's personality and experience for most of the last 11 years and in the final runup to the election. Costello's role was only dragged out of the barrel at the last moment, really. It always exposed the party to the risk that has actually played out - that is, if Howard fell, they had no real depth to fall back on. Now, more than ever they really DO have to form a TEAM approach to working effectively in opposition. Or as I have postulated, they could end up in the cold for some considerable time.

spot on also AJ.

ONe of the tests of a good leader is how things carry on when he's gone


PS I'll include my thoughts on this one.... copied from poetry thread just posted

"IT’S A MORAL" SAYS JOHNNY

....
“It’s a shoe in” said the Labor poll
a “moral” said the Libs,
Last night we searched the nation’s soul
on which we thought were fibs,
tomorrow there’s a change of guard
and Johnny’s a “has-been”,
and the other Libs go back to work
on “what does moral mean”. .

 

[Aussiejeff]

Oh my ... Alexander is in a tither...

"Mr Downer today was undecided whether he will contest the Liberal leadership.

"I am an unknown, and that is I am an unknown even to myself as to what I will do next, I'm still working that through," Mr Downer said at his Adelaide Hills home.

He said he could understand Peter Costello's "completely unexpected" decision not to seek the Liberal leadership."

Poor Alex. He doesn't sound too ambitious does he? It's not really rocket science, is it?


AJ

 

[petervan]

The best new opposition leader will be the richest liberal Malcolm Turnbill. Party needs to become moderate and from his speech he appears to setting him self up for this. Every other candidate has too much baggage in my opinion.

 

[Rafa]

I guess this is the price the Libs have to pay for relying so exclusively on the One Man Band - John Howard's personality and experience for most of the last 11 years and in the final runup to the election. Costello's role was only dragged out of the barrel at the last moment, really. It always exposed the party to the risk that has actually played out - that is, if Howard fell, they had no real depth to fall back on.

Spot on...

Regardless of Liberal rhetoric about Labor being a one man band, the fact was the Liberals in 2007 were a one man band.... and they themeselves knew it, which is why Howard was never really told to go.

Unfortunately 2007 election came too early for Turnbull as he only joined parliament a term ago... I really do believe that if Howard did win, that handover in 2 years would not have been to Costello, but to Turnbull.

I think Turbull will make for an excellent opposition leader, and who knows, some day an excellent PM.

He is a multi millionaire, progressive, liberal (small L liberal), not the conservative, divisive, right wing liberal that chracterised and stained the reputation of liberal party since 2001.