The fall and fall of Queensland Labor

[Matilda]

On reflection Labor's impending resounding election defeat is not easy to explain. While there have been many policy debacles and scandals under Labor including some very recent ones, the Queensland government has not resembled the shame of its New South Wales counterpart prior to its defeat last year.

The real turning point for the Bligh Government seems to have been after the 2009 election when it announced major privatisation that had not been mentioned during the election campaign. And Labor's long term in office seems to have been the other tipping point.

(snip)

It means the amalgamated LNP experiment has worked. There will be pressure for amalgamation of the National and Liberal parties across Australia. A long held dream of a single non-Labor party might at last be fulfilled.

If Newman wins Ashgrove, then the idea of having a leader recruited from outside the parliamentary wing could be used elsewhere. Incumbent opposition leaders should watch out!

http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=30630


I'm hoping against hope that Kate Jones can hold Ashgrove. Nothing can stop the LNP winning, but at least if Campbell Newman doesn't get in, something will have been achieved. He's like an even uglier Tony Abbott, with his mad eyes and ugly mouth. (How's that for a subjective opinion?)

[Dawson Leery]

1. Which states does Labor still control?

[Matilda]

2. South Australia and Tasmania.

Tasmania in coalition with the Greens.

Sad.

[Dawson Leery]

3. Sad

[Violet_Crumble]

13. Don't forget the ACT. We're not a state but we've still got a Labor government n/t

[Matilda]

4. The more I see of Campbell Newman,

the more I feel he's unbalanced.

The prospect of him heading a government anywhere is extremely frightening.

[pink]

5. By now you should know the result.

Admittedly the "Its time" factor was a major contribution, but it also seems that the Labor Government was the blame for the floods, droughts, cyclones and GFC. When they privatized public assets to pay off debt, they lost a lot of support. The part that I dont understand is that if the LNP was in power, they wouldn't have hesitated to sell off assets.

The Labor Party did not deserve that kind of a landslide. Admittedly, there were scandals over the years, but that always comes with longevity in government. It was said on The Insiders this morning that Queenslanders dont like female leaders and I would tend to believe that. I lived there when Joh Bejelke Petersen was Premier and believe me, they're a different race north of Tweed Heads.

Bruce Hawker has proved to be a bit of a dud as a campaign director. With 2 absolute thrashings in a row, I think he should start thinking about hanging up his boots. After how he carried on with Krudd, I'll always think of him as a spiv.

Can-Do is going to have a few problems with the boofheads that he had run in Labor blue ribbon seats and then accidentally fell over the line. The more MPs you have on your team, the more chances there are for scandals. I believe that Can-Do is a control freak like Krudd so it will be interesting to see how this new government evolves.

[Matilda]

6. Queensland is a different country.

(No disrespect to people like Esra Star.)

The most Labor will get is seven seats - why bother showing up? Greens got no seats, and there was a drop in support for them. I would guess that has a lot to do with Queenslanders buying the spin about the carbon tax and the mining tax. Even Katter's party managed only two seats.

I have grave doubts about whether Campbell Newman can effectively run Queensland - by his own admission, he's clueless about how the parliament operates. But perhaps Queensland deserves what it gets; my concern is for the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world's most beautiful natural wonders. Newman has already announced he will open it up to dredging, with no environmental impact studies and no restrictions. He will destroy it, and he really doesn't care.

I think he's mad, and Queensland will come to regret what they've done, but by the time they wake up, it will be too late.

And yes, I agree - Bruce Hawker is a dickhead. Reducing the campaign to personal slurs was a mistake that rebounded on Labor, and it was as inept as his advice to Kevin Rudd a few weeks ago.

And rather than face the music, Anna Bligh is resigning from parliament, which will mean a byelection, and another seat Labor will probably lose. Nothing like putting self before party.

[pink]

7. If I was Anna Bligh

I would do the same thing. She has worked very hard for Queensland and if she had stayed on, it would have taken the focus of the new Opposition Leader. It gives the party a minute chance to renew itself. She's tired and they need someone like Andrew Fraser or someone else with the potential to drag the party out of the doldrums.

Its a gamble to have a bi-election almost immediately, but I think the seat will be won for Labor with a better margin. When the people of Qld see what they have done (re the election result) I think more thought will be put into their next vote. But there again we're talking about Queenslanders, aren't we.

If Labor only has 7 seats now, whats one seat less.

Politics will be very interesting now. We thought Labor was the big loser, but its not. Its the people of Queensland.

[Tanelorn]

9. Newman is arrogant he will become very unpopular very quickly

[Tanelorn]

8. WOW I just found this group. I feel out of my depth commenting on US politics

At last I found a friendly place to post.


Wow. What a wipeout. This is classic get rid of the incumbent mood.

Careful what you wish for Campbell. Imagine the task of corralling over 30 newbies with little or no parliamentary experience. Including many existing members who were miffed that they had to endure several bruising election cycles now being told what to do by the unpreselected , unelected mayor of Brisbane. Newman is the first urban liberal to be voted in as Premier. The swing in the bush was much smaller and of course Katters Krazies polled very well. What happened was we voted for the mayor of Brisbane. (People forgot that the local elections are next month).


This could actually be quite good for Federal Alp. This may have been a venting of steam that needed to happen. Anthony Green says that Gillard could benefit from a disastrous first year. Their will be a swing back in three years but where are the ALP's future leaders.

The mad monk was trying to say that this would be a referendum on the carbon tax. Talk about coattails.


How many of the newbies will blot their copybook in someway within the first six months?
When will they vote themselves a pay increase?

[pink]

10. Welcome Tanelorn to our little corner of DU

I am also trying to find some positives from the weekend's results.

Unless Tony Abbott is pulled into line, we will find it hard to get oxygen. Some things that need to be done

1/ When Tony Abbott suspends standing orders at Question Time, the telecast should stop. Afterall, its Question Time that we intended watching, not Abbott and one of his underlings spewing out lies and insults about Julia Gillard and the Government.

2/ We need to run an advertisement explaining why we have broken a promise on tax funded advertisements. The reason being, is so we can get across to the voters all the good things we've done and explain it in simple terms. (not refer them to an internet site).

3/ Also, explain to the voters that if Liberal Coalitions are in power across the country, it will give an Abbott Government an excuse to raise the GST to pay for its "richie rich" promises.

So much to be done and so little time !!!!

[Matilda]

12. As one of TAbbott's constituents,

I am furious at the frivolous waste of time on ridiculous SSOs.

Abbott mocks the parliamentary process; SSOs should be for serious matters that call into question government handling of certain policy areas, or of misconduct by an MP. The Coalition have turned QT into a joke session, and thereby take up time that could be devoted to serious discussion.

As Albo rightly said: "This is the longest dummy spit in history".

[Matilda]

11. Welcome, Tanelorn!

I also often find it difficult to post in the LBN and GD forums, partly because they move very fast, and being at the other end of the world, you miss out on such a lot that happens during the night here, and I can't offer much comment on US politics.

But we're quite active in our little corner, and I also post regularly in some of the special interest forums and groups, where it can be interesting to share another perspective.

Hope to see you regularly!

[Violet_Crumble]

14. Welcome, Tanelorn! Glad you found us...

I know what you mean about commenting on US politics. Half the time I don't even know what people are talking about unless it's some of the big names I'm familiar with. I tend to stick to groups like this one and a few others where the focus isn't on US politics...

I suspect there'll be a lot of stuff-ups from the newbies sooner rather than later, but it'll all be written off as being a honeymoon period and it'll take a while for dissatisfaction to set in. I remember being told long ago that things happen in cycles in Australian politics. If there's a coalition federal government, then the states eventually end up with Labor governments, and then power's likely to change in Canberra at the next election. It looks like it might be the case this time round too, and I'd be able to bear it if Turnbull was leading the Opposition, but not Abbott....

[Matilda]

15. You wonder why the Libs don't wake up.

Although the Coalition is polling well ahead of Labor on two-party preferred, it's clear that Abbott is even more disliked than Gillard. Put Turnbull in, and they'll romp home.

If things stay as they are, I wouldn't be surprised if we get another hung parliament if it's Abbott leading the Libs. I'd love to see him trying to negotiate with the Greens!

[Tanelorn]

16. First Minister to fall

David Gibson , Police Minister, resigns for speeding and a disqualified licence.

"I have tonight tendered my resignation as Minister for Police and Community Safety.
It was brought to my attention yesterday that my driver licence was suspended under SPER on the 18 Nov 2011 for 3 months. Whilst I would never have knowingly driven whilst my licence was suspended, it is alleged that I was the subject of a speeding camera detection on the 16th Feb this year."

The circus begins.

[peakhillfm]

17. Queenslanders get what they deserve

All I will say is that you deserve what you voted for.
We have a Liberal/ NCP here in NSW and they have done NOTHING for us since coming into office.As usual they are in it for the money and nothing else.The Premier Barry O'Farrell PROMISED (yeah right) that he would block further electricity rises and that hasnt happened.He stated that the rural NSW hospitals would benefit under a liberal Government,that hasnt happened.All organizations that have applied for grants have been rejected,UNLESS you live/reside in a Liberal held seat.I am in a Nationals seat and missed out on all 4 grant applications.
O'Farrell promised that we wouldnt privitise that and wouldnt privitise that and guess what he has done,privitized NSW water and also the desal plant,AND who misses out....us in the bush.
He is tarred with the same brush as Campbell newman so I have no sympathy for you Qlders.You get what you deserve.