Malcolm Turnbull quits politics. Tears. (2 Viewers)

[spakfilla]

I think wilson tuckey would make a great prime minister.

Seriously.

Hell yeah!!!!

 

[Lentern]

Stephen Smith? Despite your self-assured argumentative style you sometimes really don't know what you're talking about.

You realise what portfolio the current leader of the labor party held before the transition?

 

[Lentern]

You realise what portfolio the current leader of the labor party held before the transition?

Look at which Labor MP's are currently seniorish ministers. In order of rank so determined by the prime ministers ordering of succession they go Gillard, Swan, Evans, Faulkner, Crean Smith, Roxon, Macklin, Tanner, Albanese, Conroy Carr. Let's assume for a moment they aren't going to delve any lower in a search for a leader. Evans, Faulkner, Conroy and Carr are senators while Albanese is a member of Gillards own faction.

That leaves Swan, Crean, Smith, Roxon, Macklin and Tanner. The labor unity faction has entered a candidate in every spill since Chifley diedand Doc Evatt succeed him. It might therefore be safe to assume that if Kevin fell under the proverbial bus someone else from his faction might run.

That leaves Crean, Swan, Roxon and Smith. Crean lost a lot of his factional backing in his struggle with Beazley back in 2003. Either you think Swan or Roxon have greater leadership prospects or you have not thought this through.

 

[Fish Tank]

Look at which Labor MP's are currently seniorish ministers. In order of rank so determined by the prime ministers ordering of succession they go Gillard, Swan, Evans, Faulkner, Crean Smith, Roxon, Macklin, Tanner, Albanese, Conroy Carr. Let's assume for a moment they aren't going to delve any lower in a search for a leader. Evans, Faulkner, Conroy and Carr are senators while Albanese is a member of Gillards own faction.

That leaves Swan, Crean, Smith, Roxon, Macklin and Tanner. The labor unity faction has entered a candidate in every spill since Chifley diedand Doc Evatt succeed him. It might therefore be safe to assume that if Kevin fell under the proverbial bus someone else from his faction might run.

That leaves Crean, Swan, Roxon and Smith. Crean lost a lot of his factional backing in his struggle with Beazley back in 2003. Either you think Swan or Roxon have greater leadership prospects or you have not thought this through.

I'm with this guy.

 

[Lentern]

i think it will be smith. Swan has an air of beazley about him. Btw is the next election in August?

also Lentern do you study politics at uni?

Next election is whenever Rudd wants it to be really. And sort of but not really, the only politics subject i've done thus far is US foreign policy studies, I just find aus politics interesting.

 

[absorber]

I am very sad. But Malcolm is probably too impatient and too active to hang around until after the next election, where he could of claimed the leadership and and take the Liberal Party into territory it could be proud of. With Minchin and possibly Abbott gone, his task would have been easier.

Who is there left to bring the Liberal party back to it's core philosophies of individual rights as opposed to moral conservatism? Christopher Pyne? EWW. Greg Hunt? Bigger eww.

There will be a day soon where the libs rue the loss of turnbull

 

[Omar-Comin]

There will be a day soon where the libs rue the loss of turnbull

turnbull was an intellectual lightweight, just another stale, inarticulate and uncreative ex-lawyer old boy. His main policy was 'unconditionally support the ETS', which was a horrible idea, not only is a source carbon tax far superior, but 'Copenhagen' hadnt even begun (and we all know how that turned out).

What else did he do? criticize the government stimulus? well that redneck angle had no academic basis, it was just more nauseating populism.


Overrated and past his prime.

 

[Slidey]

This is shit. Come back Mr Turnbull, get rid of the Abbott fuckwit.

 

[Lentern]

This is shit. Come back Mr Turnbull, get rid of the Abbott fuckwit.

If its true he plans to go into climate friendly business ventures its quite probable he'll achieve more good than hanging round to make an unprobable second bid for the premiership late in Rudd's second term(you would by now know i don't believe early bids are ever successful these days. O'farrell might prove the exception).

 

[SylviaB]

why do you like aus politics


p boring/frustrating if you ask me

 

[runoutofsleep]

turnbull's gonna be premier you heard it here first

 

[violentdelights]

I hate all of them.

I hate Kevin Rudd.

I hate all of them.

 

[Lentern]

why do you like aus politics


p boring/frustrating if you ask me

I'm infatuated with the wonders delivered by the miracle of democracy to the greatest nation on earth. Not really I just stole that line from William Bowe. It's probably more accurate to say I find politics interesting and despite liking to think myself open minded and worldly my interests and concerns invariably gravitate around what I'm familiar with and exposed to.

 

[yoddle]

You realise what portfolio the current leader of the labor party held before the transition?

I was so glad you added to this point with a self-quote because that was a dreadful point.

Look at which Labor MP's are currently seniorish ministers. In order of rank so determined by the prime ministers ordering of succession they go Gillard, Swan, Evans, Faulkner, Crean Smith, Roxon, Macklin, Tanner, Albanese, Conroy Carr. Let's assume for a moment they aren't going to delve any lower in a search for a leader. Evans, Faulkner, Conroy and Carr are senators while Albanese is a member of Gillards own faction.

That leaves Swan, Crean, Smith, Roxon, Macklin and Tanner. The labor unity faction has entered a candidate in every spill since Chifley diedand Doc Evatt succeed him. It might therefore be safe to assume that if Kevin fell under the proverbial bus someone else from his faction might run.

That leaves Crean, Swan, Roxon and Smith. Crean lost a lot of his factional backing in his struggle with Beazley back in 2003. Either you think Swan or Roxon have greater leadership prospects or you have not thought this through.

Whilst all of this is very interesting and I am aware of how inward-looking the Labor Party can be, there is a group of people called voters whose views occasionally have some bearing on whom political parties choose as their leaders. With that in mind, i hardly think Smith represents a suitable candidate. Gillard (or have we ruled her out for the purposes of the discussion?), Swan, Tanner and possibly even Roxon have more traction with your average voter than does Smith.

In his role as foreign affairs spokesman in Opposition Labor back in the day, Rudd was able to use the flexibility of opposition to milk his front bench role for all he could in his quest for the leadership, and caught the public's attention with his Sunrise appearances and whatnot. Smith doesn't have the same charisma or public profile, and his current role as Foreign Minister has put strict limitations on that, due to the fact that what interviews and public appearances he does make he has to talk in diplomatic terms which leave little room for "vote for me" jargon.

He comes across as a reasonably capable person, but not someone who is breaking new ground within their area of responsibility, unlike Gillard, Roxon and Swan who have the BER, Health reforms and the GFC handling to their name (these can also be liabilities if things go awry i guess) and are personalities who can really cut through on radio and television, and land punches onto the other side of the chamber. Smith's perception may change with a portfolio reshuffle but I think that's how it stands currently.

Is there the likelihood of a front bench reshuffle on the Labor side before the election? I'm assuming they wouldn't want that before the next budget comes out, and after that would be too close to the election, would you think?

 

[Lentern]

I was so glad you added to this point with a self-quote because that was a dreadful point.



Whilst all of this is very interesting and I am aware of how inward-looking the Labor Party can be, there is a group of people called voters whose views occasionally have some bearing on whom political parties choose as their leaders. With that in mind, i hardly think Smith represents a suitable candidate. Gillard (or have we ruled her out for the purposes of the discussion?), Swan, Tanner and possibly even Roxon have more traction with your average voter than does Smith.

In his role as foreign affairs spokesman in Opposition Labor back in the day, Rudd was able to use the flexibility of opposition to milk his front bench role for all he could in his quest for the leadership, and caught the public's attention with his Sunrise appearances and whatnot. Smith doesn't have the same charisma or public profile, and his current role as Foreign Minister has put strict limitations on that, due to the fact that what interviews and public appearances he does make he has to talk in diplomatic terms which leave little room for "vote for me" jargon.

He comes across as a reasonably capable person, but not someone who is breaking new ground within their area of responsibility, unlike Gillard, Roxon and Swan who have the BER, Health reforms and the GFC handling to their name (these can also be liabilities if things go awry i guess) and are personalities who can really cut through on radio and television, and land punches onto the other side of the chamber. Smith's perception may change with a portfolio reshuffle but I think that's how it stands currently.

Is there the likelihood of a front bench reshuffle on the Labor side before the election? I'm assuming they wouldn't want that before the next budget comes out, and after that would be too close to the election, would you think?

If it was voters who determined the leadership of the labor party Smith would obliterate Gillard in a leadership spill, possibly even the prime minister. Gillard is full of the macho, cut through bullshit that gets glowing headlines, good approval ratings and awful voting intentions(and come election time votes). She like Tony Abbott and Mark Latham before them lacks the tactful subtlety of a Rudd or a Smith and would polarize the electorate.

It's true that Smith doesn't have the chattery style of the prime minister but he also doesn't have the sing song verbosity and the tendency to duck for cover at the first whiff of unpopularity. When he was shadow education minister he proved quite good at the friendly chat kind of stuff that's so very important but unlike most politicians he managed to do it without an air of smugness or self importance, he was a genuine guy with a dignified intelligence about him. You're right that he does less of that now that he tends to be asked questions about the Oceanic Viking and Stern Hu but his colleagues and the all important press know that he's as good a communicator as they come. (Actually he's probably not quite as good as Turnbull but he was obviously quite special.)

Once he became leader of the party he'd get to tell his story and let out the personality. The problem with Swan which he has been derided for all his career despite being a top flight politician behind close doors is he gets spooked by the press. He tries to memorize lines and comes across ineffectively.

Simply put, reasons not to vote for someone are a lot more important than reasons to vote for someone in terms of electoral success and Smith has less bad baggage than Gillard, Roxon, Rudd or Swan. Tanner you say? I'm a big fan, he's been the best communicator of the government, conducted himself with dignity, intelligence and explains things effectively rather than falling upon party lines all the time. He has gravitas and if you had access to everything I'd ever written you'd find this alternative shadow cabinet for the 2007 election.

Leader: Stephen Smith
Deputy leader/treasurer-Lindsay Tanner
Leader in the senate/minister for defence-Evans
Shadow Foreign Affairs- Kevin Rudd
Manager of opposition business-Julia Gillard
Health-Swan
IR- Craig Emerson.

Oh and in the event of a reshuffle Rudd isn't about to move one of his best ministers out of arguably the most important portfolio (albeit one of the less glamorous ones). Especially nto when the ministry is so about building relations and contacts.

 

[absorber]

turnbull was an intellectual lightweight, just another stale, inarticulate and uncreative ex-lawyer old boy. His main policy was 'unconditionally support the ETS', which was a horrible idea, not only is a source carbon tax far superior, but 'Copenhagen' hadnt even begun (and we all know how that turned out).

What else did he do? criticize the government stimulus? well that redneck angle had no academic basis, it was just more nauseating populism.


Overrated and past his prime.

Wow. Then what does this make the rest of the liberal party?

 

[EmeraldTempest]

turnbull was an intellectual lightweight, just another stale, inarticulate and uncreative ex-lawyer old boy. His main policy was 'unconditionally support the ETS', which was a horrible idea, not only is a source carbon tax far superior, but 'Copenhagen' hadnt even begun (and we all know how that turned out).

What else did he do? criticize the government stimulus? well that redneck angle had no academic basis, it was just more nauseating populism.


Overrated and past his prime.

I'm sorry but WHAT?? Turnbull is an amazingly intelligent man. Probably the most intelligent sitting within the house of reps in canberra. Compared with his coalition colleges he was lightyears ahead. It is interesting that you bring up unconditional support of the CPRS as one of Turnbull's key policy ideas. It is obvious that you paid little attention to many of his speeches (such as Speech in the House: Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme | Malcolm Turnbull) where he clearly states that he supports the CPRS because he believes (rightly so) that global climate change causes a significant risk to future generations in this country. He believes that a problem as large as climate change requires bipartisan support and therefore supports the CPRS NOT because it was his own underlying principal to initiate a ETS.

On your backhand comment about the success of Copenhagen, i think that the US Ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich summed this up nicely during last nights Q&A episode.

Copenhagen was not a complete disaster. It was a glass half full, glass half empty situation. There were some people who thought the great energy producing and energy consuming nations of the world were going to lock arms and take a big step forward in establishing a price on carbon, and there were other people who said, “That’s a bridge too far. If we can all just lock arms and shuffle in the same direction, that’s still a dramatic move.” Five years ago no one in the world imagined that all these nations would agree that there’s going to be a specific cap on the increase in temperatures in the world, two per cent, and that they would make specific commitments to reduce our carbon output to accomplish it. That is a major, major move in the world

Also interesting that you state his opposition to the stimulus package as populism... but hang on a tick was it not the government using popularise by handing out large amounts of money left right and centre... AND in all seriousness he was the LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. Therefore in general his job is to oppose any government plan and present an alternative plan. That is the whole point of having an opposition.


Turnbull is a personal hero of mine - even if he is on the wrong side of politics. It is a major loss for the country as he quits politics and I wish him the best of luck into the future - i'm sure we will see him again!

 

[itszen]

Its sad to see Malcolm Turnbull leave politics, i was hoping that he would be the new face of the Liberal Party, which would move from the conservative views to a more 21st Century approach of Australian society. But unfortunately,that wont happen under Tony Abbott.I would always admire his liberal approach and his strong democratic values. Though whoever thats going to stand for the Liberal Party for the seat of Wentworth have a big fight on their hands,especially as this division is very very socially liberal,very green, and boast the largest number of gays/lesbians of any division. The greens might even take this one.

 

[Cookie182]

Turnbull would of been my vote for PM. Now all good things have come to an end...

Rudd or Abbot? It's time for the dummy vote.

 

[Rafy]

Malcolm Turnbull does a backflip on going | The Australian