Australian Politics (4 Viewers)

[S.H.O.D.A.N.]

I need to find me a quiet rifle and a good sturdy clock-tower.

 

[blue_chameleon]

I've gone tickle me pink, or is that a Sir Humphrey "it was a most interesting proposal" kind of interesting.

A little of the former, a little of the latter.

 

[Lentern]

I need to find me a quiet rifle and a good sturdy clock-tower.

I make no apologies to anyone except spiny. He was the only one who I asked to read it. With that being said talk about overactions, haven't seen one of them since the 07 election when Helen Coonan said "Well we're not quite at the point of plugging in the toaster and hopping in tha bath."

 

[whatashotbyseve]

JOHN DELLA BOSCA could make a good premier except there are strong reservations about the role of him and his wife Belinda Neal in the Iguana scandal.

Frank Sartor is also seen as a potential leader but his reputation has been damaged by time in the planning portfolio, and Kristina Keneally presents well but there are reservations about her accent.

These are some of the findings of mysterious focus group research conducted last Wednesday at Hurstville which is likely to add fuel to the fire that Labor powerbrokers are hunting for an alternative to the Premier, Nathan Rees.

The research showed Carmel Tebbutt is liked but people are concerned about her presentation skills - and no one much has heard of John Robertson.

But the good news for Mr Rees, despite leadership plots aplenty, is that many people still think he should be given time to make a go of the job.

Two groups were paid $80 a head to give their views on five alternative Labor leaders. Out came photos, résumés and even video footage to establish whether their voices and looks were palatable.

A group of 20 men and women gave their opinions, a source in one of the groups said.

While participants were not told who was doing the research, Labor bosses denied it was them - and tried to blame the Liberals - while a Liberal spokesman said the party had not funded or conducted the research.

Labor's general secretary, Matt Thistlethwaite, said the research was not NSW Labor's. ''It wasn't us, I swear to God,'' he said. A spokesman for the Labor polling company UMR, David Utting, also denied involvement.

The groups were also asked their opinions of the shadow treasurer, Mike Baird, leading to Labor claims that it was Liberal polling. But senior Labor sources have previously told the Herald they have polled on Mr Baird by showing his photo to see if he would gain more traction than the Opposition Leader, Barry O'Farrell.

The research, according to the participant, was not all bad news for Mr Della Bosca or Mr Sartor.

The pair rated higher in the preferred leadership stakes than Ms Tebbutt but there were misgivings about Mr Della Bosca's past and concern that Mr Sartor might be ''shady'', the participant said.

The Herald has been told participants believed Ms Keneally was a bit ''confected'', that she did not feel ''passionate'' about what she was saying.

Participants were asked who they would vote for between Rees and Sartor; Rees, Della Bosca and Sartor; Rees, Tebbutt and Keneally. ''People felt they wanted to [still] give Rees a go,'' the participant said.

Leadership talk continues apace. The Herald understands Senator Mark Arbib and the ALP national secretary, Karl Bitar, would prefer Ms Tebbutt as premier, but caucus number crunchers Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi want Ms Keneally.

There is no doubting the ambitions of Mr Della Bosca and Mr Sartor to become premier.

The Herald has been told Mr Obeid, Mr Tripodi and allies are sounding out members of the Labor Terrigals subfaction about the sort of support Ms Keneally would receive in a leadership ballot.

The moves are understood to have more to do with heading off a push from Mr Della Bosca than an actual bid to depose Mr Rees and having a plan B should Mr Rees look like falling.

One MP claimed to have been sounded out by the Tripodi ally Matt Brown about a candidacy by Ms Keneally. Mr Brown denied this.

Mr Obeid and Mr Tripodi have denied they are doing the numbers but one MP said he was aware of three MPs being approached by Mr Tripodi about Ms Keneally's prospects. Another MP said he was told by Mr Tripodi that Ms Keneally and the Roads Minister, Michael Daley, another Tripodi favourite, were ''not ready yet'' to be premier.

One theory within Labor circles is key powerbrokers believe Ms Tebbutt would be the better prospect but if she would not take on the job, Ms Keneally could be drafted.

But Ms Tebbutt apparently would not want to take on Mr Rees; she would only be interested in a bloodless transition, an unlikely scenario given Mr Rees's character.

What a bloody disaster for Labor. Looks like they are stuck with Rees. What a waste of polling though, it confirms what we already knew. The Libs are going to win in a landslide just merely because of the fact that they aren't Labor.

Source: SMH

 

[Iron]

What? Rees is probably the best Labor leader in over a decade. They have every chance in the world of retaining government and I fully expect them to.

 

[Rafy]

Antony Green's Election Blog: Fading NSW Labor Governments Compared: 1988 and 2011

 

[whatashotbyseve]

Are you serious Iron? Bob Carr has laps on this cretin imo. At least Carr was articulate.

 

[Iron]

feel the love imo

 

[whatashotbyseve]

The fact there is a shadow over his right shoulder speaks volumes about the way he runs this state. Who is it? Obeid? Tripodi?

 

[Iron]

JOHN DELLA BOSCA should be Premier bc I enjoy his comical face and substantive character. Rees reminds me of my PE teacher at school.
She was maybe a he
/analysis

 

[Lentern]

Are you serious Iron? Bob Carr has laps on this cretin imo. At least Carr was articulate.

Nah, Carr right place right time. Didn't rock the boat, was pretty intelligent, got out before the going got rough. Rees has the very rare gift of sounding (atleast on policy) up to speed and intelligent without sounding up himself. A gift shared by our lovely minister for Foreign Affairs.

I think the polls sound like poo, I cannot for the life of me imagine Frank Sartor being more electable than Carmel Tebbutt.

 

[whatashotbyseve]

Della Bosca won't be premier while he is married to Belinda Neal. The media will make sure of that. I am sure he couldn't be worse than Rees because a garbage collector could do a better job than Rees. Oh wait...

 

[Iron]

belinda neal looks like my school pe teacher too btw
it all comes together

 

[Iron]

Frank Sartor's name association with frank sinatra makes me think favourably of him

 

[Lentern]

Frank Sartor's name association with frank sinatra makes me think favourably of him

No favour for being associated with the order of Mount Carmel?

 

[Iron]

no
but mmm carmel

 

[S.H.O.D.A.N.]

I make no apologies to anyone except spiny. He was the only one who I asked to read it. With that being said talk about overactions, haven't seen one of them since the 07 election when Helen Coonan said "Well we're not quite at the point of plugging in the toaster and hopping in tha bath."

Oh, that posted had nothing to do with you.

 

[Lentern]

Oh, that posted had nothing to do with you.

In which case are you alright there Shodan?

 

[S.H.O.D.A.N.]

In which case are you alright there Shodan?

I lost my poor meatballs when somebody sneezed... achoo.

Belly-flop on a pizza!

 

[blue_chameleon]

I lost my poor meatballs when somebody sneezed... achoo.

Belly-flop on a pizza!

Ah, memories.