Australia General Discussion

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Costello Reveals He Won't Be Leader

The leadership of the Liberal Party becomes a two-horse race from today after the withdrawal of long-time contender Peter Costello.
The former treasurer touted for a decade as the natural successor to former prime minister John Howard has declared he will not be contesting the leadership.

Revelations that Mr Costello is leaving the main game of Australian politics open the way for Malcolm Turnbull, an MP only since the 2004 election, to marshal his forces against Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson, who has fared poorly in opinion polls since winning the job.

The Costello decision comes only hours after Dr Nelson declared he would not step aside for the Howard government treasurer.

Mr Costello, the longest-serving treasurer in Australian history, had been seen as a Liberal leader since the early days of the Howard Government but, as his memoirs to be issued next week will make clear, he never challenged Mr Howard for the job because he feared splitting the party.

When Mr Howard led the Liberals to defeat at last year's election, Mr Costello shocked supporters by not immediately taking the top job, which would have made him Opposition Leader.

Dr Nelson became leader, winning a contest from Malcolm Turnbull by only three votes..

With Mr Costello pulling out, Dr Nelson is expected to face a challenge from Mr Turnbull by Christmas.

Mr Costello's decision was revealed in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, which begins a series of extracts from The Costello Memoirs today.

Speculation that Mr Costello would succeed Mr Howard has been one of the longest-running stories in Australian politics.

When Mr Howard announced not long after the 2001 election that he would consider his position before his 64th birthday (in mid-2003), he set off an escalating push by Costello supporters.

When Mr Howard declared he would stay on and contest the 2004 election, an emotional Mr Costello declared it was ''not the happiest day of my life''.

In mid-2006, it was revealed that another Howard minister, Ian McLachlan, kept records of an agreement under which Mr Howard had pledged to hand the leadership to Mr Costello before the end of the Liberal Government's second term.

This set off a flurry of activity pushing for a change at the top, which Mr Howard soon ended when he declared his intention to go to the 2007 election as prime minister.

After all the months and speculation of former Treasurer Peter Costello challenging incumbent leader of the Liberal Party Brendan Nelson, Nelson's ailing leadership is safe for yet another day. And one would assume with Costello's decision that he will quickly exit the political arena, however he will not, at least for another six months or so. Why? Because of The Costello Memoirs which, according to Melbourne's The Age are the most anticipated Australian political memoirs of the decade. Thus, in my mind Peter Costello wants to finish his career in Canberra with a bang and piss off a lot of people along the way. Should be an interesting read and a quite humorous one as well, or so I think.

[Smid]

I'm looking forward to getting it and seeing if he'll autograph it for me.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

I'm looking forward to getting it and seeing if he'll autograph it for me.

I'll probably end up buying his Memoirs myself due to their much anticipated status. It shall be interesting to read Costello's remarks about last year's election, especially Caucus' attempts to remove Howard from the Prime Ministership upon the conclusion of the APEC Summit back in September 2007.

Anyway, Smid I assume you have connects to Costello himself or with a friend of a friend? You know, I would always like my copy signed

[dead0man]

I'm titty ing your mother! 
Now that's how you have a sex scandal!  You cats are nuts down under!

[Smid]

I'm titty ing your mother! 
Now that's how you have a sex scandal!  You cats are nuts down under!

NSW Labor is imploding. A Premier who has only been in Parliament 18 months, a Treasurer who failed his university commerce degree and this. The problem is the nepotism and branch stacking that has allowed people without talent to get elected in safe seats and to then reach the front bench without experience. They are making a mockery of their own party.

Of course, the NSW Labor Government has been failing for longer than just this - their train system is in crisis, their roads are in crisis, their hospitals are in crisis... their debt level is going through the roof (while they appoint a uni dropout as Treasurer).

[Robespierre's Jaw]

I'm titty ing your mother! 
Now that's how you have a sex scandal!  You cats are nuts down under!

And he's still denying he performed sex acts on a fellow Minister on Budget Night. And that Minister, who happened to be Noreen Hay who happens to look like this. Who would have thought that Budget Night could turn from a sophisticated event into a sex romp, even with the most unattractive parliamentarians. Only in New South Wales.

[dead0man]

MY EYES!

[Platypus]

NSW is indeed screwed up. It's glorious. Melbourne will reign supreme once more!

Anyway. Crean is one of a handful of parliamentarians I trul;y respect, but yes he is a bit dull. He would have lost, but hey...so did Latham.

Anyway...did you see the game last night Conor? Hmmn? Dreaming really is all you can do.  

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

I'll see if I can get ahold of the Costello book.

And WTF NSW?

[Robespierre's Jaw]

NSW is indeed screwed up. It's glorious. Melbourne will reign supreme once more!

TAKE THAT NEW SOUTH WALES! Compared to the situation in New South Wales at the present, the Brumby Government looks competant compared to the former Iemma Government and the incumbent Rees Government. Isn't he lucky they have fixed four year terms and that the last election in New South Wales was held in March 2007.

Anyway...did you see the game last night Conor? Hmmn? Dreaming really is all you can do.  

Indeed it is Hugh, indeed it is, and believe me I think I will be dreaming for the next couple of years. Judging from our performance last night I believe that we're heading into a redevelopment phase, one which no AFL team can avoid. To you're boys credit Hugh they played very well last night, primarily because you have our former coach Rodney Eade as your coach. Hehe. I bid you good luck against Geelong next Friday night and you will need it. Shame it was such a beautiful night, we had excellent seats and yet we lost At least it was to my second favourite team

[Smid]

WA Government falls:

National Party supports Liberals, as did one independent on election night, and the independent (ex-ALP) Member for Kalgoorlie had previously announced he'd support whoever the Nats decide to support. Two independents supported Labor, leaving it a 30-29 minority Government in favour of the Liberals.

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

So the Liberals are finally back in power.

[Smid]

Federal Liberal Leadership Challenge - Turnbull to challenge Nelson for Leadership tomorrow morning

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24350023-421,00.html

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/631309/nelson-safe-as-leader-says-his-deputy

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Damn it Smid you beat me to it

It should be interesting how the Liberal Caucus votes this morning to decide whether they keep ailing leader Brendan Nelson or select Shadow Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull to lead the struggling Federal Liberal Party. Although I would like Turnbull to defeat Nelson at the ballot this morning, I suspect that Nelson will do vice versa defeat Turnbull. However saying all of the above if anyone should lead the Liberal Party at this point in time it should be Peter Costello, he's the only one that could win the next election for them, despite being closely linked to the Howard Government. Hehe.

[Smid]

Turnbull elected Leader:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24353407-601,00.html

Related links on right-hand side.

[Dan the Roman]

Good for the Liberals. They now have a semi-viable leader. I think this may be a waste of Turnbull's talents though. The Liberals will lose the next election almost no matter what so the benefit of losing 53-47 rather than 55-45 is undermined from the fact that they will use up one of their brightest stars doing so. Not to mention a Liberal defeat will now allow the Howardites to go "I told you so".

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

Why would Turnbull? The Liberals aren't going to win in 2010, probably not in 2013.

In other news, the Nats are at the point of no return. If they don't break with the Liberals now, they will become the Liberals.

[Platypus]

Well, as we've been saying for months, Nelson was the fall guy. Unfortunately he spilled before he fell.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Why would Turnbull?

Because Turnbull was the only other candidate for the Liberal Party leadership who's name was not Brendan Nelson and nobody else, a part from Malcolm Turnbull and Brendan Nelson wanted the Liberal Party leadership. And guess who the Liberal Party selected out of those two options.

The Liberals aren't going to win in 2010, probably not in 2013

Its fair to say that the Rudd Government, despite their falling popularity amongst the electorate will win reelection in 2010, presumably against a Liberal Party led by Malcolm Turnbull. However I do expect there to be a swing against the Labor Government. We must remember the Liberal Party does only need a 2.9% swing towards them in the 2010 election to regain control in Canberra.

As for your comments regarding 2013 Xahar, I think if the Labor Government led by either incumbent PM Kevin Rudd or by present day Deputy PM Julia Gillard becomes drastically unpopular amongst the electorate that the Liberals have a decent shot at regaining control in Canberra. Anywho its too early to predict whether or not the Liberal Party have a chance at winning to 2013 election. We must remember it is five years away.

[Smid]

Also remember, Kevin Rudd has the smallest first-term government majority in Australian history.

[Secretary Polnut]

Goverments are always vulnerable in the first term.

Rudd's got the smallest majority, but also so many of them are on tiny margins.

[Smid]

Goverments are always vulnerable in the first term.

Rudd's got the smallest majority, but also so many of them are on tiny margins.

And there were some very large swings in Queensland, where the hometown novelty (first Queensland PM since 1944(?) Forde) obviously helped things. If the novelty wears off between now and then, and/or if he fails to live up to expectations, there may be a significant swing back against him. I think I've mentioned previously in this thread, but on election day, ever polling booth had an ALP sign saying "Now's our chance for a Queensland PM" - that certainly had an affect and I think it's very possible that the novelty will wear off. Of course, it might not, but then again, there are some slimmish margins up there...

[Smid]

New WA Ministry:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24368855-5013945,00.html

Qld Lib/Nat merger still making news:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24368845-5013871,00.html

[Smid]

Latest Newspoll:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24381569-601,00.html

Turnbull to announce Shadow Ministry today:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24381588-2702,00.html

Rudd leaves on eighth overseas trip in nine months:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24382955-601,00.html

Turnbull Shadow Ministry Press Release:
http://www.liberal.org.au/news.php?Id=1654

Shadow Ministry List:
http://www.liberal.org.au/documents/CoaShadMinList.pdf

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Although I like Malcolm Turnbull and hopes he defeats Kevin Rudd's Labor Party at the next election he has sure made some shocking cabinet decisions today.

Whilst I did predict that Turnbull would select Deputy Leader Julie Bishop to become Shadow Treasurer today, Bishop was selected purely based on tokenism. The same applies for when Bishop was elected as Deputy Leader of the Federal Liberal Party last November. Bishop is by far no means an excellent parliamentarian, nor can she conduct an interview properly thus I have some doubts, in fact a lot of them regarding Turnbull's selection to make her Shadow Treasurer. Not to mention there were far superior choices Turnbull could have made to select as Shadow Treasurer, Andrew Robb anyone?

Whilst on the topic of Andrew Robb I have no idea why he was replaced by Helen Coonan in the Foreign Affairs portfolio. Robb, for someone who had only briefly served as a minister in the Howard Government in 2007 was doing quite well in his Foreign Affairs portfolio and I thought deserved to remain in his position, if not Foreign Affairs then the Treasury. Likewise with Bishop in the Treasury, I have a lot of doubts regarding Coonan in the Foreign Affairs portfolio.