Canberra – recriminations edition
As the Liberals take power, let the recriminations begin. There’ll be bloody hands monitoring the shredder in Spring St this morning.
The preference decision was key. When the Liberals decided not to go with the Greens, they not only got clear air, they made it a two horse race. And now we’ve got Ted.
This will make a few Canberrans very nervous this morning, particularly in the ALP. Victorian’s were the most progressive state in the Federal Poll, and while there’s a danger in inferring anything federally from State polls, we can say this.
The ALP admitted throughout the campaign that they weren’t too sure what they believed in. The Liberals stood for reducing crime. It’s pretty simple.
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Canberra Reporting
There are some silly buggers going on in Canberra this week.
Firstly, there’s the NBN. With the Bill for the structural separation of Telstra hitting the Senate this week, the government is playing silly buggers on who’ll they’ll let get a briefing on the business case.
The government demanded Greens Senator Scott Ludlam and other interested parties provide signature on a confidentiality agreement that would have prevented him discussing its content of the business plan for seven years.
Then they reduced it to four years. Then a couple of years. And then, two weeks.
Good way to maintain credibility.
Parliament won’t be sitting this week. Which is good, cause we can all focus on rate rises, office sweeps, and silly hats.
And while Victorian’s get a day off tomorrow, the rest of the country will have to go to work and get drunk at lunchtime.
And while we’re on Victoria, the Premier may be going to the governor today to get the writs – but no one could give shit till after Cup Day.
Everything seems to be going backwards in Canberra this week.
The government is going backwards in the polls, the opposition’s fighting battles that have already been lost on the BER and the NBN, and Howard’s made a comeback, with an appearance on qanda tonight.
In terms of the polls, the Government is still losing support to the left and the right on the same issues – asylum seekers, environmental management and the war on Afghanistan still very unpopular.
The big news out of Canberra this week, as the Parliament sits back down, is that there is going to be a great debate on the war in Afghanistan.
After dissing foreign affairs as something Kevvie07 did to stay out of Canberra, now we’re getting in Paul McDermott and Andrew Denton as a part of the “great debate” of the new paradigm.
Who will be affirmative and who on the negative? Who knows – both the major parties are pretty much the same on this issue.
There’s nothing like a grand final to make grown men cry and grown women dance on the ceiling.
The AFL definitely won the pre-game entertainment versus the League, and while it will be a tough year ahead for all those who aren’t a little a little pie-curious.
Now they’re over, and people can sober, time to settle in for the long stupor of summer with the cricket.
If only politics captured the nation’s attention in the same way.
So, it’s the first week of the new paradigm.
While the AFL GF has left everyone feeling a little flat, fans should consul themselves that one of the teams for next week’s game is not trying to destroy the MCG – as would appear to be happening in politics.
However it’s easy to see how after a bruising encounter, both teams could throw their hands up and declare the management a joke.
30
Canberra Reporting
Canberra Reporting…
I’ve heard people referring to our current political state in Canberra as one of ‘political limbo’.
The game where politicians bend over backwards to do everything in their power to get power.
A former leader, stabbed in the back, with at least a season to serve on his contract has been disposed in the middle of the night. So expect Essendon to veer to the right next season. And be plagued by a series of damaging leaks claiming James Hird never even supported parental leave.
Perhaps then they’ll have to negotiate with the independents. Like Mark ‘Choc’ Williams …
On twitter, excitement at the ‘kingmaker’ status of Bob Katter has salivated twits, with the hashtag ‘BobKatterFacts’ starting up.
So, the last week of the election begins. For the pundits, exhaustion sets in and it’s only the crazy brave and the well organised who dare to rest.
The remaining time is counted not in sleeps, but in news cycles.
From last night, it would appear the ALP would go into their launch today without the ghosts of their past causing further instability. Latham’s a lunatic, and even if he’s right, so what. And Kevin came off as a self-serving Kim Hughes Bob Hawke- style loser who you think we should be glad is gone.
This is grand final week in politics. The parties are going for the bogan vote and the ‘don’t knows’ are coming in from the cold.
Strangely, in politics, it’s the bogans who come in at the last minute. While in football, the people who know who they’re voting for often don’t pick a team until the final week.
After the eliminations and recriminations, this is the week of the parade, the special breakfasts, a cross dressing footy show and when everyone goes hell for leather on election day.
26
Doddcast: Monday, July 26
Canberra Report: Monday July 26
27 days, 14 and a half hours… but who’s counting?
This week we’ll continue the water torture election, leaders will fly around the country, announcing announceables and kissing children for photo ops limping toward Aug 21.
Dripping into Brisbane this week the Opposition’s campaign heads north, while Gillard’s will head to Launceston as they criss-cross the country.
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