The bull will turn. Ol’ Malcolm will be back!

He’ll take up a sensible part of the Green agenda by actually doing something meaningful about climate change, or I should say; about weaning our society off of its critical addiction to oil.

Well….hopefully his concern about climate change will lead to this.

And he’ll ignore the stupid part of the Green agenda which would be to allow the boats to continue to come and in large numbers. He’ll stop the boats, and hopefully boost our input into refugee issues in other ways – via our formal offshore aid programs.

Yep, he certainly does seem like the most sensible politician, ex-party leader, potential new leader and potential PM, around at the moment.

I reckon there is a very high chance of him being PM in three years time.

One would expect Mr Turnbull to take over the reins of Liberal leadership at some point. My prediction on other threads was that Labor would scrape in and Turnbull would be reinstated as a consequence. As the election campaign developed, it became clear that things were going to be a trite more complicated.
My opinion is that Turnbull reversed his decision to leave politics in the wake of Mr Rudd's all but dumping of the ETS - the thing that Malcolm stood up for, and which ultimately lost him the top job.
I must admit that I was rather inspired when I heard that he was coming back for more (and I'm more inclined in Labor's direction). I popped onto his website shortly after his announcement to return and was intrigued by the number of people leaving comments of support who claimed that they were Labor voters but would happily vote Liberal if he was leading that party.

"...the number of people leaving comments of support who claimed that they were Labor voters but would happily vote Liberal if he was leading that party."

Well that just says it all doesn't it?

Unfortunately standing for a principle is not enough. The principle has to be sound in the first place. There's plenty of politicians who stand for the principle of socialist grabbing.

If Julia gets up in the next couple of days, Abbott will be dead meat. The Liberal Party will then have to decide whether to let Lord Turnbull rule the roost again despite his gross treachery.

Politics is a strange thing and it attracts strange people, many of whom are closet megalomaniacs. Malcolm is one of them! Rudd was another as was Howard.

Julia? It remains to be seen.

Standing for a principle is great, as long it is for your own principle, and not just "The party principle" as I've heard others say so often, and is in all of the parties demand when you join their party, " I promise to agree with the decisions of the majority of the party". If you stick to what you know and what you truly believe in, I can't see where you can go wrong - that is of course as long as your intelligence is up to scratch, and then people can decide on YOUR decision, and not on that of half a dozen people who have promised that they have no integrity and not much intelligence, which seems to be the trouble most of the time. I certainly am hoping for a group of people who are intelligent, and have the utmost of integrity and courage, it would certainly be a breath of fresh air, and a turning point towards honest, prosperous government, wouldn't it, we need it.

Turnball, the man who stood for something? Yes, but not what you're thinking I imagine.

The only reason he stood for an ETS is fear that the coalition would get wiped out at a double dissolution election, he was terrified that PM Rudd would carry out his threat to go to the polls over the greatest moral issue of our times, able supported by Julia Gillard, right up till she realised the ETS was not a showstopper, and dumped it.

Turnbull stands for whatever is convenient to his own position, the only principles being power and money, well he has buckets of money so that only leaves .. power.

He still thinks an ETS might get up and he's already so committed that way he can't back down, he's personally protected by his wealth from any "possible" effects, and you never know, there might be a buck in it - and with Turnbull, the buck will stop with him. Unlike our current flock of ALP liars who "take responsibility", but don't do they, he really will see it through.

Abbott won't be deposed if the coalition don't form government, he has proved he is a man of conviction, and a TEAM player, unlike Turnbull was was clearly not a team player - the coalition is a team.

The independents all left the Nationals for various reasons, mainly big egos,, let's see how they survive in the ALP/Green/Whatever Wilkie is/Independents government - may they spin themselves out of government next term forever.

What we need then is a double dissolution election, so we can exterminate the full senate as well, and get back to responsibility in government.

Unfortunately, there is not a skerrick of evidence that the Australian people, led by the nose by a populist media with an insatiable appetite for the lowest common denominator, has the slightest interest whatsoever in a "conviction politician".

Of any stripe.

Even if Mr Turnbull were to regain a position of influence, he would be chewed up and spat out again, for daring to have principles, when it is the opinion poll that holds sway, and the entertaining sound-bite that is king.

Amicus,

We could go on debate endlessly about "conviction" and "team play". I don't, however, agree that these things, in the final analysis, choose who will stand out in politics and who won't.
Personality and charisma play a pertinent role in party room dealings and in the public arena....and are much more likely to be the spur that sets some people apart from others. People like Turnbull will usually come up trumps because the "shine".
To use a dance hall analogy - this why some very competent politicians remain wallflowers, some have a couple of dances(and I would include Mr Abbott in this category) - and some become the "Belle of the Ball" - the chosen one.

Isn't it interesting that it's the lefties who want Turnbull. Why did he join the wrong party? Probably thought it would be easier to become leader in the libs.

All those who fell for that arrogant twit Rudd, are in love with Turnbull, another arrogant twit.

Is it that lefties want a dumb leader, who can talk, but can't add 2+2, & get anything like 4? I wonder why they admire such people?

Turnbull, & Rudd are like two peas in a pod, almost clones. The type who have used the gift of the gab to make themselves quite wealthy, but really don't know which way is up.

Of course it could be their cunning showing. If they can talk the libs into bringing Turnbull back, even little Julie should be safe. His arrogance would loose many lib voters, & his stupidity would loose many more.

Would be fun though, watching what real lib voters would do. You might even get real people voting Green, just to get away from Gillard & Turnbull.

Can you imagine it, Gillard, Brown & Turnbull, poor old Oz would have no chance. Talk about the three amigos, [independents] that bunch would not have a single clew between the lot of them. They may even be able to totally stuff the place before I'm too old to care.

Still, it would be a pity for my grand kids to be wishing they had been lucky enough to be born in Pakistan.

<he possesses that rather outrageous combination of financial conservatism and social liberality>

Social liberalism, come on, whose leg are you trying to pull.

Malcolm wanted to privatise water.

It would be nice to think that he did have a social conscious, but I doubt it very strongly.

There is no doubt that he has charisma, but so did Hitler.

I bet the boys from MacQuarie bank are banking on him becoming the next liberal leader and then prime minister. Nothing like having one of your own controlling the reins of power and wealth.

Those on the left hate having their immoral policies exposed by any person who is pro normal family and against the slaughter of the unborn. Instead they are far more comfortable with those who have adopted the pseudo intellectual gw belief because it enhances their self righteousness and what they see as their 'moral superiority.'

In saying that Malcolm should be congratulated for his dignity and honesty in admitting that Tony Abbot did what he could not. Abbot took the Liberals from a completely unelectable position to almost tossing the first term incompetent Government. How even his most ardent haters ignore this shows their blindness. They have egg all over their faces whether he wins or loses. Turnbull in my estimation has gone up after having to swallow the bitter pill that many many Australians have woken up to the fact that Queensland, Victoria and NSW are not going to run out of water and the soothsayers have be proven to be wrong time and time again. If only they had of built more dams instead of believing these scaremongers the water supply would be looking healthy for a long time.

Who could possibly forget what Malcolm Turnbull stood for? Some examples:

He stirred up a fierce storm in raising the Kevin Rudd ute-gate affair, a storm that yielded no rain.

Then he went out of his way to support Labor's CPRS as the means of beating the immoral world threat of anthropogenic global warming (AGW). Unfortunately, in doing so, Malcolm swallowed the environmentalist assertion that AGW was scientifically proved, which is absolutely not the case. This is unforgivable for someone with Malcolm's legal training. Has he forgotten the laws of evidence? Should he not wait to come up with a judgement until he has looked rigorously at all the evidence?

Let's hope that Malcolm is never appointed as a judge in a court of law, as weighing up all the evidence is not one of Malcolm's strengths.

Yes, but what conviction does he stand for. In order to meet our Kyoto targets, the Howard Government did a deal with the Beattie and Carr Governments to rip off farmers property rights by converting their farms into carbon sinks via Native Vegetation Laws.

Australia met its carbon reduction targets and the city folk were largely kept in the dark as to how farm properties had been made worthless carbon sinks without any compensation being paid to the farmers. On top of that, the government Malcolm was a part of relieved the farmers' of their carbon credits without payment.

As Environment Minister, Malcolm's response at the time of a growing urban carbon footprint consciousness or mindset (depending upon your viewpoint), was that it was OK to go out and buy a wide screen television. What exactly is it, that Malcolm stands for? More importantly who's interests does he represent? What involvement do merchant banks have in carbon trading? What sort of world is it where some people get paid commissions and make trading profits on other people's stolen goods and misery?

But he doesn't really have good political skills. This is why he could never gain any traction while he was leader. He doesn't build relationships, he looks silly when he's doing the 'opposition for the sake of it' routine and his oration skills aren't really good enough to communicate the complex (and often quite good) ideas that he does have.

People always claim there aren't enough idealists and party mavericks among politicians but they're never as kind on them in opinion polls.

"And he’ll ignore the stupid part of the Green agenda which would be to allow the boats to continue to come and in large numbers. He’ll stop the boats, and hopefully boost our input into refugee issues in other ways – via our formal offshore aid programs. “

I am not so sure what would happen if we cleared out all the camps in Indonesia now. There are only a few thousand trapped in these camps with nowhere to go. It would take the pressure off feeling that getting on the boat is the only way to go. At the same time we took, take a good look at the problem and set up new rules and strategies deal with future. The end game should be to deal with why they flee in the first place.

I'm sick of all this speculation.

Found a facebook page

To the 3 twits, Australia has had enough and wants back to the polls.

Turnbull is not simply admired by the left and right within the Libs. He is sooooo admired by swinging voters, Green voters, and a significant number of moderate, educated Labour voters. Pity he did not lead the Libs in the last election. He would have swept Libs to outstanding victory as most of the voting public was sickened by Labour treachery and their young, ignorant (from inexperience) and power-greedy back stage advisors (Arbib, Shorten, etal). The ETS, republic Australia, etc will become a reality under Turnbull. Let’s get Abbot (the ultra conservative, OUT and get Turnbull in for the next round. Sadly there are too many blind conservative Libs (old Howard gang) still remaining within the Lib party to see sense.

Turmbal might be sooooo admired by swinging voters, but I do not wish to pander to this group.

The swinging voter is ideologically barren,

they are those dullards at the debates, with 2 days to go until an election, with a blank look on there face who asks questions to which they should already know the answer.

They are the fools who send their money to Nigeria in the hope of getting the $1,000,000 in return for saving the Princess

They are likely on welfare and after taking a drag on their Holiday cigarette, complain that they don't receive enough dole for their 8 children, who all wearing Nike T-shirts possessing gravy stains.

They are the grubs who scream out Aussie Aussie Aussie, at the cricket, and who wait for a response with a self satisfied grin on their face.

They are the twits who line up for 5 minutes at McDonalds, and then need time to decide when asked if they can be helped.

They are the petrol station attendants who attempt to put petrol, into my diesel 4wd

They are the people you think the greens are an environmental party.

They are the fools who like to turn right at intersections when there is an unencumbered turning lane 50 metres beyond.

They are the dullards that refuse to go faster in the speed limit in the express lane of the M1.

They simply are the stupidest people in Australia

I always wondered who the 'swinging voters' are. The major political parties and pollsters could have samed themselves a lot of time and money if they'd only asked Angry Oak to list all the people s/he hates. Thanks for that - but who's "Turmbal"?

On topic, long may Malcolm Turnbull remain on the Tory backbenches. The Coalition can't win an election without him.

Turnbull has the same problem as Rudd.
People like them at first but once they get to know them their personalities or manner or something grates on most people and they suddenly decide they arent so great after all. The perverse thing is that once they get booted out and arent seen for a while we all like them again.

Hey CJ Morgan,

If you’re going to be pedantic and ask who is Turmbull (when it is obvious i meant Turnbull), then let me ask you something about your comment:

What do you mean that political parties and pollsters could have “samed” time and money?

People in glass houses shouldn't throw giant rocks!

Ok, could someone fill me in on where all of this 'integrity', 'conviction' and 'environmental-whatever' 'small-L Liberalism' etc etc is supposed to come in where Malcolm Turnbull is concerned?

From his past record, all I see is a (part-time) career-politician who uses his post for personal gain and tax exemptions, and markets to new popular causes like a Republic or ETS (which conveniently happen to be highly lucrative for bankers and traders of intangible or hypothetical capital- ie him) that other Liberal party members are so used to NOT supporting, while, as an environment minister, doing even less than Peter GARRET- and that really says a lot (even if Peter didn't have a long career of silly dances to substantiate his environmental credentials).

And 'inspiring'? please. I don't get why so many people seem to believe, or even entertain the idea that Malcolm isn't just a self-serving sleaze who puts on an act.
Thank god we have Amicus and JamesH who seem to actually notice what he DOES, instead of what he says.

It seems more a matter of desperate small-i-liberals and Labor supporters hoping for a 'moderate' into the MEAN Liberals, and desperate right-wing Liberals supporters are longing for a more charismatic face than Tony to move their party back into government.
And of course people who obsess about "The Republic" and don't know what a "publicity stunt" is.

so angry oaks, are you saying people who vote green are idiots, you repeat yourself.

So Angry dosent like grammar/spelling nazis!

"People in glass houses shouldn't throw giant rocks!"

So what was this then Angry?

"By the way, you should try and limit the amount of times you finish a sentence with a preposition, it’s annoying. (or is defending the Queens English another "Tory evil"."

Hmmmm

Whenever I think of Malcolm Turnbull (rarely) all I can think of is Gordon Gecko, no strike that, Gordon Grech.

And that's all folks.

Mika,

One of the instances was a reply I made to someone who had a go at me because of a Typo I made.

The other was a post scripted remark, and was made as a direct attack against you and your lack of all logic and thinking in every point that you make!

STOP Trolling!

Yeah, Johnny - have to admit that the OzCar affair was a particularly entertaining debacle.

Touché, Angry Oak. As you say, people who live in glass houses and all that.

On that subject, I don't think you're in any position to accuse anybody else of "trolling", given the number of inflammatory comments you've made today about the "3 twits", the Greens, swinging voters and anybody else you don't like.

On the subject of the "Queens English" (sic), perhaps you might like to refresh your memory as to what a preposition is, and also about the proper use of the apostrophe while you're at it.

FYI - I own a small business, and I very much doubt that my turnover is being affected by the current parliamentary stand-off.

CJ, if the Libs can't win without Turnbull, I pray to Runners god, that they never win again.

While I'm at putting down, I'll have a go at your Greens as well.

How could anyone vote for a party that is so short of talent that they actually recycle a failed Democrat. That really is the bottom of the barrel, even lower than Gillard, or Turnbull.

CJ: "I run a small business"

So did my parents, and friends of mine.

Might I suggest that *new* law, as opposed to that which we either know how to live with or are working on doing so, is the big risk.

Let it be "hung" all day long I say.

Old law is subject to review by the higher courts, and they probably need a decade to weed out the worst of it. New law is binding till either someone can afford to oppose or enough cases of overt failure make review unavoidable (ie the CSA), a slow process.

I'm happy with a standstill until something happens to make the GG remind the major parties that they are not entities the constitution recognises, unlike sitting members who are. Suck it up ALP and Libs. The power to form government resides in Parliament, not the political parties, who have shown they can't compromise to do so and are therefore undeserving.

What I want to hear: "The party with the least supporters for the government that will form within the next ten minutes (9.59, 9.58, 9.57.....) will be outlawed. Party policies will be a consideration of sitting members only if the interests of the nation, their electorate and their informed conscience have been exhausted"

Now, *that* would be fun to watch, with the doors locked and no party bosses to refer to.

Rusty.

I remember hearing what was allegedly Keating's advice to Rudd about Turnbull.

He was supposed to have said that Turnbull was brilliant - he could grasp and understand things very quickly.

He also said that Turnbull was fearless. He would take a stand for whatever he believed in - regardless of the consequences.

Fortunately (for Rudd) Turnbull also had lousy judgement. Like all arrogant self-opinionated people who believe in their infallibility, they are reluctant to take advice from others but as Abbott's true nature begins to show itself again, Turnbull may yet have another chance.

Rudd had similar qualities but Turnbull's role in the Godwin Gretch affair and his inability to consult with his own team was the start of his undoing.

I would be surprised if he didn't make similar mistakes in the future.

That's probably the reason he withdrew his resignation - not to work as a Minister but to take back what he believes is rightfully his.

Turnbull will destroy us with carbon taxes and the derivative market based on it.Turnbull is the puppett of of the big banks and Wall St.If you think that your energy bills are high now wait until Wall St and Al Gore tells you to bend over.

If Malcolm Turnbull is ever going to make it to the top job, one would assume that he would have to have the ability to learn from his mistakes.
His meteoric rise in politics was in part due to his former high profile, and his ability to make things work for himself and those around him. He was in fact a babe in the woods, politically speaking, when he took over the Liberal leadership...and this was all too evident in his triumphal announcement of Rudd's demise in the Grech affair...he ended up with egg on his face.
Anyone worth his salt would re-enter the arena wiser and more circumspect - will be interesting to see how he progresses.

Lemmings don't need a leader , they just need to be shown the direction to the cliff Julia Gillard is merely the sign post.

Angry Oak's anger has obviously clouded Oak's better judgment. Tut...tut..tut, anger is essentially a negative emotion and so I 'pooh pooh' AO's presumptuous claims.

I have always lost out (via my business taxes) when labour got in power. Nevertheless, I have voted Labour on a few occasions simply because of some of its effective long-term policies for nation building, with a fairer social outlook, and a bit more compassion than the current Liberals. Sad is the day when I get so emotionally tied to a "Party" that I am unable to base my judgment on merit but cling to blind loyalty. Thus, I am not interested in people as Liberals, or Laborites, but as individuals who make up this nation.

Turnbull is a great man who is instinctively conscious of the changing priorities of the people and the needs of planet Earth. How many politicians (Labour or Liberals) would put out their own money (large sums at that) for the republican cause? He is a man with guts, conviction and a proud Australian. He is soooo relevant to my age-group and the youth of this great land. That he belongs to a particular party is irrelevant!! He gets my vote without question. People like him are a rarity within the current Libs or Lab. This also applied to Costello, the enlightened PM that we should have had. Rudd, as an economist himself, was super with his management of our economy, saving us from the 'unavoidable' global recession. His policies (stimulus, etc) have been studied by many world economists and have given the thumbs up. The treacherous manner by which Rudd was disposed by Kim Yong Arbib, Kim Yong Shorten, Judas Gillard, sneaky Swann, et al, is undeniably despicable and crass. Swinging voters are conscious of the fact that effective leadership is not the monopoly of any particular political party and thus the need to have a critical sense when voting.

'Oaks’ break in high wind. Try and be a jolly ‘willow’ and be flexible and more open-minded (and less angry). This is gooood for your heart, too, Oaks.

Mr Turnbull has conviction ? :)

Yes..he is an Investment banker who knows exactly how much MONEY $$$ is to be made from Emissions TRADING schemes.

1/ Buy the right shares...

2/ Have the right political connections/clout

3/ Make more money than you ever dreamed of.....at our expense.

AiR I think you are beginning to understand what is really happening.The "New World Order" is an attempted take over of this planet by a group of Corporate/Govt elites.They will take us all to war in their attempt to control the world's energy and resources.

Make no mistake,the invasion of Iran will herald WW3.