The problem for Turnbull is that he is the member for Wentworth. This seat has a large number of libertines. For Turnbull to win his seat he has to appear socially progressive or moderate, a position which sends chills up the spines of his party's base. Turnbull should consider running in a different seat (if that's even possible) so he can freely take a traditional, steak & veg, build-your-kids-a-cubby-house, family values, social position and by doing so, not alienate 99% of the people that vote conservative. How can Turnbull be taken seriously on economics while being unable to mention that family breakdown will be the number one economic challenge of the 21st century? Beats me.

Pat if you are right, it would be much better to let the seat go. An even better idea would be to let Turnbull go with it,

Malcolm for what ever his reason, Turnbull has shown disloyalty in, as a shadow minister, expressing opinions contrary to party policy. There is no excuse for this.

He also appears to have many ideas contrary to party policy. In this he must be either a lier, pandering to his electorate if Pat is right, or a dill to hold those ideas. It really doesn't matter much which, he is a liability to the Libs, & should be chucked out.

As for his "talent" it must all be in your head, & perhaps his back side. You only have to look back to his stupidity in the agreement with Rudd on a carbon trading scheme, or his lack of ability on the constitutional convention to see he is too weak a man to be of much use to government.

He is not even much good at hiding his interest in the big end of town, rather than the Oz population in general.

Wasted talent? More likely a fifth column in an otherwise good team.

Did you notice, I don't like him much? Too much the clone of Rudd for my likings, & certainly not someone to trust.

Turnbull's support for the Carbon Tax makes him a liability while there is an electorate which is desperate to get rid of the economically destructive Green ideology. He is intelligent, a good debater but picks losing ideas and is reluctant to let them go. He may be an potential asset but s somewhat of a loose cannon. I'd be nervous about promoting him if I were in Abbott's position.

A loose cannon; isn't that how you would describe Abbott. Turnbull is a neglected talent. He should be the forman.
Big Joe has confirmed he has trouble with figures, and Abbott doesn't know anything about an economy.
I do not know haw the coalition can put up with the pair of them, i would have thought they would have been moved on by now.

Malcolm Turnbull lost the Liberal leadership by only one vote. This hardly signifies being out of favour with party members. It is always the ultra-right conservatives who make the loudest noise but that does not mean they are 'the voice' of the Coalition heartland.

The only time one hears negatice comments about a politician offering an opinion contrary to his/her party is when they disagree.

Being honest and open should be applauded.

Whether Turnbull means what he says is anyone's guess but like all politician the mug public can only judge by actions and while he is in Opposition that is a bit difficult. I might disagree with Turnbull particularly on his pro-nuclear stance but at least he is not afraid to speak up. Even Abbott once said of 'dissenters' that the Liberal party is a broad church and is about free speech and airing ideas.

Wasn't it Keating who said Turnbull lacked judgement?
He lacked judgement by taking on the leadership of the Libs too soon. Once made leader, he lacked judgement by attacking Rudd in the Godwin Grech affair and again by backing Rudd in Rudd's climate debacle.
But he is a great talent, eminently saleable to the electorate, and even a wealthy MP from Wentworth can learn. As Treasurer he would do wonders for Abbott's chances at the next election. He would add legitimacy in the economic sphere.
Abbott is not as home free as some would like to believe, would like us to believe. If he runs with the crew he now has, Gillard just might do him.
Don't underestimate Gillard's cunning. Look what she did with the position of Foreign Minister.

The only way Turnbull,[return bill,] can improve his position on the benches, is if there is a spill which reinstates him? One can agree that Abbott's relentless negativity as Dr, No, will likely come back to haunt him during the next election?
Turnbull could improve his own chances of party leadership, by leaking during the election. [Not personally.] It's not to hard to 'accidentally" drop a critical document in a place where a sharp eyed political reporter can notice and pick it up. Leaks can kill off a leader?
I mean Julia was streets ahead until the leaks killed her's and labour's prospects. Clearly the little leakers put personal prospects ahead of those of the party, even if that destroyed a once great reforming socialist party.
As for Turnbull not being a moderate? It's reported he once tried to join the Labour Party? Rhrosty.

I am not sure what Turnbull actually 'stands for', he is most evident when he is going against party policy. His shadowing of communications has been singularly unimpressive.

The NBN is an area Labour is wide open on and rarely have we heard a coherent sustained attack on this policy.
Where is the furore on expending this amount of money without so much as a cost benefit analysis?
Where is the productivity commission findings?
Where is the concern for the Finklestein enquiry recommendations?
Where is the public lynching for the handling of the ABC/Sky news tender process?

Malcolm has had several gift horses look him in the mouth and appears to me to have 'gone dead' on these opportunities.

Joe is misplaced in his current portfolio and could be better utilized in more of a soft 'social' portfolio where his appeal to 'everyman' would be strong.

Communications, at this point, requires not a 'poodle' but a 'terrier' like Chris Pyne.

Being in opposition doesn't mean you are against everything. Turnbull can see projects for what they can do for the total population.
He is the far better choice for the noalition. Get rid of abbott and install Turnbull, and the coalition may gain some credibility.
The present opposition mob are in for a big shock.

<< I am not sure what Turnbull actually 'stands for'… >>

Yes Prompete, it would certainly help if we knew this.

But then, it doesn’t seem to matter to most people. What seem to matter are personalities, articulation and perceived intelligence.

Surely in order for anyone to like or dislike any particular politician, they need to have a strong idea of what political direction they think this country should be going in, what are the main things that need fixing or changing and what this pollie might do about them.

What’s good for the country should be the bottom line, not what’s good for the party at the next election. Malcolm’s article misses this, and so do all posters so far except for 579, AFAICT.

Turnbull is a neglected talent, but his skills could be used for the significant betterment of the country or the opposite, with the latter being by far the most likely.

I desire a very different political direction, full-steam straight towards a sustainable society.

I think that the two people most likely to implement this are Bob Carr and Malcolm Turnbull, which is fascinating, given that they are both highly prospective leaders of their parties and the country in the near future.

We know where Carr stands. But we don’t know where Turnbull really stands. We need to know, before we can meaningfully promote or denounce him, don’t we?

Turnbull is there to do the bidding of the banking elites.He wants a new derivative called the ETS and the Carbon Tax to drive us into abject poverty.

All you have to know about Turnbull is that the socialists think he's wonderful.

The socialists in the Liberal Party or elsehwere?

He lost the leadership by ONE vote.

As for an ETS and a Carbon Tax - Abbott was all for a Carbon Tax at one stage and Howard had an ETS policy.

You're absolutely correct Matt L.

Turnbull is the perfect solution to Labor's electoral woes. Oust Gillard and insert Turnbull as the Labor leader and PM. Gillard could go to the backbench with Rudd and they could keep (metaphorically) stabbing each other in the back. Turnbull would have no problems adjusting to Labor policies because he already thinks their way. Labor voters would return in droves and he'd have no issues with the factions - at least to start with. It's all so perfect, it's frightening. He might even win the 2013 election for Labor.

Damn, it could actually really work. I hope he doesn't read this.

'It is always the ultra-right conservatives who make the loudest noise but that does not mean they are 'the voice' of the Coalition heartland. It is always the ultra-right conservatives who make the loudest noise but that does not mean they are 'the voice' of the Coalition heartland. '

Actually it would not be to bad if it was the right wing conservatives making the loudest noise. Instead it is those who have failed so miserably with the election of Labour party leaders and are not content to have them stuff the country, now want to 'advise ' the Liberal party. Thankfully Abbott and the Liberal party not listening to the left wing loonies and the polls are refelecting that.

Don't know about that runner, Mr Abbott (aka Mr No) and his liberal cohorts are pretty loud in their negativity.

The Liberal Party are the biggest Corporate Socialists indeed rather than a safety net for the poor, the disabled or those on minimum wage (of which the ultra right wishes to reduce) it is pork barrelling the well-to-do and the middle classes. I am surprised at your support for a party that condemns 'waste' but turns around and proposes the same, just a different wrapping, with no humanitarian basis. Not to mention selling off public assets (mind you the ALP is no better in this regard). While I don't personally support the Carbon Tax, the negative and vitriolic rhetoric is pretty poor show. If the Libs were doing it, you can bet on the usual OLO Conservatives would be coming out in support.

I am just as critical of the ALP, pity you feel you have to support your side of politics even when they do bad. This is what is wrong with Aus Politics today. It is a sport. If your team or side behaves badly there is always an excuse or acceptance, but when the opposing team errs there is vitriole and hatred.

For democracy to prosper all representatives of 'the people' should be held to account fairly and without favour. Otherwise it is just team sport and both sides of politics are very good at playing that card.

As for 'advising' the Liberal Party, Australia is still thankfully a democracy, not a dictatorship and all citizens have a right to an opinion no matter who is in government or in opposition.

It's a good idea putting the cost of the carbon tax on utility bills.
Abbott has it around 25% and rising.
Big Joe probably told him that, and he can't count anyway.
Abbott is costing this country a fortune with his propaganda.
What is he gonna say ten minutes after June 30, probably blame Big Joe.
Turnbull would handle things differently, he has tact and one vote away from Tony's Job.

Yes you are right about Turnbull.

If past history is any indication, provided it was a bad policy, Turnbull would roll over like a little puppy, & agree to anything, as long as the red witch scratched his tummy.

I think Keating had Turnbull well-pegged when he said Turnbull was "very intelligent and fearless" - he has complete and utter faith in himself and does not fear the consequences when he feels he's right.
Unfortunately, because of this he also "lacks judgement" - that is he does not consider advice from others and acts independently.

This type of egomaniacal thinking had him involved in the "utegate" controversy and a number of other unfortunate announcements he made without consulting his colleagues.

This makes him a loose cannon and to make him Treasurer would put Abbott in a precarious leadership position.

Turnbull is only biding his time and any cabinet elevation would give him an advantage.

Howard was in a similar position when Reith and Costello were busy eyeing each other off to become the heir apparent. When Reith left, Howard was in a vulnerable position so he stacked the cabinet with Abbott supporters to keep Costello at bay which was another nail in the coffin of the Howard/Costello relationship.

Cabinet selections are seldom made on merit but to meet political agendas.