mhaze,

There is no tantrum from me, just the opposite. You say its only a matter of time and the opposition will somehow resurrect itself, and past history vindicates that. I somewhat disagree, in the majority of cases, post WWII, it has required the arrival of a strong forceful style leader to give confidence to the electorate to embrace change. I believe both Whitlam and Hawke for Labor, Menzies and Howard for the Liberals had the necessary characteristics. There were a series of men who as Opposition leader failed to engender confidence in the electorate with their lacklustre leadership, Calwell, Lathum, Hayden and Shorten for Labor, and Snedden, Peacock, Nelson and Downer for the Liberals were all poorly performing leaders who really were not PM material and their parties in some cases suffered longer periods than necessary in Opposition, because of that leadership failing.

Looking at the present federal Opposition, led by a complete dud in Dutton, and a glance at his front bench of total incompetence, it may take another decade in the wilderness before the 'Noalition' returns to power. That's if another party or group doesn't usurp their place as the official opposition to Labor.

Poirot wrote: "That's if they [the Libs] don't implode."

Well again, every time a party finds itself out of power across the country, there is this questioning as to that parties future. But they just live on and await their turn. There is no successor party on the horizon with all the minor parties having cut out a niche from which they cannot escape. If things get really bad as the recession hits, its possible that a revolutionary figure like Trump could emerge, but that seems unlikely in the Australian context.

Poirot wrote: "They will at least have to reinvent themselves."
Well I don't think they do. I fervently hope they do, and become a truly liberal party, (its why I wanted them out of power - to encourage that rethink). But at this point they seem to just want to hang around and await their turn and that has worked for all parties in their position this century.

I like the characterisation of Dutton as a night-watchman. In my lifetime, no one who took over the leadership of a party who lost government (Federally) has taken that party back to power. It shows particular political ineptitude to even volunteer for that thankless job. (Unless of course your aim isn't to become PM but instead to position yourself for a few board of directors seats). Its interesting that Matt Kean has opted out of the race to lead the NSW Libs.

Of those currently there, I'd keep an eye on Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie. But not much else. As Paul points out, they're likely to be out for a decade (that seems to be the rough tenure for governments except utter failures like Whitlam and Rudd) and that's more than enough time for someone else to rise through the ranks.

The Liberal Party has to do this. The Liberal Party has to that. Advice comes mainly from people who think that the Liberal Party hasn't moved far enough to the Left.

The Liberal Party has gone Left, and lost a heap of voters. The Liberal Party is not going to anything but frizzle up and die, because it doesn't have the right people in it.

Dying altogether would be the best thing for what is left of the Liberal Party. We don't need two parties the same; we need a proper conservative party in opposition to the Socialists.

But, the Australian electorate is too bloody stupid to demand that, and they will have to to do with wall-to-wall Socialism - only Tasmania is still holding out, and they will go soon - and this country will continue going down the gurgler like all other Western countries are doing: eaten away from inside by the Left and stupid, complacent citizens.

We need to stop worrying how our down-and-out political parties are faring, and demand a new political class that will put a stop to this sort of nonsense:-

Another 650,000 immigrants are forecast to infest Australia by next financial year. More pressure on poorer Australians and even fewer houses for them to live in.

ttbn,

You are a hoot! - "The Liberal Party has gone Left, and lost a heap of voters."

Left of who, Genghis Khan?

Just noting, that I've previously mentioned the schoolyard behaviour of the federal Coalition, who yesterday rushed the doors to avoid a vote after the Speaker had called for the doors to be locked. In doing so, they injured a female attendant.

I find this kind of behaviour to be puerile in the extreme.

mhaze, thank you for your thoughtful response.

Albozo is the Coalition's best way to get back into power. Openly lying to the public about the voice is a death sentence in politics just as Juliar found out.