Paul Keating let loose on Peter Costello yesterday http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24137775-2,00.html. I think this is a variant of the "tar baby" tactic. Labor would be very happy to see Costello as Liberal leader. The only reason I can see that they might unload on him now is to convince the Liberals that they are scared of the possibility.

I think Costello is the best person to lead the Liberal Party, and should have taken the job on after the last election. But that was last year.

If Costello takes the job now it won't make any difference to the outcome of the next election, which will be won by the Labor party. As the Liberal Party rarely rewards leaders for losing, that will see Costello off for good. So Labor gets two wins - the one they would have had, and added to that Costello is taken out for good.

And if he doesn't become leader they still win, because Nelson will probably do worse than Costello would have.

Nothing is easy for first term oppositions.

I'm a long term, VERY long term Liberal party supporter, although the Liberal Party of today is certainly NOT the Liberal Party envisaged under it's founder Bob Menzies. Bob was a magnificent Australian.

What Graham says is basically correct. If Mr Costello becomes leader now, he will surely be dumped after the party loses the next election (almost a foregone conclusion).

If they "really" want him as leader, they'll possibly bide their time. Unfortunately for us, if he becomes leader following the next election, the Party will be doomed to yet another defeat; I wish more Liberals could see that. Peter is a very capable bloke, but the public will NEVER accept him, and that "public acceptance" is vital for election victory.

I feel that in 3 years time the current economic crisis the world over will turn into the inevitable "boom" times......this is how economic cycles work. In about 8 years time, when that second election is due, we'll be running down the back of economic prosperity, and the Liberal Party will unfortunately find it VERY difficult to gain office. Under such circumstances they'll need a leader with "charisma" (right or wrong) in order to made an electoral dent. Mr Costello certainly does NOT have charisma, unfortunately.

The most important thing to consider is that Costello is absolutely entrenched in the continuous growth paradigm, which is just so utterly critically stupid in this day and age.

Alright, the Libs as a whole are utterly entrenched in it. But I get the feeling that they could dig their way out of it and see fit to support a limits to growth paradigm if they really tried. Even Turnbull could do this, I reckon.

But with Costello up front, they wouldn’t have a chance in hell of developing a policy platform that is significantly different to that of Labor, what the country desperately needs, and which will appeal to the majority of voters.

Policies are FAR more important than the leader. But the leader has to be the right person….and it certainly ain’t Costello.

Policies ARE far more important. But "often", close elections are won or lost on "perceptions" and "leadership".

It is also a matter of economic competence and good judgement.Both Kevin and Wayne have recently revealed how out of touch they are.Wyane just couple of months ago ran about like a mad hare disclaiming,"The inflation genie is out of the bottle!",thus giving the RBA the green light to further punish the economy.Kevin further added ot the panic disclaiming more pain was inevitable due to his intended taxes on carbon pollution.

Only now have they realised how poorly the economy is doing.They did not have their ears to the ground.Already they are out of touch and the real dilemmas have yet to evolve!

I don't agree with Graham entirely.It is not fate accompli that Labor will win the next election.If the economy turns really sour,they will again become synonymous with poor economic skills and recessions.If the Liberals win back a lot of seats which they should,why would they ditch Costello?

I can appreciate that P Costello wants a break to write and reflect,but we as a country,cannot afford a bunch of second rate amateurs that have far less talent than the Keating era,to manufacture a Iemma debacle for the entire country

*The most important thing to consider is that Costello is absolutely entrenched in the continuous growth paradigm, which is just so utterly critically stupid in this day and age.*

Ludwig, I think you have to remember that politicians in the end,
reflect what people want. Look around you, everybody wants more.
People buy lottery tickets, people strive for more stuff, bigger
houses, etc. etc.

I happen to agree with you, I think we have too much "stuff", I
think we should look at other values. But that is not what most
of the population thinks. So while most of the population disagrees
with you, no politician pushing your platform, has a chance of
winning anything. That is the reality.

Yabby I don’t think politicians necessarily reflect what the people want. When it comes to growth, they reflect what big business, with biiiiiig donations and huge political sway, wants.

And they go out of their way to convince the people that this is what they want!

In my experience, the average Joe doesn’t want continuous never-ending rapid population growth at all… quite the opposite.

I don’t think that most of the population disagrees with me and the many others on this forum who espouse limits-to-growth views.

So I think that there is tremendous scope for a limits-to-growth sustainability party to really grab overwhelming community support. The obvious choice would one of the big established parties. And at the moment the obvious choice is the struggling Libs in opposition, who are set to fail at the next election both federally and in every state.

The biggest downside to this happening is not the enormous about face that they’d have to do, but the convincing of a very sceptical community that it was genuine.

I also don't concur with yabby, in that I don't think politicians reflect what people want, except, during election time. After the election they often ditch their promises.

Being a Labor voter, I'm hoping Kevin Rudd keeps his promises, but I suppose only time will tell.

Yes, it seems to me that Costello's screwed regardless of what he does. I still doubt he'll put his hand up for the leadership, instead choosing to fade into the ether so some will still believe he could have succeeded - instead of stepping up to the plate and failing.

In other words, history repeats itself. If he'd attempted this earlier, he might have garnered more respect from the Australian public - but it's too late to challenge Howard, and Howard was the demon this particular man needed to slay in order to prove himself worthy of facing the real opponent.

Where did this assumption come from that Costello ever really wanted the leadership? The only indication I'm aware of was the spat over Howard's promise and the note in the wallet, but for all we know Costello had given up by the time that came to light. At the time we assumed he was cheesed because he wanted the job, but he could have been having a jab at Howard over something else entirely.

I don't recall him ever making the sorts of populist appeals that would-be leaders make, or doing anything else to shore up his personal support with either the public or the party. Unless he's been under the impression that Glenn Milne's is the voice of ultimate power, in which case he's way too deluded for the leadership anyway.

Chainsmoker,P Costello is hedging his bets.He will only stay for the top job.It is a matter of choosing the right moment.If he was looking for a job in private enterprise,he would have left by now.I don't think that money is his prime motivation,otherwise he would have applied for a job with Therese Rein [Kevin's Wife].

The chance of Costello being prime minister has passed.
Brendon Nelson never had a chance.
While I too think Labor will win the next election it is never sure.
We should not look for a return to boom times for at least 10 years.
But things can get far worse almost over night.
Conservative leadership must reinvent them selves and policy's that bring new supporters must be found.
arjay, you find faults in Labor that others do not, you must understand it will be those others you must convince before your dreams come true.
Say in about 2016.

Belly ,you can measure Costello's potency by the vitriol Labor is heaping upon him.They even had to bring to out the failed,ageing Placebo Domdingo to rehash his tired old thallium jokes.

The Libs may not win the next one but Labor will lose a lot of seats.Already people who voted for them last time are regretting it.Labor has turned NSW into an over regulated,taxed to the eyeballs "nanny state" and Federally will do much worse with their carbon taxes,driving us all into poverty for the sake of ideology.

Come the next election the frustration and dissatisfaction in NSW will be a major factor since the State elections fall after the Federal ones and people will want to vent their frustrations.NSW Labor is now gone,no matter what they do.

Rudd has thought none of this through and is too busy at the moment polishing his international profile in China.

Arjay, you say Rudd hasn't thought this through... but really, how would you know?

Clearly, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with him, Rudd's an intelligent individual. It could be that they're goading the Liberals into putting Costello in charge, so he could fight the next election, inevitably lose, then be ousted as tends to happen to failed opposition leaders. It would prevent the risk of Costello emerging at a time when he actually might be able to tackle Rudd.

But if your hatred for Labor leads you into thinking they're fools just because you wish to, then you're being played for a fool yourself. They beat the Liberals didn't they?

(For the record, I don't actually think that's what's happening - my point is, we don't really know what's going on and I doubt the Labor party is really focusing on the opposition that much at all.)

Everybody tends to either overestimate the capabilities and schemes of politial parties and politicians, or give them no credit at all.
It always seems to be by a very side margin. Either they're evil geniuses or retarded.

Machiavellian schemes do happen in politics, but they're never as machiavellian as the schemes in the minds of the hyper-cynical conspiracy theorists who harbor extreme hatred for either major political party.

For those of you who'd like a
good laugh on this topic,
check out this website:

http://newmatilda.com/2008/07/31/never-can-say-goodbye

While I agree with TRTL arjay you seem unaware Rudd leads us federally not NSW.
Yes we are bound for the back bench's in NSW the ALP has left its rank and file out in the rain, Iemma and Costa, a few more will be infamous for years to come.
But Labor federally to find many seats gone to your mob?
Remember while Labor won many seats its majority is not that huge.
While fuel and food prices are of international concern a loss is unlikely.
If today was federal election day an increased majority would be a sure bet.
Testing the waters I advise you to watch the NSW local government elections next month.
Labor will do so bad mad Morris may step down.

A pox be on them all.
I am the rightful Emperor I have the dream. :-)

Peter Costello's time has come and gone. Captain Smirk should have taken the leadership 2 or 3 years ago. I can't see global economic conditions allowing the current government, whatever their stripe, to win the next election. Why do the power brokers hate Malcolm Turnbull - tall poppy syndrome? It's a pity we elect self-serving politicians rather than the most able individual.

I find myself increasingly uninterested
in Australian politics
because it is just 2 slightly different shades of blue

given that basically
right-wing politics promotes elitism
and the confirmation of a system
with strong boundaries between socio-economic classes
whereas left-wing politics promotes egalitarianism
and the removal of boundaries between socio-economic classes

Rudd's huge acceleration
in widening the gap between rich and poor
(big wage increase for fat cats
while giving pensioners no increase at all)
shows that we have truly degenerated
to the American System of Democracy
where people have a completely free and open choice
between 2 right-wing quasi-christian parties

In Animal Farm imagery we are into
the pigs getting drunk with the farmers' phase

Somebody mention animals?

Arjay
For what is it worth my money is on your comments. I think the people
will soon wake up to Rudd and many already have who voted for him.
As for PC I think that ALP fear he will take to job.
Regardless I agree its a hard call to win the next elections but certainly not impossible.
I am quite sure that Kevin Rudd will have a lot to do with assisting them.
People within his own party are already complaining hes no fun to work with.

Things are going to get much worse and single pensioners have been totally ignored by Rudd amoung many others.

Quite simply hes not going to get away with that and the others will romp it in with promises of a fairer go.

I dont with Yabbs that most people vote for what personally effects them rather than a broader interest in the country.

However I dont agree with him about pC.

Foxy thanks for that link.

Both our political parties are terrible so it makes little difference who leads the party. If you care about this you are a populist who des not care about far more serious issues. Electing either party next time will not change what needs to be changed.

The problem is Costello and the Liberal part are way to consertive, Here in Australia you generally have three types of politcal parties, Left Wing parties like the Greens then Center Parties like Labor then Right Wing parties like Family First - now the Liberals under John Howard have slipped from being a Centered party to a Right Wing party - If the Liberals want to get back into power they need to become more centered.