I watched the ABCs programme, 'Q and A,'
the other night. Peter Costello was a guest
on the panel. A member of the audience asked
him outright what were Costello's future plans?
Costello was evasive and I got the impression
that it was simply a matter of time before the
Liberal Party would be turning to this man for
its Leadership.

How different would the Liberal Party be under
Costello?

Any thoughts?

1. Work Choices would be reinstated.
2. We'd be expected to breed at least 3 children (one for you, one for me and one for Petey) - despite issues of sustainability.
3. Nuclear Power would be the big solution to alternative energy (in 20 or 30 years - however long it takes to build the most expensive way to boil water).
4. Public schools would receive no funding - user pays.
5. GST would increase.
6. Australia would become a Republic, but after all of the above no-one would care.

Oops.

Sorry Foxy, I was imagining what would be if Costello was PM.

As Opposition leader, he would oppose anything and everything put forward by Labor whether or not he agreed with any of the policies/proposals, he would make vague suggestions as to how the Libs would do anything any better and he would patent his smirk (not necessarily in that order).

I guess Peter would be rather like Turnbull except with smirk.

The Libs really do need a makeover don't they?

"How different would the Liberal Party be under Costello?"

We would start to see that the Liberal Party was all tip and no iceberg as the Opposition leader was a-swingin in his hammock and cheap, glib shots abounded in Parliament.

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Also saw Q&A, Foxy and I thought the same as you - Costello was evasive. Unlike you though, I thought he diminished his political image because, given the chance to show something new to the electorate, he reneged and made himself look directionless. With his one-trick pony approach, he weakens his position all the time.

All Turnbull has to do to beat him is gradually build up his stocks and minimise his political mistakes. If Costello is hoping to become party leader, he's totally dependent on Turnbull making mistakes.

Fractelle I was thinking along the first lines as your first post.

Costello appeared his usual smirking self but he had a new laid back I don't care attitude towards his own party. I don't know if Costello as opposition leader would unite the Coalition to any degree in fact he may even be worse than Turnbull or Nelson. Nelson was a good man but not strong enough, Turnbull is stronger but not as altruistic. Both Turnbull and Costello are about Turnbull and Costello. Not much to choose or differentiate between the two.

If I had to pick anyone from the motley crew, I would choose Hockey. He at least has a sense of humour and is by all accounts a decent man. Hockey has since revealed that he was not totally in agreement with all aspects of Work Choices and would have taken a softer line.

You can bet if Costello receives a lucrative offer from the private sector (another overpaid business consultant or CEO) he would be off like a shot.

It is disheartening to see him still defend programs like Work Choices despite the very real detrimental effects it created in the lowest income sectors. This man just does not give a rats about real people and lost touch with reality, like his nemesis Howard, many years ago.

Actually, pelican, Costello is further to the right than Howard, but he's much more of a modern American-style conservative, as opposed to Howard's "50's throwback" attitudes.

Costello co-founded the H.R. Nicholls society, which compared WorkChoices to the centralism of communism. You have to worry when an organisation thinks WorkChoices doesn't allow employers to shaft workers hard enough.