Poirot, "One would think that being counted out in the first round is the best outcome for Hockey - he has his political hide preserved."

That's a discussion I had not so long after my previous post. It would be a difficult time to take over with the ETS issue still hot, a no win for Hockey. Hockey has avoided the Costello stigma of not stepping up but is not stuck with the current difficulties. It's unlikely that Abbott will turn the parties fortunes around (in a good way). In some ways it may be beneficial if Abbott takes the party so low that major reform becomes pallatable.

Now I've got really mixed feelings.

R0bert

Hockey is still young - his fault is wishy washiness and lack of honest responses. It didn't work for Beazley - waiting to see which way the wind blows policy strategy - it won't work for Hockey.

Strangely I don't think Abbott is necessarily the worst choice given the divisions on climate change within the party. He is less conservative than Minchin but not as liberal as Malcolm and probably makes a good compromise temporary candidate.

He, at least, is more colourful (less bland) than the Prime Minister and at least is a 'real' person with flaws and sometimes raw honesty even if one does not always agree with his life views. This kind of rawness even makes one kinda fond of ol' Barnaby and his ilk.

Or is that I am tiring of the Rudd spin machine, the contrived turn of phrase and lack of sincerity. Is anyone else hankering for some honest, colourful and real people in politics - even the odd eccentric would be a nice change.

I say this as someone who votes on a Labor/Green ticket, and as someone who is not in favour of the current ETS, and am opposed to the idea of making the environment and carbon emissions another commodity in an already flawed economic system.

The proposed ETS will do nothing to reduce emissions particuarly if Australia is the only nation turning up in party costume only to find out it is a pyjama party and everyone else is asleep on climate change.

Free trade has already done untold damage to agriculture and our industry - let's not damage it any further with a Clayton's ETS that is not going to achieve its goals.

The general public are confused with the conflicting science, unsure about the efficacy of the proposed ETS and the tensions among the Liberal Party is a reflection of those confusions.

You don't have to be a climate change sceptic to be an ETS sceptic.

Pelican,
Sounds like we're coming from the same place. I usually vote on a Labor/Green ticket as well. However, I'm finding myself increasingly numbed by Rudd's spin.

I must admit to having been thoroughly entertained by the Liberal three-ringed circus of late. The fact that Tony Abbott has been elected leader is intriguing and stimulating in a weird way. I do see him as temporary and expendable - as if they are indulging themselves in an effort to reinvent what it is they stand for.

I get the impression that Abbott feels that this is his moment and he should oppose for opposition's sake...he had been happy in the past to go along with the party line on an ETS because he was backing his leader.

His election does add some spice to the political menu, but I just don't see him as someone with the temperament to bring stability to his party in the long term.

Poirot: << Sounds like we're coming from the same place. I usually vote on a Labor/Green ticket as well. However, I'm finding myself increasingly numbed by Rudd's spin. >>

Elementary, my dear Poirot (to mix a literary allusion). With any luck we have a double dissolution election coming up, in which you can reverse your prior ticket. Vote for the Greens first, and give whoever you think appropriate your second preference.

With the reduced quota in a DD election, the Greens have a strong chance of electing another Senator or two, including Larissa Waters in Qld. In my view, that would be an excellent result.

The Greens are the only party to come out of this current brouhaha with any semblance of integrity.

CJ Morgan,
That does sound rather a delicious scenario.

Imagine, after all the grandstanding on this issue by the two major parties, if the Greens were to emerge with the balance of power.

“Whats the betting that population control will not get a mention.”

An almost certain bet, Banjo.

“Why should we ruin our economy when other countries do little or nothing…”

With respect, I think that this is quite the wrong way of thinking about it. We should be thinking of it in terms of how to modify our economy in the direction of sustainability, with urgency.

We’ll ruin our economy and society if we just keep going with the same old continuous-growth-based economic system.

“Its time others took the lead, starting with population control.”

I’m all in favour of Australia taking the lead and certainly not waiting for others to lead, ESPECIALLY with population control.

I’m pleased that the babbling Abbot and the bumbling Bishop are committed to developing a strong climate change policy. Now we’ve just got to impress on them that a big reduction in population growth rate has GOT to be a major part of that policy, if it is going to be meaningful.

----

“A great result for my party the ALP a sad sorry one for Australia”

Huh? Belly it sounds as though you are saying that your ALP being in government is very bad for Australia!?