Ludwig,
I'd settle for a party with both oars in the water, a clear policy, designed to benefit the people or two might help. Likewise, one on population growth as opposed to business' myopic self interest.
Not forgetting real control over the finance and corporate sectors inanity and excesses.

Just for curiosity sake, have you considered the Nats as wild card?
i.e.
Imagine if the Small 'l' Libs win Would the nats (not sure that there shouldn't be a g in the front of that.) break with a non conservative LP.

If the conservative did split logic suggests that the nats would side with them.

In which case we'd have the Labor party and a true conservative opposition and the 'progressives' on the side benches.
All sitting next to the greens! Poor Bob! The up side it that that excuse for a *senator* from FF would be toast.

Dear Examinator,

Those trying to tear down Malcolm Turnbull with
their opposition on the Emissions Trade issue
will doom the party to defeat and irrelevance at
the next election.

If the Liberal Party doesn't honor the agreement
made by Malcolm Turnbull then it means that
extremists, conspiracy theorists and climate
change sceptics in the Liberal Party have
succeeded in handing an election victory to
Kevin Rudd and the Labor Party.

This would indicate that the Liberals have
learned nothing from 2007.

It's almost as if John Howard is still pulling
the strings of his puppets.
I can't help but wonder who's advising these idiots?

Nick Minchin comes up with the most bizarre excuses.
The fact remains his party presented a list of
amendments to the PM. They chose these amendments.
The PM accepted the amendments and Malcolm Turnbull
and the majority of the Liberal Party (48 to 35)
accepted the Government proposal with the Liberal Party
approved amendments.
So what's all this fuss really all about?

By the way, - people should be aware that the initial
proposal put forward by the Labor Party before the Liberal
amendments were accepted - matches very closely to
the ETS proposals presented by the former (John Howard's)
Liberal government. Minchin and his
cohorts appear to be making all of this a personal
issue with no regard for either their own party or the
future of the country.

Who would I support, Shreck (Hockey),
or the Mad Monk (Abbot)?

Neither.
One sees himself as the people's friend,
A fearless "defender" of democracy,
the ultimate "protector" of our liberties.
While the other couldn't raffle a chook in a pub.

Both find it socially wise to conceal their
tendency towards rational and serious thought.

For the sake of the Party I hope that Malcolm Turnbull
doesn't give in to these rat-bags - and sticks to his
guns. He's the only hope the party has.

It's not a matter of Liberalism versus Conservatism.
It's a matter of intelligence versus ego and personal
ambition.

Keeping in mind it will be a cold day in Hell before I vote Liberals ever again....

- Is liberalism compatible with conservatism in the same party?
That's almost asking two questions actually- my answers:
1- In general- maybe- although I doubt it.
2- In the Liberal Party- HELL NO- the Libs have been even more authoritarian and vengeful and neocon-ish back when Menzies and Frazer were running the show. As bad as Howard was, at least he didn't support conscription in the wars HE signed us up to.

- who will win, and will the other-side see the light and toe the line?
Either Hockey or Turnbull. The other won't "See the light" but will still toe the line because deep down they really don't actually care.

-- what do you think of the choice?
They're both unpalattable, incompetent low-caliber politicians who would make astoundingly lousy and corrupt leaders- neither worthy of running the country- just like virtually everyone left in that party.

- who will you support?
If it were between the two, Hockey- the one that's not the Mad Monk who can't budget a top-end salary.

-- if he loses will you support the other?
HELL NO!

- and where do you think this leaves the country party (OOPS, national party)?
Exactly the same as the Libs.

- what do you think this will mean for the country?
Best case scenario- voters will see that the party is past it's prime and vote for someone else.
Most likely voters (absorbed in the "better of two evils" mindset) will keep voting Labor until they are so bad, constantly yearning for the DEAD Liberal Party to magically come back to life- but vote for them anyway. (pretty much as RobP said with a phrase so good and true I'm tempted to repeat it).

Okay I'm headed out on a limb here but I'm sticking my hand up for Turnbull as the next PM.

He will almost certainly get toppled as leader of the Libs next week but he seems to have positioned himself beautifully.

When the coalition get slaughtered at the next election he is going to be able to claim visionary status.

Rudd already has one wheel badly vibrating and by the end of a second term I think we are all going to be heartily sick of him and all the wheels will be off, this is from someone who had a lot of time for him when he was first elected.

The GW detractors in the coalition ranks seem to be hanging their opposition (and therefore their electoral hopes) on a dip in global temperatures (which has recovered its onward march upward according to the latest figures) and some less than impressive (but possibly understandable) email exchanges from some pommy climate scientists.

The only question is whether Turnbull is prepared to wait on the back benches until then. A double dissolution election would speed things up dramatically and he has been instrumental in taking things to the brink on that score.

When Australia limps in with a bastardised emissions scheme the rest of the world will justifiably start taking pot-shots serving to strengthen Turnbull's hand.

Interesting times.

“Okay I'm headed out on a limb here but I'm sticking my hand up for Turnbull as the next PM.”

Interesting, csteele.

I’ve never had much time for him, but he has been sounding better of late, in line with my concerns about environmental matters and sustainability. He did well on the 7.30 Report this evening.

I’d certainly prefer him to Abbot or Hockey.

“When the coalition get slaughtered at the next election he is going to be able to claim visionary status.”

Very possibly. So he may well become a recycled leader, as indeed Howard was.

“Rudd already has one wheel badly vibrating and by the end of a second term I think we are all going to be heartily sick of him and all the wheels will be off…”

Absolutely. As far as I’m concerned, he’s already lost all four wheels!

Interesting times indeed.

Tony Abbott is my local member.I'm trying to determine whether or not he is playing politics or is genuine in trying to defeat this repressive ETS tax.Remember John Howard saying he'd never introduce a GST ,yet when in power did the exact opposite?

This is an opportune time for a new political party in this country,that is not aligned to the Global Corporates.

Both of the major parties have betrayed the electorate.