Foxy

Exactly!

I curbed my impatience due to the complete novelty of a politician expressing himself sincerely and not a hint of orchestration in anything he said.

Yes, indeed, the coalition appear not to have learned the lesson given to them by voters. I noted on another thread the repeated use of the term "Labor is the enemy" on the ABC yesterday by Nick Minchin.

To the Liberal Party:

Time to regroup and offer genuine policies that will benefit Australia and if that means agreeing with Labor, then just do it.

Severin:>> To the Liberal Party:
Time to regroup and offer genuine policies that will benefit Australia and if that means agreeing with Labor, then just do it.<<

Severin perhaps they can take a leaf from Gillard’s book on apolitical decision making as exampled by a proposed spend of hundreds of millions duplicating the existing illegal alien facilities "anywhere" except the already paid for Nauru, as that would be a total admission that Howard was right. Labors policies mean jack, because the implementation of all they have attempted has failed, and suddenly Gillard will make it work with a cobbled together slither of a government. Sorry we are to "move forward" and not look back, suckers.

Rob Buckshot had a lot to explain.

Firstly why he betrayed his electorate, and why he is representing his own interests first, and those of his electorate second.

Dear Shadow Minister,

Could you please explain to us on this thread
how Rob Oakeshott (you mis-spelled his name
by the way), let down his electorate and so forth.
He explained the reasons for their decision -
and what they acquired for their electorates,
was a great deal.

Did you not listen to their speeches, or failed
to comprehend what was being said - or are you
simply part of the Coalition abhorrent behaviour-
of condemn, attack, promise nothing, and don't co-operate -
even if its for the good of the nation?
Party first, nation second!

"Rob Buckshot had a lot to explain.

Firstly why he betrayed his electorate, and why he is representing his own interests first, and those of his electorate second."

As an independent have not Oakeshott's electorate voted for him to represent them how Oakeshott thinks best? Would the best way for Oakeshott to do this be by getting as close as possible to the decision making?
I fail to see why so many commentators seem so afraid of this minority gov. Of all legislation passed by both the Coalition and the Labor party in my memory has been to limit Australian peoples rights, increase police powers, instill xenophobia, side track real issues in favor of racist policy, annihilate any chance of the Australian manufacturing sector getting back on it's feet, force our best thinkers off shore..... it goes on and on. With no strong mandate to easily push through legislation at least we can rest assured that a bad situation will not get any worse in the near future. Real checks and balances may disclose the BS we have been fed for he last 20 years.

I would be happy if all elected representatives could do their level best in parliament for their electorates and for Australia.

The left-overs from the previous Howard government were an insult to the nation, opposing everything for the sake of it and sulking at other times. One previous senior minister took time off to write a book and others flogged their travel 'entitlements'. Then there was the incessant griping and moaning that they were not getting paid enough in opposition to cover the lifestyles they had got used to in government.

It isn't going to take much of the game playing by Abbott to bring that all back to an electorate that is already convinced that some members of parliament care more about what they can get out of the nation than what the nation can get out of them.

These personal attacks on the independents will quickly anger the electorate. So what if someone spoke at length, big deal.