The number of refugees who have resettled in Cambodia from Nauru, at a cost of $55 million. Three of the six refugees who were transferred to Cambodia have since returned to their country of origin. Sources: The Guardian and Asian Correspondent.

Tony Abbott's decision to remove the carbon price and wind back the Renewable Energy Target was a disaster. Rather than reducing energy costs, it has brought our electricity generation industry closer to crisis point, writes Ian Verrender.

The lack of a carbon price is paralysing investment in Australia's energy sector and putting domestic power bills on track to surge by up to 40 per cent, experts warn.

Foxy,

Thanks for showing the numbskulls that it is possible to say something useful and stick to the subject. You also, runner.

I don't think that there is anything like a 'broad church' in the Liberal Party any more; the very fact that a majority of members voted Turnbull in as their leader proves that. Apart from Tony Abbott, I cannot think of a single Liberal politician I would regard as conservative, and the Left is working towards getting him out of his seat. Nancy boys like Pyne are the new Liberals.

I disagree with your contention that the government will win the next election. The Liberals are bleeding votes and support, and why would Labor voters suddenly vote for Turnbull's party when they have everything they need in the current Labor Party? Try as he might, Turnbull cannot give the Left anything that Shorten can't, and Shorten is more like they are than Turnbull is. And, most certainly, the Greens are are not wanting Turnbull.

So, where are all the votes coming from to return the government, do you think?

You are getting rather nasty there, ttbn.

Contrasting Abbot with Turnbull is absolutely relevant to your topic here. Especially when there are so many who delude themselves into thinking that Abbott could have won the last election.

Incidentally, runner was further off topic. Sprung!

But you want to talk specifically about Turnbull almost hitting the same number of negative Newspoll polls? Fine. What's the source for your figures? I can’t find them.

It was Turnbull who first mentioned the ’30 Newspoll polls’ figure when he toppled Abbott, so perhaps the journos are just using the figure he cited. But surely they would have checked his count (after all, 30 does sound a high given that Turnbull is only at 14 now).

So, when Turnbull does hit the 16-poll mark, what then? I think they need to stay with Turnbull. That way they’d be able to go down with a modicum of dignity rather than repeating the same mistake Labor made with Rudd and Gillard. I’m sure there are many backbenchers in marginal seats who would see things differently, however.

That being said, I’m not as optimistic as Foxy regarding the Coalition’s chances of a comeback. All governments hit a point at which the public stops listening and nothing they do matters anymore. That’s where I think the current government is at now.

<<… they don't have the ability to start a thread of their own.The real standouts in this are doog and aj philips.>>

Yes, either that or they have no motivation to. For me it’s the latter. I’ve had many ideas in the past for new discussions but never went through with actually starting the discussion because I knew what everyone’s response would be anyway. When this forum’s readership consists of a greater variety of people than 90% retired, conservative men, and 10% other, I might consider it. But until then, what’s the point?

I see those in the 10% ‘other’ category start discussions that are on topics other than how evil Muslims or Labor are, and they generate comparatively very few comments. So, again, what’s the point?

Dear ttbn,

Basically I think that most voters will still vote
for one of the two major parties that we currently
have. It will be the Coalition versus Labor. Mr Shorten
is not very popular with many voters. I feel that quite
a few Labor voters don't see him as a suitable leader
of this country. On the other hand Mr Turnbull does come
across as a better communicator. However predicting election
results is risky at the best of times. Look at what happened
in the US and recently in the UK. So although I still think
that the Coalition will win the next election - its only
my opinion. (and what do I know?). I am trying not to be
sucked in by polarising opinions spun by paid spruikers
and ratings chasers.

Dear AJ,

I don't think that Tony Abbott plans to be a backbencher for the
rest of his life. However I think its unlikely that he will
be a leader again. Many Conservatives have already been
promoted and most remember Mr Abbott's poor polling and
autocratic office.

My money's still on Malcolm Turnbull.

Dear Foxy,

I agree that Abbott plans on a comeback. I also agree that it's unlikely he will succeed. I think Abbott represents a conservatism that is gone for good and now only appeals to the much older generations. Going by the recent leaks, it appears Pyne et al. understand this and I think they will succeed in dragging the Liberal party closer to the centre, much to the disgust of the unrepresentatively-aged demographic of OLO.

However, I just can't see the Coalition winning the next election, unless they change leaders perhaps (To whom, though?!) and then call a snap election? A new leader would need to be from the moderate pool of Liberal party members, though. If Labor does win the next election, I think Shorten will be a one-termer like Abbott would have been. He has the charisma of a cardboard cut-out and the policy direction of a... Turnbull.

Or maybe we have become so pessimistic about politics that it won't matter who is in or when, we're just going to be contrarian either way?

--

ttbn,

Sorry. Went off on a bit of a tangent there. So, yeah, how about those polls, eh?

Or those Socialist, Feminist, Marxist, Stalinist, Leninist, Trotskyist, Communist, Fabian, Leftists (since I assume complaining about them is an acceptable diversion to you, going by the praise you gave runner's response which was less relevant than mine)?

Our local MP is getting quite worried.

He knows that a lot of us weakened in our resolve not to vote for Turnbull at the last election, because he has been a good local member for a while.

However he now knows that a hell of a lot more have stiffened in their resolve to get rid of the disgusting Turnbull at any cost, after his recent direction.

There is nothing at all that would get me to vote liberal again, as long as Turnbull is in parliament as a liberal. The disgusting bunch of lefties he is surrounded with are almost as bad, & would equally stop me voting for any party in which they hold senior positions.

From talking to supporters our local member is not expecting to hold his place.