Well the decision has been made.
Bob Katter went Coalition.
Rob Oakeshot went Labor.
Tony Windsor went Labor.
The conservatives are frothing at the mouth. They feel they have been robbed. They feel because of the primary vote or the two party preferential vote should decide the winner in a hung parliament. They obviously don't realise it is the numbers on the floor that decides government.
I have been listening to radio station 2GB here in Sydney this afternoon and reading the articles and letters in the Daily Telegraph (Terror). The venom towards the independents, Labor and the communist Greens is spilling out copiously. Some people that ring in have no idea. One asked could an appeal to the Governor General be made. Others think that the sky will shortly fall in and all is lost. They don't seem to understand that this can be a very fruitful time for democracy in this country. Maybe for the first time we can overcome the control by the political parties.
What I cannot work out is Bob Katter.
He has made the statements on Q&A on Monday night that the Coalition under John Howard did absolutely nothing for the rural areas. Labor under Kevin Rudd was doing some good work in his electorate of Kennedy. He then went and supported the coalition that has done nothing. He also made the statement when he made known his selection of the coalition, that he would have supported Labor if Kevin Rudd was still PM. Does he mean the policies mean nothing without Kevin. Can't figure that one out.
The Broadband is also taking a hiding to nothing by the conservatives with their scare tactics of big, big debt because of it.
The Conservatives need to accept the decision and get on with life.
The independents obviously have their reasons for going to Labor. I know Tony Windsor was mainly swayed by the Broadband. Not sure what swayed Rob Oakeshot. It was obviously a very close call.
I think Oakeshot and Windsor will get a very hostile reception in their electorates. I hope they have some very good arguments to explain what they have done. To me it was very brave indeed.
I have to admit I found it odd that Labor campaigned on their record when that was delivered by a Rudd-led government and they dumped him. IT was a bit surreal.
ReplyDeleteKatter was never likely to go left. The mining tax alone would probably have seen him in deep trouble with his electorate and he's a pretty hardened warming denier so I think Gillard will be happy without him in the room.
I'm not sure the other two will suffer any more hostility for siding with Labor than if they'd sided with the Coalition. They were going to cop complaints back home either way and I'm sure they'll be telling everyone of the great benefits that will be coming their way.
Without access to details of the negotiations, we'll never know what helped Windsor and Oakeshott go to Labor - but you can bet the Coalition will scrutinise every cent spent anywhere near their electorates while this govt lasts. Every brick and every metre of cable will be just more "evidence" that "they were bought!" - even if other electorates are winning similar or better benefits and even if the Coalition tried to bribe them with similar spending.
My spirit guides see some disturbance in the govt ranks in the first half of 2011 but bigger trouble setting in around April/May 2012. This, they say, could result in an election in the second half of 2012.
For me, the best thing to come from this election was the dumping of Wilson Tuckey and that just got better today because he's finally spoken and, in typical Tuckey style, spat venom at his successor, who he refused to congratulate. Charming man.
Andy, I hope you're spirit guides are wrong about the possible elections in 2012. I want this government to go 3 years. What does your spirit guides tell you is the reason for the upheaval.
ReplyDeleteI see Kevin Rudd as a possible spark. He may decide to go half way through the 3 years. That is if he gets a good job out of politics.
You want detail?!!! From spirit guides!!!? You know better than that Wal :)
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I think the second budget will be a difficult one. We have socialists and conservatives with very differing agendas all trying to work together but also all trying to deliver what they promised their individual electorates.
Forgive me Andy. I thought maybe your spirit guides were more knowing.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you can call the Greens socialist, assuming that who you are referring to. They are left, but centralised government control of the economy, I don't think they want. The conservatives bleat constantly about the socialist and even communist Greens but I don't take that bait.