So it seems the other political parties are all seeking to emulate Labor at the moment.
On one side we have the Coalition aiming for a budget about which Scott Morrison says
“A truly reforming Labor government, in the Hawke-Keating mode, would approve of this budget.”
A government desperate to regain some credibility and popularity after their last budget disaster is finding itself so far out of their comfort zone not being in opposition that trying to impersonate the current opposition must seem a good idea.
Realistically it won’t be fooling too many though.
On the other side of the spectrum there is the Greens, with the least transparent leadership transplant in memory.
The farcical change of leaders to someone who is apparently more centrist means even they realise that they are struggling for credibility as a party for anything other than a protest vote.
For those in Tasmania who saw Bob Brown, and then Christine Milne as strong representation in the Senate for their state, never mind, you still have Eric Abetz and Jacqui Lambie.
Greens members hail Richard di Natale as the man who flew to Africa to fight Ebola on his own dime, despite saying he was going nowhere near the frontline of the Ebola battle, leaving us scratching our heads as to why he would go at all considering we now have Google and Skype available. At the time however he sought to turn this into political point scoring by requesting the taxpayer fund consular assistance for him, giving him the ability to say the Coalition had rejected his efforts to save us all. Perhaps he should have discovered Google earlier as the tiniest amount of research showed that Australia has no embassy in either Liberia or Sierra Leone where he was going.
Richard di Natale went to his first press conference as Greens Leader and promptly complained about listening to people “bickering” inside parliament, (perhaps an insight into the Greens caucus) and then being asked questions outside by more than one journalist at a time.
Let’s all slow down and wait our turn shall we? Poor Dick can only handle one thing at a time. Perhaps he’s in the wrong line of work?
When at the presser Christine Milne refused to answer questions about whether she fell on her sword to beat another challenge by Sarah Hanson Young and Adam Bandt, new leader Dick responded in clear frustration
“look, someone may have been disappointed with the outcome. Surprise, surprise, that’s politics.”
Suddenly the leadership change that Greens supporters called “bloodless” sounded more like a scene from Wolf Creek.
New to Australian politics however is the idea of having two deputy leaders as the Greens now have in Larissa Waters from QLD, and Scott Ludlam from WA. It doesn’t take a massive cynic to notice that these are two states where the Greens are desperate to gain traction at State level not having a single member in the Qld State parliament making every Green vote a wasted vote, and a weak presence in WA.
Two deputy leaders out of 11 members including the leader, if we put that into perspective it would be like Labor having 14 deputy leaders.
So the question on the lips of political commentators now is “What will Bill Shorten do to set himself apart?”
I’m not expecting Bill to do a remake of Eminem’s The Real Slim Shady, however with everybody else playing the childish game of copycat, Bill will have to do something to show his differences.
So I have a suggestion, maybe even a dare.
Bill bring about the desperately needed reform of NSW Labor.
Labor in NSW has a cancer. It is a cancer eating away at Labors heart and for all the talk of previous attempts to address to problem, nothing has been done of any substance.
The public are crying out for it, the rank and file membership are desperate for it, and for the Labor Party nationally to find themselves once again seriously ahead on the playing field, they are in dire need of it.
Shorten is perhaps the man to actually do the required job. He certainly has the drive to take on the big issues, and perhaps more than any other in recent times has the support of the union movement behind him to do what is deemed necessary.
If anything will show the voting public around the country that Bill Shorten is a force to be reckoned with, this is it. He will have to fight members of his own team to accomplish it, but he will emerge all the stronger for it if he is indeed up to the challenge.
Bill “Up For A Challenge? Shorten
Image – News Ltd
I am of the view that if there is to be a clean-up of the NSW branch it needs to start at the top, the General Secretary.
Jamie Clements was gifted his current position of Secretary by being inserted as “Acting Secretary” for several months before facing the election process at state conference. As most would realise elections are usually easier for the incumbent, making electing Clements a mere formality using the proxy voting powers of those right leaning unions who had gifted him the position in the first place.
Under the leadership of Jamie Clements we are no closer to reform than we previously were, in fact many are of the view that we are even further away.
The leadership of Clements has been constantly under fire for many reasons including a woeful pre-selection process for the recent state election that has been widely reported on. That process saw many seats still fighting pre-selection battles a few months before the election.
To many it seemed Clements completely let factional players with their own motivations put their agenda ahead of member’s interests in determining many candidates in the recent State election.
Some have even questioned whether the disastrous strategy from Sussex St to only highlight one issue in the State Election, that being the lease of the power network, was a bad decision or whether it was in fact intentional sabotage of the Foley campaign. Maybe as some have suggested a sabotage that was even more effective than Martin Ferguson’s act of utter bastardry?
Some have expressed the belief that there were elements within the party that were hoping that Labor would pick up some seats but ultimately fail to achieve a win or make huge inroads. The alleged reasoning behind this is to allow for the replacement of leader Luke Foley at a later date so that Jamie Clements mate Chris Minns can be elected as leader.
I have nothing against Minns, who thanked Clements in his inaugural speech as a “great friend and Godfather to his son”. Minns may well be the best thing since sliced bread, however he needs to carve a path based on his talent, not on his relationship with the “Godfather”.
The situation has become so comical that the opposition are taking pot-shots at Labor Leader Luke Foley at any opportunity. Yesterday Nationals MP John Barilo in question time commented that Foley had
“threats to his leadership to worry about, such as that from the Member for Kogarah (Minns)”
Minns has been in a Members seat for a heartbeat. If there is to be a change of leader, and that is a colossally huge if, there are others such as Michael Daley who have already proven themselves.
Another clear sign that NSW Labor needs a broom put through it is the fact that with the support of Jamie Clements, Noreen Hay is now Opposition Whip . This is perhaps the biggest insult to members in recent history.
Why would we not have an Opposition Whip that is not factional? Clayton Barr in particular leaps to mind, well liked and respected by all in the Party.
Instead we have a Whip that has been the centre of controversy her entire career.
However what irks many MP’s I have spoken with who have been around a while is that Noreen has a reputation for not showing up to caucus meetings, arriving late, and even reportedly deciding she’d take off overseas for a week while parliament was sitting for a holiday once.
I could be wrong, maybe a controversial figure with a history of not turning up is just what the Labor Party in NSW need as Opposition Whip. I could also be mistaken in thinking that backwards is the wrong direction that our State Secretary should be taking the Party. Maybe it’s just what the members deserve?
However I for one think the members deserve better.
I hope Bill does too
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Well Wixxy a nice mix of Red and Green salad for a Thursday and really some sour grapes strewn through it give that pungency so missing in a LiNP salad where far too many nuts and bile juice is used
I find that with any right faction in charge of Labor the LNP know all the going`d on within Labor
Only South Australia seems to have shut off the leaky tap successfully-early days yet for QLD to know if there are “blue tie traitors” within
As for the bloodless changeover espoused by the Greens-yeah right as it was worthy of any corporate oligarchy with shareholders being denied any say let alone the executive
I liked your scene from “Wolf Creek” analogy and I suggest that you do not for any reason stop your car on any regional Australian road Hmm
http://www.photoonica.com/media-temp/6pawtp-0.jpg
… if the Greens are a wasted vote – as you clam Peter – then how can you plausibly and credibly tell us that the ALP is a viable alternative and not a wasted vote – you must be joking.
… come on Peter, you know our electoral system better than that !!!! … it wont be a wasted vote Peter (not so far as the major parties are concerned) as they have manufactured a wonderful trickle-down system so if you vote, you pretty much have to vote for one of the major parties after preferences have been considered. that’s how they ensure their existence and dominance … through making the rules to suit their agenda.
voting for the ALP is just like voting for the Coalition … the same big business favouring, elite rich serving, divisive, warmongering, fear promoting, racist crap comes from them both.
the ALP should be the Coalition partner … these two entities – difference discernible only in the colour of their ties – will do anything to keep other parties out of politics …. effectively making it appear a two horse race … the clever bit is, the race is between Fine Cotton and Bold Personality … which is really no contest as one masquerades as the other.
i know you love your lyrics quotes Peter so i have one from Courtney Love (Live Through This – Hole).
we look the same
we talk the same
we are the same
we are the same
sums up the difference between the Coalition and the ALP perfectly … maybe as your point of difference Mr Shorten could use Hole for his campaign music … which would automatically lead on to another point of difference … admitting that the Coalition and the ALP are the same beast would be telling the truth …. now that would indeed be a welcome and refreshing point of difference.
The Greens were a wasted vote in QLD, sorry but that is just a fact, votes for Greens in state election produced zero members
I agree with you on Labor NSW, but why get into the Greens? A skirmish over leadership, the motive for the Ebola trip (still seems pretty worthy to me), who said what at a press conference – so what? It’s the policies which count, and I like nearly all Greens policies as well as a good few of Labor’s. And di Natale is certainly articulate, and he has an impressive breadth of education and experience. If Labor continues as it is (which is looking likely), the only hope for anyone who cares about that quaint old-fashioned concept, social justice, and anyone who cares about the environment, will be the Greens. Even if you have valid criticisms of the Greens, don’t get offside with the only hope we may have.
From speaking to one who DID volunteer to go to Sierra Leone and assist with the fight against Ebola on the front lines , those there saw De Natales visit as no more than a political stunt and he most assuredly did not go anywhere near the front lines of the fight on the Ebola front
I get tired of the Greens cooda shooda wooda ,
Lwts look at just what they have gained ,
Actually, to be precise The Greens lost a % of the vote in 55 of the 59 seats in the WA State Election 2013
Some seats like Fremantle -8.5% Perth -6.6% Swan Hill 7.9% etc
In the most recent election in Victoria 3014 . where the voters dumped the toxic Napthine Government
The Greens gained a State wide swing of 0.3 % but managed to have a swing against the , with a loss of % in 47 {fourty seven} seats
In Queensland with the devastating defeat of the Campbell Newman LNP, with massive swings occuring,
the Greens managed to gain just a tiny 0.9% swing to them
Now the South Australia 2014 Election
The Greens managed a 0.6 % increase in their Statewide vote
HOWEVER, they managed to get a swing against them and lose of % in 18 {eighteen} seats
with swings against them like the seat of Giles -7.2%
Now the Queensland Election 2015 , Campbell Newman , Biggest swings around, 30%+
A change of Government and
The Greens managed to increase their statewide % by just 0.9%
continuing with the same trend however, they actually had a swing against them in 33 seats where their % of the vote dropped.
In some seats, like Mackay, Hinchenbrook,Warrego, Lockyer etc, the vote was so low, the ABC election site just lumped them in with “Others” for expediency
The ACT election 2012 were even worse.
Its better to let Canberra Times have the last word
“The ACT Greens slipped into deeper electoral trouble last night with updated vote counting showing for the second night running that their leader Meredith Hunter is heading for defeat.
And history is against Ms Hunter in her Ginninderra electorate, where no independent or minor party MLA has ever lasted more than one term.
Last night’s updated interim preference figures show the Greens heading for a near wipeout, losing three of the four seats they won in their historic 2008 showing.”
Also, the Tasmanian Elections 2014
Tasmania saw the Greens suffer an 8.1% swing against them, and end up not even being able to maintain “Party Status ”
Now Federally, the last result , 2013 didn’t give the Greens a warm inner glow either with its vote dropping to 8.6% a loss of 3.6% nationally
Not only did their vote drop Nationally , but in the 155 Seats they managed to lose a % of their vote with a swing against them in 135 seats Yeah correct one hundred and thirty five seats had a swing against the Greens
135 !!!!
And it wasn’t small swings, Bass-7.7% Denison -11.1 % Durack -12.2% Fairfax -9.7 %
Even in Tony Abbotts own seat the Greens managed to lose 0.8%
Then we have the current NSW one , where with counting continuing, so has the trend.
Currently, Greens 0% increase and in the Legislative Council -1.7 %
Stay tuned for updates
all the above can be verified at
http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/
Just the conclusion of all recent elections State Federal and Territory
showing the Greens exact position in the game
NT votes 2012 Northern territory 2012
Even though Labor copped a flogging, you would have thought this was the ideal opportunity to see the Greens make some gains at Labors expense.
They even ran new candidates, in seats for the first time
But no, again, even contesting more seats, their Territory wide vote dropped by -1.0%
and in some seats, took a hammering
Greatorex -8.8% Nightcliff -17.0 % Port Darwin -9.6 %
Then we move on to the just held NSW Election
The Greens have declared their strong showing at the NSW election sends a strong signal to the major parties that voters are dissatisfied with their policies
Greens MP John Kaye said the result showed the major parties had been put on notice
This is the type of hype and spin they
get away with.
A ‘strong showing” equates to NSW Election 2015
A 0.0% increase in their statewide vote
a loss of 1.4 % in their Legislative Council vote
Currently, with almost all the vote completed the Greens have managed to have a swing against them in 56 {FIFTY SIX} of the 93 seats in the State
Yep, a loss in % of the vote in 56 seats
Now Labor picked up 20 seats and that was a “poor result”
Greens has a swing against then in 2 thirds of all seats . yet “The Greens have declared their strong showing at the NSW election sends a strong signal to the major parties that voters are dissatisfied with their policies”
Now that is the most recent of all Federal, State and Territory elections .
This Greens hype rubbish has to end !
That was a pretty pathetic attempt at Greens bashing, Peter. I used to have a lot of respect for your postings, but now, not so much. 🙁
Some who have political aspirations and are asked to lead in that field but who yet hear the “calling” of doctoring and ministering to the sick and injured are true leaders
DiNatale`s effort was bizarre indeed and lead to what?
The ALP was in action from near the beginning at organising assistance but some just had to be there quicker and be with the Cubans who were first responders in Sierra Leone right out there in the most isolated villages and do you know what Cornie?
No meet and greet the press for political mileage just another mercy dash this time to Tibet with the Cubans again and working with Chinese medico`s and hospice teams even now going into areas by horseback because of no other way to get there
Meanwhile the Americans sit hundreds of kilometres away doing bugger all and with all the kings horses and all the kings men
Di Natale`s effort was appalling as to being a humanitarian effort because some of us know far more
Now I’m confused. Is the real di Natale story that he spent his own money to rush over to Sierra Leone just for or primarily for publicity shots for his and Greens’ benefit but, never intending to do any real good, he stayed away from the danger zone? So he’s nothing but a self-promoting ambitious politician? Do I have it straight now?
Bighead.
If you read DiNatales own journal, it sounds ok, but all done from the safety of a safe space .
He was informed “while sipping coffee “,went to the “hot spots”, but never really,
He did give a good idea of what the real aid providers were doing but from a bloody long, safe distance .
http://richard-di-natale.greensmps.org.au/campaigns/west-africa-ebola-mission
Di Natale did write to Julie Bishop “seeking Consular assistance” while in Sierra Leone.
If he had bothered to contact those providing direct aid in Sierra Leone he could have found out we don’t have one in Sierra Leone and everything need to be done through the Ghana Consulate
I think his visit was like reporting the North Queensland floods from the safety of a 5 star Brisbane hotel
I gleaned no more than MSM where there was nothing of the effort that Labor were putting into it from nowhere but private sources {albeit a bit slow in response yet quicker than the LNP corporate sponsorship response]
As I stated in my earlier reply to you “bizarre indeed”
Top effort on Greens disclosure
Oh well here comes the election. So Truss is going to start a ‘shitfight’ on the wharves as a weapon for an election. Every one remember the Patricks lock out of workers and use of ‘scab’ labour at a very convenient time for LNP political game playing with the unsuccessful industrial outcome forgotten. So Why not just use Chinese workers for ships and trains and even planes and perhaps even as contractors to fill the ranks of our military, soldiers, pilots,. sailors Abbott could send them to any war with out the risk of losing Australian lives , he could involve us in so many more wars and anti terrorism campaigns at a fraction of the cost. It was how he responded to the Ebola crisis. Maybe we could even outsource parliament to the Chinese.
Curiously only the ABC and Guardian Aus are covering it at the moment has Murdoch got it embargoed until the right moment
Sorry Shorten is hopeless the Labor party wont be the labor party till it dumps all the Ruddites and Shorten the man and the party have no guts or backbone
Look at how they rolled over on the mad Data Retention plan,the boosting of terror laws when the present laws covered it quite well,increasing spooks AFP one our corrupt political police forces and dont get me started on the WA or NSW Victorian & last but not least QLD cops.
And when Abbot introduces his bill to stop people voting for who they like the Shorten Labor party will roll over again,and still we have the NSW right infecting Labor like a Ebola virus I give up and living in WA will vote Green federally in the upper house.
The elevation of that twerp from the Shoppies,a triumph for the unwanted factions, turned me right off and cost Labor seats,at least the Greens stood up and voted against data retention,censorship, mass surveillance the Country is becoming less free and Shorten Labor just lets it happen .
Until Labor reforms itself gets rid of the Ruddites and NSW right, Conroy and his lot in Victoria,WA need a good clean out as well I will vote Labor in the lower house because I like Alannah and she gets things done she did when she was in State Parliament,if Shorten Labor were any more grey they would be invisible
Just while we are at it now Labor under gutless Bill and Conroy are going to allow Brandis and the Govt to censor where we go on the Net,all those nasty pirate sites ect, what a wonderful recommendation for Labor this lot are we may as well all vote Liberal or Green at least the greens will oppose this censorship bill because Gutless Bill and Labor wont
normalozperson on May 21, 2015
Are you a Labor voter?
Where do Ruddites fit into your sphere of knowledge as to Labor
And it appears that you have got your greens singed
http://www.photoonica.com/media-temp/AmAGmf7-0.jpg
Mate I have been a Labour Voter all my life as well as a member of the BWIU/CMFEU all my working life, but I know a gutless prat when I see one and Shorten, and a lot of the present party in Canberra fit the bill as well.Rudd was a great leader till he developed a jelly back backed away from all he said he would do and got justifiably booted,maybe if he had spent less time looking in the mirror?
He then set out to destroy the Govt with the willing help of the arsehole Murdoch and his papers,you think Rudd is the bees knees?I think that this present Govt is as near to Fascism as we have got unless you got back to Lang in the 30s and the various militias that opposed the great man.
Gillard is the stinking albatross that hangs around Rudds neck he is the lowest of the low to me,if you think Labours stand on Mass Surveillance,spying on Govt opponents Brandis censoring the Net is great policy,I think your in the right party as Bill agrees totally or has not got the GUT BACKBONE COURAGE to oppose these bills,so I will vote green in the senate and for Alannah in the house because if Labour keeps going down the kissing the Abbotts Govt arse on a lot of Bills,they will be beated again and condemn us to 3 more years of the lowlife liberals,for which you can then pat Bill on the back and put him back in charge,if you want that good for you I dont