The Singapore Forum

Tas wrote:I never particularly liked Rudd, but now I'm leaning towards hating him. There is something very wrong with his self perception.

He's a Queenslander.

I do love the sense of self-importance with QLDers. I'm pretty sure Gillard won the last election despite freshly knifing the banana bending PM just before the election.

was speaking with one of family in Bris, saying ah well, guess you're pretty guaranteed of a lib/nat government up there now in upcoming state election thinking he'd be pleased as a liberal supporter. but was amused when he said well you just cant' say that, you have to remember the Bob Katter effect and that this is the state that voted in the One Nation party, you just can't predict what crazy outcome could happen.

(I almost feel sorry for Anna Bligh with set of circumstances given to her)

He has a press conference at 2pm... Gillard is the worlds worst salesperson - she is running a minority government and managed to get through a very ambitious legislative agenda, she is overseeing one of the worlds strongest economies and yet her approval ratings are in the toilet and its because she seems to lack authenticity. The Andrew Wilkie deception, her role in getting rid of Kevin Rudd (which sounds like it was entirely justified only because of the cover up - she opens herself to questioning). Plus she was a radical in uni and yet she then shuns issues like gay marriage and says she doesnt believe in it. Few people believe that and it's that perception of her willingness to happily lie that undermines her.

Howard lied - he got caught out in lies but you knew what he stood for - he lied to protect things he believed and to further his personal interest. Keating also did what he believed in - there is no way Gillard would give the Redfern type speech that Keating did - because Keating actually believed in something. His ratings were in the toilet for most of his time in office and yet he pulled the electorate along with him. Gillard seems incapable of doing that and it undermines her more than anything. Hopefully after Kevin is dead and buried on Monday - she can get on with the job and share herself, her passions and drag the electorate with her until the next election. Who knows with a proper focus - she could actually show herself as being a capable politician.

You want to put some paragraphs in that, Joseph - I'm keen to learn about Oz politics but that's just making my brain hurt.

So the fight is on.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political ... 1tre6.html

baloo wrote: He's a Queenslander. I do love the sense of self-importance with QLDers.

Bring it on!

Now now, I know how you guys bend bananas, no need to show me.

oh sorry, I thought that's the position you (southerners) preferred us.

Tas wrote:I never particularly liked Rudd, but now I'm leaning towards hating him. There is something very wrong with his self perception.

That's exactly how I feel. He is starting to make my skin crawl, just like Blabbot does.

Honestly I could not care less who is PM. I'm not a labor supporter, never have been. It's simple arithmetic, Labor in Queensland is in really BIG trouble.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/poll-put ... 1qn1r.html

''If the result is very bad in Queensland for Labor, it will put enormous pressure on Julia Gillard,'' one senior Queensland party figure said. ''It will make Queensland MPs extremely nervous. Kevin will be telling them that a state wipeout will make it very hard to hold their seats. He's convincing people that only he can save them … it's not whether you love Kevin more or you love Kevin less, it's that you love your seat best.''

The last sentence sums it up best.

That's always been Rudd's gambit from the beginning of this challenge. He's been pushing that line for a while now.

He still won't win.

But labor will most certainly lose. Devil and the deep blue sea.

Key for Rudd now is to push the Queensland angle and hope like hell that the Neison Poll tomorrow tells a very pro Rudd story - you will probably get a galaxy poll and a Newspoll before Monday... as it stands he is a dead man walking so for him to win would take a miracle

If the Libs could find another leader then I really would be sitting back and laughing at the comedy that is the ALP.

But the prospect of Abbott as PM has me seriously worried. He's only just better than Pauline Hanson as PM.

baloo wrote:If the Libs could find another leader then I really would be sitting back and laughing at the comedy that is the ALP.

But the prospect of Abbott as PM has me seriously worried. He's only just better than Pauline Hanson as PM.

100% agree - if Turnbull was leading the Libs I would be sincerley hoping for a spill but as it stands I hope Julia wins and puts Rudd in place and gets on with governing

I absolutely hate Abbott too but he will be the next PM and that's not too far away. Simple choice either vote for Rudd or get (by default) Abbott. I personally prefer Rudd over Abbott.

Gillard is very much on nose in Queensland even worse than Anna Bligh. Tony Abbott has been in Queensland at least 3 times in 2 weeks in this state election. Julia has been here 0 times. Kevin Rudd is welcome on the campaign trail (even if he loses) but Julia is most definitely (not expressly said) not.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-na ... 1ttee.html

The main reasons Queenslanders hate Julia.
1. She doesn't understand (or try to understand) our football. Rugby league is a religion here and if you fly to Brisbane to watch an AFL game at the gabba and snub a state of origin yeap your definitely in real trouble.
2. Zero empathy for the Brisbane flood victims. KRudd was out helping clean up but where was Julia? Got that photo shoot (stone faced as ever) and was on the plane to victoria. Bligh won big points out of that.
3. Stood on TV overlooking Brisbane CDB and said "There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead" just before the federal election. After Bligh did a complete election liefest not 12 months earlier and socked us with lie after lie after lie after lie. That was it.


You can't be the PM of Australia (except in one state) so they need to elect a PM for ALL Australians so either they put Rudd back (maybe someone else?) or we (by default) get Abbott cause Gillard is definitely persona-non-grata in the sunshine state.

'Bye bye Kev, 71-31 apparently.

Hopefully he will quietly disappear and let Julia get on with the job.

I would think the Mad Abbott is wetting himself with glee.

And Anna Bligh will be balling her eyes out....

Labor leadership spill further dampens Bligh's prospects

Queensland University of Technology voting expert, Professor Clive Bean, said that thanks to the spill it was possible Labor could win fewer than 20 seats - a loss of 31 seats from the 51 seats it now holds.

I would think that is a little optimistic I think they maybe will return with between 10-20 seats. The Mad Katter's Party will likely win between 5-15 seats. (Remember Pauline Hanson won 11 and katter is wildly popular in the state's north) There is a almost even chance that Labor will become the third wheel in a 2 party preferred race. ie The Mad Katter's having more seats and forming THE opposition. I can also see Carl Rackermann being the opposition leader so they will have some credibility.

What does this mean federally? Virtually no Federal Labor seats from Queensland and Tony Abbott to serve a VERY long time as PM.

Both Keating and Howard came back to win with worse polls in a shorter space of time. 18months is a loooooooong time in politics.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politi ... 1u5ui.html

Gillard is really her own worst enemy - another lie she has been caught out on....

Broken Labor.

A bit premature that article seeing Bob Carr is now the new Foreign Affairs Minister.

baloo wrote:A bit premature that article seeing Bob Carr is now the new Foreign Affairs Minister.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politi ... .html#poll

I am really impressed by this move - thanks for the update baloo

Julia has the mandate and balls to get the job done!

Carr will be a good FM, and challenger for the leadership role down the track.