Day after election debacle Libs go from bad to worse

This morning Peter Costello announced that he wasn't willing to stand for the now vacant position of Leader of the Liberal Party in Opposition.

This afternoon Malcolm Turnbull put up his hand for this job.Brian Loughnane, federal director of the party, is saying today that the Liberal Party is not in disarray, but one has to wonder if it has a death wish.

Malcolm Turnbull appears to have still unresolved matters concerning his alleged misleading of the HIH insurance group in the two years leading up to its spectacular $100 million plus collapse.

It would not be a good look for a Liberal Party leader to have a judgment for significant damages found against himself and eight others including Rodney Adler. If nothing else this legal matter will be before the court well into the second year of this parliament.

If the Liberal Party looked elsewhere for its leader, where would that be?
Tony Abbott's mouthings would be likely to immediately bring the party into disrepute and if uttered during a doorstop interview might see him in court.
Alexander Downer's inane giggle would quickly become as grating as Peter Costello's famous smirk, and the AWB scandal would continue to haunt him.
Phillip Ruddock is perceived by the electorate as cold-hearted and careless of the rule of law.
The list can go on and on.

There is no real chance of generational change in the Federal Liberal Party - it is still composed of the usual suspects.

The Age June 2007 article on Turnbull and HIH:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/turnbull-adler-to-face-530m-hih-damages-claim/2007/06/22/1182019371254.html
The Brisbane Times November 2007 article on Turnbull and HIH:
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/business/adler-could-face-more-suits/2007/11/06/1194329223879.html?s_cid=rss_business
News.com.au article today and Loughnane:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22818207-29277,00.html

The morning after the election night before

Well the fat lady sang early last night and Australia now has an incoming Labor federal government, with the Nationals no longer able to dominate on the North Coast of New South Wales.

Neither Sue Page or Chris Gulaptis can console themselves with the thought that it was merely a national electoral swing which saw them fail to win the seats of Richmond and Page.

Gulaptis in particular was reaping the results of his develop-unsustainably-and-damn-local-quality-of-life voting pattern; first a Maclean shire councillor and mayor and later as a Clarence Valley shire councillor.

Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye

John Winston Howard conceded electoral defeat on behalf of his government late last night.

It is expected that he will eventually be forced to also concede defeat as the Liberal Member for Bennelong.

Make no mistake, despite his long time in Parliament and as a holder of the office of Prime Minister, this man deserved to go.

Australia was not only tired of Howard and his Coalition Government, it was increasingly afraid of being governed by these neo-fascist bullies.

The majority of Australians were afraid of both where he had taken our country and where he might lead it in the future.

It was obvious as he spoke last night that John Howard hopes that history will treat him kindly. He does not deserve a generous re-writing of history and Australia cannot afford to forget just how close it came to having its character and culture irreparably distorted and corrupted by this now outgoing Federal Government.

Labor wins 2 out of 3 NSW North Coast seats

Justine Elliot retains the seat of Richmond for Federal Labor. This strong win was never in doubt from very early on in the vote count.

Janelle Saffin gains the seat of Page for Federal Labor. Her comfortable win was buttressed by Green preferences.

Luke Hartsuyker retains the seat of Page for the Federal Nationals. His seat remained officially a close call for some part of election night but he pulled ahead to a winning position midway through.

 

None of these seats have been officially declared by the Australian Electoral Commission at the time of posting. However the results are not in doubt.

The Howard Government is gone, gone, gone....

and I'm so glad, glad, glad!

Australia votes 2007: AEC Virtual Tally Room and ABC election coverage online links

Australian Electoral Commission Virtual Tally Room federal election vote count from 7,700 polling stations across the country, with information across 1,200 pages and updates every 90 seconds beginning after 6pm:

http://www.aec.gov.au/index.htm

 

Australian Broadcasting Corporation website:

http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/

Last word from local media as the NSW North Coast heads to the ballot box

"IT would take a brave, almost reckless, bet to try and pick the likely election winner in Page.

A poll in The Daily Examiner two weeks ago hints at a Labor win in the contest between Labors Janelle Saffin and the Nationals Chris Gulaptis in Page, but points to a result so tight that it could easily go either way.-----

The other party to watch in the counting tonight and tomorrow is The Greens. The party has run an unusually vigorous campaign in Richmond, largely due to the efforts of its candidate there, Giovanni Ebono."

The Daily Examiner full article today:
 http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3756341&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

 

"THE choice for Australia's 13 million voters today is to stay with a familiar team, or vote for change.

We endorse the view that it is time for change. It is time to vote out a Government that has no case for re-election and is leading this country down an increasingly narrow, selfish and short-sighted path.

Kevin Rudd's Labor team has recognised the best features of John Howard's Coalition policies and kept them, chief among them being economic responsibility and stability.

But the differences that Labor offers are fundamental.-----

Our foreign policy has spilled into domestic affairs. The Government drafted internal security laws befitting an old-style Communist state and the public is encouraged by TV advertising into paranoid neighbourhood spying. Is this the sort of Australia we want?

Mr Rudd's team is yet to be tried, but if elected today it will know that Australians are looking for a new style of leadership, one which will encourage fairness and open-mindedness. It will need to be leadership that allows this country to breathe again."

The Northern Star editorial opinion today:

http://www.northernstar.com.au/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3756359&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=