I imagine that it would be tough to find a good candidate to send in to a 60/40 or 65/35 loss.

http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/guide/fras.htm

As long as they have a leader who supports the ETS, and a massively divided party-room, they will struggle for candidates.

If there was an election this weekend, I’d be much more likely to vote for a Nationals candidate than a Liberal candidate. The Libs know that their support base is divided between party loyalty and leader-disillusionment…as Bosworth said, why nominate yourself for sure defeat? Canberra’s a hard place for a Lib at the best of times, it’s a lot harder right now.

Surely it might be getting easier, at the current rate thye would stand a chance of a front bench position.

That pretty much sums it up. Even the most dilligent highest profile candidate would be lucky to claw back 5-7% of the vote.

A smart candidate would use it to build a public profile for an assembly run in 2012.

I thought Troy did a great job but I certainly didn’t rate Natalie Colbert nee Coulbert, as a good candidate. It’s a shame the Liberals can’t find good candidates as the ALP takes Canberra and Fraser for granted. Bob is one of the laziest members I’ve come across while Annette loves her constituents so much she has taken off to the UN for a few months.

I thought Troy Williams did a good job, however, there still is little point wasting money on what will ultimately be a failed campaign, even if do only see McMuppett every election year.

Thanks Thumper and George. I’m up in FNQ these days so can’t put my hat into the ring again, although it was my intention to do so if still in town. I’m confident a couple of worthy individials will present themselves. Troy

Thumper said :

I thought Troy Williams did a good job

Except for the result, which was a (modest) swing towards the ALP? The Liberals would have been better off using the money they spent spamming the northern half of Canberra with Troy Williams signs in the 2008 ACT election, which may have actually have been winnable for them.

Undermined by powers that be?

Natalie didn’t need any undermining. She was a poor candidate who didn’t have a clue and who had tickets on herself. She thought she was going to be showered in gold just to raise her profile in an unwinnable seat – yeah right – delusional.

Troy was competent but did his own thing. Unfortunately he wasted the profile he built up by not running for the Assembly. Although perhaps he realised there were bigger and better things than the ACT Assembly.

I hear that former ACT Chief Minister, Kate Carnell, is thinking about running for one of the seats – hence why the Libs haven’t announced their candidates yet while she decides. Could be in with a chance with a candidate of her calibre and profile.

Have Bob, Annette and Kate each been preselected by the ALP yet? I heard some time ago that each of their preselections wasn’t a certainty.

Have Bob, Annette and Kate each been preselected by the ALP yet? I heard some time ago that each of their preselections wasn’t a certainty.

We can only live in hope. Oxygen bandits the bloody lot of them.

Except for the result, which was a (modest) swing towards the ALP?

NickD, the swing that Williams got if reproduced nationally would have been enough for Howard to retain his seat and the Coalition returned. Not a bad effort in the circumstances I would have thought.

Still no news of candidates I see.

Clown Killer said :

Have Bob, Annette and Kate each been preselected by the ALP yet? I heard some time ago that each of their preselections wasn’t a certainty.

We can only live in hope. Oxygen bandits the bloody lot of them.

You can be confident that any replacements will be no improvement on the present lot. ACT labor is not exactly a pool overflowing with talent.