Ho hum yawn - the Libs announce potential team.

CanberraGreen – I’d suggest that as Troy has declared his membership of the party he has more than a passing interest in the Libs getting elected (in their current, or any other form). Troy also said he’ll work to get Zed elected, so he’s hardly an independent thinker on how we can get the best form of local government here, is he?!

I’m all for a third real option for a political Party here to challenge the status quo. I honestly can’t see us getting anything better until some real form of opposition arrives. This opposition will also need quality people with quality ideas/ideals.

Out of interest, I’m curious who other ‘Rioters’ think would make the best leaders for each party from the current crop of local politicians we have on both sides. For mine, I don’t think there is anybody in Labour who can realistically challenge, or take over from, Chairman Jon (i.e. they lack quality people) while and the Liberals seem content to give everybody a try until they arrive at some sort of ‘magic formula’. Zed is untried and I thought Stephaniak was probably their best hope (until inside ambitions and ego’s killed him of). Anybody else want to propose alternate ‘best’ leaders for each party from the current list?

Interestingly, getting elected may just be the thing that actually focuses the Liberals.

That seems like wishful thinking, in more ways than one.

If Williams is such a “stooge” why did he opt out of the election? Aren’t “stooge” types usually too interested in getting elected above everything else. For my money, somebody who actually sees the local Shire Council for what it is deserves a second look.

How about the RA Coalition with Williams as Leader, Johnboy as Minister for Propaganda and Thumper as Minister for Civil Disorder?

ALP theme song – “I’m Tired” from Blazing Saddles. ALP movie – Meet the Spartans (no. I didn’t see it, but understand it’s full of tired jokes).

Lib theme song – “Send in the Clowns”. Lib movie – Last Man Standing or, perhaps, the James Dean classic, Rabble without a Clue.

Fair enough, as long as you want a party in Government where every party member is more focussed on stabbing every other member in the back. Personally, I also want better than what we have, sadly I don’t think the libs are it. It may be a case of ‘the devil you know…’ but I certainly don’t want a Government that is in total dissaray.

Maybe RA should start a party?! God knows it couldn’t be any worse than the group we’re currently being asked to vote for.

The quality of the Liberal candidates looks pretty low, but how bad can they be? Could they be worse than Stanhope and co?

What sort of message do we send to the incumbents if we continue to re-elect them in spite of their incompetence, dishonesty and arrogance?

I’ll vote for ANYBODY but the present government. After all, there can’t be many people on the planet worse than John Hargreaves.

Troy, you comment on Zed “He’s a bright bloke and a way better alternative to Chairman Jon”. My response is “so says you”. As an admitted liberal party stooge you’re hardly going to come on here and speak kindly of anybody else are you.

For my money, the libs haven’t got their act together and the in-fighting won’t be resolved until the key instigators of this in-fighting (like Smythe) bugger-off. How any party can even pretend to function in a situation where there are people continually scheming in back rooms to become leaders in beyond me. Having Kate Carnell and Jim Murphy turn their backs on the ACT Lib’s recently is pretty telling.

I’d love there to be an alternative party in Canberra to keep Stanhope et.al. on their toes, but face it, there isn’t one.

Hi guys

Don’t always believe what you read in the Canberra Times, or even the RiotAct.

The main reason I didn’t stand this year was due to business obligations. Between now and October I’m interstate or overseas a fair bit and would not have been able to dedicate myself properly to the campaign. Throw in my commitment to see through an overseas expansion at work and it just wasn’t my time. I’m in my early thirties, so have tons of time left to do some good, whether it be in the assembly or elsewhere.

I remain a member of the Liberal party will provide as much support as I can to assist Zed and his team in the election. He’s a bright bloke and a way better alternative to Chairman Jon.

Be good

Troy

Frankly both parties are as useless as each other. As I said in another post before, Pratt Stefaniak Burke are all fools for the Liberals. Stanhopeless speaks for itself, Hargreaves is chief drunken fkup, Gallagher is in charge of incompetence and who the hell knows who the other two labor backbenchers?!

Hopefully people will actually look at who they’re voting for this year.. clear the decks and at least not have a majority government again. vote independent? are there any decent ones yet? lol

I know that Jeremy Hanson has been in the Army for more than twenty years and commanded troops in Iraq and East Timor. He’s been decorated by the Army so at least he’s done somthing.

What happened to Jo Reynolds? Failed to impress the Liberals.

That said, Doszpot deserves a seat as he has done a lot for Canberra with soccer and actually has a business background and knows a bit about managing.

Memory serves he just missed out on knocking Pratt off at the last election.

Just looking at this list confirms the Libs present problems. You would think as the Party of “Free Entreprise” they would have some well respected people in their membership prepared to nominate who would be electable.

Unfortunately, Hare-Clarke rewards incumbency through name reconition. How else can you explain Jacqui Burke being re-elected?

The Libs need to have the present lot stand-down (or be forcibly stood-down) for the betterment of their Party so that some real talent can come forward with a chance to win a seat.

This will never happen as you cannot imagine anyone paying the present lot anywhere near what they earn as MLAs. Unfortauntely, self-interest will ensure continued self-preservation and the continuation of Stanhope until someone like Wayne Berry once again leads the ALP.

Maybe Troy will run for that new Business Club?

After the last few elections, it really is time for the Libs to have a proper clean out of candidates. In an Assembly as small as the ACT’s you can’t have the same mob/dead wood (who are obviously unable to win Government) running time and time again.

They haven’t resonated with the majority of voters and unlikely ever will.

I really think the Canberra community is tired of the Stanhope Government (and as such will return to minority government) but there is no credible alternative government.

Who?

Until this I was half expecting some kind of reversal of posture on the part of the Liberals, and then having Troy Williams ride in doing a Magnificent Seven whiteknight trick and bring in half a dozen other indutry\business types to save the day.

This “can’t campaign their way out of a wet-paper bag” collection has me thinking some further public spectacle of ACT Liberal self-destruction is not far off.

Why do so many of them bother? Why do the Libs bother selecting a full or overfull slate of candidates when they will be lucky to hang on to what they won last time. What earthly reasons do Stefaniak, Smyth, Pratt, Burke and Dunne have for running again? What reason is there that any of us should vote for them. As to Gary Kent, it is difficult to see any reason for nominating him – a divisive cloddishly-scheming former party official.

How can you accuse Brendan Smyth of damaging the party and at the same time heap praise upon Mulcahy(their great hope!).
They’re both factional players, and along with Gary Kent the three of them and their respective flunkies are the ones who have been destabilizing the party.
Lets not forget the pure act of spite on the part of Mulcahy, installing ‘grandpa” Bill Stefaniak as leader in place of Brendan Smyth, since he(Mulcahy) couldn’t get the votes himself. Rolling a leader is one thing but putting someone incompetent into the position just to get at someone else and get “deputy leader” for yourself is quite another.
Mulcahy had dodgy dealings in his past, and it was yet to be determined if he’d broken the law, the party had to protect itself thus he was removed from the front-bench temporarily. Instead of keeping his head down in and waiting for the actual finding, he was stupid enough to slag off the party to the point where his even own people sniffed blood and crucified him (And what a coup it was for Zed! masterful! from crony to leader in just a couple of weeks!)

None of the MLAs are worth keeping, I expect the liberals to lose seats.

who cares? Its not like thety will ever get into power or anything.

man, this post would have been so much better with LINKS to all those little snippets of info you found out about the candidates. And I’m about to head out of the office so unfortunately I don’t have time to look them all up myself right now (plus I suppose I should be doing some work – meh).