17 May 2007

Liberals reshuffle

| johnboy
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Deck chairs on the Titanic anyone?

Bill Stefaniak has announced a reshuffle of his shadow portfolios.

Thew new styles and titles are:

— Bill Stefaniak Leader of the Opposition Shadow Attorney-General Shadow Minister for Police & Justice Shadow Minister for the Environment, Water & Climate Change Shadow Responsibility for Whole of Government and Public Service

— Jacqui Burke Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister for Health & Disability Shadow Minister for Housing

— Brendan Smyth Shadow Minister for Business & Economic Development Shadow Minister for Employment & Training Shadow Minister for Housing Affordability Shadow Minister for Tourism, Sport & Recreation, Gaming & Racing Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs Opposition Whip

— Richard Mulcahy Shadow Treasurer Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Shadow Minister for Ageing Shadow Minister for Heritage & the Arts

— Steve Pratt Shadow Minister for Territory & Municipal Services Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Shadow Minister for Transport Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs [No mention of vandalising public art, bringing the ACT into disrepute, or locking everyone up]

— Vicki Dunne Shadow Minister for Education Shadow Minister for Family & Community Services Shadow Minister for Women

— Zed Seselja Shadow Minister for Land and Planning Shadow Minister for Corrections Shadow Minister for Youth Member Assisting the Leader on Special Projects (namely responsibility for illicit drugs policy)

UPDATED: In the Canberra Times Gary Kent, the Party president in the ACT, is having a hissy fit over a lack of warning and/or consultation. Apparently both Richard Mulcahy and Brendan Smyth still have support in the party room which would appear to mean Richard and Brendan both have a (solitary) supporter and Bill has two.

Also would anyone care to speculate what percentage of the population would correctly tell the difference between Jacqui Burke and Katy Gallagher?

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Cranky – the folk I would have in mind are retired agency heads or similar, retired lawyers, academics and professionals and some people with a bit of understanding of the community.

I would happily pay for admission the day that some idiot ACT official tries to snow an Assembly committee including someone who has spent a lifetime doing just that to committees or courts.

Following on from VP’s post, perhaps we could throw up the dream team to replace the disfunctionals. I have to admit to not having a clue, but a bunch of grumpy old farts does appeal.

A long time ago, someone wrote a book called something like “Everyone wants to be Fuehrer” about power struggles within the loony fringe that is represented by the Australian version of the Nazis. People could have written something similar about the 57 flavours of communist we had and, more recently, about the Democrats.

The Libs are out of office in the ACT. They will remain so for at least the next term as well as the end of this one. The march back is a long one, and not all who start will finish. Now, smart people would start selecting candidates who might be credible or putting together policies that might attract some support. They might start getting rid of candidates who are silly (Pratt), divisive (Mulcahy), clueless (Dunne, Burke) or out of their depth (Stefaniak, Seselja, Smyth). They might go about getting a management team that just manages, rather than trying to play – I was going to say Gary Kent is out of his depth, but I recall that he is a person of minor dimensions anyway.

Instead, they’re brawling over the soggy chips, warm beer and half-eaten sandwiches of opposition. (The Federal ALP did something similar for a while). There aren’t many prizes and none of them are really worth winning anyway – but the ambitious and stupid line up for them.

Can we have a real oppposition, please? Could the Greens step up to the mark (get rid of Foskey, bring back Tucker) or could the Democrat comeback start in Canberra? I would like to think my particular fantasy of a party of cynical old fogeys who could run the ACT in between golf and the flicks one day a week could happen. But wishes never come true.

Alot of ‘hard work’ in the north.

Oh wait what I mean to say is that he got back in because he was clearly the best man for the job and clearly competent.

that article stated that Richard and Brendan were sending all comments through Bill’s office… seems like Bill will be fine – sounds like the president doesn’t like him very much though…

How did that guy get voted back in??

And they voted Gary Kent back into the role?
A man who clearly has no idea how to close ranks and put forward the best public face.

Says much about the dearth of talent in local Liberal ranks…

I note that CT today is front paging the idea that Big Bill is now on a slippery slope…
But that would only be a good idea if they had a “Kevin Rudd”-like saviour waiting in the wings. I can’t see that – did you see anyone with latent talent while speaking at the Liberal bash JB?

I love the fact their ‘president’ (Napoleon??) had a ‘hissy fit’… I had no idea you could do that in a political party

Also would anyone care to speculate what percentage of the population would correctly tell the difference between Jacqui Burke and Katy Gallagher?

Jacqui doesn’t have a voice. Or, not much of one.

I thought he already had?

neanderthalsis1:13 pm 17 May 07

Why do they even bother? I’m sure the day will come when Chairman Stanhope of the Peoples Republic of Canberra will abolish all opposition and establish a pure oligarchy for him and his cronies.

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