Pratt attacks back

Big Al: I agree, it is not looking good for the Liberals. But generational change is hard to achieve. It is very difficult for new candidates to win under the Hare-Clark system. Incumbency is a big factor to overcome. Given there is just under two years to the election, which is a long enough period for things to settle down for the Liberals if they can stop the blood letting. Their choice for leader comes down to 2 people: their two experienced hands (in terms of ministerial experience) are Smyth and Stefaniak. They represent their only leadership choices for the moment. The email fiasco served to open up to the public the internal wranglings and tension in their ranks. As with all parties these things are usually always just below the surface. They have one or two positives to possibly help them – the bushfire coronial matter and the Epicentre report by the Auditor-General. Corbell could end up being their first ministerial scalp and therefore also lift their stocks. But on balance you’d have to say 2008 is likely to be bad for the Libs and to a lesser extent Labor. I suspect one or two independents may get in, certainly one in Molonglo. Frankly, that will make for a more interesting Assembly.

Pratt’s on a very short and firy string right now. Stand aside ‘she’s gonna blow’

Has he caught something that’s made his brain go all funny?

I’m sure it’s the water in the Legislative Assembly building.

Publius, you’re assuming that all of Steve’s friends and advisors are completely rational, loyal, and far-sighted.

Steve has got what he wanted out of this with Mulcahy dumped.

Look to the outcomes and work back I say.

Only if the Pratt gets endorsed as a candidate publius … Smyth will probably come out of this whole shit-fight pretty clean … but in the end we might see a generational shift in the ACT conservatives. Big Bill is definately past his use-by date, the Pratt and the Mulchster have pretty much shown they dont have whats required to perform in opposition – let alone in Government – and who does that leave – Dunn? Same basket as Big Bill (she just went off quicker) and Zed? I dont think so.

So who do the Libs have lurking in the wings? The whole operation seems flat footed – hell, we could end up with Steve Byron! Now there’s a scary thought.

Bonfire is correct. Given the email cast Pratt and his close colleagues in an unfavourable light, it seems unlikely he leaked it. Added to this Pratt is taking legal action against the email’s author. The truth is the Libs will never find out who leaked it. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter. The email revealed to the public the extent to which they are in disarray and tearing into one another. The Liberals will pay the price at the 2008 election. They will lose an MLA position in Molonglo and possibly Ginninderra. I suspect Pratt and Smyth will be returned in Brindabella.

I was getting excited that there was going to be a “Kramer” like rant from the other day in the US, but nah, it was just a comment.

Don’t get me excited like that, Ari!

Yeah, but the best evidence he can show to “prove” that he didn’t leak it is that it wasn’t in the interests of any of them to leak it. This is not proof — it’s conjecture. Maybe it suited one of the other five recipients to leak it even though it was critical of them. Who knows.

And yep, it’s a rant. Words in all caps? Check. Incomplete sentences? Check. Stream-of-consciousness writing style? Check. So-called proof that is less than paper-thin? Check.

i think youre losing it. he said he didnt leak it.

I think he’s losing it! He doesn’t seem to understand if he didn’t ‘leak’ the email in the first place it would not have become public and thus embarrass himself and his party! What a dork!!!