12 October 2008

The Problem with the Canberra Liberals

| The View From Here
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Now I’m sure that Zed Seselja and his cronies are genuinely nice people who, deep in their hearts, really believe that what they are doing is for the good of Canberra and the Canberra people in general. Of course, being Liberals doesn’t real mean that they are liberal in the true sense of the word, in fact, they are generally far from that and one only needs to look as far as Steve Pratt to realise this.

And yet, in this enlightened age of collective bargaining and new age music, they still cling to the freemarket will rule all policies and even more genuinely think that they can really do some good to the Stanhope ravaged communities that cringe in the windswept, barren and featureless suburbs such as Gungahlin, Lanyon and Dunlop. But, as much as Zed is young with a big goofy smile, and his party believe what they are doing is right, they seem, well, pretty wet and ineffectual to be brutally honest.

Indeed, if they were a 14 year old hockey playing girl you’d suggest that they need a few more footy seasons in them.

Quite a few years ago in a time now seemingly forgotten by many, a great fire ravaged this place. The fire itself was not unexpected, nor was the damage it caused given that it was roughly a kilometre high with a front as wide as Tasmania. And when the chief Minister Mr Stanhope stood up in front of all and sundry and declared that it was his fault he was widely applauded. Sadly, in the coming months, Mr Stanhope backed away faster than a alter boy from a priest from the comments he made and pretty soon it seemed that the fires where everyone’s fault. That is, except his.

And then came an election. An election that could have only been won by one party. And that was the Liberals, led then by Brendan Smyth, an annoying elf that one day woke up in the bottom of the garden to find he was supposed to be a leader. Of course, he faltered, Stanhope blustered and bullied and an unlosable election was lost. Not only that, the ineptness of the Liberal party at that time saw them actually lose ground and allow majority government for the first time ever in the ACT.

Sorry, what was that again? The ALP allowed Canberra to burn to the ground and the opposition lost votes? Ineffectual indeed, like throwing oysters at a charging rhino on speed.

Much soul searching followed with rumours flying left, right and centre, but mainly right. People quit and became loudmouthed but totally ineffectual independents, and leaders changing faster than Italian prime ministers. Indeed, for a while there was no opposition in the ACT given the state of the Liberals and that Deb Foskey, the Greens member was more worried about staying in her tax payer funded public house whilst carpeting everyone about global warming.

And in the meantime no-one noticed Mr Stanhope as he simply went about his ways totally unhindered and unencumbered by any political opposition. A statue of Al Grassby appeared amid much wailing, moaning and gnashing of teeth. Gas fired power stations suddenly were planned for every suburb, pot holes got larger, government enterprises went broke and dodgy looking deals happened.

And yet, still the opposition sat in stony silence like the giant rock moas on Easter island, not daring to make a move in case someone noticed them and asked what the hell they were actually there for. Except for Vicki Dunn, who can’t stop speaking.

And then there is this Moonie stuff? I mean, what the hell is an Australian politician doing cavorting around in Korea with someone who’s minor plans are world domination and major plans are probably not worth repeating. Is Zed serious when he remains steadfastly silent on the issue? Besides, weren’t we fighting these little blighters only 50 years ago for world domination? And if Zed is cosy with these guys does that mean we will be a sister city with some other Asian place that no-one has heard of or will ever visit? No thanks Mr Cultist, I want my Canberra free of bizarre cults and place names.

Having said that, I’m still sure that Zed is a really nice bloke with a big generous Christian heart. But this also worries me because, like 747 Kevin and John ‘Blokey Mateship’ Howard, will he push these views onto us, the community? I mean, I’m not adverse to being nice to people and I regularly give to charity but seriously, have these guys actually thought about the abortion issue rather than just follow the teachings of swarthy bearded Jew who went around annoying Romans?

There is so much to like about the current ACT Liberal party, but as yet I haven’t discovered it and so with two weeks to go before an election I am seriously in a quandary. Whether to emigrate to the UK or to New South Wales, except I’ve heard that New South Wales is even more a basket case than here.

I’ve heard that Wiltshire is nice in autumn.

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Mrshmellowman3:28 pm 13 Oct 08

Neanderthalsis
I see what you mean about Andrea – but I think her massive tallness -(she is about 12 ft tall isn’t she?) will work against her
My vote is for the every popular anti-emo crusader Elena Kirschbaum

Rid, not ride.

You’re spot on, harvyk1: but then going from a number of the comments on this board, a lot of people just want rid of Stanhope. They don’t care who replaces him, or what the policies of the alternative government are – they just want ride of him. Which strikes me as pretty short sighted. (Not that I am suggesting people *have* to vote Labor and to do otherwise is crazy – just that it’s worthwhile to think not only of who you don’t want in government, but also who you do want there.)
Disclaimers: yes, I will be voting Labor. No, I am not part of the Labor machine.

No one has yet convinced me not to vote labor. We are seeing a lot of ads on TV saying “Stanhope broke something, we think.” and yet none of them are actually saying what Stanhope broke, how he broke it and what these new guys are going to do to fix it (what ever it was).

Val Jefferies was the worst for this from memory.

The libs to me need to fix up their “we don’t deal with the little people” mentality. I’ve met a few of them and each one has been rude to me from the get go. (One of them all I did was ask who they where at a networking function), considering they where there to tell us who they where and why we should be voting for them I thought it was pretty poor form.

I do love the liberals current policy release policy. “We don’t tell anyone anything, that way we don’t make promises we can’t keep”

Skidbladnir said :

Major parties handing out Product Disclosure statements would lead to only one thing:
Politicians being accountable to their voters.

We can’t have that…

True Skidbladnir…What was I thinking. 🙂

They would also have to release their statements simultaneously so that others did not steal their ideas. Can you imagine the pork-barrelling – bit like a silent auction process – adding that bit extra just in case.

I love Katy’s new ad where she slams the Liberals smear campaign by saying that Stanhope is just misunderstood. Usually following this is an ALP anti-Liberal smear ad.

Labor must think we are naïve idiots.

Mrshmellowman said :

i think I will have to go shallow and vote strictly on appearance
My vote goes to the best looking candidates

Damn! I knew I should have run for preselection! 😉

The cat did it said :

Zed was looking ok until this morning, when I heard him promise a $500 one-off handout to single aged pensioners. WTF!!!! This is the kind of last-minute attempt at vote-buying that junks all the Lib’s efforts to look like economically responsible managers. It’s short-term tokenism at its worst- and an unfortunate continuation of the Howard Government’s handout mentality. No mention of how he plans to finance this gem? I fear this is symptomatic of their commitment to sound economic management. I always thought pensions were a Commonwealth issue. What next- a Canberra Militia? As far as I’m concerned, Zed can go back to hob-nobbing with the Moonies.

PS- The other highlight of this campaign has been the near-total absence of Jacqui Burke, Vicki Dunne and Steve Pratt. Surely they haven’t been shut away for the duration of the campaign to avoid any foot-in-mouth incidents. Has anyone seen them in the flesh? or does Andrew Heath have them locked away in a storage facility in Hume.

Yes I heard that policy announcement on the radio Sunday morning while in the shower. My family was subjected to a lot of swearing and yelling.

neanderthalsis12:37 pm 13 Oct 08

Mrshmellowman said :

i think I will have to go shallow and vote strictly on appearance
My vote goes to the best looking candidates

Well now, so far we have examined policy, green credentials, religious affiliations and general personality, but not attractiveness.

So fellow rioters, who gets the vote for being the No. 1 hottie / spunkrat of the election?

Andrea Tokaji (Libs, Gininderra) gets my vote

OliverCromwell said :

The big thing wrong with the original post is that the author failed to recognize the fact that Stanhope getting a majority had as much to do with the death of the democrats/other minor parties/indies as it did with the failure of the liberals.

Ahh yes that’s the other thing i wanted to say. The Liberals didn’t go backward in 2004, their vote improved as did the ALP. As Oliver Cromwell said, the destruction of the minors benefited the ALP vote more.

The cat did it12:32 pm 13 Oct 08

Zed was looking ok until this morning, when I heard him promise a $500 one-off handout to single aged pensioners. WTF!!!! This is the kind of last-minute attempt at vote-buying that junks all the Lib’s efforts to look like economically responsible managers. It’s short-term tokenism at its worst- and an unfortunate continuation of the Howard Government’s handout mentality. No mention of how he plans to finance this gem? I fear this is symptomatic of their commitment to sound economic management. I always thought pensions were a Commonwealth issue. What next- a Canberra Militia? As far as I’m concerned, Zed can go back to hob-nobbing with the Moonies.

PS- The other highlight of this campaign has been the near-total absence of Jacqui Burke, Vicki Dunne and Steve Pratt. Surely they haven’t been shut away for the duration of the campaign to avoid any foot-in-mouth incidents. Has anyone seen them in the flesh? or does Andrew Heath have them locked away in a storage facility in Hume.

OliverCromwell11:56 am 13 Oct 08

The big thing wrong with the original post is that the author failed to recognize the fact that Stanhope getting a majority had as much to do with the death of the democrats/other minor parties/indies as it did with the failure of the liberals.

Mrshmellowman11:46 am 13 Oct 08

Jakez – thanks for the referral
I looked them up on the ‘pedia and they look a little kooky for mine

“The party generally adheres to libertarian and classical liberal principles, with a low tax laissez-faire approach to economics and a high regard for individual freedom and responsibility.”

i think I will have to go shallow and vote strictly on appearance
My vote goes to the best looking candidates

Zed is the new black.

Mrshmellow: Usually when someone swears off the Libs I would advocate for the Liberal Democratic party (www.ldp.org.au). however judging by your mention of Val Jefferies I take it you are a southerner and as the LDP are only running in Molonglo they aren’t an option.

So basically I think you are stuffed. It’s time to bite the bullet and get into ‘voting against candidates’ mode.

neanderthalsis10:35 am 13 Oct 08

Donkey voting is the only option then Mrshmellow, but with electronic voting now in use you’ll have to ask for a old-fashioned paper ballot paper.

Mrshmellowman10:31 am 13 Oct 08

I think everyone is aware that party members post comments here and that all these political “opinions” should be taken with a grain of salt. However, the fact that they create debate amoungst all us cynics is to be applauded.

having said that
Can’t vote Labor – Stanhope is an evil wicked smirker and Katie is a ditz
Can’t vote Lib’s – they will self distruct at least once more this year and possible take us all with them
Motorists – Laugh!
Greens – Too try hard and not enough substance
Val Jeffery – Do I want to elect someone who will bang on about the fires and his bridge every chance he gets – plus he lives in a tinytown and has no idea what is important for me in the big smoke
All the other independents – no experience and generally without a single good idea

So who is left?
Please tell me!!

neanderthalsis10:24 am 13 Oct 08

jakez said :

“And yet, in this enlightened age of collective bargaining and new age music, they still cling to the freemarket will rule all policies”

They do? That’s pleasant news to me.

Agreed Jakez, if only the parliametary Liberals did stick to the free market / small government / individual choice ideals that the party was founded on…

There are a few “small l” liberal members of the Liberal Party, but we’re a rare breed.

The interesting thing about this post and the previous offering by the author is that it demonstrates that a one-issue party with limited membership and organisational structure (motorist’s party) are free to try and exploit new media websites because there is no clearance process for any of the rubbish their members produce.

I’d like to see some of the major parties on this site laying out their agendas in an HONEST and upfront way.

And if the intention of the Motorist’s Party is to get their f*&king dragway they are doing well. I’m willing to support that as long as they promise to f^&k off.

And all the people who think the post was written by Labor – I can’t believe you are allowed to vote.

Major parties handing out Product Disclosure statements would lead to only one thing:
Politicians being accountable to their voters.

We can’t have that…

It would be so much nicer if each party could just distribute one flyer or manifesto outlining their policies, ideologies, priorities for funding etc without the barrage of mind-numbing, pork-barrelling, lowest common denominator style advertising frenzy we have to endure pre-election.

I think the Original Poster meant “Canberraliberals” – in all their advertising, it is (curiously) one word, and (even more curiously) with a small L.

justbands said :

I love how the political threads draw out many comments from RiotACT contributers that hardly seem to exist on the site otherwise.

There is my theory of the Jerk as a derivative, and how this election is creating lots of Jerks without growth in their base function.

“And yet, in this enlightened age of collective bargaining and new age music, they still cling to the freemarket will rule all policies”

They do? That’s pleasant news to me.

You know what annoys me the most about this post? It’s not hard to make fun of the previous terms Parliamentary Liberal Party. It’s like shooting ducks in a barrel. HOW THE HELL DID YOU MANAGE TO STUFF IT UP?

I love how the political threads draw out many comments from RiotACT contributers that hardly seem to exist on the site otherwise.

a bit off topic, but can someone in the Labour ranks tell Katy Gallagher that the word is PERFECT not PERFICT. She clearly says perfict when defending Standrape in the latest advert. Annoying.

I am voting Liberals, followed by Greens.

i was going to vote for Greens 1st, but their policies are unfunded wishlists.

hat got me to vote for the Liberals? Light rail and saying that you need to fix the fundamentals before you build a toy train for fat controllers to play with.

and

A commitment to keeping up with Car Park demand, rather than squeezing
families out of cars

disenfranchised7:00 am 13 Oct 08

I think the writer captures the concern many in the community have about local politics. We’d like Stanhope and his crew (Hargreaves in particular) to be given a clear message. But we just don’t see the Liberals as a credible alternative government. Zed is the most inexperienced Liberal still in his first term. It was well known in Assembly and Liberal circles that he developed an early reputation for working 9-5 Monday to Friday. Mrs Dunne has never delivered on anything and takes an extreme right wing position on social issues. Heaven help us if she ever became a Minister (let alone some of the others). I won’t go through the Liberal list. The result will be many in the community will turn to the Greens. They will form a government of sorts with Labor. That is probably the best we can hope for.

“And then there is this Moonie stuff? I mean, what the hell is an Australian politician doing cavorting around in Korea with someone who’s minor plans are world domination and major plans are probably not worth repeating. Is Zed serious when he remains steadfastly silent on the issue? Besides, weren’t we fighting these little blighters only 50 years ago for world domination? And if Zed is cosy with these guys does that mean we will be a sister city with some other Asian place that no-one has heard of or will ever visit? No thanks Mr Cultist, I want my Canberra free of bizarre cults and place names.”

I’m not really worried that Zed has been sucked into this cult. I am worried about a political leader is so desperate for an overseas junket that he is prepared to go on something like this. And no, I won’t be voting mainstream Labor. I’ll be voting for Mike Hettinger and then the Greens.

ant said :

If Labor are crap, I can’t see what point is served by voting Liberal, who are even more crap (well, OK, it’s line ball). You are going to have the whole shower running the city for the next whatever it is years.

why not vote green, and yeah, val Jeffries is OK, maybe some other independants are worth a look. Why does it have to be Labor or Liberal?

Just not the Motorists’ Party. eeek.

Thank you, ant. I was reading all the comments wondering if anyone knew that there are more than two parties contesting the election.

Motororists’ Party: sheesh! Reminds me of that knuckle-dragging ‘Fix Australia, fix the roads’ campaign. Simplistic Answers To complex Problems ‘R Us.

how is this allowed to be published? why not link to stanhopes personal website?

Aeek said :

Anyone else remember what the AMP used to mean as a political party?

Yes! DragwayDragwayDragwayDragwayDragwayDragway

If Labor are crap, I can’t see what point is served by voting Liberal, who are even more crap (well, OK, it’s line ball). You are going to have the whole shower running the city for the next whatever it is years.

why not vote green, and yeah, val Jeffries is OK, maybe some other independants are worth a look. Why does it have to be Labor or Liberal?

Just not the Motorists’ Party. eeek.

Aeek said :

Anyone else remember what the AMP used to mean as a political party?

Not sure where they stand but I saw one of their wacky ads on TV the other day. It has a guy getting a glass of water out of the toilet – followed by the promise that if elected, the AMP will not recycle sewage to be used as drinking water.

Also not sure what their plan is for sustainable water supplies in the Capital.

I don’t think this effort was as good as the view from here’s previous effort – ‘Transport – a monologue’. But credit where credit’s due, it certainly pried out some passion from the posters.

Anyone else remember what the AMP used to mean as a political party?

Written and authorised by K Gallagher “please please pleaseeeeeee vote for me cause we don’t do scare campaigns” on behalf of J Stanhope “who know he makes mistakes and isn’t perfect” for the Labor Party Canberra?

I thought I’d help them out by including the authorisation that they seem to have forgotten.

Very Busy said :

Go Zed go!!!

However, with the Greens help Stanhope will probably retain the Chief Ministership in a minority Govt. OMG more of the same mismanagement, arrogance and wasted taxpayers money and more devastating budgets to come.

Our only hope is for the independants to get the numbers up to put Zed in top spot.

my thoughts exactly, if it wasn’t obvious that the greens were just going to donate their preferences and support another stanhopeless government they would have numbered higher on my ballot paper, now they’re going last.. well still above hargreaves at least, i’ll give them that.

Go Zed go!!!

However, with the Greens help Stanhope will probably retain the Chief Ministership in a minority Govt. OMG more of the same mismanagement, arrogance and wasted taxpayers money and more devastating budgets to come.

Our only hope is for the independants to get the numbers up to put Zed in top spot.

“And then there is this Moonie stuff?”

If Zed gets in I would like to see how his conservative Christian views manifest in his policies. The view from here’s take on this trivialises the matter somewhat but it’s true, it would be nice to know what exactly Zed’s link with the Moonies is – an one-off lapse of judgement or part of ongoing spiritual relationship.

What other Christian groups is Zed in bed with? I don’t see why voters shouldn’t know about this.

One word. Diatribe.

Go Zed! I want a green bin! – and the rest…

vote for the less favoured libs/labs and get rid of those the party hacks want us to vote for.Also,if the greens obtained a majority,would their “who wants a majority?” pamphlet be amended to “US”?

SwingingVoter said :

Hey politikos, if you were following my posts from a few days ago, I found a real Green Liberal and I found the greens supporters admitting it. To take you back you even rated her ad in the TV Ad story The Good The Bad & The Ugly as and I quote “Belinda Barnier seems to be one of the few people who has made the connection between her credentials and getting elected – it’s a good ad,” shes your real green liberal.

Why don’t you just get a room?

What an utter load of verbose crap by “the view from here”. You have convinced me – I’m voting Liberal. Go Zed.

SwingingVoter8:00 pm 12 Oct 08

politikos said :

Most of this is irrelevant to me. The Libs lost my vote today when I read their crap about being green. Do they seriously think that someone who’s passionate about environmental issues is going to vote Liberal instead of Green – yeah right! As for me, I’m not going to vote for a party that’s spouting off green policies just because the polls show the greens are doing well. I want a conservative party to vote for, and the Libs ain’t that. I’d rather vote Green – at least I’d know what I was voting for! The Libs are just spineless.

Hey politikos, if you were following my posts from a few days ago, I found a real Green Liberal and I found the greens supporters admitting it. To take you back you even rated her ad in the TV Ad story The Good The Bad & The Ugly as and I quote “Belinda Barnier seems to be one of the few people who has made the connection between her credentials and getting elected – it’s a good ad,” shes your real green liberal.

I can really respect you, tom-tom. You’re clever and you also have honour.

Ever noticed when you see Gary Kent (Liberal candidate for Molonglo) out at a shopping Centre, he has an enormous bodyguard with him that looks like Odd Job from the Bond movies. Didn’t know candidates needed protection. Maybe he is worried that Jim Murphy will sit on him.

this post; just like the view from here’s last effort reeks of the motorists party

Politikos, its not as bad as the rhetoric coming out of the Motorist Party. They actually have the gall to say that they will do something about road congestion because it’ll help save the environment. Oh please.

Most of this is irrelevant to me. The Libs lost my vote today when I read their crap about being green. Do they seriously think that someone who’s passionate about environmental issues is going to vote Liberal instead of Green – yeah right! As for me, I’m not going to vote for a party that’s spouting off green policies just because the polls show the greens are doing well. I want a conservative party to vote for, and the Libs ain’t that. I’d rather vote Green – at least I’d know what I was voting for! The Libs are just spineless.

Val Jefferies is being bankrolled by Liberal piggybank Jim Murphy and is/was a Liberal (http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/row-over-independents/1265366.aspx). If you really don’t want to vote for Lib/someone who’ll join with the Libs straight away keep looking.

By nature I’m normally inclined to vote Liberal but I’m so disenchanted with this lot, the most ineffective bunch of infighting, squabbling, cheap points scoring “politicians” I’ve ever come across with an abject campaign that is all style no substance. I’ll be voting for Val Jefferies. He’s no media star but he will bring some common sense to an Assembly that’s increasingly lost tough with reality.

Zed Instead

I want a government that is afraid of the electorate. In that way, unpopular decisions (hopefully) wouldn’t see the light of day, such as a one lane GDE, a power station on the middle of suburbia, and a lack of solid water solution after years of permanent water restrictions.

The current government is not afraid of me and although I don’t particularly like the Liberals, I will be voting for them, and I hope they remember that the electorate.

Wahooti, yep, that too. There’s something very unlikeable about Standrape and also his off-sider, the ever so calm (on ABC radio anyway), Katy Part-time Gallagher.

I think the Canberra community are ready for a fresh face in Seselja, and also a fresh team in the Libs.

To the original poster of this thread, nice try in those 40002 paragraphs, but you can’t convince me. Mind is made up, but you go right ahead and vote for another four years of this Standope/Gallagher nightmare. It’ll be the longest nightmare I’ve ever had if the Labor fools get in again.

GO ZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn’t stand reading that any further after the first paragraph, that was terrible.

‘Stanhope’s smirky, smug grin’

Can’t say I’ve ever seen that one. Angry Face? Yes, every night on WIN.

Zed? Goofy smile? I don’t think so. Take a look at Stanhope’s smirky, smug grin and Zed wins hands down in that department.

I’ll be voting Liberals – got the seven year itch with Standope and to tell you the truth, any alternative is better than him. Lies, empty promises and wasting taxpayers money on poopy artworks. Travelling along the embarrassing GDE each morning isn’t too good either.

He’s done his dash – time for a change.

Let’s give Zed Instead a go.

This was the only line I disagreed with:

“There is so much to like about the current ACT Liberal party”

Wide Boy Jake5:36 pm 12 Oct 08

What a load of crap.

good to see Labor posting crap with usual bias.

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