Andrew Barr is having some fun with Liberal Leader Jeremy Hanson’s new found distaste for progressivism:
In the Legislative Assembly this morning, Mr Hanson moved a motion criticising the ACT Government for being progressive, and labelled as extreme and progressive Government policies such as renewable energy targets and emission reduction targets.
However, in his maiden speech to the Legislative Assembly on 9 December 2008, Mr Hanson said: “My vision for our future is a vibrant, progressive and sustainable city”.
He also said: “I come to the Assembly as a member of the Liberal Party and consider myself a liberal by the definition of the word. I follow the ideal of Sir Robert Menzies, who said, “We took the name ‘Liberal’ because we were determined to be a progressive party, willing to make experiments, in no sense reactionary but believing in the individual, his rights and his enterprise, and rejecting the socialist panacea.” ”
It’s now clear that in order to lead the Canberra Liberals Mr Hanson has had to disown his maiden speech and abandon his ‘progressive’ views.