December 02, 2003
LABORED POINTS
Constant commenter Mork predicts an about-face once Steve Waugh becomes a Labor parliamentarian:
At which point, Timmy will always have known that he was a no-good fellow and a shit cricketer to boot.
Well, I’ve interviewed Waugh, and I’d be a little surprised were he to take Mork’s suggested career path. (One Test cricketer who may examine politics is Stuart MacGill, a determined conservative.) Besides which, I’ve got nothing against Labor, so long as its policies aren't imbecilic. I've often voted Labor. And why wouldn’t I? As Paul Sheehan writes: “The best Liberal treasurer Australia has ever had was Paul Keating.” Federal Labor had my vote throughout the ‘80s, and only lost it when the party lost its mind. On that theme, here’s former Labor staffer Andrew Bolt:
This was the party of the street-smart and savvy, yet is a pushover for the most unlikely of fake refugees, whether an "Afghan" from Pakistan or the Kurdish mates of a kebab shop owner from Sydney.
What fools does Labor take us for? Must its voters show they have a heart by proving they have no brain?
Seems so, because there's Labor fighting for refugees we no longer hold, demanding action that won't work against a global warming that's exaggerated, "saving" a Murray that isn't dying; offering apologies for a "stolen generation" that doesn't exist; promising billions more spending on universities which already waste too much ...
Ditch the stupidity and the ALP might one day stand a chance of regaining power. They may even lure the likes of Waugh. Meanwhile, over at Troppo Armadillo, Roop Sandhu sets out to give me a big ol’ fact-checking -- and ends up proving that Noam Chomsky isn’t very good at transcribing articles from the New York Times.
Posted by Tim Blair at December 2, 2003 01:51 AMWhen wasn't the ALP into all that "progressive" shite? I seem to remeber Bob Hawke promising to end child poverty. I also seem to remeber the great Paul Keating ending that evil capitalist exploitation of negative gearing, but having to reinstate it after 12 months when the poor couldn't get cheap rental housing. I seem to remember 20% interest rates and the recession we had to have. I seem to remember Labor always wanking on with the yartz lobby and setting up that useless body ATSIC. I seem to remember the fact that Labor increased spending on Aboriginal affairs but let it all go on "land rights" so that Aboriginal health actually deteriorated. I seem to remember trade unions and other lobby groups of the left receiving many taxpayers' dollars. So much for street smart. What a load of bloddy natural tossers the ALP always harbours.
Posted by: Toryhere at December 2, 2003 at 07:54 AMWhat a load of bloddy natural tossers the ALP always harbours
Yes, the conservatives always have to grow into the role. I remember meeting Wilson Tuckey when he first ran for parliament and noting his politeness (albeit somewhat forced). It didn't last. I also met Graham Kierath once, towards the end of his career, and he was certainly a tosser. Oh yeah; and confirmed conservative Stuart McGill. Now there's a tosser. Of pies.
Posted by: Joe at December 2, 2003 at 11:13 AMTim, Keatings success as treasurer was due in no small measure to a reasonable and responsible Liberal Senate that would pass his reforms. For my money Costello (and in IR Peter Reith) is a superior treasurer as he has been able to get through some fairly substantial reforms through a hostile, anti-business Senate. If the Labor party stopped being the party of nyet and had reasonably negotiated with the Howard government, our economy would be the strongest in the OECD and not just in the top 10 performers.
Posted by: David Straface at December 2, 2003 at 11:31 AM