October 15, 2004
EMILY'S PISSED
Mark "No Feminist Literature!" Latham is in trouble with Labor's Emily's List brigade:
Acrimony among the women flared yesterday when it became clear only a few spots on Labor's 30-member front bench would be female, contravening party policy to gradually increase the representation levels to 40 per cent.
They should defect to the Coalition, where talented female candidates are welcome. Speaking of the Coalition ...
The chances of the Coalition seizing control of the Senate are increasing as vote counting resumes today.
With the Nationals close to gaining another spot in Queensland, the Coalition could clinch 39 seats out of the 76-seat upper house - a controlling majority.
However, final Senate figures are not expected to be confirmed for at least two weeks.
We can wait. Check out former Beazley chief-of-staffer Michael Costello ripping into Wonderboy:
Latham must accept responsibility for a series of policy and strategic decisions that cost dearly. Withdrawing from Iraq by Christmas; the extraordinary forest policy that destroyed Labor's last week of the campaign; Medicare Gold, the health portfolio equivalent of free beer for all the workers, thus playing into Howard's economic irresponsibility theme; the close embrace of Bob Brown and the Australian Greens in a way that Latham before he became leader would rightly have pointed out was guaranteed to alienate huge numbers of traditional Labor voters, and despite the fact that Labor was always going to win Green preferences.
Then there was his decision to campaign on values – for example reading to children, disposal of plastic bags, mentoring boys – and to say virtually nothing about key economic issues. The bizarre thing is that in Latham's pre-leadership writings, there is a kernel of very strong, rigorous economic thinking related to competitiveness, trade, efficiency and productivity. Where did this disappear?
Good question.
Posted by Tim Blair at October 15, 2004 04:04 PMWith all these second-rate sheilas being positively discriminated for, is it any wonder the ALP has gone down the gurgler.
Posted by: bruce at October 15, 2004 at 04:13 PMThe bizarre thing is that in Latham's pre-leadership writings, there is a kernel of very strong, rigorous economic thinking related to competitiveness, trade, efficiency and productivity. Where did this disappear?
Precisely. This is something I've been wondering all along. Having actually read a few snippets of Latham's writings, I used to think - this was a few years ago! :-) - that he would have been one Labor person I could just presumably vote for one day, given my strongly "economic rationalist" and socially reasonably "liberal" beliefs.
Latham the Opposition Leader rapidly cured me out of those sentiments. And judging from the election result, I was far from alone in this. He went further to the Left that even Beazley had done in the previous campaign.
JPB
Posted by: JPB at October 15, 2004 at 04:13 PMTalented females in the coalition? "Talent" like...
DeAnne Kelly
Sophie P
Kay Patterson
Brownwyn Bishop
Amanda Vanstone
etc
No I'm not sexist, the blokes are hopeless too.
Posted by: Flute at October 15, 2004 at 04:16 PMBackbench left-wingers Tanya Plibersek from NSW and Penny Wong from South Australia could be promoted.
Oh, great. Tania Plibersek, terrorist sympathiser, on the front bench.
The Labor Party really does have a death wish.
Posted by: ilibcc at October 15, 2004 at 04:33 PMDidn't Latham's leadership rely on the Left of the party (and by 1 vote)? (Carr's NSW~right would have been dead-set aginst him!)
That may well be the reason for the re-direction of his economic stance.
Posted by: DaveACT at October 15, 2004 at 05:01 PMC'mon, Sophie deserves props for calling Bob Brown and Kerry Nettle "ferals".
Posted by: Quentin George at October 15, 2004 at 05:12 PMDaveACT is right. Latham is from the Right faction, but he beat Beazley mainly due to support from the left.
Posted by: Quentin George at October 15, 2004 at 05:12 PM"Feminism." The great Labor electoral liability that dare not speak it's name. It is high time that the deleterious effect that feminazism has had on Labor was revealed and debated. This coven of gender warriors lurks in the background stalking its prey waiting to lunge before they can speak out. Helen Garner barely made it out alive. Let us all hope that these second-raters aren't so lucky.
Posted by: neoconchick at October 15, 2004 at 05:19 PMLooks like the coalition have lost another talented female. Trish "Cats and Dogs" worth has conceded.
Posted by: Flute at October 15, 2004 at 05:21 PMStupid question time.
What is a 'front bench'? 'Back bench'?
Posted by: CujoQuarrel at October 15, 2004 at 05:38 PMThe ALP spokesmen who argue that the interest rate scare lost them the election have convinced me with their arguements. I suggest Johnie and Co. do the following:
1) keep the budget in surpus, and therefore inflation and interest rates low:
2) Rerun interest rate scale campaign at the next election and win as gullible Australian electorate will be fooled again.
3) Repeat at all subsequent elections thus ensuring permanent Coalition Government.
Posted by: mike.a at October 15, 2004 at 06:02 PM
"as (Senate) vote counting resumes today"
resumes today? what the hell were they doing yesterday? RDO?
Posted by: matt at October 15, 2004 at 06:17 PMMatt, those lazy senate vote counters resume counting each morning, having taken most of the night off to sleep & eat. (bone idle aren't they?)
Posted by: Steve at the pub at October 15, 2004 at 06:36 PMBut Sophie is like, just so sexy. I will always vote for Sophie.
Posted by: Jim at October 15, 2004 at 06:51 PMBronwyn Bishop one of the best they have ever had only she's got soccer balls and some can't handle play-
Amanda also- I don't care what they look like-Can they mix it -score goals and kick as-?
As for the woman in the Labor camp, Julia Guilard, Jenny George, Jennt Macklin, Carmen Lawrence- drag queens- none have any connection to real people.
Howard got in because we'GOT IT'! got it???
Amanda Vanstone's sharp commentary was so good on Channel 9 on election night one journalist (or was it a commenter here?) dubbed her the night's Panel Smackdown Champion.
Posted by: ilibcc at October 15, 2004 at 08:14 PMHey Flute if it was just you & Sophie P down a dark alley I know who would be the only one coming out.
& a bonus for you Tim, as far as I know Soph is a Collingwood supporter.
Posted by: Just Another Bloody Lawyer at October 15, 2004 at 08:14 PMWhat is a 'front bench'? 'Back bench'?
Front bench: PM, Ministers, Opposition Leader, Shadow Leaders
Backbench: Seatwarmers
Posted by: Quentin George at October 15, 2004 at 10:15 PMFrontbench - Members of parliment who do something (i.e. finance minister, treasurer, shadow foriegn minister)
Backbench - Members of parliment who make up the numbers and vote occasionally.
Er, "mentoring boys"??? Not "Our Children"? No girls to be allowed in school, then? Was this a real position/statement at some point?
Posted by: John Anderson at October 16, 2004 at 04:50 PM