(West) Australian Politics, Social update

[tcpip]

Well it seems that the National Party have decided to support the Liberals in Western Australia. Alan Carpenter has resigned which is a shame as he was a very decent individual who had the very unusual ability (among politicians) to listen to others and to admit mistakes (although he certainly should not blame himself for the appalling Labor campaign). The incoming premier, Colin Barnett, does not have the competence of Carpenter making Dr. Nelson's comments that this represents an "outstanding result .. for good governance" a joke that will end in tragedy.

Which is just as well that the Federal Liberal caucus has seen fit to remove him from the leadership in favour of Malcom Turnbull. As a completely rarity, Turnball actually is a liberal Liberal. He's more than a bit of a toff (as Australia's richest parliamentarian) and there's a gulf of experience between him and working people. When it comes to matters like abortion, stem cell research, climate change, the apology to Aboriginal Australia, superannuation to gay couples and so forth, he's certainly progressive. His weakness is that when such issues collide with the lure of the dollar, he'll choose the dollar - such as the case with the approval of Gunn's Pulp Mill.

Weekend was very enjoyable. Had an evening of many drinks and trashy videos with severina_242, _zombiemonkey and caseopya, although the latter was a little worse for wear on the journey home. The following day imajica_lj was a little late to gaming (he did turn up), so I ran an impomptu Call of Cthulhu session of "I Want You To Kill The Ice Cream Man", which is an brilliantly simple story. Tonight will be spending dinner with arjen_lentz. At some stage I really should take him up on the excellent MySQL training he offers.

Comments

[mr-figgy.livejournal.com]

I've nowhere else I wanted to put this, so I wondered about your opinion on "natural morality".

[skepoet.livejournal.com]

liberal Liberal.

This monkey is confused.

[1phish2phish.livejournal.com]

the Federal Liberal caucus has seen fit to remove him from the leadership in favour of Malcom Turnbull.

Who cares? This guy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQufJNhNtv0), that's who.

[severina-242.livejournal.com]

Rocky Horror Picture Show? Not inherently trashy. Singing and dancing whilst drunk to the Rocky Horror Picture Show? Perhaps a tad trashy ;-)

Slap your arse and sing it! "I'm just a sweet transvestite!!!!"

[frou-frou.livejournal.com]

Interesting what you say about WA politics. I've just come back from Perth and found that Carpenter seems to be widely disliked and distrusted....

[laura-seabrook.livejournal.com]

My Mum (who lives in Woodbridge) reckons it was Daylight Saving that killed labour's chances of re-election. Knowing W.A., I think it would be a factor.

[stawberi.livejournal.com]

I'm very disappointed with the way the Nats went, I must say. For all their blather about representing rural areas and wanting the best for their electorates, they really let down their voters by going with the Liberals.

I've not got all that *much* against the Liberals, mind, although I do vote Labour. It just strikes me as wrong that the Nats would turn down the *better* offer, Labour offering not only to meet their 25% demand, but promising around a billion dollars more over the course of the next four years.

I guess the federal Nats have more influence than the state Nats have integrity.

[http://users.livejournal.com/doctor_k_/]

I, too, am curious of your impression of Carpenter as "a very decent individual", something which many WAians would not agree with. He's been obstinate in his approach of jobs for mates, to the detriment of the party, and in particular a certain eastern metro seat who lost a popular hardworking member, who'd transformed a marginal seat onto a safe seat, when she was dumped by Alan.

Sure, he was no Costa, but he was also a very poor choice to follow Gallop, or be allowed unchecked power as he was.

[darknova666.livejournal.com]

yeah turnbull is totally untrustworthy but he does have a good understanding of economics.
havto admit that nelson did grow on me but he was never going to win an election, he was just a caretaker as the wa libs didnt like turnbull and wanted to delay his rise to leadership.

in state politics labor had hung on too long in wa (and nsw) had lost vision become corrupt etc and had to go