Liberals Lost 3 Years Ago

Saturday 6^th Oct 2001

And he knows it.

No-one to lead
The announced departures of prominent Liberal ministers highlights that this team is tired. They've done five years of hard labour and they're calling it quits.

That's what you call a team playing up to the whistle. Not. So much for supporting the leader.

Nothing to look forward to
Howard has kicked off the game with an attitude of defeat. The events on the 11th of September may provide some benefit to an incumbent conservative government, but on balance, the knock on effects have dealt a motivational blow to Howard.

A number of factors have come into play such that he can no longer look forward to the glamour of a CHOGM meeting, a reassuring visit from the queen, a strong front bench to carry on the business and deflect attention from Costello, or an unprepared opposition.

John Howard's announcement to attend the APEC meeting is symptomatic of his desire to pack in as many photo opportunities with world leaders before he slides into irrelevance. Because, apart from some leisure activities over the years, he has been a pure political careerist.

A man who set himself a timetable of 20 years to achieve the prime-ministership within the Liberal party, and then achieved it (after a little more than 20 years) now claims that he will think about what his future will be when he turns 64. Yeah right. Howard would be more than happy to be the head of government for another 20 years. Sorry Peter, you aint got the steel of Keating to wrest the incumbant. Your career is about to change as well.

Hoawrd's decision will be made for him in November 2001 to leave politics. What then?

All Labor figures could have some fun asking the PM what he'd do if he weren't in politics.

Labor starts the engine
Kim B and his team haven't said much, haven't made an impact, haven't connected with the people, haven't.......

I too condemned the way they have been going, but it becomes quite apparent now that the whistle has been blown that Labor has demonstrated the utmost in self restraint and political energy conservation.

Despite the efforts of journalists, the government and many labor supporters, Kim and the team have refused divert from their electoral strategy.

Something much more real than the world-wide war on terror and the economic insecurity looming when it comes to federal elections in Australia is the character and energy of the potential leader and the team behind them. That's why leadership is an issue in this campaign.

Kim B is out of the starting blocks with details and energy ready to go. His initial response to Howard's speech that launched the campaign revealed that they are on the ball, fresh and well equipped.

This will influence people.

Labor offers a Government not a management team
Labor's campaign will remind people of why they are different to the other side: they think, plan and present a longer term vision with a practical way of getting there.

And they involve the people of Australia in the process; the Whitlam years taught them a heavy lesson that they will not forget.

The Liberals have never learnt this lesson. They are still thinking about "fixing" the "problems" as opposed to "creating" the "opportunities". How to vote
If you are a disaffected Liberal facing defeat consider the choice of a Greens candidate for your lower house seat.

If you are a skeptical Labor type that turned on Kim B because he provided bi-partisan support to the border protection bill that Howard modified in all respects as Labor demanded, then consider the choice of a Democrat candidate for your lower house seat.

No need to advise the die hards on either side ;-)

End Of Rant.

(C)opyright Sylvano Lucchetti.