This comment came from the Australian today.
"If the Libs do win the election, can you just imagine how Turnbull will react. He will actually think it is because of his 'wonderful' leadership when the only reason would be the alternative is too terrible to contemplate." Joan wrote that.
My reply.
“You could say we won for the same reason in 2013. Labor was simply too terrible to contemplate then and, nothing has changed in 2016.”
By the way the only person who knows what Malcolm Turnbull would think should he win is Malcolm Turnbull. So Joan and all the other Joan's out there you are talking through your hat. You don’t have a clue what he will think.
But now to my election déjà vu. LNP voters cheered enthusiastically over our 2013 win in the lower house (hence gaining us government) it was impressive. But, I wonder how much of that win was down to how bad Labor was. Not necessarioly how good the LNP were. I suspect the anti-Labor impact was reasonably large.
At the risk of repeating what I’ve said before where it mattered (in the Senate) it was the LNP’s worst ever result. That says to me swinging voters and disillusioned Labor voters wanted to send Labor a message. In other words, a protest vote. The majority (and this probably included anti-Abbott LNP voters) delivered a mess in the senate; we don't trust you enough.
Now we are facing the 2016 election. Labor are still on the nose but there are the anti-Turnbull LNP voters championing protest votes. Plus a gaggle of opportunistic ‘parties running for the senate. This group are championed by you've got it anti-Turnbull supporters. They justify that in stating we voting for other conservatives. Of course those other conservatives haven’t said who they’ll favour out of the Liberals or Labor. Mind you, some of their policies border on alarming though. Clive and his group were conservatives. So were some of the other cross-benchers. That turned out well didn’t it, she says dripping with sarcasm.
But no worries you can hear the protesters say ‘I’ve vented my spleen’ and sent a message. Please write a bloody letter it would be less damaging and the rest of us don’t have the pay the price.
We have short memories and it seems we are addicted to chaotic government. I hope the country can survive a repeat of 9-years of mess. Six dark Labor years and three years of senate high- jacking. Why would you want either of those again? Beggars belief.
