Labor bitten on the bum by its opportunistic deal with Family First.

[Matilda]

"Family First Senator Steve Fielding is under fire for his one-man rearguard action on the alcopops tax, which now appears doomed when it returns to the Senate later this afternoon.

Senator Fielding has offered to support the increase only if the Government agrees to a timetable to phase out alcohol advertising in sport programs within three years.

The Government earlier ruled out any sort of advertising ban and Senator Fielding has refused to back down on his position."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/18/2519728.htm


Sen. Fielding's position is quite unrealistic, however desirable it may be for society, but he seems prepared to
throw the baby out with the bathwater in allowing the defeat of this legislation.

The irony is that he shouldn't even be in Parliament, and wouldn't be if Labor hadn't made a dirty preference deal
with Family First in their irrational fear of the growing power of the Greens. That deal has now come back to bite
them on the bum.

[Esra Star]

1. I think Steve is making the most of his fifteen minutes.

Another double dis trigger in the saddle bag.
I am not sure that Steve can play poker at all.
Cheers

[Matilda]

2. Agreed - just wondering how long before Rudd gets fed up.

This silly little man is there by a fluke, but it's gone to his head.

It would be good to have a double dissolution now, while the Lib leadership is so precarious.

[Esra Star]

3. I think Labor in Victoria preferenced him after some sort of

spat with the Greens. I am not sure but I think the geniuses in the backroom screwed up.
As for the double dis, I can't say when. The GFC is so hard to read.
Maybe Qld is the canary in the coal mine.
If Spongeborg Squarehead wins, it will mean that the populace is willing to just kick the dog.
Kevvy will win the reps next time. The senate is not as clear. He will probably be dealing
exclusively with the Greens post election.
Costello is the fun sideshow now. I think he hates Turnbull more than Rudd.
He's biding his time and will trounce Malcolm for the leadership after a defeat.
I would be surprised if Mal will even get a real shadow ministry.
It seems to me that Mal has failed to learn a fundamental law of politics:-

"The people have to know that you care, before they care what you know"

Policy as an enema won't work.

I'll stop now

[Matilda]

4. In 2004, Labor preferences went to Family First

in many places, although I don't think it was universal. It seemed to have more to do with Labor fears of
growing Greens support than with anything else. Seems they just forgot that with preferential voting, it's
possible for someone with minimal support to get across the line. I'm sure they never expected it to happen,
because what has Labor got in common with Family First? Seems to me they're idealogically closer to the Greens
than any other party; or they should be.

I think Turnbull is playing a foolish game, although I suspect he's being more obstructive than he would be normally,
because he's being spooked by Costello, who's far more conservative. But if an early election is called, Mal's
position would be very shaky - could anybody say for sure who'd lead the Libs to the next election?

[Esra Star]

5. I think Mal will.

His support group want it, and his detractors want to see the train wreck.

[Djinn]

7. it was universal

even in my electorate - safest ALP seat in the nation - they decided to hand votes to FF before the Greens.

The ALP needs to change their name or remember what the L stands for - if they were negotiating from a REAL Labor platform they'd have been happy to direct preferences to the party with by FAR the best IR platform

[Djinn]

6. alcopops tax was pointless

they didn't exist when I was sprogling but somehow we managed to get shit faced anyway.

Each and every time that FF stuff the plan for the ALP all I can think is "suffer in your jocks you traitorous right wing ARSEHOLES"

[Matilda]

8. It was simply a revenue-raiser, I'm sure.

I don't know what was more ridiculous - Labor being virtuous about
trying to stop binge-drinking by making one small group of drinks a
bit more expensive, or Steve Fielding claiming that he could only give
his support if the tax was spent the way he wanted. Both were equally
hypocritical.

[Djinn]

9. Dweedle Dumb and Dweedle Dumber

It was like the Comedy Festival started earlier this year - how did we get to such a ridiculous state of affairs when that was considered a political debate