Forget the Focus Groups: Take Heed of Our New MPs.

[Matilda]

Peter Hartcher has written an excellent article highlighting the maiden
speeches of some of our new MPs, and in the process taking a swipe at the
poll-driven major parties.

"Labor listened to the focus groups in walking away from the problem of climate change. This destroyed the Rudd prime ministership and brought Labor to the threshold of destruction.

It has taken the independents and the Greens to give the Labor minority government the spine to resume work on climate change.

There are 43 new members in this Parliament. If their parties are prepared to listen to them, they could be a hell of a focus group."

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/forget-the-focus-groups-take-heed-of-our-new-mps-20101001-160zq.html


One person who doesn't want to hear the new message is Tony Abbott, who
can't wait to force a new ballot on us so that he can get back to
business as usual, with himself in charge.

If Labor can hold their nerve and take heed of the message from the
Australian people, it could indeed be a glorious term.

We can only hope.

[depakid]

1. Andrew Wilkie's maiden speech was incredible

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/09/30/176021_todays-news.html

My bet is Abbott will continue to overplay his hand, and the response from the electorate won't be positive.

In less than 6 months, Barry O'Farrell and his mob inherit the mess in NSW, and I have the utmost faith that 6 months after that, the Liberals will begin to bear the onus of the endless stuff ups.

While it was against the usual convention, state government corruption and incompetence cost federal Labor dearly during the last election cycle.

Also, how cool is it that Wilson Tuckey's out (at least for now). I was beginning to think the only way he was leaving parliament was on a gurney or in a coffin.

[Matilda]

2. I loved Wilkie's speech.

"The bloodstained pages of history are filled with such people: men and women with no understanding of the real risks and costs of aggression, or care for the consequences. There's no chance of them or any of their loved ones lying in the chill desert night air paralysed with fear, or being gutted alive by razor-sharp shrapnel, or losing a foot or worse from a mine or cluster bomblet, or having the flesh burned from their bones as they sit trapped in their blazing vehicle."

Great words.

[Al Jilwah]

3. Indeed

This is full of trollops.