If you were Tony Abbott......

Adrian Shelton

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Thread starter #1
.....what would you come up with to 'attract' the vote of an independant or 2 for a no confidence motion or to turn down a peice of policy?
 

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Max zero

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#2
.....what would you come up with to 'attract' the vote of an independant or 2 for a no confidence motion or to turn down a peice of policy?
Honestly if it came to that I wouldn't bother. The government would be so unstable there would no point getting your hands dirty.

The best thing Abbott can do right now is wait.
 

Grin

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#4
I think he would want to get to the polls before, or as soon after the NSW election as possible.

The swing to the Liberals in the election was due in no small part to toxic state Labor governments in NSW and QLD.

The Labor party on the other hand will want to put as much space as possible between the coming NSW poll and the next federal election.
 

CAS79

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#5
I hear what Grin is saying but Abbott cant just turn up on day 1 of the new parliamentary and chuck in a no confidence motion, he needs to find the wedge that will separate the independents from the ALP and the cause needs to popular.

Than he needs to build momentum

When he has that he can separate the government and he will bring it down.

Also if Labor get to far into bed with the greens watch the possibility for the member for Lyons pulling out of the Government and been the supporting vote for any no confidence motion rather than the current indi's.
 

Caesar

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#6
The most effective thing Abbott could do is not give Labor any help passing legislation and leave them to make their own bed.

The independents have campaigned on stability and will not let themselves be wooed by the Liberals. It will all come down to how effectively Labor is able to negotiate the minefield between the conservative and left wing independents. If they can't do this (and odds are they'll find it exceptionally difficult) then a no confidence vote is only a matter of time.

I'm not sure if the Liberals would really want an election that soon. If it's before June then it will be House only. If Labor and the Greens make a hash of things, they'd fancy their chances to improve their lot in the Senate as well.
 

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#7
I'd let this present unworkable Government self destruct and thank God I didn't win the support of the independents.

The Greens will be exposed as useless, bad for the economy and job destroyers, the Independent for Denison will be shown up as a flake and Oakeshott will be shown up as, well Oakeshott. Wilkie has run for the Liberals the Democrats and now as some sort of independent Green/Labor slash who know what.

They have nothing in common other than their own personal glory and their desire to be the most important person in Australian Politics. How many Deputy Prime Ministers have we got at the moment or is Bob Brown the only unofficial one?

BTW what's with Joolia's hands they are always held up as if she is fending off some unwanted advance?
 

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#8
Abbott's best mode of attack is just brutal attack, and given time he can tear this flakey Gillard Government apart. Abbott's biggest weakness though is policy, and shaking off his negative stigma that he inherited from the Howard era. That's why he didnt "win" the last election, and if he doesnt improve on that, then forcing an early election from being the attack dog will result in nothing more than another hung parliament with a larger swing towards the Greens.
 

ROB48

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#9
Abbott's best mode of attack is just brutal attack, and given time he can tear this flakey Gillard Government apart. Abbott's biggest weakness though is policy, and shaking off his negative stigma that he inherited from the Howard era. That's why he didnt "win" the last election, and if he doesnt improve on that, then forcing an early election from being the attack dog will result in nothing more than another hung parliament with a larger swing towards the Greens.
I doubt that, once the Greens are exposed for what they are they will lose support not gain more. Labor supporters will see what a threat they are to their jobs and turn on them.

Wealthy Doctors wives will see their fortune being taxed and the threat of missing their new car every year will sharpen their senses.
 

Wonaeamirri33

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#10
The two Rob48 posts here read more like his personal wishlist than any kind of serious assessment of anything. Again, a bunch of unbacked assertions with nothing offered to support them.

Yeah, he hates the Greens, and Oakeshott and Wilke, that's obvious...
 

Caesar

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#11
Surely you acknowledge that the Greens will be called upon to choose between realpolitik and ideological purity for the first time in their history? And that perhaps elements like Lee Rhiannon and Christine Milne may not like the idea of selling out?
 

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Wonaeamirri33

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#12
Certainly a far more creditable response than the content I was referring to before mate.

The current outcome Federally finds us in a position similar in some respects to that which we found ourselves in after the Tasmanian election, although clearly without as high a proportion of representation or overall influence as is the case in Tasmania now.

So no, not the first time we've been in a situation of this nature, although obviously it is the first time at Federal level.

The onus is also on the Labor Party to live up to the pledges they've made in the aftermath of the election. Improved consultation, and substantially improved effort when it comes to negotiation of bills, along with planned reforms designed to reduce the dominance of the executive, and enhance the role of MPs, should help deliver better outcomes.

The ALP's contemptuous attitude to negotiation with us, for instance, on the ETS issue, where there was no negotiation, no discussion of amendments or anything else, was a major factor in the failure of that bill. Hopefully they've learnt their lesson now.
 

Caesar

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#13
Look, I know the Greens are very proud of their success there, but the Tasmanian parliament is not a good example. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is essentially a rather large local council. There are only 25 lower house MPs, income is basically fixed, fiscal policy largely non-discretionary, and the focus is on government service delivery. It plays to the Greens' strengths. Federal government is a completely different animal altogether.

I don't think the ETS is a good example of Greens negotiating - in fact, it's the opposite. The reality is that the sort of bill they were demanding was completely politically unviable for a party dependent on winning a majority of the popular vote. If the Greens can't recognise and work with those sort of constraints then they will not achieve very much in terms of workable government.
 

Nankervis brothers

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#14
The indies will be keen for this government to work as its success will validate their decision. No amount of wooing from Abbott will get them to cross, IMO. That said, the ALP have a tough job ahead to make this work.

First thing Abbott needs to do is stop his troops calling this government 'illegitimate'. Not only does it come across as sour grapes, but it is a nonsense claim and basically an attack on our electoral system. If Hockey and Twat Pyne keep banging on about this 'illegitimacy' then the next question is obvious - do you want electoral reform? No? Then STFU.

Besides that Abbott should continue at pace - oppose everything, play as negative as possible, be prepared to contradict his position on any given issue at any given time if there is political mileage in it, and hope the ALP screw up. So pretty much continue with what he has been doing since he took the position as opposition leader.
 

r dub 19

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#15
I think the mining tax will be a real showdown. I don't think the independents are too keen on it, the greens may want more. If all else fails I'd say write a fake email about swan helping his mate out.
 

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#16
This could actually be the making of the Greens. They aren't actually in power after all so as long as they act sensibly they can take the accolades of getting things like the mining tax and ETS through and avoid the negatives. All without having the responisbility of actually delivering a fiscally responsible government.

The tough thing will be having the media report things their way. Labor has struggled with that and given Brown's attack of News I don't see things improving any time soon.
 

Relativity

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#17
Abbott can't woo the independents to support a no-confidence motion. This will only occur from extreme incompetence on Labors part.His best strategy is to introduce as much good legislation to parliament as possible. This would attract the independent support, show up the Labor party and cause unrest within Labor ranks. It would also play havoc with the budget, keeping Labor busy trying to balance the books.
He can't play the attack dog only as the electorate won't accept this and he would be risking losing support gained at the last election. Out governing the government (which the independent's reforms will allow) is his best strategy for gaining office at the next election.
 

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#18
With the way things are going now Abbott's best move is to probably do nothing and just let Wilkie single handedly destroy the Gillard government.
 
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