Pro-Lib backlash in WA?

[Freo Big Fella]

Was at a barbie the other night hosted by the olds, and one of the people they had over was placed fairly high in the Teachers Union. The talk turned to state politics and this bloke mentioned how popular sentiment among a lot of teachers here in Perth was pro-liberal, due to the arrogance and beaureaucratic idiocy shown by Alan Carpenter in his dealings with the Teachers. Now McGinty is antagonising the Nurses Union with that ridiculous Union Bypass with the voting on the new Nurses Pay Agreement. Roberts has an angry working relationship with police and the CFMEU feels that their not getting a "fair go" from Kobelke.

Could this alienation of their traditional support base, coupled with the Western Power/Water Crisis/Other stuff ups that this governmnt has made lead to a Liberal Win? Or am I overestimating Barnett's ability to win support?

 

[3rdEchelon]

Look at Barnett's mob - does it fill you with confidenced and the ability to do a better job than Gallop? Not for me.

 

[The invisible mullet]

If the teachers union think that a lib state govt is going to help them they are a pack of fools.

 

[3rdEchelon]

No government will help the unions, they will always be in conflict with them and vice versa with the unions asking for more and more money and the government not having enough money to go around for everyone.

 

[F-U]

Well, im sure Barnett couldnt do a worse job then what Gallop has done. I think as long as Barnett doesnt trip over his own feet then he should win the next state election with ease. The whole Western Power thing coupled with the terrible job Michelle Roberts has done as minister will mean the Gallop govt will get a thrashing.

The Labour govt hasnt done the best job in dealing with the unions, but i doubt that in this case Liberal would do the job any better. Labour wont lose because of a backlash from the unions rather from there broken promises and the fact they refuse to take responsibility for their actions.. How Michelle Robets is still holding her portfolio is beyond me.. and will cost them the election in my opinion..

 

[coasting]

The WA Labor party have botched a lot of things but the current liberal party haven't exactly made themselves look like a ligitimate alternative government. Barnett doesn't even have the full backing of his party. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[- PC -]

Well, im sure Barnett couldnt do a worse job then what Gallop has done. I think as long as Barnett doesnt trip over his own feet then he should win the next state election with ease. The whole Western Power thing coupled with the terrible job Michelle Roberts has done as minister will mean the Gallop govt will get a thrashing.

The Labour govt hasnt done the best job in dealing with the unions, but i doubt that in this case Liberal would do the job any better. Labour wont lose because of a backlash from the unions rather from there broken promises and the fact they refuse to take responsibility for their actions.. How Michelle Robets is still holding her portfolio is beyond me.. and will cost them the election in my opinion..

I dont know about that..certainly the Libs are in a better position than Labour are, but I dont think they can afford to sit back and relax.I would concentrate on the individuals and not the Party.

Michelle Roberts needs to be attacked and can be, and I agree she is the key

What is Quigleys status? He can be attacked.

The WA Labor party have botched a lot of things but the current liberal party haven't exactly made themselves look like a ligitimate alternative government. Barnett doesn't even have the full backing of his party. It will be interesting to see what happens.

And this is the problem Liberals have here IMO

 

[Mead]

Politics in WA is an utter joke right now- never have I felt less motivated about voting than I have at the moment.

Really, both sides of politics can be summed up by their response to the Western Power crisis last year.

Gallop and his ministers, through their own rank incompetence, ran a government body into the ground and turned out to be incapable of supplying one of the basic necessities to taxpayers. Their response was to berate people for using too much power, and threaten people with arrest if they turned on their airconditioners. Geoff Gallop hid under his bed till the crisis passed, and unbelievably tried to blame it on the previous government.
Absolute PR disaster.

Then, up to the plate steps Dan Sullivan, deputy leader of the opposition. He calls a press conference the day after the debacle, the journalists flock, expecting to hear a redhot denunciation of the government- and he spends the entire conference speaking about how there is no substance to the rumours that a liberal backbencher trying to undermine him had the numbers to force him to resign from the deputy leader position.

When an incredulous journo asked him if he didn't want to talk about the power shortages, his response was along the lines of 'No, I'm the deputy leader of one of the two major parties in this state, I think the voting public understands that, and I have a responsibility to those voters to inform them of the stability of my position.'

Never have I, a right wing nut of good repute, been more tempted to waste my vote on the minor party lunatic fringe. At least I'll know I'm not actually going to be helping to support one of the two most downright appalling party incarnations in Australian political history.