Tony Windsor attempts to whitewash his legacy

[Todman]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-...would-have-supported-malcolm-turnbull/4910836

The man whose vote put Julia Gillard into power three years ago has revealed he would have liked to be able to offer the position to Malcolm Turnbull.
Tony Windsor, along with fellow independents Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter, spent 17 days negotiating with Ms Gillard and Tony Abbott after the 2010 election produced a hung parliament.
Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott ended up siding with Ms Gillard, putting her minority government into power.

"If Malcolm had been the leader of the opposition in a hung parliament and if he'd been the leader of the opposition at the start of this, he may well have been the prime minister through it," he said.

Somehow I don't believe a word he says.

This man who is now a pariah is his community attempting to deflect criticism away because of his deep hatred of the Nationals.

Feud with National Party
"I've never been in parliament as a National, I gave up smoking about the same time [and] I've rid myself of two cancers." - Tony Windsor
"I won't get into the antics of what went on then." - Tony Windsor on his Nationals pre-selection battle in 1991
"The National Party is a dying party." - Tony Windsor
"I don't deal with fools terribly lightly, and I think under any definition the man's a fool." - Tony Windsor on Barnaby Joyce
"I won't be dealing with him, I don't like the guy. The way in which he was trying to give gratuitous advice in terms of a hung parliament [on Saturday], when he had the balance of power in the Senate [in 2005] and then sold the country out on the sale of Telstra was an indication of just where he stands in terms of country issues." - Tony Windsor on Barnaby Joyce
Carbon tax announcement

Windsor was present at the February 2011 announcement by the Prime Minister Julia Gillard on the proposed July 2012 introduction of a tax on carbon emissions, Windsor downplayed his presence at the announcement, stating, "Please don't construe from my presence here that I will be supporting anything."
Barnaby Joyce commented
Well, Mr Windsor, what were you doing there? Did you get lost on the way to the toilet and just stumble across the Prime Minister doing her press conference and decide to stand in on it?

 

[Slax]

He's dead right about the National Party being a dying party. The only way the Nationals can regain some support is to redefine their partnership with the Liberal Party. This means forfeiting cabinet positions and only guaranteeing supply and no-confidence motions. If the Nats do this, then they would find that they and the Greens would be able to work together and have a massive influence in parliament.

for those saying why would the Nats deal with the Greens, they are not as far apart as many think on quite a few issues.

 

[Caesar]

He's dead right about the National Party being a dying party. The only way the Nationals can regain some support is to redefine their partnership with the Liberal Party. This means forfeiting cabinet positions and only guaranteeing supply and no-confidence motions.

The Nationals are dying because their demographics are dying.

If the Nats do this, then they would find that they and the Greens would be able to work together and have a massive influence in parliament.

for those saying why would the Nats deal with the Greens, they are not as far apart as many think on quite a few issues.

Like what? CSG? That's about it.

Country people ****ing hate the Greens.

 

[Footy Smarts]

The Nationals are dying because their demographics are dying.

Harsh but fair.

Like what? CSG? That's about it.

Country people ******* hate the Greens.

You're right about them hating the Greens but that's mainly based on social issues. In terms of support for services, support for agriculture and obviously CSG these would be major issues that the Nats and Greens could work together on. Of course they're not going to agree on a bunch of other stuff. It's not going to happen though since working with the Greens would be political poison for the Nats.

 

[Footy Smarts]

I don't really see how he's in any way trying to whitewash his legacy. 2 of the major issues that Windsor campaigned on prior to the last election was quality broadband for rural areas and carbon pricing. Despite political pressure and other differences he sided with Gillard mainly because of these 2 areas. It's hardly a stretch to say that Turnbull would've been far more open to these than Abbott so it's perfectly reasonable to say he would've strongly considered Turnbull over Gillard if he'd had that choice. If anything it's not whitewashing his legacy but pointing out how important these 2 areas were to his decision.

 

[Caesar]

You're right about them hating the Greens but that's mainly based on social issues. In terms of support for services, support for agriculture and obviously CSG these would be major issues that the Nats and Greens could work together on.

Support for services is very questionable. The Greens are focused on sinking huge amounts of money into stuff like urban public transport infrastructure as their main priorities. Of course, they nominally support rural services as well, but that's in the fictitious Greens world where tax revenue is a magic pudding. Everyone knows which side the Greens come down on when it's city vs country - and as far as country people go, it's always city vs country.

Support for agriculture, no way. Opposition to irrigation, opposition to standard crop types, opposition to live exports, opposition to GM crops, opposition to FTAs, opposition to 1080 poisoning, locking up wild rivers, locking up marine areas from aquaculture, the list goes on. The Greens claim to support agriculture, but it's a very specific version of agriculture that does not at all mesh with what rural Australians are interested in.

CSG and foreign ownership are the only areas I'd say that the Nationals and the Greens have genuine common ground. There is a good reason that the Greens poll terribly in rural areas, and it's not just social issues.

 

[Slax]

The Nationals are dying because their demographics are dying.



Like what? CSG? That's about it.

Country people ******* hate the Greens.

Nats are also dying because they don't stand for anything, all they are is the Libs rebranded so people think why not vote Liberal its the same bloody thing.

I'm actually from the country and the biggest problem is the greens have never tried to sell there message or their other policies in the country. People see them as tree huggers and write them off, a number of senior people in the Greens see country people as rednecks and don't try.

If you have a look at Tassie you'll find a very different Greens to the mainland, where they have policies that they communicate properly to all areas. I used to work in the timber industry and was employed by Gunns at one stage, I know for a fact that many inside the industry actually didn't mind a lot of the Greens policies, just how they dealt with logging in state forests. When Gunns said they were going to stop doing it, I knew quite a few people who change their vote from Liberal to Green.

The Greens are no longer a niche party campaigning on one single topic, its just unfortunate that they can't sell their message better, just like the Sex Party

 

[Caesar]

Whilst the Nationals cop a lot of stick for being a bit ineffectual, I'd very much dispute that the Nationals being the same as the Liberals is a country perception. I reckon that's very much a city perception, because the differences between the two parties aren't touched on that much as part of the national debate. If you listen to the debate on NSW Country Hour last week, Barnaby Joyce disagreed with Bill Heffernan's take on rural issues quite frequently.

Rural issues in Tassie are very different from rural issues on the mainland. As alluded to above, there are massive policy problems with the Greens' attitude towards agriculture. Their attitude towards mining is a real issue as well. Whilst there is a degree of NIMBYism in some electorates about local projects, on the whole it's a vital industry to rural and regional economies and the Greens' stance on it is untenable.

These things may not cause massive problems in Tassie, but in Nationals strongholds like Queensland and western NSW where agriculture is tough and mining is big they are absolute dealbreakers.

 

[clogged]

His electorate would have a fair few greenies in it.

 

[Todman]

The misconception that the Nats are dying is just inner city spin. It looks like they will pick up the seats of New England and Lyne next month.

 

[MisterMarcus]

I noticed whenever Labor was going through some leadership turmoil, that Windsor would suddenly pop up and say he might support the Libs if Turnbull became leader.

It always seemed to me that he was just shit-stirring the Coalition, and/or trying to prop up Labor by deflecting attention onto the Liberal leadership.

It never really worked.

 

[AM]

Think Tony Windsor has carried himself with the dignity and honour rarely seen in politicians. The very fact he was likely to easily hold his seat as an independent had he stood speaks volumes for him. He'll be a loss to the Parliament. If there's one thing I'd criticise him for it is that his decision not to stand will allow that dipstick Joyce to remain in the Parliament.

 

[Caesar]

I would not hold that against him. Whispers around the traps are that Windsor's health issues are quite serious. I get the impression that him standing again was quite simply not an option, and I would not be surprised to see him drop off the perch before the next election.

His criticisms of the Nationals have to be taken with a grain of salt. He was quite happy to stand for NSW Parliament as a Nationals candidate until they disendorsed him over a drink-driving scandal. He was initially elected basically because he was still listed as a Nationals candidate on the ballot paper. Once elected, he knew that his only risk of losing the seat came from the Nationals. As a result, he worked as hard as possible to put as much distance as possible between him and the party (despite remaining very similar ideologically). It was a very successful strategy. He negotiated with two minority governments (Greiner and Gillard) to big advantage for his electorate, and they never forgot it.

A very smart politician who was a true local member. Up there with Peter Andren and Greg Wilton as one of the best members of the House of Reps in recent memory.

 

[klem22]

Windors well thought out and crafted decision to deliver to Australians "good stable government" was a master stoke by a very diplomatic and intelligent politician.
A man who is not swayed by pettiness, emotion, self interest or trivial thinking must be proud of an outstanding legacy that he has delivered to the nation.
Well done Mr T Windsor Australians will not forget the statesmanship and due diligence you ars#@le!

 

[ClokesShankedIt]

I would not hold that against him. Whispers around the traps are that Windsor's health issues are quite serious. I get the impression that him standing again was quite simply not an option, and I would not be surprised to see him drop off the perch before the next election.

Imagine my distress

Nothing will change the fact that he propped up the most unstable government in history. He pissed away 3 years of opportunity for this country. - that's his legacy.

 

[Power Raid]

Imagine my distress

Nothing will change the fact that he propped up the most unstable government in history. He pissed away 3 years of opportunity for this country. - that's his legacy.

I am just glad the 3 years is up. The whole 2010 election was a big con with the Gillard switch, the carbon tax and the back room deals.

 

[Caesar]

Imagine my distress

Nothing will change the fact that he propped up the most unstable government in history. He pissed away 3 years of opportunity for this country. - that's his legacy.

He did what was best for his electorate, and his constituents backed him unreservedly. That's the only job of an independent and he did it well.

 

[SJ]

The misconception that the Nats are dying is just inner city spin. It looks like they will pick up the seats of New England and Lyne next month.

And the Nationals (WA) took O'Connor from the Liberals last time.

 

[tazzietiger]

He did what was best for his electorate, and his constituents backed him unreservedly. That's the only job of an independent and he did it well.

If he didn't retire and did contest the election would he beat The Nationals Barnaby Joyce.

 

[Caesar]

At a canter. His polling showed him with something like 65% on 2PP.

 

[Todman]

At a canter. His polling showed him with something like 65% on 2PP.

That's his polling mate, do you really want to believe his polling. Just like his good mate Richard Torbay he was a pillor for the community.

 

[who gives a]

Ah tony windbag was in for a flogging so he pulls out of the race, he's a disgrace a long with his mate oakshyte enjoy retirement old man

 

[Dry Rot]

He was quite happy to stand for NSW Parliament as a Nationals candidate until they disendorsed him over a drink-driving scandal.

Did you watch the show? Windsor claims he was disendorsed before the DUI.

I don't know the facts, but if he's right, then something funny went on there FWIW.

 

[clogged]

Imagine my distress

Check out the Liberal fanboi.

Very popular local member who maximised the benefits for his rural constituency. Exactly the kind of thing the Nationals are based on, but he actually achieved it.

 

[MisterMarcus]

At a canter. His polling showed him with something like 65% on 2PP.

Um, what?

The public polling showed him (and Oakeshott) getting thrashed by the National Party.