The Briggs Brag

Interesting article in today's Australian about the defeat of the brash Mr Jamie Briggs in the seat of Mayo.   More than one journalist has commented on the fact that Mr Briggs seems to blame everyone (in this case Julie Bishop) other than himself.  Which I think rather goes to the point that he just doesn't get it...like a lot of career Liberal politicians, his predecessor included; and his colleague in the electorate of Sturt.
The best comment I heard on morning radio was from  the redoubtable Senator X...he was asked why do you think your (the X Team's) candidate Rebekah Sharkie won?...the dialogue went something like this:

X: "Well she is a local, she lives in the electorate  and she worked the local community  for 6 weeks"
Interviewer: "Well so is Jamie Briggs, he lives locally and has been very visible"
X: "Yes" (and this is the killer...so pay attention to his nuanced comment said sotto voce ( which is my only explanation for why this perceptive comment has not been picked up in the press)
X: " The difference is that the more she went round the electorate people warmed to her, and liked her more..."
He left us to wonder what happened as Briggs went around his electorate! I will leave you make your own connection

One of my observations about the culture of the Liberal Party is that it is such a "boys club"  typified by snide remarks,  inhouse jokes, deprecatory slurs, and arrogant proclamations of their own 'rightness' as opposed to 'righteousness'

AD (Briggs' predecessor in Mayo ) used to caricature my predecessor in another position, Ron Williams: innovative missionary, bishop, & ethicist as Ron the Red!
I actually think Ron was not worried...and would have been bemused, knowing what schoolboy antics this boy's club gets up to.
But I think the use of the tactic which dismisses people so glibly is shallow and patronising.

Equally both the bumptious Mr Briggs, and the prissy Mr Pyne used to opine about Senator X.
They hated the fact that he was able to catch the public imagination...often by stunts    and DID!

It was the cry of a political establishment being furious that THEIR message did not impact like the good Senator's.

Well there are lots of messages to be learnt

Above the line

My post election gripe is about the iniquity that is "above the line" voting in the Senate. I just don't understand how we allow this to happen. Most people I talk to say: " I would never vote above the line", and yet statistics show that 90% of voters do!
With 46 numbers to fill in below the line on the SA Senate paper it is not surprising that many people choose to opt for just writing one number against the party of their choice. This is great for the major parties, because it means they can prostitute their preferences.
But it disenfranchises small groups and Independents. So well-done Mr X (here)for being victorious against this injustice.
But, why can't we have a mid-way option of still being allowed to vote above the line, but writing as many (or as few) numbers as we like. So why couldn't I vote (for example)

1. Liberal
2. Labor
3. Green
4. Democrat
5. DLP
6. Family First
   
7. National
   
8. CEP
9. Sporting Party
10. Senator on Line
11. Socialist Alliance
12. Shooters Party
13. One Nation

You see the truth is on a long ballot paper there is not only satisfaction in voting for your first preference, but there is also satisfaction in putting one party lower down than another. And why should the Liberal, Family First or Labor party backroom tell me that I should prefer One Nation Ahead of the Shooters Party or vice versa.
Of course it doesn't really matter. I just think the electorate has been duped!

Kerboom!

I feel I am just exploding with political thoughts, and in a way I don't want to harangue the loyal readerships. So some snippets only:

• Getting fed up of hearing Kev say "I am an economic conservative!"
• Listening to Matt and Dave on the radio broadcasting from the marginal electorate of Sturt and it sounds more like a Saturday morning fete (car park caper!!) than a key election focus
• Almost burst a gut when Kev was being asked this morning "Is the Labor party still a party of the left?" and he would not answer. And he was asked again "Is the Labor party still a party of the left?" and he would not answer. And yet again: "Is the Labor party still a party of the left?" and he would not answer but obfuscated...I think we have to move away from left and right or up and down. For goodness sake St Gough of Woolahra (sitting with his fellow Labor Prime Ministers at the launch yesterday...knowing he was too old to be stabbed in the back) would shudder. Still I have already declared earlier this week that I am just a silly old lefty...obviously one of the fee lefties left
• Am enjoying watching Johnny dropping his bundle and failing to hit the correct political mark. It is interesting to see, that given that he is without question a if not the consummate performer in the Federal sphere, that he just seems to have lost sight of the target.
• I like an election where the candidates are known by their first names...little Johnny, Kevin, Malcolm, Alexander.......though the onslaught of Mr X may bring a change in this
• I hope that the Federal sphere will be enriched by the said Senator X and that he is not just swallowed up by the big pond...as it were.
• If I go back to school will they give me a new computer.
  

X marks the spot

I don't think we should get too thingy about Xenophon deserting the SA Legislative Assembly. For heavens sake the other parties do it all the time. Wait until the Liberals are trounced and see what Howard does!
Xenophon is such a quality performer that the Senate seems an ideal place for him to weave his spell. His ability to catch the popular imagination is so effective that he must stand a good chance of getting in.
Those of us who feel that it is important for the Senate to hold the two major parties in check and to deny either one the exercise of autocratic power will see that he is probably just the one to do that.
Well done. I bet everyone, just everyone; is spitting chips!