Recent entries
- Hinch crunches the Coalition numbers
- Hinch sends off Irvin Rockman
- 'Whatever it takes'
- How are Australia's leaders 'feeling'?
- 'The crowd just kept swarming'
- When is enough enough?
- 'Drug addiction is not a disease'
- Hinchs with 'rivals' Hamish and Andy
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What we're talking about
- DORA mirsodelis on Hinch sends off Irvin Rockman DERRYN DISGRACE HAVE YOU NO SHAME ON THE DAY OF IRVIN ROCKMANS FUNERAL OF ALL DAYS I AGREE WITH LISA.SHAME SHAME SHAME. more
- Paddt on 'Whatever it takes' Richo - is this the same Richo involved with the tax evasion case with Rene Rivkin an Swiss bank accounts, where the Swiss ... more
- Greg on Hinch sends off Irvin Rockman Re: Irvin RockmanTypical Hinch - He waits until the day the poor guy dies before spewing out what would have been ... more
- Mylene on 'Drug addiction is not a disease' Derryn, Is any medical condition that occurs because of a lifestyle choice and ends up involving medication the same as drug ... more
- Dave on Hinch sends off Irvin Rockman On the day Darren Hinch dies he will be remembered as someone who took delight in dancing of the graves of people the day ... more
- Robert Sands on Hinch sends off Irvin Rockman My friend Irvin passed. He was a funny fellow. And good for Melbourne. I was a friend of his for about 25 years. My favorite ... more
- Lisa French on Hinch sends off Irvin Rockman Yet another example of the twisted mind of Derryn Hinch.......not while Irvin is alive and able to respond, but on the day ... more
- Sandra & Graeme Brown on 'Drug addiction is not a disease' Hi Derryn, my husband and I agree with you 100%, drug addiction is not a disease, it is a choice that a person makes, just ... more
- Sandra on When is enough enough? I still believe in one vote for one person, note one vote for you and if you don't win I will give my vote to someone else. ... more
- Ashley Brown on When is enough enough? Enough is enough isn't a strong enough term. We need to go back to the polls for another election ASAP and lets see who ... more
- Terry on 'Three Amigos' not that independent? Most primary votes. Most two party preferred votes. Democracy?What's that?Forget it. It's the Three Amigos 15 minutes of ... more
- Steve - Traralgon on 'The crowd just kept swarming' I agree Dave you are hard pressed to find someone who isn't either Asian or Indian in the city these days. Anyway the CBD ... more
- Terry on When is enough enough? Three political minnows have managed to make a national election all about. Democracy at its finest. more
- John on 'Our voting system is a joke' Why would ben cousin get away taking drug and still in the Sport?? Any sport other than AFL would have the player ... more
- Dave on 'The crowd just kept swarming' feels like we are visitors in their city these days...this overseas student business has become absurd more
- Tony on 'Our voting system is a joke' Dear Darryn,Are you really this stupid or just pretending.Lets have a an unbiased look at the vote.The last three candidates ... more
- Jack on 'The crowd just kept swarming' 20 Minutes for an officer to be on scene in central Melbourne.And thats what is called a fast response to a job.You can get ... more
- Timothy Vukomanovic on 'Three Amigos' not that independent? Enough is enough, do these independents have no principals that they stand for, do they have no political phylosophy that ... more
- Kcory on Hinch doesn't let up on pedophiles *Janelle Wednesday 11 August, 2010 - 8:33 AM I agree with you. I hope you find some peace. I am also a victim that suffers ... more
- Joseph Le Gall on Julia Gillard will regret this forever Cutting the immigration of non caucasians is not the answer.Caucasians are not the God chosen people they think they ... more
Hinch on the Liberal Party woes
When the talk started swirling out of Canberra this week that Malcolm Turnbull could face a leadership challenge it was easy to dismiss it. Especially when the name Kevin Andrews was mentioned as a possible replacement.
I mean, if Kevin Andrews is the answer then what the hell is the question?
But things did get serious during and after yesterday's marathon party room brawl over the ETS. You could ignore the blustering threats of the Neanderthal from the west, Wilson Tuckey.
But things took a sudden serious turn when Andrew Robb turned on his leader. After all, he was the Coalition's negotiator with Penny Wong before illness took him to the backbench and Ian McFarlane jumped into bed with her – figuratively speaking.
For the embattled Climate Change warrior Turnbull it was a telling case of: Et tu, Brutus.
Things got worse when Turnbull wore Caesar's toga to his late night press conference. He claimed a party room victory. Despite the numbers against him. It was like the time a horse voted in the Roman Senate.
And Caesar-like Turnbull said: "I am the leader. I have made the call."
He said it many times. My way or the highway. The problem was there were more than enough disgruntled backbenchers keen to show him the highway. And not just over the ETS.
It’s weird that the same things that would make Turnbull a leader also undermined him. His self-confidence, arrogance, intelligence and unswerving belief in his personal road map.
Not only does Turnbull not tolerate fools lightly. He doesn’t tolerate anybody lightly. He has always chastened at the parliamentary rules and rituals –which is not necessarily a bad thing.
But he lost the leadership the first time around to the hapless Brendan Nelson because he couldn't stop tell everybody what he planned to do when he got the job – before he got the job. His lack of political nous showed.
It showed again yesterday. I don't doubt his sincerity on climate change. But Turnbull should have swallowed his pride. Heeded the party room opposition. Postponed approving any ETS until after Copenhagen. And regrouped.
Instead he said: "I am the leader. I made the call."
What was it Gough Whitlam said? "Crash or crash through?"
