But recent history shows that people all around the world want policy turnaround, not a better sales pitch for the neoliberal agenda of making the rich and powerful richer and more powerful. If the Turnbull experiment fails, and they have ex-communicated Mr Morrison, there is no-one else among the conservatives with the mainstream appeal to be their leadership alternative.
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I would have paid to see former Australian Republican Movement leader Turnbull’s face when Tony granted Prince Philip a knighthood.
No-one knows this better than our new prime minister. He is known for the occasional dummy-spit and for a “my way or the highway” approach to leadership.
After 30 bad polls, the Liberal Party is on top once again. “Or perhaps worse still, the Mark Latham of the Liberals”. But that can quickly turn to disunity, particularly when party rules empower these fractious groups to distribute material rewards (such as coveted parliamentary positions) to loyal supporters.
The poll of 1,224 voters, conducted after the change of leaders on Monday, also had 51 percent of respondents rating Turnbull as their preferred prime minister, compared with just 20 percent for Labor leader Bill Shorten.
The Labor Party is rattled, despite insisting it has long been ready for such an outcome. Party politics is changing in all democracies.
The charge of sexism may have stung, however, as Mr Turnbull had earlier said he was “very committed” to having more women in his cabinet than in previous ones.
Yet, the minister claimed that he had no role to play in the Monday’s ballot that voted out Abbott from the role of the prime minister.
“Limiting the test of legal standing to landholders who are subject to immediate impacts is also not sufficient as the effects of some major projects can be felt beyond the immediate vicinity of neighbouring farms, which implies that broader standing is warranted”, he said.
Rudd came unstuck over climate change – something he initially expressed a great deal of conviction over.
So while it doesn’t necessarily denote anything more significant and is unlikely to be dripping with symbolism, could it be that they expect him to have a place in the national debate? Instead, it’s the product of the rules parties use to select their leaders; the dominance of factions within Australian parties; and broader political trends that are changing the nature of citizens’ engagement with parties and representative institutions in Australia but in other democracies, too. It is what has endeared Turnbull to many voters already.
Turnbull’s support for a carbon trading scheme, gay marriage and an Australian republic had made him unpopular with his party’s right wing, and he has pledged not to reverse course on those issues in an effort to unite the fractured party.
When it comes to his dealings with the opposition, no one should be fooled into thinking the word “consultation” applies there.
Yesterday, Mr Turnbull told parliament the government’s policies have been carefully considered but every policy of any “rational, constructive government is always under review”.
“Shortly, Margie and I will be driving out of Kirribilli House for the last time as residents”, he said outside the prime minister’s Sydney home. “… when it is clear that you are not welcome, you leave”.
‘Look who I bumped into last night.
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A bit churlish perhaps for the Labor staffers to stage a walkout, but Turnbull’s comments during a public bipartisan event also showed a PM still very much on training wheels.
