10 Comments

1. Nabakov

   January 6, 2005

   Right out of the Brumby playbook.

   'cept the Brumster turned points 2 and 3 into "squirrel a couple of billion away in a hollow log for major pre-election porkbarrelling".

   But in this day and age, what Western centre left/right wannabee/actually is Treasuer wouldn't say the same thing with a reporter's iPod/MP3 recorder sitting on the table during a tour d'horizon interview?

2. cs

   January 6, 2005

   I agree Nabby - a pile of unadulterated bullshit.

3. Nabakov

   January 6, 2005

   I'd disagree CS. It's bullshit adulterated by too much polling and too many focus groups.

   Still a steaming pile though.

4. cs

   January 6, 2005

   Bullshit adulterated by bullshit. Got it! Apologies for any confusion.

5. Rex

   January 7, 2005

   Rex's guide to ALP salvation:

   1. Sit on your arse and wait 'till the Libs crash and burn.

   2. Amuse yourself in the meantime by branch stacking and factional shennanigans.

6. Mark Bahnisch

   January 7, 2005

   I doubt that our friend Emmo has any access to ALP polling anymore - I'm sure Comrade "Big Bill" Ludwig of the AWU put paid to that - so sadly, Chris and Nabs, it's probably the "original thoughts" that he retired to the backbench to wow us all with...

7. Scott Wickstein

   January 7, 2005

   Its all an ALP plot to lull the Liberals into complacency! Watch those bastards, they are up to something!

8. Andrew Bartlett

   January 7, 2005

   I think Craig Emerson's piece is mildly interesting without being anything spectacular - it was probably writen as a vehicle for sending signals (esp internal ones) more than anything else. Whether he has much internal clout in the ALP is another matter - perhaps not a lot judging by his being factionally squeezed off the frontbench. It's not usually my style to put a glimmer of sunshine into a rainstorm of cynicism, but I do think this guy is a bit better than just a poll-driven empty vessel or a rigid ideologue incapable of critical thinking - he does have some original thoughts, which is more than some of his colleagues are capable of. On another note, I also found his description of the 'eightfold path to economic enlightenment' interesting, given a statement he made in his First Speech to Parliament back in 1998: "I have drawn from that (event) and my own life experiences and beliefs what I see as the sevenfold path to Australia's future. The sevenfold path involves passing seven tests--

9. cs

   January 7, 2005

   I just think it means he's metaphorically studied at the Dale Carnegie School of Politics.

10. Mark Bahnisch

    January 8, 2005

    Andrew and Chris - Is it Buddhism or numerology?