Should Malcolm call George's Bluff!

[Redneck]

Should Malcolm cave in to George's threats or call his bluff?

My Opinion:  Once he caves in once it will just be the start of a trend where back benchers want to make special demands on the government in trying to get special treatment to the voters in their electorates be it warranted or not!


One of the problems of only having a majority of one in the HOR


http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairn ... 1487388410


George holds Turnbull ransom over sweet little conservative movement
Chris Calcino, chris.calcino@news.com.au, The Cairns Post
February 18, 2017 6:00am

THE mental image of George Christensen delicately snipping alphabetical runes from February’s edition of Whipcrackin’ Wives Weekly is an ­appealing one, but the truth about his parliamentary ransom note is probably far more dull.

Christensen scrawled a draft resignation letter to Malcolm Turnbull earlier this week, holding the Prime Minister over the barrel unless he ­introduces a mandatory code of conduct for the sugar industry by March 1.

“If it takes ruffling a few feathers here, crossing the floor or going rogue to get an outcome, then you just have to do it,” he told the Daily Telegraph’s Sharri Markson.

The Trump-lickin’ MP’s aching yearning to follow ideological stablemate Cory Bernardi into the crossbench abyss surprised no one except, apparently, the Coalition.

Christopher Pyne succumbed to a worse bout of denial than that big river in Egypt, declaring the report a “beat-up” and assuring voters old Georgie-boy was not going anywhere.

Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce was less enthusiastic, but remained confident his “good mate” would stick with the team.

To Christensen’s credit, farmers in his electorate are desperate for action. Legislation was passed in 2015 to guarantee growers a choice in how their sugar was marketed.

While most milling companies have managed to come to terms, one is still holding out and farmers are suffering for it.

Wilmar, which operates eight mills between Mackay and Cardwell, has still not reached an on-supply agreement that would allow growers to market their product through Queensland Sugar Limited, if they thought they could get a better deal.

The Queensland Opposition wants Wilmar brought to task, but their federal counterparts have been blithely sitting on their hands hoping the issue goes away.

Enforcing a mandatory code of conduct was recommended by a task force set up by Tony Abbott, you see.

And the task force was chaired by none other than George Christensen.

His hard-nosed stance will ingratiate him with voters in the Dawson electorate and gives him the best get-out-of-the-Coalition-free card he could hope for.

The Nardi Party, sorry ... Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives movement, is waiting with lascivious teeth bared to suckle on Christensen’s pinkish nape and bolster its ranks from one member to two.

The issue he is standing up for is an admirable one despite, the Australian Sugar Milling Council, to which Wilmar is a member, claiming on Thursday that “significant progress” had been made in the negotiations.

As Canegrowers chairman Paul Schembri wrote in the February 13 issue of Australian Canegrowers: “These cane-growing families, who have up to $8 billion invested in the industry, are facing economic ruin unless Wilmar can conclude an on-supply agreement with QSL.”

Before we jump up and down singing Christensen’s praises – and even as a backbencher he certainly holds massive sway over the Turnbull Government – it is worth remembering what else he stands for: vilification of gays and Muslims, as evidenced by his attendance this week at the far-right extremist group Q Society’s fundraising dinner alongside Cory Bernardi.

That might float your boat, but it sinks mine.

When it comes down to it, North Queensland cane growers should not have to decide between voting for their livelihoods and voting for the Nationals.

[Wayne]

To the Public, Mal will not cave in - that would be the absolute end of his leadership (if you can call it that) Some under the counter deal will be done whereby the sugar mill be receive some form of taxpayer funding as an incentive to sign up. Mal can't afford an even stevens seating arrangement with Labor. One MP missing to go for a crap, one MP called away for Family Reasons, One MP gone for whatever reason and Shorten will strike with a vote of no confidence in the government. It won't work of course, but it will shake the Coalition to their foundations. Deals will be done and the Aussie Taxpayer will foot the bill

[IQS.RLOW]

Christensen is just making sure his job is safe and will be lauded in his electorate for using his "once in a lifetime" golden ticket/leverage.

Christensen is guaranteed to be in parliament after the next election.
The same can't be said for Turnbull or Shorten.

it will shake the Coalition to their foundations.

Lulz Yeah but nah.

[J o h n S m i t h]

Malcolms problem is that he is seen to be powerless and gutless, not just by his party, but by the public in general. Time after time he has failed to stand up to the rabid right in his party and he is paying the price for that.
He hasn't got the numbers to stand up to Christensen. I doubt he has the numbers to do anything. If there was a spill he'd almost certainly lose it. He didn't win the count against Abbott by much and most of the seats the libs lost at the last election were his supporters. ... all he can do is bend over and thank George and others each and every time they give it to him.

I still have no idea why he was so stupid as to wait to go to an election. If he went immediately upon taking the leadership, he'd have had the numbers to do things. You may as well put one of those nodding head toys in the PM's chair now, at least it would save the taxpayers money.

[IQS.RLOW]

Malcolms problem is that he is seen to be powerless and gutless, not just by his party, but by the public in general. Time after time he has failed to stand up to the rabid right in his party and he is paying the price for that.

That "public" is leftards who are desperate for two ALP parties but would never vote for the LNP/ALP lite.

He hasn't got the numbers to stand up to Christensen. I doubt he has the numbers to do anything. If there was a spill he'd almost certainly lose it. He didn't win the count against Abbott by much and most of the seats the libs lost at the last election were his supporters. ... all he can do is bend over and thank George and others each and every time they give it to him.

Correct because Christensen knows that the majority of voters aren't represented by the current polls and the narrative of a more left LNP is toxic to them.

I still have no idea why he was so stupid as to wait to go to an election. If he went immediately upon taking the leadership, he'd have had the numbers to do things. You may as well put one of those nodding head toys in the PM's chair now, at least it would save the taxpayers money.

He doesn't have the political spine for the PMship because he is a lefty and shouldn't be there.

[J o h n S m i t h]

That "public" is leftards who are desperate for two ALP parties but would never vote for the LNP/ALP lite.

don't be such a daft prick your whole life. If you pay attention you might one day learn a thing or two. The public is all the swinging voters that voted for him.

Correct because Christensen knows that the majority of voters aren't represented by the current polls and the narrative of a more left LNP is toxic to them.

you've no idea how politics works do you?

[IQS.RLOW]

That "public" is leftards who are desperate for two ALP parties but would never vote for the LNP/ALP lite.

don't be such a daft prick your whole life. If you pay attention you might one day learn a thing or two. The public is all the swinging voters that voted for him.

If you paid attention and weren't such a brainless fucking retard, you would have seen that there was no significant block of swinging voters that voted for Turnbull's LNP/ALP-lite. They kept goose stepping along behind Shorten while a million+ conservative voters said "Go fuck yourself" to Malcolm's version of Leftwinger fuckwit policies and went to more conservative parties.

So your statement of

he is seen to be powerless and gutless, not just by his party, but by the public in general. Time after time he has failed to stand up to the rabid right in his party and he is paying the price for that.

is complete leftwing wrongology which you seem to have a PhD in.
He's not paying the price for failing to stand up to the "rabid right", he's paying the price because he's a fucking leftard and the majority of Australians fucking hate leftards.

Correct because Christensen knows that the majority of voters aren't represented by the current polls and the narrative of a more left LNP is toxic to them.

you've no idea how politics works do you? [/quote]
So you are unable to counter my point so you once again resort to your overused method of vacuous statements from the professor of wrongology.

[J o h n S m i t h]

If you paid attention and weren't such a brainless fucking retard, you would have seen that there was no significant block of swinging voters that voted for Turnbull's LNP/ALP-lite.

yeah ... that's why they lost 14 seats

is complete leftwing wrongology which you seem to have a PhD in.

you're an even bigger idiot than I gave you credit for if you think the majority of voters are extreme right wingers. In many regards Menzies was far more left wing than the current rabble. Bernardi and Christensen are despised by the majority of voters. They're nobodies who got their name in lights only because turndball is stuck. Your problem is that for you anyone left of Attila the Hun is a left winger.

[IQS.RLOW]

If you paid attention and weren't such a brainless fucking retard, you would have seen that there was no significant block of swinging voters that voted for Turnbull's LNP/ALP-lite.

yeah ... that's why they lost 14 seats

Correct and there was no trace of your imaginary "block of swinging voters" waiting to confirm that Australia now has a choice of voting for two ALP parties. A leftist LNP party was soundly rejected by the largest primary voting block in Australia- conservative LNP voters. Many of the 14 seats they lost were form the 54 leftist LNP "wets" and bedwetters that installed Turnbull to a position he couldn't have won in the first place and nearly lost it but for the skin of his teeth and do you know why? Because the largest primary voting block in Australia hates fucking lefties

is complete leftwing wrongology which you seem to have a PhD in.

you're an even bigger idiot than I gave you credit for if you think the majority of voters are extreme right wingers

You are exactly the complete idiot I picked you for if you think you can introduce such an obvious strawman without it turning to dust before your eyes.

In many regards Menzies was far more left wing than the current rabble.

The claim the Menzies was leftwing is one often trotted out by leftists trying to associate one of the great conservative Prime Ministers with their own leanings. It's crap of course, but you can't be blamed for trying. It's not as if leftists have any great PMs to defer to

Bernardi and Christensen are despised by the majority of voters.

the Greens are more so despised by a larger majority of voters.. which is about as relevant as your introducing of a completely irrelevant and made up opinion you have claimed as a fact. Of course you could reach down between your legs, pull your head out of your arse and a magical poll result will pffft from your nether regions where the whole of Australia has been polled on their feelings for Bernadi and Christensen

They're nobodies who got their name in lights only because turndball is stuck.

Bernardi has always had a profile due to withering and ineffectual attacks on him by leftards and Fauxfact. Leftists actually boosted his profile to the national stage. Leftists are not very smart.

Your problem is that for you anyone left of Attila the Hun is a left winger.

Nope. Anyone who advocates for leftist policies, government intervention and regulation that without fail, always fail along with higher taxes and class warfare is a stupid fucking leftist.
Labor supporters have been desperately trying to redefine the centre and failing miserably at it because they know since the Greens cannibalised 10℅ of the ALP vote, it won't be returning to them so they have had to move further to the left and think that however far to the left they move they can simply call this new position the centre left and say the LNP has become far right because their position and perception has had to change.

This is all a slap in the face for traditional ALP voters. They are served up a shit sandwich by a bunch of dirty hippies and commies who pulled the ALP way off course from the centre left and their dependence on the Greens is now entrenched as is their position away from the centre left.

Yes, with the rise of ON, Bernardi and other conservative parties will also pull the LNP away from the centre position (where Turnbull and his merry band of bedwetters pulled the party)as opposed to the centre right. The difference being that the majority of conservative voters want the LNP to move further right and government can still be easily won from this position. The last election showed that everyone shifting left means everyone is a loser.

[Outlaw Yogi]

If Malcolm calls George's bluff George will defect to Bernardi and make it Bernardi & Co, so wayne could be right about a back room deal for the mill in question.
IQ's right about Malcolm losing public support for becoming Labor-lite and John's wrong about Malcolm losing support for failing to stand up to the rabid right. The only people still welded to Labor these days are unionists (especially in commy Victoria) and housing commission dwellers looking for the next freebie, both of whom are becoming smaller fractions of the demographic.

A lot of former Labor voters and party members (like myself) can no longer justify supporting a bunch of corrupt hypocritical incompetents who seem hell bent on making the banana republic reality. Every time they're given a chance, they make things worse, whether it be economic or social cohesion.

For years I've been asking why cane cockies still support the Nats when the Nats let the Libs sell them out at every turn?
When the AUSFTA (Howard era)[which costs Oz 57bn annually and rising in lost trade with other countries] went through the cane cockies got shafted, yet it was Mark Vaile (leader of the Nats) who signed the deal.
Then the cane industry was deregulated (despite the Nats being more protectionist that ALP or Greens) and it hasn't really improved anything financially, but it does allow freedom to pick your deals.

I don't know much about the cane cockies in Dawson but I lived in Bundy for 9 years, which is surrounded be cane farms.
So do know a bit about their gripes. Their properties are highly regulated because shiploads of money was invested in the hundreds of miles of irrigation channels and pipes in this region. The Kolan River (Fred Haige Dam) was dammed long ago to feed this irrigation system, and in 2003-2007 (construction phase) the Burnett River was also dammed (Paradise Dam) to increase supply. So the cane cockies aren't allowed to carve up and sell off (subdivide) portions of their blocks except for house sites for sons. The water charges keep increasing, the power charges keep increasing making pumping dearer so some stop pumping and accept a lesser crop, mills keep closing, cane rail lines are ripped out and they're hit with levies to fight cane smut (a fungus).

Many resort to small cropping (tomatoes, zucchini, melons ect) to supplement their incomes, but I've long said "If I had inherited a cane farm I'd grow something else" and let the industry fall over, as it can't compete with Brazil.
Which is why Toft's (the cane harvesting manufacturers) moved out of Bundy to Brazil.