Challenge to Abbott in the works?

[Leftwinger]

Saw a great cartoon about the Gretch/Turnbull affair at the time - do you think I can find it now!?

[Aussie]

He had full knowledge. Had the faked email in his hand at one stage!

Where is the evidence that at that moment, he knew it was fake?

[Jovial Monk]

Like the header to the email? You know, the “To” and “From” fields.

Now, about that edit limit. . .

[Rorschach]

Good grief you write some garbage Monk!

Malcolm would be a shoe in for leader if he was in the ALP.
All the Labor supporters keep asking for him.

Personally, I think he is far too Progressive for me ever to vote for. I think he should be in the ALP. I mean he did try at one stage. Like Rudd he can't be told. He has no political "nouse"

Turnbull denies attacking Abbott in speech
* by: By Malcolm Farr, National Political Editor Who'd a guessed Mal Farr would be behind an article like this
* From: News Limited Network
* September 06, 2012 10:05AM


LIBERAL frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull today firmly denied he was targeting his leader Tony Abbott in a speech which lamented the limited topics for debate in Parliament.

Mr Turnbull last night in Perth condemned the preoccupation of Question Time with asylum seekers and carbon pricing - two issues the Opposition has used to greatest effect against the Labor government.See what I mean... no idea.

"In our Parliament, every sitting day has a question time in which most of the questions are asked of the Prime Minister. For the last two years the questions from the Opposition have been almost entirely focused on people smuggling and the carbon tax,'' he said.

And today Mr Turnbull faced almost universal interpretations that he had been criticising the man who had succeeded him as Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, and his negative political strategy. No idea.

"I made no criticism of Tony Abbott - indeed defended him as having been a victim of 'gotcha' politics where a remark is taken out of context and represented as saying something not intended,'' he wrote in his blog today. ( http://tiny.cc/r8p6jw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) Good grief twitter facebook blogs when are the politicians going to grow up?

He said an example of this was when "a perfectly innocuous statement about school funding was seized on by the Government as evidence of an intention to slash funding to public schools''.

This was a reference to the Opposition Leader's comment that if there was injustice in school funding it was hurting private schools. It was a dumb statement, just admit it and move on.

Labor swooped on the speech as what it claimed was further evidence of divisions within the Opposition, following Nationals' shadow cabinet member Barnaby Joyce's refusal to accept Coalition policy on the sale of Cubbie Station.

"What we saw from Malcolm Turnbull yesterday, what we've seen in the last couple of days, with the massive divisions that occurred in relation to Cubbie Station, is that the cracks are starting to emerge within Mr Abbott's leadership,'' Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury said today. Well Bradbury is a bigger idiot than most people in Parliament, thanks Penrith

"The simple point that Malcolm Turnbull was making...that is your answer to every question is 'carbon tax' and 'stop the boats', then at some point the questions are actually going to require answers that require a little bit more thought, a little bit more attention to the future interests of the country.''

Malcolm Turnbull insisted his remarks had been distorted. Then perhaps you should take lessons and advice Malcolm and be more circumspect with what you say. After all you are supposed to be intelligent.

He today said: "After the speech two ladies came up to me and complained, most courteously, that I had been very harsh in my criticism of (Prime Minister) Julia Gillard and (Treasurer) Wayne Swan. People can judge for themselves if I had been.'' (his speech: http://tiny.cc/muq6jw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ).

Mr Turnbull told the Perth audience Question Time might be improved, and other ministers grilled, if the Prime Minister appeared only once a week, as in Britain. In the ALP and Gillard's case, that would be letting them off the hook.

"In our Parliament every sitting day has a question time in which most of the questions are asked of the Prime Minister. For the last two years the questions from the Opposition have been almost entirely focused on people smuggling and the carbon tax,'' he said in the speech.

"Are they really the only important issues facing Australia? A regular viewer of Question Time would be excused for thinking they were. Out of touch - Malcolm.

"This is not a criticism of Tony Abbott or Julia Gillard. There was a concentration of themes when I was Leader and Kevin Rudd was Prime Minister.

"It is a consequence of having the Prime Minister the focus of question time every single day. And while other issues and departments are debated in other parts of the parliamentary day, Question Time is prime time and for most Australians the only part of Parliament they are likely to watch.''

Today, Mr Turnbull pointed critics to a passage of the speech in which he defended Mr Abbott on the issue of trust.

The passage read: "But we can make it easier to earn and keep the people’s trust. We should be much more careful about raising false expectations - whether on what we can do or what our opponents will do. Now that is a great example of how to be critical whilst praising. Good grief man.

"Remember the way Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan created the impression that John Howard was responsible for rising supermarket prices and under their Government prices would either fall or stop rising. Then followed the low farce of Grocery Watch . I bet Monk still believes in it.

"To his credit, Tony Abbott has said he is determined to make very few promises before the next election and only to make ones he knows he can keep.''

http://www.news.com.au/national/turnbul ... 6466224900" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rorschach]

LOL, talk about giving the opposition a free kick. Well done Mal. There are good reasons you are not and hopefully will not be the Liberal leader again.

Labor backs criticism of question time
* by: Paul Osborne, AAP Senior Political Writer
* From: AAP
* September 06, 2012 4:43PM

SENIOR Labor figures have joined Liberal frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull in criticising the quality of federal parliament's question time. Well of course they would, the Libs are having them for lunch.

The former Liberal leader on Wednesday told a forum in Perth there was "nothing more certain to arouse your fury and invite your contempt than listening to an entire House of Representatives question time".

For the past two years the questions from the opposition have been almost entirely focused on people smuggling and the carbon tax.

"Are they really the only important issues facing Australia?" Mr Turnbull said.

The comments were seized upon by Labor as a veiled attack on the political tactics of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Leader of the House Anthony Albanese said on Thursday Mr Abbott was "doing his best to abuse the institution of question time", which resumes when federal parliament returns next week. Ah yes Mr Sleazy. he's part of the problem. If labor would actually answer some questions for a change things might improve. Mind you the new biased beyond all belief Speaker will have to go.

Mr Turnbull had asked only one question during question time in 2012, Mr Albanese said.

And more than half of the government's front bench - 12 ministers - had not received a single question from their opposite number this year.

"The idea that the ministers responsible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Gonski review, aged care reform or mental health reform shouldn't be asked a single question by the opposition is ridiculous," Mr Albanese said. Perhaps Sleazy has forgotten there is a Senate also.

Asked about the fact Mr Turnbull had asked only one question, shadow treasurer Joe Hockey said: "It was a good question."

Mr Hockey told reporters in Perth Turnbull was "entitled to his view" and his comments had been misinterpreted.

Mr Turnbull wrote on his website that he had made no criticism of Mr Abbott and had defended the leader.

He said: "(I) defended him as having been a victim of 'gotcha' politics where a remark is taken out of context and represented as saying something not intended." Surely not, Labor and their stooges in the media would never stoop that low. Would they?

Mr Turnbull has suggested question time should take a cue from the British House of Commons, where the prime minister takes questions for half an hour every Wednesday but on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday question time is used to deal with other portfolios.

Liberal senator Mathias Cormann told Sky News Prime Minister Julia Gillard was to blame for the "crisis of trust in Australian politics" because of her broken promise on the carbon tax.

Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten said Mr Turnbull's comments and last week's attack on foreign investment by Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce showed the coalition was racked by ill-discipline and Mr Abbott needed to assert his authority. More negative attacks and personal abuse from the progressives, it's the only way they know to play the game.

"Strong leadership is not just about saying no," Mr Shorten said. True and the Libs have agree to the majority of legislation haven't they Billy Boy.

"Strong leadership is about making sure your team is united behind you. OMG... well we've seen how united the ALP is haven't we. How's Kevin Billy? First you knifed him, then you dumped on him from a great height.

"And I think Mr Turnbull has made it clear that they are not a happy bunch of campers in Liberal land." Well if anyone thinks they will do better behind Turnbull, they'd be a Labor voter. Why don't they just recruit him?

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/na ... z25ffwvF62" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Neferti]

Turnbull should get the "whatever colour card" and be told to cease and desist!

[Aussie]

Turnbull should get the "whatever colour card" and be told to cease and desist!

Why? Is he not allowed to express his opinion, just like that idiot Joyce?

[Jovial Monk]

When the Libs boot Tone it will not be Turnbull that they will elect as LOTO. The Libs, ever since Howard, have been heading rightward and now despise moderate Liberals. The extremes are not where the majority support is that wins elections.

Todays Liberal Party would not accept Robert Menzies as a member. Hell, Malcolm Frazer resigned from the Liberal Party!

Food for thought.

[IQS.RLOW]

When the Libs boot Tone it will not be Turnbull that they will elect as LOTO. The Libs, ever since Howard, have been heading rightward and now despise moderate Liberals. The extremes are not where the majority support is that wins elections.

Todays Liberal Party would not accept Robert Menzies as a member. Hell, Malcolm Frazer resigned from the Liberal Party!

Food for thought.

LOL...holding up Fraser, the worst lib PM ever and he still managed to thrash the great white labor dope Whitless

Tony will be your next PM Monk. I expect you to show some respect

[Jovial Monk]

Tony Abbott will never be PM. I would offer a bet but 20¢ is not worth my time and anything bigger is out of your league