Jan 29 2008
Murdoch by-election preview
This post will be progressively updated as events unfold in the lead-up to Western Australia’s Murdoch by-election, to be held to replace recently deceased Liberal member Trevor Sprigg. The date for the by-election was set last week for February 23, which has left the Liberals complaining they have just days to finalise a candidate ahead of Thursday’s close of nominations. Beyond that the by-election is looming as something of a fizzer, with Labor state secretary Bill Johnston telling the media the party is unlikely to field a candidate. Given the government’s political difficulties following the Brian Burke-related resignation of Health Department director-general Neale Fong, this would probably be a sensible decision. Nonetheless, the first opinion poll conducted after Troy Buswell’s messy Liberal leadership takeover last fortnight is all good news for Labor, even if it does come from the erratic Westpoll. Published in yesterday’s West Australian, the monthly survey of 410 voters shows an improbably large 10-point reversal on two-party preferred in favour of Labor, who now lead 58-42 after trailing 52-48 a month ago. No word yet on potential Liberal preselection candidates, at least to my knowledge.
January 30. ABC television reports the Liberals have preselected UWA law lecturer Christian Porter, who had frequently been mentioned as a possible successor to Colin Barnett in Cottesloe (now expected to go to Deirdre Willmott, policy director with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry). Porter is the grandson of Charles Robert Porter, who locked horns with Joh Bjelke-Petersen as a Queensland Liberal MP in the 1970s, and the son of Charles “Chilla” Porter, a former state party director and fundraiser closely associated with Noel Crichton-Browne. He was also a classmate of your correspondent in the UWA political science honours program in 1993.
January 31. The West Australian reports that Porter won preselection “emphatically” over Graham Kierath, the Court government workplace relations minister who lost his seat of Riverton in 2001 and ran unsuccessfully for Alfred Cove in 2005.
February 1. Nominations closed today, confirming that Labor will not field a candidate. The four candidates in ballot paper order:
Christian Porter (Liberal).
Ka-ren Chew (Christian Democratic Party). Chew is a local solicitor who ran as the CDP candidate for Tangney at the November 24 federal election.
Neil Gilmour (One Nation). The party’s state president, Gilmour was candidate for Curtin at the 2001 federal election and the South Metropolitan upper house region at the 2005 election.
Hsien Harper (Greens). Australian Services Union organiser and candidate for Willagee at the 2005 state election.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:19 am
WA Premier Carpenter let loose today with a withering spray at Buswell on the ABC. He mentioned just about every picadillo the Jackass has been known to have commited, and then a few more.
For the first time in a while he came across as a man with fire in his belly.
I think the Libs and the West Australian (same thing really) are going to find it a lot harder going than they imagine in the lead up to the next state election.
A monkey will still win Murdoch in the by election though, mores the pity.
January 30th, 2008 at 1:27 am
Fulvio,
It will be interesting to see the Sue Walker thing develop, she’s still missing in Action and I reckon she will resign from the party immediately and join Liz Constable and Janet Woollard on the cross-benches.
Plus the Libs now havew a new President, Barry Court, Son of Charlie, Brother of Dickie and a former Union Boss (Pastrolist & Graziers Association).
Plus I expect the Govt to go hard on Buswell in Parliament, especially considering that Trow was once a member of the ALP, I hope he didn’t make any speeches which may come back to haunt him ?
January 30th, 2008 at 2:03 am
I think Sue Walker will return to the Liberal fold after her little hissy fit, Frank. She is too ruthless and ambitious to let a little matter of conscience get between her and her percieved devine right to the Attorney Generalship and beyond.
Like a true lawyer she will have weighed up the choice of the unpalatable nothingness of being an independent, and the vast possibilities of being high on a heirarchy headed temporarily by a blathering illdisciplined incompetent.
No, Sue will accept the invitation to return, while keeping the knife sharpener in gainful employment until the time is right.
As far as Barry Court is concerned, the ability of the Liberals to chose their leadership on all manner of considerations other than the obvious, does not suprise me. By right of blood is a favourite qualification for them.
To be fair, going hard on our slightly dipsomanic friend Buswell will not, in all probability, be more difficult a task than catching a sprat by shooting a shotgun into a barrelfull of anchovies.
Actually, metaphorically speaking, comparing the WA Liberals to an insignificant small fish with a distictive odour about it, is probably not far off the mark.
January 30th, 2008 at 2:06 am
“divine”
January 30th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Don’t forget Gallop was a Liberal member.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
The difference between Gallop and Boozy Buzwell is Dr Gallop was twice elected a labor Premier of Western Australia (the first win a miracle) and Boozy hasn’t yet, maybe he will be a Lib premier, maybe he wont.
January 30th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Apparently this seat is due to be abolished at the next election so whoever wins will likely only have a year in parliament.
January 30th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
MGM, the seat has been renamed Bateman for the next election. (See the thread further down the homepage.)
January 30th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
David Walsh: The issue is that the preselections have already been held, and the winning member wasn’t Sprigg. If they don’t preselect the winning candidate for Bateman, someone Jarvis IIRC, the winner of this by-election will have to take the unsafe seat that Sprigg had been preselected for, and probably lose it in a few months.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Jarvis didn’t end up submitting the forms, apparantly he was overseas or something. So we have an NA (porter), an NCB (keriath) and some fool who thinks he can win.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
oh and preselections haven’t been held for bateman yet.
January 30th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
And according to ABC TV News, Christian Porter has been pre-selected.
BTW, Christian is the son of for Liberal Party Director Chilla Porter.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Like I said, incestuous, ain’t it? WA Libs, Tasmanians without the hybrid vigour.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I forgot to add that the ABC has so far chosen to not cover the story involving the latest “Bombshell Email” between McGinty & Fong, instead focussing on the still absent Sue Walker, who is expected to make an appearance this Saturday ata Coffee Morning at the Subiaco Community Centre, where she is expected to reveal her plans for the future.
If Porter does win Murdoch, with his legal background, I reckon they will parachute him in as Shadow Attorney-General.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:50 am
FS #3,
If (as may well happen) a hung Parliament is the result of the 2009 WA Election, then an Indie matters hugely. Even if not, they can still make a significant difference - it simply requires charm, charisma and negotiating skills, rather than relying upon party numbers to back them up. This is why Walker won’t go as an Indie - she knows that she could never win (lacking any hint of any skills other than an ability to suck up to WACCI fat cats and her party’s head honchos), unlike Liz Constable who, in the words of BillBowe, is “in Parliament for as long as she wants”.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:52 am
Porter getting in is very interesting - there is no way he would have had his own numbers in murdoch, which means his win is factional based.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:34 pm
chilla porters son
well well well
SNIP: Potentially defamatory statements removed - PB
Despite the recent northern allaince wins, NCB still has it it seems.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I went to high school with porter (Hale School, Class of 87). He was a reasonable student and a decent debater. After a politics degree at UWA he spent some time working at Parliament House in Canberra (from memory for Daryl Williams but I could be wrong) and some time in London. He studied law more recently as a mature age student.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
In circumstances of a hung Parliament or an Upper House balance of power situation you are of couse absolutely right, Mathew. I don’t necessarily share your view that a hung Parliament is a distinct possibility at the next election but it could happen.
I agree that Ms Constable and Ms Woollard are competent and active members within their constituencies and that both are eminently re-electable as independents. But no Lower House independent in WA, since before the election of the last Court Government in the early 90’s, has been able to direct any Government policy or have any controversial legislation passed, let alone rise above the position of being the local member. At least not to my knowledge.
I suspect the worthy Ms Walker has much higher aspirations than that, and will use all the means available to realise her ambitions. Which means staying with the Libs.
January 31st, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I love it how McGinty has stopped Buswell from putting the media on a drip feed of FOI stuff re Fong by releasing it all publicly
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/31/2151614.htm
February 1st, 2008 at 7:46 am
Porter is aligned with the NA moderate group.
February 1st, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Oh and Buswell has been caught out using recycled emails re Fong that were debated in the house by his former leader
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23142587-2761,00.html
February 1st, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Four Candidates to Contest Murdoch, and not an ALP candidate in sight
[A field of four candidates will contest a by-election for the state seat of Murdoch on the 23rd of February.
The seat was held by the Liberals’ Trevor Sprigg, who died recently from a heart attack.
The Liberal Party’s Christian Porter looks certain to be the new member for Murdoch after Labor decided not to field a candidate.
One Nation, The Greens and the Christian Democratic Party will contest the poll.]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/01/2152600.htm
February 1st, 2008 at 6:43 pm
say 70% TPP Lib v green then
heheheheh
and son of chilla breezes in
February 1st, 2008 at 6:44 pm
oh and Sue Walker is being precious again.
In politics you need the hide of a rhino
Its obvious she is not made for it
February 1st, 2008 at 8:07 pm
According to Ch 7 News, there are concerns that Sue Walker hasn’t paid her Liberal Party membership fees.
Methinks she’ll tell Buswell she’s out of the party.
February 1st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
this article seems to suggest she has been positioning herself for months:
http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20080126/news/001.shtml
February 2nd, 2008 at 1:14 am
And here is the full ist of Candidates:
2008 Murdoch By-Election
PORTER, Christian
Liberal
CHEW, Ka-ren
Christian Democratic Party WA
GILMOUR, Neil
ONE NATION
HARPER, Hsien
Greens (WA)
http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/frames.asp?section=state&content=MurdochByElection.asp
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:02 am
Some interesting items from the Post.
http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20080202/news/001.shtml
http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20080202/news/005.shtml
http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20080202/news/006.shtml
http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20080202/news/013.shtml
The last one is VERY interesting to say the least.
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:04 am
Actually, disregard the first link, it’s not related to the topic at hand (did a direct copy/paste from IRC).
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:10 am
From the last link, re Burke & The West.
[”By campaigning so openly for his rehabilitation, The West sent a message to all MPs that it considered the ban on Burke was unreasonable,” The Australian said.
“The newspaper has done its readers a disservice by, unwittingly or not, becoming a player in the unfolding drama and helping to sow the seeds of WA Inc Mark II.” ]
http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20080202/news/013.shtml
So it looks like The West is trying to relive it’s glory days of the 80’s.
February 2nd, 2008 at 3:54 pm
“Glory days of the 80’s”?? That’d be when it had some real competition and a good editor. In my opinion it has neither now - with possible exception of the Post newspapers in the western suburbs & Freo.
I suspect the Murdoch result will be something like 70:30, as Blacklight @24 suggests. The byelection in Nedlands when R Court resigned (and Sue Walker was elected) was 53.4%-46.6% vs the Greens, but this on the back of an unneccessary election and a very low turnout (less than 70%) as a result. Since then the Greens scored 8.5% in Vic Park and 9% in Peel - not scintillating scores, but the Nedlands result was off only 14% too. The other issue is the timing - very quick. Will this be a factor in the turnout?
With Sprigg dieing people I think voters will come out in a sympathy support so I would expect a higher turnout and a strong Liberal vote. Then again, Harper is a union organiser which may go down well with ALP voters, and Carpenter is upping the ante on Buswell ahead of the byelection.
February 2nd, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I’m surprised Katherine Jackson isn’t running. You’d think a female conservative independent would do pretty well in the current circumstances.
February 2nd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
So Graham “I’ll be the hangman” Kierath isn’t standing for Murdoch.I’m surprised, as he no doubt needs to earn a living somehow. There can’t be many jobs in the private sector for would be executioners….
As for Mayor Mair, she ain’t what she used to be….
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
The West has an interesting commentary on Walker in their online Breaking News section:
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=56936
Walker makes the point that she was disappointed that the Libs didn’t preselect a woman for Murdoch but wouldn’t comment on Porter.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Sorry that’s the WA news section under News Headlines.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Well Frank, it seems you were right and I was wrong on Ms Walker’s decision to stay or go.
Either way though, it’s a huge headache for the Libs.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Ok - those of you who’ve lurked here for awhile will know one of my favorite bug-bears - candidates with no links to their electorates.
Now with the official list of candidates out it appears to me that NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM has an address in the electorate.
From memory Porter lives in Scarborough, someone in Success, someone in Albany of all places and I can’t remember the other one.
On a related note, it seems to me to reflect rather poorly on one’s commitment to representing an electorate and the consituency that dwells therein if you are positioning yourself for one electorate, then jump into another at the first opportunity - particularly when you have no particular connection to either.
That said, I have no reason to believe that Porter will not be as good a local member as most.
Now, on to the Walker fiasco. Seems to me like the Libs made a rod for their own backs there - it seemed from very early on that Sue Walker was always going to do what suited Sue Walker. Putting her into a blue-ribbon seat like that just set her up to do what she’s doing.
Finally, I have said before and will say again, the Libs need to be looking at their blue-ribbon seats and lining up candidates for those spots who will lead the party over the next couple decades. It is ridiculous to be looking for leaders in marginal seats or hoping a decent option just crops up.
February 4th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Nearly all members are overwhelmingly elected on the basis of the party they belong to, and the concept of their representing “their Electorate” in practice is, to my thinking, idealistic, not realistic. Nevertheless there is an obvious hypocrisy in purporting to do so, and to stand on “Local Issues”, when you don’t live in the electorate and are using it only as a vehicle to get into parliament.
I’ve lived in Murdoch for 30 years or more, and haven’t seen any local member outside the occasion of a free piss up.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
With Walker about to walk, a reshiuffle will be delayed until after the By-election and Porter will be parachuted in.
Mind you, this doesn’t make Party Troy look good at all - so much for bringing the party together, along with his ballsup on the FOI stuff.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
OK,I’ll bite again, Frank. Not even Buswell is that stupid!
February 4th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Well relaeasing so-called emails between Fong and McGinty, only to be guzzumped by McGinty releasing ALL the Libs FOI stuff in one foul swoop, and finally discovering that the explosive revelation was actually discussed in Parliament 5 months earlier by Omodei
[After landing a solid blow against the previously untouchable Mr McGinty on Wednesday by producing emails obtained under FOI that showed the minister downplayed links between his health chief and Mr Burke, Mr Buswell yesterday produced another batch of FOI emails.
He said the “new” documents provided strong grounds for believing Mr McGinty had misled parliament and he demanded a parliamentary inquiry.
Hours later, a bemused Mr McGinty revealed that identical emails and allegations were debated in parliament almost five months ago.
He said the emails were provided by his office to former Liberal leader Paul Omodei in August and debated a week later.
Mr Buswell was present during the debate.
Mr McGinty said the incident highlighted the new Opposition Leader’s dishonesty.
“This is Troy Buswell desperately rehashing an issue to try to distance himself from the sleaze and dishonesty that accompanied his ascension to party leader,” Mr McGinty said.
Mr Buswell later conceded the emails were not new but he defended his actions by saying the full extent of Dr Fong’s behaviour had not been exposed in August. ]
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23142587-2761,00.html
and not a word on those emails since.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:12 am
All very interesting. Had occurred to me that the plan was to get Porter in and make him leader before the election, too. He and Hames would make an interesting team, I think.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:18 am
Andrew@43,
You may well be correct, but there may be a problem of Murdoch being abolished in the redistribution (By-Election is being run using the old gerrymandered boundries).
Also, there is still some more Smiths Beach stuff in the CCC to come, and conisdering that Troy was Busselton Shire President at the time, then things may get rather ugly.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:52 am
And the Liberal Blame Game commences.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/04/2154301.htm
February 5th, 2008 at 10:33 am
All of which leads me to think that maybe there will be an early election. I know of one instance that activities involving a minister have been moved up to May rather than October, so there may be other signs shortly of Carpenter looking to go in August/September rather than in early 09.
Re Sue Walker, there is a report than she will most likely go by Friday, but interestingly that Porter will be parachuted straight into shadow Attorney General.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23156539-2761,00.html
And to VPL @38 - Harper lives in Coolbellup. Actually I would hope that when a party selects someone to represent them they pick the best person not just someone whose sole qualification is living in a geographical area. If the best person who will be able to provide represntation on a party’s interest lives in an adjacent electorate that would make them a good choice. That said, some connection or ability to connect the electorate would be good - Harper has lived in and around Murdoch I believe over the past 10 years. We also need to consider the circumstances of the byelection and time constraints - a very limited time for parties (or independents) to talk to memebrs/friends etc and nominate for this byelection, and then there will be a general election on new boundaries within a year.
February 5th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Stewart
Apparently I stand corrected - I did say I couldn’t recall the other one!
I also sympathise with your ‘best person’ line, but with the average enrollments of metro electorates being around 25,000 (from memory) I find it hard to believe that a decent candidate can’t be found from those thousands.
Frank
You’ve managed to hit on another of my bug-bears. The present boundaries are NOT gerrymandered. They may, however, be malapportioned. The difference is neither subtle nor complex. A gerrymander occurs when a district is created so as to produce a particular outcome - usually with borders being drawn along peculiar and unnatural lines. Malapportionment, on the other hand, happens when the electorates are not equal (or nearly so) in population of electors such that one elector’s ‘voting power’ is not comparable to another’s.
Andrew
I would have to seriously consider euthanasia for the State Libs if they put Porter straight into the leadership. Again, no reflection on him but its a far cry from Hawkie. I would have thought that even going straight into AG was a big ask.
February 5th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Oh, it looks like the Tiara’s are out
[PARLIAMENT is no place for a “princess”, the West Australian Opposition women’s affairs spokeswoman said, amid continued infighting in the Liberal Party.
Helen Morton was speaking after her disaffected senior Liberal colleague, Sue Walker, quit the opposition frontbench, saying she did not trust party leader Troy Buswell.
Ms Walker yesterday also attacked other Liberal members, claiming the party was a boys’ club and that she had been continually undermined and refused resources while in the shadow attorney-general’s portfolio.
While he was decent and competent, Ms Walker said of new leader Mr Buswell: “I haven’t, with Troy, over the time he’s been in parliament, developed a lot of trust in him as a person.”
Ms Morton today hit back at her Liberal colleague, saying she did not think the party was a boys’ club.
“The parliament’s no place for a princess,” Ms Morton said.
“People have to have strength of character and be incredibly willing to withstand the competition and challenges that come to them.
“If people are too precious to deal with those issues then the parliament is not the way for them to try and meet their objectives.” ]
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23164039-2761,00.html
February 5th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Frank
What are the challenges in the WA libs for a woman,
Getting your bra undone by a drunken colleague, lewd comments, boys club?
Interesting Sue Walker also made the comment in an earlier article about Bishop
“She said her isolation from the party was linked to its failure to parachute Federal deputy leader Julie Bishop into State politics and that both of its factions wanted Nedlands. ”
Bishop doesn’t want to be in Fed politics and the state libs don’t want her in state politics?
February 6th, 2008 at 2:29 am
walker comes across as completely paranoid. i wouldn’t be surprised if all her complaints about the party hierarchy are a complete myth. her strategy is to paint herself as the victim for the ensuing by-election fight which she runs as an independent. am i the only peron who finds her disappearing act weird? her comments about buswell weird? etc etc.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
And as expected, Sue has left the rotting Carcass known as the WA Liberal party.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/08/2157750.htm
February 8th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
And more rats deserting.
[The Opposition spokeswoman for the Arts and Children, Barbara Scott, has announced her retirement from politics at the next State election.
Mrs Scott says she will not proceed with the preselection process, even though she had nominated some time ago.]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/08/2157993.htm
February 8th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
IMHO…
Barbara Scott’s resignation is a shame and a loss.
Sue Walker’s is not.
The Parliamentary Liberal Party will have precious few women left the way they are going.
February 8th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Oh come now VPL. With fixed terms in the Upper House, Barbara Scott will be nearly 70 by the time she actually retires in May 2009. A sensible decision for the good of the party I would have thought.
February 8th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Hmmm, could make Nedlands interesting again! Maybe Walker’s remembering the byelection when the Greens and Libs 4 Forests (Collin, as an independent, as they weren’t registered) polled over 25% between them. Or perhaps just hoping for a Liz Constable effect? I suspect Nedlands voters will just see her as another unhappy Lib and leave her alone.
February 9th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Morley - you are right of course, but 70 ain’t what it used to be. Just look at John McCain!
Nonetheless, I still stand by my comment - Barbara Scott will be a loss. She was a strong, if not outstanding, performer. OTOH I have no doubt many are positively relieved to see the back of Sue Walker.
February 9th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Hmm, Troyboy has been wooing some Perthnalities to run.
[HIGH-PROFILE lawyer Patti Chong, above, and cricketer Justin Langer have had talks with the WA Liberals about contesting the next state election.
Liberal leader Troy Buswell was spotted having coffee with Ms Chong in the city this week.
Party insiders confirmed he was discussing the possibility of her running as a candidate.
“Let’s just say that we’ve had coffee,” Ms Chong said yesterday. “But at this very moment I’m a free bird.]
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23186137-2761,00.html
February 9th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Oh geez - maybe they’ll get lucky and convince Nicole Cornes to come over to the WA Libs. Now there’s a celebrity candidate!
I can’t help but despair when I see news like this.
February 9th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
And considering some of Patti’s previous escapades for charity etc, it does seem the Libs are dearth of Talent.
I’m surprised that Andre guy from series 2 of My Restuarant Rules, who was an Electorate officer for I think David Johnson, and his wife works for Julie Bishop, hasn’t been recruited.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Fulvio - who is your father? I hope you are all happy for us to judge you by his past.
VPL - check you facts before spouting incorrect facts about where people live.
Personally, I am interested in well qualified, articulate (and that includes spelling) honest and hard working people ruling this state. I’d be happy NOT to see them at a free pissup.
If you are all so well qualified to crucify these people, why aren’t YOU standing for these positions?
February 10th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
They need Chong badly. Looking at the results of the last election I see the Libs had 8 women, only two in the lower house. Since then one has stood down, one has quit the party and two have said they’re not running again. Given that one of those not running, and the one quitting the party have alluded to a sexist culture I’d say they are in a lot of danger of people connecting the dots. They’ll need a lot of women candidates, at least one of whom has to be high profile, if they are to shake the tag of a bunch of fratboys.
February 10th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Correction, they started with 7 women - even worse. Down to 3 who will be recontesting on their behalf.
February 11th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
And yet another Own Goal from the Libs re Burke & Grills.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=145&ContentID=58085
And who met with NCB in a car in the Parlaiment House Carpark to discuss evidence to be given before the CCC ?
February 12th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Marcia
1) if you check my previous posts I did note that one candidate’s address I couldn’t remember.
2) You haven’t bothered to mention precisely what qualifications you might consider a ‘well-qualified’ candidate might have. Care to elaborate?
3) I’m surprised that you would consider a spelling test an important qualification but everyone gets the right to use their own criteria for preferring a candidate.
4) I assume that you’ll be attending the free pissups to ensure that you don’t see them there?
5) Are you suggesting that people should not be free to criticise their elected representatives? Or those to aspire to be so? Is it your view that the populace should be silent on the matter unless they also happen to be candidates in their own right. If so, why would you come to a website like this to air your mindless vitriol?
6) Candidates have been known to post here - how would you know (unless they announced themselves) if any of the posters are not standing for public office?
February 12th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Oh Marcia - I should add that elected representative do not RULE - they (attempt to) govern.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Marcia, I don’t understand where you are coming from. I assume you have been upset by my reference to the familial progression which seems to take place within the Liberal Party. To be fair it also takes place to a lesser extent within Labor ranks.
It is the apparent expectation of such nepotic advancement that annoys me, not antipathy to any particular aspirant. Mr. Porter is not known to me either personally or by reputation so I am hardly in a position to make personal criticism of him.
I too prefer not to have my point of contact with my local member at a free piss up, but regretably I can only speak from experience.
Finally, I can say that my father’s successes in life, large or small as they may be, have had precious little to do with opening up my life pathways, except for the advantages of support and encouragement, but I can’t complain about the benefits of a reasonable education provided at his expense. Mr, Porter may well be able to say the same thing, and if so he will have my respect.
February 14th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Since the 2 threads on the redistribution are closed, here are the final versions of the maps of the revised redistribution boundries.
http://www.boundarieswa.com/2007/Final-Boundaries/Quick-Links-2007/
February 20th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I am the Uncle of Christian, Chillas’ younger brother. Our Father, Charles Porter, was the Secretary/Director of the Qld Peoples Party when Robert Menzies aproached then leader Bruce Pie to join his new Liberal Party. The three worked together to achieve this result. Charles was then The Director for many of the Qld Liberal Party years before entering Parliament. After initially clashing with the then Country Partry, thus Joh. later he became an admirer of Joh, for many reasons, and was a Cabinet Minister before retiring at about age 70. He was regarded as an honest and upstanding M.L.A. and a brilliant speech maker.
From the very earliest age Christian has desired to be part of the political scene, The fact that he is Chillas son had but a small part in the current situation.
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
What a strange little cabal I have discovered, meeting in a metaphorical phonebox on the aether!
Cast your attentions to John Langoulant’s plans to become the future Premier of this State, having done his bit with CCI, Treasury, even selection of the next grand sporting stadium - and now, a sojourn with Kerry Stokes.
Check his career out here (public sources only) -
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22918801-951,00.html
http://www.nqc.tvetaustralia.com.au/board_room/john_langoulant
From PerthNow, 13Dec2007 (what an impeccable source):
“Mr Langoulant said he was leaving the CCI after three-and-a-half years to further participate in investments Australia-wide and internationally.
“The opportunity to move to a very large corporate entity which has very diverse investment activities, which has strong visions and principles and values, which align with my values and principles,” Mr Langoulant told reporters in Perth today.
Mr Langoulant, who spent nine years as WA’s under treasurer, said there was a “strong chance” his successor would come from within the CCI.
He would not comment on potential future business moves by Australian Capital Equity.
There has been previous speculation Mr Langoulant may enter state politics as the Liberal leader, but he today again said he was not interested in such a move.
WA Opposition Leader Paul Omodei said Mr Langoulant would be a welcome addition to the Liberal Party if he was to consider a career in politics in the future.
“Where there’s life there’s hope, you never know he may see the light yet,” Mr Omodei said.
“He would be an excellent addition to the Liberal Party team and there’s been some speculation about that but you never know, time will tell.”
In the light of recent developments, that article needs a severe re-evaluation.
February 23rd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Well polling is over half way through.
Voter turnout has looked a tad low at the booths I visited, a view shared by the WAEC staff I’ve had the chance to speak with, likely in part due to the short period of time between the untimely passing of Trevor Sprigg and today.
February 23rd, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Just to add, the Liberals have had a strong showing today. The number of Lib volunteers handing out HTV’s has been large and looking well organised at all booths.
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:24 pm
William said he’d be half-hearted in his live blogging of this by-election, but I’d say this is zero hearted. Can’t blame him though. Not only is it a walkover (as expected) but after no results went up for ages they gave us 3500 without breaking them down by booth, and now we’ve half an hour with no update. Even an election junkie like me doesn’t consider this a fix.
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Looks like I’ll have to do this one myself. They’ve added another 6000 votes. Libs down to 63%, 10% to the two far right parties and 26 to the Greens. Its a bit like calling the last quarter of a football match where one side is more than double the other’s score.
Trying to find something interesting to look at - what would be a good result for the losing parties: Maybe if the Greens can get above 25% primaries (likely) and 33% two party preferred (unlikely)?
For the CDP and One Nation I guess the aim is to stay above 10% between them.
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:39 pm
My “coverage” has finally begun, so this thread is closed.