Oz wakes up to John Howard - National Social/Political

There isn’t much more to add except an African Parrot that demonstrated the intelligence of a 5-year-old human child, died in his cage today after hearing the Australian strategy to save conservatives from annihilation at the upcoming Federal Election. Alex, the African Grey parrot had consistently demonstrated a higher degree of intelligence than conservative advisers to the Howard government; his demise today has left a strategically bereft Oz conservative party in mourning and confusion – as is plain to see!

Liberal double trouble
by staff report via reed - Mercury (Tasmania) Thursday, Sep 13 2007, 11:03am

AFTER a week of panic, the Liberal Party has emerged with a bizarre hybrid offer for Australian voters at the fast-approaching election.

It has all the makings of a double disillusion: a leader who many of his own colleagues believe should retire, followed by a replacement who has not been given a chance to set out his agenda.

Unable to bring themselves to depose one of their most successful prime ministers, the Liberals have stumbled into a horrible compromise. It is not the best way to face a Labor Party united behind a youthful leader and heading for a landslide win, according to opinion polls.

Those polls have spooked the Liberals into this mess. The past week has been a disaster for Prime Minister John Howard, who has contemplated retirement, asked senior colleagues if he should quit to give his party a fighting chance, then ignored their advice and decided to stay.

It enables Labor to portray him as a man clinging to power, putting self-interest before all else. He has been forced to outline a plan of succession to Treasurer Peter Costello but it has been done grudgingly and without grace.

At least now the plan is clear and voters know they can expect a transition if the Liberals are re-elected. Mr Howard says he would not serve a full term and would retire "reluctantly".

It is better than a Hawke-Keating style secret deal and bitter leadership challenge but can the arrangement hold beyond the next few opinion polls?

The past few days have damaged and diminished Mr Howard's once mighty standing and he is in danger of limping through the last phase of his career in much the same way as his friends Tony Blair and George W. Bush. It strengthens the impression that he should have retired a year ago and given Mr Costello the chance to refresh the Government.

Somehow this odd couple now has to clear up the confusion and offer policies to inspire the electorate and counter the image of a tired, bewildered regime that cannot make up its mind who its leader should be.

Liberals continue to be mystified by the polls. The Federal Government has been so successful, the economy is so strong, Mr Howard is a towering figure of Australian politics and should be remembered as one of the great prime ministers.

They cannot comprehend why people seem to want change but politics is unsentimental and voters always look to the future. There are no rewards for past achievements. History is full of examples: Britons turfed out national hero Winston Churchill before World War II was over, Margaret Thatcher got no thanks for hanging on too long.

Mr Costello is in a near impossible position. He must find a way of being a team player while also stepping out from the shadow of Mr Howard, because a vote for the Liberals is a vote for him as prime minister . . . but not yet.

Australians will want to know what they are voting for, what his vision is and how it differs from the man he is to replace sometime in the next term.

By wavering under pressure and doubting their leader but failing to elect a successor, the Liberals have achieved the worst of both worlds.

© 2007 Davies Brothers Pty Limited

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