They have only themselves to blame
Despite the predictions from caucus and the threats from the ALP membership, Iemma and Costa, defying all logic (except for Costa's special to hell with anyone who disagrees with me logic) pushed the electricity privatisation and lost.
Big time
What surprises me is that they didn't see it coming.
First of all selling public assets is a very Liberal party idea. It goes against the grain of the ALP. It's almost a betrayal of the ALP's founding principles. It was always going to be a very tricky proposal to get the party to agree to in the first place, let alone get ALP MPs to vote for it. It would require careful negotiation, compromises, a great deal of tact.
And who lead these delicate talks with the party? Costa, who wouldn't know tact if he picked it and caved someone's head in with it. Some advice Michael, yelling and screaming at people who are vital to voting for your proposal and calling anyone who disagree a moron doesn't win friends. In fact it's just going to piss a lot of people off who are not going going to oppose it but seek your downfall.
Second, unions are going to oppose it. That's a given. After all, when any company changes hands there's uncertainty. Even more so when you change from public to private. Jobs often get axed. Positions and descriptions change dramatically. The unions have every right to be concern and it is the union's job to fight for its members. Given the long standing relationship between and the ALP and the unions, not to mention the impressive war chest the union's accumulated to fight Howard's work choices, it was always going to need kid gloves dealing with the unions.
Again, Mr Costa took point. The resulting fight was like any public fight between an old married couple, brutal, vicious and personal.
Now given that Costa was unwilling to compromise his proposal and his charming and personal way with people meant that the government was never going to be able to pass it without major help from the opposition.
An ALP premier and treasurer take a Liberal party stance on selling assets, go to war with large sections of their own party, defy public opinion and are forced to side with the Liberals. Did no one learn anything from Meg Lees' decision to vote for the GST and the subsequent destruction of the democrats?
Actually I'm surprised they thought the Liberal's would support them. Think about it, they've languished in opposition for over a decade. Given the state of the State at the last election should of been voted in, but still lost and most people don't even know the opposition leaders name. Suddenly they're looking across at a government that's self imploding and calling out for them to save them.
Yeah right.
The opposition did exactly what anyone would do it it's position. Give them a few hoops to jump through before still denying them the help they so desperately wanted. Mature? Not really, but very human.
And Iemma fell for it!
Not only did he jump their hoops, when he had cleared the last one he recalled Parliament at tremendous cost making their final denial not only soul crushing but humiliating to boot.
Now, not only did their bill fail, Costa and Iemma are now both looking for work. Given their performance over the last year I would expect too many private companies to hire them, nor will the unions take them back. Maybe the circus is looking for a few new clowns?
Big time
What surprises me is that they didn't see it coming.
First of all selling public assets is a very Liberal party idea. It goes against the grain of the ALP. It's almost a betrayal of the ALP's founding principles. It was always going to be a very tricky proposal to get the party to agree to in the first place, let alone get ALP MPs to vote for it. It would require careful negotiation, compromises, a great deal of tact.
And who lead these delicate talks with the party? Costa, who wouldn't know tact if he picked it and caved someone's head in with it. Some advice Michael, yelling and screaming at people who are vital to voting for your proposal and calling anyone who disagree a moron doesn't win friends. In fact it's just going to piss a lot of people off who are not going going to oppose it but seek your downfall.
Second, unions are going to oppose it. That's a given. After all, when any company changes hands there's uncertainty. Even more so when you change from public to private. Jobs often get axed. Positions and descriptions change dramatically. The unions have every right to be concern and it is the union's job to fight for its members. Given the long standing relationship between and the ALP and the unions, not to mention the impressive war chest the union's accumulated to fight Howard's work choices, it was always going to need kid gloves dealing with the unions.
Again, Mr Costa took point. The resulting fight was like any public fight between an old married couple, brutal, vicious and personal.
Now given that Costa was unwilling to compromise his proposal and his charming and personal way with people meant that the government was never going to be able to pass it without major help from the opposition.
An ALP premier and treasurer take a Liberal party stance on selling assets, go to war with large sections of their own party, defy public opinion and are forced to side with the Liberals. Did no one learn anything from Meg Lees' decision to vote for the GST and the subsequent destruction of the democrats?
Actually I'm surprised they thought the Liberal's would support them. Think about it, they've languished in opposition for over a decade. Given the state of the State at the last election should of been voted in, but still lost and most people don't even know the opposition leaders name. Suddenly they're looking across at a government that's self imploding and calling out for them to save them.
Yeah right.
The opposition did exactly what anyone would do it it's position. Give them a few hoops to jump through before still denying them the help they so desperately wanted. Mature? Not really, but very human.
And Iemma fell for it!
Not only did he jump their hoops, when he had cleared the last one he recalled Parliament at tremendous cost making their final denial not only soul crushing but humiliating to boot.
Now, not only did their bill fail, Costa and Iemma are now both looking for work. Given their performance over the last year I would expect too many private companies to hire them, nor will the unions take them back. Maybe the circus is looking for a few new clowns?
posted by Renegade79 at 8:44 am
1 Comments:
It is really sad. In theory I support privitising the power generators, it means that the government won't be so worried about the bottom line (remember: state govt) and it should be politically easier to place a carbon tax system to encourage next-generation technology.
If only half-competent people had decided to do this.
The really funny thing is the NSW Liberal party will not be able to capitalise on this at the next election for 2 reasons:
1. It is a long time until the next election.
2. NSW Liberals are incompetent (see the last, practically un-loseable election).
3. NSW Liberals are incompetent.
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