Costello leads Turnbull

According to a Newspoll survey conducted for The Australian, Peter Costello is the preferred Liberal Party leader, over incumbent Malcolm Turnbull.

I won't post quotes from the statistically overladen article, as you would all fall asleep. But, for those of you who enjoy percentages, here is the link.

Costello has always been my choice for Leader of the Liberal Party. He was my choice about four years ago, but I digress.

Malcolm Turnbull is immensely capable, but I think the thing he lacks most is experience. This is beginning to show in that by now he should have put on the table what he and the Liberals would do to steer Australia out of this economic crisis.

After 11 years as Treasurer and four (I think) as shadow treasurer, Peter Costello has the runs on the board.

I have no inside information, but I think there will be a change in Liberal Party leadership before the end of the year, with phone calls beginning in earnest around the time of the May Budget...although, with the result of this poll today, I wouldn't be surprised if they have started already.

When attack is really praise

There is much frothing at the mouth amongst the ALP and a few media hacks at the moment.

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull wrote a very intelligent article in the Weekend Australian, in which he, inter alia, congratulated Kevin Rudd and his wife, Therese Rein, on their success.

In the article, Turnbull, quite reasonably, criticised Kevin Rudd on his hypocrisy in mocking Turnbull for being wealthy, and to attack the "neo-liberalism" by which Rudd's own family has obviously benefited.

Malcolm Turnbull did not attack Therese Rein, as has been breathlessly, and oh so predictably reported.

This is what Turnbull said:

I congratulate the Rudds, especially Therese Rein, on their success.

Some 'attack'.

The ALP, Kevin Rudd, Craig Emerson, Glenn Milne and any other moron who thinks a congratulatory remark by the leader of the opposition to the wife of the prime minister constitutes an 'attack' on her, should get over themselves. I'm sick of them.

Labor attacks Turnbull for being successful

Since Malcolm Turnbull's elevation to the Federal Liberal leadership, the predictable character assassinations have begun.

I don't think there is any currency (no pun intended) in the bovver children of the ALP attacking Turnbull for being a very successful, self-made man.

Yes, Turnbull is very wealthy. Money, incidentally, he has made himself - not born into.

But Kevin Rudd is not exactly down to his last twenty bucks either; but you don't hear the coalition criticise Rudd for having more money than the "workers" he and the ALP represent will probably ever have.

Thus, it is disingenuous of the Labor party to attack Turnbull as being unrepresentative of the Australian people because he happens to have made something of himself. It also smacks of double standards.

Both parties should leave the character point-scoring and focus on policy.

Turnbull the new leader of the Liberal Party

Malcolm Turnbull has won the federal Liberal Party leadership from Brendan Nelson by 45 votes to 41. Julie Bishop remains the deputy leader.

I thought Nelson had the numbers. I certainly thought he should have been given a bit longer to prove himself.

If you had asked me three months ago who should be leader of the Libs I probably would have said Turnbull, but, ironically, I have changed my mind.

Regrettably, the person who is, head and shoulders above all others, the best to lead the party, decided not to stand: Peter Costello.