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.

The Greens and Independents should block Rudd's "stimulus" package

PM Kevin Rudd and his Treasurer, Wayne Swan, by announcing this week a $42 billion "stimulus" or "nation building and jobs plan"... call it what you will, have, in a couple of fell swoops, wiped out 13 years of economic discipline by the Howard/Costello Liberal coalition government.

Rudd's stimulus package represents a $40 billion turnaround in the federal budget, with a budget deficit of $22.5 billion forecast for this financial year.

Key measures of this package include:

- Free ceiling insulation for around 2.7 million Australian homes
- Build or upgrade a building in every one of Australia’s 9,540 schools
- Build more than 20,000 new social and defence homes
- $950 one off cash payments to eligible families, single workers, students, drought effected farmers and others
- A temporary business investment tax break for small and general businesses buying eligible assets
- Significantly increase funding for local community infrastructure and local road projects

Most of these measures are laughable, piecemeal and poorly targeted.

Make no mistake, if this knee-jerk legislation is passed, Australians will be paying back this debt for the next twenty years - at least. What a great legacy by this Labor government. Still, at least they are true to form.

Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull has it completely correct when he says that tax cuts and targeted infrastructure spending would have been the more prudent solution.

I believe a national infrastructure project such as a very fast train linking Sydney to Canberra and Melbourne is crucial, not to mention about 15 years overdue.

A VFT project will generate jobs, and, once finished, enable commuters to purchase affordable housing and have a better quality of life in towns outside of the Sydney and Melbourne basins. The resulting economic and social benefits to these communities can't be overestimated.

If the answer is giving people a $950 handout, then the question must have been "how can we ensure people - especially those who were too young to remember the hole we caused in the late 80s and early 90s - will vote for us at the next election." I would encourage any young person to look up a bit of political history to see just what a basket case Peter Costello inherited in 1996.

Rewarding political largesse is not something I support. Malcolm Turnbull, to his credit, doesn't either.

The Costello Memoirs: A Reader's Lament

I purchased a copy of 'The Costello Memoirs' last week - a couple of days after the book was launched by Peter Costello and the book's co-author, Peter Coleman.

Almost as soon as the book hit the stores it was discounted dramatically from its RRP of $55.00. In fact, the day I bought mine, I checked out Borders, Big W and Angus & Robertson, and all of those chains had it on discount. Big W, where I got mine, being the cheapest at $32.00.

Peter Costello was the longest serving Australian federal treasurer in this country's history.

He was deputy leader of the Liberal (Conservative) Party from 1996 to 2007 and treasurer for the same period.

Costello was one of only three politicians to serve in the same position for the entire eleven-year reign of the Howard government - the other two being John Howard as Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, and Alexander Downer as Foreign Affairs minister.

Not many politicians write their memoirs whilst still in parliament, even fewer can do so with the experience of eleven years in the same position in the second-most important role in government.

So it was with anticipation that I started reading 'The Costello Memoirs.'

The book is full of interesting anecdotes and enlightening behind-the-scenes machinations, but it is let down by errors of chronology and rushed editing. The book jumps around all over the shop in places, and at times left me wondering if someone had moved my bookmark.

Mike Steketee in his review in 'The Australian', rather kindly referred to the editing as 'inadequate'.

Considering Costello's humour and gift for entertaining speeches, I found the book disappointingly dry, and a bit of a tedious read (not exactly what I would call a 'page-turner'.)

A work such as this by one of the most prominent Conservative politicians of the last 20 years should have been deserving of much tighter - and less rushed - editing. Editing that allowed for the author's wit and engaging personality to shine through, whilst ensuring the integrity of the chronology of events.

I hope these things are addressed in Volume 2!

I give the book 6/10 - for political afficionados and aspiring treasurers only.

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.