If the whole point of “The Utility-Related Influence-Peddling Scandal” (as I believe it has come to be popularly known) was one of the other Liberals taking Malcolm Turnbull down, if he was set up by his own colleagues (many of whom have no love for him and would not be sorry to see him gone) – then what is the endgame they’ve got in mind? Who is planning to replace him? Who thinks they’re going to surge in once all their rivals are finished? They’ve waited out Brendan Nelson… they’ve waited until Costello’s skulked off into the sunset… and now they’ve judged that the time is right to subtly knife their leader through the back of his luxurious robes.
Joe? Tony? Julie?
Who’s behind the ute “et tu?”
13 responses so far ↓
Pevva // 24 June, 2009 at 10:37 am
Almost a palindrome!
But yes, very shortsighted if this is a Lib plot. Why commit bastardry for the chance to lead the Libs to defeat at the next election?
Jeremy // 24 June, 2009 at 10:39 am
Maybe they’re playing a long game, and are willing to cop an election defeat to get into the public consciousness, before aiming for a victory in 2013.
Or maybe it was revenge from one of the fallen.
Chasy // 24 June, 2009 at 11:00 am
My money’s on Sloppy Joe. He was a little too excited about Utegate during Question Time on Monday. Either he was going to blow a load or have an apoplexy, I’m not sure which.
karl // 24 June, 2009 at 11:30 am
The whole thing doesn’t feel pre-planned to me, from the Liberals end anyway. The media were the ones who built it up, turning a small affair into a high stakes political death grip. And the media don’t do these things randomly (*puts on tinfoil hat*). Maybe the ruling class believe Turnbull cant win the election, and its time to get rid of him. Although his approval ratings have remained steady…
cemil // 24 June, 2009 at 11:45 am
I don’t think that there was any planning behind this….it’s too amateurish and fluid. Only the evil joooooos could pull off something like this and get away with it unscathed.
Ummm..that was a sarc/ by the way.
Chasy // 24 June, 2009 at 11:46 am
Freemasons, Cemil. It was the Freemasons.
Uh oh. If you don’t hear from me after this, you know who did it!
Jeremy // 24 June, 2009 at 11:54 am
Why leave to random dumb chance what can be explained by a conspiracy?
Still – someone set this up deliberately. Someone created the email.
Either the Liberals are all stupid and were played for total boobs by someone externally, or one of them had the brains to figure out that it would be exposed and let it be run anyway. Someone who wanted Malcolm to fall.
anthony // 24 June, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Always go for cockup over conspiracy.
If it was Sweaty Joe, I doubt last night’s Lateline would have been the horrific car crash that it was.
Jeremy // 24 June, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Oh, alright. I just wanted to use the post heading.
Parliamentary time used for something important « An Onymous Lefty // 24 June, 2009 at 2:47 pm
[...] by the national parliament of Howard-era bastardry, and – in this week of distractions like TURIPS, it’s good to see our representatives actually doing something worthwhile with their [...]
stewie // 24 June, 2009 at 7:47 pm
OK if we assume it was not just a monumental f*ck up on mals behalf (though this may be the most probable) the idea of Paul Lindwall havinga hand in things is the best conspiracy theory going, why is another matter….
Jason // 24 June, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Problem is, what happens once you depose Malcom? He isn’t like John Howard, who, like Lazarus with a triple bypass, can come achieve the leadership over and over again. He’s a moderate in a hard-right party, and once he’s deposed, he knows he’s almost certainly never getting back. How’s this for an idea: as soon as he’s deposed, Labor offers him deputy PM in exchange for switching sides (and of course voting with Labor on policy matters.) Would he actually take it? You bet.
Sure, we’d have to put up with the insufferable man, but it would mean instant end of senate deadlock, and that’s a trade I’m willing to take. Julia Gillard and supporters would be pissed off, but you can’t make an omelette without etc.
Lynda Hopgood // 25 June, 2009 at 10:44 am
No offence, Jason, but that is far and away the dumbest thing I’ve read in weeks.
And that’s saying something.
I only hope you had your tongue firmly in your cheek…