Leon’s excellent analysis of Gillard’s folly and fall from grace with the voting public made my morning. He has succinctly described why Labor support has plummeted in the polls. How ever I heard a little report on the ABC this morning which may well get those of us who see the bigger picture thinking that Tony Windsor is about to throw Julia Gillard a lifeline:
Independent MP Tony Windsor says an advertising campaign would be the wrong move (Getty Images: Cole Bennetts, file photo)
Independent MP Tony Windsor has labelled the Federal Government’s carbon tax strategy a mistake and warned that a taxpayer-funded advertising campaign will only make things worse.
In a blunt warning to the Government, Mr Windsor accuses it of making strategic mistakes in the timing of the tax announcement, “putting the cart before the horse” because of “pressure from the Greens”, and says a key reason Australians appear to have baulked at the plan is because it is too vague.
And he warns the Government not to take his support for the tax for granted, saying there is not enough information for him to make an informed decision.
His comments came after Tuesday’s Newspoll showed Labor’s support hitting an all-time low, Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s popularity taking a thumping, and a clear majority against putting a price on carbon.
The ABC has been told there is a $30 million pool of funds for advertising that was never spent because of the demise of Kevin Rudd’s carbon pollution reduction scheme, and Ms Gillard has not ruled out an ad campaign to try to sell the carbon tax.
Mr Windsor says an advertising campaign in support of a carbon price which has not even been set yet would be the wrong move.
“I think it would make it worse,” Mr Windsor told ABC’s Lateline.
In essence this move by Windsor means that Julia can have a means of stepping back from the folly of this carbon tax designed by the loopy Greens that is causing her all of the pain in polls, without having to openly oppose it. All she will have to do is say I can’t possibly get it through the reps without Tony Windsor so I can let it die or at least postpone it until after the next election. She can use the fact that that she is in a minority government to placate the Greens who will be rather cross that a different tail is wagging what they consider to be their dog.
It is a very sweet scenario that may just allow her to walk away from the train wreck that she has made here but the big question remains will she improve the standing of her government or will the long knives still be rubbing on the sharpening stones in the Caucus back-rooms?
Cheers Comrades
I almost feel sorry for Julia… almost.
Windsor has lost his seat next election anyway. Too little, too late for that Labor rat.
Maybe he can lease his coal mine again.