The Abbott gov's bully boy tactics (I think that was smokin sloppy Joe's new grand plan to get the budget through) in the senate failed dramatically yesterday when the Clive Palmer brigade torpedoed the whole carbon tax repeal bill and voted against the repeal. Well for the moment.
The gov was surprised to say the least. The reason for their surprise though I'd say is because of their own arrogance. Clive agreed to vote with the gov on the repeal of the carbon tax only on the proviso that certain guarantees be put in place in regards to companies returning savings to consumers. That legislation wasn't in the repeal bill. Clive felt double crossed and gave them the finger (metaphorically) and his party and brigade voted against the tax's repeal. This after Abbott and other Lieberals had gone on the telly nationwide pr-emptively announcing this to be the great grand day when the Lieberals actually fulfilled a core election promise; to "axe the tax". Here's The Spectator which had jumped the gun, some people receiving copies with this cover:
The Lieberals are now left with about a cartoon full of facial eggs. They completely over-estimated their sway over the senate, tried to stifle debate, and pull a fast one on Palmer. Well it's all fallen in a heap hasn't it. What a fuckin clown show. These fuckwits couldn't negotiate shit, which has been my assertion all along as soon as I heard about the new senate. Abbott thinks he's on a mission from some catholic interpretation of "god". He has about the same ability to negotiate as a zealot has to try and convert people. His religion is part of his politics.
It comes then as not the slightest surprise then that the gov's arrogant senate rhetoric and style has failed spectacularly. Can Abbott change? I doubt it. Perhaps Palmer is simply dealing with Abbott on his own turf?
The problem was that no business group or opposition party had analysed it and no one could explain what it meant. Different government ministers had quite different interpretations. It might only slightly expand the scope of the consumer watchdog’s price exploitation powers or it might expand them a great deal. And it certainly increases paperwork and regulation. Lucky we’ve already had red tape repeal day.
It’s a hell of a way to make public policy, and Palmer may have more surprises waiting – including an amendment to another carbon bill to reintroduce a “dormant” emissions trading scheme. The Business Council is clearly warning the government not to do a backroom deal on that.
It all means Abbott and his team may have to rethink their rhetoric and their strategy because they are going to have to do a lot more deals with some very “wayward” independents. more
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