ID :
19486
Mon, 09/15/2008 - 09:20
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/19486
The shortlink copeid
Nelson to survive, for the moment
(AAP) - The leadership of Brendan Nelson appears safe for the moment despite continuing disastrous polls and the fireworks of Peter Costello's memoirs.
Senior Liberal Nick Minchin has predicted there would be no attempt to roll Dr Nelson at Tuesday's party room meeting.
"I'd be very surprised, I'm not expecting a spill," Senator Minchin told Network Ten.
Leadership aspirant Malcolm Turnbull has spent the past week sunning himself in the
Italian summer with wife Lucy.
Now that the idea of Mr Costello taking over as leader has all but gone, Mr Turnbull
is likely to give Dr Nelson one final attempt to rescue his embattled leadership.
Senator Minchin's comments were backed by his colleague Joe Hockey.
"There's no wriggle room, the leadership - firstly is not vacant, Brendan Nelson is
doing an exceptional job in difficult circumstances," Mr Hockey told the Nine
Network.
Mr Hockey said there was an "obsession" around the memoirs.
"Peter Costello is perfectly entitled to document his version of ... the coalition
Howard years," Mr Hockey said.
"There is a long line of Labor politicians who have written books; when a Liberal
politician writes a book it seems to be quite an event."
Mr Hockey argued the public was bored with the ongoing leadership speculation.
"I am bored - as the Australian electorate is - with the speculation on Liberal
Party leadership," he said.
"Quite frankly, I think it is time for people to move away from focusing on the
Liberal leadership and start focusing on the lack of leadership in the Labor Party."
Mr Costello, meanwhile, will continue spruiking his book this week, which goes on
sale on Monday at an asking price of $55.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman and leading Liberal Party strategist Andrew
Robb said the book and Mr Costello's admissions in it meant there would be no
"resurrection".
"There will be no resurrection," Mr Robb told ABC Television.
"We can't be held captive to a messiah complex ... that often has plagued our party.
"We need to get on with it now."
Senior Liberal Nick Minchin has predicted there would be no attempt to roll Dr Nelson at Tuesday's party room meeting.
"I'd be very surprised, I'm not expecting a spill," Senator Minchin told Network Ten.
Leadership aspirant Malcolm Turnbull has spent the past week sunning himself in the
Italian summer with wife Lucy.
Now that the idea of Mr Costello taking over as leader has all but gone, Mr Turnbull
is likely to give Dr Nelson one final attempt to rescue his embattled leadership.
Senator Minchin's comments were backed by his colleague Joe Hockey.
"There's no wriggle room, the leadership - firstly is not vacant, Brendan Nelson is
doing an exceptional job in difficult circumstances," Mr Hockey told the Nine
Network.
Mr Hockey said there was an "obsession" around the memoirs.
"Peter Costello is perfectly entitled to document his version of ... the coalition
Howard years," Mr Hockey said.
"There is a long line of Labor politicians who have written books; when a Liberal
politician writes a book it seems to be quite an event."
Mr Hockey argued the public was bored with the ongoing leadership speculation.
"I am bored - as the Australian electorate is - with the speculation on Liberal
Party leadership," he said.
"Quite frankly, I think it is time for people to move away from focusing on the
Liberal leadership and start focusing on the lack of leadership in the Labor Party."
Mr Costello, meanwhile, will continue spruiking his book this week, which goes on
sale on Monday at an asking price of $55.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman and leading Liberal Party strategist Andrew
Robb said the book and Mr Costello's admissions in it meant there would be no
"resurrection".
"There will be no resurrection," Mr Robb told ABC Television.
"We can't be held captive to a messiah complex ... that often has plagued our party.
"We need to get on with it now."
