THE game has just changed for Bill Shorten. The Opposition Leader must now show what he really stands for. 
 
Until now, Shorten has played a simple spoiler’s game and it’s worked. Check the polls: Labor has been ahead for months.

But there’s now two big problems: the election isn’t for another two years, and what’s worked so far won’t work so well any more.

Shorten’s spoiler’s game has been to say no.

For almost a year, he joined with the Greens and then Clive Palmer’s senators to stop the Abbott Government from getting its pet schemes through the Senate.

In fact, Shorten has been so manic about saying no, to make the Government seem dysfunctional, that Labor has blocked even what it once promised to pass, including $5 billion of its own spending cuts and the “termination” of the carbon tax.

Shorten’s problem is that what he’s opposed to has often been what he should have supported, like Budget cuts to rescue the finances Labor destroyed. Or like ending the carbon tax that’s killing jobs. Or like scrapping the mining tax that somehow managed to scare off investors without raising money.

And now the trap is sprung.

Shorten’s strategy could have kept working if Palmer had been the wrecker his big mouth suggested and stuck with Labor and the Greens in blocking Abbott.

Instead, Palmer eventually approved Abbott’s financial advice reforms after saying he wouldn’t. He agreed last week to scrap the schoolkids bonus after saying he wouldn’t. He’s now let through $10 billion in savings and helped to scrap the mining tax and carbon tax.

That’s dumped Shorten in a hole. He fought to keep those taxes, and fought those spending cuts, too.

What now? Does he promise to bring them all back? How, when the money’s just not there? In fact, he’ll be desperate to persuade voters he won’t actually bring back the hated carbon tax.

So the “no” game is no longer enough. Sure, there are still things Shorten should oppose, like Abbott’s paid parental leave scheme.

But Abbott has now demonstrated he can cut deals with Palmer to get things through this Senate, which leaves Labor looking not just impotent but bogged in fights of the past.

The pressure is now on. We’ve heard plenty about what Labor opposes. Now we need to hear what it proposes.

So what has Shorten got?

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/the-game-is-over-for-bill-shorten/...

Poll added.

only an idiot like Bolt would declare the game over for Shorten 

The only time I agreed with Bolt was in Howard's last term when he became disillusioned with the government and started telling the truth for once.

Right now he's on par with Alan Jones and Akerman. All bluster and negative hype about the opposition to distract from the dislike most people have for Abbott.

When Abbott pushes the people and the economy too far into hopelessness, Bolt might start showing some honesty again.

from the original posting

Quote:


yep, thats the alp all over.
More taxes, more spending .................

-19 approval for Tony.  Has he EVER been in the positive????

Newspoll shows 56% dissatisfaction with Abbott. Critical figure here—only 11% are uncommitted, nothing there for monkey to look to for improvement.

A harsh and unfair Budget, a job destroying, recession bringing Budget deserves to be opposed. Most of us here will be hurt by this Budget and stuff like killing the NBN just because it was a Labor project is beneath contempt. The NBN would have underpinned our future prosperity, now we have nothing if iron ore and coal prices keep dropping.

Yes, Labor opposed a small amount of its own savings because the shambles were not going to use the savings on useful projects.

Re Shorten, he has done the right thing, given the electorate a break from monkey’s vociferous bullshit. Now is the time he needs to change to shaowing conviction, anger, even passion about a fair go for all Australians.

I cannot see the Libs winning in 2016 in the absence of a major war and the West has lost its appetite for that.

Congrats on a REAL poll, Armpit!

Shorten HAS declared he would bring in an ETS and the Labor vote went UP in the latest Newspoll!

Try thinking for a change, Armpit!

Gillard’s Carbon Price lost its sting once it came into effect 1/7/12. Carbon pricing is not a vote winner for the LNP!

Now the shambles is divided on keeping the RET. Nothing there to point to am LNP election win in 2016! If monkey rescinds the RET (a Howard initiative BTW) he will piss off a LOT of people! If he keeps it Labor can ask “then why rescind the Carbon Price?”

Sooner the shambles goes the better for the country!