Peter Wicks says Australia desperately needs a third political party with teeth — and he reckons he's found the perfect bloke to lead it.
I just had a quick look in the mirror and it seems that despite years of abuse, I still have my two front teeth. Given that incredible fact, I have been forced to consider what else I may want for Christmas.
Watching highlights of question time in Canberra yesterday on ABC24 (it seems odd that there are highlights, however) it suddenly occurred to me what I really want for Christmas.
What I really want is Tony Windsor to form his own Party. How cool would that be? A Christmas gift to the nation. Well, kind of…
I came to this revelation yesterday, as I watched Tony Windsor sticking it to Tony Abbott during Question Time.
It was a brilliant display by our favourite Independent, holding Abbott to his words and taking him to task over his negative stance on carbon pricing — something that only a few short years ago he was in favour of, under John Howard.
Windsor kindly reminded everyone that Abbott told him, and others, during negotiations to form government after the election, that he would do “Anything, absolutely anything” to get the PM’s gig in the Lodge. The only thing Abbott wouldn’t do apparently, was “sell his arse”, but added that he’d consider it. How comforting.
Tony Abbott wouldn’t sell his arse — he’d sell ours instead.
Windsor summed up Abbott’s policy positions over the last few years on Climate Change.
“Climate change is crap,” Abbott says. Meanwhile, his policy has a hideously expensive plan to supposedly address it.
A Carbon Price is the wrong way to address the issue, Abbott states. Not that long ago however, he told a TV programme the best method to address the issue would be a “Carbon Tax”.
Abbott tells us the government’s Carbon Price will hurt families — yet, Windsor says, Abbott has the “audacity” to offer as an alternative, a vastly more expensive policy that punishes families and pays polluters. Not only that, his Direct Action policy has more holes in it than Alexander Downer’s fish net stockings.
Windsor then pointed out that Abbott’s definition of “anything” would have included a Carbon Price.
So, I got to thinking, if Tony Windsor formed his own Party, he may well save all our arses from Abbott.
You see, I believe if Windsor had his own party, and rallied up a few good candidates (and by “good”, I mean — not Angry Anderson) he could split the National Party vote.
National Party members must wonder what they are doing aligned with such a pro-development party like The Liberals anyway.
As I write this, National Party voters are fighting for their farms – often literally – to stop them being destroyed by the effects of Coal Seam Gas Mining. Meanwhile, the Liberals are battling to give these mining companies tax concessions, presumably for their FFF’s — Farmer Fighting Funds.
Another big issue facing farmers is our weather. Be it drought, flood, or violent storms, these things are all affected by climate change, and it is our farmers who bear the brunt. I am sure that most of these National voting farmers would like a party with a leader that firstly believes in science, and secondly has the guts to do something about it. That man is Tony Windsor, it sure ain’t Warren Truss or Barnaby Joyce.
Our nation is desperate for a third political party with teeth.
The Democrats have gone fishing, The Greens don’t seem capable, and as for the Katter Australia Party, where do I start??
We need a third party with integrity, drive, determination, and our best interests at heart. A party led by someone who won’t sell their members out, but yet knows the art of negotiation.
We need someone like you, Mr Windsor. So step up to the plate.
(This story was originally published on The Hoopla and has been republished with permission.)
