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Sharpest/most witty person in Australian Politics. (1 Viewer)

Lentern

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That I've ever seen was Keating, some goodies on youtube. Still in parliament I think is Costello but since his spell on the backbenches he doesn't say much. The two who lead the charge today are Turnbull and Tanner.
 

Garygaz

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Keating

On former Labor Prime Minister, Bob Hawke:

"Now listen mate," [to John Browne, Minister of Sport, who was proposing a 110 per cent tax deduction for contributions to a Sports Foundation] "you're not getting 110 per cent. You can forget it. This is a fucking Boulevard Hotel special, this is. The trouble is we are dealing with a sports junkie here [gesturing towards Bob Hawke]. I go out for a piss and they pull this one on me. Well that's the last time I leave you two alone. From now on, I'm sticking to you two like shit to a blanket.

"Old Jellyback."

"Old Silver."

"These intellectual hoboes"

"Talk about desperadoes"

"The animals on the other side"
 

Iron

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He was a fighter that's for true. A real terrier at the ankles of democracy
 
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xeuyrawp

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Iron said:
He was a fighter that's for true. A real terrier at the ankles of democracy
But was he?

It's so incomparable with the later stuff. Did he just run out of steam?
 

Lentern

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PwarYuex said:
Wow, I've never actually watched that. What a fantastic piece of oratory, in contrast to his later attempts.
He learnt a lesson. Grand, pompous oratory like "river of deceit" and so forth sounds exciting and impressive but ultimately a certain "seriousness" in your press dealings goes a long way to connecting with voters and Howard learnt that. And this performance although brilliant was certainly scripted and rehearsed. The bulk of his speeches, even his famous, or infamous speech about asylum seekers had a very different kind of language and tone.
 

Iron

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I just think he was a great underdog - the ordinary bloke furiously determined not to be counted out. He couldnt really frame a debate in those terms after 12yrs and a Senate majority
 
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xeuyrawp

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Lentern said:
He learnt a lesson. Grand, pompous oratory like "river of deceit" and so forth sounds exciting and impressive but ultimately a certain "seriousness" in your press dealings goes a long way to connecting with voters and Howard learnt that. And this performance although brilliant was certainly scripted and rehearsed. The bulk of his speeches, even his famous, or infamous speech about asylum seekers had a very different kind of language and tone.
I subscribe to the all-flash-no-photo theory of politics. Ultimately, the voting population is too stupid to understand any real issues, and too apathetic to care about anything that doesn't affect them.

The trick in politics is just to dazzle the audience with delusions of change.

Not saying this is the way it should be, but it is the way it is.
 

Lentern

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PwarYuex said:
I subscribe to the all-flash-no-photo theory of politics. Ultimately, the voting population is too stupid to understand any real issues, and too apathetic to care about anything that doesn't affect them.

The trick in politics is just to dazzle the audience with delusions of change.

Not saying this is the way it should be, but it is the way it is.
More about timing than anything I think. Providing the candidate does not come across as unstable like Latham and to a lesser extent Hewson did most elections are decided on timing. I mean Hawke beats Howard, Hewson forces Hawke out, Keating beats Hewson and Howard beats Keating. It's really about a) length the party has been in government and b) length the individual has lead the government.
 

EmeraldTempest

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For me, out of current MP's it has to be Julia Gillard.

In previous parliaments - Keating and Beazley.

The biggest 'drip' would have to be Tony Abbott
 

Iron

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The funniest political jibe i've seen in a while was Gillard in parliament giving Stello a very excellent thrashing.
Something about a dinner menu, with great puns like chicken and jelly. Idk. Cant find
 

Iron

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She seized on the motto of Melbourne University Press, the publisher of the former treasurer's forthcoming memoirs - "books with spine".

"Books with spine from a politician without one," Ms Gillard told parliament during Question Time, to laughter from the government benches.

"Sometimes there are movies that fail so badly they go straight to DVD. Well, I'm betting this one goes straight to paperback.

"It won't be very hard spine when that one's published."

Ms Gillard had been asked by a Labor MP to update the house on events and reading opportunities during National Literacy and Numeracy week.

She took another swing at the former treasurer by speculating on the menu of a dinner being held in his honour in Melbourne tongiht.

"Prawns for entree? No spines there. Chicken for main course, Mr Speaker, a good port and of course jelly for dessert."

Mr Costello stayed silent and mostly expressionless on the opposition back benches during the attack.
 

Iron

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dude, she's a fox among roosters :cool:
 

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