It seems a wholehearted rejection of the process of politics. He invited defeat. A moral plea to your enemies is not going to cut it - eg terror. He didn't seem to understand he had the power for as long as he held onto it. The others can carp all they like, but until they do something he's in charge. He seems to lack Howard's thick skin. It appears he had just had enough and wanted to make one final protest before bowing out.
But still, the disloyalty would have got to me after a while too. Hard to know how you would act in that situation of being constantly undermined by collegues with the help of the media. I gotta say though that the manner of Nelson's exit has made me question his judgment. I was supporting him mainly because Turnbull bashed Howard's legacy after the election. I felt that was counter-productive, as Costello's constant complaints about Howard not stepping down. There were flashes, eg 5 cent petrol excise cut, where Nelson showed Howard's knack for reading the ordinary voter. But without a result in the opinion polls he was going to have to take alot more shit. He chose not to, and to unwisely start dishing it out himself.
I do think that is it's some nerve for Turnbull supporters to say we should get behind the leader now, when they never did. Get behind their leader is the real message. Still, that's what I intend to do because Malcolm has come out swinging straight away.
You do have to admit that Turnbull has got off to a flying start. He (and his mate in the media) must have been ready for this for some time. He had his rejection of Rudd's offer of a Republic ready. He had his message about his humble upbringing, and his the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black defense against Rudd's class-war attacks against his wealth.
The main piece of comfort I draw from Turnbull's takeover is that Henry Ergas is Turbull's main economic adviser. I respect him alot. I quoted him extensively in a piece below about bureaucrats running schools. Ergas is behind Turnbull's review of the tax system. If Turnbull's slightly Left image is only skin deep, then great. If he's got people like Ergas advising him he is true-blue free-marketeer and economic liberal.
Turnbull used the word "freedom" in his acceptance speech too. That's a good thing. It's a good slogan, if a bit American. The problem is that in the hands of the lefty media this message becomes freedom to take drugs, freedom to plot against your country, and freedom to generally be totally irresponsible - socially liberal as well as economically liberal. I hope Turnbull is not too far from the madding crowd to realise the damage that will be done if he pulls apart the Liberal's socially conservative message.
I like lines like this:
"We know our job is to empower and enable the enterprise, the dreams, the ambitions of Australians - of all Australians," he said.Australia has a bright future if we all strive for our dreams. But does does this message mean that we are allowed to be proud of our country in a cultural sense as well as ambitious in an economic sense. Are we Australians, or just individuals? I say we are both. We have individual freedoms and responsibilities to the country. We live in a challenging (not to say dangerous) international cultural environment as well as economic one. The current terror trials in Melbourne highlight the ever-present dangers of cultural division. If Turnbull's message is purely economic and not cultural, he will encourage Aussies to think of Australia as a means to get ahead, rather than a country we should love and defend.
Turnbull has pride, no doubt. I hope that means he will stand up for Australia. I wonder will he help create a climate where all of us are allowed to be proud, not just the priviledged and the PC.
