[colliric]

39 to 18 so far... 2 in doubt.

Big win for the Liberal Party. Bigger than the last one... Labor lost an extra 8 seats...

A sign of things to come in October? I think so. And so does the ABC apparently:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-09/l ... in/4563336

Could Rudd strike now? end the mining tax, end the carbon tax(bring in his ETS immediately) and finally eat their pride and go into a losing election with a view to rebuilding the party long-term from the ground up... AS THEY SHOULD HAVE IN 2010!

Heck I'd even accept Bob Carr over Gillard at this stage.. Although Shorten could possibly have a shot at it too(Post election loss of cause).

[Swagman]

...... the swing against the Greens was almost double that of Labor.

[Ahovking]

Im was glad when i first heard this news. Labor has destroyed Tasmania, Ten years of labor has turned Tasmania (one of the most biggest handout states in Australia) completely reliant on federal government hand outs and almost bankrupt. I would have to see that happen to my birth place WA.

[GandalfTheGrey]

Ten years of labor has turned Tasmania (one of the most biggest handout states in Australia) completely reliant on federal government hand outs and almost bankrupt

how so?

I know nothing about Tasmanian politics, so this is a genuine question.

[Swagman]

Slaughtering the timber industry and its associated and indirect business interests would be going down like a fart in an elevator.....

[colliric]

That latest poll says it all...

Rudd would currently win the election against Abbott, assuming he gets rid of the Mining Tax and pushes an ETS through. Also assuming the standard cabinet reshuffle.

The Labor party needs a cleanout now.

[GandalfTheGrey]

Slaughtering the timber industry and its associated and indirect business interests would be going down like a fart in an elevator.....

how did state labor do that? My understanding is that the labor government was in bed with Gunns - especially Paul Lennon. In fact there seemed a pretty clear conflict of interest with him, and corruption allegations should have been investigated.

No, I think Gunns screwed the timber industry all by themselves thanks to bad business management.

[Ahovking]

how so?

I know nothing about Tasmanian politics, so this is a genuine question.

Just look at Tasmania's economy, Tasmania is debt-riddled, Australia's worst financial performer, unable to pay its bills and yet continues to grow the government. So for Tasmania to be able to pay for its bills the Federal Government handouts for almost two thirds of its income for it to pay the bills.

Labor unlike the liberal don't have a business background and after 10 years of bad economic behavior and good social-handouts for the poor the needy and the "i cant be bothered getting a job", Tasmania is in a state where its being forced by cut heath and other public service and leave community's like zehan alone with little public funding.

[AVT]

What particularly gets me frustrated with Tasmania is their premier telling WA to stop whinging that we are losing more and more GST share to them, like it is a right they have to be financially compensated for poor fiscal management.

[Ahovking]

What particularly gets me frustrated with Tasmania is their premier telling WA to stop whinging that we are losing more and more GST share to them, like it is a right they have to be financially compensated for poor fiscal management.

Im not even sure if the Tasmania premier has heard the word fiscal management.

[colliric]

how did state labor do that?

That's partially correct, it was the combined efforts of enviromentalist groups that screwed over Gunns, with the Greens in the leadership of it of cause.

Make no mistake, it was the Greens who MOSTLY screwed up Tasmania's economy when they campaigned first against Gunns and then sabotaged the Tamar Valley proposal(with Labor onside from what I garner).

This whole attitude of "blame it all on Gunns bad business management" is what we call here in Victoria "Passing the buck" or "Handballing it on".... a phrase that seems to be through willful ignorance, unfamiliar to Tasmania's Labor party and the Greens politicians.

How can you have "bad business management" when the government and all these enviromental groups are trying to back you into a corner.... it's called "trying to do the best you can under hostile circumstances".

Unless you ment that to read "bad business management" as in they failed to kill the Greens election chances unlike Brumby managed to do in Victoria(when they threatened further Labor seats)...