One of reasons why Victoria is in such a parlous state is because of the Victorian Liberal Party. For decades now the Victorian Liberals have failed to provide any credible opposition to the Bracks, Brumby and Andrews’ Labor governments. In the Westminster system ineffectual oppositions enable corrupt and inept governments. The Westminster system works best when a government in power has a strong and robust opposition. Okay, okay, in 2010 the Victorian Liberals fell over the line and managed to cobble a government together but then for the next four years they sat and did nothing. Ted Baillieu would have to rank as one of the most insipid and vanilla premiers in the history of federation. He then wimped out and handed over power to Dennis Napthine who may have risen to be a decent premier , but it was too late in the day and Andrews was already yapping at the Liberal government’s heels. The state Liberal Party is an ongoing joke, on policy they’re routinely Labor lite and when it comes to confronting Andrews and Labor, they’re always missing in action.
One month ago, the Victorian Liberals had a leadership change and installed, for a second time, Matthew Guy as leader. I prefer to call him Groundhog Guy, it’s a much more accurate description. Remember that this is the same Groundhog Guy who, in 2018, led the Victorian Liberals to a massive defeat. He and his party achieved this honour by being Labor lite on almost every issue and by refusing to throw any punches at Andrews and his government (and there’s a lot to throw). So, with Groundhog Guy back in charge it hasn’t taken long for the Liberals to fall back into their preferred state of cosy myopia combined with supine and spineless capitulation to Comrade Dan’s edicts. Groundhog Guy and the Liberal Party were missing in action during the Melbourne protests a few weeks ago. If ever there had been a perfect time for Groundhog Guy and the Liberal party to attempt to score some political brownie points and attack Comrade Dan’s leadership it was then but the Victorian Liberals were, naturally, missing in action and they did what they always do best…..nothing.
However, there is an opposition in Victoria but alas it’s composed of only two men, David Limbrick and Tim Quilty from the Liberal Democrats. Both men, particularly Limbrick, pack a punch and they do what any credible opposition party should do, they oppose the government of Daniel Andrews. Now, y’all need to get out the smelling salts because I’m going to tell you something. Both Limbrick and Quilty have political beliefs and Mon Dieu, they are willing to stand up for those beliefs, something you’ll never ever see from Groundhog Guy and the useless Victorian Liberals. And here’s some proof, early yesterday David Limbrick sent out the following tweet, which Dover had kindly posted on the sidebar…
Some Liberal party members have contacted me today asking why I’m attacking @LiberalVictoria. Let me be clear. Your leader today said he would support kicking me out of Parliament because I refuse to declare my medical status. This is a declaration of war. Choose your side now.
— David Limbrick MP ? (@_davidlimbrick) October 8, 2021
Kol hakavod to David Limbrick. By the way, both Limbrick and Quilty are double vaccinated. What they rightly object to is being forced to declare one’s medical status in order to sit in parliament. This is an outrageous assault on democracy, freedom and decency. However, whilst this kind of behaviour is entirely predictable from the Andrews government, as far as I’m concerned what is more outrageous, more despicable and yet entirely predictable is that Groundhog Guy and the Liberals are, once again, capitulating to Comrade Dan’s totalitarian dictates.
I ask the question, what is the point of voting Liberal in Victoria?
Here’s the brutal answer, there isn’t any.
There are still some people who cling to “they’re better than the other lot”.
Why?
What more do they have to witness before they dump the stupid Liberals?
Hear! Hear!
Guy is such a wimp he blocked me on twitter.
Hi all, C.L. has written and uploaded a superb piece on his blog re. Groundhog Guy called..
“Door Matt”
Please read…it’s excellent.
Well said, Cassie. Ever since Limbrick and Quilty sat for hours in the winter cold on the steps of the closed Parliament building to lament that Parliament too was closed and that children had been banned from playgrounds, I have admired them both as men who will stand up and be counted for their small-l liberal and democratic principles. This sort of backbone is what makes the Liberal Democrats overall a political party I would consider worth both supporting on the hustlings and voting for. Sadly though, unless there is a coalition of parties of the centre right who oppose the capitulation to the left of the current Liberal Party in all Australian States, voting Lib Dem feels like doing the right thing for no real political gain. But as the liberty quote from Orwell says, do the right thing, be human, even if it has no visible effect.
Joined the Liberal democrats the other night …rather they get my cash than the liberals who are just Labor lite nowadays.
Succinctly and savagely put, Cassie. The Liberal Party in Victoria is a completely dead parrot.
Limbrick and Quilty have my support even though my vote counts for nothing in a seat where a talentless ALP coward continually wins and supports TaliDan ahead of her economically destroyed constituents.
And yet, even amongst my friends who are solidly anti-Dan, there is a misguided faith in ‘the opposition’ as a good alternative despite all the easily visible evidence to the contrary.
The rapid membership growth of the UAP under the fiery leadership of Craig Kelly gives me hope that it may provide a measure of disruption to the complacently weak status quo and provide a baseball bat alternative for pissed off voters of the Uniparty.
I’m bemused by these people. It seems obvious that trying to crowd into the left of politics is a waste of time. Why would anyone vote for a leftist Liberal Party instead of the leftist ALP, Greens and other odds and sods minor leftist parties?
Yet they are leaving almost half the electorate without a party to vote for. You can see from US politics just how large the demographic is for right wing views.
The Vic Libs need to ditch all this woke leftist rubbish and come out for sane policies, like ditching global warming self-harm, opposing vaccine passports and other such fascist policies, and foster and support natural resources like oil, gas and coal developments. And do so loudly and openly. Only then will their ex-base come back.
It’s not only in Victoria where an insipid opposition party is a disservice to democracy.
It’s a nation wide phenomenon.
This is true. At the last WA election, the Liberal Party ‘climate’ policy was actually to the left of … not just Labor … they were to the left of the Greens.
Unfortunately the opposition to the (lib + lab + greenslime) uniparty is hopelessly fragmented and this will only help reinforce their hegemony at the next election. There is PHON, the Lib Dems, Craig Kelly/Palmer to name only the first three that come to mind. Add to them the inevitable crowd of leftist front minor “parties” harvesting preferences and crossbench whores such as those enabling Dan’s dictatorship to continue and the outlook for any meaningful change is very grim indeed.
Unfortunately the opposition to the (lib + lab + greenslime) uniparty is hopelessly fragmented and this will only help reinforce their hegemony at the next election. There is PHON, the Lib Dems, Craig Kelly/Palmer to name only the first three that come to mind.
This is correct- there is a great movement out there but it cannot be fragmented to succeed. Tight exchange of preferences may be helpful. There’s also Bosi’s latest party plus ALA/Yellow Vests. United Australia Party is still the best name.
Great work as usual Cassie.
Victoriastan Lieborals.
Worst of the worst.
Just look at the Federal Vicco lieborals.
Victoriastan Lieborals.
Even the Tasmanian & South Australian ones are marginally better.
C.L. has written and uploaded a superb piece on his blog re. Groundhog Guy called..
“Door Matt”
Please read…it’s excellent.
Can you post a link to this?
Daniel’s Door Mat
Quite a few people have have told me Guy overruled councils and forced medium density in formerly low density areas.
Very well said, Cassie.
As a Victorian I am utterly despairing of the situation and the so-called “opposition” here.
I am convinced that the only thing (apart from the possibility of even Andrews’ fans tiring of his tyranny) that will stop many years more of Dictator Dan governing is possibly a major scandal, perhaps involving the premier himself, not anything the Libs will do.
That is, if the MSM doesn’t cover it up.
Lee
That is, if the MSM doesn’t cover it up.
They will do their very absolute best!
The Liebrals are a total failure.
Never reinforce failure.
Pretty much agree with everything Cassie has said . . . but . . .
Although I’ll be voting Lib Dems for the senate at the next Victorian State election, what about the Lower House ?
If we want to get rid of the organised criminal organisation called the Victorian Labor Party and their Godfather the master crook Daniel Andrews then we have no other option to vote Libs.
We can’t afford to wait another 4-8 years . . . and although the Victorian Liberals are weak and hopeless, I’d even take the drover’s dog if it meant we could rid of that scum called Daniel Andrews and hold him to true account (ie. Royal Commission).
A drover’s dog might do it but it’s a dead cert the Door Matt won’t.
It’s all very redolent of the old East German arrangement where a few seats in the legislature were held in reserve for the Democratic Peasants’ Party or some-such.
Judging by some of the Lib MP responses to David Limbrick they obviously think they are being awfully clever and ‘RealPolitik’ by positing that the Andrew’s vaccination papers requirement is ‘just a stunt’ (which they all bar 1 voted in favour of!) and that the main game is the vote on the SOE. Why they believe the 2 issues are mutually exclusive I can’t fathom.
They clearly don’t have two principles to rub together between them. Sure, a few of them might punch out some moderately passive aggressive tweets or get up on their hind trotters behind perspex on those rare occasions when parliament sits. Not fit to be the opposition party, let alone govern…
The problem with voting Liberal, even in what amounts to a two horse race, is that they’ll never change for the better…in fact, they’ll accelerate to the left…while their polling demonstrates that they lose less 2 party-preferred votes from the right than they gain in what are euphemistically called “centrist” – by which we mean “not quite so extremely far left that they can almost be perceived, through the light haze, from the centre”.
The Liberals must be taught that insane appeasement has serious consequence.
After all, the Left really aren’t much further left than the Liberals, are they? Really, compare Glad with Dan…it’s only a matter of days of lunatic lockdown, really…and, for all that Perrottet is said to be the “conservative option”, it’s not stopping him from implementing Apartheid, is it?
“Fewer”, not “less”.
How embarrassing.
Love your fire, Cassie.
Have just got off the phone to one of Ken Wyatt’s (my local federal member) staff. I had to pass on my views about ScoMo’s embrace of “climate change”.
The gutless timidity and zeal to appease the left is not confined to just the elected Liberal members. It is widespread throughout their staff too. Career politicians.
I have joined Palmer’s party and will be giving my all to help him out. I have worked for political campaigns before and will be letterboxing and doorknocking for him till I drop.