WE have, for some time now, been scratching our heads over why the voters of NSW didn’t turf the Iemma Government out last year when they had the chance.
Wednesday’s performance by The Nationals was a timely reminder.
It was, quite simply, because the “alternative government” presented as anything but.
While Barry O’Farrell is to be given credit for revitalising the Opposition and scoring some good points in recent times it is abundantly obvious that the talent on his front bench is still spread rather thin.
Take, for example, the case of the NSW opposition spokesman on natural resources, The Nationals’ John Turner.
This gentleman, the member for Myall Lakes, holds a rather senior shadow portfolio and in the event the coalition ever does win government would be responsible for community assets worth billions of dollars.
You have to wonder if he would be up to the job given some of the comments he emailed to the Caroona Coal Action Group earlier in the week.
Mr Turner, in addition to effectively accusing the CCAG of leaking details of a proposed visit by a Nationals delegation to the media and suggesting the organisation had tried to trick the party into breaching a court injunction, essentially said he would not investigate legitimate constituents’ concerns unless pre-arranged conditions were met.
The point was made to us by one observer that this must have been the first time in history where politicians were reluctant to go to a place where there were at least a couple of hundred voters, a strong press presence and even television cameras.
The last word, we believe, belongs to the Member for Barwon, Kevin Humphries, however.
When asked to explain the on again-off again nature of The Nationals’ visit to Caroona he told us The Nationals did not want to “get caught up in the issue of playing politics”.
What exactly is it they think they were elected to do then? Play tiddlywinks?