Howard comeback a failure

Seems as though he's still trying to dictate everything the Liberal party does.

FORMER prime minister John Howard attempted a comeback to the Liberal Party within weeks of his defeat in November's election, senior Liberals have revealed.

Several party sources have confirmed Mr Howard put himself forward as the next Liberal Party president to replace outgoing Chris McDiven.

"Howard contacted people to make it known he wanted the presidency," one source said.

But Mr Howard's candidacy was immediately scoffed at by senior Liberals. They were amazed he seemed to want a role so soon after the Liberals' worst defeat, senior sources said.

"They told him: don't be ridiculous," a source said.

"Howard wanted the presidency so that he could control the review process the party was conducting into why the Howard government lost and what needed to be done," one source said.

"He wanted to control the way the history of the Howard Government was written."

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Morgan Poll: 61.5% - 38.5%

Roy Morgan has released the newest Federal poll, it's first for 2008, showing Labor with a honeymoon 2PP of 61.5%. This is up 1% on the last poll taken in December. Among the minor parties, support for the Greens is 8% (down 2.5% from the previous Morgan Poll), Family First 2% (down 0.5%), and Others 5.5% (up 2%).

Your new (and not so new) members of the House of Representatives

Division	State	Member	Party
Adelaide	SA	ELLIS, Kate	Australian Labor Party
Aston	VIC	PEARCE, Chris	Liberal
Ballarat	VIC	KING, Catherine	Australian Labor Party
Banks	NSW	MELHAM, Daryl	Australian Labor Party
Barker	SA	SECKER, Patrick	Liberal
Barton	NSW	McCLELLAND, Robert	Australian Labor Party
Bass	TAS	CAMPBELL, Jodie	Australian Labor Party
Batman	VIC	FERGUSON, Martin	Australian Labor Party
Bendigo	VIC	GIBBONS, Steve	Australian Labor Party
Bennelong	NSW	McKEW, Maxine	Australian Labor Party
Berowra	NSW	RUDDOCK, Philip	Liberal
Blair	QLD	NEUMANN, Shayne Kenneth	Australian Labor Party
Blaxland	NSW	CLARE, Jason	Australian Labor Party
Bonner	QLD	REA, Kerry	Australian Labor Party
Boothby	SA	SOUTHCOTT, Andrew	Liberal
Bowman	QLD	LAMING, Andrew	Liberal
Braddon	TAS	SIDEBOTTOM, Sid	Australian Labor Party
Bradfield	NSW	NELSON, Brendan	Liberal
Brand	WA	GRAY, Gary	Australian Labor Party
Brisbane	QLD	BEVIS, Arch	Australian Labor Party
Bruce	VIC	GRIFFIN, Alan	Australian Labor Party
Calare	NSW	COBB, John	The Nationals
Calwell	VIC	VAMVAKINOU, Maria	Australian Labor Party
Canberra	ACT	ELLIS, Annette	Australian Labor Party
Canning	WA	RANDALL, Don	Liberal
Capricornia	QLD	LIVERMORE, Kirsten	Australian Labor Party
Casey	VIC	SMITH, Tony	Liberal
Charlton	NSW	COMBET, Greg	Australian Labor Party
Chifley	NSW	PRICE, Roger	Australian Labor Party
Chisholm	VIC	BURKE, Anna	Australian Labor Party
Cook	NSW	MORRISON, Scott	Liberal
Corangamite	VIC	CHEESEMAN, Darren	Australian Labor Party
Corio	VIC	MARLES, Richard	Australian Labor Party
Cowan	WA	SIMPKINS, Luke	Liberal
Cowper	NSW	HARTSUYKER, Luke	The Nationals
Cunningham	NSW	BIRD, Sharon	Australian Labor Party
Curtin	WA	BISHOP, Julie	Liberal
Dawson	QLD	BIDGOOD, James	Australian Labor Party
Deakin	VIC	SYMON, Mike	Australian Labor Party
Denison	TAS	KERR, Duncan	Australian Labor Party
Dickson	QLD	DUTTON, Peter	Liberal
Dobell	NSW	THOMSON, Craig	Australian Labor Party
Dunkley	VIC	BILLSON, Bruce	Liberal
Eden-Monaro	NSW	KELLY, Mike	Australian Labor Party
Fadden	QLD	ROBERT, Stuart	Liberal
Fairfax	QLD	SOMLYAY, Alex	Liberal
Farrer	NSW	LEY, Sussan	Liberal
Fisher	QLD	SLIPPER, Peter	Liberal
Flinders	VIC	HUNT, Greg	Liberal
Flynn	QLD	TREVOR, Chris	Australian Labor Party
Forde	QLD	RAGUSE, Brett Blair	Australian Labor Party
Forrest	WA	MARINO, Nola	Liberal
Fowler	NSW	IRWIN, Julia	Australian Labor Party
Franklin	TAS	COLLINS, Julie	Australian Labor Party
Fraser	ACT	McMULLAN, Bob	Australian Labor Party
Fremantle	WA	PARKE, Melissa	Australian Labor Party
Gellibrand	VIC	ROXON, Nicola	Australian Labor Party
Gilmore	NSW	GASH, Joanna	Liberal
Gippsland	VIC	McGAURAN, Peter	The Nationals
Goldstein	VIC	ROBB, Andrew	Liberal
Gorton	VIC	O'CONNOR, Brendan	Australian Labor Party
Grayndler	NSW	ALBANESE, Anthony	Australian Labor Party
Greenway	NSW	MARKUS, Louise	Liberal
Grey	SA	RAMSEY, Rowan	Liberal
Griffith	QLD	RUDD, Kevin	Australian Labor Party
Groom	QLD	MACFARLANE, Ian	Liberal
Hasluck	WA	JACKSON, Sharryn	Australian Labor Party
Herbert	QLD	LINDSAY, Peter	Liberal
Higgins	VIC	COSTELLO, Peter	Liberal
Hindmarsh	SA	GEORGANAS, Steve	Australian Labor Party
Hinkler	QLD	NEVILLE, Paul	The Nationals
Holt	VIC	BYRNE, Anthony	Australian Labor Party
Hotham	VIC	CREAN, Simon	Australian Labor Party
Hughes	NSW	VALE, Danna	Liberal
Hume	NSW	SCHULTZ, Alby	Liberal
Hunter	NSW	FITZGIBBON, Joel	Australian Labor Party
Indi	VIC	MIRABELLA, Sophie	Liberal
Isaacs	VIC	DREYFUS, Mark	Australian Labor Party
Jagajaga	VIC	MACKLIN, Jenny	Australian Labor Party
Kalgoorlie	WA	HAASE, Barry	Liberal
Kennedy	QLD	KATTER, Bob	Independent
Kingsford Smith	NSW	GARRETT, Peter	Australian Labor Party
Kingston	SA	RISHWORTH, Amanda	Australian Labor Party
Kooyong	VIC	GEORGIOU, Petro	Liberal
La Trobe	VIC	WOOD, Jason	Liberal
Lalor	VIC	GILLARD, Julia	Australian Labor Party
Leichhardt	QLD	TURNOUR, Jim	Australian Labor Party
Lilley	QLD	SWAN, Wayne	Australian Labor Party
Lindsay	NSW	BRADBURY, David	Australian Labor Party
Lingiari	NT	SNOWDON, Warren	Australian Labor Party
Longman	QLD	SULLIVAN, Jon	Australian Labor Party
Lowe	NSW	MURPHY, John	Australian Labor Party
Lyne	NSW	VAILE, Mark	The Nationals
Lyons	TAS	ADAMS, Dick	Australian Labor Party
Macarthur	NSW	FARMER, Pat	Liberal
Mackellar	NSW	BISHOP, Bronwyn	Liberal
Macquarie	NSW	DEBUS, Bob	Australian Labor Party
Makin	SA	ZAPPIA, Tony	Australian Labor Party
Mallee	VIC	FORREST, John	The Nationals
Maranoa	QLD	SCOTT, Bruce	The Nationals
Maribyrnong	VIC	SHORTEN, Bill	Australian Labor Party
Mayo	SA	DOWNER, Alexander	Liberal
McEwen	VIC	BAILEY, Fran	Liberal
McMillan	VIC	BROADBENT, Russell	Liberal
McPherson	QLD	MAY, Margaret	Liberal
Melbourne	VIC	TANNER, Lindsay	Australian Labor Party
Melbourne Ports	VIC	DANBY, Michael	Australian Labor Party
Menzies	VIC	ANDREWS, Kevin	Liberal
Mitchell	NSW	HAWKE, Alex	Liberal
Moncrieff	QLD	CIOBO, Steven	Liberal
Moore	WA	WASHER, Mal	Liberal
Moreton	QLD	PERRETT, Graham	Australian Labor Party
Murray	VIC	STONE, Sharman	Liberal
New England	NSW	WINDSOR, Tony	Independent
Newcastle	NSW	GRIERSON, Sharon	Australian Labor Party
North Sydney	NSW	HOCKEY, Joe	Liberal
O'Connor	WA	TUCKEY, Wilson	Liberal
Oxley	QLD	RIPOLL, Bernie	Australian Labor Party
Page	NSW	SAFFIN, Janelle	Australian Labor Party
Parkes	NSW	COULTON, Mark	The Nationals
Parramatta	NSW	OWENS, Julie	Australian Labor Party
Paterson	NSW	BALDWIN, Bob	Liberal
Pearce	WA	MOYLAN, Judi	Liberal
Perth	WA	SMITH, Stephen	Australian Labor Party
Petrie	QLD	D'ATH, Yvette	Australian Labor Party
Port Adelaide	SA	BUTLER, Mark	Australian Labor Party
Prospect	NSW	BOWEN, Chris	Australian Labor Party
Rankin	QLD	EMERSON, Craig	Australian Labor Party
Reid	NSW	FERGUSON, Laurie	Australian Labor Party
Richmond	NSW	ELLIOT, Justine	Australian Labor Party
Riverina	NSW	HULL, Kay	The Nationals
Robertson	NSW	NEAL, Belinda	Australian Labor Party
Ryan	QLD	JOHNSON, Michael	Liberal
Scullin	VIC	JENKINS, Harry	Australian Labor Party
Shortland	NSW	HALL, Jill	Australian Labor Party
Solomon	NT	HALE, Damian	Australian Labor Party
Stirling	WA	KEENAN, Michael	Liberal
Sturt	SA	PYNE, Christopher	Liberal
Swan	WA	IRONS, Steve	Liberal
Sydney	NSW	PLIBERSEK, Tanya	Australian Labor Party
Tangney	WA	JENSEN, Dennis	Liberal
Throsby	NSW	GEORGE, Jennie	Australian Labor Party
Wakefield	SA	CHAMPION, Nick	Australian Labor Party
Wannon	VIC	HAWKER, David	Liberal
Warringah	NSW	ABBOTT, Tony	Liberal
Watson	NSW	BURKE, Tony	Australian Labor Party
Wentworth	NSW	TURNBULL, Malcolm	Liberal
Werriwa	NSW	HAYES, Chris	Australian Labor Party
Wide Bay	QLD	TRUSS, Warren	The Nationals
Wills	VIC	THOMSON, Kelvin	Australian Labor Party

Random Seat Report: Lindsay

Ahh Lindsay, home of pamphletgate. Lindsay was always going to swing enough for Labor to win the seat and I think the whole pamphlet fiasco didn't do much to change many people's votes in the seat. It may have changed other people's votes in other seats but not in Lindsay, if we have a look at the swing in seats around Lindsay and factor in the loss of Jackie Kelly's personal vote the swing looks about right.

Seat Swing to Labor
Lindsay 9.7%
Greenway 6.9%
Macquarie 6.6%
Chifley 8.7%
Prospect 7.1%
Fowler 4.9%


Taking a look at the 2PP and swing by booth doesn't throw up any suprises. Big swings in the traditional/state Labor voting (lower socio-economic) suburbs and smaller swings in the smaller rural/farming suburbs. In fact, the only booths (except 1)the Libs won were those smaller rural/farming booths - Castlereagh, Leonay, Llandilo, Mulgoa and Orchard Hills. They also won Regentville, which isn't that small at around 2400 voters. The biggest 2pp vote for the Libs was 68.9% at Orachard Hills.

The biggest swing to Labor was 13.83% at Kingswood South. There were also double digit swings in Braddock (Cranebrook), Cambridge Gardens, Cranebrook, Glenmore Park, Glenmore Park Central, Penrith, Penrith North, Penrith South, Regentville and Werrington. The rest of the booths besides the ones I mentioned earlier swung by between 7.2% and 9.99%. The biggest 2PP vote for Labor was 69.59% at St Marys North.

Looking at the results now, the 2PP vote for each looks similar to how I imagine it would look at the state election.