Tim Blair: The overthrow of Malcolm Turnbull was the coup we had to have
THE Liberal Party will find it tough to rebuild after Malcolm Turnbull’s disastrous turn at the wheel but, if Scott Morrison follows pro-Australia ideals, he will be a good option, writes TIM BLAIR
Opinion
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YOU can’t always get what you want, according to Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger. It’s a sound observation. Then again, Jagger has spent the past 50 years basically getting whatever or whoever he wanted whenever he wanted them, so perhaps Mick isn’t our ideal source on gratification availability. But put that aside.
Conservatives who are furious over the non-election of Peter Dutton and who fear Scott Morrison’s appointment as Prime Minister might be well-advised to ponder Jagger’s wise words — and also those of ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, who famously noted: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with throwing Malcolm Turnbull out of Parliament.”
Turnbull’s removal is a huge step towards potentially reforming the Liberal Party and reviving mainstream conservatism.
More on that in a moment, after we look at reader reaction on my Daily Telegraph blog to news of Morrison’s elevation:
“Scott Morrison PM? PM stands for ‘Protege of Malcolm’ doesn’t it?”
“That’s the end for me as a Liberal. Too many lefties.”
“Finally the Libs see the toxicity of Turnbull and roll him. Only to vote a Turnbull stooge in.”
“Today’s actions show that the Liberal Party no longer wants conservatives within it. I know that many of the conservative base are now jumping ship.”
“What an absolute insult to all decent and thinking Australians. Morrison is a Turnbull man so just more of the same BS.”
“The Libs are officially dead to me.”
They’re a tough crowd at my little online refuge and impressively active and communicative outside of it, as a number of politicians will attest. Yet on this issue pro-Dutton conservatives may be missing something. You cannot get from zero to 100km/h without first passing 50km/h.
Rebuilding the Libs following their disastrous Turnbull experiment will be no easy task. The last time Malcolm Turnbull took the Liberal machine out for a spin, as opposition leader from 2008 to 2009, it took four years for Tony Abbott and his team to straighten the panels, replace the gearbox and drain all the Godwin Grech from the fuel system.
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Remember that Turnbull’s first ousting as Liberal leader came following a 14 per cent Newspoll approval rating. And that was against Kevin Rudd, of all people, who would’ve lost a popularity contest to the SARS coronavirus.
Turnbull was identically useless as PM. It’ll probably take another four years to fix things after the soon-to-be-former member for Wentworth spent his entire time in office steering the Liberal wagon into bollards, smacking it into kerbside bins and parking it with the dexterity of a dozy mule.
He’s as bad at driving a political device as Bill Shorten is at driving an actual car. And that’s before we get to Turnbull’s deliberate vandalism, as seen during his final two days.
The fellow’s hostility and vengefulness are truly something to behold. His bitterness can surface at the oddest times. Last summer, for example, Turnbull showed up in Nine’s commentary box on Jane McGrath Day at the SCG Test match.
This is a wonderful annual occasion during which the McGrath Foundation raises thousands of dollars for breast cancer sufferers.
Asked how much people should donate, Turnbull cited that morning’s Daily Telegraph editorial. It told the story of McGrath Foundation chief Glenn McGrath’s early days in Sydney, when the future fast-bowling legend paid $21 per night to rent a space at the Grand Pines caravan park.
That might be an appropriate amount, the PM suggested. So far, so good. But then, because prissy snob Turnbull looks down upon The Telegraph and its readers, he couldn’t resist throwing in a line about not trusting the source.
This happened during a cancer fundraiser, for God’s sake. Malcolm always kept it classy.
Well, now he’s gone, and the repairs may commence. These will possibly be made easier by the fact that Turnbull leaves no philosophical or ideological legacy. With Turnbull removed, no substantive Turnbullism remains. His adherents will have to either find another soft-left cult leader or yield to a resurgent conservatism.
And that’s where Scott Morrison comes in.
Just a few years ago, when Morrison ran the spectacularly successful Operation Sovereign Borders, there was no question about his conservative credentials.
Those who dismiss Morrison as a Turnbull clone should recall how despised Morrison was by the Left for shamelessly preventing thousands of illegal immigrants from drowning, the big racist.
As well, even though he needs to shake off his subsequent Turnbull loyalism, Morrison is — or should become — an eminently electable option for those inclined to veer into minor party territory.
Accomplishing this is entirely down to the new PM.
If he follows elementary pro-liberty, pro-Australia ideals, he’ll score with both the Liberal base and the broad political centre.
Treating Paris as an occasional holiday destination instead of an emissions authority would be a good start. Completely negate the NEG and begin afresh, with a focus on coal.
Remember when Morrison brought a lump of coal into Parliament, alarming climate activists and frightening the Greens? He could stand to do that again on a larger, nationwide scale.
It’ll be fun, too, watching Labor attempt to counter someone not quite so prone as Turnbull to shooting himself in the feet after first stuffing them into his mouth.
Morrison has a great political quality: he actually enjoys meeting people and speaking with them. Compare him to Bill Shorten, who cannot negotiate the purchase of a meat pie without threatening to close down an Asian store owner’s business.
With Morrison, some Liberals may not have got who they wanted. But he may be exactly what they need.