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Down to the wire and still counting . Then what ?
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With ALP candidate Cathy O'Toole leading by 35 at the latest count , with preferences to be rechecked , the arrival of smiling Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Townsville has led to speculation that the Coalition will try every democratic trick in the book to have a byelection , first by going to the Court of Disputed Returns. Winning the seat would make life a little easier for the government .
On his visit, the PM confirmed the government would stand by its campaign promises for $100million for the prosed stadium and entertainment centre and urban revitalisation. He also hugged members of the Cowboys footy team and visited the Lavarack Barracks , where glum looking Jones was not allowed anywhere near a handgrenade in light of his previous juggling act with one . Part of the display by the troops included carrying an election casualty off to M*A*S*H headquarters , and it did not look like O'Toole , Jones trailing by 73 votes at that stage.
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Glum chums on political manoeuvres in Townsville barracks .
BOUQUETS AND BRICKBATS
The PM would not comment about the possibility of a Court of Disputed Returns challenge . However, he said Jones had been a phenomenally good, committed and enthusiastic and capable MP for Herbert . Some text messages rejected the praise by the PM , saying Jones had done bugger all for Townsville ; another said Jones should man up , accept that he had lost the election and not put the electorate through another election.
In another strange experience, a sickly Little Darwin scribbler had an interesting discussion at Townsville Hospital when an outpatient raised the subject of the long Herbert count and suggested a novel solution . Cathy O'Toole and Ewen Jones should be placed in a room armed with baseball bats and the one to emerge be declared the winner !!!
Then he added fascinating anecdotes about Ewen Jones and another Conservative politician . As our blogger had recently had his ears syringed to remove a build up of wax , which had reduced him to an annoying deafy, he was all ears for any scuttlebutt in the battle for Herbert. One being that the tubby politician was too heavy to be allowed into a V8 racing car in Townsville because of safety regulations dealing with a crash in which a car bursts into flames .
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