longweekend58 wrote on Sep 5
th, 2013 at 5:48pm:
RightSadFred wrote on Sep 5
th, 2013 at 3:36pm:
life_goes_on
Clive gives conservative minded people an alternative as Abbott is not everyone's cup of right wing tea, in fact by any measure he is more socially progressive then Howard/Costello.
He seems to get away with being a nutter.
If the next evolution of his party moves on from this ...... he could easily double his voter base, especially if Abbott does not deflate the guy. I doubt Abbott would want to attack him slush fund style like he did to one nation. this guy does seem cashed up. the Libs may have a big problem with this party, also the nationals.
He will do exactly what One Nation did before him. Arrive on the scene with a splash and then when people listen to the people they elected they will be appalled. They will lsee just how simple and ill-equipped they are for parliament and in 2016 the party will get 0.1% of the vote assuming Palmer hasn't gotten tired of it and thrown it all away - which is a strong possibility.
Yeas, it will be very interesting to see what comes from the momentum Clive has presently generated. Assuming he maintains personal interest for a nano-second beyond this election (and there is every reason to believe he will ~ he has always been a political animal) the next test will be the Qld State Election, and like Pauline, he will make a huge splash there. He has different issues from what Pauline had. Clive owns PUP, not one Member has actually paid Membership fees ~ they all have been waived, and there is presently zero Member contribution to Policy.
Pauline had to struggle about control, and the Membership eventually imploded.
Clive has to morph away from the present iron grip if PUP is to have a long term future.
It will soon be called the United Australia Party, as Clive has already made public announcements that once this election is over, he will initiate the necessary legal proceedings to regain a right to use that name, something the AEC denied him for now. He wisely decided to defer that shitefight until after Saturday.
Whether Clive is willing/able to hand over control to his Members will be the crunch moment. Unless he does in reasonable time, many will wave goodbye to Clive.
Quote:not to worry, Abbott will arrange another slush fund to take care of Palmer
Good luck with that. I'll back Clive's slush fund any day.