Wentworth History In The Making, The Politics Of Asylum Seekers And Selling A Prime Minister

We had history in the making in the seat of Wentworth, a by-election thrashing of the Liberals following the resignation of Malcolm Turnbull, and we now have another independent on the crossbenches – come on down, Kerryn Phelps. The LNP has slipped into minority government territory and it's going to be difficult for them to hang on to office at the next general election.

The LNP is floundering, although they'll keep beating the drum of their old favourite – asylum seekers and boat arrivals. After making noises during the Wentworth by-election about releasing children from Nauru and Manus Island, they've slammed the door shut again. But is asylum seeking and immigration such an electoral advantage for the conservatives? Have the sands shifted to the left of where the LNP is positioning itself? We think so and feel the public has had enough.

And how can the public image of a Prime Minister be sold successfully to the electorate, especially when their polling is in negativeland, their party is on the nose, the policy cupboard is bare and there's nothing positive to offer? Is driving a bus all the way around Queensland one part of the solution? We don't have the answers: it's a very very tough question.

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