Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has much in common with his federal and WA counterparts, Tony Abbott and Colin Barnett. This is becoming a defining feature of conservative governments in Australia.
Campbell Newman uses his parliamentary majority to replace a parliamentary committee that expressed some critical views with one that is stacked with his supporters.
Colin Barnett wants to change the rules midway through his grand plans for metropolitan local government so that people will not have the opportunity to express their views.
At least Campbell Newman was honest enough to been seen to be responding to criticism (even if in an anti-democratic way). Colin Barnett, however, is so gutless that he attempts to stifle that criticism before it can be voiced. He's stacked the Local Government Advisory Board (just like Campbell Newman with his committee) and is in the process of making sure the LGAB won't call for public submissions on the government's local government proposals.
And as for Tony Abbott, his is the typical brain-damaged boxer's style that might work in Opposition but is disastrous in government. In opposition, this manifests as 'playing the (wo)man'; in government, it seems to be 'say nothing unless you can play the (wo)man to deflect the blows'.
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