Labor goes the safe option
Posted by occidentprone on September 16, 2008
It’s coronation day for oppositions in Australia today. Eric Ripper has been dubbed leader of the ALP opposition in WA, just hours after Malcolm Turnbull won for the Libs federally.
Eric-the-Safe, they call him.
Former Western Australian treasurer Eric Ripper has been appointed leader of the WA Labor party.
Kwinana MP Roger Cook, who survived a knife-edge win over Independent Carol Adams, is Mr Ripper’s deputy.
Former premier Alan Carpenter resigned as leader after the Nationals backed the Liberals to form government after the September 6 election resulted in a hung parliament.
Mr Ripper, from the centre faction, yesterday gained the support of the powerful right faction, and is seen by some as a “safe pair of hands” to guide Labor into opposition.
The left faction reportedly met all day yesterday and was leaning towards supporting outgoing planning and infrastructure minister Alannah MacTiernan, also from the centre faction. (Source: PerthNow)
Roger Cook must have been a last-minute nomination since he didn’t even have the seat two days ago. Instead the independent Carol Adams was having meetings at Parliament and rubbing Labor’s nose in it until a last-minute sprint saw Labor win.
Occident Prone 
Retarius said
Yes, I can see that well-known dynamo, Ripper, leading Labor back to office. I really can….Alright, I’m kidding.
occidentprone said
My guess is he’s marking time, doing the honorable thing for the party until they regroup. And I still maintain Alannah would have been great – fiery, intelligent, razor sharp. But maybe too divisive. Don’t know anything about Roger Cook and thank heavens Mark McGowan is nowhere in the picture.
Jessie said
I fully endorsed Alannah as Leader of the Opposition and thought she would be the chosen leader. She did a brilliant job with the Mandurah railway. When contractors sought greater payout she had the courage to pay $2m to have it costed and saved the government millions by having to only pay $6m more than, I think, $400m. Her honesty is a factor in her unpopularity.
occidentprone said
I agree Jessie, she seems tough but principled.