Why can't anyone seem to spell this name correctly.
There's a story behing the name Turnbull- how a famous Scottish king was being menaced by a marauding bull - and in serious danger of being gored to death.
Out of the crowd raced a peasant onlooker - he got himself between the bull and the King - and diverted the bull's rage onto himself - thus saving the King. He was highly rewarded - and granted lands, and a castle, or so the legend goes.
A true story it's said - and thus the clan Turnbull - from "he who turned the bull!" "Turn the Bull" = Turnbull.
Yet everyone spells it Turnball, Turnbill, everything but what it is - phonetic.
Now if I can have my sixpenneth:-
I think Mr. Rudd leaves a lot to be desired in terms of his lack of experience in many areas so vital. To me, he comes across as insincere and too ready to pass the buck - not taking responsibility. And the "Me Too" thingh is getting iirritating.H He's had local council experience, (controversally) and a stint as an overseas diplomat - ("I learnt Manadarin" he keeps reminding us - well, whoopee!), Then he had a stint as Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister - but didn't have to actually "do the job", and has had no really serious parliamentary or government track record to give him the hard miles of experience needed to not only head up a givernment, but to run a nation, and its finances.
Apart from him - where's the depth??
Julia Gillard (she would be Acting Prime Minister - even Prime Minister perhaps, should something happen to Mr. Rudd - or in his absence overseas - shudder!!)
Wayne Swann?? Treasurer - are you serious??? More shudders.
And who would be Foreign Minister? Alexander Downer has done an absolutely superb job of this in a distinguished career spanning many decades of experience on the "front line", so polished and professional - right across the top of his job. Peter Garrett perhaps??? Lots of shudders. We'd be a laughing stock.
Where is the depth in this Party??
And as for Bennelong - well, Maxine just has to go around cozying up to ethnics and smiling a lot. She can do this well as she has nothing else to doall day. After umpteen years as a so-called objective political commentator and TV host, married to a long-time senior Labor Party policy-maker, she falls into a seat which is now marginal, and tried to win it from the Prime Minister. Wish she'd told us of her alliegances back then when she was on the ABC trying to look impartial.
Meanwhile, the PM has keep the wheels of government turning, run the country, do his daily workload, campaign across the whole country, support his myriad candidates, liase internationally, organise his party tactics and the election campaign, and then find the energy to campaign hard in his own seat, as well as backing up in those vital marginal seats..
Then he has to come up fresh and ready to debate the Opposition Leader - that's if Mr. Rudd has stopped stamping his foot about how many debates they must have, and there is one imminent.
John Howard is working punishing hours at any time, but now much worse, yet the media are lying in wait to pounce on any little slip-up. Really, who'd want the job!!. Sounds like torture to me. He could have earned a fortune in private enterprise, with a lot less stress.
And lastly, Howard not only has to beat the Labor party -he has to beat a third party as well - an insidious one - but one the public doesn't recognise. It's called the Left-Wing Media Party. Because boy, do the majority of the media barrack for Labor and the Left! Especially on the ABC - where it's de rigeur!! It's absolutely rife - as can be seen in the strong young vote favoring Labor - so heavily influenced by media.
Love him or hate him, you have to give it to him - Howard's a hell of a fighter!!
