Former Liberal leader John Hewson penned a piece in today’s Crikey speculating at the possibility of an early federal election later this year. He points out, reasonably enough, that the economic crisis will likely hit harder in 2010 and that the Emissions Trading Scheme will allow many scaremongering opportunities for polluters.
The one thing Hewson misses is explaining the possible triggers that could call an election. A fascinating possibility would be an election triggered by the failure of the Senate to pass the stimulus package, which would only require one crossbench senator to join Turnbull’s Liberals on the ‘no’ side. Rather than the Rudd government being hit by the consequences of the crisis, they can go to the polls attacking the Liberals for obstructing Rudd’s response to the crisis.
