Fed: Oppn leadership woes due to Howard legacy: Costello

AAP General News (Australia)
08-26-2009
Fed: Oppn leadership woes due to Howard legacy: Costello

By Bonny Symons-Brown

CANBERRA, Aug 26 AAP - The coalition's leadership woes are the result of former prime
minister John Howard's refusal to hand the reins to Peter Costello, the former treasurer's
brother says.

World Vision chief executive Reverend Tim Costello compared Mr Howard hanging on to
the top job to the way fictional figure Gollum, from JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series
of books, refused to give up his mystical ring of power.

"What I said ... about the Lord of the Rings, that whoever wears the ring never takes
it off - they think they have the power to, but the ring controls them - sadly proved
true," he told the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.

"That succession in politics, if handled, would not have led to what is now this leadership
fragility and disaster within the coalition."

Peter Costello in June put an end to the speculation about whether he might take a
tilt at the Liberal leadership when he confirmed he was retiring from politics and wouldn't
renominate for his seat of Higgins.

Reverend Costello said his brother's decision was a disappointment for the party.

"His decision ... is obviously disappointing for many people who vote coalition and
have watched the latest leadership troubles," he said.

But Reverend Costello would not be drawn on what Australia's longest serving treasurer
would do next.

"Am I my brother's keeper?" he joked.

"He now deserves to choose to do whatever gives him happiness and I hope he does that."

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