A week ago, when he addressed the NSW central council of his party in Sydney, there was real fire as he defended his record. But put the content of what he and the party are saying under the microscope and it's another story. The Nationals' mantra this week has been that there needs to be limits on competition policy. But there's nothing specific about what's being proposed. He points to what the Nationals have done to protect the wheat and sugar industry marketing arrangements but leaves the general impression the competition tsars are running out of hand.
Mixed messages are dangerous.
Anderson has to make up his mind whether he wants to hold the line, saying the Government is on the right policy track, or argue for a change of tack. The way he's going, he'll run right into the arms of Kim Beazley on the public interest test. It's a fair bet neither Costello nor John Howard is applauding Anderson's performance. As for the politically explosive subject of petrol, it's unclear whether Anderson and his band are saying anything or nothing. Nats were forced to walk a narrow path bathed in TV glare.