Dave Sharma wentworth byelection Kerryn Phelps

As the dust settles on the Wentworth byelection weekend, and despite vote-counting expected to continue, it’s fairly clear that the Liberals are going to be busy licking their wounds for the time being. Friday saw a swell predictions, promotions and prophecies from the Crikey crew — including by Bernard Keane, Margot Saville, William Bowe, and Kishor Napier-Raman — as Australia squared up for the byelection, and readers were right there with us. Here’s what you had to say.

On expectations in Wentworth

Chris Gulland writes: Where are Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott in all this show of solidarity and conviction, surely they are the calibre of politicians that could go on the hustings and demonstrate the love within the Liberal party?

Evil Brian writes: Tim Murray’s got the perfect no-hope candidates job here. He gets to hone his hustings skills in what everybody knows to be an unwinnable apprenticeship role, and can then either contest a winnable marginal or get preselected for a safe ALP seat, or even slide in through the Senate at some stage in the next few years. Either way, he’ll make an excellent addition to the ALP parliamentary team when his time comes.

Roro writes: I don’t understand the thinking behind getting Howard in on the Wentworth campaign. The Liberals/right have wheeled Howard out on a few occasions recently that haven’t exactly turned out well for them. See e.g the anti-marriage equality campaign and the 2018 Mayo byelection. If anything, he represents the economic and political times that have lead us to today, and not in a good way.

Bref writes: I well remember wondering at the last couple of elections when Labor was going to bring out the big guns and some cut-through policies. And here I am again, hoping they’re just keeping their powder dry, but fearing the worst. Where are the nation building policies and plans? 

zut alors writes: Note to Bill Shorten: I trust you noticed the proliferation of anti-Adani protesters in the latter days of the Wentworth campaign. Worth thinking about & taking a clear stand. No more mealy-mouthed non-commitments, Bill.

TheRabidHamster writes: Amazingly, the Coalition seems somewhat surprised that they’ve found themselves in this position. It’s almost for them, as if they haven’t on an almost monthly basis since the 2014 budget, totally screwed up the job of governing and aped the worst aspects of the chaos of the RGR years. Not to be undone though, they’ve gone much further in their misadventures than even Rudd could have concocted. The employment figures and the general economic outlook seems to be immune to the performance of this awful mob, which needs to be reflected on when Morrison claims some credit at election time.

Send your comments, corrections, clarifications and cock-ups to boss@crikey.com.au. We reserve the right to edit comments for length and clarity. Please include your full name.