My mad (monk) hunch: Abbott’s going to win

Philip Crowley says:

07:00pm | 15/08/10

The massive elephant in the room being the ancient link to US based servers. Our net will be no faster until that is replaced. It is going to be like using an inverted funnel, heaps of capacity at the bottom fed by a tiny little tube on top.

Bussbill says:

07:40pm | 15/08/10

You forget the bookmakers have Labor as warm favourites and have been correct with elections since day dot !!!!! They dont give away money !!!!!!!!!

Evan Findlay says:

08:37pm | 15/08/10

Gregg.
Why wasn’t these so called “infrastructure priorities ” addressed during the twelve years of the Howard government? And under the dimwitted Abbott government why would we expect anything more?

Jason says:

09:54pm | 15/08/10

Bussbill, does that include the 1999 Victorian election??  Labor 11-1 from memory….

John L says:

11:09pm | 15/08/10

I have been reading about Motorola and others putting big money into 4G-LTE wireless broadband that is giveing 100Mbps speeds and has been put into places around the US by At&t and other big players.
Like I said i am no tech head but i ask the question why is Testra doing trials and the Labor party blocking Testra from the 700mh need for proper test here.Just search Motorola 4G LTE Test

Gregg says:

11:50pm | 15/08/10

Evan,
The Howard Liberals first had the task of getting the nations finances somewhere near being on an even keel after Labor had put us so much into debt.
There is a recognition by some that it is not always best to live on credit and I agree that once approaching surplus budgets they were moving in the right direction with establishment of the Infrastructure Fund, a fund now virtually depleted by Labor efforts of the past three years.
And I agree, it’ll take strong government to look at massive natural water harvesting projects, a far better approach than desalination or the NBN and something that will have potentially significant returns for decentralisation, reducing the carbon footprint, water in the Murray, floods mitigation and even indigenous training/employment.
Someone needs to think as broadly as several times the Snowy. 

Seeing as you nominate the Abbott government, perhaps they’ll not be as dimwitted as you feel!

backseatelvis says:

08:38am | 16/08/10

hey bussbill,
you’re right, but they take their 15% out of the pool before they pay out. they wont lose a cent.

Tony says:

08:55am | 16/08/10

@ Bussbill

That’s because it is mostly Labor supporters betting. The rest of us know that gambling is like a tax on people who can’t count, since he bookies always win in the long run.

antman says:

01:28pm | 16/08/10

Tony, are the Packers Labor voters? I’d never have guessed that!

Maree says:

01:17pm | 15/08/10

I think you should get out from your ALP office and speak to some people in the street.

Phil says:

02:11pm | 15/08/10

Maree. The white board in Ros’s office probably shows an Abbott victory, but she cant let anyone know about the real facts

neil says:

03:41pm | 15/08/10

Ros’s, I’m an average Australian and Julia Gillard makes me cringe, with her fake nasaly twang that she developed as a union lawyer. People that knew her at Adelaide University say her real accent is more like Alexander Downers.

Everything abouit her is fake, she wouldn’t stand a chance on an international stage with real politicians.

Shockadelic says:

04:00pm | 15/08/10

You’re not voting for “Abbott as PM”. You’re (supposed to be) voting for the *party platform*.
Considering the rate that parties are ditching their leaders lately, the Coalition PM could end up being any number of people, likewise with Labor.
This is a multi-party democracy. There are more than 2 parties on the ballot paper.

I think and I vote says:

04:05pm | 15/08/10

Have you seen any Labor costings this election? No?  That’s cos they aren’t releasing any.  Oh and by the way of the 132 promises in the 2007 election only 23 were costed (And they weren’t the BER, Pink Batts stuff up or the NBN either.)

Super D says:

04:12pm | 15/08/10

Ros while you may cringe at the thought of Abbott PM that view is certainly not shared by the Australian public.  I’m guessing Howard made you cringe too and he sure won a few elections.

Seano says:

04:43pm | 15/08/10

Typical of conservatives, a Labor supporter is paid, a Liberal supporter is genuine. And the colour of the sky in your world is?

Ros is correct there are many, many people who may be dissatisfied with Labor this time around but when it comes down to it they wont be able to bring themselves to vote for Tony Abbott. Women, workers, immigrants, secularists, unemployed, casual workers, people who remembered his role in work"choices”,  people who remember what he did to the hospitals, people who are sick of middle class welfare, people who are concerned about his ability to manage the economy when even the Libs are sure of him etc. It’s these people who see Abbott as unelectable who will save Australia from a disasterous early return to Howard era politics.

Bruce3 says:

06:10pm | 15/08/10

Ros: Can not agree with you. Labors campain is about attacking Tony Abbott personally, along with ‘doctored’ up facts. You need to get out and about, labor is on the nose particularly amonst ordinary australians. I would be embarrased if left wing Joolya was australias PM,  in my opinion she is a ‘red’ cringe.

Rae says:

06:54pm | 15/08/10

Ros please extract your head and take a look outside the sand,  you have to be kidding I cannot listen to that woman speak nor have her represent Australia Globally she is an absolute disgrace.

I sure as hell do not want an Atheist Prime Minister we are still a Christian country!  ?Prime Minister Gillard supposedly proposing the ‘Education Revolution’  needs a course in English Grammar!

Australia being run by Unionists, Factions and Socialists!

Have you also heard the proposal on the back burner while the election campaign is running the LABOR Govt.  is planning to move out Defence Force families from their homes in NSW to make way for Detainees!

?I am absolutely disgusted, whilst OUR Australian Forces are fighting for OUR Country the ALP is planning to move their families from their homes!  I believe they are planning to do this in Darwin!

Where is the media on this?  The print and TV Media have a lot to answer for!

Philip Crowley says:

07:14pm | 15/08/10

Ros; Seano: It wouldn’t matter if George Clooney was standing as the Liberal candidate, you would both find him grossly offensive. If Julia Gillard was a Liberal candidate you would revile her. Like the right wing bloggers, you are extremely partisan and tribal. Thankfully, both the far left and far right are small minorities, though both are very vocal. Most of the rest of us reside somewhere around the centre and have a liking for effective and efficient small governments that allow us to peacefully exist in a free society while being careful managers of our hard earned tax dollars. Any party that can deliver that will get my vote.

Elphaba says:

08:25pm | 15/08/10

I consider myself pretty average, and I voted for the Libs (pre-polled, I’m working on election day).

I cannot, in good conscience, support a party who insists a price on carbon is the way we tackle climate change.  I couldn’t vote for the Greens, because their policies are pie-in-the-sky ridiculous.  In the end, Penbo said it - the Libs ran a better campaign.

Nt even the fact that Julia lacks religious beliefs was enough.  Labor had their chance and they blew it in spectacular style.  Move over.

Julie Coker-Godson says:

09:26pm | 15/08/10

I’m an average Australian and Tony Abbott does not make me cringe.

Greg says:

11:50pm | 15/08/10

Ruth, The C.O. of Ruthven barracks has already made a speech to her regular and reserve troops saying if Labor is re elected the will be moved out of their barracks, which will then be used to house illegal immigrants. She has warned it will happen quickly and the troops must be ready.
The top brass have now gone on a witch hunt to find out how these leaks are occuring. Yes 162 personall in Darwin have been told to be ready as well.

acotrel says:

08:43am | 16/08/10

Libbos are big with the wishful thinking?  If an Abbott government ever does anything about infrastructure, it’ll be a big first for the Liberal Party!  Scott Morrison has already said that improved infrastructure ‘will be a long time coming’ in our capital cities!  He obviously doesn’t see himself as part of the problem?

acotrel says:

08:48am | 16/08/10

’ Labors campain is about attacking Tony Abbott personally, along with ‘doctored’ up facts.’

Is that how you can rationalise voting for an idiot to become our PM? I suggest you’ve put ideology before common sense!

Seano says:

10:21am | 16/08/10

@Philip Crowley - Ah yeah champ - and yet I’m extremely likely to vote Liberal in NSW (unless they have some overtly offensive policy in which case I’ll vote Dems). I actually like Turnbull, I was just disappointed he made so many mistakes, particularly email gate. I’m hoping he gets another tilt when Abbott is sent packing and if not Hockey presents more of a small l liberal party for next time round in which case I will consider them.

I am vocally and passionately anti Liberal this time around because of 3 main reasons that supercede any dissatisfaction with the ALP:
1) If we return the LNP to office so soon then work"choices” is not dead. Just on the strength of what they did with work"choices” they deserve another term in opposition to get rid of the Abbotts and ensure that they understand that work"choices” is “dead, buried, cremated” and aren’t just paying lip service because there’s an election on.

2) The libs haven’t offered us a serious alternative. Uncosted promises and pie in the sky, never to be implemented schemes like paid maternity (Abbott will never actually tax business to fund social welfare) don’t cut it. The dog whistle bullsh!t on refugees has lowered the standards on both sides and Abbott’s latest on this, a phone direct from the patrol boats to the PM is laughable stupid.

3) Tony Abbott.

Roja says:

12:02am | 18/08/10

@Seano - I’m with you - I had hoped Nelson would stuff this election, then I could vote 1 turnbull in the next election for the same workchoices reasons.  It was an unannounced “dream” of Howards, for which liberals need to be punished.  I couldn’t look servo attendants in the eyes knowing they earned standard rates for the midnight to dawn shift. 

I’d also add the NBN is the issue that drives my current labor chanting.  “Wireless” as a solution is idiocy beyond comprehension.  I know the “it’s to download movies” line, but that is such a moronic view - I originally come from the country where my mum tells me 4-6 week waiting periods to see a doctor has become standard (forget about specialists).  Given a choice of seeing a doctor by video link or dying of an aneurysm waiting for a doctors appointment, I know which one I would take.

Northern Steve says:

08:37pm | 19/08/10

Roja,
How on earth is the NBN actually going to make it easier to see a doctor or specialist?  There are no more specialists than there are now, they won’t have shorter appointment times.

Chris Deal says:

02:36pm | 15/08/10

“Only the true Messiah denies his divinity”

“Well what sort of chance does that give me? All right, I am the Messiah!”

“HE IS! HE IS THE MESSIAH!”

Great theory.

preciouspress says:

02:53pm | 15/08/10

Anyone who can seriously suggest that the Telegraph is ‘the voice of the Labor Party’ must be chronically delusional. One would have to suppose that Piers Akermann and Andrew Bolt are the pinko commanders of this left wing propaganda sheet.

BobM says:

03:03pm | 15/08/10

@Chris Deal - Have you changed your name from Real to Deal? I can understand tho, as you probably don’t want to be assocoiated with the ‘Real” Julia.

PaulB says:

04:16pm | 15/08/10

The interference in elections by rich media proprietors of questionable National loyalties is a glaring feature of American elections.  Its no surprise to see its become commonplace here.

fehowarth says:

09:22am | 16/08/10

What I would like to see is Mr. Abbott do is to produce a list of all Labor programmes he is intending to slash.  We need to no how much waste as well as savings he will create by slashing the programmes.  What I do not understand why anyone would replace programmes that are nearing the end of their life.  This includes many of the education simulation programmes.  Mr. Abbott should or does know that computers in schools includes interactive white boards, cameras and many other electronic aids.  I suggest parents go along to their children’s school and see for themselves what has happened over the last couple of years.  The improvement was much more than buildings.  Mr. Abbott’s education is rebirthing many of Mr. Howard’s education policies.  He is placing a lot of faith in parent groups to run the system. He would have to set up new Federal bureaucrats to supervise his new endeavours.  Mr. Abbott’s policies in this election are wasteful in the extreme.  His rationale appears to get rid of everything Labor put in place.  Please do not let him throw the baby with the bathwater.

Ryan says:

05:02pm | 16/08/10

@fehowarth: I will be happy with him throwing out the garbage ETS charges we are now being blessed with on our electricity bills. We are paying for this garbage idea even though the ETS didn’t go through.. Merely for that reason and the other ever spiraling costs and reduction in standard of living over the past three years thanks to Labor I will be voting to toss these incompetent boobs out on the sidewalk.

Northern Steve says:

09:34pm | 19/08/10

Fehowarth: The Liberals have been pretty open with which programs they will cut.
And as far as education is concerned, a lot of teachers are very disillusioned with the plans that Gillard has for education.  They very much represent a step backwards in time, and show no understanding of what actually is going on in the modern classroom.
You can talk about Abbot slashing computers for schools, but equally Gillard cut broadband connections for schools, making her computers fairly useless.  Gillard ignored teachers’ calls for debate and negotiation on curriculum and reporting, and managed to publicly denigrate teachers in the process.
I’ve got to say that I have never known so many teachers who are planning to vote Liberal as in this election.

Biteme says:

02:38pm | 15/08/10

Point 6 is what concerns me most; If these people are being persecuted how can they leave their families. I would never leave my family at risk. In fact if Australia was suffering internal conflict I would stay and fight for what I believed in. I wouldn’t run away.

BobM says:

03:06pm | 15/08/10

Point 4. I wonder if Julia woill have to fall on her sword if she loses on Saturday? Do you think the Union heavies will let her keep the job?  Could be interesting who they’ll put on the pedestal next.

Russ says:

04:37pm | 15/08/10

Just a few points:
1) Any mention of Workchoices is a bad idea; the policy is poison and Tony has no credibility in denying he wants to bring it back - even if it is clear that he won’t be able to bring it back next term.
2) The Liberals need to find a way to break up the Telstra monopoly in order to beat the NBN. As it is, they just look silly.
3) Every time Western Sydney comes up, the ALP does something stupid. Still, most people can figure out the difference between State and Federal. Focus on policies like the railway, East Timor, etc.
4) Rudd was removed by the ALP’s right-wing. Arbib, Shorten, etc are hardly far-left. Still, they are the ugly face of Labour.
5) A vote for the Greens is a vote for the Greens. Who you preference is up to you. And if you are voting Green, you’re hardly a dyed-in-the-wool Liberal voter.
6) Boat people are a distraction, and of all people, the most likely to be genuine refugees. Your call is complete bull. If you want to cut immigration you have to look at the education programs, skilled migration, etc.

Joe Blow says:

03:59pm | 15/08/10

I’m with Tomi .... I’ve also backed Cronulla, West Coast Eagles and teh Wallabies ..... lol

Gerard says:

06:07pm | 15/08/10

1, 2, 4?

Obviously Labor’s ‘Education Revolution’ policy isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.

Philip Crowley says:

07:37pm | 15/08/10

tomi, that’s Labor. Labour is the party that absolutely stuffed England. Based on your post, I don’t hold much hope for your ‘brave’ prediction.

antman says:

01:41pm | 16/08/10

Ha, Gerard! How is that egg that is all over your face tasting? Go back tot he top of the page and check Penbo’s numbering of his points.

xyz says:

01:27pm | 15/08/10

I’ll be voting Labor!

Slim says:

01:41pm | 15/08/10

Funny that. I have exactly the same experience. Not had one single person say they would vote Labor. None of my friends are, none of my family are. Guess it all depends on whom we associate. Or maybe people will agree just to avoid conflict or embarrassment.

BobM says:

03:11pm | 15/08/10

I’ve got 3 sisters who will vote Greens   :-(  They only see the warm fuzzy, save the planet stuff and don’t realise they are gambling with Australia’s future. I’m sure there are plenty out there who think like this, or will vote for Julia because she is a woman.
Hopefully the polls are right about the Libs. This week should be interesting tho…..

Bussbill says:

07:37pm | 15/08/10

All above are forgetting one thing, the bookmakers who have predicted the outcome correctly for the elections since day dot have Labor as favourites quite comfortably. They dont give away money !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Z says:

11:31pm | 15/08/10

@Bussbill
do you include western australia?
Imm sure they got it wrong there.
I may be wrong.
but then again I dont gamble about silly things.

Gregg says:

12:00am | 16/08/10

busbill, the bookies just set their odds based on what they’re taking and so all that means is there have been plenty of Labor sods either too pissd or stupid to be placing early bets and/or the Labor machine going in heavy in an attempt to influence, or maybe all just a bit cocky.
Between you me and the gatepost matey, get on the Libs for a real killing while you can.

Grant says:

11:43am | 16/08/10

On the other hand, pretty much everybody I know is claiming they’ll vote for the Greens or the ALP. It’s going to come down to who you are, and who your peers are - using your own personal experience as a barometer of public sentiment will never achieve anything - except allow you to blindly claim you’re right.

Norbert says:

05:35pm | 15/08/10

Hey, leave us Westies alone. bad enough what happened to the Doggies last night without bringing up pokies joints etc.

And don’t forget that the good citizens of Altona recorded a 14% swing against Brumby at the by-election six months ago. That’s one reason why the Victoria poll numbers are very hard to swallow. Very hard indeed.

BobM says:

03:16pm | 15/08/10

Yeah, that’s right Rosie. All Julia will have with her is her hairdresser and a few union thugs, smiling and nooding while they plan how to really screw us.

Reg says:

08:59am | 16/08/10

Rosie you disappoint me. Your remarks about having children or not, are so immature I can only guess you’re not old, like I am. 

I am also surprised that you have not separated out the silly detail that Abbott only has daughters and is not old, so could not possibly understand the problems of those with sons or anyone older than he.  Is this an illustration of the depth of thinking of the average Liberal Rosie?  Sorry dear, fail.

Ben says:

07:37pm | 16/08/10

Great comment Rosie. ‘Reg’, you might be old, but, based on your illogical comment, I’m not sure you’re got any particular high level of wisdom going for you. Tony Abbott know’s a heck of a lot more than the current PM, even if he only has daughters. Julia is two dimensional in comparison.

Jason says:

02:40pm | 15/08/10

I’ll stick my neck out even further Sylmobile and give you 10-1 on an increased majority.
Labor should win due to the imbeciles in Victoria, but with a far reduced majority.  You haven’t obviously been to Qld or WA recently.

Steve says:

10:59am | 16/08/10

With Coalition currently outspending Labor, just not building anything.

When will we get past the pork barrel (as no one should believe either of them anyway) and look to intent. 

The damage from a decade of Howard cannot be undone in a single term, in Health and Education alone.  Maybe next term the pendulum would have swung enough to need to be balanced, but not yet.  We need to remove some State Labor (QLD, NSW, VIC) not the Federal one.

Abbott needs to lose just so Howard can be let to Rest in Peace.  Never to once again be resurrected (in any form).

Ben81 says:

02:20pm | 15/08/10

“We also do not need a government that misuses the concept of government debt, the plight of refugees or one launches attacks on the most vulnerable in our society to score political points. “

Well there’s Labor out of the picture. 
And 2007 called, it wants its scare campaign back.

TC says:

02:50pm | 15/08/10

You may be right to some extent that the Libs deserve another term iin opposition but it’s not oppositions who win but incumbents who lose elections. Labor didnt win the last one, Liberal lost it

Seriously mate, what have Labor done to “deserve’ another term in office. Near as i can tell they’ve done just about everything humanly possible to lose

Jason says:

03:15pm | 15/08/10

Workchoices is gone and you can’t handle that because you have nothing else.
Anyway, I can’t remember Workchoices killing 4 Australians or burning down 150+ homes. 
Oh and yes they are offering us an improvement…it’s called the ability to actually implement a policy on time and within budget.  Should try it sometime.

PaulB says:

04:20pm | 15/08/10

Can someone tell me just what was so catastrophic about Workchoices?  It was excellent for sacking layabouts, compo hunters and pilferers by all accounts.

Seano says:

04:32pm | 15/08/10

Abbott helped introduce work"choices”.
Abbott supported work"choices” well after the electorate decided it was dead, cremated, buried.
Abbott supported work"choices” in “Battlelines”.
Abbott claims it is a dead issue, but then says he can give no guarantees.

The bloke has supported work"choices” to the hilt. He cynically pays lip service to the idea that work"choices” is dead in face of a hostile reaction from voters which says a lot about the sort of person he is. The pretence that Abbott’s lip service means anything says alot about your average conservative punter.

Work"choices” is a part of Abbott’s idealogy it hasn’t gone away. Anyone who votes for Abbott logically risks work"choices”.

Ben81 says:

07:05pm | 15/08/10

Good Seano, I hope it does come back in a similar form and the hysteria has died down about it enough by the next election that Tony Abbott has the luxury of free speech on the issue.  What a ridiculous amount of jumping up and down and screaming over nothing at all.  It’s a policy that worked and proved the unions fearmongering wrong, the extent that it is being absolutely demonised by certain people as if it was some kind of catastrophic event is a joke.

TimB says:

07:53pm | 15/08/10

Seano, the more you whine about Workchoices thet more hysterical you sound. Abbott was one of the few Howard government ministers to OPPOSE it, but you keep ignoring this fact.

You reckon that your position is somehow better than people on this side of politics but it’‘s quite the opposite. You vote purely based on ideology and things that might happen in whatever scenario your own mind has envisaged.
We’re voting on actual practical results. There’s some Liberal policies I disagree with, but I KNOW that the Liberals have a much better track record on delivering what they promise compared to Labor.

I’d rather vote for a government that whilst not perfect, actually works, as opposed to a government that is completely hopeless.

Reg says:

09:34am | 16/08/10

That’s interesting TC. So you think the Liberals LOST the election by bringing in WChoices? Not that Labor offered the electorate the opportunity to deal it a death blow?

It’s interesting how you continually choose the negative position TC. Perhaps this is a flaw that is common to Liberals as Mr Abbott has been accused of the same thing? I think you attitude may have just clarified the term, “moving forward.”

Reg says:

09:57am | 16/08/10

Ben81;    “...that Tony Abbott has the luxury of free speech on the issue.” 

So you think TA has been denied the privelage of free speech?
Surely you exaggerate. From the party who in power used taxpayer funds to purchase favourable comment in every rural newspaper in the country.

Perhaps you are confusing free speech with his unwillingness or inability to elaborate on his intentions. You have forgotten that JH took the same path and no doubt having had the benefit of the wisdom of JH, the Abbott is hard put following his instructions.

Seano says:

10:01am | 16/08/10

@TC - They avoided a recession which would have cost many thousands jobs and homes.

@Jason - The government didn’t kill anyone, greedy business owners who exploited an opportunity without concern to the risks to employees or clients killed people. The spirit of the legislation was about stimulating the economy, reducing people’s bills and helping the environment. Funny how the same business people who supposedly were going to look after workers under work"choices” when presented an opportunity to make a quick buck their only interest is in making cash. Greed and profits before people. And these people were going to look after their workers? This is why “work"choices” is a real issue whilst ever one of it’s architects and chief supports is being offered as alternative PM of this country.

@PaulB - People were faced with sign or walk deals, they lost wages and conditions. It was great for business and awful for workers. I have no problem with businesses being able to fire lay abouts but those laws weren’t about fixing some imbalance in work place relations they were about handing all power in the relationship to employers. The coalition were deservedly sacked because of that piece of averice.

@Ben - Laughable. Take wagers and conditions away from workers and give them the “choice” of signing or walking and apparently workers are whingers for not sucking it up. This sort of stupid attitutde towards real people is why you lot were sacked last time.

@TimB - Oh give it a rest. Abbott has repeatedly defended work"choices” well after they were sacked, he called it the Howard government’s greatest acheivement. It’s in his book and he’s never apologised for it,  therefore he still believes in it.

Abbott has not offered a better alternative to what we have and his baggage is something that cannot be ignored. Therefore my position is better than yours because I would seriously consider a small L liberal party whereas despite rhetoric you would never consider the Labor party.

TimB says:

10:19am | 16/08/10

Generalising again Seano. You don’t know me or any other “conservatives” despite your insistence on tarring us all with the same brush.
I have voted Labor in the past. I was burned, badly. They have shown themselves to be completely incompetent at all levels of government.

If (and it’s a big if at this point) they can prove they can handle goverment competently and not shove idiotic, economy destroying policies down my throat, they might have a chance of getting my vote again. Until that time I’m going to stick with the party that delivers.

But hey, if it makes you feel good about yourself to keep voting for words over substance, be my guest.

Liam says:

11:03am | 16/08/10

I have to admit, I still don’t see what was wrong with WorkChoices myself. I’ve not heard a single complaint about WorkChoices that can be attributed to the law or the systems it set up. Every single complaint I’ve heard was just an example of a bad employer who took advantage of people’s fear and lack of knowledge of how the law worked to give them a raw deal (and did so in a manner which was illegal under the WorkChoices laws). How is WorkChoices at fault for people who broke its laws in screwing over employees? Frankly, if anyone’s at fault, it’s the unions who ran the big scare campaign against it, which led to hard done by workers believing what their employers were doing was legal and not fighting back legally as they should have.

Macon Paine says:

11:16am | 16/08/10

@ Seano
Your needle is stuck in the groove. Workchoices is dead, buried and cremated. Your Workchoices bogeyman isn’t scaring anyone who can think for themselves. Which is probably why, as TimB pointed out, your becoming more and more hysterical the closer we get to the election.
Just a few points:
1) Ok avoiding a recession is good, whats the plan to pay back the debt? Or are they just going to leave it to someone else?
2) Im not interested in the “spirit” of Garretts legislation. People died, houses burnt down and money was rorted from the tax payers. This was because the legislation was half baked, ill conceived, not properly implemented and led to the demotion/banishment of Garrett. Not to mention the fact that more taxpayers money now has to be spent to go and check all homes given insulation under the scheme! The legislation was a failure on virtually all fronts. It may have had good intentions (and im sure it did, it wasn’t a bad idea) but good intentions are the greatest cop out of all.
3) I can see your not going to let up on the workchoices line. Your clinging to it like white on rice. Do you have anything else against Abbott and the Liberals or is that it? Seriously?

Seano says:

01:59pm | 16/08/10

@TimB - spouting atypical right wing rhetoric and claiming to have voted labor is amusing if nothing else. Abbott was defending work"choices” last year champ, you keep pretending that work"choices” is “dead, buried, cremated”, but the concern that Abbott is paying lip service because there’s an election on is genuine and it’s not going away, especially when Abbott can give “no guarantees” about work place legislation.

@Liam - yes of course if something doesn’t personally affect you then it’s not a problem. Yet the Liberal party had to use actors to promote the “benefits” of work"choices” where as the unions just got workers to tell their stories, and yet you’ve never heard someone adversely affected. It’s a tired line and it’s crap, talk to a few people in low paid manual jobs, I know of plenty of people who lost wages and conditions who were given ultimatums to sign or told to walk.

@Macon Paine - yeah sure, no one is listening then why do you care?

1) They have a policy to return to surplus and pay the debt look it up - I’m kind of bored with the pretence that governments should never go into debt. No wonder infrastructure went to pot under the libs, they were too busy pretending that the only thing you have to do to be a good economic manager is return a surplus.

2) I agree the legislation wasn’t perfect and it was probably rushed but you cannot legislate against stupidity and greed. To blame Labor for employers putting profit before people when you conservatives said these same employers would look past the profit motive to look after people is funny, funny stuff dude.

3) Yes as I’ve said repeatly Abbott has offered no real alternative, besides work"choices” he was a bad health minister (hospitals fixed were they, I know, I know it’s someone else’s fault when the libs are in power), he constantly attacks the most vulnerable in society to score political points (the unemployed, casual workers, refugees etc), he has out dated views on religion and women, he doesn’t have the skill, diplomacy, self control or common sense to represent us on the world stage. And worst of all you can’t trust him, he’s basically admitted he’ll say what ever to win the argument but unless it’s scripted it doesn’t mean anything. Australia deserves better.

Liam says:

03:50pm | 16/08/10

@Seano Yes…and your point is? I also know of plenty of people who lost wages and conditions who were given ultimatums to sign or told to walk. I was one of them. But what was at fault for that wasn’t the laws. It was the employers. The laws didn’t allow those employers to do that legally, but because workers were being given a false impression that it was legal, those employers were getting away with bloody murder.

Reg says:

04:19pm | 16/08/10

Liam I cannot read what you have written to mean anything else but that WChoices or its implementation was so SLACK that the recalcitrant employers could do as they liked and the threatened employees were powerless to resist.

You have in effect described the legislation as draconian, yet STILL you defend it..

Andy says:

05:59pm | 16/08/10

You Labor guys rattle on about Work Choices but you don’t seem to realise that Labor hasn’t really got rid of it. They have deceived you party faithfuls very badly. Fact: workplace agreements made under WC are still in place and still valid today. Fact: EBA’s made under WC can continue on forever unchanged. Fact: unfair dismissal legislation is still not as harsh as it was prior to WC. Fact: the 5 minimum conditions under WC was expanded to 10 (big deal). Fact: the building industry commission you all hate so much is alive and well and Labor will never get rid of it. So go on believing the lie WC is dead - it’s alive and well and you have been well and truly deceived by the faceless men.

dwgw says:

11:15pm | 16/08/10

Seano…and you think Fair Work Australia is perfect instead? Tell that to the young workers in the Hardware shop who lost their jobs under that policy. But do the Laborites get upset about that? No there is no ability to have an Abbott bash in that problem.
Workers entitlements are difficult to get right and surley workers should have the right to negotiate their own wages if they want to.

Seano says:

08:42am | 17/08/10

@Liam - glad we agree (with Joe Hockey) that work"choices” was bad for workers. If the abuses were “illegal” why didn’t the government act to stop them, you’re either wrong about the legality (my vote) or the government was implicit or incompetent.

@Andy - so what? They are doing the right thing and phasing work"choices” out, seems like the sensible thing to do.

@dwgw - I don’t think any system is perfect. But forcing low skill, low paid workers to negotiate on their own, forcing them to accept sign or walk contracts and stripping them of wages and conditions is hardly a balanced and fair system. It’s a system about taking advantage.

MH says:

01:50pm | 15/08/10

Saying it in capitals doesn’t make it so.  I suspect you overestimate the progressiveness of 21st century Australia outside of the inner city.  Large chunks of the country remain deeply conservative.  By this I don’t mean right-leaning, I simply mean resistant to change. If Gillard does win, it won’t be because of Abbott’s supposed homophobia or sexism, it will be because the conservative default setting at the polling booth is to stick with the status quo.  Labor is just not on the nose enough to be thrown out this time.  That is why of 44 state and federal referendums since 1906 only 8 have passed.

MH says:

01:59pm | 15/08/10

People exaggerate the importance of ‘policy’ and undervalue competence.  ‘Policy’ from either side generally means grandiose motherhood statements with little focus on implementation and the actual viability of the idea.  What we’ve seen from Rudd, and now Gillard, are big claims and ideas but will any of them actually happen?  Where is our ETS?  Where is the better treatment and lot of indigenous people flowing from the vaunted ‘Sorry’.  Where is the increase in education standards flowing from the BER? And where, in 3 years time, will be the $2.1b rail link?  My guess is nowhere.  Abbott may not have made large policy announcements but irrespective of political leaning I would back his competence over a Gillard / Swan double act.  The only competent ministers the ALP had - Tanner and Faulkner - are gone.  We are left with the master of the BER and the economic genius who brought us the RSPT.

Interested observer says:

03:31pm | 15/08/10

Poor Drew, I feel you are too obsessed with dogma to recognise that Tony Abbott is not a fanatic seeking to impose his beliefs on your life and liberty.
I am not in favour of abortion as a replacement for effective contraception, particularly late term.  I am not in favour of RU486 being available as an over the counter “oops I don’t know what I did last night” remedy.  Am I a sexist?
The responsibility of government is to make decisions on behalf of the country. 
If you claim ideology will rule for the Coalition, how can you deny the class warfare conducted against the mining companies whose sin is to be a successful enterprise?
How can you justify school leavers being unable to work for 2 hours instead of 3, because of a national award which is touted as being “fair”?
Do you really believe that the great financial rescue did anything more than push up incomes for “tradies” with projects that are not value for our money?
Don’t even mention “Work Choices” - employers in the real world of micro business are terrified of being dragged through the mire by claims of “unfair dismissal”.  Individual employment contracts benefited both companies and skilled employees by releasing them from the straightjacket of union controlled legislation.
The Gillard government is taking no action to curb union thuggery - and this is a real threat to productivity.
The danger to Australia is not from some imagined threat to your life choices, but that democracy will fail through corrupt voting blocs being bought and paid for to the detriment of our future.

Super D says:

05:37pm | 15/08/10

Sorry Drew of Darlinghurst, you should try getting out of the inner city and into the outer suburban marginals where people’s votes actually count in this election.  While the inner city may well reject those views the outer suburbs most certainly do not.

dwgw says:

11:19pm | 16/08/10

He has a right to his personal opinion, but dont forget he has a party to decide policy. He wont rule like the kitchen cabinet.

Joan says:

01:23pm | 15/08/10

The real Julia showed her real face on Laurie Oakes show. You bet Rudd has seen that look…...the real ugly look of a hypocrite , that vowed loyalty then knifed the peoples PM Rudd. We saw that look that Rudd saw on Oakes show today.

TC says:

03:04pm | 15/08/10

Maybe people dont trust Abbott but do you seriously think they trust Gillard?

Im not sure about the Libs broadband plan but I am certain that $43BN NBN idea is the biggest waste of money Ive ever heard of.

Only idiots vote on the basis of a speech impediment

Gerard says:

06:37pm | 15/08/10

Actually, Australia doesn’t deserve better, it deserves whatever Orwellian nightmare it allows the Labor-Liberal-National cartel to create. Nothing is going to change as long as people continue to assist these parties in their efforts to remain the dominant political forces in Australia.

Joan says:

01:35pm | 15/08/10

Gillard and `moral scruples`  none - ....... the greatest stunt by any Australian politician ....Gillard vowed loyalty to Rudd on camera to Australian people then knifed the peoples PM Rudd and excused and justified action by saying the people vote for the party not the PM.  Yet today she travels around the country saying the voter has a choice between her Gillard or Abbott.  Gillard the hypocrite with no moral scruples, who helped Labor to lose its way is not the type of person to lead the country.

Ben Gia says:

02:04pm | 15/08/10

We need a PM with economic sense? Abbot has an economics degree. On the flipside, Labor has run a record deficit to “save us” from the GFC by borrowing 100 million a day and now the director of the RBA is saying that the stimulus wasn’t even an efficent use of our money (http://www.news.com.au/business/rba-director-warwick-mckibbin-says-stimulus-spending-political/story-e6frfm1i-1225716289488)

Housewife49 says:

06:20pm | 15/08/10

A director of the RBA. Not THE Director. MCkibbin is just one of the members of the RBA Board.

He was a principal adviser to defeated PM Howard, on economics and on climate change.

His views, ideas and proposals aren’t sacred and are *his* views, not those of the RBA.

A deficit of 2% or 3% of GDP is not a record. It suits the Liberals to pretend it is, but that doesn’t make it so.

Craig Baker says:

06:26pm | 15/08/10

The last thing Australian needs is a NBN that will be obsolete before completion. How exactly is an incremental improvement in broadband speed justified by the cost of the NBN.

Gerard says:

08:40pm | 15/08/10

Wrong, Craig Baker; the last thing Australia needs is Conroy’s internet censorship scheme. Doesn’t matter how fast potential broadband speeds are if that thing’s slowing everything down just so that the government can decide what you can and can’t look at anyway.

BobM says:

12:50pm | 15/08/10

I watched it too Joan. And you’re right, only one picture of Julia eating a pie. Heaps of derogatory Abbott cartoons and film clips. But the ABC is not biased, is it?

Gregg says:

01:23pm | 15/08/10

All the media bias against Abbott will hopefully have a huge backfire with many undecided voters for whilst the decided liberal or labor voters take note in their own ways, it is the undecided that will be on the outlook more with thought not just on various claims and policies but like it or not what they see in the media and there’s the old Aussie attitude of not just support the underdog but particularly more so when there’s an unfair kicking going on.

Tony won Oxford Blues against stronger opponents and so he knows what it is like to have to fight and fight well he has this time and that Aussie spirit is with him again.

He will make a great PM.

MH says:

02:05pm | 15/08/10

I too would like to see Abbott get up but resorting to the old media bias claim to support the cause is pointless.  If you want left leaning coverage, read the SMH / Age and watch the ABC.  If you want right leaning coverage, read the Australian and watch Sky News.  It all balances out and it is facile to claim one side gets better or worse treatment than the other.  Much as the media love to think they direct the debate, in the end they only reflect it.

neil says:

03:51pm | 15/08/10

The ABC’s one saving grace is that only politically engaged people watch it and they are mostly committed to an ideology, they are not swayed by the bias.

The swinging voters watch Fox sport and The Simpson’s, they don’t read The Age, SMH or go online to read The Drum. The left bias media is just talking amongst themselves. That’s why they are completely unaware of the mood of the electorate.

BobM says:

12:56pm | 15/08/10

Wrong Trevor. Julia Gillard is Australia’s answer to George Bush, and the frightening thing is that he got two terms.  And what did we get? The Iraq war (which both parties still support) and a global economy going down the gurgler.

PS - I love the shot of George Bush sitting in the classroom looking like a cat in the headlights when he was told about the planes hitting the twin towers. Reminds me of Julia the other night at Rooty Hill when she got a couple of unscripted questions.

Shona T says:

01:07pm | 15/08/10

Not as scary as thinking what will happen with Jules and co in the driver’s seat.  That will be a nightmare ride of epic proportions and cost taxpayers the earth.

Joan says:

01:17pm | 15/08/10

Abbott is answer to management and control of Labor waste, costing taxpayer $100 million per day and Abbott is Australias answer to get Australia back on track after Filed Labor Gillard ` lost its way`. -

Patrick says:

12:20pm | 16/08/10

Economic responsibility?  He’s handing out cash, but not building anything.

At the end of the day Labor is building ... NBN, rail networks, schools
Liberals are handing out cash to win votes and saying No to jobs and building things. 

You say this is responsible, except Liberals are currently OUTSPENDING Labor.

T Abbott is very G Bush ... watch for removal of stem cell research, banning of abortion, and anything else his demented Catholic minds can think of.  And if you don’t think he will bring his views into it, what did HE do with RU43 as Health Minister, he personally blocked it, despite all recommendations to the contrary by the health care professionals.

fehowarth says:

09:30am | 16/08/10

Miners are not doing bad for the coalition.  At least the union money comes from unionist not wealthy companies.

Sirro says:

05:40pm | 16/08/10

In NSW mate the Unions money comes from the taxpayer via the corrupt 15 year old Labor Government.
Guys like Tripodi getting his mates cushy 250K jobs that theyre not qualified for. Why do you think we are so broke in NSW?

Just you watch these cronies milking the Australian taxpayer like crazy if Julia gets back. They are rats and we will be the poorer for it.

Michel says:

05:22pm | 15/08/10

And if it comes to the TAB—where people really do put their money where their mouth is—Labor’s still got shorter odds than Liberals to win it.  And the punters, 9 out of 10 times in past elections, get it right.

Gerard says:

06:51pm | 15/08/10

“Voters have the right to choose the party and leader”

Wrong, voters have the right to choose their local MP. Anyone dumb enough to vote for a member of a party should expect them to act in the interests of that party and not in the interests of the electorate. That’s what learning from history means.

Mal says:

12:08am | 16/08/10

Gerard,
You’re right but mate,  you’re so so wrong.  Yes, we vote for out local MP.  Yes, yes we all know that.  Trouble with your post is that there are a lot of local MP’s who only have their jobs because of the Kevin 07 bandwagon.  The ALP and Kevin Rudd effectively made it a vote directly for PM.  Considering we were hit with the sledgehammer reminding us that John Howard wasn’t going full term (ALP actually ran that in 04 as well) it is laughable that they now expect us to be OK with the fact they changed a leader before that same term finished.  (Not to mention that at one stage they had all 6 state premiers and only one or two had ever been elected.)

Baz says:

01:42pm | 15/08/10

Yes and No.  All the capital cities already have world-class internet.  It just doesn’t get reported in the fear-mongering media.  As an entire state though yes maybe.

Gregg says:

01:28pm | 15/08/10

Reading between your lines Michael, do I detect a note of concern!
Yep, surely do.

Chris says:

02:39pm | 15/08/10

You already know what he is going to say Holly? Please tell us and then we will not need to listen.
Why should a backbencher like Rudd be given air time - are they going to offer the same time to a backbencher from the Coalition? No? Thought not.  More bias from the media.

Steve says:

02:49pm | 15/08/10

Its just come on Sky news that Julia ants to meet Tony at Channel 7 tonight at 6.30!

She is looking desperate if you ask me!

Jason says:

03:11pm | 15/08/10

Julia hates pensioners because they don’t vote Labor and she also disagreed initially with any paid parental leave scheme.  How do I know Holly? Her own party told us!!!
That’s not a scare campaign or mud being thrown from the opposition, that’s from deep within your own…

BobM says:

03:29pm | 15/08/10

Holly, how do you know what Kevin Rudd is going to say on Channel 7 tonight, unless you’re a Labor staffer or something? Just goes to show that you are not actually ‘Jo Blow’ with an opinion, but a Labor staffer with an agenda.

ShonaT says:

03:57pm | 15/08/10

Sorry, Kevin, I won’t be watching.

Joe Blow says:

04:10pm | 15/08/10

Holly - I must have missed your criticism of the current Labor maternity leave policy which doesn’t tax companies - it just uses taxpayers’ money!

Surely in the 3 years of KRudd/JuLIAR Labor they would have reversed any of the GST’s flaws?  Oh no that’s right they were too busy with Fuel Watch and Grocery Watch - Remember them Holly?  Labor’s answer to fixing the rising cost of living ... they are economic morons! 

Kevin Rudd - isn’t he the guy that lost his way?  Based on what JuLIAR has said about him, I’d be surprised if he could even find his way to Channel 7!!  Oh no that’s right, for political expediency JuLIAR now wants the dimwits among us to forget that he was so bad she had to step in, and to listen to what he says .... lol lol lol

Sharon Jones says:

04:21pm | 15/08/10

Spot-on, well said Holly! This is exactly the Coalition’s way - to fool the poor Aussie battlers into thinking that they’re on their side, when in fact they’re the exact oppositet!!! I just hope that the people can see through these smooth-talking tricksters, and see exactly where they really stand based on past performances! As Judge Judy often says, “Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining!”

Rosie says:

05:26pm | 15/08/10

Holly - I think some of us will be quite surprised by what Mark Latham has to say on Channel 9 Sixty Minutes tonight. After all he was Julia Gillard’s choice of a PM in the 2004 Election. Thank God John Howard won that one!

Trolldoll says:

03:12pm | 16/08/10

Holly Kevin Rudd wasn’t relevant even when he was PM, Julia Gillard wore the PM’s hat alot more that Kein did even when he was in office. Why would anyone bother listen to him now?

TC says:

03:13pm | 15/08/10

Should that not be “as you rip-so shall you sew”?

Barry says:

02:16pm | 15/08/10

Apparently the GetUp! site did a similar thing to this.  Unfortunately, no matter what boxes you ticked it always recommended you should vote for Labor.  System could be open to deception.

Tails says:

03:58pm | 15/08/10

Yeah. I filled it out deliberately with Liberal bias to see what would happen. It said it was a tie between Labour and Green as I was 18.8% suited to both of them.

Chris says:

05:46pm | 15/08/10

Of course because Get Up is another front for the Labor Party and part and parcel of the scheme designed to defraud the electorate. They reckon they now have another 100,000 young voters on side - and the High Court allowed it. (Interesting that it was only a majority ruling and I bet the reasoning will be positively tortuous.)

Likes Joining Dots says:

02:05pm | 16/08/10

Biteme, I could not agree more with you, it’s hard to discover who you are really voting for and their preferences.  Try this site, it’s not exactly what you wanted, but it is a great site to plan and compare parties when voting below the line. The AEC should have produced this long ago - https://www.belowtheline.org.au/

Unpolled punter. says:

03:53pm | 15/08/10

Don’t underestimate electorate intelligence. They are well-informed and from what I gather, lasting angry about Bill Shorten, Arbib, Feney, Paul Howes and Graham Richardson’s backroom dealing. Costly, union-funded ads would backfire, just like the Rudd-Gillard government funded pro-mining tax ads infuriated taxpayers already fed up with their wasting our money. 
The public has had a gutful of union bullies.
I suspect Gillard’s union thug friends have done themselves enough damage for one year.  Union backed ads, given their dark, nasty role in Gillard’s unseemly elevation, would be taken as contempt for a public plenty capable of reaching its own decision.

Patch says:

06:00pm | 15/08/10

If I was to guess based on the language from today, Labor is going to run hard on the economy in the next week. It’s not fraudulent to point out that Abbott is economically illiterate, leads a party that was anti all of the stimulus which has made Australia the envy of the world, and that the Libs have no coherent policies. Opposing everything isn’t enough. They really should have put the Monk in after the election to head-kick, then let Mal have a run at the election. The NBN fiasco and now promising tax breaks for miners (!) is the beginning of his Latham week I reckon.

Gregg says:

12:21am | 16/08/10

Patch,
I hope they do run hard on the economy for apart from Abbott being far from illiterate and most people knowing that it is not just the PM that will have a say on the economy, you’ve said enough yourself, ie.
” leads a party that was anti all of the stimulus which has made Australia the envy of the world “
Seeing as thre were a few countries that ran stimulus packages and did not fare so well, can you not get your mind around the possibility there was something else afoot! - surplus, banking structure/exposure, resources cash flow.
I would just love to see the Unions/Labor account for all the borrowing, what expenditure is justified, where the loan is from, the interest and what % of future years revenue will have to be applied to debt repayment.

Northern Steve says:

09:40pm | 19/08/10

Patch, you listening too hard to the ALP ads and nothing else?  The Libs supported the first stimulus package - the one that actually did something.  The rest (BER, Pink Batts etc) came well and truly too late to do anything effective.
And Gregg is right - there were a lot of other underlying facts that helped us.  We went into the GFC with a surplus (unlike US, UK, Japan, Germany), we had a reasonably dregulated labour market, allowing people to shed hours rather than jobs, a strong well regulated banking sector.  All those things are courtesy of Hawke/Keating/Howard/Costello, not Rudd/Gillard.

Ex- Pat Aussie says:

10:55am | 16/08/10

What.. you mean like every debate audience?

Richard says:

09:50pm | 15/08/10

It wasn’t panic that precipitated the execution preciouspress, it was resentment. You see, Rudd was factionally unaligned as you say, so when he won the ‘07 election (basically single-handedly), he didn’t owe the factional warlords a thing. He subsequently marginalised their influence in various ways (such as selecting the cabinet himself and ignoring caucus at every oppurtunity) and concentrated power in his own hands. This didn’t go down to well at all, because after 11 years of increasing irrelevance, the Union thugs had thought that with a new Labor government in power again, it would be “all aboard the gravy train.” But it quickly became apparent that Rudd’s real priorities were jet-setting around the globe and promoting himself as a diplomatic bigwig, not than lining the pockets of Labor cronies back home, so the Union heavies began hatching their plans…

They couldn’t strike him down whilst he was still fantastically popular amongst the voters, but at the very first hint of discontented rumblings out in voter land, the faceless hacks seized their chance and carried out their dirty work. They think they are too smart by half for putting in a female puppet PM to take advantage of Tony Abbott’s perceived sexism, and I do know that a vast majority of >35 y.o single women will be voting for Julia Gillard on this basis, but I do hope that reason prevails and the most competent team (as evidenced by 11 consecutive years of continuous economic progess under their last reign) is reinstated in office on the day.

Jason CR says:

10:07pm | 15/08/10

I’d rather ummm, ummm, ummm than blah blah blah…....

Gregg says:

12:27am | 16/08/10

Just pathetically hopeless lostnow

Milton says:

07:13pm | 15/08/10

Marylin, you had me until your last paragraph.

Ben81 says:

07:17pm | 15/08/10

I stopped reading at “torturing refugees”, and it was a fair effort just getting that far after your opening sentence.  What an absolute clown.

Tarzan says:

07:28pm | 15/08/10

Marilyn, you do know both Labor and Liberal agree on off shore processing? Please read up about it. Labor agreed with Howard in 2001.
You know why, it to keep them away from this place: http://www.mrt-rrt.gov.au/Decisions/Decisions-Bulletin/Bulletin/default.aspx
BTW there is a illegal immigrant there that got a $5 Million Government grant to help his business.

Jason CR says:

10:13pm | 15/08/10

“Abbott wants to pay the wealthy miners to keep digging up our stuff and not pay enough tax.”
Our stuff hey Marilyn?  Damn, why did I pay $200,000 for a small block of soil when I already owned it..

Gregg says:

12:32am | 16/08/10

Marilyn,
Just read the name and so where have you been these past couple of weeks luv.
It’s a bit late though for Tony has it in the bag.
Do you do a good Shepherd’s pie by any chance?, for could be Julia will be looking for cheaper eats in not too distance future.

Likes Joining Dots says:

04:20pm | 16/08/10

Jason CR, good point, but you need to think bigger.  In the year 2008-09 Australia exported over 10,000 tonnes of uranium oxide concentrate with a value of over A$ 1 billion. Our share of this ‘stuff’ (without really doing anything ourselves) should see that $200,000 paid off in no time. It’s the best investment I never made.

Sammy says:

07:17pm | 15/08/10

Anybody who thinks that Federal Labor isn’t NSW Labor should urgently buy and read this book ....
Betrayal : The Underbelly Of Australian Labor by Simon Benson
http://blog.booktopia.com.au/2010/06/02/betrayal-the-underbelly-of-australian-labor-by-simon-benson/

Super D says:

08:03pm | 15/08/10

I don’t want to burst your bubble but even if Labor wins Tony won’t be going anywhere.  He’ll get there when the numbers men dump Gillard for Shorten a month out from the next election.

neil says:

10:12pm | 15/08/10

Brain, get with the program even if your delusional view is right. Abbott does not need the conventional 3% swing to win. He only needs 17 seats, if there is a uniform swing across the entire country of 2.3% he will win win with 49.3%.

The Galaxy poll is showing the real feeling in the marginals, so the percentages become irrelevant. If the marginals swing, they swing!

Abbott can theoretically win with 48.8% of the two party preferred vote.

xyz says:

10:46pm | 15/08/10

Super D, if Abbott loses he won’t have the numbers to keep his leadership (don’t forget he just scraped in by 1 vote when he knifed Turnbull).  I’d keep my eye on Turnbull… he’s patiently waiting!

TimB says:

12:22am | 16/08/10

XYZ , you think that vote has any relevance today? Abbot has taken the Coalition from a certain loss to the edge of victory. Even if he loses next weekend, the Liberals know he deserves tremendous credit for that and aren’t going to dump him the second the election is over.
He’ll be back for a second tilt against whoever Labor happen to have leading them 3-4 years from now. And if Labor cock up the next few years like they have these last few, he’ll win in a landslide.

BobM says:

09:37pm | 15/08/10

BS Holly - you were hoping like he’ll that Rudd would come out supporting Julia. No such luck tho, he is still bitter and no doubt he hates her guts.

Super D says:

08:22pm | 15/08/10

Like that other biased News Ltd paper The Daily Telegraph who today editorialised that Labor deserves another chance.

Just because Penbo thinks the Liberals will win the election doesn’t make The Punch biased.  If anything the Punch has a slight left lean to it, after all its run by journalists who as a class of people are more left leaning than most - well except for Devine, Albrechtson and Bolt.

Hey now that Miranda Devine is leaving fairfax can we see her on the punch please!

CK says:

12:53am | 16/08/10

I’m sure that was the Sunday Telegraph’s editor. The regular Daily Telegraph editor, Penbo’s successor, will be spruiking the Libs ad nauseum all this week.

Did you happen to catch the Courier Mail today? If not here’s a link to their editorial for your perusal - http://bit.ly/dfdt1b

News Ltd. Not biased at all….

BobM says:

11:42pm | 15/08/10

Exit polls at Australia House In the Strand, London Give the result: Liberals 45%, Labor 39% and the Greens 16%.  Courtesy of the SMH.

Mal says:

12:15am | 16/08/10

Whatever involvement Tony Abbot may have had, he didn’t make the decision to send her to prison- the judge did.

Reg says:

01:25pm | 16/08/10

Rosie you mean the same John Howard who was so well-and-truly trounced by the electorate that he should be ashamed to ever provoke the voters again? The one the electorate found to be so very untrustworthy? The one you are thanking your god for having elected. I assume you will also accept that it was your god who deposed him?

I am seriously beginning to doubt your judgment Rosie.

BobM says:

03:10pm | 16/08/10

And don’t take Latham’s advice of leaving your ballot paper blank - at least cover it in crosses so it can’t be used by someone else.

Jim says:

12:27pm | 16/08/10

chrisozman…Abbott and co fully understand the need for an upgrade to our internet system. What they are opposed to is the $43bn cost put forward by Labor (which we know full well will almost double if they run true to form) with no business plan at all. None. If a global corporation went hat in hand asking the shareholders for $43bn for something that they have no plan for they would be laughed at. If a trench is dug up almost every street in the country and cable laid then that is what we will be stuck with for the next 50 years. With wireless, sure, the speed and capacity is not what you’d get “now” with cable, but it’s something that can be upgraded on an ongoing basis quite cheaply as technology improves. If having the ability to download a movie in under a minute is going to put my future grandkids in debt then I think I’ll stick with renting a dvd. In any case, most of the internet traffic in this country originates overseas so the links to the US, Asia and Europe should be fixed first.

Temerarious says:

03:17pm | 16/08/10

chrisozman, maybe this article will put things in perspective for you!

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2983739.htm

chrisozman says:

09:58pm | 16/08/10

Temerarious….you point me to an ABC website for information?
Sorry I ilke my news unfiltered by groupthink.

Concerned says:

10:31am | 20/08/10

@Jim:  There is a business plan.  KPMG have independently verified what has been proposed and have stated it will come in under budget at $42.8 Billion in the worst case scenario.

With business involvement, that cost comes down, and with Telstra’s involvement, that cost will again be reduced.

Tony Abbott’s plan is heavily flawed and relies on business putting in the infrastructure - something they haven’t bothered doing in the past and won’t bother doing in the future.

Mark my words - Tony Abbott’s half arsed plan will not provide anything close to what they claim it will.

Their wireless portion of their plan is an absolute joke.

MarK says:

12:19pm | 16/08/10

“There is nothing unusual about this election, nothing.”

Wrong on so many levels

Reg says:

02:09pm | 16/08/10

If Latham doesn’t trust Julia then my faith in Julia has been augmented and likewise diminished for those who trust a madman. Amber?

Bob H says:

02:56pm | 16/08/10

Latham’s hysterical warnings that Canberra is full of the useless and the evil, is the only honest punditry I’ve heard in this election campaign.

Macon Paine says:

07:11pm | 16/08/10

I feel sorry for her but I think judging by the state of her delusions about waiting for “God’s Kingdom”, it’s probably better for the rest of us that she choses not to vote.