Tony connects the dots, but is it too late?

kp says:

02:28pm | 17/08/10

Well Leo and Tim B, let us hope it isn’t too late.  This government stinks to high heavens and have seriously stuffed up too many times.  I really hope the Libs get in on Saturday, I really do !!!!!!

PS says:

03:18pm | 17/08/10

I agree and why hasn’t Kevin Rudd been questioned instead they guard him with bodyguards and wisk him off so that he can’t answer the questions.  Also he is travelling around the country but still no questions, what is the media afraid of him and his minders!!!! I agree again that the Labor Party does not deserve re-election but everyone has them winning the race!!!

Bobster says:

03:24pm | 17/08/10

@ TimB, perhaps the problem they had with Rudd is he completely failed to sell the Labor Government’s magnificently successful economic measures.

Barely a handful of economists will tell you the stimulus was anything but masterful - except for mercantilists claiming to be qualified to make such comment.

Rudd failed to call a double dissolution on climate change against the wishes of his party - an undemocratic and arrogant move.

He failed to reinforce acts like the apology, he failed to sell the inroads he made restoring Australia’s international reputation in the wake of the sycophant Howard, he failed to understand and sell the NBN to the electorate, he failed to till the soil in the elecorate before pushing ahead with the mining tax, he failed to sell Labor’s health credentials - their greatest strength - and he allowed Abbott to run a totally falacious economic debate without opposition.

He became a PR liability and his brand was damaged.

He was dumped because he was a marketing disaster and got completely spooked and froze when Abbott appeared on the horizon - not a good situation for a micromananger to be in. It’s as simple as that.

Fred says:

03:41pm | 17/08/10

I don’t know what Labor supporters you know, if you had asked me I would have answered straight away - he wasn’t a team player, and to quote a faceless Labor MP I heard on the radio, they were “being forced to promote ideas and policies created by unelected adolescents” (Rudd’s staff). Which to be fair, not everyone would agree with but I certainly have no problem with him being ousted because of this.

TimB says:

04:04pm | 17/08/10

@ Fred- The question wasn’t aimed at anyone I “know”. The challenge was laid down to any regular posters on this site that support Labor.

Your own answer is almost passable…except for two things.

1. If it was a “team player” issue as you claim, they could have gotten rid of him for those reasons at anytime. It wasn’t until the polls started pointing at electoral defeat that they moved. Says a lot about the principles of the Labor party right there.

I agree that Kevin probably wasn’t the most consulatative of leaders…but only as far as the backbench and other junior members of the party were concerned (including your faceless MP). The other members of the so-called “Gang of Four” (Gillard, Swan & Tanner) were just as involved with every decision Rudd made, and should share equal blame.

2. If the ousting of Rudd was because of a disagreement over policy direction, we should have seen a dramatic shift in Labor policy after we left.
Instead we’ve just got watered down versions of the same stuff that killed Rudd. This to me shows that the dumping of Rudd was nothing more than a whitewash designed to cover up Labor’s policy failures.

As far as I’m concerned, Rudd’s dumping is an admission by Labor that their policies had severe issues. That’s what I want Labor supporters to acknowledge.

Joe Blow says:

04:18pm | 17/08/10

@Fred - sounds like your describing Gillard.  Rail policy launched without cabinet consultation, delegating National Security meetings to a policeman.  Maybe its a whole of Labor characteristic?

jg says:

04:21pm | 17/08/10

It’s way too late.

Not that I think it would make any difference as here in Canberra people seem to think that they (the government) have actually done a good job.

Bizarre.

A says:

04:41pm | 17/08/10

You mean like how Abbott stabbed Turnbull in the back. I’m not saying it didnt happen, but I saying its the pot calling the kettle black here.

Chaos says:

05:10pm | 17/08/10

Abbot didn’t stab Turnbull in the back. Turnbull called a leadship ballot due to media speculation on his leadship due to ‘ETS’. Hockey and Abbot put hand up. Hockey killed in round one, then Abbot beat Turnbull 45-44.

Rudd got rolled with no leadership vote. There was no decisive issue on why he was rolled other then ‘government has lost its way’.

For the record in 2007 Rudd just beat Beazley by one vote in a ballot. Gillard was instrumental in getting Rudd the numbers.

Evan Findlay says:

05:46pm | 17/08/10

TimB,
Like you need us to confirm what you have probably known all along. Mr Rudd was losing his popularity and Mr Abbott was gaining ground.
Irrespective of whether he was pushing the governments virtues or not, whether he was a team player or toeing the party line, that is all inconsequential. The party was nervous that they may lose the election.
Time for a fresh attack. Pure and simple. It’s no different to how the playmakers within the coalition, the likes of Tuckey and Minchin behaved in knifing Mr Turnbull. He was seen as unacceptable to winning the election. Get rid of him and find someone who will.
I read with great amusement some of the comments here by the right wingers that deplore the acts of political bastardry, but at the end of the day it’s about winning, no matter which political party you belong too. Contrary to what some may have you believe, it’s not about being in opposition!

dead to me says:

07:10pm | 17/08/10

Labor government pure failure, KRudd an ultimate failure, Gillard is a back stabber and has already failed eg asylum seeker issue, BER, being part of the government that ‘lost’ its way. So when you look at it, Labor had a shot and screwed up, now the Libs have to come in and clean up this mess. We don’t want the NSW state Labor type failure replicated on a Federal level.

Aidan says:

10:28pm | 17/08/10

I am a labor voter, i will freely admit they did a bad job.

But its still better than voting in Howard Mach II the ultra conservative that cut funding from everything he laid his hands on.

We need a progressive government, its no longer the 1990’s and thats where abbott will take us.

The liberal party does not care about the “real” people of Australia.
Ie the middle class and lower class.

acotrel says:

07:42am | 18/08/10

If the Labor government is so great, why was Kevin Rudd turfed? It’s a simple question, but they can’t answer it.

Kevin Rudd made a gross error of judgement when he introduced the tax on mining super profits 6 months before the election!  He was faced with a backbench revolt, when they saw the way the miners and the coalition were behaving! It was an example of the inordinate power of large corporations in our democratic system.  I voted for Kevin Rudd, they caused his downfall!
Tony Abbott would do much better if he expressed his VISION for the future of an Australia no longer dependent on selling minerals to survive!

acotrel says:

07:50am | 18/08/10

‘Rudd failed to call a double dissolution on climate change against the wishes of his party - an undemocratic and arrogant move.’

Introducing the tax on mining profits 6 months before the election was dumb.  How much dumber would it be to fight it on the basis of Tony Abbott’s stupid ‘it’s just a great big tax on everything’?  You people really need to think about what you are doing in promoting someone like Abbott.  Politics is one thing, but to dismiss the importance of climate change in such a way is tantamount to GROSS NEGLIGENCE! When I think about his potential to do harm, I feel sick in my stomach!

xiaoecho says:

02:38pm | 17/08/10

Hear! Hear!

halberstram says:

03:01pm | 17/08/10

You forgot Radio 2GB and MTR. . . They run 24/7 as anti-Labor radio stations ! . . . Is it any wonder Rudd’s poplarity declined under such sustained attack ?

Bobster says:

03:14pm | 17/08/10

It’s easy - smh.com.au theage.com.au or anything from the ABC.

Straight down the middle.

But of course, these papers sources are just commie propaganda aren’t they.

Tails says:

03:22pm | 17/08/10

MTR rates about 1.5%
Ooooh! What a huge effect that must have had.
Numpty.

Richard M says:

03:31pm | 17/08/10

And Sky News.

Jay says:

03:33pm | 17/08/10

You can add big mining and big tobacco to the mix

dovif says:

03:39pm | 17/08/10

So every newspaper, tv and radio station says the ALP are doing a bad job

They may all be biase ... the alternatvie view is that the ALP IS doing a bad job

Elizzie says:

04:01pm | 17/08/10

just the truth I’d say. The lies this Labor party have spun and the ads against Abbott…give me a break

The Badger says:

04:21pm | 17/08/10

The relationship between truth and a newspaper is like the relationship between the color green and the number seven.
Occasionally you will see the number seven written in green, but you learn not to expect this.

Garrison Keillor

David says:

04:25pm | 17/08/10

Since when has the truth been a smear.  Blind Loyalty does no one any favours.  Julia Gillard has made some major stuff ups and you and she refuse to acknowledge it.  Anyone can make mistakes, but to refuse to recognise them means you won’t learn from them and that scare me the most about Labor

sb says:

04:42pm | 17/08/10

How can you all say that about these publications?? Honestly you have to be kidding?? They are no more biased in their views than Fairfax press and the ABC!! Are you telling me that a newspaper that has Laurie Oakes and Paul Howes to name but two unashamedly anti Liberal commentators as weekly columnists are only smearing the Labor government. Grow up!! as far as I am concerned, I see nothing but equal opportunities given to both parties.

ABC says:

04:52pm | 17/08/10

I’m with you David.  Valid criticism is in no way a smear.  Just because you don’t like it does not mean there is a campaign, it may actually mean, shock horror, that the particular government is deserving of criticism.

MarK says:

05:02pm | 17/08/10

OMFG where is my tin foil hat I needs it to stop the rights scary thought wave machine and mind control….

If only the Ruddster had been put under a little scrutiny in 2007 we could have avoided all this mess.

It has been shown, he was not the messiah just a naughty, foul mouthed, angry little boy - not to be confused with the previous foul mouthed, angry little boy that ran for the job with Julia;‘s backing on 2004.

Bobster says:

05:21pm | 17/08/10

Laurie Oakes is anti-liberal hey? That’s a newsflash worthy of ... well ... Laurie Oakes. As baseless as his grubby attacks on Labor at the start of the campaign.

I’ve conducted an experiment on News Ltd over this campaign period.

Every time I’ve posted this comment: “Oh my god people need to realise this is a bad government.” It has run - every single time.

However, similar attacks on Big Ears get through about 50% of the time at best. I’m pretty convinced I know where News Ltd’s allegiance lies.

Yesterday the Sydney Morning Herald ran the story about 51 economists backing Labor’s stimulus at about 12pm. It took until 5pm for the same information to appear on News.com.au - buried about halfway through a mostly unrelated story.

If you think News is against the Libs, it’s just because the Libs are losing.

Move News Ltd’s predictions about 10 degrees to the left and you will accurately call the result of every election.

You can bet on it - in 07 I won a Playstation and I made 100 bucks out of the SA election using just this method.

Fairfax also requires a slight adjustment to the left but not to the same extent.

screamingathenegativity says:

05:53pm | 17/08/10

SB tells us to grow up (1) - The Murdoch Press is not biased.

We must have just imagined that The Murdoch Press has tried to influence elections in Australia, the US and the UK

Jason CR says:

06:06pm | 17/08/10

All media outlets gave Rudd a dream run in 2007.  It’s just a case of the media, like the voters, haven’t liked what they’ve seen since with Labor.

Just Sayin' says:

06:27pm | 17/08/10

Fools!  Can you not see the guiding hand of the Illuminati when it is right in front of you?

murph says:

08:25pm | 17/08/10

Nice conspiracy theory there: Except that the Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Herald-Sun and Advertiser have all editorialised in favour of Gillard.  But hey, don’t let a good theory get in the way of facts.

Informed Giant says:

01:27am | 18/08/10

Pfft get real. The left always get a free run. And look back to 2007 and Krudd. That was the easiest path laid before a politician I have ever seen.

acotrel says:

07:56am | 18/08/10

Current TV ads from the LIbs are all about how bad the Labor Government is.  The Labor ads are about what they have done, and will do for Australia.  Poisonous politics lost the coalition the 2007 election, and they didn’t learn from their drubbing!

Follow The Money says:

08:52am | 18/08/10

You forgot the Courier Mail - they are the unofficial opposition here in Qld. The LNP has been so unelectable at a State level that the Courier Mail has kept them alive with biased Anti-Labor editorial head lines.  At the last State election Labor was on the nose and the CM hammered them during the election campaign but the voters rejected Springborgs LNP’s dud policies and brought Anna Bligh back from the dead.  The Murdoch papers are anti-Labor with lots of opinion pieces written under the disguise of independent third party commentators who represent conservative views.

sb says:

09:00am | 18/08/10

Hey Bobster, I hate to say it but Laurie Oakes…great mates with Kevin Dudd. That is why he was against the Gillard government at the beginning of the campaign. He was sticking up for his mate. Rudd use to clean his house and Oakes was always fully supportive of him.
And Screamingatthenegativity….where are the facts to support your argument that Murdoch press have tried to influence elections. It would be interesting to see the detail and facts that you have accumulated over time including headlines from past Murdoch press, columns etc especially from the 2007 Australian election. In the lead up to the 2007 election, I seem to recall that all media were driving a nail into the Liberal coffin including Murdoch press.

Geoff says:

10:27am | 18/08/10

Bobster

If you had actually bothered to read the business section earlier in the day on news.com.au, you would have seen the 51 economists was the top story, including 30+ comments. But you can’t expect labor voters to read the business section.

Daniel says:

02:38pm | 17/08/10

And going back to Kev this late in the campaign isn’t going to sound desperate? How about Tony “1-vote” Abbott? Abbott, Bishop and Hockey in charge of a country? Laughable.

MarK says:

05:12pm | 17/08/10

Hahaha Daniel. This whole 1 vote has been done to death on the site before now.

True facts incoming.

Julia was not voted in - she was given the job by some guys who expect some pay back.

Since Abbott’s democratic election by his party he has been running the agenda as follows;

1. Decides to stop the ETS - Labor runs screaming from it in the greatest act of political cowardice we have witnessed in Australia.

2. Decides to oppose the great big new mining tax that was so “elegant” not “one hair on its’ head could be touched” lest it be wrecked. Well it was wrecked on Tony’s say so.

3. Does such an effective job as opposition leader that Rudd is knifed and Gillard panics and tries an early election to capture whatever honeymoon she has.

All of this must have happened while you were sleeping. By the way Rudd was elected by the caucus by ........drum roll…..10 votes. Yes a whole 9 more than Tony. Wow talk about an overwhelming victory.

Seriously who cares Daniel. You need to get with the program that Abbott has brought the coalition back to a position that no one thought possible 6 months ago.

He deserves credit as the most influential political figure in Australia today.

Enjoy Julia. She only has 12 to 18 months win lose or draw anyway.

Joe Blow says:

05:35pm | 17/08/10

Ummm - I think JuLIAR blew the ability to appeal to the ‘innate sense of justice’ when she imparted her own justice in Rudd’s back.

js says:

02:49pm | 17/08/10

Thanks for that.  I actually didn’t realise that is was totally scripted and that she had her speech “sneakily” put down so that people couldn’t see it.  Typical dirty, pathetic, sneaky Labor !!!  Nothing ever changes with this party. They are the biggest pack of liars and hope they don’t get back in on Saturday !!!!!!!!  Come on Australia, have some back bone and get rid of these clowns.

DougB says:

03:15pm | 17/08/10

Wow,
That just shows their contempt for the Voter, and the fact that they can’t be trusted. This should have been on the front page or so of every paper in the country.

I bet we see nothing of it on news reports and current affairs shows.

Keith hammersmith says:

01:01am | 18/08/10

the funny thing is, its totally fine to have a scripted speech,  every politician does it,  but why did she feel the need to lie about it?
Labors gift, “We create problems where there were none before”

jessie says:

02:42pm | 17/08/10

Hey Ken, well written and I totally agree with you. It is good to hear someone (other than the bias Labor media) make some excellent points !!

Daniel says:

02:49pm | 17/08/10

How about waking up to the 40% increase in Utility prices under the Howard government? How quickly we forget. Labor bias in the media. Absolutely hilarious.

Taiabada says:

02:53pm | 17/08/10

Ken, I only pray you are right, but I am fearful myself both of Labour winning and the Greens gaining more power.  The Press CLub performance was as well presented as any could be I think myself it is lost but not by leaving things too late.  I really believed from the beginning that Labor would win and we would be listening to motormouth Gillard for another 3 years.  I wish she’d jump on her broomstick and fly back to Wales.

Lucius says:

02:53pm | 17/08/10

Ken, I live in SA and there is no chance of a swing towards Liberals in this state - not a chance.

If Federal Labor have been such a horrible, bad government why is this country not suffering millions in unemployment, a devastating recession, why arent hundreds of thousands of people starving?

You Liberal voters are idiots. Its no wonder you lost power 3 years ago.

Terry Jones says:

03:05pm | 17/08/10

Lucius how about you speak for yourself as I can assure you many people I know are very annoyed with the poor performance of federal Labor and will be voting Liberal. Your comment was written like a true young labor keyboard warrior probably sitting in Canberra never having even visited SA.

dovif says:

03:05pm | 17/08/10

Daniel

So utility went up 40& over 13 years of the Liberal government, so that is 3% a year in line with inflation

Wow Wow Wow ... lol .... lol .... lol

Sickemrex says:

03:06pm | 17/08/10

I don’t know abouyt the other states but the LNP in QLD could do much worse than keep linking Gillard with Bligh for the rest of the week.

dovif says:

03:07pm | 17/08/10

Luscious

If this government was not such a bad government

Why did Gillard said it was, when she backstabbed Rudd?

Why did the ALP think they had done such a bad job, that they replaced Rudd before the election like how they did in NSW

Ben81 says:

03:08pm | 17/08/10

Lucius, I’m pretty sure Ken didn’t claim any of those things are going on.
Also I live in SA and everything he said about the state is a fact.  The Liberals won the popular vote here in the state election and yes the water issue is at the top of a lot of peoples concerns.  Labor’s fake how to vote cards from that election haven’t done their brand any favours here either.  You could have done without the juvenile dig at the end there too.

DougB says:

03:18pm | 17/08/10

Ken, you have almost certainly pegged the primary vote spot on.  Unfortunately, preferences will decide the government and with the shaky back room deal Labor did with the Greens, we will almost certainly see another election where one party (The Libs) will win the primary but lose government on the preferences.
Sad to say.

Daryl says:

03:36pm | 17/08/10

Lucius, If Labor win, Australia will become a clone of the stae of NSW, and you will be kicking yourself! I don’t understand South Aussies at all except that apart from two failed football teams, they are hanging on to the fact that Gillard once went to school there. How stupid is that?

Jamesadel says:

03:52pm | 17/08/10

Daryl,

Adelaide currently has a Labor government and we are going good as a state with increased infrastructure and a low jobless rate.

What did the Liberals do when they were in power for over a decade? Workchoices. GST. Increased Taxes. Lack of funding to schools and healthcare.

And quite frankly I’d rather live here in Adelaide where we are doing good, than the trashpit that is NSW.

The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

03:58pm | 17/08/10

I resided in SA over the last two years, even voting in that farce of a state election, with Labor flying flunkies in from interstate to hand out fake how to vote cards purporting to be from other parties.

Rann won because he used the same approach Gillard and Rudd are using now. They are targeting only the marginal seats. Rann had massive swings against him in safe Labor seats and treated them with contempt. He won the marginals and formed Government on 48% of the vote.

People do feel duped and yes, it will be reflected in the federal poll.

I think you are pretty close to the money as long as nothing untoward happens between now and Saturday.

Also, Labor will lose Solomon in the NT, partially due to the crappy way Labor have treated the ADF, but also because of the work Natasha Griggs has put in. It may go down to preferences with the assumption being that One Nation will preference CLP (Libs). Snowdon is practically a fixture (fossil more like) in the other NT seat and is probably the only familiar name on the sheet for many. The other bloke will get the bulk of the indigenous vote but preferences will flow straight to the ALP.

Dayton says:

04:02pm | 17/08/10

I’m from SA and I didn’t care who won the state election but there was definitely a massive swing to the liberals. However federally, I am very determined to see the end of Labor. They are deceitful liars that have done nothing good for our state or the country. Nothing.

PS says:

04:14pm | 17/08/10

My god I hope you are right!!! You should write for the media, you never know they might give you a job!!!!

Robert Smissen, rural SA, God's own country says:

04:14pm | 17/08/10

Lucius, the answer is quite simple really, because of the SOLID GOLD effort of the howard government in creating a huge surplus after paying off LABOR’S last debt. Little Kevvy spent money that wasn’t needed. A little history for you, under the Liberals in SA, Sir Thomas Playford gave this state unpresedented growth & wealth, Labor got in & SA became the mendicant state overnight.

Joe Blow says:

04:22pm | 17/08/10

@Jamesadel I’m sure it was just an oversight (because you seem so balanced in your views) but I think you forgot one thing the Libs did .... Paid off $96 BILLION dollars of Labor debt!

Bernie says:

04:28pm | 17/08/10

@Daniel.The 40% that you attribute to Howard,if it is even true,(not a necessity for a rusted on labor stooge),happened over 12 years not 2years.My business power bill up 60%.Usage down 20%.Thanks Labor.

Daryl says:

04:31pm | 17/08/10

Jamesadel, The LNP paid back Labor’s debt and saved over $20b in surplus. That’s what they did for starters! They also reformed the financial services industry. That legislation delivered the safest banks and insurance companies in the western world. Without that windfall, corporate governance and China’s appetite for our natural resources, this Labor party wouldn’t be patting itself on the back over the GFC. Also, the unemployment rate under Howard was lower than it is now. And it is laughable that this election is being fought over the state issues of education, health care and transport. It’s an admission by the government that the Labor states have got it very wrong and let the people down. What the Howard government did, was give 100% of the GST revenue to the states. Ask yourself what did the states do for schools and health care. The SA government may have done a good job, but the NSW, Qld and Vic state governments p!ssed it away. Health, schools and transport are state responsibilities James and now Gillard is promising to bail them out! As for tax, you are kidding me right? The “read my lips L.A.W” tax cuts were delivered by the Howard government, not the Labor party. And now Labor are taxing the resources sector which is driving the economy, jobs have already been lost in Qld over that move, not to mention the effect Labor’s price on carbon will have on inflation. The 3% additional superannuation contribution Labor are placing on business will also lead to inflation and job losses. I was born in Adelaide James and I am much happier living here in Sydney thanks where we have a higher standard of living, don’t drink muddy water, don’t run around with small man syndrome blaming Victoria for all of our troubles, and where we have more than just a football obsession to keep us amused. Oh and when I was living overseas, no one knew what or where Adelaide was.

The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

04:39pm | 17/08/10

My last post is off the mark - I had thought there was another candidate in Lingiari. Snowdon will still get in.

Bobster says:

07:34pm | 17/08/10

Ken, that was written like a true New Zealander.

I assume you must be a New Zealander because if you actually lived in this country you’d see why that statement was so hollow.

Howard in 98 was the same result as in SA - didn’t have an affect there.

NSW and Qld have held this disdain for a decade - Labor Govts in both.

Victoria - same story.

Tasmania - you’re probably right there.

NT - Labor.

WA - Who cares? It’s WA. If it wasn’t for the mines I’d gift the entire state to Nauru.

Nationally - state politics does not tend to flow on to a great extent in Federal elections.

77% of the betting has been on Labor.

Labor leads all the polls.

Gillard and Rudd both outstripped Abbott in preferred PM polls for his entire leadership.

Why do you think the Libs will win again?

But then, I’ve probably been swayed by that communist Murdoch and that damned leftist press.

Tony WA says:

07:53pm | 17/08/10

My God Ken, you are an expect in every single state in the country excluding NT.  I only wish I had your level of insight.

And for everyone else I am astounded that a federal government is to blame for increases in ulitility charges.  I always thought this was a state issue.  How wrong am I.  I will tell you what, I will call my Liberal premier tomorrow and apologise to him for blaming him about the massive electricity and gas increases we have had the last two years.

Also the proposed 14% increase in water bills for the next three years, I will blame this on the Feds as well.

Also, my understanding of economics has failed me after all of these years.  I am personally paying their debt and that is why I am not buying any consummerables.  I will have to readjust everything I have known as truth, because Ken has shown me the light.

I aslo didn’t realise that the democratic system as we know it is under threat from a Labor Government. And don’t get me started on the Leftist Media.

Please - grow up.

Tony WA says:

08:42pm | 17/08/10

Bobster - you know I have to respond to the WA comment.

Without us, you would be in recession.  Maybe if we were gifted to Nauru, we wouldn’t have to put up with the rest of the country taking all of our money.

If not for this comment, I would have agreed with everything you stated.

dovif says:

02:50pm | 17/08/10

Daniel

The difference is that Kevin was a PM voted in by the Australian people

Like this election, Australia has a choice between Gillard and Abbott, and Australia will made their choice…. if ALP replace Gillard with Arbib 2 weeks after the election ... Australia will be as upset as when they remove Kev

TimB says:

03:05pm | 17/08/10

Bullcrap. The same policies are being pursued under Gillard as they were under Rudd.

We KNOW why Kevin was turfed. It was purely poll driven. But it’d be nice if there was a Labor supporter that admitted this instead of trying to claim that the opposition leadership changes carry anywhere near the same weight.

KH says:

03:17pm | 17/08/10

dovif - no he wasn’t.  He was a leader elected by the party.  The only people who voted for Rudd are in a single QLD seat.  Otherwise, you voted for whoever your local member is.  There is no secret that both parties select their leaders internally.  Don’t think for a minute that Abbott is a leader because he is some great person - rubbish.  He stabbed Turnbull in the back - Nelson, Costello, Hewson, Downer - a nice list of previously ousted leaders, all of whom were taken down by ‘faceless men’.

dovif says:

03:26pm | 17/08/10

KH

then why is Gillard’s ad all about we cannot trust Tony Abbott about the economy .... the fact is the Liberals did a much better job with the economy then the 2.5 years of waste under the ALP

Quite simply, we voted for Howard over Latham 6 years ago, we voted for Rudd over Howard 3 years ago

And as the ALp says we are choosing between Gillard and Abbott in 4 days

Barbara says:

03:47pm | 17/08/10

@ KH - That’s right.  It was the Labor 07 campaign wasn’t it? - NOT.  They ran that campaign around Kevin Rudd, because Kevin (Kevin07) was the leader of the Labor party.  Technically we vote for our local reps but that isn’t how the average voter looks at it, and you know that.  As for the Liberals changing leaders, I don’t know if you noticed but they are in opposition, not running the country.  They also had a voting process with each leader change that involved all the front and back bench members.  Labor back benchers had no idea what had happened until they heard it on the radio or from the ABC.  The real king makers are the faceless union powerbrokers in NSW

The Badger says:

03:51pm | 17/08/10

Dovif

That’s about as likely as Abbott being replaced by Howard.

Daniel says:

05:03pm | 17/08/10

Keep pretending the GFC didn’t happen dovif. Keep ignoring that we’re in a great position right now.

Hayden says:

06:46pm | 17/08/10

Daniel , you may not be concerned at $100 000 000 per day in interest but I am.
If paying three times more than we should for buildings, burning down houses, and escorting illegal boats to our shores is the sign of a good government then why knife Kev?

Sam says:

06:48pm | 17/08/10

Doofus, the difference is Kevin was a member of parliament, voted in by the people of his electorate, who went on to become PM because the majority of other electorates were also won by Labor candidates. He may have led the party, but only a few thousand people actually voted for him, and they have the same opportunity to vote for him this coming saturday.

Daniel says:

02:51pm | 17/08/10

Oh, the stimulus obviously wasn’t so good? Keep pretending. Hint: he wasn’t ousted because of poor economic management.

js says:

03:23pm | 17/08/10

Hamish and others, Daniel is obviously a Labor Staffer.  They are employed to write these comments.  Just ignore him !  Let us get on with a more intelligent conversation without him please.

Daniel says:

03:23pm | 17/08/10

Why should imcompetence be rewarded with any term?

Right On says:

04:20pm | 17/08/10

“Why should incompetence be rewarded with a second term just because it is not traditional to throw out a first term government?”

Absolutely agree. Besides there is nothing traditional about a party removing a sitting PM in his first term of government.
If Labor powerbrokers can do something like that, why can’t the Australian people dump a first term government? YES WE CAN and I hope the people will truly say YES WE WILL.
The kind of politics that saw a sitting PM being rudely dumped months before an election should not be rewarded.

Hayden says:

06:53pm | 17/08/10

Daniel your typical Labour, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS means nothing.
Where are you going to get it, just print some more maybe?
Your spinning too much rubbish on this site, save your energy for job hunting you idiot.

Daniel says:

03:29pm | 17/08/10

See how bad it went for Australia though? People lost jobs, people lost houses, oh wait, that was other countries. By all means, keep wheeling out the BER that isn’t a failure, and the Insulation scheme ruined by dodgy installers. I’m sure $4 billion a year in Paid Parental Leave, and a 1.5% increase in company tax will fix it all. Such great economic credentials that coalition. I mean, that $4 billion a year could actually be useful if put towards the NBN instead.

Barbara says:

04:08pm | 17/08/10

Can someone show me the econmic benefits that will flow out of the NBN, because the Government can’t.  Is it because they don’t even have a business plan yet?  What have they based their costings on?  And how about the fact that once this elephant is built it will be handed over to the likes of Telstra and Optus so that they can charge us for the privilage of constructing the network for them to profit off.  Let market demand drive the network, and let the big telco’s pay for it.

Daniel says:

05:08pm | 17/08/10

http://www.nbnco.com.au

It’s not getting handed over, it will be sold. The government investment is only about $26 billion.

Peter says:

06:34pm | 17/08/10

@ Barbara. The NBN is a vital piece of nation building. Although it is not commercially feasible for the private sector to run fibre to every house, it is feasible with Governent assistance.

The NBN will change the way we live and work. It will pay for itself many times over in saved money on other types of infrastructure, ie Roads, transport etc.

Even when Telstra were willing to build a fibre network, they would only do it to the “node” under certain regulatory conditions that the Government (both Labour and Liberal) weren’t willing to give to them. It’s that last section of the fibre run from the node in your street to every house that is the most expensive and commercially unviable bit.

We should fully expect and accept that the Government will lose money on this in terms of a Telecommunication company, however it will save many many billions in other areas.. We should be supporting this and i would not be surprised if the Liberals changed their mind after the election..

Mal says:

07:34pm | 17/08/10

Daniel. 

You are clearly paid by the ALP.  Come back on Sunday.  Gillard and the ALP stuffed it up badly.  Get over it. The NBN is pie in the sky.

MarK says:

08:28pm | 17/08/10

I like Daniel.

He gets angry and writes funny things.

it is cute.

TC says:

09:26pm | 17/08/10

Rubbish Peter.

Where exactly is are all these huge profits going to come from? Specifically. How much? A figure please or at least a rationalised forecast based upon proper research and logic.

You talk of feasable government assistance. Where is the feasability study?

Where exactly are all the billions of savings? Specifically. How much?

You cannot anywhere propose a $43Billion expenditure by saying “oh but it’ll pay for itself 100 times over’, “it’ll revolutionise the way we live”.

Not anywhere. Nowhere in the entire whole wide world has this acceptable. Ever

Peter says:

01:33pm | 18/08/10

@ TC. I work in the teleco industry and i am acutely aware of what potential the NBN will bring to the nation, in fact i was in a forum this morning where we were discussing the implications of it.

I am proud of the fact that i work with a group of people who’s jobs will come under direct threat from this NBN, however they realise how important it is to the country.

If you can’t see for yourself how high capacity Broadband will benefit us, well that’s ok. All i can say is that the NBN will pay for itself many times over, via telepresence, virtual offices, health sector. The list goes on and on…. Arrangement made by NBN co with other parties will ensure the cost is well below the $43 billion you are still spruiking…

Tony Smith says:

03:16pm | 17/08/10

What a bizare comment. Further right than Ghengis Khan (sic)??? What were Genghis Khan’s economic, health, taxation policies that made him so right wing? I mean it makes sense that the equivalent slur would be further left than Karl Marx / Lennon / Trotsky but these people lived in breathed socialist principles.

If you don’t understand what you are talking about don’t embarrass yourself Noleen with stupid comments like this Noleen.

Ben81 says:

03:19pm | 17/08/10

Got some examples outside of the opinion columns Noleen?  Is anything that doesn’t just whitewash failure and print Labor press releases word for word what you’re talking about?

That old cliche about being further to the right than Genghis Khan really needs to be changed by the way, perhaps replace him with someone who was actually on the political right in any modern sense.

The Badger says:

04:09pm | 17/08/10

@ Tony Smith

You leave John Lennon out of this.

Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.
John Lennon

The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.
Karl Marx

jg says:

04:26pm | 17/08/10

ABC sweetie

They don’t call him Red Kerrie because of his hair.

dw says:

05:34pm | 17/08/10

“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans”

John Lennon stole that line

js says:

03:27pm | 17/08/10

My sentiments exactly. Although in 3 years the mind boggles at how much more damage can be done by this inept government we currently have !!!

The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

04:52pm | 17/08/10

Yes, this ‘deabte’ should be interesting. As far as I know, not a single Labor Govt since Federation has left office with the country in surplus. Now, this may not be the only criteria of good economic management, but it would be the most important.

Abbott really only needs to list the tremendous Labor economic failures, starting with Whitlam, through the Hawke-Keating years ($96Billion in the red) and onto Rudd-Gillard (billions rorted from BER and pink batts)

The record will speak for itself.

I’m amazed Gillard has the cheek to even mention the economy in front of Abbott. One of them has a degree in Economics and it isn’t the one in a skirt.

Daniel says:

05:13pm | 17/08/10

Spending money on services the Liberals let degrade into garbage. It’s a cycle. Liberals do nothing but hoard money. Labor fixes it. Repeat.

Tony of Poorakistan says:

07:09pm | 17/08/10

Labor blows every cent they can get their hands on sponsoring puppet workshops for left-handed, lesbian, tree-hugging single mums and other such worthwhile initiatives and then Liberal have to put the finances together so the country doesn’t go completely down the gurgler.

Rinse.

Repeat.

Steven Kaye says:

08:11pm | 17/08/10

I agree. So far this week has belonged to Abbott - he was good on Q&A, good at the Press Club, and good just now on the 7:30 Report. Indeed, the latter was his most relaxed and fluent performance yet on that show. And for some reason he had a rather mischievous look on his face.

acotrel says:

08:15am | 18/08/10

That’s what I say too!  GO Abbott, get far way!

Charles says:

03:14pm | 17/08/10

you’re kidding? Game Changer??? it’s not even a new idea….they were widely used in NSW to fund most of the toll roads built in the 90s. All they did was make investment banks massive amounts of fees and shifted the burden of funding infrastructure on the private sector…Surely that’s what tax dollars are for?

tails says:

03:25pm | 17/08/10

..can’t…tell….if…..you’re….being….sarcastic….?

Evan Findlay says:

06:08pm | 17/08/10

Ted,
Can you explain to me where these private funds will magically arrive from. In the past two years if the government stimulus wasn’t injected into the economy we would have been in recession for the past two years. Private sector capital is non existent. In this recessionary climate I doubt that you will see too many takers.
Just another policy from Mr Abbott that looks like policy, makes him appear to be doing something but lacks substance and forethought. If there is no private funding then he doesn’t need to chip in. Once again the Liberal party gets away with doing nothing.

Rob says:

03:44pm | 17/08/10

Leadershio changes have taken place in Govt before - look at Keating and Hawke. The Coalition demanded heads be rolled because of their perceived stuff ups of the insulation project and the BER. The BER has been proven to be a success with only a <3% complaint rate. The coalition got their wish with Rudd being replaced as Leader.

We’re demanding too much now of governments. We demand immediate results and then we are quick to punish them.

Yes - there are few policies of substance from both sides but at least we know what we have with the current government. Wait till Hockey and Joyce get in - then we really do become laughing stocks and will become the “white trash of Asia”.

The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

03:47pm | 17/08/10

Rob

please read the report. They didn’t ask all the schools, but they did include the Catholic schools which organised everything themselves and had none of the problems of the state schools. Also, many of these buildings have not even been started.

The report was a weak attempt at a whitewash. BER was rorted in the public sector from go to woe (sic)

Peter says:

04:54pm | 17/08/10

@ Rob, at least with other leadership changes, the leaders saw it coming. This was a midnight hatchet job. I think you would have been surprised by the speed of it like the rest of us were.

The stuff ups on insulation were not percieved but real, as for BER, I suppose i can’t answer that, but it did sound very expensive..

dwgw says:

08:40pm | 17/08/10

Rod you might think the BER was a success but Victoria and SA haven’t even put in their BER figures yet to the enquiry. You should see the junk up this way..absolutely no planning and 5 times the cost of normal building. I know, I just had a large project done for $250,000 and the local BER had two classrooms built for one million. This is taxpayers money. They may as well have stood on a cliff and thrown it over.

PS says:

03:41pm | 17/08/10

So you think that the Gillard/Rudd Government are our alternative . Tell me one good thing that Labor has done, You know I hope they do get in and have to fix up their very serious problems as who would want to take on the worries and troubles of this terrible Government who have really lost their way and cannot find it!!!!!! I give a toss about the boats as how do you know who is coming into this wonderful country of ours as we are too soft and good to other countries and that is why the boat people come here so that they know that they get everything for nothing.  In Canada if you want to go there to live you have to sign an agreement that you will live in the country areas and not in the city as they hope that is where you would want to stay after the two years are up and there are very nice country towns in Canada, just like ours!!!

Fred says:

04:06pm | 17/08/10

1 good thing they’ve done?  Here’s what I can come up with off the top of my head.  Keep in mind obviously mainly lefty’s would consider these things good though…

*Kyoto
*the apology
*abolishing workchoices
*rectifying 84something odd pieces of legislation so that same-sex relationships can enjoy the ‘luxury’ of the rights that heterosexual couples have
*Abolishing TPV’s
*Building access to premises standards
*the NBN

Seano says:

05:00pm | 17/08/10

@PS - Fred also could have mentioned avoided a major recession.

Neither party has a policy forcing immigrants and refugees to the country. I personally would have no problem with such a policy if implemented sensibly, the big issue would of course be forcing people to go where’s no work and no prospect of work. Seems kind of pointless.

We have an obligation to help refugees, it’s a few thousand people a year, almost all go on to be contributors to our society almost all are accepted after processing. The rhetoric on the issue is just plain nonsense.

Bob says:

07:09pm | 17/08/10

*Kyoto: pointless
*the apology: Empty. What action has backed it up?
*abolishing workchoices: You mean changing it slightly and renaming it?
*rectifying 84something odd pieces of legislation so that same-sex relationships can enjoy the ‘luxury’ of the rights that heterosexual couples have: I’ll support this, although they’re not there until the whole marriage thing is equalised.
*Abolishing TPV’s: Yes. Labor’s stance on illegal immigration has worked really well, hasn’t it?
*the NBN: They haven’t actually *done* this yet. It’s more along the lines of something they plan to do.

Bob says:

07:13pm | 17/08/10

“@PS - Fred also could have mentioned avoided a major recession.”
Actually, at best they avoided a minor recession. They spent $52 billion to save 2.5” of our GDP. FYI: $52 billion is roughly 4-5% of our GDP. They also saved 200,000 jobs (apparently this number might be lower, but that’s the best one in their favour I know of) What’s 52 billion divided by 200,000? $260,000 per job saved. Or about 4-5 times the average income here.

Seano says:

08:36pm | 17/08/10

Yes Bob I understand that unless you agree with something it’s empty or meaningless. I also understand that 200,000 jobs would have a huge flow on effect to the economy, send many, many families broke and cause the sort of hardship and heartache that it would take years to recover from. I understand too from working in schools that the infrastructure was very much needed, it’s not like we got nothing for it.

Keith hammersmith says:

01:16am | 18/08/10

lets look at what else they have done,
A computer for every student,
200 new child casre centers
40+ Super GP clinincs
ETS
oh wait these are the things they promised,  never mind,

it gets old labor croonies trying to take credit for staving off the GFC,  yes some of the stimulus helped,  i thnk most would agree (spending the money liberal saved)  but its not that it was spent, ITS THE WAY IT WAS SPENT that was executed POORLY,  so now we are in debt with nothing to show for it, except 200’000 + houses that need their insulation fixed.

I mean come on, how can anyone think this was done well,

also all the other countries that suffered in the GFC didnt have the one big thingg we did, and thats a minerals boom to china,  the stimulus was a drop in the ocean comapred to the wealth that brings into ths country, and of course in desperation labor needs to take money from the miners to recoup the waste.

Seano says:

11:15am | 18/08/10

Go to a school champ! Nothing to show for it, give me a break. As it is the investment was much needed but really to bring us up to a similar standard to the top nations in Education we need more. For example every classroom in Australia should have an interactive white board.

DougB says:

03:23pm | 17/08/10

Guess you wouldn’t be voting then Elias!

Rob r Charteris says:

04:34pm | 17/08/10

Elias says:03:09pm; and you forget to mention as long as they are certified liberal eh’ nice to see liberal elitist communism alive and well.

TimB says:

05:51pm | 17/08/10

Rob it’s interesting that you’ve jumped to the conclusion that Elias is a Liberal supporter. There’s no mention of a party anywhere in that post.

Yet you assume where Elias has referred to the “stupid”, you instanty jump to the conclusion that it’s Labor supporters being referred to.

Interesting. Very interesting indeed.

Rob r Charteris says:

06:25pm | 17/08/10

TimB says:05:51pm; Yes very interesting given that her/his comment come under an article titled “Tony connects the dots, but is it too late” btw, you haven’t been trying to play someone else eh’ or perhaps it was your silly lil man mate MarKy

Just Sayin' says:

06:42pm | 17/08/10

Rob r said “liberal elitist communism” - no mention of a party there, TimB.  And given the conext “elistist communism” I suspect Rob r knows the difference between a ‘Liberal’ and a ‘liberal’.  Your post suggests that you don’t.

TimB says:

08:28pm | 17/08/10

@Just Sayin, given that Rob is a known Labor supporter and generally has atrocious grammar (i.e. lack of capitals),  I’m guessing I have a much better idea of what he meant than you did.

Don’t let the communist bit fool you, I’ve seen him label pro-Liberal posters as communists before.

@ Rob, I think I know what you’re talking about, and no it wasn’t me. Although I was rather shocked at the apparent sight of you doing some proper research for a change.

Barbara says:

04:23pm | 17/08/10

Actually the resources boom kicked in around 2003.  So the Libs were able to pay off our Government debt with only 4 years of boom thrown in.  That sounds like pretty good management to me.  Labor on the other hand, in just 3 short years and having operated in a boom, have destroyed our surplus and plunged us into a period of bad debt.

Andrew says:

04:42pm | 17/08/10

HECS was introduced by Keating. Keating also degraded the Defence Force to such an extent that we had to borrow body armour from the US to liberate East Timor. Howard was just righting the wrongs of Labor regarding Defence.

Compulsory military service is what young rusted on Labor like you should do….....might give you a dose of reality.

The Badger says:

04:56pm | 17/08/10

Barbara
you conveniently forgot to mention the Telstra fire sale by the Liberals.
Also neglected to mention how the once national communications infrastructure grew cobwebs under Telstra and the Liberals.
Also missing from your otherwise excellent analysis was any mention of the GFC.

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.
Confucius

Daniel says:

05:20pm | 17/08/10

That’s the way Barb, ignore that global financial crisis.

Bob says:

07:16pm | 17/08/10

Mario: You realise that the vast, vast majority of infrastructure and services that are messed up are things that are state (Labor) responsibilities, right? Health. Education. Public Transport. Water. To name just a few.

And perhaps you can point to another government that was in as good a situation as the Liberals left them?

Brad says:

07:32pm | 17/08/10

It goes without saying that they overspent on the stimulus.  The fact that we had higher interest rates, lower unemployment figures, and a dollar with room for adjustment compared to the USA and Europe was totally overlooked as a strategy choice.  Labor’sr style is to spend their way out of trouble, just as the Labor State governments have done.  And look at what basket cases those states are.

dwgw says:

08:54pm | 17/08/10

Mario, you have obviously never travelled the Pacific Highway. Albanese has been spreading this lie that John Howard never did anything in infrstructure, but who built the new highway to bypass the BUlladella curves? Howard in his early term. And the Tweeed Bypass was built during the same years, and paid off the 96 Billion debt.
And to the uneducated person who blames the Howard Government for selling off Telstra, you obviously dont work for the Public Service, because otherwise you would be happy they did so there was some money in the coffers to pay your superannuation from The Future Fund. And by the way, was it the Liberals who quietly sold off the Future Funds Telstra shares, and then announced Telstra would not be part of the NBN, resulting in a drop in their share price. (No it was the Communications Minister who declined that it was insider trading) The ordinary yokels would have been jailed for insider trading, but no this Labor government is above reproach…not!  Give them what they deserve on Saturday ....a quick exit out the door. And dont forget to think carefully about your Senate vote. I am over this “keeping the b… honest” I am over all this wasted money on study after study and negotiation after negotiation. If you are happy to vote Lower House give them a true vote so they can get something done.

Rob r Charteris says:

09:17pm | 17/08/10

Bob says:07:16pm; typical of you Liberal types to blame someone else.

Bob says:

01:07pm | 18/08/10

Rob r Charteris: You mean blaming the people who are actually responsible for it? Yes, that is very bad of me. I should be blaming those who aren’t responsible for it. So, now I’d like to know why YOU PERSONALLY screwed up our education system, water infrastructure, etc. You’re just as valid a target as the Federal govt is for the shortcomings of the State govts.

Seriously says:

04:11pm | 17/08/10

Seriously Emily, this is getting tired. No one buys this rubbish anymore. He has 3 daughters, 3 sisters, a female chief of staff and a female deputy leader. New material please!!!

Eric says:

04:27pm | 17/08/10

What exactly is ‘degregaded apart from being a new word?

jg says:

04:28pm | 17/08/10

When? A source maybe?

Or are you just following the ALP party line? Or what you heard from someone somewhere?

Robert Smissen, rural SA, God's own country says:

04:37pm | 17/08/10

Emily, what does “degregaded” mean? ? ? If you meant that he degrades women, I think if you should check your facts, Mr. Abbott listens to his mostly FEMALE advisers attentively, pays homage to his wife & daughters & generally treats women with reverence & respect. On the other hand you have Little Kevvy screaming expletives at female staff & making them cry & when he’s not doing that, he is leering at women in sleazy strip joints like “Scores” whilst in a drunken stupor. On the evidence, I think Mr. Abbott deserves to win, whereas Julia Gillard’s judgement is at best, suspect, in the last 6 years she has backed Mark Latham & Little Kevvy Rudd to be PM.

xyz says:

05:03pm | 17/08/10

@Seriously,

Just listen to the GetUp! ad… all recent misogynist quotes from Abbott!

hellena says:

08:32pm | 17/08/10

can’t you read xyz, or is 1979 recent to you? gee, i’d hate to be judged on things i said in 1979; god forbid, i even liked fake spanish style architecture then.

xyz says:

11:56am | 18/08/10

hellena, you’re lying by omission… you should be helping with the Coalition’s ad campaign! The first comment was from 1979, the rest are all from this decade, including a few from 2009 and 2010.  Please get all your facts straight!

Elizzie says:

04:12pm | 17/08/10

even though Labor no doubt will have less Primary vote, just like last time…Greens are so 2 faced-bag out Labor then help them get into government..wish we were like the UK first past the post then Liberals would be in and last time too…sooh frustrating.

Joe Blow says:

05:31pm | 17/08/10

So sad and desperate, eh Rob?  I bet Wayne Swann wishes he got as many laughs out of the Labor faithful at the launch with his silly attacks on TA, as TA got at the Press Club when talking about Labor’s disfunctionality!!

First time I’ve seen the media actually warm to Abbott.

nosthow says:

05:48pm | 17/08/10

@Rob r Charteris - agreed Rob - at times I thought he was going to cry. I think the thought of that huge $700,000 mortgage hanging over his head and how he needs a better paying job to service it weighs heavy. Its off to WA to the mines for Tony in a few days time. Good riddance !

Rob r Charteris says:

06:31pm | 17/08/10

Joe Blow says:05:31pm; Obviously you must of missed the sniggers that could be plainly heard when he dropped back into his negative rants. It is what made him look so sad and no vision. He should have tried to push his agenda people get sick of a whinger.

nosthow says:05:48pm; How long you reckon he would last in the mines before someone would want to whack him on the head with their shovel? perhaps he can be tea lady

Joe Blow says:

07:34am | 18/08/10

@Rob r C As you know, only one of the PM candidates sounds like a tea lady .... “Making the best tea for miners ... yes we will” !!

Seriously says:

04:13pm | 17/08/10

Kevin Rudd is what happened to Australia Tim.

simon says:

04:25pm | 17/08/10

Actually Tim, I think you have it the wrong way around. It would be even more laughable if the Australian public vote Gillard in. She has no plan, their policies stink, she has not shown her true self and she’s a communist. Get real Tim and wake up!!!!

jg says:

04:31pm | 17/08/10

What the hell has happened to Australia

I have to agree Tim, after all, the public voted in Rudd as well and in the end his own party didn’t even want him!

Robert Smissen, rural SA, God's own country says:

04:40pm | 17/08/10

Timmy, you know what’s Laughable is that St Julia Backed Mark Latham for PM in 2004 & then backed Little Kevvy in 2007

Eric says:

04:30pm | 17/08/10

What the?

Robert Smissen, rural SA, God's own country says:

04:42pm | 17/08/10

IanSand, your presidency of the loony left is intact

iansand says:

07:22pm | 17/08/10

Where are the Liberal statements saying that c a change of leader is something within the operation of the Westminster System.  We deplore it, and you can make your own judgement, but them’s the breaks?  That would be honest.  The presidential style crap is deceitful.

Any other loonies out there?

DavidC says:

11:02pm | 17/08/10

this is a con, the election in 2007 was all about Kevin07, you cant have it both ways

Joe Blow says:

05:42pm | 17/08/10

Yes, whenever Gillard has a moment of looking half presentable, the media is gushing over her.  “Oh, isn’t it wonderful that she can remember a speech, oh wasn’t she competent on Q&A .... ”

BobM says:

05:57pm | 17/08/10

Joe, unfortunately their job is to get the Gillard government in. If the Coalition does win in spite of the ABC’s best efforts, I wish they’d put a broom through the place and get rid of half these one-eyed lefties. (Leave the other half, for a bit of fun).

Joe Blow says:

05:47pm | 17/08/10

Whereas JuLIAR hasn’t mentioned Tony Abbott at all in the campaign???  I loved the interview where Barrie Cassidy interviewing Dillard had to say “Now, final question ... and the answer isn’t Tony Abbott ..”

Elizzie says:

04:14pm | 17/08/10

Keating 1st suggested a gst as I recall. Howard did say he wouldn’t introduce one, however he then was man enough to take the gst to an election campaign and he won the election on that platform,. Gutsy and upfront. How many times do we have to remind everyone? At least he didn’t sneak it in mid term…

Evan Findlay says:

06:14pm | 17/08/10

Elizzie,
I don’t remember him going to the election on Workchoices!

Bon Foffy says:

05:03pm | 17/08/10

Tony Abbott does not “have the goods”. In order to avoid a 55/45 landslide he has successfully suppressed his natural urges to mouth off, has changed policy with the wind, and followed his idol Howard by toying with our fears. Anyone who thinks he has genuinely changed as a person in the past 6 weeks or 6 months needs help.  Gillard isn’t much better, by the way.

Don Foffy says:

06:44pm | 17/08/10

Hey Bon, long time no speak, little bro. You make a lot of sense, even if you’ve got really bad taste in music (Grand Funk Railroad, JJ Cale, Boston, Mister Mister etc)

craig says:

09:35pm | 17/08/10

How funny, Joe. As if Abbott has to get past any media bias at ANY News Ltd paper. Look at all these stupid blogs the past 3 years - 90% of comments are very anti Labor. How is that representative of the population? If it was it would be like the voting ie close to 50/50.

Maccas says:

05:39pm | 17/08/10

Sure you’re not a “40 year old man” masquerading as a woman? Your comment hasn’t an ounce of genuine in it….

Lynne says:

08:38pm | 17/08/10

Actually Maccas, I agree with Looby; as someone who strongly supported, and still support, Malcolm Turnbull, I refused to renew my LNP membership when I heard Tony Abbott had deposed him. However, I have also grown more confident in him…perhaps it is just the low-life backstabbing Labor politics, so reminiscent of my employers, the State Labor Govt, that has made Tony Abbott look so superior. Frankly, I vote for a party and not the leader, and it seems apparent to me that Tony Abbott; unlike Gillard and Swan, now that’s a nasty piece of work; is a TEAM leader, and not a wannabe president, yes we will indeed. Ick.

Nigel Catchlove says:

04:55pm | 17/08/10

A drawing connecting those dots would look a lot like noodle-nation.  Maybe you could trace a path, constantly moving forward ... moving forward ... moving forward…

Faz says:

05:42pm | 17/08/10

@ nigel

There is virtue in doing in your leader by the ‘noodle’ route rather than quickly and decisively?

Neither side has any right to the high moral ground, but Abbott is throwing stones in the glass house as if his own ascendency was by the most righteous means.

MarK says:

09:03am | 18/08/10

Sigh Faz.

Going to your party in a spill called by the then leader and saying I am willing to do the job is far removed from some factional guys getting antsy at the polls and removing a leader because of a “whatever it takes attitude”.

It is power for powers sake on the left. Over at Liberal HQ Tony decided to have a crack because he rightly opposed the ETS.

Huge difference.

And let us not forget this;

Abbott elected by a democratic secret ballot.

Gillard installed after backroom deals and number crunching.

Abbott only nominated on the cusp of the meeting. No media scrum, no phone calls for support, no circus.

All these attempts to brand the “unelectable” Abbott as a assassin are merely the cries of desperation from miscalculating and underestimating political dunces.

Abbott has driven the agenda since his ELECTION. Gillard has shown ineptitude since her INSTALLATION.

jb says:

05:55pm | 17/08/10

You guys starting to sweat inside the campaign office are we Holly?
Rudds back by the way and thats gotta make you choke on your bile…

Joe Blow says:

05:55pm | 17/08/10

Holly - Abbott’s policy has big business paying for it, not the public purse…  you must have missed that bit .. which surprises me because you are usually so very accurate with your commentary on the Coalition. lol lol lol.

So in the same rant you complain about how it is going to be paid and then complain that it may not get passed??  You are indeed a typical Laborite - no idea what you stand for as long as it is against whatever the Libs say!

I think we get the drift on the type of people you worked with ... those who have to be compelled to take a job rather than sit at home doing nothing.  So tell me again how life is better for these people now that unemployment is higher under Labor than it was under the Libs?

dwgw says:

09:11pm | 17/08/10

At least their system was better than the Hawke/Keating pseudo job training organisations that sprung up eveywhere trying to train the untrainable. Unemployment under the Howard Government was the lowest this country has had.
I was in business during “the recession we had to have” and it wasn’t fun. But I dont agree that Kruudd/Gillard saved us either. It was a strong and regulated banking sector that saved us, and a government they inherited which had a surplus. But where’s it gone..all up in hot air.

hellena says:

08:40pm | 17/08/10

...well, no-one, not even scientists, and I am one, could figure out K Rudd’s ETS policy.

ben in Canberra says:

09:30pm | 17/08/10

‘Simple science’ behind climate change you say? I’m sure that the ‘greatest moral challenge of our time’ is a little more involved than your infantile simplistic view on the world - cretin.

Skinny says:

12:54am | 18/08/10

There is no science behind ‘climate change’ just BS.

Magpieboy says:

10:53pm | 17/08/10

Totally agree with you Ray most people who vote Labor back in will be the first ones to complain about something that they didn’t get from the government, and you know what thye probably even say that it’s all Tony Abbotts fault.

TimB says:

06:12pm | 17/08/10

Doubt it Nosthow. Here’s what I think will happen if Abbot doesn’t win on Saturday:

-Labor is re-elected. With help from the Greens they to drop an idiotic mining tax & ETS on us all.

- Rising prices flow through the economy, general standard of living for your average Australian plummets.

-The NBN may or may not be completed on time & on budget…but even if it is, half of the household out there will be to busy drowning in bills to pay for connections to the damn thing.

-Just like Rudd, general electoral discontent with Labor may result in the knifing of Julia NSW style

- Tony’s efforts at bringing the Coalition to the edge of victory are rewarded by the Liberal Party with a continued 3 years of leadership.

-Tony defeats the Labor candidate at the next election. Tony Abbott becomes PM (albeit 3 years later than he should have).

Abbott will be around for a while to come Nosthow

MarK says:

09:01pm | 17/08/10

Abbott is the strongest and best pollie in Australia at the moment. He is driving every agenda.

You protest too much nosthow. you are afraid and intimidated by him. Its ok…you can admit it. We won’t tell :D

nosthow says:

10:02pm | 17/08/10

@TimB - I love your hopeful disposition Tim but may I suggest that you get in some boxes of Kleenex tissues to saok up your tears and a bottle or two of hard liquor to deaden the pain for election night . I will be having Champagne Tim !

Andrew says:

10:40pm | 17/08/10

Zero chance of that TimB, Abbott will ride off into the sunset he simply wont last another 3 years.

Magpieboy says:

10:43pm | 17/08/10

TimB, totally agree with you on this one, but heres hoping the Australian public wake up to themselves and vote these clowns out of office.

jb says:

06:22pm | 17/08/10

Julia Gillard is clearly up against the ropes and all the little labors children have been sent out to toss eggs and harass old people.
What a disgusting group of people that want the privilege of running our country.
This government led by the smiling assassin Gillard are not fit to set examples for our children I don’t want my son to think that you take what you want I want him to know he has to work hard for the rewards and face the music when he has done wrong.
Gillard is the laughing stock of world politics with her plagiarism of Clintons speech, the mining tax, the cash for clunkers and the peoples assembly to name but a few, then add her economic incompetence saying she would waste all that money again and all we are left with are a bunch of trustafarians that will run our country into the ground expect the Libs to fix it up and then repeat their devastating cycle once more.
Foolya once shame on Joolya, Foolya twice shame on you…

The real JB says:

09:44pm | 17/08/10

Gee, thanks for nothing ‘jb’. Apart from the fact most of your coment makes no sense, by the looks of it you didnt even read my comment you just replied to whatever comment your finger landed on. Anyone have anything constructive to add?

HS says:

08:42pm | 17/08/10

haha, my under 25 kids always ask me who they should vote for….

Follow The Money says:

12:29pm | 18/08/10

Gerry, I am a CP MACS and have had 35 years experience in Computers & Communications I have seen the technology come from a T-Model to an F! racing car but I know from hindsight that every time new technology becomes available “killer apps” are developed that have not been thought of previously. The NBN will be the lifeline for those “killer apps” and Australia can be in the forefront of these new apps. Only neo-Luddites fail to see the positives of incremental opportunity offered by Fibre to the door, Wireless will still compliment the NBN not replaceit, my comments about a wireless tower in every street is a real issue.  If Labor highlighted this issue Bennelong would return Labor in a flash - voters in that seat are screaming about one tower, imagine the noise if it was to be 500 towers. Like The Snowy Mountains Scheme and The Telegraph Line accross the Desrt it will prove to be a cheap investment by the government over time.  In 1975 you could buy a 3bed BV house in Brisbane for $40,000 it seemed a lot of money at the time but it has turned out to be a good investment in todays market.  Think long term not short term. .