Interesting.
No moral positions of value? No mud from past efforts? No worries about what our mad mullahs may do? No thought of Iran ? No thought of the media behaviour over Iraq about to be repeated over Iran?
Home fire stuff the guts of politics? And of course a satisfactory bank balance with house to boot!

Rudd isn't quite as boring as Howard, and seems to have put a spark back into domestic politics. Crean, Beazley were as boring as Howard, which is why the electorate stuck with the DEVIL they knew. Rudd seems to have some long needed fresh ideas on Education, Climate Change etc, so it will be an interesting year. Don't write Howard off however, he may still be able to "manufacture" another "children overboard" to keep the politics of fear and division running. It will be an interesting year.

Three months before the last election I knew my ALP was gone.
On election day on duty at my red kneck polling booth at 10 past 8 am I walked up to the boot wearing National party booth captian and told her congrates on your landslide vicory.
This year same booth same people my smile will tell the storey Mrs Howards hen pecked Johny will have plenty of time to learn from her how to plant trees.
I may take a gift one along to the lady in boots say a lemon tree?

The considerations to which the authors refers have a logical basis about them. Add to those argments,
1) Ray Martin's comments (this morning) about the loss of a core Australian value "a fair go" and
2) the associated degree of intolerance which this government has bred through its divisive comments, and
3) more rcently taking "multiculturalism" out of the dept of immigration's name and inserting the label "citizenship" --about which this government understands very little... because if they did, then they would understand the irony in removing "multiculturalism", and the message that is sent by that change.

There is therefore little wonder as to why, as a lifetime Liberal voter, I will be voting for the ALP next election. Bring back the real liberals such as Fraser etc. With the looming prospect of Costello as PM, I just wouldnt risk it. Maybe, I'll change my mind if they place the socially prgressive Malcolm Turnbull at the helm. However with:
1) socially divisive policies and comments which reflect little understanding of what makes a functional community/society by those such as Costello and Robb,
2) years of silly denial about climate change etc.
3) ill-conceived shortsighted IR policies

I think I'll give the Coalition a BIG miss this election.

James 50 your point is valid and in truth important, Liberal politics has got lost in the result of the last 2 elections.
States too need a rebirth of true Liberalism and it is in my view the death of true Liberal party's that keep my mob in control of every state.
This will be the case still after the NSW election and it must be noted some press are biased to the extreme in favor of a Liberal party no longer in touch with its own base.
Watch now as John Howard uninterested in fairness brings David Hicks home so he can say he hears the people.
I doubt he cares about anything other than victory.

As long as the iraq war continues the liberals probably win again, though without public support, which an amazing statement but when one looks at all relevant material facts, it leads to this conclusion. The same applies to bush- america and blair- england.

If liberals et al lost then having led us to war there, and now with no wmd so on improper basis, the public by voting them out are now saying the government and parliament did not act on our behalf. Hmmm... a constitutional problem arises, simply that parliament and government has to reflect peoples mandate or it has to make sure it has majority of people support for any laws and acts...if not then the parliament and government is acting on its own initiative which is then it has its own mind and intentions and which separate to us the common peoples common mind and intentions...so it is no longer a representative of the common people defeating the constitution and 'the intrinsically implied' when voting in public elect... yeah I've got a grimace on my face too...

So what should follow is at what point did the parliament-government and people part ways? and since then the people whom acted on our behalf become personally accountable...see where this is heading...

This issue arose in high court with the industrial relations law controversy, where the federal government was representing that the new bill is support by us nationally, where every state was represented in the case and against implying at the state level we opposed it...and it is the same population they were both referring too... so somebody is wrong and only way out is a national referendum to determine the fact...which bring the question how much control do we the public have in election process to ensure it is free and fair without improper interference, as we currently take this as given but issues like csa and family court current law and practice suggests otherwise in favouring select group (though rapidly being brought back into balance due to mostly mens action), before answering the industrial relations question...
Sam