The only thing that is standing between the ALP and a second term in office is Kevin Rudd. Apart from him, Labor has done well enough on most issues to warrant a second term and the Libs have yet to show they are ready to return to government. This is all about Rudd.

Rudd is everything that is wrong with politics - a shameless media tart who stands for nothing but the next photo opportunity - a bureaucrat that thinks activity counts as progress - a person who simply hasn't the talent to get anything actually done. Tony Blair without the nice bits. Most worrying for Labor is that Rudd simply doesn't get it - he has no idea why the punters have turned. All of the issues that are currently turning folk away from him are entirely of his own making. For Labor to get back in front by the election, they need to dump Rudd. For the Libs to have any chance of winning the next election, Labor must keep Rudd. The Labor Party could close this down right now. The irony is that Labor has a lot of talent to choose from. They needn't be in this position.

I believe it would be prudent of Labor to dump Rudd immediately and install Lindsay Tanner as its leader. The man is quietly efficient, a good speaker and is actually answers questions, unlike the current crop of pollies on both sides who have made and art form of repeating useless statements.

This act alone could be instrumental in saving his seat from the Greens who may very well take it at the next election, but no matter what happens, Rudd must go if the Labor Party have a hope of being re-elected.

There are lots of rumblings at the moment that might mean a leadership change prior to the next election.

First we have David Marr's Quarterly Essay on what motivates the PM - anger being the conclusion. Much talk of Rudd's temper and control issues and failure of the Cabinet consultation process. Then we have the result of the latest polls - a big swing away from the ALP with the underdog card being played by the government.

Is this setting the groundwork for a leadership spill in the wind?

Bishop's article is of course more "duckspeak", but from the woeful Opposition's cheat sheet rather than the Government's.

I agree with other commenters that it seems increasingly likely that a desperate ALP will replace Rudd prior to the next election - my bet would be either Tanner or Gillard to get the guernsey. Tanner has more talent, but he's virulently anti-Green and seems to have had a charisma by-pass.

Gillard, on the other hand, is a good performer who's also a seasoned campaigner with a lot of electoral appeal. Additionally, it's about time we had a woman for PM :)

A contribution from the Australian Government representative of the Lekud Party and lobbyist for the mining interests Ms. Julie Bishop needs some spin stabilisation.The minerals belong to the people of Australia. The mining companies have right to mine these areas and do not own them.
The proposed tax has been subject to much conjecture in the form and actual amount of tax that has been and will be reaped.Ms Bishop certainly does not know, even roughly. Only the ATO is in a position to accurately tell the real story and it will not.
The tax will help increase the workers superannuation contributions because part of the anticipated RSPT will go towards reducing the company tax from 30% to 28%. This will allow employers to pass on 2%of the 3% increase in Employer Superannuation Contribution as a consequence.
The talk communist takeover, socialist dictatorships,sovreign risk and the plethora of ceased projects as a result, has become the hysterical outpourings of a desparate mob of self seeking overpaid individuals whose main interest is the remote possibility of their stock options and obscene executive salaries falling.
As to Bishop writing of "public discourse disagreed to by this government resulting in abuse,denigration andpersonnal attack" is in itself a desparate attempt to deflect criticism from her own abusers.Listen to Pyne,Hockey,Costello and her own leader Abbott if she wants to hear ranting abuse.
As to "Rudds desparate bid to hold onto power" can I remind her of J W Howard who "would stay on as leader for as l;ong as the party wanted me to..." and then when asked to stand down by the leaders of the party did not and decided to stay on after asking Janet and the family what he should do and stayed on to suffer the double whammy of defeat.That is desparately attempting on to power as Bishop knows only too well.He selfishly brought down the Coalition.
As to Bishop and those wanting to get rid of Rudd might I say the best thing going for the Labor Party right now is Tony Abbott as Liberal leader.

Dear Julie Bishop,

It seems to me that the Howard government also used public funds for political advertising. Will the Coalition promise that they will not use public funds for political advertising?