Chris Lewis: “ best option for Labor is to dump Rudd, attack his style, and get on with the future to differentiate itself from the Coalition. He should never have been a Labor leader. --- . He is clearly overrated in both intellectual and political skill terms.”

A fair assessment. On Rudd’s history of political action since the last election, implementation of the new mining tax is the “greatest moral challenge” on his radar at the moment. One likely to suffer extinction in the same manner as his pre-election “greatest moral challenge”. Immediately post-election, those morals were horse-traded: swapped for a carbon-trading proposal which would achieve no benefit other than to the industries involved in fossil fuel, promising them more subsidies than they were currently receiving.

Dear Chris Lewis... I'm clinging to the hope that you are not one of those 'former labor' disillusionisme who now would vote Green to annoy labor.

If you are thinking of Bobsled instead of Kruddy.. please let me know as I'd like to discuss the thinking and reasoning going on there.

However..if u're thinking of turning to the Abbot of Canberra.. I'd be interested in that too.

How do you feel about Cap and "TRADE" ? (see other discussion)

cheers

*waves at Sternface* :)

ALGOREisRICH

Like most, i have an eclectic range of views. However, my faith in democracy and pluralism does lead me to vote for a major party in the House and a minor party in the Senate. Like Harry Evans, former clerk of Senate, I think the Senate is absolutely essential to temper the excesses of powerful parties.

Hope this makes sense, although I would not vote for minor party in house (not yet). I will indeed vote for Abbott in the House, but I hope to offset my concerns with a different vote in the Senate.

as for an environmental tax, I support an ets but think a carbon tax may be more straight forward. I think the urgency about such a tax will be delayed for a few years, and would not bank on Rudd doing it in any case given his track record.

In regards to my previous post, meant to say this all depends on Rudd staying. I cannot stand him.

I am working on the insulation debacle, and I am embarrassed as an Australian and citizen about what happened, including the deaths.

Did anyone watch "Q and A," last night?

Listening to Malcolm Turnbull's answers
on the Panel, made me realize why I would
vote for Kevin Rudd without a moment's
hesitation. Turnbull, who I used to admire,
was simply spouting the usual Liberal spin
of condemnation. But offering nothing in its
place. He's certainly become like Joe Hockey,
another Party clone.

Australians need to remember why they ousted
John Howard, not only from his Electorate,
but from the job of running the country.

They then need to ask themselves - do they now
want to re-elect a Howard clone - along with the
neanderthals on his Front Bench? Can we really
afford to lose our health system, Medicare,
and other social benefits?

Kevin Rudd and his Government had many obstacles
to overcome, from the global financial crisis,
to the blockages in the Senate, to the absolutism
of the Greens, and yet despite all that - there
are policies that are being pursued - and given
the chance, shall be carried out. It's easy to
blame Rudd for things, but don't forget who's
placed every single blockage in his path as he
tried to get things done. And then accuse him
of not achieving anything. Hypocrites!

Does any one seriously want Tony Abbott as the
next Prime Minister? The only people who will
benefit from him and his Party are the ones
whose only interests are profits at our expense.
The multi-national corporations.
Heaven help the rest of us, because Tony Abbott
and his Party certainly won't!

foxy,

I disagree. I found I was in almost complete agreement with Turnbull. For instance, just wait and see what happens to the region once Western troops pull out of Afghanistan. World is indeed a complicated and competitive place, and to expect our leaders to be any different is rather naive, although we do need capable people in politics. I would rather Turnbull than Rudd any day.

Also, leaders of major parties must be somewhat pragmatic in their dealings, or else no legislation may be achieved. Incremental change is always better than nothing.