The Coalition can't prevent the refugee boats from arriving anymore than Labor,although they will go to the election claiming that they can.The number of illegal arrivals is trivial by world standards,the Coalition and their allies in the media have portrayed a few thousand 'boat people' as an invasion,it's very sleazy politics. So which party will "do whatever it takes"?

keith,

"...the unelected,installed PM.." FYI, no Australian PM has ever been elected to office,we elect a parliament, not a PM, those people who believe that we elect our head of government have been watching too much US TV.

I think old mate Bishop lost all credibility here with her second sentence: "In broad terms, State Labor's style of government is defined by an obsessive focus on the management of the daily media cycle to the point of manipulation, with shameless spin and personal vilification of opponents being the standard tools of trade."

Sneering Bishop and her boss Tony Abbott can barely spit out a sentence without personally vilifying their opponents. Even on congratulating Julia Gillard on becoming Prime Minister was used by Abbott as an opportunity to attack her, albeit underhandedly. Perhaps if they could offer policy rather than nastiness, they would be in with a chance. I have always found myself leaning towards the Coalition at election time. As we approach the next election, I'm finding myself with nothing to lean on.

Ditto to Otokonoko's post.

Julie, if you want to be taken seriously start offering an alternative, maybe a return to a more liberal liberal party.

Here are some idea's if you are struggling to work out how to be different to labor without a race to the bottom
- Make a decision to stop the attacks on labor in the lead up to the election (most of will work out their flaws for ourselves) and tell us what you can do instead
- Announce and follow through with a policy that all cabinet document's (and other similar documents) will be available to the leader of the opposition (or their appointed delegates).
- Instead of trying to be tougher than labor on "boat people" see if you can find a solution that shows compassion while looking after Australia's needs and encourages those who use more legitimate means to seek a new start here. Are there things we can do to allow people to be gainfully employed and maybe gaining skills while their applications are being processed? Those who get to stay would think better of us than if they had spent time in detention, those who return home maybe do so with a increased skills and we don't spend millions paying guards etc.
- Come up with an alternative approach to managing the economy that does not have the reserve bank raising interest rates because the government has given a tax cut, is running a stimulation package or raised charges. Across the board interest rate rises is a blunt tool with no regard for peoples circumstances.

R0bert

I see we have some of the left trying to deflect the debate away from their failing champions and on to the opposition.

Desperate measure but let’s face it, for Gizzard & Co it is even more desperate days ahead....

If I remember the last election Mr Rudd campaigned on the basis of "Me too"....

seems like East Timor was another "Me Too", except

The East Timor solution in now in tatters and down around her ankles plus the green loans scandal is about to rent apart the rest of her scant covering.

After what has been the briefest of honeymoons (more like a dirty weekend away), the electorate will sue for an annulment on the basis of the bride (and the rest of the entourage) are barren (of effective policies)

I suppose we will, at least, be able to use all those mega expensive and otherwise under-utilised school halls for polling booths.

It took 2 years for the "Ruddbot" to prove that, "he is worse than Whitlam" according to Malcolm Fraser.

It took "Gillard, the barren Communist" 2 weeks to prove that "she is worse than Krudd".

An improvement in efficiency i suppose.

What does ALP stand for? The Clayton's Communist Party of Australia, the Communist Party you have when you are using "Propaganda/Spin" to pretend that "Democratic Socialism" is not Communism in disguise.

De register the Red/green/getup/labour coalition, immediately & deport these criminal thugs to North Korea, where they belong.

Formersnag: << What does ALP stand for? >>

Another Liberal Party.