It is interesting that the Coalition is using this forum as a part of their campaign. First we had Julie Bishop, now we have Dennis Jensen. It's a great idea - despite some absurd comments that more than occasionally make it into the discussions, I would say that almost without exception we have quite an intelligent bunch in here.

Sadly, neither Bishop nor Jensen has taken that intelligence into account when tailoring their campaign drivel to its audience. The muckraking and mudslinging we have seen in debates, press conferences and TV ads continues here. How about a "here's what Australia needs, and *guess what* the Coalition will provide it" sort of article. Most of us are politically savvy. We know Gillard's track record, just as we know Abbott's. We don't need a history lesson - we need a sign of what the future might bring for us. It pains me to see the Coalition so devoid of policy and so spiteful in its campaigning. The teenagers with whom I spend my days exhibit greater courtesy, greater decency and credit each other with more intelligence than the Coalition assumes of the Australian population.

If only there was an independent in my electorate.

YES OTO and all,

It is rather odd to read the slinging or insulting comments 'called smart rhetoric'. Those MP's that have a seat in Parliament or those that are aiming to hold a seat have a bee in their bonnet and it appears they have one thing on their mind. That is:- 'telling us how wrong we were' - 'to have voted in the exiting or present government'. 'naughty 'naughty'

Those [as above] treat us like little tiny kids. Bolt children and we need to be continuous hammered and scolded> and reminded of how naughty we were to have voted that bad party in.

Gosh if it were not for those pollies or hope-to-be pollies acting as security guards the country would cease > full stop.

Gosh I kind of thought a had high IQ - well seeming I haven't.. well that is according to those as above. Oh well it appears I must go back to the drawing board and my paint?

When this election is over and we have a new PM the following blokes will have to answer a few questions.

Yes Feeney, Aribib, Bitar, Marles, Farrell, Shorten, Ludwig, and Howes (With thanks to Ross Fitzgerald) will have to tell us where on earth they got the idea Australians, especially married women with children, women who aspire to those roles and men would elect a 50 year old spinster as PM.

Where were their brains focused? Didn't they realise that as soon as Julia displayed any selfishness, meanness or coniviving everybody would immediately think of the negative character traits of their spinster Aunts?

I reckon it took about 3 weeks for that to catch hold.

Just look at the selfishness, meanness and coniving involved in Kevin's demise, the mining tax spin, the East Timor fiasco, the climate change debacle, the leaking, the moronic mofo, the glamourous self-centered self-promotion in the WW and the nearly universally despised nature of the inbalance in the displayed personal relationships.

Doh!

Two party prefered 52% to 48% is looking like a conservative estimate. I think we'll see the end of the Labor Party as we've known it. I think it's in it's death throes. The last labor leader with fair dinkim decency (Omitting Simon Crean) who had a chance at winning and who's never displayed the bile of those who followed after him, was from 30 years ago. Bill Hayden.

I reckon we'lll see another PM (embittered former Labor this time) lose his seat at this election. And Labor ough be ashamed at it's 'dregs of the middle class' personnel, chaotic policy presentation (Without Substance) and shambolic campaigning.

And now they reckon they'lll have Kevvy and Julia campaigning together. I'd buy tickets to see that.

You're not really suggesting that Simon Crean had a bit of fair dinkum decency, are you?

Having moved into Jensen's electorate and heard that he, like Abbott, believes climate change is a load of crap, I was intrigued to read this article. It's a load of crap and confirmation that he's not worth voting for.