The major parties have been very cautious about making personal smears against opponents because polls showed they could easily rebound, detracting from the offender's credibility and good standing. They are right of course to avoid the sort of scurrilous personal attacks that have been common in previous elections.

It has been a refreshing change that hopefully will become more widespread, if only through journalists and other commentators realising that attitudes generalise and the public might similarly reject their opinion pieces too should they resort to personal attacks in lieu of facts.

Oh well, Rome wasn't built in a day, but most of us have a vested interest in demanding frank, fair and independent comment from those who would presume to influence us.

Angry Oak and Amicus
I am disappointed no one has taken up my challenge on Catholic morality of my summary in the second post re economic matters as handled by conservatives such as Tony Abbott.
There have however been several comments on abortion. Years ago my comment which follows was the lead item in the SMH letters on this subject.
The average mother in the developed word gives live birth to less than three children in her lifetime. With the depletion of our resources that is more than enough. In effect about 300 eggs in the menstrual cycles of each woman's potential childbearing years are destroyed along with millions of her partner’s sperm.
It is strange that many of those who oppose abortion are the philosophical descendants of the people who murdered so called witches (many of whom were only affected by rye flour poisoning) and who condemned Galileo for supporting the thesis that the earth went around the sun.
The sensible limit to abortion is that no one has the right to inflict pain or disadvantage on a conscious personality. The foetus in the first few months is not a conscious personality.
We need to get our priorities right.
All pro-lifers should ask themselves what is their personal priority between unborn foetuses and the 30000 children who die each day because we do not feed or house them adequately or did not provide adequate birth control measures to their parents.

"GetUp - an independent, grass-roots community advocacy organisation that doesn’t back any particular party"

Given their latest adverts calling on voters not to vote for Tony
Abbott, (which pre dated this thread) would appear to be a bit of a lie on Kellie's part.

At least she hasn't tried to claim any unbiased status.

Kellie,We cannot trust any of our pollies.They are all lying conmen.Our political system is now almost corrupted beyond redemption.

We live in a oligarchy in which large corporate interests control our political system.Not even the Greens are honest and pure.

Large Corporate interests love big spending socialist Govts since they get the bulk of the taxes born out of Govt waste and corruption.

Abbott the Joker at the Head of the Tea Party. Agree Abbott is a risk. No joke when it comes to the Liberals being as far right as Sarah Palin. [Freaky].

His association with Pell, is alarming. Pell is an embarrassment to Australia. Wonder what the Pope would say if he knew of his comment toward the Greens. Terrible script from this sector. offensive to most other Church groups. I hope they deal hard with Pell.Reflects directly why we don't need religion anywhere near politics..... Australia. It only takes one!

http://www.miacat.com/

now let me see. Abbot association with Pell and Browns association with Singer. One believes in the sanctity of life while the other sees no harm in bestiality. I wonder which one has extreme views? Gillard is often more comfortable with Brown/Singer than Abbot/Pell.