I suspect that what people are reacting to is not stagnant living standards but ideological baggage. Enough of us by now have caught on to the principle that the best way to run a country is to let the people do what works, sort out what doesn't, and generally keep out of the way. Fraser, Hawke, Keating, Howard and Costello were very successful in projecting this style of hands-off pragmatism; Rudd and (especially) Gillard are not, and Labor -- aided and abetted by the Greens -- has now reverted to the Whitlam-era approach of telling us what's good for us and imposing laws, taxes and rules on the basis of their ideological content rather than any pragmatic reasons.

It's no coincidence that Howard crashed and burned the moment he let his ideological convictions override his pragmatism. Tony Abbott is far less competent than Gillard in almost every respect except the one that counts: Abbott has shown himself able to listen to advice and change his mind. If that's enough to make him Prime Minister then so be it.

If Mr Rudd can learn his lessons, I believe, his return as Labor Party leader and Prime Minister would indeed be beneficial not only for Labor Party but for Australia.

I think that the Labor Government is trying its best to help our nation, but do not know how to effectively explain or use the idea. Such as the Carbon Tax, There is not much wrong it, even thoguh it may cost us it is saving us for a better future for us to live. This party needs to thoroughly create better ideas as many plans are failing.

Actually I think it is the medias fault. I could go on, but why bother. This blogger has clearly never voted for anybody but the Liberals, every one of his post on olo is anti-Labor. The hyperbole in the Australian media at the moment is just plain sad.

It is impossible for labor to change. They are terminal.

The same people who bought us Carr/ Iemma/Rees/Kennealy bought us Beazley/Latham/Rudd/Gillard. They will do anything to retain their positions within the Labor scheme of things. It doesn't matter who they foist onto us. Ther culture won't change.

And it should be noted these idiots mostly have roots in or support from Graham Richardsons 'whatever it takes' NSW Labor right and they all adhere blindly to the spin advocated by Hawker.

Leon, After Chifly, the party changed from national to international socialism. They shifted from caring about Australia inc to weakening her for take over by a UN, NWO.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12572#217228

Jon J, correct communism never did & never will work, but they are still bent on destroying capitalism first, so that the "glorious revolution" can proceed.

When you look backwards with 20/20 hindsight, "the truth, the whole truth & nothing but the truth" always becomes the exact opposite of whatever a Loony Lefty says, the world makes perfect sense.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8630135369495797236#

http://www.academia.org/the-origins-of-political-correctness/

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12572#217244

Andreas Berg, actually Krudd's management/leadership style was based on the fact that he knew he was surrounded by closet communists, which is why he tried to "cut them out of the loop" but even his "gang of 4", "kitchen cabinet" included 2 of the worst examples of the "Loony Left", Dillard & Forknerd.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12572#217265

Sneopy, your dreaming, international socialism or communism is as popular as "dog turd". Aussie workers like their jobs, as long as they are being reasonably paid, have a reasonable standard of living, the board , CEO & senior managment are not "overdoing" the champagne lifestyle, they like capitalism because it works.

Does it matter which breed of dog, laid the dog turd, dog turd smells like dog turd, which looks like dog turd, which tastes like dog turd.

"We the people" are tired of having dog turd shoved down our throuts by radical, extreme, Loony Left wing elites, who are even more evil than the radical, extreme, raving right wing elites.

Bob Katter will be a repeat of Pauline Hanson in that for every 1 vote he takes from the LNP, he will take 2 from the RED/green, getup, GAYLP/alp, Socialist Alliance.

If the LNP play their cards right, co-operate with Bob Katter, swap preferences with him in all electorates, or form a loose coalition, the combined ANTI communist, 2 party prefered vote will be more like 70% to 30%.

There will be NO such thing as a SAFE communist seat left anywhere in the country apart from a few senate seats, OH happy day.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12572#217271

Kenny, OLO & the Fin Review would be the only 2 truly unbiased media organisations in the land of OZ. Even The Australian is not totally biased to the right. Dont believe me read Loony Left, Phillip Adam's collumn for yourelf, or one of Noel Pearson's collumns on what communism has done for Aboriginals.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/let-rudd-resume-rightful-role/story-e6frgd0x-1226130032312

The talk back radio network Alan Jones is with on 2GB is biased to the right, but the "Fairfax" owned talk back network with EG Micheal Smith on 2UE is also pretty much centrist like OLO.

The GAYBC, SBS, SMH, the Age, Crikey & every other media organisation in the land of OZ is biased to the left, including ALL Murdoch's tabloid papers, which try to lean to the left "working class" audience they are trying to sell themselves to, but the best Spinganda, Weasel Wordsmiths in the world are not going to "sell ice to Eskimos in the middle of winter", no matter how many "masters" degrees in lying they got from university.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12572#217290

imajulianutter, i agree with you. The entire RED/green, getup, GAYLP/alp, Socialist Alliance has been highjacked by closet communists since the mid 1950's. They have been self deluding themselves with this Spinganda poison ever since, are completely brain washed.

if you have not seen these julian, check them out.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8630135369495797236#

http://www.academia.org/the-origins-of-political-correctness/

http://www.rense.com/general32/americ.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JarRIC4rS1M

http://www.mailstar.net/xTrots.html even when you think they are doing something "right" or correct, they do it for the wrong, twisted, reasons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc5E6pvDv2Y&feature=channel_video_title

Kevin Rudd & any other NON communists left in the GAYLP need to resign now, join Bob Katter, the DLP, or Australia First.

They could then support Tony Abbott as PM leading an LNP government till the next schedulled election.

Leon, your 5 point plan,

#1, half agree with this but it is not going as far as the GP, general public want. the AGW scam is busted now, most people believe it is an excuse to steal from the poor, give to the filthy, stinking super rich.

#2, half agree with this one too. the attitudes of the GP is way harder even than the LNP did before or are talking about now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5pZLkkrNOk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIHeBJNFS1g

http://media.causes.com/1050799?p_id=175393267&s=request

this is how 60% of the GP, at least, feel about muslim migrants, nobody wants them, at all, under any circumstances other than Socialist Alliance & the RED/greens.

they want all unacompanied minors, NOT detained anywhere but humanely, returned to their parents ASAP, while simultaneously, supporting Aussie jobs by doing it with Qantas or Aussie military aircraft.

BTW, they want the same done with ALL boat people anyway. immediate deportation, especially Afghans, back home ASAP.

#3, 4 & 5, last 3 agree with totally as would 80% to 90% of the GP.

Leon – I agree that the five actions outlined are what needs to happen but given the context of the article, it’s a bit like saying “if we fitted testicles to the queen we would have the king we want”. It won’t happen under Labor.

The current government (Rudd + Gillard) is on a similar “social reform” crusade that we saw with Whitlam the 1970’s. There are some good ideas but after years in the opposition wilderness, they are bursting with all their plans and the implementation has generally been rushed, ineffective and with some appalling results. Everyone has their spoon in the pot giving it a stir and it’s just turning into a mess.

Apparently, all of a sudden, we had to have a ratified Kyoto protocol, an apology, a seat on the UN security council, a CPRS, a carbon tax, a mining tax, a modified mining tax, take Japan to court for hunting whales, maternity leave, paternity leave, inflexible workplace laws, new school buildings, insulation, live exports, no live exports, encourage people smugglers, discourage people smugglers, federal curriculum, federal health control, and handouts, handouts, handouts (and then taxes, taxes, taxes to pay for the handouts, that are needed to pay the higher cost of living due to the extra taxes, and then ...). But it is always comforting to know that we are leading the world in plain cigarette packaging so the whole nightmare has actually been worth it.

The end result will be that the Labor party will spend another protracted period in opposition.

But, I just don’t know what will happen over the next two years. I think Gillard’s days are numbered and it sickens me to think that internal party politics will determine who is Prime Minister of this country for the next two years rather than being determined by the electorate. I know that we don’t vote for the role of Prime Minister per se but, in essence, that’s what we do at the federal lower house polls.

Something will have to give and I think it has to be the independents.