This is quite a fair assessment of the current government's predicament.

Any suggestions that Ms Gillard was dishonest about the carbon tax is just ludicrous.

Labor went to the election with a no carbon tax policy.

Neither party won the election out-right so the policy was neither accepted nor rejected by the electorate. There is therefore no obligation to stick to a policy when there was clearly no mandate given FOR that policy. He government had every right to reassess a policy that was clearly not fully endorsed by the electorate.

Besides, Gillard's supposed dishonesty pales in comparison to the lies and deception that riddled the Howard/Costello years.

I actually wish Abbott had managed to form a minority government with the independents after the election last year.

Can anyone see that actually working as effectively as the current situation? Gillard would also be much more constructive as opposition leader than Abbott ever could be. Her vocabulary, after all, is broader than "no".

Trashcanman,

Labor went to the election with a no carbon tax policy.

Then Gillard made a public promise to the voters

"There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead"

Unless I am mistaken, she is introducing a carbon tax under the government that she is leading. This makes her a liar. This is not just a policy back flip but a broken promise.

Considering that only some independents did not go to the election with a no carbon tax platform, there was a clear "no carbon tax" mandate.

Shadow Minister,

There is no mandate either way if there is no choice for voters to go one way or the other. There was no mandate on this issue. There was no mandate on any issue from this election, except perhaps for there to be a second election with better options (Turnbull and Rudd, for example).

Without a mandate on anything, Gillard had to a: negotiate with the Greens and independents (who were elected by the people too) and b: follow advice given to her from experts.

Now the amount of economists who support the carbon tax is more than double that of those who oppose it, and is four times that of those who support Abbotts direct action plan.

The number of relevant scientists who support the need for action against climate change is 97 x the amount who oppose it (2% are undecided, 1% against). So obviously action should be taken.

At the end of the day, with no mandate for her "no carbon tax" policy, combined with expert advice and political necessity, Gillard has done what had to be done.

She broke a promise, I guess you're right. It must have been a "non-core promise" I suppose. That's ok isn't it?

Trash,

You are grasping at straws. The issue of mandate in common usage is based on you getting votes on your policy platform. Labor's votes were in part based on its no carbon tax policy. That 145 of 150 elected MPs were elected based on a no carbon tax policy, there is most definitely no mandate for a carbon tax.

As for core and non core promises, when Juliar and Whine Swan nail their colours to the mast in a public announcement, that is as a core promise as you can get.

Juliar broke a core promise, and how ever you try and white wash it, the voters are not going to forget.

the lies and deception that riddled the Howard/Costello years.
Trashcanman,
I can't recall any, could you please state one ? Deceit & lying are an ALP trait as far as I'm aware.