I share the views of the author , generally . I shall continue to vote Labor , while regretting that Labor is no longer a true social democratic party . It is the lesser of two evils . However , it continues to make some significant reforms , including the less than perfect mining tax and climate change measures .

Not only in politics , but in the provision of government services , the media promotes the principle that we are customers who have to be bribed with special offers and that nobody wants political parties to do anything except supply them with largesse from the public purse , preferably from tax revenue paid by others . Both major parties succcumb to this idea .

Most of those who lament that Ben Chifley and his ilk are no longer around would not have voted for Labor in the Chifley era , because he wanted to nationalise the nice banks which were in existence only to help the battlers .

If Labor does cease to exist , where will the next opposition come from ? The Greens are unlikely to be it , because they will be derided as tree huggers who want to interfere with the nice miners which are the true friends of the battlers .

There will be uncontested permanent rule by Abbott and his successors , occasionally pandering to various fringe parties which will appeal to racism and boganism .

damn you Hasbeen. You always pick up on how illerate I am.

Do you think matriculation might help me ... at my age?

Benjamin doesn't get it? The light on the hill is really the headlamp of the thundering steaming express; roaring towards Labour and the next electoral train wreck! i.e. Labour needs to bring in a balanced budget. Train driver Ben Chiefly, would've looked around for any example of; and shone a light on middle class welfare and cut those rather than the very services the working poor and the downtrodden rely on simply to survive or get by.
Instead, what we get is fairly typical conservative policy paradigms and cuts to essential service; via cuts to the public service. Moreover, those cuts seem to be directed at the rank and file, rather than the often overpaid dept heads?
I mean, when these overpaid "experts" go on holiday; their depts simply get on with the workload; often expedited by lack of often unessential micro management?
Look, if one factors in negative gearing, [the worst kind of middle class welfare, which must be repealed] there is around 24 billions per of welfare for the rich; that can be recovered, largely through means testing?
i.e. How much money could be saved by means testing all public health services; and, if they were means tested as was common practise in Queensland; before the Labour fix, when it had a best practise public health service; the envy of all the other states; and, all those who could afford basic health insurance and better, paid their share; thereby virtually and effectively preventing waiting lists for elective surgery.
Sir Joh claimed at heart he was a social democrat; and the Queensland he handed over, with its own insurance and banking company, its publicly owned infrastructure, rail, ports, gas and power delivery etc, and a decent budget surplus proved that; and indeed, just how far to the right new labour has lurched; as it privatised the very things; that once made life in the sunshine state the most affordable in Oz.
If all that is on offer is conservative policies; then why not simply vote in a conservative party? Rhrosty.

Back in the 1940-50's women relied on a man for income and it was difficult to get s divorce.Many were abused and assauluted by their spouses but they kept coming back for more punishment.

This is what happens to rusted on labor voters. Most of the time they don't even know they are being shafted.In a sick sort of way they probably like it because of the tribal security blanket effect.

The reason Labour needs to cut services; is because of vastly reduced tax receipts. Vastly reduced receipts; even in the face of record company profits and spending, is the result of tax relief afforded by massive reinvestment?
This will lead in due course; to eventually massively increased tax receipts; or, even greater profits heading offshore?
Alternatively, another course of action, is a complete jettisoning of the current raft of convoluted complexity; that merely masquerades as a fair and equitable tax system, and replacing all that, with a single stand alone expenditure tax, set at around a painless 4.8%, which would increase revenue by around 100 billion per!
Ben Chiefly would not have baulked at this or similar reform; nor would any true believer looking to the light on the hill; that showed the way forward.
The federal govt introduced the GST and can if it so chooses, repeal it?
Along with all those regressive measures, like exponentially increasing fuel tax; that add exponentially to the workload and cost of doing business and job creation; that exists in this country!
If the federal govt, would simply assume all funding responsibility for vastly more streamlined and largely autonomous education and health; the states would no longer need the revenue that the granny killing GST provides?
Ben Chiefly and co, would never ever have given up fighting this particularly regressive measure; instead of rolling over and begging for a tummy rub, which seems to be new Labour's way of dealing with extreme capitalistic solutions or reform?
Nonetheless, we can't have a healthy economy, without a healthy environment! Conversely, we need a very robust and very healthy economy in order to affordablly usher in the very changes we and other nations need to undertake, if we intend to prevent a global catastrophe. Currently, neither major party seems able to see the big picture or the way forward? Effective action? Bah humbug! Rhrosty.

Arjay, you're sick - get help.