McClelland and Mackin

David G,

Yes, I referred to Kevin Rudd's assassination and think that it was deplorable – not for the individual who frankly deserved it but to the office. And unfortunately, through the good grace of a handful of independents, the current executive does have a mandate of sorts which was secured at the 2010 election.

But you are, again, advocating a similar “coup d’etat” within Labor ranks to dispose of the Prime Minister, again! Not only that, but you are suggesting cleaning out all her supporters too – this will decimate 75% of the caucus and who will be running the country then? Following this model, we will soon have the international credentials of a despotic African nation and the sovereign risk profile to match.

Cleaning out the current lot and starting again can occur, but at the next election.

Make no mistake – I believe the current administration is leading us to a very dark place which will take some time and pain to recover from. I believe, with bitter irony, that the people that will end up hurting the most will be the very people that this government says they are trying to help. Just as Cook & Bligh “helped” the Tahitians with trinkets and shiny beads (handouts), this government is “helping” the lower income earners with smallpox (carbon tax and the knock-on effects).

However, I think that the damage to Australia is already done and we will simply accumulate another $20B – $30B more debt before the election later next year. The damage to the Labor party will continue and I don’t think a leadership change will alter that. As the article author suggests, the Labor party needs to fundamentally reassess its very core and develop strategies and policies that are relevant to the 21st century. I will probably vote for them if they do

Peter, I don't agree with your position that LABOR should do nothing but navel gaze!

There is still time for action. There is still time to minimize the damage that Abbott will do.

If Gillard had an ounce of decency, she would resign rather than lead the party to electoral annihilation. A drover's dog would do better than she will!

LABOR must seize the moment! Is there no one with courage in the Party?

We might somehow be better off with the coalition and their ideologically inspired predilection for austerity? Ha ha! Well, it's just not in their DNA to embrace real reform, unless one considers welfare for the rich as reform or transferring tax liability from corporate Australia, with the imposition of the Granny killing GST.
We need genuine reform of our tax system, which entirely eliminates avoidance.
Arguably, up to 40% of our international guest corporations pay no company tax to anyone. And here we are talking about entities with budgets far larger than many sovereign nations.
Even those that do pay, pay only between 1-5%; albeit, parting with as much as 7% of the bottom line, just to achieve that outcome?
It makes perfect sense to replace the entire current complexity we call an equitable tax act, with a simple stand alone expenditure tax, which if set at around 4.8% variable, will collect 25% more net tax. The unavoidable nature of the proposal will end any need for compliance outlays, which will then add as much as 7% to the averaged bottom line.
The repeal of all the other tax measures, will add up to a further 30% to the Australian based business bottom line; and, an additional 25% to averaged household disposals; and, entirely paid by former avoiders finally being compelled to pay their fair share.
I agree with Chris inasmuch, we need to start picking winners and investing public money in very low cost alternative energy projects etc.
Very cheap energy gave us our manufacturing base; and, if reapplied as carbon free or neutral, will rebuild it again.
We really need to lever private profiteering hands from both energy and capital and return those two economy support pillars back to the people.
This will benefit genuine entrepreneurs, who will no longer be held hostage by price gouging carpet bagging foreign speculators.
Moreover, if other nations were to follow that example or advise, we would never again face another GFC.
Arguably created by the so-called money/energy markets and or the quite massive manipulation of same! Rhrosty.

Chris; I'm not so harsh on the Govt when it comes to cost-of-living initiatives. Basically the govt accept people are hurting and is trying to direct assistance to those who need it - low and middle income Australia.

But it must be only the beginning of a 'bigger picture' strategy on Cost of Living. Investment in infrastructure in emerging suburbs, for instance, could effectively improve housing affordability in a big way. And middle income families need to know public education will be first class. Gonski implementation could make a difference to middle income families who would otherwise feel forced into paying for a private school education.

re: Welfare - we already have one of the most onerous and threadbare unemployment pensions in the world. And criteria for disability pensions has been greatly tightened. What next? For those who are genuinely disabled; for the long term unemployed whose retraining prospects will have been curtailed by Ballieu's TAFE cuts; for aged Australians who paid tax all their lives - "cracking down" on welfare is neither fair, compassionate or right.

We are a very low taxing nation by international standards. We don't have to sacrifice welfare "to keep our fiscal heads above water".

I write about some of these things in my article today too.

Tristan