Cheryl
"Not so sure your reply added much to the debate Killarney by blaming the journo"

That's a lot of the problem, that Howe's waffle was reported as News at all reinforces that "News" is no longer in most of the MSM, at best it is more akin to a drunken blather.

I so long ago stopped visiting most of the local Press that I must admit to missing it being reported completely, I had to back track from this article to find out what the hell it was all about, now I want my 30 mins back :) It's not NEWS. For that I visit Al Jazerra, RT, BBC and yes, even the WSJ after all "the elite have to get their News from somewhere" (to paraphrase Choamsky). For analysis, a whole plethora of web sources eg Debt Deflation and for op.ed, places like here, Project Syndicate etal.

An influential section of the ALP has moved the party to the right. The party is now being lead by a clique that has abounded any pretense as to be holders of 'Labor values'. These people came to prominence through the trade union movement or as party back room boys. They have become the king makers, the power brokers, the controlling force within the party. The moderates say little as they are beholding to these demagogs for their own positions within the party, often being held up as the reasonable face of Labor, but at the same time being manipulated by the right wing clique. The left of the party has been isolated. This right elite seeks power for powers sake, wanting to direct Australia by the use of social division.
Their latest 'Put The Greens Last' campaign shows they fear as a threat any voice that would appeal to the notion of social justice within the voting public. These people would have the electorate preference fascists over moderate progressives, By their broad mo exceptions put the greens last policy they would much prefer to see a Mussolini or Hitler in power than a Christine Milne or Adam Bandt

Well, what a load of tripe from redneck oz, feel like am at a T party meeting or Klan rally.
What's the grudge against the Greens, really?
Am glad am getting older, because it's your kids that will inherit a filthy, ugly world, not mine.
Only Marilyn gets it right- again, the libnatlabs are only fond of development at any cost for the bribes they garner for themselves.