The public is simply sick of seeing Gillard and Abbott! I cringe whenever I see either of them.

Both should be replaced ASAP. We need new faces with new ideas. The old melodrama has gone on for far too long.

Gillard and Abbott are both rank opportunists, both driven by psychotic self-interest.

Begone!

James O'Neill is right about Obama and Romney.What's your choice of war mongerer who will use austerity to finance Wall St's theft and the Fed Reserve's theft via counterfeiting (Quantitative Easing) of our currencies?

If Abbott has any integrity and chooses to back the people instead of the bankers,then the popular media will demonise him.I doubt he will back the people.

Abbott will lead the Liberals to the next election, they have no other choice. Abbott is the best Australian opposition leader ever and there is no need for him to spell out any policies, yet. This Government is giving him more ammunition than he can handle!

As for Malcolm, he will not be Liberal leader for the next election, if ever. There are 3 things about Malcolm, he has brilliant intellect, strong ambition and appaling judgement.

He was leader of the Australian Republic Movement when the referendum was lost (all States voted against it). He found out the hard way that you don't take on the Prime Minister based on a dodgy e-mail (Utegate), and finally why oh why did he try to negotiate an ETS with the government when it was plain at the time that public opinion on this issue was rapidly heading South.

As for Julia, she knew carbon pricing was electoral poison but HAD to do it due to foolish Greens' insatiable demands.

Is Abbott the conservatives" liability? I believe he is, and history supports my view?
Peter Lang's enduring loyalty is commendable, if misplaced?
History informs us that no long term opposition Leader from either party has ever gone on to win an election?
Roll-back Beasley came close, with 51% of the vote. But not enough in the seats he needed to win, to take govt from Howard.
Ditto fight-back Hewson, in a head to head with Hawke.
Abbott put most members offside with his recent, [Dr No,] attempted intervention, in grass roots branch pre-selection?
And in so doing, exposed that part which others inside the party, can't quite put their finger on?
Arguably, the inner power hungry control freak, my way or the highway intransigence, inflexible, recalcitrant, tyrant?
If only the pulpit pounding, commie hating, homophobic DLP, were still part of the current political landscape, Tony would find his natural home?
Tony only holds his place at the coalitions' helm by one vote, and he has resisted all attempts to reinstall a rebadged work choices, amended with a no disadvantage test!
[I mean, even patently pragmatic Scandinavian socialist democracies, have traded away unfair dismissals, for a larger job start/earn or learn benefit!]
That one vote has since gone scuttling in disgrace, to the cross benches!?
If a spill were held today, those conservatives, with an ear to the ground and or pursuing the female vote, might just opt for a much more moderate, less aggressive Malcolm, [return bill,] Turnbull?
All those battles Julia is fighting for on the front foot; Carbon pricing, border control, the Malaysian solution, will be thoughtfully resolved, with genuine reservations; by a true statesman and a thorough Gentleman?
Leaving Labour with nothing to blame on the coalition?
Which would likely seal Julia's fate as a one term PM, but particularly, if the "promised" surplus fails to manifest!
After all, it is the economy stupid, Quote, unquote.
Rhrosty.

Herbert Stencil,

“Here is a starting list. No doubt there are more.

1. Budget forecasts v outcomes
2. Surplus/deficit
3. Total spending
4. Total revenue
5. Boat arrivals
6. Public service employees
7. Numbers on welfare
8. National debt
9. Unemployment
10. Budget v outcomes for spending, revenue, deficit

I think you will find that, presented with this information, the public will certainly "get it".”

I agree this is the approach the Coalition should take. However, I expect the reason they do not do more of this is that the population at large don’t understand charts and figures, or are not interested or get switched off by them,. I think many people do not recognise the connection between the economics and the outcomes they want. I think that is especially true of many of those of Left persuasion. They do not realise that if we want better Health, Education, infrastructure, cities, welfare and expenditure on environmental controls and remediation for example, we need a strong economy. And the stronger the economy the better for society and for people’s well being.

The Left especially do not seem to be able to make the connection. They do not seem to understand, for example, that the $30 billion committed to funding and subsidising renewable energy through to 2020 is pure waste. There are enormous net costs to society and no net benefits. The $30 billion could be far better spent elsewhere or even better left in the productive part of society to allow us to be even better off.

Your starting list of charts is excellent. I commend them to other readers.

What makes me laugh is that during the Howard years I remember the
liberals saying labour has no policies, what are their policies there are none.
Labour then replying, you will see our policies before the election.
etc etc.

Does labour have that short of memory ? Oh they do, do they !

So don't be stupid and keep on regurgitating that nonsense.
It is the logical thing to do, so grow up and accept it.