Shadow Minister,

You're right - Gillard started this farce. Quite a clever ploy on her part. It has distracted voters enough to become weary of this tragi/comedy farce. It has also deflected their focus from all the bad decisions made by this government.

From previous posts and comments it would appear that the populace has concerns about the effects of present policies.

Live sheep exports, illegal immigration and it's escalating costs , plus the future of our economy, and effect on families are the four top topics which appear to be of lesser concern to Labour than attempting to win the next election.

The rise in costs since the Carbon Tax was introduced has not gone unnoticed by many of us. A dollar here, a few there, and they add up considerably to a higher total cost of living. It is with dismay that every week I see small retailers and large companies closing down. It's across the board. When the employers fail, the people they employ have very uncertain futures in this tight job market. We have lost our title of "the Lucky Country".

Do you mean this "Lucky Country?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Country

"Horne's statement was made ironically as an indictment of 1960's Australia. His intent was to comment that, while other industrial nations created wealth using "clever" means such as technology and other innovations, Australia did not. Australia's prosperity was largely derived from its rich natural resources. Horne observed that Australia "showed less enterprise than almost any other prosperous industrial society.""

Nothing's changed.

Poirot,

Read my post to the SM.

Have to agree, JG cleverly suckered the opposition there didn't she?

Labelling TA as a mysogynist whether true or not, was a brilliant move, and it worked for her and against her too.

There have been many great well respected women leaders who have executed their positions suberbly and with their country's welfare at heart, while displaying dignity at all times.

And then we have Julia. Enough said?

Poirot

The term "This Lucky Country" may have been initially used with irony, but has since been used by many Australians who honestly have felt they were lucky to live here.

Since the '60s we have gradually diversified. Would you say we now enjoy the increased benefits which should be the result of that?

Must say I enjoyed the simpler times, and sure wasn't as stressed as I am these days. BTW, we didn't have to pay $80.00 per kilo for King George whiting then - we caught our own. Can't afford to run a boat any more. Price of oil too high. Will have to make do with what we can catch beach fishing - if there are any fish still around.

Re: simpler times...well you can't blame the Labor Party for that - globalisation, the free market and technology have delivered in that respect.

Poirot, "From the judgment:

'...The texts demonstrated that Mr Ashby had no difficulty whatsoever in firmly putting forward his point of view, and in refusing to accept instructions from Mr Slipper on matters to do with Mr Ashby's conduct, even though that conduct may have impacted, or been seen to impact on Mr Slipper's public position....

The point of these exchanges which come most powerfully across was that Mr Ashby felt not the slightest inhibition in putting Mr Slipper in, what Mr Ashby considered, his place. It is difficult to believe that while Mr Ashby felt no inhibition in firmly and forcefully insisting that he was entitled to engage in political activities where Mr Slipper sought to restrain him from doing so, Mr Ashby would have felt inhibited in complaining to Mr Slipper about other conduct that he, Mr Ashby, did not appreciate. The contemporaneous documents in evidence do not reveal that Mr Ashby felt or expressed to Mr slipper or any of his friends any such inhibitions or any distress occasioned by the conduct he complained of in his origination application....'"

It is hard to believe that a similar judgement made in respect of a woman employee would not result in a storm of protest.

Not arguing either way, just noting that sauce for the goose is not always sauce for the gander.