Robert Menzies is turning in his grave over what the Liberal party has become.

The far right has to be cut out of the Liberal party and then they would get somewhere in modern Australia.

Unlike Tony Abbott, Menzies was not a complete and utter idiot despite his other faults.

Agree with Cobber and Curious.

And note, Menzies lived in a completely different era, and tolerated (wouldn't sell) PUBLIC OWNERSHIP!

And back then the populace was not nearly as well educated, and just out of a depression and two world wars!

And we were for a while the third wealthiest nation on earth and a creditor one into the bargain!

So not only are we talking about very different times, and people believing what they read; and with good reason, but very different circumstances as well!

Moreover, the top tax rate was 67 cents in the dollar? And the off-shoring exodus of our manufacturing sector hadn't begun!

Tony Abbott is morally wounded, can't change his spots; and only appeals to the far right!

Whereas, elections are decided in and by the middle!

For mine, and sorry Tony, but it's time to bite the bullet and reinstate a more moderate Malcolm (return bill) Turnbull?

Malcolm will need to publicly jettison his ETS, and replace that with a much more palatable carbon tax?

If there were a cap, and there's no reason on earth that prevents us having one, and at the stroke of a pen!

Then just taxing that above the cap, which could be slowly and progressively lowered; means, we could effectively mitigate against carbon!?

And therefore able to be swallowed by the far right, as a virtual Clayton's carbon tax.

Or the tax you have when you're not having a tax, yet one the puts a very real and progressively punitive tax/downward pressure and a price on carbon! (a million dollars a ton won't hurt if you never ever have to pay it)

And Malcolm (sob/choke/gasp) a possible billionaire carbon brokering Baron in the making?) was only brought undone in the first place, with his preferred ETS!?

Personally, I wouldn't wait for the polls to get worse; and a new Leader ASAP, allows a change of direction, and some long overdue pragmatism/tax reform!
Without bias, Rhrosty.

Perceptive piece by Alexander Morgan. A new account of Menzies’ rise to power in 1939, with previously unused sources, is in Cameron Hazlehurst, Ten Journeys to Cameron’s Farm, especially pp. 3-12. The book is downloadable as a PDF free of charge here: http://press.anu.edu.au/titles/ten-journeys-to-camerons-farm/

Tony's on fire today with his threat to Indonesia about what's in its "best interests" over the executions, which is going up like a lead balloon in Jakarta. What an absolute twat.

A plea to the LNP, dump him.

...and he's on it again today, virtually saying don't count on Australian support when disaster strikes in the future if you don't do us this one favour.

That puts him on par with Jackie Lambie, which I suppose is an elevation for him.

Luciferase,

You are right of course.

In fairness, add motor mouths from both sides to that list.

I reckon there are too many career politicians who cruised into politics without ever demonstrating any worthwhile achievements in life and consistent, sound judgement.

It is a problem of political parties and 'party government' too.

What to do about it and the corruption that is inevitable, but to keep tipping them out of government before they soil their nappies.

There is no way that any of the available talent outside of those party machines is going to come forward with the *bleep* they cop from the career politicians (on their own patch as well) and from the tabloid media. Tabloid media led by that taxpayer funded public broadcaster that screams and become vindictive when asked for an efficiency dividend, after watching other public agencies(and private industry) make cuts for thirty years and more.

"In fairness, add motor mouths from both sides to that list."

No, Abbott is supposed to act like a PM. How much more "fairness" does he have to be afforded before the absolutely bleeding obvious is obvious to all?

He's just not up to the job, never was. All he's up to is keeping the chair warm for as long as he can get away with it.