Labor, with the proposed Industrial Relations reforms, has a chance now to cave for themselves a coherant economic argument which will boost their standing within the community. The reforms during the Hawke Prime Ministership were done because our economy was lagging, yet these reforms are being done during a period of sustained growth and rightfully scare many voters (for interest, I am a Liberal supporter).

Labor has opposed these reforms, which is good but not enough. I believe that Labor can create a 'third-way' between the Liberal Government support for large business and the union movement's desire for a return to Keynesian economic policies. If the Labor Party were to speak about economic issues that truly matter to the electorate then they would get some traction.

Casual employment is an issue - many simply dislike it and realise that it is a way for business to cut costs.

GST and small businesses - the GST promised to streamline the tax system yet small businesses are suffering because of it.

Paid maternity/paternity leave for people working in large businesses - we have an ageing population and tend to like family-friendly employment policies.

I feel that the above three issues will greatly aid Labor in making a dent in the economic shield of the Government. It comes down to kitchentop issues: job security, small business survival and worries about starting a family. Infrastructure is important, but it does not strike a chord with the vast voter base that have deserted Labor.

But creating a coherant economic argument is simply not enough. There needs to be reform within the party machine. The above issues are felt within the community, but not within the Labor policy units. The reasons are obvious - they live in Canberra, they enjoy job security through factional support and they do not really run anything that demands performance-related goals. If the Labor Party were more open, the above would be obvious issues to press home against the Coalition Government but they are out of sight and hence out of mind.

Very well said Seang.We definitely need a stronger ALP since I'm sencing cracks of complacency appearing in the Coalition.They are making a lot of noise about IR reform yet done little about Welfare reform.

Christopher Reason's "Welfare a Taxing Concern" in the Weekend Australian 7/8/2005 make some excellent points.The growth of welfare state has continued to accelerate under the Coalition with the introduction of the GST.The IR reforms will mean nothing unless we get State Govts like NSW to remove all the unnecessary red tape,workers comp. expenses,taxes and stupid work place safety over regulation etc.No company can possibly conform to the maisma of rules and regulation.

Industrial Relations and work place regulation needs to be taken over by the Commonwealth.In todays climate employers of trades people are petrified of employing new staff since they cover the full cost of workers comp.The shortage of trades people will continue and it will cost us economically.

Our Govts solution will be to bring skilled migrants who cannot speak English.How do we then not only communicate job tasks but also the complicated work place safety rules that find the employer guilty until proven innocent?

We need some courageous logical thinkers with real business experience in the ALP to keep the Coalition on their toes thinking about creative and effective reform.

ARJAY.. good point about the over-regulation etc.

When Labor stops representing 'special interest' groups such as unions who basically exist for their own sake and to 'bully' employers as much as to 'protect' workers, clinging to relevance with thuggery as much as negotiation, and begins to represent all segments of the Australian community they will begin to be 'born again' :)

WHO'S SIDE IS GOD ON ? :) .... Coalition/Capitalism's ?

Here is a hint :) referring to Capitalist Israelites, through Amos the prophet: (Ch5)

11 You trample on the poor
and force him to give you grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,
you will not live in them;
though you have planted lush vineyards,
you will not drink their wine.

12 For I know how many are your offenses
and how great your sins.
You oppress the righteous and take bribes
and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts.

14 Seek good, not evil,
that you may live.
Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you,

So.... He is on LABORS side ? :)..... nah.. all of these sins can be turned around and applied to the attitudes of some Union thugs.

GOD..is on the side of.... yep.. u got it in one (clap)... 'justice'.

So, as long as it's 'Labor/Unions' and "Coalition/Farmers,Chemists,Newsagents,Employers" .. we will have 'us/them'.... how about we look to those who seek justice in the political realm.

GOD is also on the side of 'morality'. Justice cannot exist without it.

Apart from the XXX porn we seem to all be in agreement for once ;)

Of course the Labor Party stands for nothing. Its the theory of
"Stand for whatever people want to get their votes" which brings with it a myriad of conflicting and contradictory policies with no theme. Such is their frustrated and cynical desire for power.

After working twice as hard as they were 10 years ago,the populus realizes that the "have-nots" are often the "do littles" and a Party catering to them as victims is no longer accepted by the voting population. Redistributing the wealth of hard workers to the less active is not popular particularly as there are so many hard working Australians these days.

The Labor Party's belief that voters were hoodwinked by the Liberals economic argument shows how little respect they have for the electorate. Telling them they were too stupid to see the trap is a big loser. The Labor Party needs to realise that the electorate is not only more sophisticated than they think but more sophisticated that they are.

As posted previously commenting on an earlier Forum article criticising modern Aussie Labor, to say again what is basically wrong with our Labor. It has forsaken its grassroots which are social democratic rather than the arch right-wing doctrine it is now trying to emulate.

Labor forsook its roots when Bob Hawke somewhat successfully in the late 1980's turned Labor to economic rationalism defeating the Liberals who at the time where so disoriented they did not really understand what economic rationalism and globalisation was all about. They do now, of course, and making a go of it, because of its radically conservative parameters. But such does not belong to a true people's party, and not to Tony Blair, come to that, as he has been told so many times by certain of his former Ministers.

As also stated in another post, Labor in its true dinkum role, should not have followed the US in the unlawful attack on Iraq, instead following Canada and New Zealand, and virtually the bulk of the premier world states.

It is now left for future good philosophers and historians to tell the truth about in the future.

George C, WA - (Bushbred)