I disagree.

Howard has abused his power and is enforcing ultra-conservative laws that were hidden behind the parties’ name. The Australian public though dumb enough to vote him in again gave him a majority. He will enforce US style IR reforms that will reduce the number of full time jobs and put disabled and single parents into work. While Costello reduces tax and we loose our healthcare and welfare system.

All the time he implements fascist terrorism laws with no opposition in parliament as if we are facing a threat not of our own creating. It's poor policy.

He will soon implement his electoral reforms that will attack democracy but disallowing people who just turned 18 to vote, by cutting the enrolment date to when he calls the election.

He has flown his true colors and will be as electable as the NSW Fascist liberals. If that’s a word.

Chris Evans has conveniently forgotten what happened during the Hawke-Keating years. Whenever Labor wanted to sell Qantas and the Commonwealth Bank they did so with the support of the opposition. Similarly when Keating wanted to reform IR and introduce Enterprise Bargaining he did so with the support of the opposition.

In contrast the Coalition Government have had to introduce reforms without any support from the Labor opposition. Apart from changes to boost security Labor has opposed, opposed, opposed every Government attempt to reform. Little wonder then that when given a majority in both houses by voters at the last election, the Coalition is using it to obtain the reforms it believes are needed for the benefit of the country.

Malcolm Fraser had a majority in both houses for most of his time in Government. Yet he wasted the opportunity by not changing the ecomonically damaging initiatives of the disasterous Whitlam Government. John Howard is not going to similarly waste his opportunity. As a result he will be remembered historically as a courageous reformer prepared to take political risks for the benefit of Australia.

Having been appointed regional branch manager for the War For Profit gang, the PM must have thanked his lucky stars when control of the Senate fell into his lap.

After all, given the crimes that have been committed against the Iraqis, it was either the high road to comfort in a gated estate, or the low road to a gulag via the Hague. No wonder he has hit the ground running. The sedition laws will make a very handy knuckleduster against people like me. Nice one!

The distribution of preferences that gave the Coalition a Senate majority has been described as a serious tactical error. Is that all there is to it? It might be a good idea to put the microscope on that little-mentioned mistake.

Cui bono. Never stop asking, "Who benefits"?

Sniggid, John Howard will be remembered as a liar, and rightly so, because thats what he is.

One party having control of both houses is a danger, and this article has rightly pointed out its disadvantages. Even a strong Liberal supporter I spoke to soon after the election was worried about it!

Chris, I understand your position, however there is only one course of action that will change the situation, and that is for the ALP to get its act together. The ALP needs to develop a full set of alternative policies accross all portfolio's and go about selling them to the electorate, in order to win the next election, perhaps an internal restructure in the leadership is also required, but if so it must be done quickly, to give a new leader time for the public to become aquainted with her. The ALP needs to sell,sell,sell, after decideing on policies that will benefit the majority of Australians. If the party cannot do this it will spend another 3 years from the 2007 election in the wilderness. Retoric is all very well, but policy needs to be developed, and quickly, if anything is to change for the better. I may be the odd man out, but I consider it to be the responsibility of the ALP to provide an alternative government, those of us who are your way inclined, are desperately seeking some inititave from your party, to help heal the divisions in our society.