Hey BushBred, who the hell was Pollard? I have looked and looked but he sure wasn't a Prime Minister.

David,
In speaking of echoes from the past, don't forget his father's jingoist bumpkin attempts to try to have the Army's newly purchased Kiowa helicopters renamed "Kalkadoon". Does it run in the family?

Actually Ponder, Bob Catter's father was a decent gentleman that could teach his son some manners. Bob Catter senior was an intellectual, and made a stand for real farmers who needed help.

Some old country party people did have manners and principles. while I agree with the arguement someone made about agrarian socialism, the word use: "Jew wool buyers" is offensive. We can only guess you mean the multinationals. Trying to excuse yourself by supporting Israel did not excuse your prejudice, it confirmed it. The fact is many Jews do not support Israel at all. Many Palestinians are infact Jewish.

The Nationals should have broken with the liberals over the US Free Trade agreement, as farmers get the bum steer. Many farmers just refuse to realise it yet. The US will do anything to abolish the AWB, the CSR, the Wool Board, or any other organisation that looks like Australia subsidising farm products. The Liberals have to prove to the Americans now that all support to farmers is being "privatised". With friends like that, do farmers need enemies?

The Queenslanders ran the wrong direction at the wrong time. They nearly got tarred by the same bush that is destined for the crumbling PM facing serious trouble.

As the PM crumbles, step back. You don't stand under the falling debris. Joyce is the hope for the party. Bob Catter Jr. is just as unpredictable, as he always was...

Bushbred, at last a cockie that has woken up to big bizznesss taking the cockies to the cleaners.
How many of you still stump up cash(probably sponged from the taxpaying Trade Unionists, by way of Gov. handout)to the National Farmers Federation?
This organisation spends its time trying to whack the very people the silly cockies should be aligning with.

Katter and Joyce both understand the importance of product differentiation and both the media and the mainstream parties came in spinner. They do, after all, represent an entirely different community of interest to the barbie worlders. And the mainstream urge to demand conformity from these guys merely highlights the extent to which the mainstream is out of touch with rural Australia.

Bob would make an excellent Premier of North Queensland while Barnaby would do just as well for the new state of Condamine. They could then direct their communities funds to properly investigating the sort of issues that remain buried, or misinformed, by the metrotyrants.

You might have a point there persius. At least they listen to people. Condamine? What is that?

I think that if the Nationals were let off their leash, they could be a progressive party for farmers, small business, and for everyone else who are ignored by the two parties that only care for multi-national business, or multi-national unions. Who is there listening to the people, other than the Greens, the few Democrats we have left, and some independents? I have said before that even David in the Big Brother household: a proud member of the National Party, would listen more, stand for justice, and be more honest than most politicians on both sides of Parliament. It would be fascinating if he does take up a career in the National Party, probably more popular in Brisbane, I would imagine. He is certainly a media icon at the moment. Of course, I'm not sure it the Nationals would embrace David in Big Brother's house. I think the film "Brokeback Mountain" frightens the hell out them. But in reality, the David's in the National Party are just farmers.

Will the Nationals insist on being a single sided neo-con party, for the sake of tradition? Or will they steel the show by daring to play left field? Now that would really be exciting.