I couldn't agree more, Roger.
There was a time when Beazley may have stood for something, but now, with one eye on his discontented party and the other on TV cameras and opinion polls, we can only expect more vacillation and puffery.
By the way, it was interesting for me to read an old biography on Tony Blair recently. It was striking just how similar the situation in Australia today is to Britain when Blair was starting out. Similarly immense challenges and glorious opportunities exist for the right Beazley replacement. Although she's been tarnished a little, my money is on Julia Gillard. She reads like the cheeky, articulate, bright-eyed young Blair who gradually learnt to make his message clear and palatable through humour, common sense and clever appeal. Like Blair, Julia or another genuine reformer (that rules out Kevin Rudd) will sweep the elections and go on to divert or bisociate entrenched powers for the better.