I for one will wait until I see the policy platform Rudd puts in place - even if I do not like him or gillard for that matter - it is the policies of the parties that interest me -

beats me why so many here form opinions based on appearance and very small amounts of detail - and at the same time expect those opinions to carry some weight in the market place of ideas - who care of he looks like a school boy - or whatever else people like to say about him -

Mickijo said - Why not take all the Labor Party, the Greens, the Democrats and retire the whole bunch of self interested , mediocre no hopers. Make a clean sweep then perhaps we can find some dinkum candidates - I am genuinely interested to know on what basis he makes that assumption about them as a group - seriously what is it about them or their policies that as earned them this assesment?

sneeky,
I can answer that question for you mate, brainwashed from birth into the mindset of fear of the unknown. When Hawke/Keating were in [not that I had much time for them] Australia didn't turn communist. We retained our international commitment to our US masters, the world didn't turn upside down, we didn't find red's under the beds and the yellow peril didn't invade us.

In short Mr & Mrs Average and family recieved a slightly better deal, and the Packers a slightly worse deal. With interest rates rising, and real incomes for the low to middle class falling, we have gone back to pre-Hawke era. If Rudd wins it won't be a huge difference just a slight readjustment.

sneekeepete, I would sack the lot of them as useless, do nothings. We need a good Opposition, not a bunch of losers.
The Australians do not vote Libs in as much as they vote Labor out. It is simply we have no choice. That's the rub.

I acknowledge your strongly held view m'jo - but what is it based on?

Are the libs any less self interested? - if so how do you measure it? - are the they any more or less mediocre - how do you measure it -

-there are almost as many siitting libs for example that have come up as party appratchicks as does have the ALP - there is a bus load of lawyers in thier ranks - nurses rank as having higher integrity and trusworthiness than that lot any day - ambulance officers being the most trust worthy - so have a low opinion of labor sure - but why?

Basic philosophy is the difference between the two major parties. Labor tends to try to look after working people more, Liberal tend to look after the Packers more, both sides have dead wood, however Australians are so conservative that even though there should be room for a new major party, there isn't.

So we deal with reality, I think at the moment the little rodent has built up as much resentment in the community as Keating did. If Rudd can bring the Labor party back to the centre of the political spectrum, I think he has a rare opportunity to capitalise on the extreme right wing policies of the rodent, and knock him off his perch.

Many of us vote the way we do not because we think the party we vote for is the best, but because we see the party we vote for as being the lesser of the two evils, a sad state of affairs really.

for those that have the passion for a change and stand up for a new direction is great

the hard part comes next and that is commiting to it, which most have a problem doing even when the Australian Peoples Party is for the people and by the constitution a person can run as not being voted in unless there is more than one or a mutal agreement is made but by volentering, now that is how people should be decided.

This way you are gauranteed that at least those that run are from your electorate with your issues at heart.