I really object to articles being put on OLO unless the authors are identified. If they aren't prepared to use their own names, why are they given space here?

What kind of question is that?? The author seems to think money is everything, poor sod.

Going by all the above comment's so far, looks like Kevin Rudd will not need to lift another finger nor even make a whisper to walk in.

Better watch out, though, as well as the demand from China and India for pitstocks -iron ore and such - John Howard has proven a winner at jumping in on the grouter - or rather an ace at stealing the agenda.

In the last election he even beat the Greenies in the forestry argument in Tasmania, by having employed staff in the timber mills and town office blocks, not only just on his side, but spruiking for him.

As a retired cockie, possibly should be voting conservative, but here in WA, the Libs have done us bad, especially the cow cockies who are being done in by middle Biz, and fruitgrowers over bi-lateral imports, and worst of all, bi-lateralism ruining our bio-security meat export reputation by allowing into NSW a cargo of Brazilian beef suspected of being infected with foot and mouth.

It proves how powerful Howard has been in evading or everting serious penalisation over such security problems, when the only word that came back to farmer's groups from government security, was that the Federal Government gave notice that the problem was fixed and therefore best forgotten.

My God, if John Howard really has such executive power or charisma to be able to convince even angry farmers that a very serious bio-security blunder should be forgotten, leaves one with a hopeless feeling, and a lack of faith in the community

Candide writes: "I really object to articles being put on OLO unless the authors are identified. If they aren't prepared to use their own names, why are they given space here?"

Well, here's a dilemma: I always thought that "Candide" was a fictional character invented by Voltaire, but apparently he really exists, since he's writing to OLO and clearly using his real name.

I have to plead guilty to using a pseudonym, but for Candide's benefit, I'm now revealling that my real name is Fred Nurk.

Runner: "Under the democracy we live in, a person whether a humanist, buddhist or muslim has a right to have their voice heard. It seems to me that many on the left are tolerant of all voices except that of the Christians."

A few points here Runner:

1) - When people such as Tony Abbott are in such positions of power - indeed, Kevin Rudd and John Howard have pointed out they are Christians, I don't really see how anyone can complain that Christians are somehow being 'hard done by'.

The fact of the matter is, I don't want any religion influencing politics. Name just one successful religious government as opposed to secular.
The blatant religiosity of the current American system only proves how important the separation of the church and state truly is.

2) The fact that a humanist, buddhist or muslim has a right to have their voice heard is because we do have a separation of church and state.

3) Any religion attempting to get involved in government, whether it is CTF or Hizb ut tahrir, causes concerned. It isn't just christians - the reason why it seems that way sometimes is due to three things.
a) more christians in Australia than other denominations
b) christians have more power and thus more chance of success at influencing politics
c) a number of far left fringe leftists who don't purport the majority.

Kevin Rudd represents our so called 'left' party and is a christian. There's your ultimate rebuttal.

As far as "The murder of the unborn, the promotion of immoral lifestyles and the fatherless generation has proven Mr Washington right"

Plenty of kids are left fatherless by wars which christians support. Here men are shot and bombed. Christians don't have a monopoly on morality - and there are very different views on the unborn.

If Howard had strayed into anti-abortion territory I think Australia would discover that the extreme christian right isn't nearly as large as many seem to think it is. I'm just glad he hasn't gone that far.

Amen to that.