No, I don't think this will go that far.
When I first heard Garrett's comments I thought they were pretty incendiary, but on reflection I really doubt they'll provide all that much mileage.

Interest rates rise gives Garrett glimmer of hope.

I suspect that politics junkies are the only people even vaguely interested in either Abbott or Garrett. This election is mostly a personality contest between Rudd and Howard, the rest is just background noise.

Considering that Labor have thought through these "me too" policies for ... um ... gosh ... all of two minutes, it is not surprising that their real agenda will be quite different.

Can anybody seriously believe otherwise?

And if these are truly the "real" Labor policies, how on earth will they manage to govern in their own right when they have nobody else to copy?

I for one, would like to know what they really plan on doing when they get into power.

If their plans are so good, why are they so afraid to take them to the Australian people?

Get a grip! This article reflects what is wrong with this whole electoral process and the self important media comments. The problem with the Australian media (most of them) in this tedious ten month election process is that the view from where they have stuffed their heads is limited.
This is a non-story - Garrett said something in irony/as a joke, John Howard, desperate, makes a big thing of it and instead of the media applying a critical mind, immediately seizes it and runs around circles flapping their wings and uncritically repeat what he says after portentous pontificating pseudo analysis made in absence of reality checks. This is what happened with the Kevin Rudd/Burke and Rudd/nightclub stories.
I have listened to a whole series of Canberra (Parliamentary Press Gallery) journalists for nearly 11 months now all rehashing a whole lot of Canberra-centric views and arguments. They have waffled/droned and the best one I have heard from them is: “I cannot understand the polls and why they are showing a preference for Kevin Rudd”. I and any Australian (including John Howard) could have told them that there are two related reasons why Rudd is preferred:
1. Labor has a leader who is halfway acceptable for the first time since 1996; and
2. The Labor leader is not John Howard.
It is as simple as that. Australians who are not rusted on are heartily sick of Howard. Howard reads the public very well and he is aware of these reasons, which is why he is so desperate and clutches at miniscule straws like Garrett being fool enough to believe that he could use irony/humour.
We are badly served by a self important media who take the politicians at their own value, who are out of touch with Australia because, as I said, their view is extremely restricted by virtue of where they have stuffed their own heads. The self styled political commentators are becoming increasingly irrelevant – they are increasingly talking only to themselves and each other.

Interesting.

How long did you say Labor had pondered over "their" policies? You know, studied, thought, investigated, considered ramifications ....

At best, uninspiring; at worst, plagiarism. Costello should sue.

They rate a big, fat "F" from me.

What a pathetic performance - and I have voted both Labor and Coalition pretty much equally.

I certainly won't be holding my breath to receive their tax cuts.

I from the ALP never though much of Garrett he has no impact on the election.
He could best serve the ALP by not talking for 3 weeks sing man sing!
Hang on not about America ok?
Saints go marching in ok?