Just as the ALP has too many ex-union officials, the Liberal Party has too many lawyers. Incestuous. Not sufficient breadth to run the country.

I'm surprised at how stupid Julie Bishop is.She was just the token female to counter the role of Julia Gillard.The Libs have to do better.

What a petty and nasty piece this is, I do feel sorry for the students who have to learn from this unobjective intolerant person.

So Julie Bishop had the temerity to actually respond when you said she had the "stench of political death about her, and she should step down" amazing! How could anyone in the face of such intelect and argument continue to draw breath. "But she didn't stop there", horrors, (gasp!) - she actually responded to other criticism .. and after you had publicy condemned her - I can see why you had to write again to reinforce your poisoned point.

We wonder why the quality of journalism is decaying, why the government of today seems to suffer no cross examination at all, why the coalition is always under furious attack (you do know they're not in power don't you?) if this is the quality of teaching.

I guess it's safe to attack them isn't it, much better than the government, they might bite back. Were you bitten (or ignored) by a coalition minister in your past, Julie was it?

I'm sure you're not biased though, you just happen to agree with the ALP because they're right. During all those years the ALP were in opposition, I assume you cosied up to them and hated Howard together, giving comfort when you could. Too difficult to change your ways, and do that questioning stuff of the actual government is it?

So this is the best we can expect from what, an assistant professor, or associate - whatever. Clearly a consolation prize - try harder, lose the personal animosity.

I think all should back off a bit .
My view is that Julie may have found her appointment to be a health issue .
Happens to many . Comes a time when a personel question begs ' Is my anguish worthwhile ?

Congratulations on a fine example of the noble Aussie art of kicking someone when they're down.

Who is this "academic" anyway, preening and posturing from the comfort of his university hidey-hole? If ever there was an example of the dangers of spending a sheltered, sinecured life, spitting spite at people who are brave enough to put themselves on the line, this is it.

No charity. No insight. No compassion. No understanding.

I hold no brief for Ms. Bishop. In fact, I consider Australian politicians in general to be a sad and corrupt rabble of self-interested moneygrubbers.

But there is no excuse for the ill-mannered, self-congratulatory sewage in this article.

Poor Peter van O... not much support here for his views.

But he is, of course, quite right. Julie Bishop is a political-intellectual lightweight, like most Liberal-National politicians, although that is not to imply the ALP and others have too much intellectual firepower to spare.

In a world of 'performance' though, Julie Bishop simply doesn't make it. She learns lines, and repeats them but has yet to learn how to do that without looking as if that is what she does.

Julia Gillard 'sticks to the script' too, as does Penny Wong, who rarely utters anything worth listening to in an interview.

But they both have a presence about them that assists in carrying out their smokescreening that Julie simply doesn't have....and they are both 'in Government', which Julie isn't.

Julie is inept, politically, and always has been. But this was always covered over because she was a Minister, and had an entire machine around her to protect her and distract any adverse commentary about her....having a lightweight press gallery helps in this, with little or no analysis of politics in Australia's meeja.

It's not as if she's alone, and it's not that she's a woman either... she's just not very good at being in Opposition, like Costello, like Nelson, like Brandis, like Beazley for that matter.

She should go, and do something more useful for her own benefit. We all need a solid Opposition to counter the Government, whoever is in at the time, and Julie's contribution has been slim, and it's going to get even slimmer as Hockey takes over and usurps her 'deputy' role.

He is a blusterer par excellence, which covers his intellectual blackhole, but he's only up against Swan, an uninspiring machine man whom Julie should have been able to topple... but couldn't even dent.

Time to go Julie... enjoyed your book on Howard too Peter.