< To conclude, I hope Abbott and the Coalition will challenge Labor on a variety of policy issues in 2010 >

Well, don’t we all?

Not least, a challenge to Rudd’s ‘big Australia’ BS with his massively high immigration rate, baby buying bribe that has artificially boosted the birthrate, and overall critically antisustainable momentum, that utterly flies in the face of his apparent desire to reduce our national greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure robust water resources and a healthy environment, amongst many others.

I mean, Rudd is just sooooo far off on the WRONG TRACK, that it gives Abbott ENORMOUS room to develop sensible policies, which would give the voter a very different and very enticing alternative.

Oh, if only he could see this.

Well, perhaps he can. His new environmental policies are at least a first step in the right direction.

< Abbott and the Opposition are just as important as the Rudd Labor government >

Absolutely they are. They have an enormous responsibility to develop real alternatives and to NOT just go along with the same old economic and continuous-growth dogma.

Trouble is, I don’t think Abbott is the right person to lead the Libs in the right direction. He’s got too much baggage as a Howard minister and when you listen to him, he just doesn’t seem to have any depth of understanding in the essentially important areas.

Oh well, maybe the Libs will recycle Turnbull before too long. He’s far from ideal, but he’d have to be a more appealing leader in taking the Libs in the right (left) direction and getting the Australian public to believe that the move is genuine.

Chris,
I still have problems linking the problems with finding a solution in the ritual cock fight that serves as our party corrupted parliament.

I think Ms Roy summed up modern politics well when she described the choice of leaders as being akin to "choosing a brand of detergent". To further amplify Ms Roy's point by paraphrasing Clinton "it's the system, stupid" (that hobbles real change or good government.)

I make the additional point that neither side has a monopoly on good or bad ideas. This myopic competitiveness based on differentiation or dogma clearly inhibits true sensible and productive government.

I am still unimpressed with media citations given that objectivity is a concept that is largely unknown to media commentators...most of whom are paid to entertain and usually well under qualified. Their articles are dogma laced and serve the owners interests.

Base on the above I have little hope that either leader or party will do much more than argue via spin and 'product puffing'. Status quo will reign supreme as usual.

Down with the establishment, solidarity brothers and sisters ! ;-)

Examinator, I agree with you to a large extent.

Although I do still believe in the importance of diverse political parties, albeit that differences between the major ones are less than in the past, I would argue that the most important ingredient of a democracy is public opinion, although there can be faults with this reliance as well.

All we need is good ideas that can make appeal across the political divide, but that is indeed the hard part.

For example, I do not believe that GW sceptics are winning the debate. Even the Coalition, which is more pro-business, will have to make greater environmental appeal. I believe that most Australians (and Westerners) do want something done, but showing them why some pain may be needed (including higher taxes) to produce economic gain is a battle that is yet to be won.

Until the Westerners as you describe them understand the AGW is a load
of Bulsshh. Log on to Google then 'The Great Global Warming Swindle'
and particularly U Tube with its 8 segments of the DVD, or the website
www.greatglobalwarmingswindle.co.uk then start to think it isn't just
ALP supporters who are worried it is also anyone with a bit of nous
who realizes we are being conned! For political reasons only. And Mr Red Rudd and Sen Wong are supporting this completely universal lie!
At Australian's disadvantage. You and Me! They are out of touch with the political reality of the Global warming/climate change debacle.

And the Greens would love us to become all vegetarians or vegans. To
reduce methane and greenhouse gases. Haven't you seen the SBS ads.

"If CO2 emissions stopped tomorrow the methane emitted by cattle and
sheep would still add to global warming" Eat Veg not meat and Save the Planet. If you want to save the planet go and do a TAFE course
on sustainable agricultural production and soil science.

It is so off the planet - do your research! I have a degree pertaining to environmental protection and AGM. It ain't true!

Turnbull is a crook, a hypocrit and Abbott although he ain't perfect
is a fighter, and to me attracts the Australian type generally conservative but not lame mentallity. Barnaby Joice is better I feel as a politician. Yet I vote Independent.

ALP will be fighting to maintain their majority next general election
But Tony Abbott will have pull a big rabbit out of the hat to beat them.
And I think he could do it. I can't stand Wong, Rudd or Garrett, and
I think voters will see this weakness in them. C'est la Vie

I don't think it matters who is leading the libs come next election as they won't win, however, there is a real possibillity that labor can loose.

When you look at what has been achieved in a little over two years, it's just a pitty the election is this year and not next.

Although I didn't support it, about the only positive thing Rud has done to help the punters is hand out the cash that took so long to save but the piggy bank is now empty.

On the negative side we have seen the failings of; the solar scheme and the insulation scheme, we have been forced in to a corner with the kyoto agreement (thanks to our farmers having had their land stolen from them) we have seen the failure of Kruds ETS and the millions wasted chassing his dream and who can forget his handling of the boat people.

Labor can loose this election as they just continue to take one foot out and put the other one in.

Time may well be their saviour!

Bush bunny

You may be right, but I am entitled to my opinion. I am sure everyone, including experts in their field, get somethings wrong.

That is why I look to the judgments of the masses rather than just one man's argument. Let the people decide.

Fact is polls still suggest that something should be done about global warming, although it may indeed not be addressed for a variety of reasons.

I may be wrong but it now appears to me the consensus of opinion on OLO is that Rudd is beatable, when before Spencer’s saga, and with a silly Bull leading the Liberal Party, the Federal Australian Labor Party was considered unassailable. Copenhagen and the attempt to sign away our Australian independence, did not assist Kevin one bit. I voted Labor the last two elections federally, as I was disgusted at the failure of Howard and the Liberals to do anything about the destruction of the Justice System by the Liberals in New South Wales, the Labor Party in Queensland and Victoria, the Liberals in South Australia, and their continuation of Lawyer rule of the country.

The Liberals in the Commonwealth destroyed the High Court in 1979, created a Religious Tribunal and called them the Federal and Family Courts in 1976, and talk about the Exclusive Brethren, these people take the cake absolutely. The Federal and High Court can only be tricked these days into filing anything controversial.

Peter Spencer filed in Canberra, because he would have been blocked by a Registrar in Sydney or Melbourne. He got some sort of a hearing, but still got no justice, because the Liberal Party nobbled the Federal Court completely in 2006. That closet Communist, Turnbull, was part of the push to enact S 31A Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 and tried as Environment Minister to strike Peter Spencer’s claim out at first hearing.

Turnbull was sued in his personal capacity, in Federal Jurisdiction, for doing that in the District Court in Sydney. A Judge and Friend of the Liberal Party, refused to let the matter go to trial. We have no justice because we are governed by an ex Parliamentary coalition of lawyers. If Abbott can do enough homework, to mount a credible justice reform platform, he will again get the support of all the Churches. Without that support Australia cannot be effectively governed.

Abbott must seek a United Australia and seek to repeal the Australia Act 1986 that created nine co-existent republics, while continuing the Australian Courts Act 1828

There has been a concerted attempt to replace justice with public opinion. As a popular Church, the various State Governments including the Commonwealth, with the assistance of a coalition of organized crime, and big business, have installed Judges and Magistrates to replace the Justices of the Peace, and courts, that existed when Australia became a United Nation.

The Irish Australians, used to the imposition of Resident Magistrates by the Church of England in occupied Roman Catholic Ireland, saw nothing wrong with replacing two Justices of the Peace, with a Magistrate. In fact it was wrong in Ireland, and is wrong in Australia. It is a form of Church oppression, with the Church being the State, just as in Communist Russia and behind the Iron Curtain, the Christian Church was forced to submit to the higher Church of the State. Most Pastors and Priests are still deadly afraid of the State. However some are waking up.

Its all in the punctuation, and by parsing and analysis, a basic skill no longer taught in School, the meaning of the English language used in the Constitution can be extracted. Deconstruction is a skill taught to lawyers in the United States. Some professors at some law schools have attempted to turn out competent lawyers by teaching it here. Tony can parse his way into the Lodge if he is a good student. Kevin may even beat off his challenge if he works hard, but Kev is going to have to enliven the Australian Federal Police to enforce s 11 of the Australia Act 1986, which continues the Australian Courts Act 1828, and have an Australian Federal Police Officer represent the Governor General in every court.

If Tony works out that the Australian Constitution is a continuation of Christian Government in Australia, and the High Court has said on four occasions since 1996, that the State Governments are not entitled to legislate as they please, then he can turn public opinion against Rudd and the State Labor governments. So far he is still in a learning curve. He should read and understand the “Kable Principle”

I enjoyed reading your coruscating asd discursive analysis Chris. Looking forward to reading your next article

And tonight Dear Friends the news tells us that we will all be forced to buy Premium Unleaded "to come in line with the rest of the world" the oil companies have announced. They will phase out ordinary unleaded petrol. They have started already it has been said.

Another hit at the family, business and every poor bugger in this country. As if petrol is not expensive enough now we have to buy "Premium".

And what will the Rudd government do? NOTHING....at all. Price watch? what a joke. So if Abbott hasn't got a chance this next election, I don't know when he will have. Somebody tell him.

In case I haven't mentioned it previously but to anyone who buys the family groceries, how much has your bill gone up in the past 2 weeks? It has, it was predicted.

This, announcement by petrol suppliers will again, again hike up our grocery bills. Where does it end?

is the glass half empty or half full. without absolutes we will never know. as you shift the goal posts opinion changes. Gods law or natures principles never change to fit popular opinion and will always have the last laugh.Solomon reputed to be the wisest man to ever live found it was folly to follow man. remember your creator before you pass away for only he knows the past present and future for now we look as through a dirty window but to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord for the dust will return to the earth and the spirit will return to God who gave it. So seek God draw nigh to him and resist the devil and he shall flee.Gods ways are higher than mans ways it's our choice.
God is not mocked you reap what you sew. Fear God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole duty of man. These are the words of Solomon.