I can think of some Liberal policies that are extremist:

The baby bonus and the push to increase our birthrate when we need to be doing exactly the opposite and achieve a stable non-continuously-growing population.

The worship of 3 or 4% economic growth every year with no end in sight, which means a doubling of the economy in about 20 years and a quadrupling in 40 years and so on, in a time when rates of resource consumption, waste production and environmental degradation urgently need to be tempered.

The absurdity of the continuous growth spiral, of high immigration and increased birthrate in order to provide the skills and labour for a dynamic economy, and the need for an ever-growing economy in order to keep the provision of a high quality of life up to the ever-increasing population!

Some of the fundamentals of Liberal party doctrine have been about as extremist and absurd as you can possibly imagine. They have been taking us directly towards a huge upheaval of our society!

Unfortunately Labor is no better, or perhaps fortunately for the Libs, because it gives them a chance to really be seen to be different, in such a way as to garnish support from the general populace.

Big business may not like such a change in direction. But now that the Libs don’t have to pander to the business lobby, it shouldn’t matter. If they can convince the public of the sort of change in direction that I advocate, and I think they easily can, then the business lobby will adapt accordingly.

Gday Scott and welcome, my name is Allan Bell, in time you may find it is unwise and not needed to name your self here or in such forums.
Some real nuts out there, and some one from within your movement or outside it may miss use what you say one day.
I am very long term ALP an activist in fact.
Also a trade union official, both from ALP right factions.
I too think Turnbull is your best choice, in fact he will do very well, if the NSW right let him.
You will forgive me or maybe you will not, if I highlight the one term turn around was historic, extremely unlikely to be seen again soon.
Some factors at play for that statement?
Rudd is unlikely to find his workchoices , he understands his task, and will not forget Howard's failure to remember his.
It is worth while understanding John Howard until workchoices was clearly the only choice while Labor ran leadership like Crean and the waster of air Latham.
Never forget AWB Tampa and much more.
Australia voters did not they clearly voted just as they had wished once new direction and leadership came to the ALP.
Rebuild ,it is a must for this country but do not fail to remember.

Dear Scott,

Welcome... If the Liberal Party regroups with a new team - under Malcolm Turnbull - who knows what may happen in three years.
Also, has the party considered Julie Bishop? She's always struck me as a very capable politician...

I now have to withdraw the threads title, I got it wrong.
Rather than a good start the wrong team has been put in place, have no doubt by no more than mid term it will be clear.
If Nelson leads into the 2010 election he will not win ten seats, he however is unlikely to lead that long.
He and his deputy have supported workchoices! an outstanding blunder watch this space.
The taint of the NSW right is still evident and the refusal to even try to understand the nature of the defeat is clear.
I have zero doubt, todays move was of more use to my ALP than conservative Australia.
I invite conservatives to challenge my views but remind them time will tell who gets it right.
workchoices? by mid term conservatives will have true reform balanced reform to struggle with ,now was the time to dump past mistakes not lionize them.
Not ten seats in 2010 maybe more lost if contact is not made soon with middle Australia.

Belly, I don't know wnough of Julie Bishop but really don't have much confidence that Brendan Nelson has what it takes to turn things around. Hopefully not as bad as Flegg in Qld but Nelson's public presentation does not come across well.

From what I know of his handling of the replacement for the F111's I have little confidence in his ability to make good decisions.

I'd best get used to having "my side" of politics in the opposition seats for a while. It could be worse though, I could have been a democrat supporter.

R0bert

Belly, I hope your not going to be disappointed and I hope I will be surprised by the new government. I reckon the next Lib PM will be a bolter as was Rudd. Neither Turnbull nor Nelson appeal, and Abbott, well never. Pyne lacks touch, and Costello never wanted it.

Maybe Bishop or big Joe?

Anyone for the saw that we don't vote the new guys in, but that we vote a government out?