I have NOT voted for Labor in the last two elections, simply because I considered that the difference between Left and Right had become virtually indistinguishable!

I have been following the actions of Kevin Rudd very closely since he became Prime Minister and I have been listening and watching very carefully the media discussions and interviews concerning his performance.

It is distressing to say the least, that there is an element out there that is already condemning Mr Rudd`s performance ( one interviewee referring to him as the new "Elmer Fudd") before he has even had a chance to prove himself!

Most thinking people would agree that it is certainly time for change in Australia today. We have a spiralling economy drowning in borrowed money. Young people do NOT want to start with a simple First home, (at a much cheaper price), but seem to demand the best available as they claw their way up the home-ownership ladder. The money lenders are all too eager to secure their business whether they can afford it or not, realising that when the mortgage collapses by default, they the mortgager will inevitably win as a result!....This is unethical business practice, but has been lauded and applauded in the past by Howard and his coharts who judged this class of people as shrewd businessmen!

Let us give Mr Rudd a fair go and give him the chance to try to correct some of the problems (which are many) before condemning him and his Party to the ballot box rubbish bin!

Cuphandle, open your eyes mate. This bloke has already displayed two fatal, [for us] flaws.

1; He is a cupboard academic.

2; He craves applause.

This has led to his three decisions, so far being very bad for the bulk of the community.

He has ratified Kyoto.
Not only has this protocol has proved a total failure in its stated objective, it has already cost the UK 6 billion in fines, & poor little NZ one billion. This money to go to Russia to help their efforts.
I wonder how many Kiwis like the idea of donating a billion dollars to Russian corruption.

It must have been a great idea, the academics applauded.

Then we have the apology.
The same idea that has cost the Cadanian tax payer billions.

Applause from the same academics, plus the aboriginal industry. The same lot who have already made a fortune out of those poor bl@@dy people.

Now we have a talkfest, into health.

Guess what? We can have a stuffed shirt academic chair the thing, & gain even more applause. They'll all be lining up for their own "chair" now.

Then there is just the forcast so far, of carbon trading.
This is another total stuff up, in the UK, & other european countries, that have tried it. Not only is it corrupted by governments giving free credits to chosen players, it has done nothing to reduce, or even limit, CO2 output, but is making a few traders very much richer. At least we now know where the current UK, & German pollys will be getting jobs, once they are chucked out.

The traders will appluad this one, & the acdemics will join in, as it apears to be doing SOMETHING

Why oh why did this bloke not become an actor. With his smug false smile, & the desperate craving for appluse, he'd be a natural.

As a PM, he's going to be a very costly castastrophe.

Oh come on HasBeen. Provide a some backing.

First point: we were going to meet our Kyoto targets even if we didn't sign - largely due to land clearing legislation foisted on landholders, but we were going to meet it anyway.
Thus, this economic damage you speak of it rot - and I'm extremely skeptical about this Russian conspiracy of which you speak. Some reliable links there would be appreciated.

I agree Kyoto is quite flawed, but at least it's action on climate change. Unless you've got better suggestions, then it's just hot air, and frankly, we've got plenty of that.

As for the 'craves applause' accusation, it all depends on perspective.

It looks more to me, like you're twisting a simple concept like 'public support' to be a sign of arrogance - it's just you don't like the sectors of the public that support him on that one, and if you said something like 'he craves public support" well hell, people would quite rightly tell you that so he should.

As for a 'cupboard academic' again, you're picking definitions.

'Learned' or 'well educated' just doesn't sound harsh enough to you, so you've picked a new definition. When did it become wrong to have an education?

I can only assume your insinuation is, that Rudd's got no real world experience.

a) contrast Rudd's experience to Howard. Urban solicitor and political hack. That's all Howard had.

At least Rudd's known the life of the poor, been a diplomat in Scandinavia and more importantly, China, and has extensive experience in GOVERNMENT! which funnily enough, is what he's running!

I'm not actually a big fan of Rudd, I just prefer him to Howard. I think Rudd indulges in a bit much spin, and yes, I think this 1000-odd people thingie is just a talkfest.

But it's a pretty minor cost, and the assertion in this thread, that it's too early to judge Rudd, is accurate. Plus, I detest blinkered political spin, and your post reeks of it Hasbeen.

You're already judging him because your conservative views dictate that you want him to fail.

Thanks Cuphandle, you are quite right, some thing good is happening here.
He is indeed rebuilding the Labor brand name, how quick some forget how divided this country was.
A lady yesterday and in fact her family lined up to say the interest rate today would be a Rudd failure?
Fact is we are in very big trouble last year we spent 160% of what this country made.
Pain and belt tightening is a must Rudd has shifted the ALP to the right but what other place would see us govern in truth?
Just after they win the next election we will see interest rates fall.

I was very impressed with Kevin Rudd's performance prior to the last election. He answered all questions asked by the media. Which was such a change from the waffling that went on with Howard's team.

He also did not stoop to scare tactics or personal attacks. He stuck to policies and actually told us why we should vote for him.

He did not ask us to simply "trust him" as Howard did.

It's still early days but Rudd seems to be moving in the right direction. And when Parliament sits in mid February - we will all
be pleasantly surprised. I have no doubt the PM will deliver
everything he promised, and then some!

As for his critics. Well I'm going to be a bit blunt here ...

They're like a fart without a smell, nice to have passed silently in
a crowded lift, but causing no reaction whatsoever, except as a relief
to the farter that he got clean away.

Pre-Judged?

Judged Right would be more like it.

Boy Scout charm will only get you so far now our boy is playing with the big boys in the majors with Woody Woodpecker for company.

What a goose, he hasn't got a snow flakes of strutting the world stage without causing monumental damage by his feel good applause gluttony.

Just the same as the last three Labor prime ministers this will end up another disaster with intermittent self congratulatory moments when Kev and the tweed jacket set will pat each other on the back while "Working Families" struggle with mortgage payments and grocery bills because of carbon trading etc BS wil make every thing twice as dear.

I hope this country votes him in again because 4 years wont be near enough time for him to screw the joint up enough. I want Australia to remember for a long time the folly of voting labor.