Yabby I don’t think politicians necessarily reflect what the people want. When it comes to growth, they reflect what big business, with biiiiiig donations and huge political sway, wants.

And they go out of their way to convince the people that this is what they want!

In my experience, the average Joe doesn’t want continuous never-ending rapid population growth at all… quite the opposite.

I don’t think that most of the population disagrees with me and the many others on this forum who espouse limits-to-growth views.

So I think that there is tremendous scope for a limits-to-growth sustainability party to really grab overwhelming community support. The obvious choice would one of the big established parties. And at the moment the obvious choice is the struggling Libs in opposition, who are set to fail at the next election both federally and in every state.

The biggest downside to this happening is not the enormous about face that they’d have to do, but the convincing of a very sceptical community that it was genuine.

I also don't concur with yabby, in that I don't think politicians reflect what people want, except, during election time. After the election they often ditch their promises.

Being a Labor voter, I'm hoping Kevin Rudd keeps his promises, but I suppose only time will tell.

Yes, it seems to me that Costello's screwed regardless of what he does. I still doubt he'll put his hand up for the leadership, instead choosing to fade into the ether so some will still believe he could have succeeded - instead of stepping up to the plate and failing.

In other words, history repeats itself. If he'd attempted this earlier, he might have garnered more respect from the Australian public - but it's too late to challenge Howard, and Howard was the demon this particular man needed to slay in order to prove himself worthy of facing the real opponent.

Where did this assumption come from that Costello ever really wanted the leadership? The only indication I'm aware of was the spat over Howard's promise and the note in the wallet, but for all we know Costello had given up by the time that came to light. At the time we assumed he was cheesed because he wanted the job, but he could have been having a jab at Howard over something else entirely.

I don't recall him ever making the sorts of populist appeals that would-be leaders make, or doing anything else to shore up his personal support with either the public or the party. Unless he's been under the impression that Glenn Milne's is the voice of ultimate power, in which case he's way too deluded for the leadership anyway.

Chainsmoker,P Costello is hedging his bets.He will only stay for the top job.It is a matter of choosing the right moment.If he was looking for a job in private enterprise,he would have left by now.I don't think that money is his prime motivation,otherwise he would have applied for a job with Therese Rein [Kevin's Wife].

The chance of Costello being prime minister has passed.
Brendon Nelson never had a chance.
While I too think Labor will win the next election it is never sure.
We should not look for a return to boom times for at least 10 years.
But things can get far worse almost over night.
Conservative leadership must reinvent them selves and policy's that bring new supporters must be found.
arjay, you find faults in Labor that others do not, you must understand it will be those others you must convince before your dreams come true.
Say in about 2016.