Belly,
I forgot to say. Have you considered that changing demographics may have played a big part in the Nats not winning Port Macquarie.

Many retirees have moved up and down the coast from Sydney.

Kassie first well I think the ALP only fell in a hole in the last 2 years of Carr.
We fell a long way with the last leader and no difference the criminal idiots riding on the party's back in Woolongong.
However , please consider this, far too many who did not get the government they wanted blame the voters.
How can we say I know better than them? they got it wrong?
No sorry the pile of bones from our blood bath needed another few but we are back , if we win it will be voters will, same if we get thrashed we must cop it.
Bazz Port has not changed recently it has always been like that.
The last state member was ex nationals, he held it as an independent easily.
He took another national seat, the ex deputy's prime ministers seat in federal Parliament.
The independent who won port did so with Liberal support hence the war on ABC radio spreading to Parliament this week.
Most coastal seats are national including the state seat next south.
The nationals are dieing, no longer interested in country people they are odds on to join the Liberals.
Star recruits? watch Robo go , in my view not stars but selected as the best candidate is the answer.
Too many hacks getting a seat and sleeping in it.

Belly you are quite right.

The ALP wouldn't get elected on a socialist platform. Australia has become more middle class over the last 20 years and some traditional occupations once considered, low paid and blue collar are earning equal or more to some of their white collar counterparts.

I meant more moving back towards a real 'social democracy' by adding a dose of socialism into a very capitalistic mix. :

Belly, I'm (so far) with you on 'Onya Rees- the ALP might have lucked onto a good one there. Time will tell. I wouldn't bet on the Libs for the next election just yet, plenty of time for them to shoot themselves in one or both feet yet.

Pelican, please no more Socialism, as opposed to limiting the abuses of money. Already every $ we earn has to be accounted for with the govt., what our children get taught is mandated by BB (and how it is taught), govt increasingly seeks to tell us what and how to think. We've got more than enough govt- health, education, transport. A huge social welfare network (alot of it wasted on middle class welfare). The state even wants to meddle in our happiness or lack of.

Smarter govt not more.

palimpsest
I don't want pure socialism either. It is like baking a cake - getting the ingredients just right so it doesn't rise too much and crack nor does it lose its puff and flop.

I am not without sin, I have told how I came from a very big family and a very poor one.
I never joined the communist party but was a fellow traveler in my teens.
Clearly headed down the wrong track.
Socialism is a different thing but it fails too.
We are just a bit socialistic in this country just compare our health and education to Americas.
We are closer to getting it right than them.
No easy task for Rees but he is full of promise.
Just think its been 60 years sense we had a man who worked as a leader.
Carrying garbage cans instead of a brief case.
It is strange, some will Dennie it, but if the Liberals had returned to the policy's that made them they would have won the last 2 NSW elections.
Just as strange it is unlikely they will return to that path before the next election, our best asset? yep it is our opponents.