My prognostication is that the Gillard govt will go the distance, there may be a point of policy contention but Gillard must realize that even though she needs the Greens and the independents to rule, they need her to survive. But does she have the decency to dissolve parliament if the need arises, definitely not, lawyers fight to the death.

SOG people may think I am mad but I think Labor and Liberals would be looking for a double dissolution election.
After all greens having the balance of power post mid year helps only them.
The current confrontational Parliament would need great change to get around the greens.
So I pump for a DD election,confrontation between Labor and the greens, some working together greens/Liberals then a dog fight between them too to set up an election.
Gillard will need great improvement to stay leader.
Harsh anti boat people laws this year.
America gets out of the middle east.

You may have something there Belly. After the last election I decided when it comes to a two horse race in politics they are both favourites, somebody always bets on them regardless of the form guide.

SOG I was always good at maths, even before I could read I could add up.
Greens are sailing along on discontent. mostly with my party.
They represent no More than 15% of over all votes, some one will quote much higher votes in the NSW election in March.
No government, including the last Howard one, deserves its massacre as much as my team, it will come.
Think with me on this,I believe more people are opposed to the Greens than any other party of the three.
It seems likely to me discontented Labor and Liberal combined would not out number those opposed to the greens.
As 2011 progresses both Gillard and Abbott will try to first win the greens over, then to stand against them.
That DD election is favorite to be the reason the next election is held.
Conservatives ride too on Labors failures and if it does not put distance between it and greens Labor faces 3 terms in opposition.
My Friends from the greens will be unhappy, but in this big country we have two choices to govern, and most want only those in power, put me in that group.

Belly it is all too much for me, I look at one side of the fence and despair; I look at the other side and moan. I have said that the quality and empathy of our politicians have gone downhill since both the majors focused on having a gaggle of lawyers on their teams.

I had a look at the new DLP policies, they suit me, but again it comes back to talent, do we have any left. I have nowhere to go.

Happy New Year Belly.

I think I can both give a view and stay on subject.
For me the Rudd failure was very hard to swallow.
I trusted and believed in him.
I watched him turn up at NSW state conferences and country conferences when no reason ,no chance he would lead was in sight.
He impressed me, remember however, very briefly Latham once did too.
We all see what we want to, hopefully are honest enough to admit it.
Rudd froze at the wheel, not having built a following within the government he forgot, leadership is about team work.
Delegating, mentoring, letting go, he still smiles nicely, looks impressive on the stage, probably is a nice bloke.
Those lawyers,and the nice young upwardly mobile self servers on BOTH SIDES,they understand only how to get a foot on the steps.
Right now this country is lead by,ON BOTH SIDES, those who forget its about passion,improvements for every one .
AND NOT about looking good on TV no guts no gains.
And my party is acting like it is private property, not a party off all we exist to knock on doors hand out how to votes tell mass meetings why Labor is best but then like children be put out the back to play.
This year I promise starts the rebuilding, it will be better, NSW will startle this country, QLD will too,SA is Liberal bound.
Labor is out of fashion, out of guts to be what it truly is/has to be.
That will change,it is good for my party to face a look in to its own dark cupboard see its own skeletons.
This year brings that.
While I target Labor every word I say is true of Liberalism, and this year be warned they begin to understand that and improve.
The becalmed state of my mob is giving clean air to the next leader of conservatives and we may pay for it.
Last greens, those jumping in to that life boat are headed for the rocks, never ever will that boat float, it how ever may keep conservatives in power.