The Labor party can not fight the Greens, with out green preferences Labor would no longer be any kind of political force in Oz. Richardson saw the writing on the wall, & moved Labor strategy to that of buying the vote of fringe groups, which kept them alive, but cost them the vote of people for whom principal matters.

The problem with buying votes is you have to keep doing it. Hence we see our Anna in Qld, buying the same green vote every couple of years with even more extreme legislation to please them.

The only salvation for Labor, & probably for the country as a whole, is for them to bite the bullet, & do a deal with the coalition to swap preferences with each other. Labor would suffer a big loss for a couple of elections, but with genuine policies could then fight back.

Unfortunately the coalition will be feeling so strong now, after this win, that they may reject any Labor backroom moves to talk about this. I hope not, as we are going to find ourselves even more ruled by a small but smart minority if the big 2 can't get together.

I can't believe that her carbon [dioxide] tax has not been forced on little Julia, to get her into the lodge. Be it that, or just stupidity, by the time the next election comes around, her tax will see her struggling to do as well as the NSW lot did last Saturday.

Hasbeen I truly am not having a go at you.
First preference Labor almost always out votes conservatives.
Greens have fed on ALP refugees, those refugees are unlikely to go conservative.
It is a fact,no room to debate, one vote one value and Labor wins ALMOST EVERY TIME.
You know I share an anti green stand with you and Banjo, middle Australia does, most of us do.
BUT remember PLEASE the Country/National party, ALP defectors DLP Tasmanian senator elected as ALP and the absorbed one nation, now party of both your COALITION help you in power and opposition.
These facts remain, no argument not based on truth can be made, it is fact.
And it is also fact while many want a different style of Parliament, more independents maybe more party's we mostly vote one or the other.
And are better for it.
Question, would we be better of with no senate? supplement to that do voters want the party in government to have the power or do they want the current situation.
One vote one value, we got it in the state vote why can we not have it in the federal one.
Bazz greens, even here in OLO claimed Those two seats before the election, we thought they had every chance of being right.
Hopefully , in a year ALP voters had waited 4 years for, to remove Labor we said lets give Barry a chance.
This bloke is a true Liberal a moderate he will be well liked and give him his chance.
But know the greens fell over end is in sight.

In another thread reference is made to , maybe but unlikely Pauline Hanson winning the last upper house seat in NSW.
Not the greens.
And that in some way the ALP will be up set by this?
Should Julia want proof we must both sell our achievements, and rebut the rubbish it is here.
Todays news papers are full of those who bought NSW ALP to its fate, putting the knife that belongs in their body's in to survivors.
They do less harm than the Abbott fans who blast us with such rubbish, we have a story to tell lets tell it.
And the greens, no conservation party, make claims that cripple carbon tax yet again if we do not declare open war on them.
Abbott has a chance to muffle them pass the cuts.

Belly>>Hasbeen I truly am not having a go at you.
First preference Labor almost always out votes conservatives.

Wake up and smell the roses old mate, you're living in the past as those days are gone!

Fed Labor sat in opp for some four terms, then, they won an outstanding victory, some 85 seats.

In less than one full term they turned that ground breaking win into what can only be described as a 'lick, suck, grobble' approach to gain government at any cost.

Since this act of utter desperation, they have eroded their support even further and, please don't forget that they have achieved this doozy of a result while being held accountable by what can only be described as a 'weak' opposition.

With the NSW 'blood bath' and QLD perhaps heading for a 'slaughterhouse' type of election result, Labor parties, both fed and state will need all the support they can get from their loyal followers like yourself.

The rest of the population has moved on, so perhaps you may wish to consider your options, old mate.

The door is always open for you.

Belly, I’m afraid rehctub has a point, those parts of the ALP to which you subscribe so strongly are long gone. The ALP, its values and the relationship with the Trade Unions is a distant memory.

No matter how low the ALP gets and regardless of the divergence with your traditional values, you still try to justify your passion with “ah but, the opposition is worse”.

It is supporters like you that made the ALP what it was at its best; sadly they deserted you a long time ago

Dear Belly,

It appears that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party are so desperate to win at any cost that they will even solicit Labor votes as a preference to grant Tony Abbott his wish to be PM. So far we haven't seen any positive and constructive from Mr Abbott in the interest of the nation and its people other than the great desire on his part to be PM no matter what. If he wants to buy that glory he has to put something positive on the table. From what we hear in the media and general conversation that the voters would like Malcolm Turnbull back as Leader of the Opposition.

As for NSW - it was a State Election - and as Labor publicly admitted that the loss was caused by numerous problems that built up over their sixteen years in Government in which especially towards the end
they lapsed in their ability to govern and they placed their politics over the governance of the State. Federal politics is a
totally separate issue and despite the fear mongering of the Libs -
doesn't equate to their being able to win the next Federal Election -
especially with Mr Abbott as their Leader.

As for the "pollution Fine," ("carbon tax"), only a positive Government which plans for the future of the nation and the health of its people would consider reducing the ever increasing pollution that our society produces. Of course if one has no consideration for the future of one's children and grand-children by all means elect Mr
Abbott as the next PM. He will insure that the polluters won't pay
a fine for their pollution - but will be given incentives to pollute more. And health, education, and infrastructure will be put on hold
(as in currently happening in Victoria - with a Liberal State Government).