Dear SM,

On the contrary - it's not hard for me at all. I'm actually delighted, especially after watching Q and A last night. Way to go
Bill Shorten, Anna Rose, Judge Felicity Hampel and audience!

You're doing the same repetition as Tony Abbott and Co. Just repeating things doesn't make them come true. You guys may think it works to tear down the Gillard government but if you look at the latest polls - it's not building Tony Abbott's. His personal approval also fell in Newspoll. You keep pointing to Julia Gillard's so called back flips while neglecting the two-faced nature of Tony Abbott's responses on any number of issues.

Australian voters are not stupid. They're after long-term solutions -
they're not impressed by fear-mongering and no policies - they want results. This government is there for the long haul, and is doing well, - and in three years down the track - with positive outcomes - your Party Leader's last grasp for power will have gone pffttt! There's only two words that may (just may) save your party and they are - "Malcolm Turnbull." But you'd better not waste any more time
and get on with the job of giving Tony Abbott the "election" he so badly craves. Elect a new leader - and soon! "Blah, Blah, Blah, is not going to work.

Long term solutions?

What major policy of Labor's looks anything like it did a year ago? What happened to "there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead"?

What happened to the Labor migration policy that JG drafted and Rudd implemented in 2008?

What happened to "we will not send asylum seekers to countries that are not signatories to the UNHCR"

What happened to East Timor?

What happened to the commitment to implement the Murray Darling plan?

What happened to the health policy?

What happened to the Cash for clunkers?

What happened to the Pink Batts?

What is happening to the NBN slowly sinking under cost blow outs?

etc etc etc.

Now tell me where the Australian voters can see Labor planning for the long term?

What Juliar means by the voters are looking to the long term is that she hopes to god that in 2 years they will have forgotten the stuff ups of the last 4 years.

Dear SM,

It's one thing to make promises when you're talking in your own right - and a different thing when you have to deal with other political partners. It often requires a change in policy to achieve a better result for the nation.

If you are interested in finger-pointing however, here's something to jog your memory:

"Truth is absolute, truth is supreme, truth is never disposable in national political life," Prime Minister John Howard to ABC radio, 24 August 1995.

I'll list just two lies for you:

"It is our policy, without qualification, to retain Medicare...Not only does Medicare stay but so does bulk billing...They are the fundamentals, the underpinning of the polcy." John Howard Health Policy launch of "A Healthy Future," Feb. 1995.

The Truth:

"Non-one can guarantee bulk billing. No on can guarantee bulk billing without conscripting the medical profession. Medicare has never been universal bulk-billing-never." Tony Abbott, Minister for Health and Ageing, Meet the Press, 23 Nov. 2003.

John Howard Lie:

"There's no way that a GST will ever be a part of our policy."

Journalist: "Never, ever?"

John Howard: "Never ever. It's dead. It was killed by the voters in the last election." John Howard, Interview, Tweed Heads Civic Centre, 2 May 1995.

The Truth:

"The bills before the House will enact a broad based goods and services tax that will be levelled at 10 percent and will start in July 2000." Peter Costello, Treasurer. A New Tax System (Good and Services Tax Bill) Second Reading Speech, 2 DEc. 1998.

And so it goes - I could go on and list at least - 35 lies told by John Howard, then I could go on and list all the double-faced flip flops of Tony Abbott, and so on. As I've stated in my earlier post - wait for the outcomes - then criticise. For now all you're doing is moaning and groaning the same old mantra of your party leader - which no-one's buying except for your party faithful. Get over it.

Lexi,

If those are the best you can come up with, then you are really desperate.

A promise is a promise "there will not be a carbon tax under the government I lead". Either she is leading a government or not.

1 When Howard had to back down over an election promise, because circumstances changed, he took it to a new election with the real risk that if the people rejected it he would lose. Juliar does not even have the decency to do the same.

2 With regards medicare and bulk billing, the two statements are not incompatible. 1995 promises to retain bulk billing and medicare, - 2003 says that bulk billing has never been the universal policy.

As far as I recall, there are still plenty of doctors bulk billing.

Lexi Bill Shorten will revive the ALP.
You however will never change Shadow Minister.
Better in my view we let him have his sand box

Dear Belly,

You're right. See you on another thread.