It is fascinating to see that both our PM and Opposition leader both lack respect from various posters on OLO and other blogs. John Howard was and is still detested by some. Though I have a completely different world view to our PM and detest her policies I actually think as a person she is no different to any other Aussie.

Is it failure to tell the truth that causes respect to be lost, is it just different ideology or is it simply personality? At what point should we disrespect the office of PM despite its incumbent? Should we at all? Why do people vent hatred to Gillard, Abbott, Howard, Rudd? I for one was embarassed with Gillard being labelled a witch.

I am also unhappy with the "witch" term being used to describe Gillard, it denigrates the witch.

Name calling and disrespect to the office of PM, shows immaturity amongst posters.

Runner I am a great believer in giving people what they have earned.

Unfortunately it is hard to tip even half of the disgust this fool woman has earned onto the space occupied by a single person. Thus much of the rightful disgust felt by any thinking Ozzie has overflowed onto the office she somehow managed to cheat herself into.

The fact that she continues to lie, & spin, obviously believing Ozzies are too dumb to notice shows what she thinks of us. The fact that there are rusted on Labor supporters, with eyes wide shut, just shows there are some.

I agree with sonofgloin, calling this vile creature a witch is denigrating witches.

runner
It is nice to be able to say I agree with you. But it is no different from the rudeness demonstrated about many issues of late the worse being around climate change - we hear words like sceptic, denier, earth worshippers, etc from all sides. It would be nice if people could discuss a subject without vitriole. Surely the merits of each stance should stand on it's own without recourse to name calling.

The 'witch' analogy was obscene but similar disrespect was shown to John Howard and Bob Brown gets his fair share of vitriole no matter what one thinks of his views.

Hasbeen's last sentence encapsulates your point. While I disagree with much of what the ALP has done over the past 5 years, I have not seen anything that could be termed as 'vile'. A lot of hysteria has been whipped up creating extreme reactions to what is part of the course for what has become the norm in Australian politics.

There is no doubt the bar needs to be lifted on many fronts, and so does the quality of politicians when it comes to ethical behaviours and in representing their constituents.

When I was a lad, we had this thing called 'cracker night'. I think it was around the queens birthday.

We used to build a bonfire, and atop of the bonfire, we would place a Manikin of the current political leader we hated at the time, usually the PM, or perhaps if there was some recent scandal, or we were bored with making the PM every year, it would be a different MP or shadow MP. It was made from stockings and newspaper, and you could watch the nylon melt and the paper burn burn burn!

Not possible for todays youth.

Fireworks are banned.

I think Bonfires are probably banned too.

Yep. It's a pity.