There is little difference between the the major parties. Swan and Rudd would sit well in the Liberal Party just as Hockey and Turnbull could find a home in the Labor Party.

Paul, with respect.
In politics, as in life,there are no absolutes.
At best we, all of us get results that are as close as possible to those most want.
I like your last post.
It reminds me,enforces my view, the Greens in part,are a party off Dennial..
Attempts to use this truth, as a positive for them self, yet clearly it highlights their self deception.
Again and again, people attempt to insult me and the ALP, by using this line, not seeing it proves not your point but mine.
My last day at School was in that small hamlet at not quite 13 years of age.
I and my ALP have grown came far from the Comrade days.
Left lunatic ideas of keeping America away.
So many silly ideas.
You conveniently, but unknowingly too, over look is never was Liberals, not Labor, but the voters who drove both party's as a sheep dog drives sheep, away from those dark days.
Yes dark, white Australia, so many things.
No absolutes, no but the greens need a plan rattling around in the rubbish bin for policy's left over from the Liberal or Labor party of those days.
Filling the policy bag with the ashes of voter rejected policy's.
I am amused by your faith in failure.
By your ability to not see/understand both party's sell a product voters want, yours clearly does not.

Belly,
You think I only critisize Labor? Well heres one for you.

Some marks to Swan for making a cut to the baby bonus. I only wish he eliminated it completely.

This has to be the most stupid idea that the Libs ever implemented and it was Costello that was totally responsible. The most stupid, short sighted, brain explosion imaginable, just to garner a few votes at the time.

All it has done is encourage young single mothers to have babies and increase their dependance on our welfare system. There is more than enough people in the world now so why encourage more to breed?

But I doubt either major party will have the guts to slash it completely. It is in need of bipartisan agreement to abolish.

Belly, there is no personal insult intended. You yourself posted somewhere that at the last NSW State election you deserted the Labor Party to vote for the Liberals, I see that as an insult to Labor. I was a long time member of the ALP, now I'm with The Greens. I don't want to be seen as a name dropper, other than to say I personally know many people in the ALP from grass roots members to members of Government at all levels. for the vast majority of these people I have the up most respect, as I do for many I know within the Liberal Party, good hard working people. On many issues, not all, we don't see eye to eye, our overall philosophy is different, but that does not detract from the respect I have for them.
Members of The Greens are ordinary people, workers, students, mums and dads, retirees, a more diverse group you will not find, I would say the thing they all have in common is a strong sense of social justice. Our members of Parliament, local, state and federal are very committed hard working people, as are many in the Labor and Liberal parties.

Paul I have been an active trade unionist and ALP member most of my life.
From time to time I let a name out but not name dropping.
I now am an ex nothing more x than an ex.
But activist still.
I never met a person who I can not get on with.
You may well know more than me.
But this I know, with certainty.
Australians are never going to be Socialists.
Years of tramping in and out of work shops, factory's, construction sites I know workers, and am proud they knew and continue to know me.
AT BEST, no more, than 15% WILL EVER VOTE GREEN.
Right now Branches of all other party's,rank and file members, are insisting at the next federal election preferences not be directed to the greens.
You look for policy's mainstream are repelled by.
Request my party climb a cliff and jump off to return to past failures.
You dream your pleasant dreams, unaware for most it is no dream but a nightmare.
NO ABSOLUTES but you in fact, you do, you know, tell 88% of AUSTRALIANS, we are wrong you are right.
Your efforts at best, keep the next coalition in power and Labor out.
Greens in fact are a virus infecting the left of center dreaming of the impossible and holding its breath stamping its feet because truth insists on being heard
my regards
come home to labor or not but my truth can not be trashed facts support it.

"Right now Branches of all other party's,rank and file members, are insisting at the next federal election preferences not be directed to the greens."
Belly from that statement I can only conclude the Labor Party has some kind of a death wish? You say all parties, besides the ALP which other parties? Liberal/National, Fred Nile how about Pauline Hanson LOL. We have a deal at the moment, we won't help block supply and we won't support a no confidence motion. Without ALP support we would loose our only lower house rep, true. Without Green preferences how many marginals will Labor loose, me thinks more than one. Without Green preferences the ALP would be, to put it mildly, dead ducks.