Belly ,I judge a party by it's depth of talent.The success of Australia will not be determined by Peter Garrett head thumping music populism.Kevin Rudd is articulate and has the gift of the gab.Can you name at least four in Rudd's front bench who have the intellect and credibility of Brendon Nelson,Peter Costello,Malcolm Turnbull,Philip Ruddock,Tony Abbott or heaven forbid Alexander Downer who looks and sounds like a pontificating gay Mumbles in the Elliot Ness cartoons.Downer has done a good job regardless of my prejudgices.

Name some talent Belly ,other than Rudd who will have a big say in the next Labor Govt.

Gday Ajay how is it going? if I could name 5 front bench ALP people to match your list I would vote green maybe informal, or God forbid family first.
You highlight a problem for your team not one of them is worth feeding.
My often used term the dirty half dozen includes each of them.
No talent? government bound, and I am content to wait for polling 6 months after our election to support my stance.
Labor will govern well.

Arjay

"Can you name at least four in Rudd's front bench who have the intellect and credibility of Brendon Nelson,Peter Costello,Malcolm Turnbull,Philip Ruddock,Tony Abbott or heaven forbid Alexander Downer"

No sorry I can't. I can name many, who have significantly more intellect, as for credibility it is hard to compete when those you mention have zero. :)

I will never understand but people expect a trade union official to have made up his/her mind to vote ALP without thought.
It is my honestly held view John Howard has damaged my country in far more ways than the infamous workchoices.
While I supported the Iraq war I was wrong, and so too was Howard.
This war will displace millions and stretch the wests ability to house more refugees than we care to think of.
Partisan supporters may reject it but the AWB scandal is already doing more harm to Australian farmers than they care to admit.
In time, if it takes 100 years the true folly and dreadful support in full knowledge of some in government of this will come out.
Boat people? well this is a hot issue, and I will not hide from it I will never except economic refugees arriving on our coasts.
Like it or not nor will most Australians.
Can the conservatives excuse the children over board issue?
Or the kids in dentition of shore?
Can we say it was ok for a runaway immigration department to send Australians of shore?
Workchoices, some real money was spent on investigating some unions, why no charges?
The lies continue an American way of politics that Australians reject, but it continues.
Now I am pro America, Al Gore could be the best leader the free world ever had, but republicans have much to answer for.
See a unionist but for the most part I think like most Australians
end part one.

This is no full list of the things that offend me or even frighten me about our federal government.
It could be so very long but test me, read the business council of Australia and other bosses unions web pages read what you can find about the H R Nicol's society.
Read information to employers on how to get the best out of workchoices.
Know for every good boss ,we have many more of them than you think, a grub uses workchoices to thieve his/her work.
Ask after you have done so why we focus on unions but not the real strength behind John Howard?
I vote ALP for better government, I understand my side will have rabbits in government seats just as Howard has.
I even think it will be more like new Labor than old Labor.
I will not inflict Howard on Australia because every thing I want is not on offer.
So many think they have to have the party they want only, every t crossed every i dotted but reality is no party can be all things to all men.
These first victims of workchoices are mostly not unionist, truth is as low income earners they just can not afford to pay union dues.
One day the movement may understand much lower fees for these folk will see numbers rise.
Are your kids working today? without overtime? overtime that was paid once that saw Sundays paid at about $9 and is now less than $7?
Australia needs a new direction if our future demands some are forever low income earners we have lost the Aussie fair go.
Watch Howard's dirty half dozen blitz us with lies and fear but change is a must, the blitz proves it.

Steve Madden;Kevin Rudd is currently looking for more talent which probably proves my point.Federal Labor is suffering "no talent time" much like many of our State Liberal Govts.Change isn't going to happen over night.Peter Garrett looks way out of his depth and Julia Gillard seems to be more concerned about her hair presentation.

There are two important qualities of good Govt,good judgement and the courage to do what you know will benefit the majority Australians in the long run.I think IR reform was absolutely necessary but the detail and fairness lacked clarity and planning.It will come back to bite the Coalition at the next election.