Another doozy is the outsourcing of road workers jobs.

Why don't councils employ them like they used to.

They earn say $25 per hour, yet cost the tax payer more like $45 per hour.

I think all government work should be done by employees, not contractors simply collecting the fat in the middle.

Just last night I drove from western QLD to north Bris, passed no fewer than 15 roadwork sites, all had one thing in common, idle workers, standing around in groups chatting, while just a few did the work. All at double time no dought, as it was close to midnight.

The government don't care cause they just pay the bills. The workers don't care cause they just fill in the time sheet and the contractors don't care cause they just submit the bills.

Now here's some food for thought.

Rudd flogged Howard

Gillard shafted Rudd and her popularity boomed.

She then proceeded to continue labor's wasteful ways.

Gillard got flogged at the polls and, if not for the desperate measures, the broken deal with Wilki, would be in opp now, most likely as a back bencher, if at all.

So, it would appear that Rudd would be a better choice than Gillard, and I recon should he return his popularity would spike. Not from me however, as I can never forgive them for the carnage they have caused.

The only comforting thing about it all is that the next elction should be won, not lost, as is usually the case.

Dear GrahamY,

Never thought I would say this but I think I'm getting an inkling of how Pauline Hanson supporters felt. The political commentariat of which you are a major player Graham will tell us how delusional we are and what a disaster Rudd was, it's just that poll after poll indicates there are one hell of a lot of Australians who just aren't buying it.

One take is that we are all mad but another is we saw a man who was prepared to listen to and look out for ordinary folk. Perhaps you are too close to the action to have seen the view we did but that doesn't make it any less real.

And you may well be dismissive of the symbolism of the Apology and I will concede you have some cause, particularly around the lack of positive results on the ground, but let me be very clear on this, the emotions I saw first hand being displayed in the Great Hall and outside by indigenous Australians on that day showed me just how deeply that symbolism mattered to these people, and to me personally. 

Cont..

Cont..

Further I wouldn't be too complacent about our banks. There were some very solid overseas institutions that went by the wayside.

We have a fair sized housing bubble in this country with some of the highest prices in the world. The GFC was one hell of a large pin headed straight for that bubble. If we had suddenly lost half a million jobs and the foreclosures started rolling in then I don't care how strong you think our banks were there would have been blood spilt.

You also might not have much of an inkling on how much that school improvement funding mattered. My children attend one of the most dilapidated schools in our area. It is truly a shocker yet I know there are plenty of them around. It meant a hell of a lot to parents to see new infrastructure going in. It told us the Federal government cared.

I could keep reeling them off but I'm not trying to convince you of anything, rather to answer your question as to why there are people like me who would be prepared to give Rudd another go. You can take the answers for what they are or keep telling us we are idiots.

keep telling us we are idiots.
csteele,
this will continue until proven otherwise.

Interesting article from the Courier Mail where Madonna King gives some more reasons why you wouldn't want Rudd back - in his haste to promote himself he is actually damaging the Labor campaign in Queensland http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/loose-cannons-fire-up-tricky-campaign/story-fnbwr276-1226262245551.

She notes that his public popularity is in inverse proportions to his popularity within caucus.

CSteele,

Rudd is far more popular than Gillard, as is Turnbull, however, both of their popularities stem from outside their parties. Rudd with Labor voters is neck and neck with Gillard, and within the coalition Turnbull is significantly behind Abbott.

As the PM is expected to manage the cabinet and caucus, his ability to work with colleagues is paramount. Rudd is openly despised among his colleagues and Turnbull is not seen as a team player.

The return of either to leadership would not be good for either party and thus is unlikely