I am amazed truly, comments plainly are unable to leave personal dislike out of it.
And Banjo, mate, yes thats how I think, you have built a fort around your views and stopped considering others.
As you have Lexi.
Gillard is gone, she never again ever, can get near being popular.
If , remember not a charge, today evidence came out Abbott was the Godwin Gretch behind Slippers exposure, Gillard would not be come wanted.
That concept may well be true,facts seem to point to over ten years of poor behavior known by the party that endorsed him.
IF one leader fell under a bus, and was replaced.
Who can not see the other side, WOULD BE INSANE NOT TO REPLACE THEIR STRAW MAN/WOMAN?
This is the question, nothing else, are these two up to it?
Are we well lead.
I again predict, Gillard will go soon, Abbott will follow.
Why, both party's must best serve their followers.
I am not predicting a Labor victory.

579, taxing the miners is not the answer, taxing their payrolls (a wage levy) and using this levy to subsidize non mining businesses wages is worth considering.

The current mining tax is simply a money grab to replace some of the wasted billions that this government has wasted.

Nothing in this tax will help non minimg businesses to survive, as the consumer has the advantage of simply opting to go without.

There are two areas of distress caused by miners that need serious attention.

Non mining wages and rents.

Many small businesses simply can't afford staff anymore, or, the staff they have are on loan, until they find a mining job.

Many long term locals at mining towns can no longer afford their rents.

These are people, who in many cases, have grown up in these towns.

Morinbar in QLD is a prime example, where the average rent is now about $3000 per week.

Miles or Chincilla in QLD, many rents have gone from $100 per week, up to $2000 per week.

That is not fair, what's more, the mining tax won't help this situation.

Non mining wages and rent.
Mining tax won't help this.
It remains to be seen what the mining tax will help or not, but it is a good start to tax the mining industry further.
Non mining wages, are you saying the wages are to low.
Then you say business can't afford the wages.
As far as rent goes for locals, this should be provided for by the company's that caused these gigantic rent hikes.
A mining industry that is overheated and CN wants to take the brakes off. You will end up with a state without small business, Remember mining can fold over-night.

Belly,
In all seriousness I think you're desperately trying to hold onto something that hasn't been there since 1972. The Liberals aren't all that much away from going down the same track but at this stage they still offer a ray of hope whereas labor offers nothing & takes all.
What we have to realise is that the problem isn't Labor or liberal, it's us. We expect too much for too little. There are way too many hangers on in our society. The individuals' right lobby has seen to that. I keep saying & I KNOW I'm right that we need a National Service to get society back on track. Anyone who is against National Service is against a functioning society.
i.e. a traitor.

Indi, no doubt you’ve stated this previously on OLO, but could you please explain what you envisage with national service and why you think it is so critical to a properly functioning society?

When Abbott was elected as leader of the coalition many in Labor were delighted as he was considered an easy target, and with Labor on a 2pp of 55% it looked as though the next election was assured, and KRudd felt that there was no need to go for a DD election. A few months later, Labor's 2pp was in toilet, and Rudd was gone. Gillard had run a disastrous election campaign and had to sell out the voters to maintain power.

Abbott as a Rhodes scholar is a far more complex person than one dimensional figure that Getup and the unions have tried to paint him as. He has resisted the obvious challenge to fight this on character, and has simply focused on Labor's performance against their promises, and kept his head down.

The result is that Labor's attacks are unanswered and echo like a hollow vessel, and the focus does not even flicker from Labor's death throes.

The real Abbott will only appear once he assumes the mantle of PM, and once again, I suspect he will surprise everyone.