The pressure of the 24 hour news cycle is unfortunately overshadowing some of the good policies this government is purusing like the national disability insurance scheme. The media is more interested in the entertainment value of Slippers and Thomsons than something of substance.

It is not that Slippers and Thomsons are not unimportant, and Gillard has certainly blundered on both counts however some of the commentary on this has been very one sided.

It would be foolish to put in a new leader now, this would be a mistake and would make no difference.

The trouble is many voters look too superficially at Gillard and are more diverted by her voice than what she is actually saying. Rags like the Australian and the DT are good examples.

Gillard has made mistakes, one of the biggest being swayed by the bullshite of politics and going on about real Julias and taking government by betraying a promise to the voters. This has always got to be seen as unacceptable but some of the dodgy behaviour of the Howard Government was worse including punishing in overt and covert ways any organisation or individual who disagreed with their policies.

Look at the withdrawal of aid to an East Timor group because they opposed Australia's view on maritime borders. Even the AusAid employee had to hide the fact that this was the reason why funds were not granted the following round. AWB, Children Overboard of which the public servants involved became heads or deputy heads of departments. And the Liberals are more of a US lackey than the ALP. These are just some issues.

So for me the mentality of the Libs and their penchant for the big end of town including lack of environmental concerns make the Liberals a much worse proposition. Just watch while employment conditions take a dive again and the gap between rich and poor further widen. If it has to be Abbott or Gillard my vote is with Gillard (after the Greens).

It is a shame that many voters will be choosing the least worst rather than a passionate yes.

Belly I agree with most of what you say. Forget that I'm a Green and your mortal enemy for a moment LOL. Why should Australia not deal with this problem within Australia. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of people sailing to Australia in leaking boats seeking asylum, even us Greens don't want these people to take this risk, the sailing that is, I do understand why they do it, desperation on their part. We should not be trying to shift the problem to some third world country like, Malaysia, East Timor or Nauru. Say Indonesia had a problem with refugees, which they do, said to Australia "you have plenty of room in the NT, we want to ship our refugee over there for while. How would Australians react? We have to deal with our own problems, not use our wealth to hide the problem in a third world country.
p/s You and I both know Labor or Liberal in power will quietly bring the vast majority of asylum seeks into Australia at the end of the day, regardless from where ever they hide them, that's politics.

Pelican as usual you are quite right.
Every word
Sadly however so very many , vote only on a glancing look at those papers.
Even here see see entrenched views, from some who get all their info that way.
All my life the Monday after an election you can hear the frogs croak, I did not vote for them.
Gillard is unable to tell in terms people will listen to, her tale.
She has left it too late now,while she is out there every day, delivering good news,it wastes her time.
She should be CONFRONTING Abbott Pyne Murdock media, in every speech, hard and harsh.
See that is Abbott's secret to success, no one questions the truth.
Paul 1405, in fact truly, the Malaysian solution would stop the boats, forever.
Some who look only at the numbers,do them selves a miss service.
If over a period of years we take 40.000 and send 8.000 both Australia, by stopping the boats haveing our say in who comes, and that country gain.
We may well introduce that country to closer ties with UNHCR.
Stop the flow of refugees there too.
Best possible out come is the only possible outcome, not perfection.
On this matter alone Tiny target Tony shames his party and him self.

"...even us Greens don't want these people to take this risk, the sailing that is..."

Well what are the Greens going to do Paul1405, go and pick-up every refugee in the world who wants to live here?

You still haven't responded to my challenge to Greens to support their position on border control which is essentially that nothing needs to be done, other than to make illegeal entry legal, and to welcome everyone in who can get here. Go to http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=4897#130772
to have the challenge spelled out again.