My politics is very much issues based, not party based, unlike
many posters. Judging by Tony's released policies so far, ie taxing
major companies an extra 1.5%, to give 75 Grand to women already
earning plenty, or forcing kids to learn languages in which they
have absolutaly no interest, is hardly showing good judgement.

So a list of the policies that I would support:

Scrap the carbon tax.

Scrap the 12% super, 9% is already enough of a burden for employers.

Overhaul our education system so that more skilled people which our
economy actually needs, are the outcome. That is not just about spending more, but spending smarter.

Cut the massive Govt waste. We really don't need an ambassador to
the Vatican for instance. But we urgently need more Australian doctors. Its a question of priorities.

Include family planning as a high priority in our foreign aid programme. Feeding more people which results in even more hungry
people, is hardly intelligent thinking.

Renegotiate our partipation to the UN 1951 Convention on refugees, to
close the many loopholes, as it is 60 years out of date.

Rich pensioners, who own a million $ house, will have to accept that
they will have to use part of their assets if they want a comfy
retirement, not just bleed the taxpayer, in order to leave even more
wealth for the kids.

Copy the Swiss laws to allow terminally ill people to deny with dignity at their time of choosing, rather then force them to gasp
to their last breathe, because the alleged god said so.

Ok, that is a start.

<< Tony is hardly the answer >>

Um, yes, that’s a rather large understatement!

Yabby, I think you are on the right track. I agree with everything you have listed, except the first one.

I’d like to see the carbon tax strengthened so that it really is a big incentive for us to get the bejeezus off of our addiction to fossil fuels, to start taking peak oil seriously and to develop a sustainable energy regime in which renewables play an ever-larger part.

The other major policy that absolutely needs to happen is a reduction of immigration to net zero or at least somewhere far lower than it is now.

The key is, as I’ve said nearly a million time on this forum: the development of a genuine sustainability strategy for our country.

Until there is a party that espouses this, I will continue to vote for NO ONE, as I have for about the last twenty years.

Like you, my politics are strongly issues based. I will not vote for the party I feel is the slightly lesser of two evils, as most people do. A party has to earn my vote… or else it’s the old ‘no candidate deserves my vote’ vote from me!

Well put yabby but.
As I said in hobsons choice, what are we to do?
Gillard yesterday, called for ALP voters to put a blanket over our heads and refuse to see we are playing a roll in Abbott's keeping the leadership, while he is doing just that for Gillard.
Australia is running third in a two horse race.
As Europe gets nearer to its break point, seems Greece will be the first of many to fall, we stand exposed.
But are not watching.
I think this year we face true threats to world financial structures that will compare with 1929.
Yet led badly we are blind to it.

Yet led badly we are blind to it.
Belly,
You're coming good. I have stated repeatedly that Australians simply do not take notice of others' mistakes & then go down the same track.
Why can't Australians wake up that the rest of the world is all but stuffed in every which way. Here we still have a tiny chance to not go down the same path. I suppose one of the problems is that Australia's voters are now largely non-australian hence things going in the same bad direction.
Julia is not listening but Tony can still be groomed, at least there's a slight chance.

There could be an election at any time, but the opposition is not putting anything forward for the people to make a judgment of.
This has got to be an extremely dangerous maneuver.
Mr Abbott has shown every sign of being radical.
You say we are being poorly led, what does that consist of. Labor has always done the hard decisions, when the chips are down and in time of war.
I am amazed at people that can recommend anyone that says nothing and only spreads fear and rhetoric. It's called living in hope.

living in hope.
579,
Much preferable to living in confirmed & proven hopelessness.