Dear 579,

I agree with you. Policies do matter -
and politicians should be judged by
what they actually do. Living in
Victoria - trouble is now brewing.
Election promises are not being kept
by the Liberal government. There are
cut backs in health, jobs, education,
libraries, and of course - someone will
have to fix things once the Libs are
voted out. When will people ever learn?

My fellow travelers we must never take on the negativity of some supporters of Abbott here.
And not the open display of not under standing others show.
We too must not equip our selves with blinkers.
Just as the polls show Abbott is not trusted or loved they too show the same about Gillard.
The lady has guts, always has, she is welfounded in her wishes for this country.
She however can not win an election.
She often goes well against Abbott but more often leaves the quick return he offers her hanging in the air.
She can not counter punch, she can not win back lost ALP voters.
We must not forget her rise took one of our most popular out of play.
Julie Gillard has a true Labor heart, but can not out box Abbott.
She needs my party needs to under stand what the people think not what we want them to.
And too that Abbott and his front bench should be a push over but know this Julie will never be the one.
Party first but we are heading for a decade of very conservative government gifted to them, by our power brokers
Or are we? new leaders both teams this year!

'new leaders this year'
One lives in hope, Belly, one lives in hope.
Anthony,
http://www.observationpoint.com.au

*There are
cut backs in health, jobs, education,
libraries*

Gawd Lexi, horror of horrors. The bloated public service will actually
have to think about becoming a bit more efficient! That would be
the dread of your average libararian, I am sure. You sound just like
those Greek public servants

Have none of you detected the trend that governments everywhere are
cutting back while pretending that they will be undertaking more ?

With the decrease in GDP they have less money to play with and so must
reduce expenditure even if they pretend to be expanding expenditure.
Remember GDP is not a countries operating profit, it is the sum of all tranactions.
So Wayne's 4.5% GDP is not a country profit, it is a mixture of profit
and expenditure. You can get funds for expenditure by the off balance
sheet tactic of borrowing by selling bonds.
This is why our outstanding bonds are now pushing $0.25 Trillion !
ie, you now owe somebody $0.25 trillion.

Welcome to the post Peak Oil World !

Peak Oil indeed Bazz. You only have to have a look at the Economist
current account figures, expressed as a % of GDP, to see what is
really going on, oil or no oil.

China plus 2.3%
USA minus 3.2%
Germany plus 4.8%
Switzerland plus 13.3%
Netherlands plus 7.6%
Norway plus 13.8%
Saudi Arabia plus 23.6%
Taiwan plus 8.1%
Singapore plus 20.7%
Greece minus 6.9%
Australia minus 2.9%

Oil or no oil, some smart countries are doing really well,
Australia is not amongst the smart ones. As Pericles always
says, just follow the money to see what is really going on.