"Comrade Paul [sarcasm but true] as you and I hold the view the other is wrong/lost/needs help, do you agree one of us is wrong?"
Belly, It is not a question of right and wrong, it is a question of obtaining the perceived best outcome for the greater good. Trying to reduce the political argument down to simplistic terms of right and wrong is not possible.
"Without SOME relationship with big business NO PARTY WILL EVER GOVERN"
This is an example of where you and I politically diverge. Do not forget the ALP is not one homogenous party, but rather a formalised party of factions, as we are both well aware. Your opinions appear to be very much orientated towards the dominant right faction, which in essence is the conservative faction within the party, as opposed to the radical left faction. Your faction embraces the philosophy of 'power for powers sake', this philosophy in itself brings the danger of, although one is in power the overriding consideration is keeping in power, rather than achieving real change for the common good. Such a philosophy to me seems rather useless as nothing of real value is ever achieved. The adherents to this line of thinking justify with mumblings such as "reform from within." and other dribble, which is nothing more than a euphemism for "do nothing that will affect real change".
I do hope the day will come when Labor returns to its true principles and abandons the notion of populism to gain power for powers sake, which you can see from your parties present circumstance the outcome may not be that good, if the 'man' so desires you will be out of power just as quickly as if you never embraced populism in the first place.

"I do hope the day will come when Labor returns to its true principles and abandons the notion of populism to gain power for powers sake"

According to the polls that day is here, Paul1405.

I hope the Greens enjoy their last year in having a say in public policy as thereafter they will have none. The events of the last fortnight has demonstrated they have no sensible role to play in Australian politics. I hope you're sleeping soundly with your ideals intact, but I doubt you're lying straight while you do.

Luciferase,

Talking of the inability to lie straight in bed...Hello?....politics is not a forum of morality.

Honestly, let's not play pretendies. When the best a nation of nearly twenty three million people can throw up is a government led by the likes of Gillard and an alternative led by the likes of Abbott - both dancing to the populist tune in pursuit of power - I wouldn't be splitting hairs on ethics.

Poirot, if Gillard is so populist why the NBN, CT, MRRT, NDPS, etc, etc? These are killing her in the polls, as is the unresolved boats issue.

Or, is it all just about her voice, fat bum and hair-do?

I hope the populists in the party don't manage to get Rudd in to dismantle reform policies and that the egg is so scrambled that MM can't unscramble it should he get in.

I look forward with relish to the decimation of the juvenile Greens party and its pious, unctuous self-righteousness while 4% of boat people don't make it.

...sorry, missed something, voice,nose,bum & ranga hairdo

Yes I agree Labor has achieved your wish Paul, AND is not finished its down would slide until it actually considers reform, post Gillard and her lead weight mates.
How ever you are just leg pulling are you not.
Not even the greens can think what voters think does not matter?
Maybe wrong! Labor does!
Gillard is well to have an interest in schools and education.
Her school Marm bitter style is known in such areas.
She, in a channel seven news take was shown to once believe in turning the boats around.
She would lovingly throw her arms around any position to improve hers.
Recent headline show, at last! both majors saying they must distance them selves from Greens, ripper! to use an old term to express joy.
And Australia awaits Labor dumping Gillard to bring ten percentage points back to us.
A side effect? Abbott will follow Gillard.