One could be mistaken for thinking we are in election campaign mode.

However, if you believe Julia, she is still working hard running the country, so I guess her push in the marginal seats of western Sydney is not campaigning, because after all, she clearly stated that she would announce when the campaign would start.

Who knows!

She is not called Juliar for nothing.

Dear Rechtub,

Just wanted to draw your attention to one spelling/typographic error of yours:

In the sentence, "she is still working hard running the country" - the first 'n' of the 6th word should be an 'i'.

Have a nice day!

I think I just figured it out, perhaps this is not the REAL JULIA as she will be the one running the campaign when it is officially launched.

Just a hunch!

It was around this time give a week or two last year that Julia Gillard celebrated her second knifing of Kevin Rudd. She promised to get on with leadership, with the blame allocated as usual to someone else and claims that she was about to get on with leadership, with running the country.

A year later in 2013 and with a foul attack on Tony Abbott for misogyny, blaming him for her government's mistakes, Julia Gillard is still making the same spin and empty promises. Again as per usual, she has done a lot of international travel too, in between.

Late March when Easter comes is a good time for the faceless men AND WOMEN of the Labor Caucus to depose Gillard. They figure that the stupid 'punters' as they regard the electorate, will be busy then enjoying the break from work. It is an easy time to sweep a mess under the carpet and act as though 'democracy' has prevailed in shafting one of their own.

Two problems though: who will accept the poisoned chalice and what guvvy funded senior post can be offered to the mercenary, greedy Julia to buy her off. Julia Gillard knows she is dead meat when the electors catch up with her and she would be looking for a way out of the hard yards up to the election, but she doesn't want to lose the guvvy jet and benefits until she has to.

So, will Ms Gillard be the turkey sacrificed for Easter and what guvvy $$ would it take to send her on her way more easily. Honorably doesn't cut it with her or Caucus.

Yes we are in election mode...with this government we are always in election mode. The nature of the modern ALP is that it is controlled by careerists whose sole purpose in life is winning elections and then using the levers of power to win more elections.

These people no longer seek power because they have a burning desire to achieve some sort of change in society. They aren't idealists...I'm not even sure they have ideals.

They adopt policies because they think they are popular and then dump them when they cease to be popular (ETS). They make deals to get and keep power and then renege on the deal when it no longer suits(Wilkie).

So everything they've done since the last election is about the next election.

I'm not sure the Libs are a whole lot better but I do detect some desire there to adhere to their principles. Let's hope so.

Yes, but is there some UN or other diplomatic seat that can be made available for feminist Julia to park her large-ass booty and still swing from the guvvy teat, while living the life she has become accustomed to, ie freeps travel, being waited upon and so on?

On the beach, I think that lifestyle is for ever, just look at the likes of Bob Hawk and John Howard.

September 14 is being promoted as NATIONAL THROW OUT THE GARBAGE DAY.

I agree with Mhaze, their term is an election tragedy rather than a governing strategy.

It's called "Clean Up Australia Day" around my neck of the woods, rehctub :~)

Any chance while Julia is in Sydney she could drop into the ICAC and lend a bit of support to those Labor stalwarts, having a hard time down there, Eddie, Macca, Robo, Ron, Michael Costa, Joe, Eric etc etc the list goes on. Then it would only be a short drive down Anzac Pde to The Bay and a call into The Rex Jackson Memorial Wing for a chat, a cup of tea and a photo op with Milton, Ms Paluzzano and other Labor luminary's that are in residence. At the press conference Mark Butler could warm up the audience with a few Rooty Hill jokes. I think this would go down well out west.
I'm sure Gillards political advisers have canvassed the above ideas as another vote winner.

Meanwhile on the other side, Tony moves from hard-hats and safety vests to botox, blue ties, coordinated media stunts and travelling overseas "doing good things for Australia" (ie finding out about privatising schools and Hospitals from David Cameron).

We have been in constant campaign mode since the last election, in case you hadn't noticed.

dear rehctub,

if you're not sure just flip a coin: heads it's on, tails it's not.

Hey Wobbles, it's not me who said the campaign hasn't started yet, it was Julia, but perhaps it wasnt the real Julia.

God knows, wevd had a few of them.

Rehctub,

Exactly, the opposition's job is to campaign against the incumbents. The incumbents' job is to govern.

Juliar said that she would be governing not campaigning, yet she is campaigning and not governing.

rehctub,

Tell me when we see the real Tony. Is it the current new warm and cuddly Downton Abbey watcher hiding behind his wife's skirts or the hardened political wall-punching thug we've all come to know over the years - the one who lies to the media and is on record as lying to the AEC.

As soon as he finally decides on what he's talking about instead of telling different audiences different things as required, I'll take him more seriously - especially when he stops walking out on media interviews when he runs out of script.

Dear wobbles,

All Tony Abbott has to do to win the election is keep is mouth shut.

Did you see the results of last nights WA election? A swing to the Libs when the usual trend would have been a swing away.

This is just an indicator of the landslide victory that Abbott will enjoy come September. But only if he can keep his mouth shut.

The big question is: How low can Labor go with Gillard leading them into the election. Maybe they'll be lucky and win 25 seats. Keep your fingers crossed Julia!