.....Cutting the carbon tax but paying company,s to cut emissions, who pays.

Belly, the consumer is who should pay.

If the consumer (us) has to,pay an additional tax, on top of our energy bills, WE WILL REDUCE OUR USAGE.

Now if we reduce our usage, we reduce emissions, because generators and providers of energy will also reduce their outputs.

This whole carbon tax thing has been based on EU's carbon price being something like $23 per ton. ITS ABOUT $4.50 per ton.

It's just ome more thing this mob got wrong. AT OUR EXPENSE!

The thing is, we dont elect miracle workers, simply because we don't pay the right money to attract the right people.

Most CEOs expense budgets would be higher than the PM's salary.

I see no need to increase the politicians over all budget, we just need to TRIM THE FAT and get rid of much of the duplication in governments and pay those who are left, real money.

The day to day stuff can be performed by every day people, people who are simply told what t do.

I do think that if Clive Palmer had another year or so before the election, he would be a serious contender. He still may be, because after all, he's a MAKER not a TAKER.

betty - because of the extraordinary nature of this hung Parliament, have lower expectations of politicians.And lower opinions.

How do you figure that ?? Personally I believe a 'stable' gubmunt is the very worst case because that absolutely guarantees arrogance & total lack of any semblance of accountability, not that the latter has ever been high on the priorities of any Australian gubmunt. By comparison, a gubmunt with no effective majority has no option but to listen carefully to every bleat of the sheeple or suffer the kind of earth-shattering defeat we saw in Queensland last year and will certainly see in the federal election in September. That said, there is still time for the red-headed witch to reverse the fortunes of the ALP although due to her supreme arrogance, she is blind to her faults & thus incapable of making the necessary changes.

Belly, there is always room for a quick revival in a party's electoral fortunes. It happens all the time; it may again if the Coaliton proves incapable.

However, does that mean that us, traditional Labor voters, cannot shift sometimes and give a govt the flick rather than just hope it changes its ways?

For myself, who has no interest in being a diehard political member of any political party given my desire to comment on politics, i am looking for a party or parliament that can address most of my concerns for a better Australia.

At the moment, it is certainly not Labor, but who knows in the future.

I'm a "worker" in the sense that I'm a sole trader so my economic interests lie with the fortunes of the middle classes because all my work comes from that demographic but here's the catch, it's middle class values (their "feelings") which are also at odds with my economic interests. Skilled migration and illegal immigration are against my economic interests but widely supported by my clients in the middle classes, so too carbon pricing and so called "Green Policy".
What we need is a party which shakes the stupidity out of the middle classes and focuses their "feelings" toward their fellow Australians who are living in the here and now instead of encouraging all this pseudo Leftist nonsense and facilitating "Redneck Bashing". We need a party which appreciates caste differences and directs the benevolence of the wealthy and the creative toward the welfare and prosperity of their servants.
Liberalism and egalitarianism are dead, we need a small, efficient government with loyal bureaucrats who take care of the wealthy and creative people while demanding in return that they show loyalty to the worker castes.

Dear Jay Of Melbourne

I've just posted a new discussion based on a recent media interview of Big Clive. It should appear online later today & the video is definitely well worth watching, regardless of what colour team you may traditionally support. I have no doubt whatever this bloke is perfectly capable of turning the political circus on its head, more to the point one gets the distinct impression he is champing at the bit in anticipation of charging in feet and all. We could well be in for some VERY interesting times with impending demolition of many hitherto 'sacred cows', mind you not before time. Even the approach to dealing with refugees / boat people is EXTREMELY innovative given the absymal lack of progress to date by both major parties. All in all, Big Clive gave a pretty good expose' on what Australian politics will be like without legal leaches turned bloodsucking parasite politicians.

I am also interested in what Palmer has to say. Again, i like people who promote a can do mentality, and i think he has some important ideas, especilaly adding value to our basic products.