O Sung Wu,

You will be missed for your level-headedness and integrity. All the best, get well soon,

Joe

Good afternoon to you LEXI & DAVID F...

Thank you both for your very kind good wishes, I do appreciate them immensely. Seems I now have the (unwanted) perpetual company of this 'black dog' that follows me around every waking moment.

I guess there are a many causes for Labor's (apparent) meltdown, including the media's continual speculation on the (now settled) Leadership question ? A government that exists by the mere whim of a couple of 'no account' independents, must impose further worries for Ms Gillard's already stretched attention ? Yet she's still managed to push through the lower house, much in the way of necessary legislation !

Might I also suggest, that Mr Rudd is doing absolutely 'nought' to consolidate the government's chances of an electoral victory in September. He appears to be shadowing the PM and attempting to either upstage or usurp her, whenever the opportunity presents. Don't be surprised if he doesn't try to follow her to Indonesia, during the occasion of her Official July visitation, with the Indonesian President ?

Sure, I don't agree with her politics. I don't much care for her. I believe history will probably recorded her as Australia's first female PM, and regrettably, Australia's worst PM ? Of the latter sadly, much of the overall blame is not down to her. But because she's the Prime Minister, it will be her and her alone, that will be held fully accountable for ALL of Labor's miseries and errors, including the massive loss of seats, they'll necessarily incur as a result of the September Polls.

As I've always maintained, Prime Minister Gillard, like her or hate her ? She is by far, the strongest, toughest and best Leader sitting in the Lower House today !

Good evening to you LOUDMOUTH...Thank you so much for your great kindness, I really do appreciate it.

Sorry David F, I should have been a little more specific for you.

Rudd, while labor leader in 07, leading to the election was the main reason labor won with such a large majority.

Today, he would see an instant uplift to labor's polling because many more people prefer him, to Gillard.

Now while I understand the people can't vote for a leader, they sure can wish for one.

Dear rehctub,

What evidence do you have that Rudd was the reason Labor won by such a big majority? I think it was that Howard had passed his use-by date, and Gillard would have won with a big majority also. Rudd was not on my ballot. We vote for a local member of the house, and the candidates for the senate. I take the trouble of numbering all the candidates of the senate on my ballot.

My vote had nothing to do with either Rudd or Howard. I am wary of taking off the restrictions on government's power and appreciate the double jeopardy provision we have in our legal code. Peter Dutton, a Lib, who is our representative favours modifying double jeopardy as there are some miscarriages of justice. I think there would be greater miscarriages of justice if the banning of double jeopardy were no longer absolute. I would have put Peter Dutton last on the ballot whatever his party identification was. Other people had other reasons for their vote.

You are simply wrong - not merely misstating. The prime minister is not elected by popular vote, and the members of a party are not consulted in determining the leadership. The Libs did not consult the membership when they replaced Nelson with Turnbull and replaced Turnbull with Abbott. Why should they? The system doesn't require them to do so.

According to current polls Rudd is more popular than Gillard at this time. That doesn't mean it was so at the election in which he headed his party. I prefer Gillard to Abbott and prefer Abbott to Rudd.

O sung do come back & say hello from time to time old mate, on the good days.

We do need some gentlemen around here to help keep the place civil.