Can someone please explain how Labour gets away with continually bagging Tony Abbott, criticising Coalition policies, avoiding serious discussions about their own policy failures, literally telling lies to make themselves look good and still say with a straight face it's only Mr Abbott and Mr Hockey who engage in the politics of negativity?

Does Labour think the general public has been sufficiently dumbed down to now believe Labour offers a positive future for the country?

Rudd's latest catch phrase/snide remark that Abbott only has one "three letter policy" is equally matched by Labour resting its future on the one idea of pointing the finger at the Coalition for being negative. I've never heard anything positive come out of Gillard's mouthpiece Penny Wong, in fact I can't stand even looking at her. Could this be why Penny's valuable insight has been gagged since Rudd loaded his Cabinet with women?

Over the last few days every comment coming out of Rudd and Bowen's mouth has been a disguised Abbott put down, yet they always finish off by indicating they are the Party that doesn't stoop to negativity

Labour tells us 'the public is sick of negative politics'. I hope people have a good enough memory to decide for themselves what they are sick of.

I could, but doubt you would understand it.
Cheeky post and brave.
Turning Tony,s worst faults NEGATIVE POLITICS and trying to blame it on Labor.

Belly,
hang on a second here. Who are the ones bleating incessantly how negative Dr No is ? You are one of the very guilty ones on that subject yourself. No Coalition supporter speaks of the ALP as negative so far as I'm aware of. All I ever see them do is point out the incompetence that is the ALP & what's wrong with the truth ? Just because the hangers-on brigade doesn't like facts doesn't make them untrue.
You are the ones who are negative towards possible hope to a better Australia via Abbott whilst desperately physhing for sympathy votes from first-time voters to drag this Nation into third world status. You lot are nothing but a silly bunch of traitors. If I had my way I would fine you all for the audacity of calling yourselves Australian. At least it would put some money back in the coffers which were depleted by incompetent ALP Government.

sbr108,
You are so right. All Labors term has been negative. Negative in outlook and negative in result.

Look at their global warming policy! It is based on negativity and doomsday theory. Where is their positive faith that mother nature is in charge and will make corrections. There has been no warming now for sixteen years. Yet Labor want to send us broke trying to fix something we have no control over.

Then every grand scheme they had has yielded a negative result. They now have us in debt for what $254 billion by squandering money by the bucket load. Nothing positive in that!

Then there is the illegals. 45000 have arrived under their watch and their humanitarian efforts have drowned about 1200. I consider that a negative result.

Then we have the school halls fiasco and the pink bats stuff ups and about 50 other stuff ups, all in 5 years. And they talk about negative politics! They invented it in every sense.

sbr108,

Where have you been?

The Coalition has had a campaign of destruction,
involving lies, fear mongering, unproven allegations
to smear members and supporters of the Labor Party.

We would all have respect for an Opposition leader
who played a clean game. Who challenged a
government's policies and pointed out their flaws, who
provided alternative policies that won broad support.
Mr Abbott has not played that kind of game.

We're now being told to believe that nasty, negative,
nay saying Mr Abbott has become - "nice" Mr Abbott
in the dark blue suit, white shirt, blue tie.

For almost 3 years Mr Abbott has used a wrecking ball
strategy designed to bring down the government as
quickly as possible. He has failed. The government is
still here. In the meantime the previous PM has soldiered
on, introducing world first legislation and social
reforms.

Clearly Mr Abbott prefers not to discuss policies or debate
but to continue to take pot shots at the current PM as well.
It's time you realised - he has nothing else.

One wears glasses and a smile
The other - a sneer on his big-eared dial
One can talk and enunciate
The other's a bruiser who won't debate
We need a leader who'll see us through
The question is, Who, Who, WHOOO?

It's your choice. But Mr Abbott will have to do
more than just keep breathing if he wants to be
the nexr PM. Condemnation is no longer working
for most people. But I guess it is easier than
thinking. And detailed policies require hard
work - not just glad-handing and rhetoric.

Yes indeed, I have never seen such a negative opposition leader as Tony Abbott.

He never seemed to have any actual policies to put forward that could answer the problems the Government had.

His constant fear-mongering chant of 'we'll stop the boats' is embarrassing to me, and I wonder what other nations think of us when he speaks publicly.

Rudd was thrown out of his own party, by his own colleagues, 3 years ago, yet he had only been in the new job a few weeks and he was already ahead of Abbott in the polls.

He hasn't even had to put up any real policy announcements yet, and he is still way more popular than Abbott.

It won't matter how 'negative' Rudd and his cohorts are about the Liberals, they could never beat Tony at that particular game...

There is nothing new here, the Liberal Party has long been a party of negativity, Abbott is only carrying on a long tradition of opposition to any notion of progressive change and social justice within Australian society. The center piece of conservative policy is their dry theories of economic rationalism, Abbott is a long time devotee to these dry theories. Believing market forces are the only determinants in society. forget about people, they are of little consequence, the economy is what matters, profits are paramount.
Abbott and his cronies on assuming power will unleash the conservative wrecking ball on Australian society, attacking workers and the poor, while all alone rewarding the rich by facilitating the drive for ever increasing profits. Given the opportunity an Abbott led government will find much to do in unwinding Labors positive achievements, the reintroduction of work choices to attack the lowest paid in society, attacking social services to remove the safety net for Australia's poor and least well off. The abolition of the mining and carbon taxes will see ever increasing profits flowing to the wealthy in our society. Many Australians will have little joy and comfort to look forward too from an Abbott led government.

...Yes indeed, I have never seen such a negative opposition leader as Tony Abbott.

You're right Suz, but on the other hand, have we ever seen so many failures, and such non productive debt as has been the case from this government.

In fact, had so much not been wasted, the likes of Gonski amd NDIS would be very affordable, and our pensioners (old age) would be able to heat their houses, amd watch the TV at the same time.

I for one doubt Rudd can save labor, I say this because, having a government run the country, who as little as three weeks ago were dead and buried, all because of ONE MAN, seems to be a huge risk if you ask me, especially as he has been there before, and failed.

My own brother was contacted by a pollster and, once he divolged his age, 50 plus, they hung up.

I think there will be more formal votes this election than there have been for a while, simply because many people want to have their say.

You could be right there rehctub.
I too doubt Labor can pull it off again, especially if Abbott comes up with some reasonable policies.

I am not a Labor supporter, but I still can't bring myself to even consider the Liberals with Abbott at the helm.

I know it is not right to discard a political party simply because of the leader, but I have never felt so strongly against a party leader before.
And I know I'm not alone......not by a long shot.

We had no choice but to cop this rubbish under Gillard.
We have that choice and the polls now.
Out author puts no case, unless it is hidden from me, that we are the negative side or ever have been.
I feel the fear of conservatives.
A fear they have every bright to hold.
But it, that fear, is not able to change truth.
This thread is looking for other than truth.
And amuses me.

already ahead of Abbott in the polls.
Suseonline,
That is a reflection of ignorant supporter syndrome & not in the slightest based on competence.
The reason why Abbott is refraining from stating his policies is because you lot due to no sense would declare war on any policy that makes sense & take the focus away from the policies. You are always asking for policies but you wouldn't accept them. Makes perfect sense for Abbott not to disclose any. The thinking voter already knows that no matter what, a Coalition Government led by Abbott can never be as incompetent as the ALP even if they tried.

Dear Suse,

Glad to see you back and commenting.

The following link may be of interest:

http://independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/australia-is-not-an-economic-basket-case/

Sbr108 mate, yes it astounds me that on the face of it, rational individuals discount fact for membership. My team right or wrong is the type of tribalism rhetoric that Goebbels used to blind 60 million Germans to reality. The Fabians via the “Labor” party have done it to the First World…..only the homogeneity is not blood lines but ideology..

Lexi>> One wears glasses and a smile
The other - a sneer on his big-eared dial<<

Lexi my “Pam Ayres” belle, do you judge all on the superficial….do results, track record and unfulfilled promises mean nothing as long as they emanate from your side of the fence?

Belly>> Cheeky post and brave<<

Is that code for forthright and factual china?

Suseonline>> but I have never felt so strongly against a party leader before.
And I know I'm not alone<<

Suse, are you old enough to recall radio station 2JJ, now 2JJJ?
An ABC funded station that ran a political parody skit called “How Green was my Cactus.” John Howard was lambasted for his appearance his speech and his politics….I did not think he was a capable minister let alone PM.

But he got the job and did well, achieving a statesman like persona that did not embarass me when he went abroard. It is too early to judge Abbott. He is not the PR machines choice, from his look to his cumbersome croaky delivery of uhms and ahs he is not a salable asset.

In saying that, Abbott delivered the single most honest stream of verbiage that I have ever heard from a politician. He told us that you can only bank on what he puts in writing or formally acknowledges, and the fools who cry for honesty in government shot him down for it.

But integrity is what I want…from left and right….I did not find it in Rudd or Gillard, I may not find it in Abbott….but we don’t know yet.

Is it worth the risk, that is what the people are saying. Abbott is unknown quantity but we shouldn't have to elect him to find out.
Can't he say something, he wants us to trust an unknown.
The idea will be to create an unemployment pool, so wages and conditions can be attacked. There has got to be another way, that sort of thinking can only make the ball go around again and again. Why do liberals get themselves out of govt;. Because they attack the worker.
It can't be much fun selling your house because you can't pay the mortgage.
QLD changed govt; with the promise of good things to come. Their rising debt says it all. With all the sackings it has not worked.
Power prices out of control and will remain that way until they privatise.

Dear SOG,

If I really went for the superficial - as you suggest,
I'd be buying
the dark blue suit, white shirt, and blue tie
of the newly presented Mr "Nice" Abbott instead
of the old nasty, negative, nay saying guy
we all know. But I'm not!
And I'd also be buying the Coalitions "Plan for
all Australians," that has no detailed policies -
but is full of "motherhood statements," which
even Malcolm Turnbull was embarrassed to discuss
on "Q and A," last Monday evening.

Doog the subject is politics.
If make statements about the Mad Monk being an unknown you are too young to comment.
Goggle the man, his bitter ways, his admitting to lying.
His while Minister for health cuts and attempts to imprison both Hanson and a young couple for using the abortion pill?
Or do I have humble pie to eat?
For your post to make sense you should say you meant unloved.

Belly,
we're all aware of what Abbott did wrong & we'll let him know in no uncertain terms if he does it again. Rudd has done a lot more wrong yet you're not denouncing him ?

The original comment shows a lack of understanding of both fiat money in a sovereign state and the proper economic role of the sovereign (money issuing) government.

Neglecting the effect of the balance of trade, if the money issuing government runs a surplus, it removes more money from the economy than in puts in so the private systems financial wealth goes down. That is a simple accounting truth. Over the business cycle, from peak to peak, the sovereign debt should grow at least by the same percentage as the economy grew.

The role of the sovereign government is to counteract the fluctuations in enthusiasm of the private sector. The mining sector is a recent example. China was expanding rapidly and the demand for iron ore and coal was rising. Miners became over enthusiastic and too many projects to expand supply were started. As those excessive increases in output capacity came on line, the ore and coal prices fell and the enthusiasm dissipated. The rapid expansion of the mining industry adversely distorted the market opportunities in other fields and we now have the need for more government provided "stimulated" demand for both goods and services.

Banks only create debts offset by an increase in the banks assets. The indebtedness of citizens to the banks removes demand from other market sectors so employment opportunities fall and government stimulus becomes necessary. A boom in the housing market removes spending power from the younger generation. It is adverse to the real interests of my grandchildren.

Most of those who comment on economic matters on these site need to read up the blogs at New Economic Perspectives posted by the Economics Department of the University of Missouri, Kansas City.

Bernacke in the USA with his Quantitative Easing, that is mainly rescuing the speculators and white collar criminals who caused the GFC, and the Neo-liberal economists imposing austerity in Europe are wrong.

So Rudd is being negative about Abbott's negativity. Since two negatives cancel each other, Rudd is actually being quite positive. Maybe that's why the polls are rising?

This surge in the polls for the show pony is very shallowly based.
You can tell this by the pop singer reception he is getting.
It is purely on appearance and annoyance that he was turfed by Gillard.
That won't happen again as he is changing the rules to make sure.

Frankly I would prefer a dower serious PM to a charismatic one any day.
To be frank, Abbot could not do worse than Rudd. He might even do a lot better.

Re the policy timing, I have said it here before; the oppositions don't
announce their policies until the election is declared by the GG.
Labour doesn't do it either and those like Lexi who go on about it
must have very short memories because they do not remember the Libs
saying exactly the same thing about Labour.

Talk about hypocrites !

After three years of the Lieberal party and its negativity this post is just laughable.

We have witnessed what Abbott is all about, surprising he is still there.
Not well liked and not well talented. If he ever says something it will make world headlines, for putting his foot in his mouth.
No doubt that is why he won't say anything that has not been written down for him.
No way to be an offering as a PM. Just maybe he will sell his a*s and give Tas that Billion $ for a hospital.

I've just recently come across the following link
which may be of interest to some people:

http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/the-polishing-of-tony-abbott-two/

It's something you won't find in the MSM or being discussed
in The Australian, by Andrew Bolt, Alan Jones, or Piers
Akermann et al. But it's worth a read for those who believe
that good decisions are based on good information.

You must spend your life on that site Lexi.

You post a daily feed of articles from it and doubling up on particular articles that appeal to your views.

You are making OLO into a promotional site for another competing internet site.

Fair go! What about showing some respect and decency to the moderators of OLO and cutting down a bit?

onthebeach,

You are not obliged to read either my posts or any of
the links that I provide.

Besides,
Shadow Minister - just to
name one, is well known for "promoting" on this forum
and I imagine
you would never pull him or any other people who have
the wisedom to see things your way - up on it.
I believe that people are entitled to be informed.
It's an occupational hazard. And as long as people
like yourself keep spruiking misinformation - I feel
an obligation to present the bigger and fuller picture.
BTW - You accused me of trying to control Belly?
Now who's trying to control?
Hmmmm.

Tony Abbott has made it quite clear that he will announce policies, once an election date is set.

I'm guessing he wants to wait until parliament is dissolved first, because at least then he will access to the same amount in advertising funds to get his message out.

Can't see a problem with that!

Taking about "dissolved".

Tony's cred isn't doing so well at the moment.

He's having to sell himself and is coming up against his mouth.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-15/abbott-dismisses-ets-as-market-in-an-invisible-substance/4820564