I have said a few times in this forum how I think this generation of kids have really got something happening. With all the hype about the dangers of the internet and our connected lives there seems to be some real positives being derived one of which is the informing and empowering of our children.

This was a video posted the other day of Tony Abbott talking to a group of Year 9 students outside parliament house in Canberra.

http://youtu.be/yBZwu5bAEdo

The questions from the students were all hard hitting and topical, and the derision certainly mounted with every answer Abbott gave.

This seems to reflect my experiences with this younger generation. Respect can be quickly lost and the bulldust detectors are pretty well honed. You give them a narrative they can get behind and they seem capable of some terrific things. Lose them and you have your work cut out for you. This confidence, and not being prepared to give unearned difference to others, even Prime Ministers, can be unsettling and confronting to some but I welcome it.

I am looking forward to seeing what they make of our country once they take the reins, It just might be inspiring.

Steele reedux,
Yeah, smack-bang in ALP territory & with questions about homosexuality intstead of employment, economy, law & order etc. Wow, these kids ar switched on. As long as you think so SR our future is assured. :-(

Dear SteeleRedux,

I find most young people inspiring.
Perhaps I've been lucky. But running
school-group tours, book-clubs,
story time sessions, I've been impressed
by the children and teenagers I've come
in contact with. Their parents and their
teachers must be doing something right.

You are so right there Steele redux.
I enjoy mixing with young people and young adults as I do agree they have a much more informed view of current and world events than we ever did at that age.

They also, in the main, seem to be far more tolerant of minority groups, different sexuality and other religious or non religious groups these days.

Maybe some aren't blindly following what their racist, homophobic, bigoted and/or generally intolerant parents thought.....thank goodness!

I know my parents were generally quite intolerant of those different to them, whereas I had to deal with those 'teachings' in a different way, so I could be an effective nurse for all patients.
My daughter takes everyone as they come, and I am proud to see that.

Dear Individual,

Thank you for your comment.

Dear Foxy and Susieonline,

I too am involved with that age group and a little older. They are using media differently. For instance the 'Today Tonight' is one of the most tilted toward the older generation and its anti immigrant/anti-climate change messages played to that demographic very well. This was a cohort brought up on the medium of television where critical thinking was not encouraged and interaction was distinctly limited. It was also a medium controlled by bosses like Rupert and the chase for ratings ends up with this sort of disgraceful behaviour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUryKmSZwuQ

And we know more than a few old OLOers who lap this sort of stuff up and regurgitate it here.

When I first looked at the video a couple of days ago it was a little under 30,000 views, it is now over 259,000 (What is it about Abbott and highly viewed Youtube clips? Remember the misogynist speech). That sort of exposure for a political media item is exceedingly rare in Australia, especially through mainstream media, but not in the world our youth is inhabiting. Is it open for the kind of abuse described in the above link? Of course, but the opportunity for this sort of unscripted release by a teenager is now there, probably much to the consternation of the gatekeepers.

Just a note, when one of my kids was watching this they actually commented about the 'rudeness' of the students and said they were uncomfortable listening to them. Then Abbott said 'Let's hear a bloke's question now!' or words to that effect the mouth dropped and the hackles shot up. Zero sympathy.

"Yeah, smack-bang in ALP territory & with questions about homosexuality intstead of employment, economy, law & order etc."
Indi, speaking from a point of ignorance once again. The school might be in King Street Newtown, but The Newtown High School of the Performing Arts draws it student body from all over Sydney, even the sons and daughters of 'Leafy North Shore Liberals' attend the school, that's leafy not lefty. Then again a bit of stereotyping is in order, performing arts, homosexuals, don't play rugby, arty farty's, Newtown, lefty, on and on, vote Labor, worse still, vote Green. LOL.
I just don't know what it is about conservatives, you would think by the law of averages they would get something right, sometime, but they get nothing right! Amazing.

Those kids are much more concerned about gay marriage than climate change, and about asylum seekers than sustainability.

Wrong priorities!

I don’t like the lack of respect for our PM either.

I wonder what people like this would make of our country if they took the reins in ten or twenty years time.

Sorry SteeleRedux, but I agree with Indi.

Yep the secular dogmas that have indoctrinated kids with green religion and perverted behaviour on display. No doubt the kids have been warned of the dangers of diseases from practicing sodomy and the totally failed green schemes. Not much chance of becoming thinkers if you are being indoctrinated by leftist teachers.

Yes, it was interesting seeing Abbott start out in patronising mode, only to be confronted with well informed articulate teenagers.

Then he had to attempt to articulate himself, realising that his usual sloganeering wasn't going to cut it.

Also notable in the wings was puppet master Credlin chaperoning her charge as usual.

All you people criticising those young people, don't appear to have a problem with a cardboard cut-out PM, replete with IPA slogans and not much else.

Nice to see him challenged by the next generation of leaders.

I'd also like to add for those who think the students' behaviour was rude.

You might like to tune into Parliament Question Time in the future. The "rudeness" and hostility which unfolds there is something to behold. These teenagers, one may imagine, have watched proceedings in QT and come away thinking that's how it's done.

Those questions fired at the PM pale in comparison to the usual belligerent fare tossed about on the floor of the House whenever parliament is sitting.

Poirot, parliamentary behaviour is disgraceful. But I doubt that it has much to do with the general lack of respect that those kids showed to our PM.

I don’t have much time for Abbott. It is early days but I reckon he is probably going to be our second worst ever PM, after Rudd!

But I think that he deserves respect, if only because of the high office that he holds.

And it would have reflected very well on those kids if they’d shown that sort of basic respect.

It is not the nature of the questions that they asked, but the nature of their rather noisy carry-on that I found distasteful.

We want the next generation to improve our political system, and therein improve the level of respect shown to each other at all levels of politics, don’t we?

Another joke!

Kids under about 25 minimum are nothing but what some parent, teacher or professor has put into their head.

People who have to use them to push their ideas are gutless users.

It appears that quite a few people are expressing
united opinions about the current government
in the traditional way of - you guessed it - by protesting:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/16/anarchists-and-babies-and-all-in-between-gather-to-march-in-march

Through collective action, ordinary people with few
resources other then their own determination can bring
about change. History has shown us that once people
no longer take their world for granted, but instead understand
the social authorship of their lives and futures, they can
become an irresistible force in history.

Families, children, students, academics, are all getting
this message - as we saw from the marches on Sunday.

Hey Foxy sweetie, I reckon those marches had just one objective. That was to try to take the media spotlight off the catastrophic defeat of Labor & the Greens in Tasmania.

That result tell us what the majority of the public think of the left parties, & their government.

A few thousand people wandering the streets, & a large chunk of them having very ugly minds, going by the disgusting signage they carried, didn't say much for the movement.

Hi all,

Sorry about my earlier link. It should have been this one;

http://youtu.be/fUryKmSZwuQ

And you should have a look too Hasbeen, this is what you and your demographic get served up to them on a nightly basis. It is no wonder our young rightly look to other places for their news and views. It is you lot who are the white and woolly.

Dear runner,

I thought these kids were showing some very authentic Christian values such as speaking out for the oppressed in their society, concerned about those in prison, and condemning the ongoing degradation of God's creation. Being a Paulian rather than a Christian you may just have a little trouble seeing it.

Yes, runner....one imagines Christ would be supporting those school kids standing up for the oppressed we shunt back out to sea.

Or do you reckon Christ would be cheering this sort of thing on?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-17/asylum-seekers-give-details-on-operation-sovereign-borders/5326546

Dear Hassie,

It apparently was not just a few thousand demonstrating
around Australia - but as the link I cited tells us, it
was tens of thousands which does indicate that there is
a problem.

The Vietnam war came to an end largely as a result of the
antiwar movement, a social movement that consisted
disproportionately of young people, including many college
students, especially in the US. When the anti-war movement
first challenged the war, it received little support
from politicians or the press, and its goals seemed
almost hopeless. But the tide of public opinion gradually
began to shift.

In the 1968 presidential primaries in the US, an antiwar
candidate backed by student volunteers did unexpectedly
well and President Johnson decided not to run for
re-election. From that point on, political debate on the
war focused not on how to stay in it, but on how to get
out of it.

Through collective action, ordinary people with few resources
other than their own determination had changed a national
consensus for war to a national consensus for peace.

This simply illustrates as I mentioned earlier that
once people no longer take their world for granted, but
instead understand the social authorship of their lives
and futures, they can become an irresistible force in
history.

Any comparison with the Vietnam protest movement is a false analogy.

The election results for Tasmania and South Australia are facts that are uncomfortable for the Greens especially and also for Labor.

Surely Foxy, the result in Tasmania, the only poll or demonstration that actually counts, shows it is Labor with the biggest problem, followed by the Greens.

They are showing what real people, not just a noisy rabble, think of lefty attempts at government.

Dear Hassie,

Real people - tens of thousands of them took part
in Sunday's protests around the country. They
included families, children, students, academics,
and others.

Thinking about the federal election and now the Tassie and SA elections, the inevitable conclusion is that Labor is ruled by elitists who put ideology before democracy and for whom public consultation is unnecessary.

In government it was always decisions made behind closed doors and 'never you mind' followed by dreadful labels and abuse for anyone with the temerity to ask for some accountability.

Even in office there was always the blame game, because Labor and the Greens are divisive. They never stopped fighting as either side jockeyed over abstract differences in looney Left ideology that had never worked before and still didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of ever working let alone being acceptable to the public (remember the public?).

Christine Milne is giving Labor terrible serves over the election results. She did the same after the federal election. After bloodying each other again, and L'il Willie Shorten is no match for Christine Milne - Shorten is relying on Grrl Penny Wong to stand in for him and spin losses into wins - the two spiteful, sparring lovers Labor and Greens will as usual divert the blame onto the media and everyone else but themselves.

Foxy,
(Hi there:)

"Dear Hassie,

Real people - tens of thousands of them took part
in Sunday's protests around the country. They
included families, children, students, academics,
and others."

Note the minimum coverage from MSM.

Dear Poirot,

Hi yourself - and welcome back.
So glad to see you posting again!

Yes I have noticed that the MSM has given very
little coverage to Sunday's marches.
However, there's been plenty of coverage from
other sources and in any case not many people
especially young people today rely only on the
MSM for their information.

otb,

We have to remember the long tenure of Labor in
office in South Australia (since 2002) and in
Tassie even longer (there's been a Labor Premier
since 1998), this may also have been a factor in these
state elections. When the mood for change is
on, even relatively popular governments and
leaders can be swept from office.

Local issues are also very important and Labor's
campaign has lacked lustre. Still it will be interesting
to see what happens in these states in a few years time
after the states experience Liberal Party rule.
After all the states deliver most of the public services
across all level of government that ordinary citizens
rely on. They also retain critical regulatory powers in
all sorts of economic and social spheres.

Interesting times ahead - to see how the states will fare
under a change in state government.

Perhaps too much of the message & posters, was just too crude for the MSM, even the ABC to show on TV.

I know I would have nothing to do with such a disgusting rabble. It was going too far, even for this redneck.

I am not surprised that Poirot approves, but messages such as F#@* Tony, & threatening assassination I thought would be a bit too crude for you Foxy.

It certainly proves the inner city chattering class is not too well educated, or they would have been able to produce something more interesting

Dear Hassie,

I'm frankly surprised at your being disgusted at the
protest marches and the people who took part.
I would have thought that you'd be an advocate of
"free speech." I don't recall any disgust coming
from you when our previous PM Julia Gillard was being attacked
by the crowd that came in by the bus load into Canberra
and the vulgar signs that were put up against her. In front
of which our then opposition leader Mr Abbott stood.

I guess it all comes down to who's protesting and against
whom doesn't it?

Yes Poirot no doubt the teachers failed to let the kids know of 1200 or so deaths caused by RUdd/GIllard policy. Just tears for one so 15 can wear vulgar t/shirts demonising ABbott. So compassionate!

Yes, Hasbeen,

I don't recall you fainting in hysterics when Tones, Sophie and Bronnie and Co. were doin' their thing here...

http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/image.axd?picture=2013%2F5%2FAbbottDitchWitch.jpg

Faux sensibilities are such a pain, aren't they.

Yeah, runner...Jesus would cheer them on as they stuffed 'em into the orange pods (not)

This "vulgar", you reckon?

http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/image.axd?picture=2013%2F5%2FAbbottDitchWitch.jpg

Dear Foxy,

It was a pretty simple message from the March in march folk and reads as follows;

"A Statement of No Confidence in the Abbott Government
From The People of Australia

Let it be known, and entered into the public record, that on this day, Monday 17 March 2014, the People of Australia delivered this document to the Parliament of Australia.

This document is a “Statement of No Confidence” in the Liberal National Party Coalition Government and is tendered on behalf of the many thousands of people around the nation who marched in rallies and protests on the 15, 16 and 17 March 2014.

The people express their profound dissatisfaction with actions of the Liberal National Party Coalition Government and the Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott, during their term in office.

This document asserts that many decisions made within this Government’s term in office have already resulted in, and will continue to result in, great damage to Australia’s economy, to our social structure, to the deterioration of our country’s international public image and to further devastation of our natural environment and our Heritage listed sites.

The people protest at a great number of policies and decisions being implemented by the Liberal National Party Coalition Government which are in denial of the best interests and image of our nation and an affront to the common good.

This document affirms the public dissatisfaction with policies that are incompatible with our international moral and legal responsibilities and to our way of life as a compassionate and caring people.

The social democracy that represents the very fabric of Australian ideology requires that the Government govern for the common good of all its people.

We believe that decisions have been made in our name which are unfair, lacking in integrity, costly and divisive.

We, the people of Australia, call upon the Government to recognise this Statement of No Confidence."

As to offensive signage I am yet to see the poster that said “Kill Tony Abbott”. Media seems to be reporting it but without images. Hearsay? But the organisers did make it very clear that they wanted posters to “Be kept respectful” and the vast majority were just that.

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BikQPMoCUAAjcqK.jpg:medium

"When protesters do emerge in significant numbers, however, it is the job of the news media to report them. It is indeed one of our most basic functions and one which we abjectly failed to perform on the weekend, first ignoring the twenty-thousand citizens who rallied across rural and regional Australia, before ignoring or underreporting the much larger numbers who rallied in the state capitals on Sunday."
Brisbane Times

Dear SteeleRedux,

Thank You for providing this extra information.
It helps clarify things and I trust that
Hasbeen and others are reading your posts as well.

Again, Thank You.

This was posted here as a document of no confidence.

This document asserts that many decisions made within this Government’s term in office have already resulted in, and will continue to result in, great damage to Australia’s economy, to our social structure, to the deterioration of our country’s international public image and to further devastation of our natural environment and our Heritage listed sites.

The people protest at a great number of policies and decisions being implemented by the Liberal National Party Coalition Government which are in denial of the best interests and image of our nation and an affront to the common good.

Would someone like to articulate the many decisions that have resulted in the claims quoted above. Frankly, except for the welcome action in stopping the boats and saving lives, I am critical of the government not yet doing enough to counter the disasterous past 6 years.

Wasn't their main beef that they refuse to accept democracy? In particular, the federal election result?

It went down like a damp squib. Bit desperate and needy to post the 'message' on OLO. A year 12 student could have done better on that waffle.

Honestly, who cares and get on with life.

<The social democracy that represents the very fabric of Australian ideology..>

Ye Gods, who writes that bumpf?

It is very interesting how the original video has progressed through the Youtube trend matrix.

After being popular with the younger ages when it was posted it is now finding a wider audience with the more mature demographic. What is also telling is it resonating notably more with female users, right into the 65+ cohort.

Figures per age group as of an hour ago.

65+
Female users - 3rd
Male users – Out of the top 10

55 – 64
Female users - 3rd
Male users – 6th

45 – 54
Female users - 4th
Male users – 10th

35 – 44
Female users - 9th
Male users – Out of the top 10

25 – 34
Female users - 7th
Male users – Out of the top 10

18 – 24
Female users – Out of the top 10
Male users – Out of the top 10

13 – 17
Female users – Out of the top 10
Male users – Out of the top 10

www.youtube.com/trendsdashboard#loc0=aus&age0=45-54&gen0=female&mode=compare&age1=55-64&loc1=aus&loc2=aus&age2=65-&gen2=female&gen1=female

It has also managed to garner an extraordinary 400,000 views. it must be making his advisers tear their hair out.

One can't help but wonder if the current government
was Labor would the same people be as adamant
against the protest marches of tens of thousands of
Australians currently expressing their dissatisfaction
with the current Liberal government?

A tolerance of criticism and of dissenting opinions is
after all fundamental to democracy.

Governing parties must
resist the temptation to equate their own policies with
the national good, or they will tend to regard
opposition as disloyal. This would go against the belief
that so many Australians share - that every citizen should have
the right of political participation.

Tasmanian election.

Liberals 14

Labor 6, Green?

That tells us what the people want, nothing about the clowns who spend their time watching you tube though.

I guess if you are desperate enough, you wander the street shouting, & pretend You tube statistics are more important than election results.

Dear Hassie,

Labor's tenure in those states has been long,
very long. We'll have to wait and see how long
the Libs will get to stay in power.
Queenslanders aren't too happy at the moment
are they?

Actually Foxy my sweet, Queenslanders are quite happy with Newman & company.

Public servants, the welfare community, & the usual bludgers in the NGOs are not too happy. Having the support of our lefty press does get these types bitches out on TV, but it is less than general.

I guess they must loose some seats, many they currently hold are safe Labor normally. In fact Newman's own seat was a 7% safe Labor seat, when he was game enough to stand for it. I think he is likely to have trouble holding it, which would make things interesting.

The fact that the LNP came quite close in the Rudd old seat, previously a massively safe Labor seat, indicates that the LNP is traveling pretty well.

I doubt Labor fighting for the carbon tax will go well for them. As power prices rise, I expect a big backlash against that. It gives the LNP a memory jog to remind people how much they despised Gillard, & reinforce the "labor are liars" message.

Dear Hassie,

Sorry to disappoint your take on things.
The Brisbane Times has a different view to yours on
what Queenslanders feel about their current
state government. But you can read it here
for yourself:

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbanes-march-in-march-attracts-thousands-20140316-34v6e.html

Dear Hasbeen,

Have I been ignoring you mate? Well here I am you old dear, you have my full attention.

Yes that new fangled Youtube, it's a pesky distraction ain't it, should be done away with immediately!

Now have you been wandering off again? What's that about the state election in Tasmania? Yes I know, a lot to shout and hoot about, but mate we were discussing your Mr Abbott and Federal politics. When did Menzies go? Oh a while ago now my dear chap but you remember young Tony, went and got himself elected. Has he done a good job you ask? Well sadly dear fellow it seems no, thousands have marched against him and the polling shows the other mob ahead.

Shall I get you your reading glasses?

Here you go.

“If a Federal Election were held today it would result in an ALP victory - two-party preferred support is ALP 53.5% (up 3% since the Morgan Poll of February  15/16 & 22/23, 2014) cf. L-NP 46.5% (down 3%) according to the Morgan Poll. This multi-mode Morgan Poll on voting intention was conducted over the last two weekends (March 1/2 & 8/9, 2014) with an Australia-wide cross-section of 2,903 Australian electors aged 18+.”

“Analysis by Gender shows that ALP support is still strongest amongst women with the ALP (57%, up 3.5% since February 15/16 & 22/23, 2014) well ahead of the L-NP (43%, down 3.5%) on a two-party preferred basis. However, support amongst men slightly favours the L-NP 51% (down 1.5%) cf. ALP 49% (up 1.5%).”
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/5477-morgan-poll-march-11-2014-201403110445

What's that you say? Shouldn't have ever given women the vote? Tut tut Hasbeen, that horse has well and truly bolted, just have to make the best of it dear.

Hey Foxy sweaty, what the hell is the Brisbane Times. I live here & have never heard of it. Is it some sort of inner city propaganda sheet, or is it a weblog for labor supporters.

The feeling out of Bureaucrat land & the inner city chatterers is that he is going too slow, not the other way around.

I know you can't realise just how bad Beattie & Bligh were, but think even worse than Rudd & you will start to get the idea.

Steely I don't mind, I ignore most twits, you included you. Go on kidding & talking to yourself, as long as you do it quietly I promise not to disturb you. Just do be careful, when you realise you are answering yourself, it is too late, madness has complete control.

Dear Hassie,

Now I know that you're simply stirring
by feigning ignorance of The Brisbane Times.
Have a nice evening.

Cheers.

Dear Hasbeen,

“I promise not to disturb you.”

Lol.

Normally when facts are posted in your direction the default response is always bombastic froth but I didn't expect that. Come to think of it do you ever post links or even supporting evidence? I can't recall many.

Well I suppose if you are a man of your word then this is indeed a blessed day.

Perhaps you are after more time to attempt to get 'sweaty' with Foxy, not too excited about your chances old fella.

Dear Foxy,

It is interesting how Hasbeen and his mob don't mind stirring but hate it being returned.

As to Queensland a massive swing against Newman's Liberals in the recent by-election was really telling. I think an Abbott/Newman combination is turning stomachs even for conservative Queenslanders. We don't generally go through too many years with power staying in the hands of the one party at both federal and state levels at the same time.

Interesting times.

Dear SteeleRedux,

Interesting times indeed.

Many people seem dissatisfied with the current political
situation at present - on all sides of politics.

I've
been able to watch "Question Time," recently.
Nothing has changed. It's the same tit-for-tat.
Here in Melbourne we've got state elections later in the
year. They've changed the electoral boundaries in our area
and the excellent Liberal MP that we had has now lost her seat
and is looking for another. She was such a hard worker - and
we're disappointed in the loss. Hopefully the Party
will find a place for her - we need good people in government.

Steelie, Hasbeen's really a lovely bloke,
and has a good heart. I enjoy sparring with him and he's
never seriously mean or nasty.

Foxy,

Regarding Question Time not being much different.

There is one singular difference - and that is the elevation of Bronwyn Bishop to the role of Speaker.

You'd have to travel a long way to witness a more diabolical, partisan and biased performance...she's quite something.

Not only does she fumble about, but she's even taken to warning members before they even speak their point of order. She often dismisses points of order before the member has even begun to make them.

She's inconsistent, and will allow the govt to say things that she shuts down in the Opposition.

If she's a bit tardy in her dismissal of anything regarding the Opposition, her teacher's pet, Chris Pyne, is immediately yapping in her ear.

While the sitting govt has always had the upper hand in QT, with Bronnie presiding, it's now a complete farce.

Dear Foxy,

I will take your word for it about Hasbeen.

I had felt he was rolling out patronising terms of endearment as seems to be the de rigueur toward female posters on OLO so I was just returning the favour as is my want, easily tempered forthwith.

Speaking of us 'clowns' who watch Youtube have you caught up with http://24hoursofhappiness.com/ ? It has been a collaboration between Pharrell Williams and the UN to celebrate World Happy Day and to raise money for UN humanitarian causes. The idea is to create a 24 hour long music video from contributions from all over the globe set to Pharrell's Happiness song. It is drawing to a close now.

This was a submission from Sydney. I love the way it celebrates our diversity and the energy we seem to have going in this country despite our federal government.
http://youtu.be/TpQNu7hXxmY

I know it will bring derision from the old fart brigade on OLO, so be it. I see the youth of today being full of new possibilities for a different future and hopefully they will impact our politics rather than sidestepping it as they seem to be doing now.

Dear Poirot,

I agree 100 per cent with you on Bronwyn Bishop.
I'm totally amazed that she's been allowed to
get away with her biased behaviour. Surely there
must be certain codes that even a speaker must
adhere to and there must be action that the Opposition
could take to protest. She should not be in that
position. Being over 70 perhaps she should retire?

Dear SteeleRedux,

I share in your optimism about our young people.
The ones I work with are very interested in many
important issues and are getting involved.
But then that's not surprising - having people like
yourself as role-models guiding and working with them -
you make a good team. ;-)

On page 5 Steele posted 'a statement of no confidence in the Abbott government' which apparently was carried by the protesters in the recent march.

On page 6 I asked if someone could articulate the many decisions that have lead to the 'statement of no confidence'.

2 days and 2 pages later, it appears that no one can list the decisions claimed, or suddenly they are no longer an issue.

Guess it can be filed in the lefty propaganda and bulldust folder.

Don't forget during the last government, there was an uncontested list of 50 plus 'Labor Lemons' circulated. Oh, and another has came to light, Tanya's $4.5 billion low rental housing scheme, which favoured developers and foreign students.

Dear Banjo,

I find it amazing that you're assigning the marches to
"lefty propaganda and bulldust folder." And you're doing
this because you couldn't Google the information for yourself
on the web? The fact that such huge numbers of people
marched across 33 centres on that wekk-end (Saturday and Sunday)
doesn't tell you anything? And their concerns weren't about
just one issue but many - from coal seam gas, "jobs not cuts," a
better deal for child-care workers, calls to stop the TPP,
support for refugee and gay rights, action on domestic
violence to name just a few. (You can Google can't you?).
There were builders, journalists, students, teachers, waiters,
and even homeless people. There were families, young people,
and yet you brush them all aside as "lefties," and their
concerns as "bull dust."

Perhaps you need to do a bit more research into this matter.
You just may change your mind with more information.
After all this is about politics, not a single political party.