Graham,

In your line of argument, its so easy for those that want to, to attack those they don't agree with. All you need is a media outlet to create a "story", that in turn becomes "public knowledge", then others of the like mind can reproduce that material at infinitum. Like in this exercise, reproducing that material as though its accepted fact, which it is not. Its all very clever but it doesn't make it right.

The reproduction of the obscene rantings of Adolf Hitler towards Jews would be acceptable with your line of argument. I am all for free speech, but many put hate speech under the banner of free speech, which is wrong and unacceptable.

//Shorten is a deeply dishonest individual...Just ask Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.// I do not recall either Gillard or Rudd putting that on the public record. Morrison might fall into the same category, just ask Abbott and Turnbull or some of the pre-selectors for the seat of Cook

workers getting short changed.
Aidan,
isn't it more a matter of workers short-changing themselves by supporting Labor ?

Paul,

What is public knowledge is generally what is not in dispute.

For example unlike 99.9% of the population Bill Shorten has had a complaint of rape laid against him by a woman who was at the time a vulnerable intern in the labor party and who has no apparent motivation either political or financial to make a false claim. That decades later there was insufficient evidence for a successful prosecution does little for his reputation. That BS while married knocked up another man's wife and is rumoured to have knocked up another ALP staff member does not imbue him either.

That under Shorten a series of agreements that severely disadvantaged workers by $100s of millions were negotiated in return for generous donations to the union is also public knowledge. That the unions refuse to release any records of these transactions stinks to high heaven.

Aidan,

That these contracts were negotiated under work choices so the unions had no choice but to accept the substantial payments from the employers is unmitigated bollocks considering that none of the employers could have stripped the employees rights without a union agreement.

You might not have noticed Paul, but that is exactly how global warming hysteria has spread. Someone publishes a dodgy paper, which all the hysterics latch onto and reference and repost. The next thing you know it is the truth.

These are not strategies I use, but others do, and I'm not going to selectively adjudicate between people who are essentially doing the same thing.

You might recall the Tony Abbott case where it was alleged he intimidated a woman at a university when he was a student, or the Kavanaugh case in the USA.

If you want change, then you need to change the laws.

BTW, I have a copy of Mein Kampf, and Hitler is clearly mad. I'd be happy to reproduce some of his speeches. No harm in exposing idiots. And it's not illegal here.

Dear Aidan,

I watched Scott Morrison being interviewed by Leigh Sales
on the 7.30 Report last night. It did not go well.
Morrison came across as very aggressive. He tried
talking over Leigh Sales, and kept on attacking Labor
without answering the questions being asked. It was a very
poor showing.

On the other hand - I also watched Q&A later in the evening
where Bill Shorten faced a large diverse audience at Monash
University - answering questions from members of the
public, students, school students, and questions via
Skype. The heat was really turned on for the man.

He behaved admirably. He was relaxed, and warmed to the
audience. He easily handled some very tough questions with
ease. Unlike Morrison, Shorten did not launch an attack on
the Liberal Party. He behaved graciously and professionally.
And displayed the qualities of a leader.
I've never been crazy about Mr Shorten in the past - but
after watching Q&A last night - I was impressed.
Very impressed. I agree with you - he will make a good PM!

Dear Foxy,

I'm wondering if you also managed to watch Chris Bowen on Q&A? I thought he was quite impressive.

Bill Shorten has done enough to win the PM job. I still have issues with the bloke but they are now well outweighed by what ScoMo and his bunch have become. I think there would probably half a dozen of those within the Labour party I would prefer above Shorten to be PM and to be truthful one or two of the Coalition would get a guernsey as well. But Morrison is well down the list.

Just as Howard ran on some solid old style Liberal party values I think Labour is now doing the same and people are responding. Bowen has articulated these with far more effectiveness than Shorten and ultimately people will probably decide to give the 'team' a go despite their misgivings over Shorten.

There are a number of people on this thread who are avid supporters of Trump despite their knowledge of the terrible sleaziness and dishonesty of the buffoon. Shorten's foibles do not come within a bull's roar of Trump's.