Mr. Abbott has only one agenda. To get rid of everything the Rudd government has done. The latest Howard wasteful and inefficient policy to be reborn is the trade schools. One can only wonder what the cost of undoing all of this government has done will be. It must be enormous. Mr. Abbott should remember it was one of the Howard government actions to bring massive change to aged care. They made age care user pay and expensive. It has not worked.

I do not agree with Mr Nash, he talks about Labor's debt, does he not remember the debt I believe Mr Howard left when he was treasurer of the Government of the time correct me if I am wrong, and Labor had to clear that one. Also if the GFC had happened while the Howard Government was in charge they would merely have given tax cuts to the working people, how would that have helped the pensioners, unemployed and the low income people who at least used Labor's handouts to keep people in jobs. As for the insulation debacle a lot of the blame should go to the Insulation Companies themselves for not having proper OHS rules and training for their workers. The government cannot watch every single worker on these sites and buildings it is absurd to even think it, the companies have to take some responsibility.

Unless we live in a most unusual town I must say that your summary of attitudes & certainly the question of gender is totally off the mark. I have rarely seen such a clear & widespread disgust of the performance & mistrust of what Labor leaders are saying & Gillard herself has just proved this is a valid perception.

For me it all boils down to character. Abbott for me is leagues ahead because he has demonstrated that he is willing to do what is necessary for the good of the people. Witness his volunteer lifesaving, his volunteer firefighting, his volunteer tutoring of Indigeneous children in remote Aboriginal settlements. I ask you, how many politicians do that sort of unsung, unpaid, unlauded work? Few indeed. Now lets look at Gillard. She was an activist with a far-Left Socialist organisation in University, she also I understand, had the job to funnel ex-Communists into the ALP. She is a member of Emily's List, a group of pro-abortion, pro-feminist, activist women. To top it all off, in 2002 she had a two year affair with Craig Emerson, current front-bench Minister of this Labor Government. She may have been single, but at the time he was married with three children and her affair helped end that marriage. These are the choices she made, it speaks volumes to me about her character, or rather lack of character. Her choices tell me, as a fellow woman, that she holds little regard for the sanctity of marriage vows. I hope Graham allows this post through, because the majority of the media seem to want to suppress this information about her, instead trying to create a different more positive narrative about her. Graham talks about values and trust in his article - how can we trust Gillard when we see the choices she has made in her life?

Have you all forgotten what the coalition did in the last election? They locked up innocent men, women & children in what were little better than concentration camps including some of our own citizens and guests. They led us into an illegal war resulting in the deaths of thousands of people just like you and me. They presided over unprecedented corruption (AWB). The same people who are now in top shadow ministries were the greatest mob of sycophants this country has ever seen and never once spoke up to combat the excesses of the Howard government. They hoarded our money on the pretext of filling black holes while they let infrastructure in all services run dry including roads, rail, education, health - the list is endless (and don't blame the states - they are dependent on the bulk of their income from federal sources for major infrastructure, education and health requirements). They have habitually preyed on people's irrational fears of xenophobia, financial insecurity, terrorism and they are continuing to do so in the coalition's advertising and spin program. At least Labor, for all their gutlessness, have not set their sites on invading other countries, killing and/or locking up children. At least they are attempting to do something constructive while the opposition seem hell bent on tearing everything down. It is easy to destroy, but it is much greater challenge to build.

And have we forgotten that this government kept Australia out of recession, enabling thousands to keep their jobs. Interest rates are the lowest we've seen for a long time. There is a plan to streamline the health system and stop the buck passing. A plan to give Australia the communication tools to overcome the "tyranny of distance" affecting business, education, health, population movement to regional areas etc. Yes there have been mistakes (guess what, that happens in life)

"in 2002 she had a two year affair with Craig Emerson, current front-bench Minister of this Labor Government...he was married with three children and her affair helped end that marriage"

Wow. I didn't know that, but a quick google search shows you are correct. Yuck! I don't want anyone like that leading my country.

Jules -- you are right. We should vote for policies and not personalities. However, Labor has presided over too much waste of our taxpayers' dollars for my liking. The biggest problem that anyone faces in life is lack of money or too much debt. It can wreck relationships, and I believe it could wreck this wonderful country of our's. It has to be pulled into line and I don't believe that Julia Gillard's legal background qualifies her to do that. Just look at the BER debacle. As for her adversary, very few people know that Tony Abbott graduated with a Bachelor of Economics (BEc) and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB)[4] from the University of Sydney, and went on to attend the Queen's College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. He is no longer in a position where he has to support a Liberal Leader; he is the Leader. TA will now lead the Coalition's policies whereas Labor's policies are Rudd's with a different face attached.

Patrick, I seem to remember that Tony Abbott thought he sired a love child, he didn't, but this did demonstrate he had affairs out of wedlock. Such matters are unrelated to their political performance and past dalliances are no arbiter of worth for either Tony or Julia as it is part of their common humanity. What does matter is honesty and consistency of personal beliefs, integrity and political policy, Tony shows very little of that while Julia excels. Watching the coalition's policies one sees only dishonesty and misrepresentation (as if the world did not have a GFC that needed debt-driven stimulus to counter) and policies that defy their core beliefs just to gain power (eg. denial of eventual goal to reintroduce Work Choices after the "never ever" immediate future has passed). Julia is prepared to reveal her lack of religious belief despite the dangers of loss of votes, and on matters such as climate change, prefers to work towards a consensus despite the spite of the Abbott led coalition who crow about a "big new tax" rather than honestly face the issue.

Anyone that thinks Gillard overthrew Rudd has a very simplistic idea of Labor politics. I've been there, and then the Democrats - now I'm with the Greens. Labor politics are down and dirty - factions and number counting. Anyone remember the Baldwin bashing? Rudd sank for two reasons - he torpedoed himself and he had no factional backing. Gillard isn't just a better policy wonk, she's also a much better politician. Anyone that comes from Victorian left and gets NSW right-wing backing has to be smart. She is, and she is what we need - SMART! But Gillard didn't overthrow Rudd - the Labor party machine did, they saw the problem and they solved it. The Australian published a piece several months ago entitled "Labor's enigmatic Prime Minister in Waiting" - it should have been obvious to blind freddy then how the numbers were falling and I admire her for holding off as long as she did. She showed genuine loyalty, and in the end she didn't jump, she was pushed.

Sorry to disappoint you Bill but you're way off the mark. I'm just an ordinary pleb, I'm not a member of any political party or a staffer. Never have been in fact. Actually was pretty unaware of politics until about five years ago when I woke from my stupor and started to take an interest. Since then I have been an avid reader of political blogs, and an observer of the daily news. I would consider myself pretty educated about Australian politics now and able to make an informed vote at election time. I just wish more people were like me and took an interest beyond the manufactured spin present in the daily headlines and newsgrabs.

Bill, re post 7, so many things I could say. I don't need to, as you already said regarding Julia Gillard "She is a member of Emily's List, a group of pro-abortion, pro-feminist, activist women." Aren't you? Why not? Shouldn't there be equal representation of women in Parliament? As for the 'pro-abortion, pro-feminist, activist label' what's your problem with that? Aren't women's bodies theirs to control? Aren't they free to state they can do any job a man can? Aren't they free to say so? Sounds to me like you're some form of National Socialist, or Communist - yes there's not much difference BTW. Oh yes I forgot to say I am male, single and totally support the pro-feminist movement.

It is moderated Davryn, but I can't see anything that needs to be taken down. The comments above, all of them, are examples of what comes through in the research. If an issue is important to people then it is important, and I can't see a basis for censoring it.

The nameless "Dickson voter" (blog 22) is so biassed that she could not see that I was NOT criticising Tony Abbott for his sexual activity out of wedlock (blog 17), I made the point that this is irrelevant - no mud thrown here! I certainly did NOT suggest he cheated his wife, please do not misrepresent me. Although conservatives are dog-whistling loudly against Julia on her personal life now and past, I have seen no comments from the Labor side about Tony's earlier life.

My criticisms were made on other criteria that have emerged during the past few years and since Abbott became leader of the Opposition.

There are such biases in this list of comments like everywhere. Where it wouldn't really matter who was put up for election, most would still vote Lib or Labor.

Then they'd complain that there's a lack of choice but argue till they are blue in the face that their selection is brilliant and honest and the other thick and deceitful.

I'm so sick of people voting as they barrack for football teams. In footy suppport you can be one eyed and it's fine, it's supposedly still a sport. Roosters 4 the flag!

When it's running our country and spending our money, frankly none of them can be trusted.

Having to choose between two I will go Gillard.

I don't agree Labor just spend, spend, spend at all. They spend on things we need, albeit initially their inexperience has showed with stuffups. But providing jobs was critical, it was the usual suspects who made it bad, the cheats and greedy employers. As opposed to the honest employers who are the bulk. Midnight Oil man should quit while he's behind, he really is incompetent.

Much is made of Howard/Costelloe's economic management and Abbott is relying on their reputaion to ride into office. Undeserved, he did nothing in that regard.

When you actually analyse what those two did, they did remove the deficit and created surpluses, I could have too with the resources boom. But the truth is that deficit was removed from Commonwealth ownership and passed onto individuals where our personal debts hit record levels to accomodate Howard's "reputation". Tax, tax, tax. GST is killing us.

You see all the money they were given and saved etc they spent pre election every time. Howard created the highest level of welfare dependance in our history and now people expect it.

Thirty years ago would anyone have said yes to childcare subsidies by the taxpayer? No way, you would have been laughed out of town.

Welfare for people on over %100,000 and they still whinge and vote to get more. Makes me want to puke. Liberal voters are nothing but greedy, self interested bastards. They are masochistic enough to vote for Howard and now Abbott. If only they got the PM they wanted and the rest got the PM they wanted.

I'm no fan of Labor either, the Hawke and Keating years seemed like they'd never end and here in QLD Beattie and Bligh make you want to scream or start a revolution. Blatant cheats and liars.

But aren't they all.

I guess my question is why should we vote for either of them really? Neither side deserves to be in charge. I'd rather a rabble of 150 independents so no new legislation ever got created. Except for MP pay rises of course.

Well, I thought we vote for a MP because of his or her qualities as an efficient representative of your electorate. A government dictates National policies, provided they get the bills passed in parliament.


I have people ask me 'How do I vote for Tony Abbott'' when there is no liberal on the How to vote card.

"I am a feminist - How do I vote for Julia" and then add
"Is she in the Senate or parliament?" Other than people
who understand the constitution and democracy principles
I feel the majority of voters, want to see what a Federal
government can do for them personally.

Policies are the number one concern with me. And quite obviously I think the coalition are presenting better ones
this time. Gender is not a factor, but Julia is grasping for straws I feel. If Mr Rudd was still in, I still feel the ALP would be battling, but ....?

Refugees or boat people are a great concern. So is the ETS or Carbon reduction scheme. (ie.,cost of living and energy supplies), Sustainability yes, green corps, yes!

Water - health - employment especially in regional areas where Julia seems to have ignored so far. So the Nationals and Independents are ahead there. Youth employment and the dole, should be reviewed, and assistance given. TAFE should be made more accessible.
Especially in the Rural skills centres.

However, on personalities, people voted for Kevin 07, last time, not Julia, and his resignation seems to suggest
this will not warm voters to Julia.

Labor has made some terrible mis-calculations and political decisions on our behalf. And that is the bottom
line with me, they have not proven as efficient managers.

I mean to say, suggesting pensioners can earn $6,500 more per year and not lose their pensions. Who is going to give a pensioner any work, or do we want to work anyway, unless they are self employed.

Yet Tony has said he will give incentives to employers to
employ people over 50. Yes that will work. It worked under the Howard government too, because I was subsidized for 6 months.

Julia said years ago, she was increasing the hours disabled pensions could work to encourage them to find employment. At present it's only 15 hours per week, and if you gain employment of 29 hours 55 minutes, on a permanent or casual basis, your pension stops. (One is allowed to earn $120 per fortnight before ones pension is reduced).

Sorry, Julia and her team, U don't cut the mustard for me.
Nor do the Greens I'm afraid. (Read their manifesto on their website, they go beyond 'tree huggers' Global governance and global depopulation. Are they real??? So it's Nationals or Libs this time. And if Julia wasleading the coalition, I would vote for her.