It looks like the relationship between Premier Anna Bligh and the electorate is terminal. The electorate has lost trust in her, and I suspect it doesn't matter what she does she can never win it back. This loss of trust stems from broken promises after the last election.

Bligh only just won the election by a negative campaign against opposition leader Lawrence Springborg, and declaring that only she could manage the economy. While there was a big swing against the government during the election campaign enough voters came back to the government by election day for the ALP to win. Events since have alienated a further slice of the electorate.

Once she won the election the premier declared the economy to be in worse shape than previously thought, broke a promise to keep the 8c fuel subsidy, and broke an implied promise to borrow rather than sell assets. Voters feel they have been played for mugs and are looking for revenge.

They are also upset about the speed of growth in the south-east corner and issues arising from it. They don't think that the government is managing it well.

The Leximancer maps tell the story. The first shows why voters approve or disapprove of the premier.

The themes that are closely associated with disapproval are "Lied" (doesn't get much stronger than this), "People" which contains the idea that the premier does not listen, and "Public" which is about the government selling public assets. Traveston Dam is not a major issue, but it tends to give confirmation of incompetence. The Labor Party ("Party") is also an issue.

Those who approve of the premier are a little defensive. "Job" and "decisions" encompasses ideas that she has a "tough" job and is doing her best under the circumstances. Also that the media is not helping her.

John-Paul Langbroek's approvals are better, but his supporters are also a little defensive.

Voters see him as too low profile. They think he needs better media management Those who are most favourable to him say he "appears" "Honest". His detractors say that he has no policies, is weak and lacks an alternative vision.

The relative merits of each as premier are quite apparent in our final Leximancer map. Supporters of Bligh label her as the "lesser of two evils" while Langbroek is the "least worst". However, I think voters have made up their mind to change, and as long as what they change to isn't any worse than what they have, they will do it. And according to them, it can't get any worse than this.

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