Their leader is waaay to the right! Very unlikable

Abandonment of Labour Party values——–scandals and grubby back room deals to cling to power,
Thank God we live in Ireland.

I see and is Australia a two party state?

Great explanation.
It all sounds so familiar..

Simple; Lanigan’s Ball, Australian style.

Glen, good analysis of the fighting in the Labour Party. Sad to think that the ‘Mad Monk’ will probably benefit from all this in fighting. An odd comment you made about failure to protect borders – ‘ with over 1000 asylum seekers dying in the sea’ are they just letting God do the job for them? It is not illegal to seek asylum. Australians, being nestled in the Asian area far from their ‘roots’ ((we’ll just ignore the Aborigines for now!) are completely paranoid about the Asian hordes invading their country

Hi Bridget, thanks. The border issue is often used to whip us support for the major parties. More asylum seekers and refugees arrive by plane than by boat and of course it is not illegal to seek asylum. Under the Howard government the flow was drastically reduced to negligible numbers by policies that were viewed by some as unconscionable. With Labor’s election in 2007 the policies were reversed and the numbers increased again. Unfortunately people smugglers who exploit the vulnerable have the most to gain. 2012–13 (to 31.12.12) there have been 205 boats and 11,896 people arriving. “Hundreds have drowned at sea over the past few years while trying to reach Australia, with about 90 thought to have died when a boat carrying about 200 people capsized in June 2012. About 50 were killed in a horrific shipwreck on the cliffs of Christmas Island in December 2010, including 15 children.”

Haha love that one

The party will be rightly destroyed in the upcoming election, which they more than deserve, for such appaling behaviour.
Being in opposition for about 10 years is what is ahead for this party, as they obviously do not know what they stand for! Do we miss leaders like Hawke & Keating???

Yes liberals & lab & the senate which we also vote in. And state and local governments! For 22 million people, oh and you have to vote, otherwise you get fined! Slightly over governed, might have been needed at the time of federation more than a 100 years ago due to the size of the country but not in 21st century!

Keating? The author of the recession that Australia had to have? I’m glad we have moved beyond that kind of ‘leadership’.

We’re screwed if Abbot gets in. The man is an idiot.

Keating ran out of favour for his mouth ! He got the ball rowing too fast without a bat. I liked his views how he spoke up for Australia of its economy and republicanism In fact he may have stirred Hawke getting Australia into a recession and on the other hand he got Australia out of it in the end. His mouth wasn’t enough to defeat cold hearted Howard in 1996

PJ, I thought scandals and grubby back room deals were pretty much the norm for a Labour Party, of whatever nationality.

I disagree. I find nothing on close examination that “scares” me about an Abbott lead coalition government. Most of his shadow cabinet served in the Howard government that has been widely praised. As a party of consensus (Liberal) one person does not a policy make.
The left and Labor Party have sustained a character assassination attempt on Abbott trying to label him “extreme right wing”, a “misogynist” etc. etc. Fortunately most are seeing through this smokescreen.

Isn’t Australia already upside down? What’s with the interest in oz? Ya’ll ozzies?

He couldnt do any worse a job than Gillard and Rudd, a pair of lying fu*kwits

Glen. Howard government widely praise by whom? George W of course for Australia’s grasping at the chance to join in the phoney Iraq war. No wonder Howard was widely known as Bonsai Bush

Thanks Alan for that inciteful political analysis

bring back bertie!!

Bonsai Bush – lol.

There is already too many here quick to act the expert Bridget!

All i know is that under their collective watch many Australian families are doing it tougher. This government has stumbled from one shambles to another.

@ Glen. Abbott as he admitted it himself as a homophobia, anti aboriginal and an extreme capitalist with a strong support for privatisation He would narrow and bring a big gap between communities that would bring violence In Howard’s time Australians were as stiff as cold hearts living in a cold dark world of conservatism and Murdoch’s media propagandism. I am aware that Abbott would double it

Yellow Buzzinfly – Tony Abbott’s sister is in a same sex relationship and his position is no different from Gillard’s on the issue. Tony Abbott has had an active interest in Indigenous Affairs and regularly does charity work in Aboriginal communities, so your statement is false. As for his economic conservatism I don’t see how fiscal responsibility is a negative?
Hopefully with Rudd back we may see more focus on policies rather than personal smear.

Glenn. I have known Abbott’s sister to be in a same sex. relationship They have come to a disagreement on their views Abbott does not support gay marriage and gay rights. Show me what you have Abbott’s view on aboriginal land rights I would be very surprised. I have already met this Abbott ten years ago He spoke strongly in supporting privatisation monarchism and conservatism A kind of a smooth talking perfect-dom’s dream all for himself

Hi Yellow. He is on record as not wishing to change the Marriage Act – the same position as Julia Gillard held, so no major differences there. I wouldn’t say he’s against gay rights as any move on the issue (and it just isn’t in any party’s agenda) would probably be a conscience vote (MPs can vote freely against the party line, unlike TDs).
As for Indigenous Affairs look up Noel Pearson.
“Before becoming Opposition Leader, he (Abbott) served as Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs. He has worked closely with Cape York Aboriginal activist Noel Pearson. He has volunteered as a teacher in remote Aboriginal Communities and given an undertaking to continue to live one week a year in such communities if he is elected Prime Minister. He actively supports recognition of Aboriginal people in the Australian constitution.”

Thanks for that update, Glenn. I hope i am not mislead. Abbott did make a mock out at aboriginals in 2002. He called them un-Australians for not understanding capitalism . They bounced back saying “Where’s our land, where’s our education ? “. I am aware if he is trying win your pretty heart. Ask John Butler !