Hoops

NH: Kevin Rudd out as PM, Gillard in

OMG!
I have just picked myself up off the floor.

I have just heard that Julia has brokered a master deal between the mining companies and the government over the proposed tax. I wondered where all those "keep mining strong" ads had gone last week.

Wow, who would have seen that one coming?

Who would have thought that a political thread would create so much debate?

Anyone that thinks that the Labor party single-handedly kept us out of recession is naïve and even more naïve if they think that the Libs would have preferred to do nothing. Almost every country in the world had some sort of stimulus, and no doubt the Libs would have done something similar, but not in the irresponsible, vote-buying way that Rudd did with his cash handouts. An absolute waste of money.

Damn filter, wasn't even talking about you know who!

An old fellow explained the difference between liberal and labor to me years ago: "At least the Liberals don't pretend to care"

He also added: "Voting Labor is like a chicken voting for KFC"

When it comes to the difference between labor and liberal, I have always liked what someone told me years ago;

"At least with Liberal, they don't pretend to care"

Another pearl of wisdom from same guy:

"Voting Labor is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders"

How is it #280419 that Australia IS THE ONLY nation to survive the GFC?Puts paid to rest the Liberal backers argument over the best Budget treasurer.

On a lighter note my Grandfather was from Unley and had a middle name of Gillard(Family named after) and his wife's name(my Grandmother)is Aileen.

What perplexes me is people want hard decisions/changes to be made but the swinging voter has caused this purge of power.Take the seat of Adelaide and look at the demographics ,its inner Adelaide YUPPIES.It has loss lots of low income Trust homes and became a land grab for exec/business owner types.The chartered accountants praised the Mining Tax the other day?

Had to happen. Not sold on Gillard's record so far, but at least she provides a circuit breaker and can communicate with the media!

Not happy with Labor right now, but I can't think of anything worse than Tony Abbott. He will do or say anything to get what he wants. Then, like a mafia hitman, he apologises for his sins and expects everything to be forgiven.

Just makes you realise what a golden era we have just left behind. Hawke, Keating and Howard were all a cut above what we are stuck with now.

I'll reserve my judgement until I see Gillard in a pair of Speedos.

Got to love those swingers!

Unfortunately for Kevin, a good lesson in ALP politics, factions and the quota game. Over the last few weeks he has had a huge swing in public opinion and this had been his downfall. The tail can't wag the dog.

While some argue he has implemented some good policies, some are of the opinion that he has done in less than one term what it take most ALP governments to do in two.

Julia will definitely provide appeal to women voters, who from what I understand makeup around 80% of swinging voters. The ALP need to maintain support in this area, particularly in Western Sydney and South East Queensland if they wish to hold government. Women are marketed to under the guise of fear. I anticipate the message we will hear moving towards the election will revolve around how the Libs are a risk to family lifestyle, want to bring back work choices, reduce childcare, increase health costs etc. The message won't necessarily be "they are evil beings who bite children", rather "what damage will they do?" As an aside, marketing is about subtle messages and whenever women are marketed to, a brunette woman is used, whenever men are marketed to, a blonde woman. Just watch the TV ads, you'll see what I mean. Don't laugh too loud if you see election adverts with two brunette women with small kids having a coffee in a family room.

Short term, the big issue at the moment is the proposed mining tax. The government needs money, mining companies need infrastructure. We should all expect the new PM to be the "master negotiator" and broker some changes to the tax over the next month.

Not married then...every other PM has been married.

Gillard is our new PM - the first female and first single PM we have ever had!

Yep - no result yet...any minute now.