The Australian politics thread

[Jono]

Lots of talk today in the AFR about Gillard being gone by Easter.

Labor MPs leaking quotes like the leaky boats Abbott would turn around.

[howardj]

No point in moving before the final sitting of the year (the killing season).

One thing I like about Labor is that they don't sit back and let their leaders drive them over a cliff - they opt to do 'something' e.g. Latham 2003, Rudd 2006, Gilard 2010.

By contrast, the Liberals didn't act on Howard in 2007.

[social]

Virtually no-one inside the ALP likes Rudd

Virtually no-one outside the ALP likes Gillard

Good position either way

[Son Of Coco]

Campbell Newman is very much the politician's politician. As lord-mayor he was very well liked and stormed to victory in the elections that he won. He's tended to display a real knack for saying just the right things at just the right time. He was regarded just as highly for his role in the floods last year as Bligh was.

To be honest mate, he comes across as a complete knob (which is another way of saying 'politician's politician' I suppose). He's lost his ability to say the right thing at the right time lately too. But then Anna Bligh doesn't come across much better with her efforts to slip 'Queensland Spirit' into every speech in a desperate attempt to appeal to the local's jingoistic side.

I have only seen Newman the past year though, and haven't been following QLD politics much at all.

[Spark]

So following the #qanda hashtag alone from my main twitter timeline has been enough to make me feel very good about my decision not to watch tonight.

[Burgey]

So following the #qanda hashtag alone from my main twitter timeline has been enough to make me feel very good about my decision not to watch tonight.

Yeah it was pretty hard work. I actually think Cribb is Judith Sloan.

In other news, would you like fries with that?

Nauru costings came from catering group | theage.com.au

[Burgey]

First Dog on the Moon often a good giggle.

Do hope the name for Morrison sticks..

[Jono]

Labor Leadership Rudd V Gillard

Lenore Taylor has always struck me as a reasonable journalist. Good article that.

[Jono]

Also

Economic Hypochondria Down Under | The Global Mail

Reckon social should have a read of that.

[Burgey]

Social is the Right's lower profile, less intellectually rigorous Germaine Greer.

Has bugger all good to say about Australia, says it from the other side of the wolrd, before occasionally popping back to get fresh material before hopping back on the jumbo to start all over again.

[social]

Also

Economic Hypochondria Down Under | The Global Mail

Reckon social should have a read of that.

A nice read but I tend to take any article that includes a nonsense statistic (i.e. Austalia being the richest country in world - the average wealth of an Abu Dhabi national is estimated at $14 million ) in the first paragraph with a grain of salt

The fact is that Australia's macro numbers look great but scratch beneath the surface and the picture is hardly rosy

As an example, we have entertained represenatives of 3 separate state governments (you know, the bodies that provide a lot of the basic services) in the past few months who were visiting the Gulf on fund-raising missions and without putting too fine a point on it, they are really struggling

In fact, they are struggling so badly that many forecasters are tipping state government debt to hit $250 billion by 2015.

When you add that to the huge sums the Federal Government is borrowing, then it should come as no surprise that total government debt could reach $550 billion by the same date

Five hundred and fifty ****ing billion dollars for a country with a population of 20 million - it almost beggars belief

Anyway, whilst the author is partially correct in saying that Australians lead blessed lives (even that is largely by virtue of the fact that they live in the a beautiful country with abundant natural resources and only have to share it with 20 million people), try telling that to real people working in the tourism, agricultural or manufacturing industries at the moment.

You know things cannot be great when 3 of a country's largest employers are totally ****ed and with no light at the end of the tunnel

[Son Of Coco]

An old classmate of mine is on Q&A this week - Jenny McAllister. She was the dux of our year from years 7-10 back at Kingscliff High School. She was also the best looking young lass in our year.

Still remember the Libs campaigning against her in our area saying she was a 'ring in' because she'd left to go to uni in Sydney and then come back again, despite her having done all of her schooling in the area and lived there since she was really young. It was then I realised they were all a bunch of ****s.

In a strange coincidence, I rang up to ask about a car for sale a few months ago and, after chatting for a few minutes, realised it was Jenny I was talking to down in Sydney. Was on the day of our 20 year school reunion too. I'm sure nobody gives a **** but me, but it was pretty funny given the circumstances.

[Jono]

I give a ****!

[Son Of Coco]

Thanks mate!

[Burgey]

Thanks mate!

As do I.

Meanwhile, order online if you will. As featured on Insiders this morning

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