You would honestly prefer a man who picks his own ear wax in parliament and eats it, speaks using constant slogans and sounds bites, complains about things but never explains just how the ALP will fix them in cold, hard terms and is apparently quite nasty and a control freak behind the scenes.

The Libs are prepared to make tough, challenging decsions and stick by their principles for the good of the country. Practically every reform that has been needed to make Australia's ecomony strong (and it is now one of the strongests in the world) have been opposed by Rudd and his lot (though Rudd claims he is an "economic conservative"- what a joke!)

Rudd has already lied (anyone remeber the ALP snake Brian Burke?)

I don't think Howard has ever lied (I can hear the scoffs now) It was just that what he believed to be true turned out to be wrong (huge difference between lying and being mistaken, but a lot of people find it politically convenient not to appreciate the difference)

Not to be picky, but our esteemed Prime Minister was quoted during his tenure as the Fraser gov't Treasurer, to say that he had FAILED both mathematics and economics during his school and tertiary years. If it was't for the "Sir Humphrey's" of politics......

Sounds like your "Little Johnny"'s #1 fan?
He's a politician FFS! It is in the job description to be able to lie cleverly so that it appears to be the truth or a "mistake" or blame a staffer.

The large debt historically was a legacy of the Menzies to McMahon Liberal era. The Whitlam gov't inherited the debt along with an unpopular war (Vietnam). They were NOT allowed to implement policy as the Senate was then controlled by the Liberals, which blocked the passage of (monetary) Supply Bills on more than one occasion. They then tried to raise funds from an Arab go-between (Kemlani) to cover the shortfall created by the blocking of the Supply Bill. It was then the the GG dismissed the gov't on the instigation of Malcolm Fraser.
As for when Keating was Treasurer, as stated before, the whole world was in recession.

Let me quote "The Bloke" for a response to that one.
He just puts it so well....

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bloke

The large debt historically was a legacy of the Menzies to McMahon Liberal. the Whitlam gov't inherited the debt along with an unpopular war (Vietnam). They were NOT allowed to implement policy as the Senate was then controlled by the Liberals, which blocked the passage of (monetary) Supply Bills on more than one occasion. They then tried to raise funds from an Arab go-between (Kemlani) to cover the shortfall created by the blocking of the Supply Bill. It was then the the GG dismissed the gov't on the instigation of Malcolm Fraser.
As for when Keating was Treasurer, as stated before, the whole world was in recession.

I guess we could keep going back all the way to Federation and find pros and cons for each side. That's the point really. It's all cyclical.

I haven't said anywhere that Rudd has not lied so I fail to see why you're addressing this at me. I have consistantly said that basically, all politicians are the same.

However, I do remember troops going off to a war that has been condemned by the majority of the rest of the world for reasons that were totally fictitious.

I'd bet that most people would see that ordering people into the line of fire for reasons that you don't totally understand because you are Bush's Bitch is worse than lying anyway and a decent reason for saying 'Thanks, but see ya!'.

.... and they're all cynical as well.

The Bennelong exit poll just discussed on the 7 special.
That's a 1 in 100 sample, pretty decent sample for statistical accuracy.


7% swing against John Howard !!

Sod the Aussie politics, I think NZ is far more exciting.

Full hedgehog suffrage
After a goat successfully received nomination in a local body election on Waiheke Island, the McGillicuddy Serious Party unsuccessfully attempted to stand a hedgehog for Parliament, apparently solely in order to make "prick" jokes.

Taken from -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McGillicuddy_Serious_Party

So, John Howard is out, not only as PM but also as MP. How does the Australian political-system work? Does Rudd become PM straight away or is there some transition-period?

Technically the Liberal Party is still in control, in a caretaker role, until the new Ministers and Parliament is sworn in by the GG. They cannot, however, make any decisions or implement any policy, so in effect the whole Australian Public Service is now in limbo until then. Half of the Senate does not change until next July, so in effect they are in control of that too until then, when the new makeup of Senators becomes apparent.