I however hate the hung parliament where the governement sell their soul to a minority (Abbott would have also in order to form government) I rate the 3 independents as glory hunting self serving short term desperados. I rate Bob Brown and the greens the same although their tenure will be much longer (the greens not Browns thankfully)
There is very litle the opposition are required to do except hold the government to account. Nothing has changed in this regard no matter who is in government. When the time is right they will present policy as they require in order to win. nothing more and nothing less.
Labor won with catch cries 'work choices' (previous election) which still has me gob smacked. Not because theirs or Libs policies were actually bad but labor actually didn't have one. It was a work in progress. So people don't vote 'for' they vote 'against'. Howard and the Libs took advantage of the senate and deserved what they got. Howards mandate was more about destroying unions...me thinks some personal axes to grind. Anyway that is history as is Howard. Strange how we really only ever find out the true beast once it is removed. Hawke and Keating both spring to mind as leaders who had once a great public persona but behind the scenes were not anything like they were portrayed. Are any of them? I wonder.
Probably one of the really good ones that got away was Kim Beasley...great acumen politically and socially but didn't have the killer instinct. Ultimately they are merely puppets...controlled by the hidden faces that profit on victory in elections not the prosperity of the countries people.
