gillard's teeth!, page-9

The electorate always seems to give the ALP the benefit of the doubt that the ALP is not incompetent. History usually suggests after one term the smell of incompetence is quite strong, but for a combination of factors (possibly a combination of 1. the notion of the "fair go" and 2. not wanting to admit you were wrong voting for them in the first place), the ALP gets the benefit of the doubt.

The ALP lives off and exploits this goodwill until it is unbearably clear to the electorate that they are indeed incompetent beyond measure. This is a normal cycle events post WW2 for the ALP*. However what had me most concerned about Rudd/Gillard was their incompetence is so systemic, so utterly profound and deep, that the country really needed to flick them after one term. I did not happen.

Australia still will succeed thanks in large part to the mining boom - China's rise is a once in 100+ year event & Australia has the good fortune to be impeccably positioned.
Australia will succeed in spite of the ALP, not because of it. But the wastage, bad policy making and farce we will be seeing more of from Gillard, alas.


*Hawke/Keating is the exception to this, but most state ALP governments and Whitlam have followed this cycle.