There are a few problems with the article but the main one, and...

There are a few problems with the article but the main one, and the one that stumps the PM also is that many people are simply not better off.

The presumption everyone is better off is what is hurting the government the most, an arrogance if you like. There are people sufffering yet he hands out welfare to the wealthy, hardly good economics btw.

So people may hear the economy is good but their personal economy is not, and they are sick of hearing how good they have it when they are going backwards.

On a national level Howard has not been an economic reformist, so not sure where they dug up theat presumption.