Beth Said:

AUSSIE POLITICS.. WHO should lead the Liberal Party ?

We Answered:

Malcolm Turnbull. He's a Liberal republican. That is sure to confuse the Americans in this forum.

Steven Said:

Aussie politics.... Are you afraid of the Liberal Party losing it's intelligence ?

We Answered:

Is this a trick question Jen because they never had any intelligence to lose.
I am still a bit in shock I just saw Tony Abbott on TV in a pair of budgie smugglers not a good look.

Jerry Said:

Who will win the Australian Federal Election when it is called.. ?

We Answered:

I've always thought that Rudd and the ALP will get back in, but lately... I'm not so sure.

Even if the ALP do get elected again, I'd suggest it would be by a substantially reduced margin. I'd like to think that Australians would elect a government based on good policy, strong leadership and economic stability. Unfortunately, I'd suggest our current government has been failing in all three areas recently, and the worst attack that's been made on Tony Abbott so far is his speedos on the beach. All of the opinion polls have Abbott and the Libs gaining ground on Rudd and Labor now (with higher support for Abbott than his predecessor Malcolm Turnbull ever had).

More Australians have decided they cannot support an ETS, because the government has not explained it properly to the people. For many (myself included) the Libs Climate Change policy seems more comprehensive and actually includes positive direct actions. Very few Australians believe a "new tax" will fix the environment without the direct action the Libs are proposing.

The Insulation scheme has also shown Rudd as a weak leader - after publically supporting his minister Garrett, and Rudd exclaiming "the buck stops with me"... he changed his mind late one Friday night and demoted Garrett. I just find it interesting that some people take aim at coalition ministers (like Barnaby Joyce... who is a very intelligent man with degrees in commerce and a former accountant) while failing to recognise the monumental stuff ups of our current government.

I've supported the Labor party for as far back as I can remember, I am a member of my union through work and I live in an electorate that prefers to elect Independants over the major parties. It would be beneficial for Australia if we didn't have these two major parties but if I was to vote for the lesser of two evils - it would have to be the Libs this time around. Tony Abbott wearing speedos is irrelevant - it only shows he does more for his community than Kevin Rudd ever does - Tony Abbott just seems to be more approachable and less "ivory tower" than Rudd is. That's my opinion anyway.