Costello praising Abbott re economic understanding.

Neither have a clue about economics, Costello learned nothing in his eleven years as Treasurer.

Any attempt to return to a surplus now, when the private sector is so highly in debt and the world economy slowing will see the economy crash into recession, bankruptcies, evictions of delinquent mortgagees etc all soar, unemployment crash to 8 then over 10%—and the deficit will actually increase.

The reason the private sector is so highly in debt? Howard and Costello feeding a credit–fuelled spending boom by giving tax cuts and pork instead of investing in infrastructure, health and education, like the present govt is doing. Productivity is rising as a result.

If you think your job is not terribly secure—vote for the present govt!

Karnal wrote on Jul 10^th, 2013 at 12:23pm:

yes Karnal, and I agree. But I don't repudiate that the public disliked Gillard.  I disliked Gillard for her selling of the policies, her inability to sell, and for surrounding herself with Conroy.  But she'll always be 300% than Tony, in my books.

sir prince duke alevine wrote on Jul 10^th, 2013 at 12:27pm:


And Rudd.

buzzanddidj wrote on Jul 10^th, 2013 at 12:12pm:



of COURSE you don't know why Gillard was so hated!!

Karnal wrote on Jul 10^th, 2013 at 12:32pm:


she lied without regret and sometimes even without reason.  She was disloyal and she clearly despised men to a degree that was quite unpleasant.  It wasn't that people didn't know what she stood for. they DID. they just didn't like what she stood for which seemed to be about promoting the union movement and women.  Her public speaking was dreadful and her political strategy was beyond abysmal.

and the economy is in slowdown and headed for recession. Every single indicator is in retreat.  That is hardy likely to endear her to voters as she comes up with yet more reasons to spend money that she didn't have.

longweekend58 wrote on Jul 10^th, 2013 at 12:50pm:


The GFC ended four years ago?

It only lasted for 2 years before returning to pre-GFC conditions?

Stretching the truth a little there longy

Postmodern Trendoid wrote on Jul 10^th, 2013 at 12:46pm:


Maybe, but from what I remember, the only hint of a sexist comment was addressed to a women's function: the blue ties speech.

A woman campaigning to a crowd of women saying, vote for me and you'll get a woman's voice in government is hardly a sexist rant.

The misogyny speech wasn't a sexist rant. It was about Abbott's hypocrisy: "I won't be lectured to about misogyny by this man. I will not."

When did Gillard ever denigrate men?

The view of Gillard as "man-hater" is slowly dawning on me now. I'm starting to realize just how challenged some quarters felt by having a woman PM.

At first, the Alan Joneses were all for it. A female PM. A first. But slowly, the fabric began to fray.

It was partly Gillard's on-camera persona, her suits, her firmness - her directness. Australians have never liked to feel threatened or "beneath" a PM. Any sign of arrogance must be wiped clean. This is why Rudd is so popular, and why Howard stayed around for so long. It's why Keating had to go, and before him, Whitlam. It's why Bob Hawke defeated Fraser.

Australians want avuncular, non-threatening people in the top job. If Gillard had been more mousy, she might not have been so mercilessly attacked. But if she didn't show strength, she couldn't last. It's a Catch 22. But any firmness, and Gillard was seen as a ballbuster. It must have been an incredibly hard act to play. When to be firm? When to let it slide? When to stand up to it?

The misogyny against Gillard was real. It was in parliament, on the airwaves, in the Tele, and on these pages. Daily. Relentlessly. It might have been political suicide, but how could you not stand up to it? How could Gillard just cop, day after day, comments about her suits and arse and hairdresser boyfriend, as she was expected to do?

Add Gillard's patience to her list of virtues. It was far more prevalent in Gillard than any hint of sexism.

Karnal wrote on Jul 10^th, 2013 at 1:44pm:


In Gillard's rants, just replace the word "man" (and its affiliates) with "woman" or even "black" and you'll see she uses the same language and arguments as the sexists and racists themselves. Imagine Abbott saying "I will not be lectured by this WOMAN". There would be emotional meltdowns everywhere from leftists.