It can be a bit like that at times Justme

On how many of these 20 measurable criteria was the Howard Government performing better when it lost office in November 2007 than the Gillard Government is performing now (during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression)?

1. Income per person
2. Wage levels
3. Income disparity
4. Inflation
5. Interest rates
6. Household savings
7. Personal tax rate
8. Company tax rate
9. Labour productivity
10. Pension levels
11. Superannuation
12. Economic freedom
13. International credit ratings
14. Value of the Aussie dollar
15. Industrial production growth
16. Foreign exchange reserves
17. Balance of trade
18. Current account as a percentage of GDP
19. Government 10 year bond rate
20. Overall quality of life

Answer: none

innes

You talk as if the Opposition were competent which is untrue! 

All you have to do is look at their NFN fiasco - they want to put in a system that is second rate BEFORE they even start on it and will be well and truly antequated and out of date WELL BEFORE it is fully implemented and which CAN'T be UPGRADED which means that in five years time the 20.4billion they are spending will be a complete waste of money.  To upgrade the system to NBN standard they will have to do it ALL AGAIN.  

The 20.4billion they spent will be down the toilet as if it is 20.4billion worth of POCKET MONEY.

You want THESE people loose on Australias world class economy that is one of the best in the world!

The good management of this country, even after removing the devastating effects of the GFC which is rocking every other country, is outstanding.

Don't tell me it is JUST mining because that also is a bit of a firfy. Yes, we have more employment in the mining industry and therefore more people have more money to spend which is very good for the economy but other than some piddly taxes that the mining corporations pay - more than compensated for by their fuel and power rebates, one should think - there is very little else. Huge profits that are made from OUR resources, belonging to the Australian people, are taken out of Australia by way of huge chunks paid to Foreign investors..... 

The reason Australia is doing so well is because our wealth is one of the most evenly spread amongst the people of Australia, rather than held in the hands of the elite (and powerful) few.  This means Australians have more wealth and usually spend a majority of that wealth into the economy which is obviously very, very good for the economy.

Additionally, the government put into place immediately (which was important) short term, medium term and long term economic stimulants, to counteract the GFC.  The Reserve Bank of Aust. chairperson (Glenn Stevens) proved to be also, exceptional and assisted this process.

Check out geomac's list above and also this article from the The Melbourne Review HERE 

We just don't get to hear about how well Australia is doing or how well the government has managed Australia's affairs because the Corporate (Foreign) Owned Media do not want us to know.

If the Opposition had done what the Government has down with Australia's economy, fine! They would deserve to stay in government, sheez, I would be over the moon and vote for them myself. Especially if they introduced the NBN.

However, given Tony Abbott's obsequious and marionette attitude towards the likes of Gina Rinehart, Rupert Murdoch and others that control large corporations, I doubt very much that he would have had any of these qualities or even capable of comprehending what the government has done.

All you need to do is look at a dinner that Tony Abbott, along with Gina Rinehart and Rupert Murdoch (with Andrew Bolt as MC) were key speakers at.  They ARROGANTLY discussed a 'to do'  list that Gina, Rupert and others wanted Tony Abbott to impliment when he took over as PM.  Of course Tony gave a "big yes" to this list - a small number of these are as follows:

- Public broadcasting - gone. The ABC broken up and sold off, SBS to be fully privatised

- Corporations to be allowed to make secret payments to political parties

- Medicare gone for most Australians

- A return to WorkChoices but using a different name

- The clean energy fund and the renewable energy target - scrapped

- Funding for sport and arts (including the Aust Inst of SPORT) - AXED

- Funding for science scrapped and CSIRO privatised

.

How intelligent is this list.... Nothing for Australia or Australians but a lot for those that attended the dinner.

Well Abbott will be the puppet of these puppeteers

We have hit rock bottom for me in terms of politicians on either side.  They all seem to lack vision for our nation.  Good things have happened under this current government, but there still seems to be lacking something.  The Coalition seems also to lack vision, it has just come down to a squabble at school children standard.  I find them all uninspiring. 

Well if Abbott gets in with his list of things he is going to negate then ordinary Australian are going to have a lot to genuinely whine and whinge about, I remember very clearly the shock I got when arriving in this country in 1969! Going to work at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and seeing a cash register on the desk in Casualty.  Only the very poor or people on a good income could afford to go there in emergencies. 

Just hope the Labor party use Abbotts and cronies wish list effectively to stop Abbott getting into power and turning back 40 odd years of progress and benefits for all Australians.

I think it would take a miracle to keep Abbott out of the Lodge after September, but if he goes ahead with these "reforms" he is likely to see only one term there. ANY governmet that sells off public assets deserves to be thrown out. A "mandate to govern" is not a mandate to sell off taxpayers assets to fund the results of poor judgement or poor economic management.

I agree NO Government has the right to sell of OUR assets !   Howard did that and boasted that he has money in the bank the trouble is Libs will not win Lab' will loose there for Lib' win by default : ((((((

Not that I am all that fond of Gillard but Abbott really is scary

I agree PlanB.....hard to tell which of them is worse for the country. I think that Abbott is more likely to be subject to his cabinet and may not get everything he wants. Every politician always keeps the thought of re-election in the back of his/her mind when making any decision.

Its been a while since the Australian public has been able to vote with confidence and "hope in their hearts" for a new government. We seem condemned to select from the best of a REALLY bad lot.

Yes kfchugo, I do not care for any of the parties at this time--and do NOT like any on the front bench of the Libs at all--

Just hope that there are enough MPs in opposition so that it is not a walk in the park like Newman has in Queensland.

Yes the Libs have not been popular in the States