But then look then look at the mixture we got we got, this is not a true Labor victory, I wonder what would have happened had the shoe been on the other foot?

PM Julia Gillard - twice appointed but not elected, she might be in government, but she has no power. I can't wait to see the look on her and Swan's face when the Greens vote with the Coalition to pass Abbott's mental health and parental leave bills. Tony Abbott will be the first party leader to 'govern' from the opposition benches. What price a new election sooner rather than later? As for the ‘honourable independents’, Oakeshott has made previous attempts to become a minister in a Labor government – his current tilt at the windmill just confirms it’s all about him not his electorate. And old ‘broad band’ Winsor admits he can’t use a computer even to calculate the profit he made when he sold out his neighbours by accepting a payout from a Coal Mining company for his land at a price three times higher than that offered to anyone else. Honourable? I think not.

PW; 10/09/2010 3:13:34 PM I believe the Coalition has a vacancy in the Ad Hominem section of the Department of Dirt Digging. How wrong you were about Oakeshott, you fired 24 hrs too soon.

David Klein demonstrates his poor comprehension skills again with his off-target post above. I did not say Oakeshott had accepted the ‘bribe’ offered by Gillard, but pointed out he was a serial seeker of ministerial positions in Labor governments. A former ALP premiere of NSW confirms Oakeshott made several attempts to secure a cabinet position accompanied by a threat to resign from parliament if he was denied, saying: “It's in your interests… to keep me in the parliament, because Port Macquarie's a safe conservative seat, and if it's not me, it reverts to the Nats'. His reasons for supporting the Gillard ALP Greens alliance at his turgid press conference were disingenuous at best as is his claim of being an ‘independent’. When asked if he had been offered a ministerial post he fled from the room. I also note neither he nor Windsor had the courage to inform Abbott or Gillard directly of their decisions, but instead chose the cover of a grandstanding press conference. DK may consider this ‘honourable’ but that claim is as contemptible as Oakeshott’s self aggrandising and duplicitous behaviour during the long 17 days of 'look at me' before he announced his support for Gillard.

PW, 11/09/2010 4:25:44 PM Don't put words into my mouth, where did I say anything about Oakeshott accepting a bribe? your words, not mine. You fired your anticipating shot before Oakeshott declined the ALP offer, as he did Abbott's offer as well. The rest remains Ad Hominem, dirt digging, in a manner less than subtle. Best not speculate about my considerations, you're likely to be far of the mark. I wonder what your comments about the independents would have been had they sided with the coalition and Abbott was now PM? Good grief, you might have used the word honourable, twice. What I found contemptible was the wooing of the undeclared independents with kind and wise but guarded statements and the vicious back flip when the decission didn't go the coalition's way. As for "self aggrandising and duplicitous behaviour", be generous, let them have their moment, Australia won't fall apart. So sit back and observe a concessional parliament and enjoy while it lasts, 3 years would be okay.

“I wonder what your comments about the independents would have been had they sided with the coalition…” Much the same DK, Oakeshott would have considered a ministerial offer from Abbott instead of the ALP Greens alliance and as a result his claim of independence would still be empty words. Windsor would still have sold his land for a premium price to the very coal miners he used to rail against and his ‘broadband advisors would still be an unemployed telephone installer angling for a job and a town councilor who admits his internet knowledge was gleaned from two short seminars in Sydney. And both of them would still be guilty of conducting a crass self serving charade as they pontificated on the platforms of the two major parties. Three years? Rather unlikely, Gillard will go to the polls again once the NSW Labor Party has been beaten around the head early next year.

Well said Peter, I have no idea why David seems to be so against everyones post lately. Lucky there is two sides to every story.

Robert Smallpage, 13/09/2010 4:47:28 PM "Lucky there is two sides to every story. " Everyones posts? You generalise, as for the luck mentioned, it's elusive. I don't comment in detail on PW's background diggings and suppositions. There's a saying, "He who throws mud, sure to get hands dirty." As for lately, I suppose there must be a lot to argue against lately, but that's election politics for you.

PW, 13/09/2010 1:26:31 PM The wonderful world of hypotheticals not about to be tested. Early next year? Great, the 2011 arctic melt season will have started and keep me occupied. Funny about independents though, they're only independent when they don't side with any side. Hence they can't vote with either side without 'losing' their independent status. Liberal one day, labor the next or abstain and be independent. Such luxury.

"... the 2011 arctic melt season will have started..." It won't melt much next year so you'll have plenty of time to engage in political banter. ;-P Message sent from my back patio with heavily wooded Chardonnay in hand – he sips, swirls and swallows… ahhh, the wonderful advantages of a wireless internet... Evening birds in song, kangaroos moving stealthily across the paddock, the last vestiges of colour in the sky being replaced by the moon and early stars. It’s wonderful not being tied to a bit of fishing line sticking out of a wall socket… I love the 21st century…