Kimbo is just continuing the Hawke and Keating tradition in the Labor party. Labour is not about labour, or about anything meaningful any more, it’s time to move on.

Move on to what, Kieran?

Well there’s already been too much of a media spin job on Keating for him to have any electoral success… besides he really looks like his enjoying his retirement.

But IF ONLY. Jeez I’d love to see PJK back at the reins. What a man. Those were the good old days. When veiled racism had no place in political discourse and reconciliation and the republic were on the agenda as live issues… *sigh*

PK would be interesting, and more effective I think in engaging the government in debate than the present parliamentary team. Against that, I’d say he carries too much baggage with the media, and has too many enemies.

Labor’s problems are it stands for nothing, except winning power and the perks of office for a bunch of professional politicians, most of whom are 2nd and 3rd rate party and union hacks incapable of earning a living in the real world. They are completely out of touch with middle Australia. Its hard to see things getting better for them either, as I don’t believe there is a great deal of acceptance that there is a huge problem and they need to take drastic steps to fix themselves.

And as Labor fiddles, Channel 7 Perth made a fairly strong attack on the government’s treatment of the “average worker”, tonight. I was suprised how much the news report was intent upon contrasting the unfairness meted out to the average Australian, with the pay increases awarded to the bureacrats. Apparently someone was sacked from Westpac via text message. The banks have always been authoritarian assholes — but I never expected the media to show it cared so much. I sense a spirit of WAR in the air.

Keep in mind that I arrived in Australia near the end of 1996. Didn’t live here while PK was PM, so I don’t know what general public perceptions remain of him.

What I’m looking for out of the ALP is for them to start acting like an opposition. If PK could do that, I say we grab him away from dusting his collection of antiques and put the man to work.

For Labor to start acting like an opposition, they need to have a stronger intellectual base. They need to eschew their outdated stance as anti-intellectuals. That is the only way they will gain strength in policy and credibility in party platform.

Definitely worth reading – some of the wit & wisdom of good old PJK ;)(I served him a cuppa once)

Move on to what, Kieran?

Move on beyond the two party trap, support a real alternative. The perception that the LPA and ALP are the only viable alternatives is what keeps them collectively in power, and allows them to avoid any real political debate in this country and any true responce to the issues facing Australia.

We need to move on beyond the two party electoral professionalism to a mass popularly controlled and intellectually dynamic alternative.

I’ve moved on, to the Greens.