Bill Shorten

[Rorschach]

It's become apparent that ALP suffers weak Leadership, but a strong Party that tells the 'leader' what the score is. No it has simply become the party that wants to represent progressives.
Probably why ALP is growing in popularity at 'State' level. Really? In what state?
NLP is strong at the Leadership, suffering weakness at Party and all the ranks below. Yet Truss isn't seen as a strong leader. Nobody knew who O'Farrell (NSW Premier) was or what he did, Really? until he resigned for a bottle of wine - well that's all apparently Barry was well known in NSW for quite some time.
Abbott is more an 'Action Man' than the smarter but nerdy Howard. Really, yet Abbott is a Rhodes Scholar and howard a very average student and not at all nerdy, just awkward. I'm surprised he hasn't got an 'action figure' toy of him in his budgie-smugglers out fighting fires, boxing and other amazing things he does. There's even a clip of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's TWO TRIBES of him going the Biff with Russia's Mr Macho (ras)Putin.

Shorten I dislike because he actually believes that people are convinced that he is always right. Watching him speak to Journalists on TV interviews, he talks as if he is trying a Jedi Mind Trick on the Journo and that he will be believed. Albanese doesn't look like anything better too. Albanese is slime... Of course Kate Ellis or Tanya Plibersk would suit the ALP Leadership in a more honourable role, Plibersek is slime... but Gillard seems to have ruined that 'female leader' thing for them with her exploitation of all things 'sexism'. For any female... for quite some time. IMO.

So expect more 'tools' to appear for ALP Leadership while the NLP Leaders find that their boat is sinking beneath them or full of hopefull Pitcairn Islanders. NLP is a Queensland only thing and its LNP.
But hey - the USA Civil War was about Gay Yankees and Redneck Confederates. The Yankees now suddenly coming out of the closet these past 5 years with Gay Rights Movements across the USA.

Shorten will lose the next Election. Who can say.

[Jasonofabitch]

very amusing with your style of response Rorschach (what does that title belong to/mean/etc???)

But you don't need to be a Psychologist to predict the human behaviour of even Politics.

The NLP (Federation Star) will soon be forced into 'conflict' with the emergence of a united 'Union' Front waving the Eureka Flag.
While the Independents will have to be many, to sweep up the shards left by the suicide of the ALP ("you'll never take me alive said he")

...everything is slowly falling into place.

[The Uncanny Hengeman]

Bill Shorten has got an extremely punchable head.

[Neferti]

Bill Shorten has got an extremely punchable head.

He is a bit of a box head, isn't he?

[AiA in Atlanta]

Why would Australia want the American university fee system that puts young people in debt?

[IQS.RLOW]

Why would working Australians want to subsidise those that want to go to university and get a degree?

They are simply being asked to pay a larger % than they are now for their education at an extremely low interest rate loan and only when they are earning over $50k. They are already paying 40% of their education cost through HECS. It is proposed that they pay 60%.

Education is not free. Someone has to pay for it and it should not be the long suffering taxpayer.

[mantra]

Interestingly enough it was actually the children of wealthier families who got the greater advantage from this scheme. Those kids from lower income families went straight to work, or did an apprenticeship.

While more working-class students and women attended university, the introduction of free higher education did not lead to a dramatic change in the composition of university enrolments. That's because most working-class Australians did not complete high school, meaning university was not an option for them. And about 80 per cent of students had not paid fees anyway because they were covered by Commonwealth scholarships and other subsidies.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/ ... z3HSygFpkW

[AiA in Atlanta]

@mantra, it is the wealthy of the world and the corporations that are the biggest dole bludgers.

[mantra]

@mantra, it is the wealthy of the world and the corporations that are the biggest dole bludgers.

That is true. They know how to hold onto their money and make it multiply.

We have a first home owner's grant here of $5,000. It used to be a one off payment, but the NSW Liberal Government stuffed up the paperwork a couple of years ago - so rich foreigners and Australians have been buying up big. While the average young couple can barely scrape a deposit together for a home - one wealthy investor made nearly 800 claims of $5,000, while another made 70 plus. The list has turned out to be huge and $ millions have predominantly gone to those who have multiple homes.

[Jasonofabitch]

For so long, years 11 & 12 were primarily for the 'smart' kids who went on towards 'academic' Uni,
in many ways - it still is.
Alas - so many 'Clever' kids were forced to get ripped off in Education by having to forfeit an extra 2 years of education in order to attain such outside of the Education system by taking up Apprenticeships for Trades, etc.
These 'Clever' kids were put in the same basket as the 'Drop-Outs' who usually left by year 10 to just do nothing but jobs (not always out of choice, some were forced to support their family due to hardship) or have kids, etc.
At TAFE, where the 'Clever' kids are finding their 'supportive Education System', many would suffer low self esteem because of the association of being a 'drop-out' and not going on to Uni.
(I can say this from experience)
Only in the last 12 years or so, has their been a conscious effort by the Education system to recognise 'Clever' kids more so with such programs like 'Get Skilled' being introduced to support the kids in earlier years as soon as they hit High School.

ART Course: Uni = 79% Theory / 21% Practical. TAFE = 21% Theory / 79% Practical
This kinda sums up the different approach both Education systems have with just one subject.

Only in the past 10 years has TV recognised the 'clever' aspect with such programs as 'The Block', Cooking Shows, House Construction and other 'practical' and 'doing' programs rating well.

Smart: Where the body follows the mind.
Clever: Where the mind follows the body.

morning peeps