Tony Abbott has returned Kevin Andrews, Bronwyn Bishop and Philip Ruddock to the coalition frontbench, unveiling a marked shift to the right in his first shadow ministry.

The three controversial Howard government-era ministers have been given key portfolios in Mr Abbott's new-look team.

I am interested in politics and have been since my service was completed in the regular and reserve Fleet in 1965.  I had given my votes to the Liberals as indeed did my Mother's family - however, after several years in the post Menzies era of being a worker I realized that I should be voting Labor or the sake, not only of my family, but for the entire nation.  Nothing has changed.

So I write here that my perception of the politicians who can affect me and my family are as follows:

Kevin Rudd is a hard-working Prime Minister who has tried to please everybody (as the Liberals have ridiculed him for) but, isn't that a goal our government should strive for?  Even a majority?  Not so the Liberals who are a Corporations party, by the Corporations and for the Corporations and still have the ancient English "Master Servant" attitude.

Tony Abbott is painted as somebody who can be trusted but, I sincerely believe that he is all show and just a Mark Latham test run.  He is more repulsive than Mark and his policies are back to the Menzies' era. How well I remember "Ming the Merciless" - "Pig Iron Bob" - "The benevolent dictator" - and who gave him those roses and accolades?  The media and the English Monarchy.

Malcolm Turnbull is too impetuous and aligned to the right for me but I think that his courage “under fire” was admirable.

The next election will be fought on whatever issue the media decides - who the media wants in power and for how long.  Who will line the pockets of the $700 billion foreign debt and the $54 billion credit card debt that Howard/Costello left for our future? Why aren't we told the truth, the whole truth so help them God?

The card-carrying Nazi, H.C. Nichols member "I am god" Minchin has been rewarded for his betrayal of his leader and that will happen every time the "fuhrer" is unacceptable to Minchin's masters.

Since Menzies was successful by cultivating all forms of power especially the media, the little rat "John Howard" betrayed all of his leaders until he could use his US/Media influence to con the voters.

Meanwhile, Rudd and his Ministers are working so hard for the Australian people in my opinion that  the media idea of “only bad news” sells newspapers will haunt him even during his successes.

We are indeed captive of the “free” press.

God Bless Australia.  NE OUBLIE.

Hi Ernest, explaining how the media works, back in April 2005...

http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/964

The World Meteorological Organisation says 2009 is set to be the fifth warmest year since records began in 1850.

The WMO, which released its annual climate statement in Copenhagen overnight, also says the first decade of the 21st century is likely to be the warmest on record.

The secretary-general of the WMO, Michel Jarraud, also observed that Australia has so far had its third warmest year on record.

"There were above-normal temperatures in most parts of the continents, and only in USA and Canada there were significant areas with cooler-than-average conditions," he said.

"But in large parts of Southern Asia, Central Africa, these regions are likely to have the warmest year on record."

Mr Jarraud says the year has also been notable for extreme weather events.

"China with the third warmest year in the last 50 years, heat waves in Italy, UK, France, Belgium, Germany, an extreme heat wave in India, and Australia the third warmest year on record with three exceptional heat waves," he said.

Those heatwaves hit south-eastern Australia in January, February and November and the sub-tropical east in August.

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The idiots will claim: "see, things are cooling because 2009 was not the warmest year on record..." and then they will add: "and how can we be sure that the data has not been falsified?"... But their killer argument will be: "The climate is not warming because we voted against it..."

Idiots ... see the toons above...