Like a brat "playing" on a beach, Tony is happy kicking sand in our face... Buckets of uncosted policies, no abacus to be seen, just sand, a leaky toy boat, some cubes to be rearranged to spell "e-c-o-n-o-m-y" after having spelled "I-r-a-q" ... and a plug-the-hole board for infants under three.

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will officially launch the Coalition's election campaign in Brisbane today with a focus on tougher laws to stop people smugglers.

Mr Abbott will use his campaign launch speech to focus on the asylum seeker issue and outline plans for harsh penalties for anyone convicted of people smuggling.

Under the Coalition's proposal repeat offenders will serve at least 10 years in jail.

Yesterday Mr Abbott, his Deputy Julie Bishop and the Coalition's immigration spokesman Scott Morrison met with Nauru's president Marcus Stephen to discuss the island's asylum seeker processing centre.

Phoney Tony spent a lot of time this week demanding to know which was the real Julia Gillard. We might ask the same of him. No current political leader can chop and change like he does. Here are four Abbott quotes from yesteryear.

Tony Blair must be prosecuted, not indulged like Peter Mandelson. Both have produced self-serving memoirs for which they have been paid fortunes; Blair's, which have earned him a £4.6m advance, will appear next month.

from Crikey .....

meet a 'queue jumper'

by Y Dr Tanya Ahmed, a psychiatry registrar

Her brown eyes are blank. Her face is expressionless, her body motionless. She has no thoughts, no feelings, no purpose. She huddles in the corner of a stark hospital ward. She does not respond when her children kiss her. She hasn't drunk today, and hasn't eaten for days. If only she had the energy, she would find a way to die.

The respected economist and former Labor adviser Ross Garnaut has delivered a scathing critique of the political and economic records of the major two parties, accusing both of a failure of leadership over the past decade.

Neither party had a plan to deal with climate change and Australia's position on the issue was ''an extraordinary failure of leadership''.

Professor Garnaut said Kevin Rudd abdicated leadership by listening to advisers who rated lobbying by special interest groups and ''inchoate reactions'' from poorly informed members of the community above majority public support for action.

You have the right to remain silent, but only if you tell the police that you're remaining silent.

You have a right to a lawyer - before, during and after questioning, even though the police don't have to tell you exactly when the lawyer can be with you. If you can't afford a lawyer, one will be provided to you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you, which, by the way, are only good for the next two weeks?

from Crikey .....

By August 22, Joe Hockey could be in charge of the economy

Canberra correspondent Bernard Keane writes:

By ANTHONY SHADID

Julia Gillard has renewed her debate challenge to Tony Abbott, saying she wants to go head-to-head with the Opposition Leader on economic issues next Monday night.

Both leaders were on the hustings in the battlefield state of Queensland this morning as they touted plans to fast-track baby bonus payments and encourage firms to take on older workers.

Mr Abbott has already knocked back the challenge to hold a second debate with Ms Gillard, but today the Prime Minister, on day three of her 'Real Julia' strategy, threw the gauntlet down again.

"Mr Abbott should step up to a debate on the economy," she said as the election campaign reached the half-way mark.

THE Coalition will today promise employers cash payments of more than $3000 for giving jobs to people aged 50 and over.

The Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, will unveil the policy as the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, continues to press home what she said yesterday was her opponent's fundamental weakness - the economy and employment - and demand a second debate.

The big tobacco companies are fighting back against the Government's plans to introduce plain cigarette packaging by funding small retailers in a massive advertising campaign timed to coincide with the final weeks of the election campaign.

The Alliance of Australian Retailers (AAR) has taken out full page advertisements in tomorrow's papers criticising the plan, which they argue will hurt small business and lead to job losses.

The Daily Telegraph is reporting that the $5 million campaign has been devised by former Liberal Party strategists and Howard government advisers.

The newly-formed AAR has 19,000 members representing corner stores, petrol stations, and newsagents.

from Crikey .....

This is all your fault

Canberra correspondent Bernard Keane writes:

"To watch the courageous Afghan freedom fighters battle modern arsenals with simple hand-held weapons is an inspiration to those who love freedom. Their courage teaches us a great lesson-that there are things in this world worth defending. To the Afghan people, I say on behalf of all Americans that we admire your heroism, your devotion to freedom, and your relentless struggle against your oppressors." President Ronald Reagan - March 21, 1983