Is there any great difference in foreign policy approach...

[Violet_Crumble]

..between the ALP and the Coalition? They both cling to the insurance policy/great and powerful friends nonsense that does away with any real independence on our part, so I'm failing to see much difference...

Violet...

[Djinn]

1. not a great deal of difference in any area to my mind

the ALP are probably a bit less likely to make "US deputy" noises but the actions would be the same, I don't think our involvement in Iraq would have been substantially different under the ALP

[The_Fez]

2. A difference?

Is there actually a difference between the Libs and the ALP?

[Djinn]

3. certainly not that I've noticed over the last 10 years

like many Americans when viewing the Clinton presidency, Australian lefties have a tendency to look back with rose coloured glasses. The last ALP government was a disaster for unionism and social welfare and a massive boon to the robber barons.

as someone who would dearly LOVE to have a LABOUR party back, one of my favourite quotes is "I support Labor, that's why I vote Green"

Oh and BTW welcome to DU The_Fez - are you a fellow antipodean?

[The_Fez]

4. antipodean?

Nah, just another yank expat cluttering up your shores...I do, however, have a keen grasp af the lbw law, so I guess that counts for something...

[Djinn]

5. hehe

I have ZERO grasp of the LBW law (it took me a while to even work out what that was) but I hate cricket - would rather watch paint dry! but apparently that's because I'm also an immigrant, apparently that's also why I'd rather eat sump oil than Vegemite!

[Violet_Crumble]

6. I'm still trying to work it out...

And I'm usually so good with acronyms, being a public servant and all. What's the LBW law?

Violet...

[Djinn]

7. presumably Leg Before Wicket

cricket shite!

[Matilda]

8. One of the weaknesses for Labor now is that they can't bash Howard

for the mess in Iraq, because they supported it.

Crean did make a small attempt with his "we support you, but we don't
think you should be going" speech, but Beazley hasn't said a word,
then or later.

If they'd only shown some real backbone at the time (Latham did get
it right before he became leader), they could be having a field day
now.