Of course there is a link it's just that State Labor in NSW (in particular) and Qld have themselves to blame for the majority of their woes. Same with the State Libs under Howard.
Granted, I'm not fully up to speed with all of the intricate state issues. I remember reading about some of the shenanigans in the NSW Labor party, they seemed to be going thru Ministers and Premiers like old socks at one stage. Not surprised they got turfed out.
Don't know much about Qld local issues ?? perhaps some Qld people could enlighten us. From afar, Anna Bligh seems like a really decent person - wish she was a Liberal. I put her in the same category as Stephen Smith. Top bloke, just batting for the red team instead of the blue one.
And I've said before I don't think Julia should have brought in a Carbon Tax after saying she wouldn't. All that angst would have been avoided if she just went for a floating price from the get go - then nobody could have called it a Carbon Tax. And it would have been the policy Howard had supported.
Yeah, this issue is just waaaaay too big to call it merely angst. She, or any other Labor leader that steps up next year at the election is going to get thumped. I honestly think it's so big it doesn't matter who leads the Labor party, nor who leads the Liberal party.
The public were lied to, voted on the info they were presented, and then quickly "switched and fooled". Most folks don't take too kindly to that type of treatment. It ain't gonna be pretty....and Labor know it.
"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.
Ouch, can't argue with that. The level of both misinformation and pure ignorance on how things mechanically and realistically work on the aprt of the average working voter is simply astounding.
I'm not sure any of the elected politicians have ever clealry explained how difficult it is to get anything done in Parliament, when there are soooo many opposing forces to any movement whatsoever.