Law has failed USA and UK

Submitted by Firozali A.Mulla DBA (Tanzania), Aug 11, 2013 at 06:26

Prime minister Kevin Rudd and opposition leader Tony Abbott have faced off in the first televised leaders' debate of the 2013 election campaign.

In a debate largely framed by the economic issues, Rudd pressed Abbott on his promise not to raise the Goods and Services Tax (GST), while Abbott accused the Rudd government of "killing" the resources boom through policy measures such as the mining and carbon taxes.

On the vexed issue of asylum seekers, Rudd denied that dismantling the Pacific Solution of offshore processing was a mistake, but instead claimed that changing international circumstances – such as a civil war in Sri Lanka – were the cause of a dramatic influx in the number of arrivals by boat.

Rudd also promised that a bill to recognise same-sex marriage would be introduced to parliament in the first 100 days if an ALP government was returned.

Our experts were watching the debate. Their comments follow.

Tom Clark, Senior Lecturer in Communication at Victoria University

This feels like a disappointing night out for Kevin Rudd. The government has been losing popular momentum for several days. A turnaround in the opinion polls has unsettled the Labor team, and they really wanted a win tonight to get their campaign, er, moving forward. I thank you

Firozali A.Mulla DBA

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