It wasn't until the greatness of Labor's 16-22 seat comeback set in that I realised how depressing the next year to three years would be. A handful of voters in Victoria and NSW kept Howard in Government against a two party preferred vote that said Labor should have won (interesting to see Liberals not complaining about that anymore). Why I am so depressed is that Howard has no complete mandate. He has a majority in a majority of seats, but he doesn't have the majority of Australians behind a GST and his mandate theory is just as affective as Labors or the Democrats. The bickering and fighting over a gst within (whacky nationals) and outside the coalition will highlight what the electorate saw was severely wrong with politics.

Day One of the Beazley Government would have ushered in a man who had a huge task ahead - to bring unemployment down to 5%. As unrealistic as that may seem, he would be judged by that target. He would've been putting in policies for his first 100 days. All we're going to get from Howard over the next six months is bickering over a tax policy that won't even take effect until the year 2000. I suppose we will have to settle for a permanent underclass of unemployed people in Australia. I can almost hear the booing for John Howard as he comes out to the podium to open the 2000 Olympic games.