To be sure Abbott's unremitting whining is being increasingly believed. The characterization of the PM as a 'liar' has been repeated so often that the electorate has begun to simply accept it.
The nail in the coffin? Nobody wants a tax. This encourages disbelief, people simply Want to believe all this because they don't want to pay.
Laurie Oakes in a feature piece in the weekend's Herald Sun offers a long sought-after critique of the parlous state of politics in this fair land. One sentence, perhaps, damns both sides
"the Opposition Leader is getting away with purveying trashy policy because the nation is mesmerised by the Government's woes. While Julia Gillard continues to stumble from one mess to another, Abbott largely escapes scrutiny."
It raises the question about whether we have the best sort of leaders or those who have been seduced by the myth of "pragmatism" versus "policy".
My feeling is that if for one moment our leaders/parties could grasp the nettle of creative policy and pursue it with vigour, whilst resisting the temptation to water down vision with some perverted notion of what is popular we would see a shift in political allegiance. distracted.
Oh dear! So shallow! On all sides. From all parties.