who continued to vote while being investigated - John Sharpe, David Jull, and Peter McGauran. They all subsequently resigned.
Abbott's getting away with this because the Murdoch press is dedicated to bringing down the Labor Government. Many people read little more than headlines, and if they do read further, they absorb what they see like blotting paper, and regurgitate it later. That it's all slanted to favour the Coalition wouldn't bother them even if they could make the connection.
It is unfortunate that neither Gillard nor Swan are good communicators, and are unable to convey the news about the legislation they have managed to get through successfully. They are dead people walking, and the prime ministership is just going to fall into Abbott's lap.
I think he will only be a one-term PM, because his policy consists only of ripping down whatever Labor has created, and as he's likely to have control of the Senate as well, he'll be able to do it. But without any ideas of his own, he will flounder and even the conservative idiots will eventually wake up; Hockey and Robb are equally bereft of ideas, so they won't be able to help him. But even in one term, with idealogues in full cry, he'll be able to do a lot of damage to the country.
The most interesting thing about the Slipper case is whether James Ashby has been put up to mounting his complaint by the Libs. It seems very likely, and if only it could be proven, it could turn everything around. I've read the tapes of the Twitter conversations, and Ashby doesn't come across as being a blushing vioet, nor does he seem to be particularly upset by Slipper's innuendoes, which are pretty tame anyway. Definitely an abuse of his position, but enough to cause the trauma counselling that Ashby is claiming? - he doesn't come across as that delicate. And let's not forget Godwin Grech - this is what Libs do!
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