Honesty not always the best policy position

He is occasionally expedient with the truth on non-core issues to attract his audience. Is this justifiable? Yes, if it is a means to improving the greater community good by removing an incompetent government.

It is a judgment call whether federal Labor has reached this level yet, but the scourge of pink batts, school halls and non-action on refugees, human rights and the environment makes it a line-ball decision.

Kevin Rudd is the boss; the most powerful man in the country. At that level, the only criterion on which he is to be judged is outcomes. There are no points for trying hard (even staying up late at night) or good intentions. Under Labor, there are no measurable improvements in the prosperity of normal Australians or the services that are essential to human flourishing, in the form of health and education.

Three more years of good intentions and excuses for doing nothing may be more than the country can tolerate.

What isn't line ball is that it is good finally to have a bit of honesty and maturity on the lying front. Those who still maintain they never lie need to do one of two things: stop lying or do us all a favour and drop the occasional fib.