Victoria leads, backbench follows

Another reminder of why I chose to live in this freezing corner of the country:

Nearly two out of three Victorians (63 per cent) say immigrants have a positive influence, compared with about half those in other states, according to an Associated Press/Ipsos Poll.

And with signs of a backbench revolt over Howard's ongoing refugee-bashing and Indonesia-appeasing agenda, things are looking up for desperate people of different colours who want to join the downunder project.