Not that the mood of one electorate - especially one that has been safely conservative for the best part of its history - should be taken as a national gauge.

But the very fact that Labor recorded a swing against it of 8.4 per cent suggests the government has some hard work ahead of itself if it is to hold voter confidence.

And with future by-elections likely as Liberal MPs decide whether or not the backbench is for them (Alexander Downer is tipped to be the next to go) Labor will be keen to put in a better showing than at the weekend.

If that is to happen, Kevin Rudd and his Labor colleagues must work less on being popular and more on delivering tangible evidence of the policies it promised at the last election.

To date, we've had a lot of talk, plenty of spin, but not much action.

On what could arguably be deemed the inconsequential issues, he's made good. FuelWatch is on the way, there's been a tax increase on alcopops, the definition of a binge drinker has been redefined and we've signed up for the Kyoto protocol.

But the big ticket items Mr Rudd hammered in opposition - petrol and grocery prices, interest rates, a better deal for pensioners, a workable carbon trading plan - are yet to eventuate.

Of course, the bigger the reforms, the more time it will take to implement workable strategies.

To date, though, Mr Rudd doesn't appear to making the decisions that will convince the electorate that things are happening.

If that doesn't happen soon, Labor may well find it's time in power very short lived.

And if Kevin Rudd is shifting uncomfortably in his seat, so too is Premier John Brumby.

As was expected, Labor held the state seat of Kororoit, but suffered a swing against it of 12 per cent.

At all levels now, the Labor Party will be assessing the fallout from both by-elections and will be examining hard how to stop the decline in those two seats becoming a trend across the nation.