Who are you voting for?

[Rafa]

Rafa, I doubt that any anti muslim sentiment would have genuinely been stirred on the basis of this behaviour. Honestly think most people will see it for what it is.

you have greater faith in humanity than I....

I for one, an extremely surprised that race has not entered into this campaign earlier... in my mind there is no doubt this will only be a benifit to the govt amongst the swining voters who watch shows like today tonight and ACA.

divide and conquer is a age old tactic ... and the best way to do it, is to sit idly by whilst others do your handiwork.... no one does it better than our PM.

as i said in an earlier post - Those in the political system are paid to cop it... not members of the public.

unfortunately, i am more certain of a liberal victory now, than at any time in the last 6 weeks...

 

[Julia]

you have greater faith in humanity than I....

Yep, a regular little Pollyanna, that's me.

unfortunately, i am more certain of a liberal victory now, than at any time in the last 6 weeks...

Presumably you mean just in this seat, not overall???

 

[numbercruncher]

Mega poll predicts Labor landslide
Friday Nov 23, 2007

ninemsn's Passion Pulse, the biggest poll of the election campaign, leaves no room for doubt — Kevin Rudd will be the prime minister of Australia by the end of tomorrow night.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/minisite/election_article.aspx?id=328104&sectionid=6046&sectionname=minisiteelection


Seems "average" Australians have had a gutful of the Liberal's ...

Who will you be voting for in the election?
Thanks for voting 10134 votes since Nov 22 2007
Liberal/Nationals 37% 3714 votes
Labor 48% 4821 votes
Greens 8% 819 votes
Independent 2% 176 votes
Other 2% 214 votes
Undecided 4% 390 votes

Todays yahoo 7 poll predicts something similar http://au.yahoo.com/

 

[Rafa]

Yep, a regular little Pollyanna, that's me.

I was actually thinking overall result... it all hinges on how much the anti muslim sentiment gets traction in the next day or so...

16 seats is one hell of a task...

the odds still show coalition at $4 bucks

 

[2020hindsight]

16 seats is one hell of a task...

the odds still show coalition at $4 bucks

we should have a guessing comp...

a) Libs will win and know they've won before WA polls close
b) Libs will win and know they've won by 9pm AEDT Saty (Sydney time)
c) Libs will win and know they've won by midnight AEDT Saty (Sydney time)
d) Libs will win within 1 week
e) Libs will win after longer than 1 week or after a legal challenge

f) Lab will win after longer than 1 week or after a legal challenge
g) Lab will win within 1 week
h) Lab will win and know they've won by midnight Saty AEDT (Sydney time)
i) Lab will win and know they've won by 9pm AEDT Saty (Sydney time)
j) Lab will win and know they've won before WA polls close

 

[chops_a_must]

Much more dramatically, the bogus islamic pamphlet saga has exposed a deep and worrying element that has been evident throughout Howard’s career. He may not condone racism but his political behaviour has encouraged it. From his refusal to condemn Hanson, to his refusal to say sorry to our indigenous community, to his ‘we will decide who comes here’, Howard has encouraged insularity and resentment.

Now this tragic failure of leadership has returned as farce to stain his last days in office. In fact, Jackie Kelly will bookend his prime ministerial career from the triumphant victory of a heartland labor seat in 1996 to a piece of grubby stupidity aimed at exploiting racial tensions.

Howard’s lifelong ambivalence to the use of racism in politics has been a betrayal of the Liberal Party’s better instincts and one that will have major repercussions for the party’s future and for future interpretations of the Howard legacy.

In the past I think he has condoned racism.

I wonder how many of our asian friends on these boards would actually be here if Howard had got his way in the 80s, or even know what he proposed. I was only a kid at the time, but I still remember it, and obviously more clearly than other people much older than I.

Hmm yes, promising to end Asian immigration in the 80s... and refusing to speak out against Hanson... You tell me the link! Yet the asian community will vote Liberal in droves, and most likely, one will try and give me a how to vote card.

But that is something I like to remind them of...

 

[greggy]

the whole pamphlet thing has really put a sour taste in many peoples mouths...

whilst most parties do their fair share of dirty tricks, one thing it does highlight, is the fact that the liberals, esp under howard, are never backward in slagging of minority groups and playing on people fears in the name of political gain.

i.e. there is no regard for collateral damage, people outside the political arena are hurt. That is the big difference in tactics. Those in the political system are paid to cop it... not members of the public.

such sort of immoral disregard for minority groups is very concerning, but is not unexpected from the liberals under howard.

Hi Rafa,

Any remaining chance of retaining this Liberal seat has now disappeared. Although I'll be switching my vote over to the ALP tomorrow in what I think will be an election result that will be closer than most people think. I think you've gone a bit far in your comments in relation to the Liberals never being "backward in slagging of minority groups..." There are indeeed racists in all political parties. They deserve no respect. Australia would be better off without such individuals.

 

[Rafa]

greggy, i said Liberals under Howard...

i don't know what happened in the past, but howard has been around for yonks and chops already raised the 'end asian immigration' cry from Howard in the 80's.... but since entering office its been one minority group after another
it started with the aborigines, then asians, then unemployed, then single mothers, then refugees, then muslims, and now even attempts to vilify africans.

Now i am not saying that none of this is justified, infact i agree with most of it... but is making a big hoo haa via the populist media the right way to go about it, unless the aim is inflame the situation rather than actually solve it!

Maybe the rest of the liberal party don't support this sort of vilification, but they keep voting howard as their leader and the need to stay in power overides any moral obligation to to stop picking on minorities... certainly Jackie Kelly's husband feels this way.


for what its worth 2020, i am picking
c) or h) i.e. result won't be known till WA results come in...

but as we all know, the bookies know best they are still predictiing an easy labor win
----------------------
Daffy is predicting Labor will win 20 seats - four more than it needs to form government.

Punters betting with Sportingbet reckon the margin will be bigger. They have backed into $2.50 favourite a two-party preferred vote for Labor of somewhere between 53 and 53.99 per cent.

That range would produce a winning margin of between 16 and 26 seats.
---------------------------


Well, i am out for the rest of the night.
Good luck to all, may the best man win...

 

[2020hindsight]

...for what its worth 2020, i am picking
c) or h) i.e. result won't be known till WA results come in...

rafa, yep - especially considering Qld is 1 hour behind Sydney at the moment. (crucial seats up there)
I'm on h)

 

[robots]

hello,

Would like to wish Johnny and the team all the best. The past 14 yrs have been tremendous and the next 14 under john & co will be just as impressive.

Go liberals.

Thankyou

robots

 

[rederob]

hello,

Would like to wish Johnny and the team all the best. The past 14 yrs have been tremendous and the next 14 under john & co will be just as impressive.

Go liberals.

Thankyou

robots

Wow
What an endorsement of Keating's last 3 years in governement!
Maybe he was just liberal with his thinking as he labored over politics.

 

[Smurf1976]

we should have a guessing comp...

a) Libs will win and know they've won before WA polls close
b) Libs will win and know they've won by 9pm AEDT Saty (Sydney time)
c) Libs will win and know they've won by midnight AEDT Saty (Sydney time)
d) Libs will win within 1 week
e) Libs will win after longer than 1 week or after a legal challenge

f) Lab will win after longer than 1 week or after a legal challenge
g) Lab will win within 1 week
h) Lab will win and know they've won by midnight Saty AEDT (Sydney time)
i) Lab will win and know they've won by 9pm AEDT Saty (Sydney time)
j) Lab will win and know they've won before WA polls close

I'm expecting a Labor win to be reasonably apparent around 8 - 9 pm but no official acceptance as such until maybe 10 -11. Just my guess of course.

 

[2020hindsight]

I'm expecting a Labor win to be reasonably apparent around 8 - 9 pm but no official acceptance as such until maybe 10 -11. Just my guess of course.

hey smurf -
maybe followed by WA seceding about 11 or 12 midnight lol?

 

[numbercruncher]

The Brits are calling it " the first Climate change election "

The lucky country?
The Australian prime minister, John Howard, has poured scorn on the idea of global warming. But now the trees are dying, the crops are failing and the rivers are drying up. As the country prepares to go to the polls, Julian Glover reports on the world's first climate change election

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/nov/23/climatechange.australia

 

[2020hindsight]

... Julian Glover reports on the world's first climate change election

The lucky country?
The Australian prime minister, John Howard, has poured scorn on the idea of global warming. But , just as the trees are dying, the crops are failing and the rivers are drying up. ...........

............God shows he has a wicked sense of humour, and sends down a bit of rain

PS you may or may not have picked up from my posts (and I've been talking global warming here for 18 months) ...
but I am REALLY REALLY looking forward to voting tomorrow lol. NEVER have I looked forward to voting so much lol. (sorry to bore you folks)

And I'll be honest, I have voted Liberal many many more times than Labor
I have (as an employer) been taken to court - and taken for a ride - over unfair dismissals in the past ( $5K was about standard to buy your way out of a totally fabricated penalty) -

but I just feel we are about to fall off the right hand end of the world here
:hide:

Kevin 07 - and of course he'll be aiming to be more than a one-termer

 

[numbercruncher]

....NEVER have I looked forward to voting so much lol. (sorry to bore you folks):

Me to 2020 , last three elections ive foolishly and selfishly voted with my wallet for Liberal, now ive taken the time to think about the big picture and consider the consequences ive realised im voting for my Kids and not only Australias future but quite possibly the planets future.

I like that old(ish) Indian proverb , Once the Last River is polluted, the last fish is caught and the last tree is cut down, only then will mankind realise he cant eat money.

Sustainability is what its all about.

Rock on Labor

 

[insider]

Me to 2020 , last three elections ive foolishly and selfishly voted with my wallet for Liberal, now ive taken the time to think about the big picture and consider the consequences ive realised im voting for my Kids and not only Australias future but quite possibly the planets future.

I like that old(ish) Indian proverb , Once the Last River is polluted, the last fish is caught and the last tree is cut down, only then will mankind realise he cant eat money.

Sustainability is what its all about.

Rock on Labor

That's the story of Easter Island... This actually happened... So I was told

 

[Aussie2Aussie]

You have got to love these guys....11th hour stuff and they will say, well I told you before the election.

ABC

Rudd 'backtracked on Indigenous pledge'
Posted 5 hours 35 minutes ago


Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson has lashed out at the Labor leader, accusing him of heartlessly abandoning his pledge to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution.

In an interview with The Australian newspaper, Kevin Rudd said that a referendum on Aboriginal reconciliation would not happen in the first term of a Rudd Labor government, if at all.


The Australian

Labor admits to $400m hole
November 23, 2007
Labor has accepted there is a $400 million hole in its election costings, but still claims it has spent half as much as the Coalition overall.

A reduction in tax on non-residents – designed, Kevin Rudd says to boost the international funds management sector, allowing Chinese money to invest in Latin American real estate via Australian firms – has turned out costing $505 million, Treasury says.

Labor original estimate the cost of the measure – reducing withholding tax from 30 per cent to 15 per cent - at $105 million over the four-years forward estimates.

But Labor’s independent panel of experts, which includes the former treasury official Greg Smith, has accepted Treasury’s costings.

 

[Nyden]

You have got to love these guys....11th hour stuff and they will say, well I told you before the election.

ABC

Rudd 'backtracked on Indigenous pledge'
Posted 5 hours 35 minutes ago


Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson has lashed out at the Labor leader, accusing him of heartlessly abandoning his pledge to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution.

In an interview with The Australian newspaper, Kevin Rudd said that a referendum on Aboriginal reconciliation would not happen in the first term of a Rudd Labor government, if at all.


The Australian

Labor admits to $400m hole
November 23, 2007
Labor has accepted there is a $400 million hole in its election costings, but still claims it has spent half as much as the Coalition overall.

A reduction in tax on non-residents – designed, Kevin Rudd says to boost the international funds management sector, allowing Chinese money to invest in Latin American real estate via Australian firms – has turned out costing $505 million, Treasury says.

Labor original estimate the cost of the measure – reducing withholding tax from 30 per cent to 15 per cent - at $105 million over the four-years forward estimates.

But Labor’s independent panel of experts, which includes the former treasury official Greg Smith, has accepted Treasury’s costings.

Election hasn't even happened yet - & Labor's already backing out of things!

Kevin 07 - and of course he'll be aiming to be more than a one-termer

That's if he even makes it that far

 

[Julia]

Well, good on Noel Pearson for attacking him on this. So he should.
Then I expect after the election we'll find out about all the non-core promises.