2013 Federal Election: 7 September 2013

[Tink]

It hasn’t taken long for the Rudd haters in the ALP to start laying into him.
Craig Emerson let loose at Rudd yesterday, and another Labor bloke joined in today. There will almost certainly be others who are keen to nail Rudd's miserable hide to the wall.

There must be very few politicians who have been so strongly disliked by their colleagues as Rudd is by his.
This bloke has dished out plenty to his party over the last six years - many of them will now relish the chance to give him a dose of his own medicine.

Yes, we have had quite a few in Victoria from Labor having their say, calling it a toxic soap opera.

With the state election due next year, they are concerned.

 

[sails]

While there is nothing to stop you doing this, and all 10 votes would be counted, you would be fined (more than the $20 fine for not voting) once the big books were all collated.

Stewiejp, it seems nothing is done about it. I wonder how many voted more than once in some of the marginal seats this election. Something should be done to prevent people voting more than once and stop people stealing the votes of dead people. And I heard on a current affairs program some time back that fake addresses have been used. Surely something as important as our democracy should have much tighter identity checks and a system that at least makes fraud much more difficult.

AS many as 16,000 Australians got away with voting more than once in the 2010 razor's edge federal poll.

Dozens may have voted three times or more, but only three copped a slap on the wrist, the Herald Sun reported.

The Australian Electoral Commission has admitted to a Senate committee its own records make it difficult to tell who is flouting electoral laws. And it has been revealed little can be done if voters deny it.

Read more from news.com: AEC admits it can't establish who is flouting electoral laws

 

[noco]

While there is nothing to stop you doing this, and all 10 votes would be counted, you would be fined (more than the $20 fine for not voting) once the big books were all collated.

This voting at 10 different polling booths has been done before and has been challenged by the AEC only to find they could find no proof of the illicit act of the person/persons involved.

Some of these so called smart people also follow who has recently deceased and use the deceased name to cast their vote, not once but multiple times.

So it is quite easy to avoid the fines.

This why I aggree with Clive Palmer.... The system needs a very big shake up.

 

[drsmith]

Sophie Mirabella was catching up to her independent competitor in the seat of Indi until a counting error was discovered today.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-...-mcgowans-lead-over-mirabella-in-indi/4951666

Not a major loss for the Libs in my view.

 

[noco]

Sophie Mirabella was catching up to her independent competitor in the seat of Indi until a counting error was discovered today.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-...-mcgowans-lead-over-mirabella-in-indi/4951666

Not a major loss for the Libs in my view.

+1 Doc....she never impressed me either.

 

[Calliope]

+1 Doc....she never impressed me either.

Tony Windsor hated her too.

SOPHIE Mirabella can lay claim to a new, but likely unwelcome gift, bestowed yesterday by outgoing federal independent MP Tony Windsor.

Mr Windsor gave the member for Indi “the nasty prize” via an appearance yesterday morning on the ABC TV program Insiders with fellow independent Rob Oakeshott.

His remarks quickly stirred up a frenzy on social media.

Mr Windsor ”” who announced his resignation from politics just hours before the leadership battle between Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd reached its climax on Wednesday evening ”” declared Mrs Mirabella would be the person he would least miss in the Parliament.

He then threw his support behind Indi’s independent candidate, Cathy McGowan.

“She (Mrs Mirabella) wins the nasty prize. The people of Indi, just have a look at your representative and see how much better you could do,” he said.

Mr Windsor even offered his help to Ms McGowan’s election campaign, “now that I’ve got some time on my hands”.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1607598/windsor-gives-mirabella-the-nasty-prize/

 

[stewiejp]

There's a fairly simple solution to people voting more than once -
1. make people produce ID at the polling stations, and if they don't have ID, or enough ID - ask a few questions to validate their identity (DOB, Address, Mothers maiden name, previous address should do the trick - something like that)

2. make the electoral role a "live" electrical document (computer spreadsheet) rather than printing off countless thousands of books each year - that way when the person attempts to vote for the second time you can "nab him" then and there.

 

[IFocus]

I don't think the coalition under Abbott will be partaking in any eye for eye actions, I reckon our Tones has too much class for that. I have the sense they will be careful and steady, but we shall see of course.

But the LNP is still fighting off the viscious barbs of the Fabians, even in defeat... and as Yogi Berra once said, the best defense is offense.

Like I said, it's the Labor muppets who need your council.

The dumping of Bracks is telling of the school yard mentality of the Coalition, no one behaves with arogance like a Liberal and or its supporters.

 

[sails]

The dumping of Bracks is telling of the school yard mentality of the Coalition, no one behaves with arogance like a Liberal and or its supporters.

IF. you clearly didn't see Rudd at work as the hatchet man when Goss got into power in Qld. I understand it was pretty brutal.

It's not uncommon for an incoming government to replace staff with those they trust. So don't try to make this something only the libs do...LOL

Why do you try to spin things so much IF? Do you think we won't notice?

 

[MrBurns]

The dumping of Bracks is telling of the school yard mentality of the Coalition, no one behaves with arogance like a Liberal and or its supporters.

Really who cares if a Labor person gets dumped from a $250K pa bludge.........I don't

 

[bellenuit]

It's not uncommon for an incoming government to replace staff with those they trust. So don't try to make this something only the libs do...

Another thing to note is that Bracks campaigned for Labor AFTER being nominated. Government appointees are expected to not take political sides after being nominated. Their job is to carry out the wishes of the government of the day and put politics aside. If Bracks had followed that practice and also, as he would only be assuming the role after the election, showed the courtesy of discussing his appointment with the coalition, something which Gillard refused to do, he might have been dealt with more favourably by Bishop.

 

[Logique]

Sophie Mirabella was catching up to her independent competitor in the seat of Indi until a counting error was discovered today.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-...-mcgowans-lead-over-mirabella-in-indi/4951666

Not a major loss for the Libs in my view.

Except that her opponent and now likely winner, turns out to be a pretend conservative Doc. Backed by the left, within a organization she herself formed. Indi will welcome Mirabella back with open arms, wait and see.

 

[Calliope]

Except that her opponent and now likely winner, turns out to be a pretend conservative Doc. Backed by the left, within a organization she herself formed. Indi will welcome Mirabella back with open arms, wait and see.

I am not too sure why Doc takes that view. She was very useful to Abbott. She could say things about the Labor female nasties that Abbott couldn't say for fear of the misogyny attacks.

Besides, she is hated by Windsor, so she can't be all that bad. He set up support for her opponent in Indi so as to inflict on Indi a "pretend conservative" in his own nasty image.

http://www.news.com.au/national-new...la-actually-said/story-fncynjr2-1226718988535

 

[sails]

Except that her opponent and now likely winner, turns out to be a pretend conservative Doc. Backed by the left, within a organization she herself formed. Indi will welcome Mirabella back with open arms, wait and see.

I read something about this recently and it seems there may be other "independents" interested in using her model to take seats from the coalition in the future. It appears the plan is to deceive the electorate into thinking they are conservative.

If so, hopefully this situation in Indi will bring it to the the light and help prevent voters from being conned.

 

[sydboy007]

Really who cares if a Labor person gets dumped from a $250K pa bludge.........I don't

But you have no problem with a Liberal person getting a $250K bludge?

Personally I'd prefer them to earn the $, but I suppose as long as it's someone from the right getting the easy money that's fine and dandy?

This kind of behaviour in the corporate world isn't acceptable. Sacking someone because they're from the wrong side of politics in the corporate world opens you up to litigation.

Using justifications because they did it when they go into power last time. 2 wrongs don't make a right.

i think it's this kind of behaviour that lead so many people to vote for the alternatives to the 2 major parties.

 

[IFocus]

Another thing to note is that Bracks campaigned for Labor AFTER being nominated. Government appointees are expected to not take political sides after being nominated. Their job is to carry out the wishes of the government of the day and put politics aside. If Bracks had followed that practice and also, as he would only be assuming the role after the election, showed the courtesy of discussing his appointment with the coalition, something which Gillard refused to do, he might have been dealt with more favourably by Bishop.

Peter Costello has whats the differance?

Bracks was nonminated by a goverment well outside of any convention required consulting with Bishop was not required, by all accounts he had a water tight case for wrongfull sacking but chose not to run it.

 

[noco]

Peter Costello has whats the differance?

Bracks was nonminated by a goverment well outside of any convention required consulting with Bishop was not required, by all accounts he had a water tight case for wrongfull sacking but chose not to run it.

What did he expect when he bit the hand that was feeding him. Serves him right.

 

[bellenuit]

Peter Costello has whats the differance?

Bracks was nonminated by a goverment well outside of any convention required consulting with Bishop was not required, by all accounts he had a water tight case for wrongfull sacking but chose not to run it.

Needing to consult with Bishop was not a convention but a courtesy since he would be assuming the role when the coalition would potentially, and as we knew then, very likely be the government of the day. The convention that was not followed was appointing someone to fill a position when the government was, for all practicable purposes, in caretaker mode. Just as Labor tried to put timebombs in place that were only there to frustrate the opposition carrying out its policy should it regain power (long term NBN contracts, funding commitments that went through the term of the next government), they also tried to make appointments that were only going to come into effect after the next government took power. Fair play to the coalition for not putting up with such nonsense.

 

[sails]

And it looks like Bracks has brought some of this on himself:

STEVE Bracks has played a role in his own demise as after losing the confidence of the Abbott Government by actively fundraising and campaigning against it.

Mr Bracks has been axed from the prestigious $250,000-a-year posting ... because he campaigned against [the Coalition]. Mr Bracks was the star billing at a fundraising event and involved in the Hotham pre-selection contest…

``It was highly inappropriate for him to be involved in a campaign against the government he would have to represent.’’

Ms Bishop warned in May that she reserved the right to review the appointment as it was taking effect at the same time as the election…

Acting Foreign Minister Tanya Plibersek said it was a ``petty and vindictive’’ decision as the first act of the Abbott Government.

But former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett said Mr Bracks has no right to complain because ``he did exactly the same thing when he won government in 1999’’ by sacking Sir James Gobbo as Governor…

In his book, ``A Premier’s State’’ Mr Bracks said Sir James has been a member of a regular lunch group called the Rumour Tank that was made up of ``Liberal Party identities’’ including Mr Kennett and it concerned him and was a factor in not extending his term as Governor.

Andrew Bolt also notes that "Former Labor leader Kim Beazley, though, will stay on as our ambassador to Washington until the end of next year."

Coalition does to Bracks what he did first

 

[drsmith]

Except that her opponent and now likely winner, turns out to be a pretend conservative Doc. Backed by the left, within a organization she herself formed. Indi will welcome Mirabella back with open arms, wait and see.

In terms of her public media performances, she didn't impress me. She struck me as seeing herself as being a cut above everyone else.

Regardless of the background of the independent candidate, something obviously went severely wrong with Sophie's campaign bearing in mind the swing against her relative to the rest of the state.