ELECTIONS - Labor or Liberal

Julia said:

how furious John Howard must be with Santoro.

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julia, yep - he broke the 11th commandment !! lol, wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall in these minister's rooms - "yes minister" but without any of the subtlety "politics?", poly= many, tics = blood sucking parasites

PS Praps he could mount a defence along the lines of "minister for aging" is surely entitled to a spell or two of dimentia. !(?)

A few lines about the choice of electoral terms - 3? 4? maybe less?

How interesting! electoral year is when it all occurred,
The surplus got distributed, the whole thing goes absurd,
And even Hicks is sudden tried, and teachers are reviewed
And carbon trading's up for grabs, (the subtlety is crude);

Or whether water policy is suddenly full on,
Or whether global warming is a few steps up from "con"
I just wish all this action happened every year bar none
Ahhh...
.... praps electoral cycles should be shortened to just ... one?

Excellent poetry 2020. You are hereby appointed the first poet laureat of ASF.

I don't think it really matter who gets in. It is more important to get the election out of the way as it's stalling big decisions in NSW.
Bring the election forward to May 2007.

noirua said:

It is more important to get the election out of the way as it's stalling big decisions in NSW.
Bring the election forward to May 2007.

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noi, I'm not keeping up with you on the "big decisions in NSW"
"please explain" lol.:silly:

But I don't agree with bringing the election forward !!! WHAT !!! - Just when we're getting some action , lol.

Let Johhny finally do something on these tricky ones, who knows at the rate he's going , he'll be a raving greenie in 6 months lol ...

I'm also happy to let Labour have a bit more scrutiny of their policies - but I hope they are given a bit of freedom to finetune those same policies. They are starting from a standing start (new leader etc) after all.

btw, as for whoever gets in, you're not suggesting that there are "core promises" and "non-core promises" I hope? lol

2020hindsight said:

noi, I'm not keeping up with you on the "big decisions in NSW"
"please explain" lol.:silly:

But I don't agree with bringing the election forward !!! WHAT !!! - Just when we're getting some action , lol.

Let Johhny finally do something on these tricky ones, who knows at the rate he's going , he'll be a raving greenie in 6 months lol ...

I'm also happy to let Labour have a bit more scrutiny of their policies - but I hope they are given a bit of freedom to finetune those same policies. They are starting from a standing start (new leader etc) after all.

btw, as for whoever gets in, you're not suggesting that there are "core promises" and "non-core promises" I hope? lol

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Hi 2020 et al, I have to be careful and not go off topic as I could type 10,000 words in my reply.

Firstly, I don't agree that John Howard is Green as he did say recently how important coal exports are to Australia and if Aussie quality coal is not supplied then inferior coal will be supplied from other sources.
Therefore Coal, much of it comes from NSW, is a must for the future and we must herald his aims in increasing the number of new technology powerstations and in particular UCC technology.

What else. At the moment the new Newcastle Port Extension decision has been held up and new mines in the Hunter Valley are left needing a go-ahead decision.

Growth in China and India is around 8% to 10% per year and so everyone has to work together in maintaining this growth and trying to restrict emissions into the atmosphere at the same time. The present Liberal Leader has this view and is working hard to make sure that Australia does not lose out by stopping development of new mines.

I'll stop at this point as I could go on and on. Good Luck.

noirua said:

Therefore Coal, much of it comes from NSW, is a must for the future and we must herald his aims in increasing the number of new technology powerstations and in particular UCC technology.

What else. At the moment the new Newcastle Port Extension decision has been held up and new mines in the Hunter Valley are left needing a go-ahead decision.

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I'll restrict myself to a peripheral comment
Interesting isn't it, that Labour (the natural choice of the Hunter) should be so on the back foot up there. Peter Garrett had to muster all his courage to address the miners up there recently Coal is ok provided its clean coal technology etc. I would personally be happy if that coal was shipped to the third world. So long as we ONLY use clean coal technology. (no ifs no buts)

But IMO the difference between the major parties is very minimal (surely you'd agree) - only the minor parties ( greens etc) have the luxury these days of a moral stand - on just about anything

2020hindsight said:

I'll restrict myself to a peripheral comment
Interesting isn't it, that Labour (the natural choice of the Hunter) should be so on the back foot up there. Peter Garrett had to muster all his courage to address the miners up there recently Coal is ok provided its clean coal technology etc. I would personally be happy if that coal was shipped to the third world. So long as we ONLY use clean coal technology. (no ifs no buts)

But IMO the difference between the major parties is very minimal (surely you'd agree) - only the minor parties ( greens etc) have the luxury these days of a moral stand - on just about anything

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Hi, trouble is new technology costs bundles of cash, about $1.3 billion for a new technology pig iron smelter alone. Australia can't afford to do that. Rio Tinto's Hismelt smelter in WA cost as much and the WA government stumped up a fair wedge of the cost.

Reducing emissions is up to everyone individually. Don't buy packaged food unless you have to. Turn lights off in the house if you don't need them on. Walk more often instead of using the car. Cancel that flight abroad this year. Drive the car more slowly. Etc., etc., etc.,

I spoke to a person about a month ago who was trading his green credentials whilst talking about his next holiday flight abroad. He also had a car that was a bit of a gas guzzler.

Green coat but brown and black underneath, imho.

Hi 2020, you'r spot on. Labor = Liberal?

noirua said:

Cancel that flight abroad this year. ... He also had a car that was a bit of a gas guzzler. Green coat but brown and black underneath, imho.

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cancel that flight abroad ?
and cancel any thought of having a broad on a flight - sure way to get on the front page lol.

Question was apparently put to Rudd on talk-back radio during the week - "why does he have a 4 wheel drive - His reply , you can't get a hybrid car in Canberra - Green's pollies immediately rang up and corrected them

Allegedly, according to Insiders this morning, so too does Al Gore have a big guzzler (although I think that is incorrect - he would be smarter than that wouldn't he?? )

At least he knows how to spell potatoez ? doesn't he ? lol.

Getting back to insults you are or aren't allowed to put on ASF - You have posted a lot of links on that thread . ...
ARE you saying for instance that you are not allowed to say that
"It has been proven..." - no , start again ...

"There is absolutely no truth in the rumour that 3 out of 4 politicians are the result of a sexual encounter between a man and a pig"

or for instance...
"The hypothetical president of the hypothetical pig breeders association has reacted angrily to the rumours and slurs about the intelligence of pigs contributing to the problems currently facing Canberra, and the lack of action on GW, Kyoto etc. And he was quick to add that pigs were honest enough to be happy when covered in mud, and only had their snout in the trough during a brief few minutes per day."

Are you saying we shouldn't say that ?
Are we allowed to say " how's the weather?" lol - trouble is after asking that 12,000 times a day , it gets a bit boring.

PS there used to be an old reply "everyone talks about the weather - why doesn't anyone do anything about it"
many a true word spoken in jest

West Aussies might be interested
60 minutes (7.30pm) has an interview with Rudd. - actually starts about 8pm, maybe just before.
personally I found it very candid, and quite entertaining.

Kevin is too clever for his own good and it comes across in interviews like that with Liz Hayes...... "I have never knowingly lied"...... lol

Jimminy said:

Kevin is too clever for his own good and it comes across in interviews like that with Liz Hayes...... "I have never knowingly lied"...... lol

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mmm,
a) I think Johnny has made similar claims - hence the nickname "honest John", and
b) I think Rudd also asked himself the queston "Am I the paragon of virtue in Canberra ?, no"

Hence I didnt think he overdid it , and ... lol everythings relative mate.

like GW Bush pretending that he was such a Christian in pre-election debates, and recently being quoted as saying something like "I don't give a flying f*** what the polls say, I'm the president , and what I say goes!"

Didnt learn that at Sunday school George ! lol
So relative to that, both Rudd and Howard are saints

Well what a massive backflip from the Greens in Tasmania over an issue that's been around longer than the party itself.

The Greens now want the state government to extend funding for the woodheater buy back scheme in Launceston as apparently the council there has run out of money to fund it.

The purpose of this scheme is to get wood burning heaters out of homes and replace them with (in practice) electric heat. No problems there, like most I've had more than enough of foul air from these pollution machines and would gladly see the end of them. Maybe then we'll get air quality that doesn't exceed acceptable (health threatening) pollution levels 3 fold day after day.

But just one point. Which political group was it that actively encouraged the installation of woodheaters in the first place? That came to the point of actually manufacturing them at one stage. That heavily criticised others in the early 1990's who were saying they had to come out as human health depended on it? Who was it?

The Greens.

A ridiculous saga that even came to the point of a Labor leader holding a press conference on the subject of the underfloor heating he'd installed at home.

Big issue, lots of nasty effects. And the Greens just quietly change sides and hope nobody realises they were largely responsible for the mess in the first place. Incredible.

Jimminy said:

Kevin is too clever for his own good and it comes across in interviews like that with Liz Hayes...... "I have never knowingly lied"...... lol

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Well, he's been sprung three times in as many months now. His childhood circumstances, his links to Burke and now the Sunrise/Anzac Day shuffle.

This is before he's even in government.

And the polls still have him as preferred PM?? Please explain?

It can only be a matter of time before people wake up that this unassuming bookish image is just a facade.

As the years pass me by I can see a need for change in Australia. Persons aged 60 or over should be able to travel by public transport free of charge if you start your journey after 9.30a.m. monday to Friday and all the weekend. That would also include trains, and if you start your journey in your state it would be alright to travel as far as that transport takes you, and providing the return takes you back to your State that would be free also.

For instance, Adelaide to Darwin on the Ghan would be free.

Persons under the age of 18 would be allowed to travel throughout their State only, at anytime free of charge.

From the australian this mornin Hee hee

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another toon from the Australian, heh heh

BIG BWACULL said:

Another toon from the Australian, heh heh

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Nicholson's a genius isn't he - so too nearly all the cartoonists
But that one's a beauty. I think for Johnny to demonstrate that after 3 terms whatever he still can't or won't quantify the problem is a real worry for his cred.

Qld had a deadline for the felling of trees (/ clearing of land) a couple of years ago. As the deadline drew near, the bulldozers ( + chain and ball etc) were working round the clock.

America currently has a deadline for oil fired power stations. So sure enough they are trying to rush as many through (at least to get approval status) in an absolute panic.

Imo, on matters like this, they should give no notice , just say , "as of this moment, there will be no more 19th century power stations", (or 18th century attitudes to felling of trees) etc etc

I've posted this on the Aboriginal thread, but I repeat it here.
To be honest the decision on which way to vote is a massive balancing act, preferring one party in one direction, or another party in another direction ( or simply a minor party who is more single minded and likely to keep em honest etc ) .. But here's my take on the Aboriginal question:-

Just thinking aloud, but supposing you wanted someone (after the next election) to help change attitudes of the entire AB race towards us, and likewise us towards them.. i.e. to :-

a) HELP (even tuppence worth) "win the hearts and minds" of the ABs,
b) talk WITH them rather than talk down to them
c) hopefully ACHIEVE a measureable improvement in attitutes across the board
d) for both whites and blacks - especially youth of each, where the black youth must be stopped from destroying themselves , and the white youth will be need the wisdom of Solomon
e) because youth is where the future is at, and the present generation and it's leadership have simply watched this thing go downhill in all those terrible statistics we are all so familiar with
f) and you need SOMEONE who is in touch with these groups

then would you choose
1. Mal Brough, whose recent negotiations with an Ab community crashed , just when it was crucial (not only in the cynical electoral cycle) to have a win on that scene, - crucial not only for the Libs ,

but more importantly, so that the OTHER AB communities would see that there was mileage to be gained in negotiating with the Libs, and maybe they weren't just paternalistically throwing them a few dollars without trying to understand.

Mal Brough , In January 2006 he became Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA). This promotion brought him into Cabinet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_Brough
Malcolm Thomas "Mal" Brough (pronounced Bruff) (born 29 December 1961), Australian politician, has been a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Longman, Queensland. He was born in Brisbane, Queensland, and was an Australian Army officer and businessman before entering politics.

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or
2. Peter Garrett, who has done gigs to crowds of adoring ABs - and young whites, -
- where as I say, the future lies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Garrett Garrett was educated at the Australian National University in Canberra and then at the University of New South Wales, where he graduated in arts and law respectively. He was a rock singer and environmental activist before entering politics. He became lead singer of the successful Australian rock band Midnight Oil in 1973. As well as its great musical and commercial success, the band became well known for its commitment to environmentalist and left-wing causes, and was particularly critical of United States military and foreign policies during the 1980s.

Garrett was one of the founders of the Nuclear Disarmament Party and stood for a seat in the Australian Senate in New South Wales at the December 1984 federal election. He needed 12.5% of the vote to win a seat in the Senate voting system, but a primary vote of just over 9% was insufficient when Labor withheld preferences.

Garrett served as president of the Australian Conservation Foundation from 1989 to 1993 and 1998 to 2004. He also joined the International Board of Greenpeace in 1993 for a two-year term. He served as adviser and patron to various cultural and community organisations including Jubilee Debt Relief, and was a founding member of the Surfrider Foundation

Midnight Oil had a history of making political statements through their music and performances. For example, at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the group performed before Prime Minister John Howard and a television audience of hundreds of millions, wearing black tracksuits bearing the word "sorry." This referred to the Howard Government's refusal to apologise to Aboriginal Australians for the former policy of removing of Aboriginal children from their families.

In 2000 Garrett was awarded the Australian Humanitarian Foundation Award in the Environment category and in 2001 he received an honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of New South Wales. He left Midnight Oil in 2002 to concentrate on his environmental and social activism, effectively spelling the end for the group. He has since ruled out any future musical projects, stating that his musical career was always exclusively bound to Midnight Oil. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2003.

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PS If anyones interested, in the past, I've probably voted 50% Libs, 25% Labour, and 35% for minor parties like the Mathematician's Party etc.
PS The above question is about..

who has the cred with the abs - and the future generations of "Black Elders" and "White Elders" to pull thing thing off.

Heck, here's an election advertising tip for Labour - Have Garret re-record this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxDDswhF0zY&mode=related&search= True Grit
Heck, here's an election advertising tip for Labour - Have Garret re-record this one