Australia Votes

[Ball Lightning]

I wonder if any Australian here are in a Seat that will be hotly contested? I know that I am since the Seat of Cowan has a very small majority to the Labor Candidate who is stepping down at the end of the election. This seat has been close for the last few elections. It certainly a swinging seat and could be one of the seats that keep this government in government. Western Australia does seem to be the state most likely to be on the side of this government due to the large mining population that we have. The sort of Reforms that the Labor are looking bad for this state since it is doing very well under the new reforms.

I'm in a marginal seat, in the seat of Issacs, which is held by labor, and will probably stay that way.

 

[Arwon]

Back home I'm registered in Gilmore at my parents' address, a safe Liberal seat which nonetheless bucked the national trend to swing 5% Labor in the last election. Unfortunately that merely took it from 15% to a 10% margin.

When I was in Sydney I lived in Kingsford-Smith, Peter Garrett's electorate, but I never got to vote for him.

I'll be voting green then preferencing the ALP.

 

[RedRalph]

What are the candidates position on booting and whether disparaging the boot is in itself a bootable offence?

 

[Ball Lightning]

What are the candidates position on booting and whether disparaging the boot is in itself a bootable offence?

What do you mean by booting?

 

[Arwon]

Howard vs Rudd rap battle. It's pretty brilliant.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Howard vs Rudd rap battle. It's pretty brilliant.

My favourite bit was when Honest John mentioned "President Bush" inside and Iraq war context the worm went from Modest white (postive) straight to dark Red (negative)

 

[Ball Lightning]

Well theres one week left and it is very likely to be a kevin rudd win.

Kevin Rudd played this week very well, stoping john howard spending any more and making johny look like he is desperate.

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Spending less than the guy who claims to be a responsible handler of the economy was a brilliant move. But there are a lot of seats which have to change hands.

Still, I'm hoping Rudd wins it.

 

[Dame Edna]

Spending less than the guy who claims to be a responsible handler of the economy was a brilliant move.

Yeah, nice spin. Now Rudd has made it hard for Little Johnnie to continue his outrageous pork barrelling - Rudd has wedged him on the issue of 'fiscal responsibility' - who says there is no such thing as karma.

But there are a lot of seats which have to change hands.

Yes, there are, and whilst there will undoubtably be a large swing to the ALP the swing has to happen at the right margin in the right seats - something Beazley wasn't able to achieve in '98 despite getting the majority of the vote across Australia. However, an indicator that Labor will win is the way the Liberals are now concentrating their campaigning in safe Liberal seats (10% and more) presumably because their polling is telling them the election will be a massacre. The Fat Lady ain't singing yet but you can hear her warming up.

Still, I'm hoping Rudd wins it.

So am I, even if he is a pretentious (Mandarin speaking) prat. I'm also hoping after winning the election that it will come out that Rudd is into bestiality(or some equally unpleasant practice) and will return to obscurity with Julia Gillard becoming Australia's first female Prime Minister. Unfortunately Julia has three major hurdles to over come to achieve leadership: 1. she is from the left; 2. she is from Victoria and; 3. she (suprise, suprise) is female. Needless to say I won't hold my breath on this eventuality.

 

[Arwon]

The thing is, it's a big number of seats for Labor to make up, but New South Wales is shaping up to be a massacre and that's 10 or more seats right there. Tasmania's two Liberal seats are likely to go back to the ALP, South Australia looks like 3 or so seats changing hands, and Rudd's polling strongly in Queensland, too. Western Australia and Victoria look like not moving very much, but the rest of the country is polling big swings.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

In the real world outside CFC OT, a lot are going to be voting for the Coalition. Just as last time, it will matter on an individual seat basis. Out here, it is likely to be well over 95% for the Coalition. Frankly, Labor have nothing for the farming communities.

Farmers the developed world over vote for such conservative parties. Good thing Australia is 80-90 percent urbanized.

 

[Dame Edna]

The thing is, it's a big number of seats for Labor to make up, but New South Wales is shaping up to be a massacre and that's 10 or more seats right there. Tasmania's two Liberal seats are likely to go back to the ALP, South Australia looks like 3 or so seats changing hands, and Rudd's polling strongly in Queensland, too. Western Australia and Victoria look like not moving very much, but the rest of the country is polling big swings.

NSW and Queensland look to be the states where Labor will make the biggest gains, with Tassie and SA also looking good for Labor. Victoria could suprise and deliver 3-4 seats (watch Corangamite, Deakin, McMillan and La Trobe). In WA latest polling indicates the two party preferred vote closing by 10 points, this is the state that could deliver the Coalition two seats - Cowan and Swan.

I think there is Latham legacy and a Rudd factor at work in this election. The Latham legacy meaning the ALP can expect a swing back to it from voters who were alienated at the last election by Mark Latham (what a looney) making seats that don't appear marginal at first glance a distinct posibility (think 5% plus) and then there is the Rudd factor - he's younger and fresher (think "New Leadership!" and "It's Time") and he's a bloody Queenslander - that's got to be worth something in the parochial north!

 

[classical_hero]

NSW and Queensland look to be the states where Labor will make the biggest gains, with Tassie and SA also looking good for Labor. Victoria could suprise and deliver 3-4 seats (watch Corangamite, Deakin, McMillan and La Trobe). In WA latest polling indicates the two party preferred vote closing by 10 points, this is the state that could deliver the Coalition two seats - Cowan and Swan.

I think there is Latham legacy and a Rudd factor at work in this election. The Latham legacy meaning the ALP can expect a swing back to it from voters who were alienated at the last election by Mark Latham (what a looney) making seats that don't appear marginal at first glance a distinct posibility (think 5% plus) and then there is the Rudd factor - he's younger and fresher (think "New Leadership!" and "It's Time") and he's a bloody Queenslander - that's got to be worth something in the parochial north!

WA could hold the power of keeping the Coalition in power since if the Liberals can gain both Swan and Cowan (which is my electorate, which means that I can have a very big say in this election ).

I really do find it funny that many of the issues in this election that could decide the outcome ar actually state issues, such as housing affordability and yet the Coalition could be crucified on something they have absolutely no control over.

 

[chinesefireball]

What I find interesting in elections is how many people can't vote properly (Did vote counting last federal, counting this saturday as well). The most common thing (after voting properly) is that people fill out every number on the ballot, but one or two, which makes the vote informal. Why go to the effort to fill it out at all then? Just drop it in the box.

Also don't just sign your name and walk out - get a ballot, and put it in the box. We need to check that the amount of names signed of matches with the amount of ballots that come out of the box

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Yeah, nice spin. Now Rudd has made it hard for Little Johnnie to continue his outrageous pork barrelling - Rudd has wedged him on the issue of 'fiscal responsibility' - who says there is no such thing as karma.

Especially when it looks like there might not be the money next term to actually pay for it all (drought and the US horsehockeyting on the world economy). If the Liberals manage to win this election, IMO they will definately lose the next because the money might just dry up.

A lot of people here in SA are also really pissed off that no pork, from either the Coalition or Labour, is coming to SA. The upgrade of the Melbourne - Adelaide highway will stop at the border even though the Dukes Highway is in desperate need of repair and has the heart-warming nickname of the "Highway of Death". The Sturt and Stuart Highways also need upgrading. Then there is the much-needed upgrading of South Road which will cost billions (and is needed immediately since the mining boom is going to increase the number of trucks on it by 50%, alone. Then there is the growth in the far southern suburbs to take into accound). And the train and tram network need massive upgrades which will cost about a billion.

Because of this, third parties might get more than the handful of votes they usually get so their preferences are going to be very important.

Yes, there are, and whilst there will undoubtably be a large swing to the ALP the swing has to happen at the right margin in the right seats - something Beazley wasn't able to achieve in '98 despite getting the majority of the vote across Australia. However, an indicator that Labor will win is the way the Liberals are now concentrating their campaigning in safe Liberal seats (10% and more) presumably because their polling is telling them the election will be a massacre. The Fat Lady ain't singing yet but you can hear her warming up.

And it is funny (in an ironic way. As an Australian, in general all irony is funny) that John Howard could lose his own seat of Bennelong. I might actually watch the election coverage just to see what happens there.

So am I, even if he is a pretentious (Mandarin speaking) prat. I'm also hoping after winning the election that it will come out that Rudd is into bestiality(or some equally unpleasant practice) and will return to obscurity with Julia Gillard becoming Australia's first female Prime Minister. Unfortunately Julia has three major hurdles to over come to achieve leadership: 1. she is from the left; 2. she is from Victoria and; 3. she (suprise, suprise) is female. Needless to say I won't hold my breath on this eventuality.

Being on the left of the spectrum in a leftist party isn't going to hurt Julia Gillard. I also can't see being from Victoria hurting her - John Howard is from NSW after all. And I don't think anybody has the political balls to attack her on the grounds for being a woman. No, they all attack her character. And I know nothing about it so to me at least it is all "whatever".

WA could hold the power of keeping the Coalition in power since if the Liberals can gain both Swan and Cowan (which is my electorate, which means that I can have a very big say in this election ).

Yeah, I've heard that WA is buckling the national trend to Labour. But not only do the three marginals in SA look like going to Labour, two more (safer) Coaltion seats are in imminent danger of following suit. The gains in WA might well be lost in SA. Even Alexander Downer (in my electorate) is seeing a massive swing of 10% (reported in the paper a few weeks ago) to Labour, though the trend would have to continue through the next election for him to be concerned.

I really do find it funny that many of the issues in this election that could decide the outcome ar actually state issues, such as housing affordability and yet the Coalition could be crucified on something they have absolutely no control over.

John Howard has, unfortunately, taken a national stance on many state issues including infrastructure, water, education and health. That people now blame him for other state problems is his fault and a direct result of that. Let's not forget his statement on interest rates, either.

 

[classical_hero]

Anyone who believed that The Prime Minister could actually keep rates Low was foolish at the best. It was foolish of the PM to say that in the first place.

 

[Arwon]

Well it won him an election.

 

[Bad Player]

Can I change my vote to Ron Paul?

 

[Chuggi]

I'm voting for the Liberals. Our economy can't afford to get any worse (which would probably happen under a Labor government).

Anyone who believed that The Prime Minister could actually keep rates Low was foolish at the best. It was foolish of the PM to say that in the first place.

It still is lower than previous Labor governments. So...

 

[Arwon]

It's pretty sad to see people still being duped by the "economic management" and "interest rates" stuff. Sigh.