The Next Election – Politic 101

Murdoch’s vicious attacks on Rudd: it’s business.
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The arrival of Col Allan in Australia is making a lot of people uneasy.

Allan is a man widely known inside News Corporation as Col Pot, a play on the name of a Cambodian genocidal dictator.

He is News Corp’s most feared flamethrower in a company of flamethrowers and he has been sent to Australia by Rupert Murdoch himself. The purpose of his mission has become clear in recent days. One person who should rightly be disconcerted by Allan’s sudden secondment to Australia is the head of News Corporation Australia, Kim Williams. Several other executives should also be leery, but they are not Allan’s primary target.

His primary target is Kevin Rudd.

Why Murdoch wants Rudd to lose the coming federal election is not merely political, it is commercial. News Corp hates the government’s National Broadband Network (NBN). The company has formed a view that it poses a threat to the business model of by far its most important asset in Australia, the Foxtel cable TV monopoly it jointly owns with Telstra.

Murdoch has declared war on Rudd by dispatching his most trusted field general, Allan, whose reputation is built on his closeness to Murdoch and his long history of producing pungent front-page splashes and pugnacious campaigns as editor-in-chief of The Daily Telegraph and, for the past 12 years, The New York Post.

Spread this article everywhere. Social media do your stuff. Jen. Can you post to you site????

September 7th is go!

Good luck Jen. Sock it to ’em!

Social media is going to play a big part in this election. Twitter and Facebook being the biggest.

Just saw K Rudds speech. Awesome. I think he gives the great Bob Hawke a run for his money. Go Kevin 07. Whoops! Kevin 2013. 🙂

Kevin. September 7.

Don’t forget Jen is on Facebook. Like.
.
https://www.facebook.com/Greens4Indi

Where is everybody? There is an election on.

The List of the ALP achievements/bills since they came to office in 2007.
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NBN (the real one) – total cost $37.4b (Government contribution: $30.4b)
• BER 7,920 schools: 10,475 projects. (completed at less than 3% dissatisfaction rate)
• Gonski – Education funding reform
• NDIS/DisabilityCare
• MRRT & aligned PRRT
• Won seat at the UN
• Signed Kyoto
• Signatory to Bali Process & Regional Framework
• Eradicated WorkChoices
• Established Fair Work Australia
•
• Legislated Australia’s first Paid Parental Leave scheme
• Established $10b Renewable energy fund
• Legislated Murray/Darling Basin plan (the first in a hundred years of trying.)
• Increased Education funding by 50%
• Established direct electoral enrolment
• Created 190,000 more University places
• Achieved 1:1 ratio, computers for year 9-12 students
• Established My School
• Established National Curriculum
• Established NAPLAN
• Increased Health funding by 50%
• Legislated Aged care package
• Legislated Mental health package
• Legislated Dental Care package
• Created 90 Headspace sites
• Created Medicare Locals Program
• Created Aussie Jobs package
• Created Kick-Start Initiative (apprentices)
• Funded New Car plan (industry support)
• Created Infrastructure Australia
• Established Nation Building Program (350 major projects)
• Doubled Federal Roads budget ($36b) (7,000kms of roads)
• Rebuilding 1/3 of interstate rail freight network
• Committed more to urban passenger rail than any government since Federation
• Developed National Ports Strategy
• Developed National Land Freight Strategy
• Created the nations first ever Aviation White Paper
• Revitalized Australian Shipping
• Reduced transport regulators from 23 to 3 (saving $30b over 20years)
• Introduced NICS – infrastructure schedule
• Australia has moved from 20th in 2007 to 2nd on OECD infrastructure ranking
• Awarded International Infrastructure Minister of the Year (2012 Albanese)
• Awarded International Treasurer of the Year (2011 Swan)
• Introduced Anti-dumping and countervailing system reforms
• Legislated Household Assistance Package
• Introduced School Kids Bonus
• Increased Childcare rebate (to 50%)
• Allocated $6b to Social Housing (20,000 homes)
• Provided $5b to Support for Homelessness
• Established National Rental Affordability Scheme ($4.5b)
• Introduced Closing the Gap
• Supports Act of Recognition for constitutional change
• Provided the highest pension increase in 100 years
• Created 900,000 new jobs
• Established National Jobs Board
• Allocated $9b for skills and training over 5 years
• Established Enterprise Connect (small business)
• Appointed Australia’s first Small Business Commissioner
• Introduced immediate write-off of assets costing less than $6,500 for Sm/Bus
• Introduced $5,000 immediate write-off for Small Business vehicles over $6,500
• Introduced Small business $1m loss carryback for tax rebate from previous year
• Legislated Australian Consumer law
• Introduced a national levy to assist Queensland with reconstruction
• Standardized national definition of flood for Insurance purposes.
• Created Tourism 2020
• Completed Australia’s first feasibility study on high speed rail
• Established ESCAS (traceability and accountability in live animal exports)
• Established Royal Commission into Institutional Sexual Abuse
• Established National Crime Prevention Fund
• Lowered personal income taxes (Ave family now pays $3,500 less p.a. than 2007)
• Raised the tax-free threshold from $6,000 to $18,200
• Australia now the richest per capita nation on earth
• First time ever Australia has three triple A credit ratings from all three credit agencies
• Low inflation
• Lowest interest rates in 60 years (Ave mortgagee paying $5,000 less p.a. than 2007)
• Low unemployment
• Lowest debt to GDP in OECD
• Australian dollar is now fifth most traded in the world and IMF Reserve Currency
• One of the world’s best performing economies during and since the GFC
• Australia now highest ranked for low Sovereign Risk
• Overseen the largest fiscal tightening in nations history (4.4%)
• 21 years of continuous economic growth (trend running at around 3%pa)
• 11 years of continuous wages growth exceeding CPI
• Increasing Productivity
• Increasing Consumer Confidence
• Record foreign investment
• Historic levels of Chinese/Australian bilateral relations
• Established Carbon Pricing/ETS (7% reduction in emissions since July last year)
• Established National Network of Reserves and Parks
• Created world’s largest Marine Park Network
• Introduced Reef Rescue Program
• National Apology
• Sorry to the Stolen Generation
• Increased Superannuation from 9 to 12%
• Changed 85 laws to remove discrimination against same sex couples
• Introduced National Plan to reduce violence against women and children
• Improvements to Sex Discrimination Act
• Introduced Plain packaging of cigarettes
• Legislated Equal pay (social & community workers up to 45% pay increases)

I suspect we shall see more of this the closer we get to the election.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=461743733922684&set=a.404340109663047.1073741825.363930237037368&type=1&theater

Mrs. Brown’s Boys – the very naughty song ~ from “S02.EP06”
a brilliant series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OTO0Sld05PU

It is a very tough path to victory for Labor. It looks as though they will lose two in Tasmania and have a net loss in Victoria of one. They will lose one in New South Wales (plus Dobell). Assume South Australia and NT sit at the status quo.

From 71 seats (the 72 that they won in 2010, less Dobell), Labor drop to 67. That leaves them needing to win nine in Queensland and Western Australia to form government in their own right (eight if we assume that they win Melbourne from Adam Bandt).

If they win five in Queensland and one in WA, they get to 73. That puts them at 74 if they win Melbourne or if Bandt votes with them (which he will). They would then need two other independents, one of which might be Wilkie and one of which might come from Katter’s party or from Clive Palmer. While I think that Katter is more likely to support a Liberal government, his friendship with Rudd could tip the scales. Clive Palmer has already expressed a preference for Turnbull, which makes things interesting.

For the Liberals, if we take their 73 and add 4 for New South Wales, 2 for Tasmania and 1 for Victoria, we get to 80. If they keep their net losses in Queensland and WA to four, they win in their own right. If they keep it to five, they could rule with Katter/Palmer.

It looks to me as though the most likely result is a narrow Coalition victory (somewhere close to 78 seats).

But it could easily tip into hung parliament territory, which favours Labor, given what Abbott has said, given what Clive Palmer has said, given that Wilkie and Bandt will side with Labor and given that Katter is a friend of Rudd’s.

Chris 109

I am going to drop this over at that other place for more coverage.

No trouble to Murdoch and his ratbag followers, just smear and defame and when it looks like making trouble just settle out of court again.

News Ltd has publicly apologised to a former student politician who was branded a serial liar by Liberal powerbroker Michael Kroger after she had accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of physically intimidating her.
In a remarkable twist that could reignite debate about Mr Abbott’s alleged punching of a wall after losing a student election in the late 1970s, News Ltd’s barrister read an extended apology in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday on behalf of The Australian to the alleged victim of the intimidation, Barbara Ramjan, as part of a settlement of a defamation action.

Well ticsters, we’re off and away and there’s shit hitting fans all over the place.
The Premier pooch has hit the ground running.
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Election2013Part1.jpg

According to a news.com.au article, Ms Miller and friends put this poster up in George Street (since removed) featuring a picture of the Endeavour.

Good one!

There is no hope for Australians if they are so stupid enough to vote Murdoch and his followers, the LNP, in to power.

They show writ large how far they will go to make sure we have a “Guided Democracy” by sacking any whistle blower who tries in vain to get the message out of sheer incompetent destruction of any public facility.

This says it all when a leading Neuro Surgeon is just cast on to the dung heap of the unemployed by fucking beligerant incalcitrant posers of the LNP.

The LNP are a fucking disgrace and Tony Abbott should be let known in no uncertain terms that their vicious rule mentality is not required in Australia.

Even though there has been a change of management at the Courier Mail there are still a few there who are prepared to expose these economic vandals for what they are.

I hope my fellow Queenslanders will see the error of their way and not give Abbott the same chance to destroy our society.

A BALI bombings surgeon has been sacked as director of surgery at Gold Coast Hospital after leading a doctor revolt over allegations including a “dangerous” bed shortage and workplace bullying and intimidation.

Neurosurgeon Dr Teresa Withers and fellow senior doctors have hired high-powered lawyers to fight hospital management after she was dumped from the post she had held for 12 years.

Dr Withers, whom former premier Peter Beattie flew to Darwin to treat victims after the 2005 Bali bombings, had been raising allegations of mismanagement at the Gold Coast Hospital which she and other doctors claim is endangering patient safety.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/gold-coast-hospital-sacks-neurosurgeon-dr-teresa-withers-following-doctor-revolt-over-patient-safety-fears/story-fnihsrf2-1226691621657

Save Australia from these uncompromising vandals

Vote for the Whitehead not the Dickhead

Catrina

That Benelong time ago

HaHaHa LNPfilth

Makes Peter Slipper look like an amatuer

A STATE MP has been exposed as a serial sexter, sending images to his secret mistress including a picture of his penis plonked in a glass of red wine.

In addition, Ethics Committee chairman and Redlands LNP MP Peter Dowling has confirmed he accepted more than $20,000 in free upgraded flights although he was not required by parliamentary rules to declare them.

He is also accused of taking advantage of parliamentary travel trips to meet his mistress in locations including Perth and New Zealand. The allegations are made in a letter from Mr Dowling’s former lover to Speaker Fiona Simpson.

The Courier-Mail has seen several explicit text messages sent from Mr Dowling’s mobile phone to the woman, including a picture of his penis in a glass of red wine, a self-shot image of his crotch while wearing boxer shorts and a full frontal picture of his genitalia.

“He wanted a Red Wine …,” Mr Dowling said in the text message sent with the image of his penis in the glass. Another image shows a grinning Mr Dowling holding the wine glass in a cheers salute.

It is believed some of the pictures were taken in his parliamentary annex office.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sexting-mp-peter-dowling-sent-explicit-images-to-secret-mistress/story-fnihsrf2-1226691713991

The ALP has got all the policies (so far). All Abbott has done is give out slogans.

Tony Abbott offers his sympathy as gaffe-strewn video interview with candidate for Greenway goes viral.

Five points short of a policy: Liberal candidate Jaymes Diaz misses on boats. The Liberal candidate for the swing seat of Greenway, Jaymes Diaz, has gained some unwanted recognition after an embarrassing interview on his political platform went viral around the world.

Diaz, asked a few questions on camera by Channel Ten news, failed to provide more than one point when asked about the Coalition’s “six-point plan” to stop the boats.

“We have a plan – we have a six-point plan – to make sure that we do stop the boats,” Diaz told interviewer John Hill.

“Six points, could you run through them for us?” asked Hill.

“Well, I could run through all the details of the points, but the main thing is …”

“The six points?” pushed Hill.

Day two and two major setbacks.

More here..
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/06/liberal-jaymes-diaz-misses-boats

Balloon boy and bucket bong in full flight.
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Election2013Part2.jpg

Thank Dog for the dog.
This election campaign is a serious pain.
But I *have* decided to drink all the red wine in the cellar…..
Before a Liberal politician gets hold of it.

😆 😆 😆
Dear Gina…..Get fucked!

Rinehart loses bid to see journo material
http://is.gd/rZdbFm

Hi there Ticksters
Another bloody election!
So far so fun –
Indi is pulling out all stops by hosting at least 6 candidate forums which turn into QandA type sessions. We have had 2 so far with Sophie a no- show at both, but tonight I get to take her on in Mansfield.
It’s been a hoot so far – Clive Palmer and Raise Australia both running candidates as is Katter , 21st Century Party, Sex Party and a number of independents ( all spouting Greens policies. 🙂 ) .
All up 10 candidates so far – Sophie looking nervous for once.
If we can get this seat marginal it will put the wind up the coalition.
I will report in here on what is going on in Indi – might as well be entertained rough the torture of an election campaign.
And thanks for the facebook, twitter support from some of you guys … All helps !
Jen xx

Jaymes Diaz for Prime Minister
.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jaymes-Diaz-for-Prime-Minister/1406189112926626
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One seat safe for the ALP. 🙂

Hi Jen, just for you.
Fresh from today’s crikey
http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=389490#comments

Sophie Mirabella panics as indie challenges in Indi race

ANDREW CROOK

Alarm bells are ringing inside hard right Liberal warrior Sophie Mirabella’s Indi campaign as a popular local independent prepares to snag a significant proportion of the local vote and vault ahead of Labor in an Andrew Wilkie-style preference triumph.

A panicked email sent from deep inside the Mirabella camp to Liberal volunteers last week, obtained by Crikey, reveals her campaign team is gearing up for a pitched battle against rural independent Cathy McGowan in the northern Victorian seat, currently held by 9% and usually considered safe.

Realistically, McGowan is the most likely challenger to Mirabella’s crown, with Labor, the Greens and Wodonga-based independent Jennifer Podesta all expected to preference her highly. McGowan also has the support of retiring New England independent and hung parliament hero Tony Windsor.

In the email, campaign staffer Adam Wyldeck admits that Mirabella is at grave risk of being overwhelmed:

“Now that the campaign is in full swing, Cathy McGowan’s supporters are flooding every single one of the local papers with vitriolic letters of hatred towards Sophie as well as supportive letters about Cathy McGowan.”

The Wangaratta Chronicle reported this morning Mirabella was planning to spend a “six-figure sum” on the race and would blanket the electorate, which includes the towns of Wodonga, Mansfield and Benalla, with banner advertising.

Wyldeck says in the letter:

“In the last 2 weeks, Cathy McGowan’s team has had at least one letter in EVERY PAPER, EVERY DAY. By contrast, Liberal supporters have had a total of no more than 3 letters across the various papers in the electorate. In other words, we are getting severely outflanked and outgunned by a far more active and enthusiastic campaign team.”

He goes on to suggest a number of talking points that Liberal supporters could send to local newspapers, including mocking the concept of a hung parliament and claiming Mirabella is “strong”.

Indi has been held by Mirabella — a former president of the Melbourne University Liberal Club in 1989 before she was dumped by moderate forces linked to Chris Muir halfway through her term — since 2001. She was elected under the name Sophie Panopoulos, and her primary vote has steadily declined over the years from 62.6% in 2004 to 54.4% in 2007 to just 52.6% in 2010 (in 2001 the result was warped by a three-cornered contest with the Nationals).

For McGowan to win, Mirabella’s primary vote would have to slide to well under 50% in the 10-candidate strong field (see below). McGowan, likely to come third, would need to benefit from Greens and minor party preferences to vault her over Labor’s Robyn Walsh, and then use Walsh’s preferences to leapfrog Mirabella. In 2010, Greens candidate Jenny O’Connor achieved 9.4% and Labor 27.2%. McGowan is not allocating preferences.

The Katter’s Australian Party candidate might also round behind McGowan (especially if Tony Windsor gets on the mobile), while the Palmer United and Rise Up Australia are wild cards. The S-x Party is also an unknown quantity.

Independent Alan Lappin withdrew from the race last week, and the previous KAP candidate has withdrawn, with a replacement expected to be fingered soon.

A Greens source told Crikey this morning that the party was still investigating McGowan’s bona fides but that on the surface she seemed impressive. She is former president of Women in Agriculture, is a rural consultant and farmer and has regularly travelled to Canberra to advocate for rural communities. She was a research and electorate officer for the former member for Indi, Ewen Cameron, in the 1980s and has the support of local grassroots group Voice for Indi.

Indi has been in Liberal hands since 1977 and has been controlled by conservative parties for 82 years.

McGowan told Crikey she expected the result to be “close” and there was significant support for her campaign on the ground. “I’ve got a local vision for Indi based on agriculture, tourism and infrastructure, so that’s a huge attraction given the community campaign we’re running.

“The community might have a voice that represents their interests and needs in Canberra.”

In September 2011, Crikey revealed that Mirabella, then 42, was on a collision course with her deceased former lover Colin Howard’s children over his will. Howard, a retired university professor, died at the age of 83 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Indi field in possible primary vote order:

Sophie Mirabella — Liberal
Robyn Walsh — ALP
Cathy McGowan — Independent
Jenny O’Connor — Greens
Jennifer Podesta — Independent
KAP candidate withdrawn, preselecting a replacement soon
Helma Aschenbrenner — S-x Party
James Houston — 21st Century Australia Party
Bob Murphy — Palmer United
Bob Dudley — Rise Up Australia

http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=389490#comments

Meanwhile a wee pome from the premier pooch.
http://is.gd/0EWdQA

Oh yes. If you haven’t seen Tony the hair sniffing pollie…..
Then you should. 😆
http://t.co/5HZaJm020T

Thanks paddy
Interesting times ahead in Indi –
Cathy is trying to attract voters from both sides of the spectrum – disaffected conservatives ( mainly Nationals) and getting lots of support from Greens and labor voters
– interesting policy position to be in on on say asylum seekers, marriage equality, carbon pricing, mining tax etc etc. so she has said that her policy is to have no policies .
And it works a treat in Indi.

Peter Beattie returns to politics in a seat held by the Liberals by 2%. One less seat to win. 🙂
.
On the Q&A panel on Monday there were 2 Liberals and the Murdoch representative from the Financial Review. (That makes 3 liberal views). One ALP and a very good independent.
Next Monday there are 3 Liberals and 2 Labor. WTF?

Go Jen. 🙂

131 The cheer squad. 🙂

Thanks CB – and Old tickster friends appearing on twitter too !

The ABFrigginC and their pathetic online data mining survey have been superseded. The Dog’s outflanked them by a country mile. 😆
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ElectionDay4samesame.jpg

Sophie Mirrabella’s Nightmare. 🙂
***************************
http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1691699/sophie-mirabella-absolutely-not-worried-about-losing-indi-poll/?cs=53&fb_source=message

So are your providing the champagne on election night?
How can you afford so much chapagne?

If Sophie loses her seat. The ALP’s in with a landslide. 🙂

I don’t know if its anything to judge the election by, But my two boys have both sent me something unfavourable to the Liberal Party. (Well at least they haven’t blocked me on Facebook). 🙂
Also someone who I thought was fairly pro Liberal said she is thinking about voting ALP.

Sophie Mirabella being ‘thoroughly outgunned’ in election, her aide warns

Leaked email warns of challenge from independent candidate and urges party members to write to papers praising Mirabella.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/08/sophie-mirabella-thoroughly-outgunned-election

In true LNP style, they eat their own.

This is what the truly bizarre newspaper splashes that Murdoch’s most trusted editor, Col Allan, has produced for the Daily Telegraph in Sydney really show.

News Corporation has a deep commercial interest in defeating the government and subverting the National Broadband Network but the anti-Labor campaign is driven by far more visceral impulses. News Corp Australia is locked in a bitter struggle, not with the age-old enemy Fairfax Media, but with itself.

And the election coverage is merely an extension of that – each headline becomes a way of securing Rupert’s approval.

Allan’s Thursday front page, photoshopping a scene from Hogan’s Heroes from 1971, might be unintelligible to most of the Tele’s audience, but it scores with the only demographic that matters – Rupert Murdoch.

In the old empire there were checks to Rupert’s tendency to do something wacky. But all of his consiglieres are gone, and Rupert himself at 82 is adopting many of the social mannerisms of his mother, the late Dame Elisabeth. He repeats established truisms like holy writ.

The contrast between the two halves of Murdoch’s split empire could not be sharper. When 21st Century Fox, the $US75 billion video arm of the old News Corp, released its results on Wednesday in New York, the production was slick, focused, professional, upbeat.

Compare this with the new News Corp. We know it is going to write down more than $1.2 billion, mostly on its Australian newspapers, but it hasn’t said when it will get around to reporting, and fund managers are reduced to asking execs at 21st Century Fox what is going on at News.

Since the new News Corp listed on June 28 the only media reports have been that Rupert Murdoch wants to change the government, and in the process has destabilised the management structure.

http://m.afr.com/p/national/murdoch_news_corp_empire_turns_on_Vyddrdflv120QLxLBkXG8H

Interesting indeed!
Cathy has the zeitgeist in Indi – and a huge campaign budget from wealthy backers with a great marketing campaign, so she really might pull it off and topple Sophie – with my preferences . Which she has –
I haven’t been doing this for 10 years to be too churlish about whether its me or an independent – and conservative people will not vote Green but they will vote for Cathy, so good for her.
The message will resonate throughout the country – no such thing as a safe seat if you treat you constituents badly.

SeweRoo can’t sack Gough Whitlam this time so he has sacked Goughs Son in Law Kim Williams http://tinyurl.com/kckoxn5

Firstdog was a brave fellow and watched the debate So that I didn’t have to. 🙂
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Election2013Debate1.jpg

141
On ya Jen.
It certainly looks “interesting” up your way.
Also good to see a ticster candidate who’s interested in outcomes and not ego. You rock girl! 🙂

The Pink Batts Success Story
.
Official figures show that there were no fires in 99.98% of the ceiling insulated.
Two in ten thousand (224) had fires and just thirty had structural damage.
This rate of fires was less than the HIP. Ironically the scheme in the long term
has actually prevented house fires.

Tony Abbott has stated, “That no good government would ever spend more
than a billion dollars putting pink bats into roofs and a billion dollars to take
them out again”. This has shown to be a lie.
Around twenty percent of ceilings had inspections. Only 4.2% had rectifications
to make them safe.
.
Tony Abbott and Murdoch working together to subvert the truth.

Firstdog and Possum join forces to come up with the 10 golden rules. 🙂
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Election2013PossumsGuide.jpg

Thanks paddy … My two faves politics bloggers

Update on Indi electorate:
Another public candidate forum tonight, this one focused on Food Security…the fourth forumso far and 3 at least to go
Grass roots politics is exhausting!

All eyes are on whether Cathy McGowan (independent) can knock off Sophie …
With preferences from the Greens – that would be me- she just might pull it off.
Am going to bed.
Xx

At the moment, things do not look brilliant for Labor. While I suspect that it is a touch closer than, for example, Bludgertrack is suggesting (I think the Liberals will get 78 seats if the polls are right at the moment, not 80), any movement in the polls from the start of the campaign has been to the Liberals, not to Labor. Things need to go very right from here on in for the ALP to get over the line.

Labor by 4%. Facts. Not opinion. Kevin Rudd won the debate. 61% to 29%. The worm went to rock bottom with Tony Abbott. Especially on asylum seekers. His key issue. It could not get any lower. It has never gone that extreme before. I think the independent audience thought he was lying. They sniggered at Laurie Oakes opinion. I haven’t seen that before. Kevin Rudds worm went off the scale. These are people that will make up the swing seats. Here is the telling factor. Kevin Rudd has 1.4 million followers on Twitter. No wonder Julia couldn’t win. Tony Abbott has 184,000. OMG!!!! The liberals have slightly more Facebook users at 100,000 because they paid for them. They have a lot of fake accounts. In other words they got scammed!
When Kevin announced the gay marriage thing in the debate. Twitter was getting 2,000 messages a minute! I wonder what he’ll say in the next debate that’ll send Twitter beserk. A record breaking number of new voters signed up. Young voters traditionally vote Labor. Young voters also use social media in a big way. They are the facts that I have at hand at the moment.

The voters want the NBN. From memory about 70% of voters want the NBN.
The Voters want gay marriage approved. About 65%

The NBN save the ALP at the last election.

Interesting. I rang the ALP the other day suggesting they use the song I want my MTV as: I want my NBN. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAD6Obi7Cag See it works. You can even get your chicks for free! I guess going by that advert they took up part of my suggestion. Not a very good advert.

Young voters traditionally vote Labor. Thus, convincing them to vote Labor is not actually a winning strategy. Were people who support gay marriage going to vote for Tony? No – they were going to vote Green and preference Labor. So no gain there for Labor, except a moral one (and given that Rudd is simply promising what Labor already delivered – a conscience vote on gay marriage – I am unclear why this was seen as a big deal, but anyway …).

The debates were not watched by most non-partisan voters. That is simple fact. You and I care about politics a lot, but most people in Australia just don’t give a damn and make up their minds as they go into the polling booths. And they have been told that Abbott won the debate by most of the media – the ABC, the Murdoch press, the Canberra Times and so on. So in their minds Abbott will have won the debate.

The polls need to start moving to Labor in the next week or so. Liberals 51 to Labor 49 might be enough for Labor to win, so at least they have that going for them.

If Labor get 52 to 48 on polling day, I will be very surprised. But I hope you are right.

Firstdog sums up the grim reality.
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Election2013LittleThings.jpg

Thus, convincing them to vote Labor is not actually a winning strategy.
.
Correct. I’m not saying you have to convince them. Just the fact that a huge number signed up means that a huge number of Labor voters signed on.
.
You and I care about politics a lot, but most people in Australia just don’t give a damn and make up their minds as they go into the polling booths.
.
Correct. But if that is how people (especially in the marginals) see Abbott every time he talks, including in the advertisements. That’s good for Labor.
.
I await the Morgan poll on Monday. Its usually about 3,500 voters.

That bloody commo ticster Jen, ain’t half bad at interviews and
(dare we mention) policy! . 🙂
Bravo mate. You done good.
http://nofibs.com.au/2013/08/15/8136/

Lets all hope that this might be the end of this evil bastard though it has come a bit too late to my liking. He should have been behind bars before Conrad Black.

A lot of Aussie Journos must be complicit in all his shennanigans world wide and have no conscience whatsoever.

They have helped dumb down 52% of Australians to con them in to voting for him. I say him because he will be the defacto PM if the LNP win the election and we will cop Campbell Newman on steroids.

Here he is aiding and abetting Abbott to sack 100,000 or more workers and trash their wages and conditions but then crys when his illegal and immoral carry ons threaten to destroy his company and force 46,000 out of jobs.

Those 46,000 jobs can be saved easily by locking him up and making sure he is never in charge of a company again and get new management/directors in to run the company.

The bastard and his Myrmidons should be shown no mercy or favours, just lock the bastards up.

Scotland Yard is investigating News International as a “corporate suspect” over hacking and bribing offences, it can be revealed.

The Independent has learnt the Metropolitan Police has opened an “active investigation” into the corporate liabilities of the UK newspaper group – recently rebranded News UK – which could have serious implications for the ability of its parent company News Corp to operate in the United States. One of Rupert Murdoch’s most senior lawyers has been interviewed under caution on behalf of the company and two other very senior figures have been officially cautioned for corporate offences. John Turnbull, who works on News Corp’s Management and Standards Committee (MSC) which co-ordinates the company’s interactions with the Metropolitan Police, answered formal questions from detectives earlier this year.

The development has caused pandemonium at the upper echelons of the Murdoch media empire. Shortly afterwards, executives in America ordered that the company dramatically scale back its co-operation with the Metropolitan Police.

A News Corp analysis of the effects of a corporate charge, produced in New York, said the consequences could “kill the corporation and 46,000 jobs would be in jeopardy”.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exclusive-met-investigating-rupert-murdoch-firm-news-international-as-corporate-suspect-over-hacking-and-bribing-offences-8771560.html

Did British soldier murder Diana?
*************************

Scotland Yard “scoping” new information over the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed.
Police look at new information on Diana’s death

Scotland Yard “scoping” new information over the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed.

New information passed to police relating to the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed is believed to include an allegation they were murdered by a member of the British military, the UK’s national news agency reports.

Scotland Yard said on Saturday it was “scoping” the information and “assessing its relevance and credibility”.

The Press Association reported it was understood the allegation was made by the former parents-in-law of a former soldier based on information that the ex-soldier talked about in the past, according to a military source.

One of my favourite conspiracy theories just won’t go away and die….

More here…
http://www.theage.com.au/world/police-look-at-new-information-on-dianas-death-20130818-2s4hj.html

Voters coming out in droves to back gay marriage
****************************************

As hundreds of people yesterday rallied in the streets in a pre-election push for marriage equality, a new poll suggests voters in key Victorian seats strongly back legalising same-sex unions.

The ReachTEL poll, conducted exclusively for Fairfax Media, shows most people in the marginal Victorian seats of Melbourne, Corangamite and Deakin support laws allowing same-sex marriage.

Not surprisingly, Greens MP Adam Bandt’s inner-city seat of Melbourne is most in favour of gay marriage, with more than 65 per cent of voters saying they want legislative change.

This compares to only a third of voters in the western Sydney seats held by Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare and Treasurer Chris Bowen feeling the same way. Even the country Victorian seat of Indi, held by Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella, is more partial to gay couples marrying than the key NSW seats, with 49.2 per cent of voters supporting a shift.

Just a reminder, Jens Facebook page.
.

https://www.facebook.com/Greens4Indi

I want my NBN! What a great advert. At last.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=voRDjpR2m1w

Best tweet of the week from @ABCNews23
😆 😆 😆
Sophie Mirabella and THAT tattoo photo. pic.twitter.com/nYtQZoS16W

162 with working link 😆
http://is.gd/7Q6wyy

Hey Ticksters…
Having lots of fun:)
announced that my prefs would go to Cathy McGowan ( over 9% last time with and allowing for leakage to her) might help get her across the line.
Means I can also make nurse about Cathy McG needing to move to the left on key issues…
Loving the candidate forums – Cathy conciliatory and consultative. Sophie trying not to be nasty :mar green:
And I’m throwing grenades galore 🙂
Love you guys xx

Ok
Nurse – noise
Mar green

FFs.

Gaffers
Got to have a major swipe at Murdoch the other night on a panel with Sophie – said our government should no long be decided by Rupert Murdoch. Got loud applause in Uniting Church in Wodonga!
Sophie had no response :))

Go Jen! Not sure Cathy’d be my first choice, but ya gotta deal with the hand you’re given. On the other hand, ahem, I welcome (*) our foreign Overlord (cough)!

(*) for values from zero to mostly negative.

Have you seen the cutie in this picture???? 🙂
http://candidates.greens.org.au/Indi

L-NP (51%) takes the lead over ALP (49%) with only 3 weeks to go.
*********************************************

Last weekend (August 16-18, 2013) with only three weeks to go until the Federal Election, the L-NP has taken the lead – L-NP 51% cf. ALP 49% on a two-party preferred basis. Just one week ago, before the first Leaders Debate the Morgan Poll showed the ALP and L-NP equal on 50%.

More
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/51115-morgan-poll-august-19-2013-201308181432
The ALP primary vote is 36.5% (unchanged), behind the L-NP primary vote at 44.5% (up 0.5%).

Saw Kevin on the ABC yesterday. Much more focused.

Rudd needs to be focused. At this point in the campaign, Labor are in huge trouble. It will come back a little, I suspect, but things need to go very well from here for the ALP to win.

Spot on David. Its the policies stupid!

Meaning Kevin not David. 🙂

Research has shown when the ALP focuses on policies. They are right back in the game. They needed research for that ?????

Enjoying following the guerilla attack on Mirabella in Indi.

Best of luck with your important part in it Jen.

And Gaffy, dare we dream re Rupert?

There would NEVER be a sweeter downfall.

Too right HarryH. Might even pray for that one. Too bad I’m an atheist.

Liberal candidate unable to explain Direct Action.
.
Another clueless Liberal to go with Jaymes Diaz.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=N1imqWLjIvY

If Tony Abbott wins would the last business man out of Australia please turn out the lights!

166
Jen

Well done Jen every chance you get you should have a swipe at him.
Say things like , i am sure Rupert Murdoch would not let sophie do that, he will put a stop to it, even if he agrees with it.

I am sure we would all like to see you or aLP win in indi but that is probably realistic and i agree with Harry about the hand you are dealt.
If all the candidates can combine their resources to rid Sophie and her sheds from Indi then that alone would be massive progress, and then you can work on Cathy.

Ticsters i would love nothing better than to se SeweRoo doing time but he always seems to have this ~~uncanny knack~~ of buying his way out of trouble.
He is already got his top lawyers begging with the authorities to not go hard on him.

There is a real chance that he may get the arse from being in charge of the worlds alleged biggest criminal organisation.

I also hope the FCPA in the US goes in hard as well.

Liberal candidate Kevin Baker quits race for Charlton over lewd website. Two blithering idiots and now this guy.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-20/liberal-party-dump-charlton-candidate-kevin-baker-over-lewd-web/4900436

Best aded yet for ALP FTTH compared to Fraudband

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-6E5yX1E0U&feature=youtu.be

Letter to President Obama on Surveillance and Freedom
http://is.gd/eHgeU2

So proud

http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1719923/sophie-mirabella-plays-her-cards-right/?cs=53

I notice Kevin Rudd working very hard at knocking the Liberals off the front page with his Prime Ministerial type announcement on chemical weapons use in Syria. The other issue grabbing airtime is the man that has been taken by the crocodile in the NT.

That bloody dog’s at it again.
http://t.co/ZTPKgES4Xy

Abbotts Fraudband gets shat on all round the world

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jmD-uFgcvbU

The dog finds another excellent case of intelligent hair.
Scott Ludlum…..Come on down and introduce us to Gary. 😆
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Election2013SenatorHair.jpg

There is a hint – just a hint – of a slight movement back to Labor in the polls. I am hoping that the polling over the next five days confirms and extends that. But there is a long way to go and only nine days until the election, so it is not looking good.

My take on the Indi campaign to date – on NoFibs website
http://nofibs.com.au/2013/09/01/greens-indi-candidate-jennyjenocon-indivotes/

Might as well turn back your clocks to 1954 now. The dark ages are approaching.

Labor has run a pretty lame campaign. Very little NBN stuff. Hardly touched on it at all in the debates. They gave up before they started.

NBN should have been front and center.

It is all over. The hint was simply random fluctuation. THe question is: can an Abbott takeover of the Senate, with or without the support of fringe parties like One Nation, Family First, Katter, Palmer et cetera, be prevented?

193 Hopefully not. Greens are polling about 10%

David. That would be very scary/dangerous.

Jen @ 189
You rock.
*hugs*

Rudd launches passionate gay marriage defence.
.
Kevin Rudd rebukes a questioner on ABC Television’s Q&A program on the issue of whether he should have changed stance on gay marriage.
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CdU3ooAZSH8
.
This ones gone viral.

Turn back your clocks to 1954. The dark ages are approaching.

You too Miss Cat xx

Very interesting in Indi now! Tip has turned up to help Sophie ( hahhaaha) and Abbott arriving tomorrow. Time to get on an asylum seeker boat back to Indonesia !
They are running scared – and with good reason.

Fabulous article at NoFibs Jen.

Ta for the link.

This campaign must have been both really tough and exhilerating at the one time for you.

Hope you enjoy putting your feet up mentally on Sunday and have a drink to celebrate the highlighting of Sophie’s ugly personality to your electorate.

Congrats

217 replies on “The Next Election”