2004 AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS
So much for theory , we will wait a few more days to add a summary . ( 11 October , 2004 )
At last the phony election is over !
One is a little suspicious of the longer electoral period , it is as though the electorate is not expected to remember " Children Overboard " etc for a period of six weeks .
Broadly , our views today are the same as outlined on our AUSTRALIAN Page .
We strongly disagree with the Howard Government in several areas . But , on the other hand , we are not here to run the opposition parties arguments . We will do our best the keep fact and opinion separated .
As we see it , the main issues are Security , Economic Management and Health . But there is a more fundamental question of " Do you want another four years of " economic rationalism " ?
.............................
At this stage , 25 September , it is still hard to work out what this election is about .
Certainly no knockout blows have been delivered .
Labor , for its part , has not pulled the anti Howard argument together . It has blunted the economic management smoke screen . Yesterdays lowering of 3 year home loan interest rates by the banks will help Labor .
This election may well end up an example of governments losing elections rather than oppositions winning them .
The next two weeks will bring US style " attack " ads , which tend to obscure the issues . This weekend is the time to form a voting intention , even though the campaigns may not have been officially launched . Certainly by this time next week the Government's fate should be set .
It may be well to consider candidates without regard to their parties . Few of us will be voting directly for Howard or Latham and competent Members often lose their seats because of national swings . The risk is that neither Howard or Latham will have control of the lower house ( it is unlikely that they will have control of the Senate ) . This is livable , at the worst we could have another election .
PROVISIONAL SUMMARY
We do not want more years of economic rationalism .
We feel that national security will be better served under Messers Beazley and Rudd .
We feel that the economic " risk " with Latham is worth taking .
We feel the strong anti US feeling amongst some Greens is counter productive to a role in mainstream politics .
Queenslanders , please do not elect Pauline Hanson .
The defeat of the Howard Government following the downfall of the Spanish Government may have an unexpected effect upon the current US Election .
Well , so much for battle lines having been drawn and no need for further comment . The Medicare Gold proposal is a winner , not only for the over 75's ( who tend to have rather fixed voting intentions ) , but for the children and grandchildren of this age group . How a society treats it's elderly is a measure of its worth and value . In the past Australia had so many examples of caring for it's citizens ( for example , Workers Compensation ) .
If only there would be a similar federal initiative for Aboriginal Australian health care .
........ 2 October , 2004
We also like the ALP's Tasmanian Forest plan .
........ 5 October , 2004
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