So, it's August 21st.  Until 3 months ago I was a swinging voter.  Now I am not.  Why? Because of the comments of certain  forum members (not necessarily here).  As a former fee paying member of the Liberal Party of Australia, I now understand why I am no longer one.  

Game on for winter election

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has confirmed Australians will go to the polls on August 21.

In her first press conference of the campaign, Ms Gillard repeated the message she has been pushing since she became Prime Minister – that she wants to take Australia forward.

Ms Gillard has been in the top job for less than a month after the overthrow of Kevin Rudd, who won the 2007 election for Labor.

Her opponent, Tony Abbott, is also a relatively new leader having ousted Malcolm Turnbull as Coalition leader late last year. Both are seeking the support of the Australian people for the first time.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/?WT.svl=mainNav#justin=sa

Yes Paula...I'm having to think hard and read so much more than I have ever done before, with this election.

If only I could trust what the politician say  

I'd keep it simple if I were voting and look first at the policies that have remained unchanged on both ends and the whole Unions vs. Greedy Employers is high on my list.  I think anyone who feels Unions are a bad idea should be forced to go live and work in the US and just overall observe how lack of socialism permeates the attitude of society at large all the way down to the level of birthing The Jerry Springer show and that's not at all meant to be so much a joke.
What gets me the most about Australia though, is that it isn't a republic but people treat it like it is when they go to the polls.  The ideal is that people vote for a candidate and leave the rest to parliament, but instead you turn on the TV and hear outrage about Gillard taking over in the way of "I didn't vote for her", yet I'm pretty certain that only a small minority of people voted for either her or Rudd.  I feel like if I was voting, and its in my signature, that I'd vote for the Greens just in simple hopes of having a better diversity in parliament.  I haven't even agreed with a majority of their policies that I know of, though some I do.  I'd just sort of like to see some balance and see government have a wild card that probably can only force it in whats a more noble direction.

That's another thing.  Everyone is terribly concerned about things going right or wrong.  In the end, things will at some point go wrong, and if they're going to go wrong I'd much rather it be for reasons that were right... or more accurately, I doubt the Greens or other parties will ever get enough seats to do anything more than throw tiny wrenches into processes and force a few more compromises, and I see compromises as good things because runaway train governments always seem to be bad things.

My personal politics in a nutshell:  "The Howard government was taking us up the same ally that the US has already gone, and the only thing up there is a bunch of crack dealers with occasional drive by shootings and cops that long ago lost the plot and turned into community arseholes regardless of who they deal with."
However, my personal politics have no bearing on the concept that we might be a lot better off if we were forced to compromise more often.  If you think about it, early democracies were nothing more than a way to compromise.

I'd like to see a government where everyone lived together in the same house like in Big Brother, only without Big Brother telling them what to do.
I want to see parliament brawls and riots like they had in Taiwan.
I want to see parliament when there isn't a moderator sitting in a high chair.
I want to see people get smacked with chairs.
There should be cage fighting involved in government.

I've gone into the ludicrous obviously, and some of what I've said I know a lot of people will disagree with, but some of it has merit... just like anyone else.

Quoted from Candy

Yes Paula...I'm having to think hard and read so much more than I have ever done before, with this election.

If only I could trust what the politician say  

I agree, Candy, its so much more than if you like a certain candidate or not, Personally I do not like Gillard or Abbott so their personalities wont come into it.  Never trust a politician, they are in the same boat as a used car salesman........
I will go with my gut instinct and vote the right way as I have all my life.........

Out and about today...I couldn't help but notice.....some advertising on roadside already.

This election more than ever before I will be voting for the party I dislike the least. We really do need a good third party.

So is it true.  Political reporters are saying that it is the PUBLIC that are interested in HOW Kevin was removed.  Frankly I DON'T CARE.

I just want to know POLICIES.  I don't care whether Tony seems to like Spandex or Julia needs her roots done.  I think the reporters are trying to create news rather than report it (just as they did with naming of Election Day).  I mean how does this change who I am going to vote for because Julia decided Sunday or Wednesday (or whatever).

How BORING is it going to be for 5 weeks

Either way it's a bad choice   It was last election too though..
I want someone progressive (eg legalise gay marriage, abortion), someone who won't waste money on stupid ETS and other "climate change" related things. I want someone who doesn't come across as pathetic like Rudd, someone more quickwitted and open than Julia, someone not as conservative as Abbott. The Greens are the worst party and if they're siding with Labor I'd be inclined to vote Liberal. But ergh, Liberal.

Its the best of a bad bunch, Dara, IMHO libs is the only way to go..................
The Greens will lose a lot of votes by siding with Labor  

Quoted from 122

This election more than ever before I will be voting for the party I dislike the least. We really do need a good third party.

Exactly what I will be doing!

Quoted Text

Its the best of a bad bunch, Dara, IMHO libs is the only way to go..................
The Greens will lose a lot of votes by siding with Labor

I agree entirely... Not voting Greens because of their preferences. Not Voting Labor because of Gillard and the backstabbing Labor Party.

I know that many many feminists and Lesbians intend to vote for Julia Gillard (not necessarily the Labor Party).  

I have to sort out postal voting.

Quoted from 122

This election more than ever before I will be voting for the party I dislike the least. We really do need a good third party.

What most political reporters are saying is Liberal won't be voted in so much as Labor being voted out

Quoted from SBro

So is it true.  Political reporters are saying that it is the PUBLIC that are interested in HOW Kevin was removed.  Frankly I DON'T CARE.

First bloody smart thing the nut squad has done since taking office!

Just like last Federal election Aqua... Howard and Costello were voted out.

Quoted from Dara

Either way it's a bad choice   It was last election too though..
I want someone progressive (eg legalise gay marriage, abortion), someone who won't waste money on stupid ETS and other "climate change" related things. I want someone who doesn't come across as pathetic like Rudd, someone more quickwitted and open than Julia, someone not as conservative as Abbott. The Greens are the worst party and if they're siding with Labor I'd be inclined to vote Liberal. But ergh, Liberal.

Okay, so its a vote for the Donkey then?  

Quoted from SuziH

Quoted from 122

This election more than ever before I will be voting for the party I dislike the least. We really do need a good third party.

Exactly what I will be doing!

Hmmm the Suzi Party... I'd vote for ya!

Quoted from SuziH

Just like last Federal election Aqua... Howard and Costello were voted out.

Somewhat, a lot of people were duped by Dudd's show tricks rather than voting against the previous government, when it comes to hypnotics he's on a similar level to The Master!

As long as all the people that were duped last time now see sense we will get a good result  

Quoted from LB

As long as all the people that were duped last time now see sense we will get a good result  

Some certainly will, theirs still a lot of morons who think of the ALP as "the workers party" whens the last time you saw an ALP member driving a broken down old Falcon into the garage of their two bedroom house?

Sunday's debate between the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Coalition leader Tony Abbott  was moved so as not to conflict with MASTERCHEF final.

Nice to see they are concerned for the 'little people'




http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_555707.html

Are the Lib Dems still around at all.  Natasha was alright but then they started focussing on her personal crap and now no-one.

Look what happened in UK when they got a semi-decent third party.

Julia Gillard hot but women cool on Tony Abbott
By Cameron Stewart
From: The Australian
July 22, 2010 12:00AM

THE Coalition's worst fears about Tony Abbott's appeal to women voters are being realised, as new figures show a clear drift in female support away from the Opposition Leader to Julia Gillard.
Previously unpublished Newspoll data from last weekend reveals a gap of nine percentage points in the support for Mr Abbott between male and female Coalition voters.
This compares with only a four-point gender gap in Coalition voter support for Mr Abbott in April.
The research from July 16-18 - the first Newspoll since the election was called - reveals the Prime

Minister is capitalising on Mr Abbott's flagging support among women.
Mr Abbott has enlisted the help of at least one advertising agency to improve his sales pitch to women amid concerns that it could cruel Coalition hopes in the 16 marginal Labor seats where the percentage of working women exceeds the national average.

The effect of Ms Gillard's political honeymoon since becoming Prime Minister is that she appears to be stealing female votes from both the Coalition and the Greens.
Whereas Labor voters were split evenly along gender lines in their support for Kevin Rudd, Ms Gillard enjoys five points more support from female Labor voters than men, which suggests many women are attracted to the prospect of electing a female leader.

Last weekend's poll shows that Labor's 42 per cent primary vote is driven by 44 per cent support from women compared with 39 per cent from men.
Newspoll chief executive Martin O'Shannessy told The Australian: "We can see from the latest poll that women voters have an issue with Tony Abbott.
"There is a brittleness in the female vote for Tony Abbott and this is being compounded by the Julia Gillard effect."

Mr O'Shannessy said the rise in female voter support for Ms Gillard from Mr Rudd's figures in April indicated that Ms Gillard was capturing female support at Mr Abbott's expense.
He said it was also likely that some women were moving towards Ms Gillard largely because she was a woman.
This carried some risks for Labor because of the potential for this gender benefit to disappear more quickly than support based on policy positions. "It does raise questions as to whether it can it can be sustained,' he said.

Mr O'Shannessy said the most recent Newspoll revealed that Mr Abbott's female support was flagging, with the Coalition's 38 per cent primary vote comprising 42 per cent support from men and only 33 per cent from women.
"That is almost a 10-point difference so there is clearly a female effect in play here," he said.
The head of the advertising agency hired by the Coalition to improve Mr Abbott's image with women said the perception that female voters had a problem with Mr Abbott had been overblown.
Amanda Stevens, managing director of Splash Consulting Group, said: "Tony is a leader surrounded by women, he has a female deputy leader, a female media adviser, three daughters and there is a lot for women to look favourably on in the Coalition's policies,"

Ms Stevens said the manner of Mr Rudd's political execution would also turn some women away from Labor. "I think the way Kevin Rudd was disposed of will be more of an issue for women than it will be for men," she said.
Mr Abbott has alienated many women in the past with his outspoken views on abortion, on the abortion drug RU486, on virginity and his ambivalence towards contraception.
The Coalition has hoped that any backlash from women against Mr Abbott was largely confined to women from urban inner-city areas who are already rusted-on Labor voters, rather than from women living in outer suburban heartlands.

Veteran pollster Rod Cameron of ANOP Research Services believes that "the hard heads" in the Coalition recognise Mr Abbott is deeply vulnerable with women voters and this is what drove him to embrace his surprise proposal of a six months paid parental leave.

http://www.news.com.au/feature.....364173#ixzz0uM3bbuzH

Honestly My housemate jumped for joy and jubilation the day Gillard stabbed Kevin in the back! She was skipping and doing a little jig all because she is a Lesbian and a Feminist and Julia Gillard was appointed the first female PM after a bloodless coup. I will be voting Liberal or Independent after voting Labor in, almost 3 years ago. The so called experts say we vote for the Party not the Person. Pfffft! I voted 'Kevin '07' in and I will not be voting for Gillard. The media has twisted and created the man we know as Tony Abbot. Give me a God fearing Catholic over an Atheist any day. The media is supposed to be unbiased.... NOT in Australia I'm afraid.

I am over this already.  No policies and just personal crap.  Even ABC24 seem to be reporting everything trivial just to fill their program.  What are the news broadcasters going to do after elections.

Does anyone think it's going to change.

Instead of who is preferred PM, how about, do you really care who is PM.

I am not even thinking about my preferred PM, I am voting for the party that does best for ME, which is the Nationals in country WA......................and my preferences will NOT go to labor.....lol

Quoted from SBro

I am over this already.  No policies and just personal crap.  Even ABC24 seem to be reporting everything trivial just to fill their program.  What are the news broadcasters going to do after elections.

Same here. The media are killing an already lack-lustre election campaign.

The only real difference is looking to be the Broadband plans. After that it probably is a vote for preferred PM.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/08/06/2976051.htm

Clever protest.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/08/06/2976051.htm

Clever protest.

Quoted from LB

As long as all the people that were duped last time now see sense we will get a good result  

That's why I always do my homework before I vote.  It seems to work, as I've never been duped.

I don't feel duped either    The last three years have been pretty good for me.

Quoted from 122

I don't feel duped either    The last three years have been pretty good for me.

I and every working class person I know would have to disagree with your assessment.

I may have to vote in my old electorate because I was 1 hr late changing my address  

Quoted from SuziH

Give me a God fearing Catholic over an Atheist any day.

The Atheist would be far more likely to legalise abortions and promote general equality for all you know  

Lol really Candy? I didn't know you had to vote from a certain region.

Quoted from aquamonkey

I and every working class person I know would have to disagree with your assessment.

Lol I must just work smart then  

Peacock faulted for 'handicapped' gaffe  

Labor has taken aim at former Liberal leader Andrew Peacock after he said that only "handicapped" people could fail to see what a poor state the current Government is in.

The former opposition leader is in the Melbourne seat of Kooyong to help launch the campaign of new Liberal candidate Josh Fydenberg.

Mr Peacock told ABC News Breakfast that while he is now living overseas, what has been happening in the Labor Party is plain to see.

"You'd need to be pretty handicapped not to appreciate this Government is dissolving before your eyes daily," he said.

Labor's Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten says Mr Peacock is using nasty language to make cheap political points.

"Why does he have to use someone's impairment to make a point?" he asked.

"He doesn't have to attack and use the intellectual disability of thousands of people and say that that is the distinguishing factor of whether or not you know what's going on in this country or not."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/09/2977284.htm

There are nutters on both sides it seems.  Though I suspect Mark Latham may need medical help, so I'm probably doing an Andrew Peacock when I make that comment.  

FREE KITTENS
A pretty little girl named Suzy was standing on the sidewalk in front of
her home. Next to her was a basket containing a number of tiny
creatures; in her hand was a sign announcing FREE KITTENS.

Suddenly a line of big black cars pulled up beside her. Out of the lead
car stepped a tall, red haired woman.

"Hi there little girl, I'm Prime Minister Gillard. What do you have in
the basket?" she asked.

"Kittens," little Suzy said.

"How old are they?" asked Gillard.

Suzy replied, "They're so young, their eyes aren't even open yet."

"And what kind of kittens are they?"
" Labor supporters," answered Suzy with a smile.
Gillard was delighted. As soon as she returned to her car, she called
her PR chief and told him about the little girl and the kittens.

Recognizing the perfect photo op, they agreed that the prime minister
should return the next day; and in front of the assembled media, have
the girl talk about her discerning kittens.

So the next day, Suzy was again standing on the sidewalk with her basket
of "FREE KITTENS," when another motorcade pulled up, this time followed
by vans from ABC,Channel 7, SBS, Ten & Nine.

Cameras and audio equipment were quickly set up, then Gillard got out of
her limo and walked over to little Suzy.

"Hello, again," she said, "I'd love it if you would tell all my friends
out there what kind of kittens you're giving away."

"Yes Maam," Suzy said. "They're Liberals."

Taken by surprise, the prime minister stammered, "But... but...
yesterday, you told me they were Labor supporters."

Little Suzy smiled and said, "I know. But today, they have their eyes
open."

Quoted from Paula

Though I suspect Mark Latham may need medical help, so I'm probably doing an Andrew Peacock when I make that comment.  

If you DON'T think Lathem needs medical help it's a sign you may need medical help  

I think less of Julia Gillard now after the poor show they 'made for TV' the other night when she sat next to deposed Kevin Rudd in a bid to rally support from voters who were upset with the way the leadership had passed.......

It was NOT a united or friendly meeting.

They couldn't even make eye contact.

I VOTED TODAY

OoOoO an absentee vote?

no....@ the early voting poll booth

anyone can do it.

Ohhhh ok

This is interesting ...if you need help making up your mind.
Its an interactive Easy Election Guide.
Your choose your electorate then answer some questions about what you think about things in general...like climate change and immigration policies and it comes up with the best candidate in your area.



http://www.news.com.au/feature.....frfllr-1225904979769


I voted for the wrong person

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pNDLzx9vyU

ROFL

Quoted from Candy

This is interesting ...if you need help making up your mind.
Its an interactive Easy Election Guide.
Your choose your electorate then answer some questions about what you think about things in general...like climate change and immigration policies and it comes up with the best candidate in your area.



http://www.news.com.au/feature.....frfllr-1225904979769


I voted for the wrong person

Thanks Omg though my results

Are you a Labor, a Liberal, or a National Voter?

Here is a little test that will help you decide.

The answer can be found by posing the following question.

You're walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, an Islamic Terrorist with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks eyes with you, screams obscenities, praises Allah, raises the knife, and charges at you.

You are carrying a Smith & Wesson 6 shot revolver gun, and you are an expert shot. You have mere seconds before he reaches you and your family. What do you do?  

THINK AND READ CAREFULLY THEN SCROLL DOWN:


Labor Voter’s Answer:

Well, that's not enough information to answer the question!
Does the man look poor or oppressed?
Have I ever done anything to him that would inspire him to attack?
Could we run away? What does my wife think? What about the kids?
Could I possibly swing the gun like a club and knock the knife out of his hand? What does the law say about this situation?
Does the hand-gun have appropriate safety built into it?
Why am I carrying a loaded gun anyway, and what kind of message does this send to society and to my children?
Is it possible he'd be happy with just killing me?
Does he definitely want to kill me, or would he be content just to wound me?
If I were to grab his knees and hold on, could my family get away while he was stabbing me?  Should I call 000?
Why is this street so deserted? We need to raise taxes, have community clean -up day.  Can we make this a happier, healthier street that would discourage such behaviour.
I need to debate this with some friends for a few days and try to come to a consensus.  
This is all so confusing!  



.................................................................................

Liberal's Answer:

BANG!

............................................................................





National's Answer:



BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Click.... (Sounds of reloading)

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Daughter: 'Nice grouping, Daddy!'

'Were those the Winchester Copper Tips or Hollow Points?! '

Son: 'Can I shoot the next one?!'

Wife: 'You ain't taking that to the Taxidermist!

Finally!

Labor's $9.9bn deal for regional Australia
By online political correspondent Emma Rodgers

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she will pump almost $10 billion into regional programs after today scraping back into power with the support of two key independents.

Ms Gillard has pledged to work tirelessly for the Australian people and says she will try and find common ground with the Coalition as Labor heads into its second term in government.

Two independents today broke the political deadlock by giving their votes to Ms Gillard in a Labor minority Government. She is set to meet Governor-General Quentin Bryce shortly.

After more than a fortnight of suspense, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor revealed their intention to give Labor their crucial votes, meaning it has secured the 76 seats needed to rule.

The third independent, Bob Katter, had earlier decided to support the Coalition but it was not enough to install Tony Abbott as prime minister.

The two independents decided to back Ms Gillard after securing a $9.9 billion package of regional programs across several areas including infrastructure, health and education.

"Labor is prepared to deliver, stable, effective and secure government for the next three years," she said.

"Let our Parliament be more open than it ever was before.

"I know that if we fail in this solemn responsibility, we will be judged harshly when we next face the Australian people."

Ms Gillard also confirmed she offered Mr Oakeshott a ministry position but she says he has yet to make up his mind.

Speaking earlier, Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor cited broadband, regional education and climate change as factors at play in their decision making.

Mr Windsor also said he felt the Coalition would be itching to head back to the polls if it formed government.

"There's been background noise and a little bit louder than background noise, that if there's a hung Parliament with the Coalition in government that they'd rush off to the polls as soon as they could," he said.

"And one of the things that we really want to do is try and get some longevity into this Parliament."

Mr Oakeshott said he felt Labor could offer more stability, but conceded he would cop flak from the Coalition for his decision.

"We are going to have a wow of a time and we are going to absolutely see anything and everything before this Parliament," he said.

Greens Leader Bob Brown says the independents have made the right decision and he looks forward to working with them.

"I think [the Parliament] is going to have a great deal of excitement about it," he said.

Today's result for Ms Gillard comes 17 days after the federal election resulted in the loss of a swag of Labor seats in Queensland and New South Wales, leaving both major parties short of a majority for the first time since World War II.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/07/3005179.htm

I do not think Labor can do a good Broadband program after the internet censorship campaign.

I just wish we could of had a chance to revote before now and make it not compulsory then only those who really cared and were informed would (hopefully) vote. All the 'donkey/blank' votes went to Labor, where would they be without those?
I remember Tony Windsor when I lived in Tamworth and he was never one to 'make waves'hope he has changed since then.

Quoted from SuziH

I just wish we could have had a chance to revote before now and make it not compulsory then only those who really cared and were informed would (hopefully) vote...

I think you underestimate a large proportion of Australians.  I for one was fully informed and cared, as were many millions I am sure.

Well Paula there was apparently also a large number of donkey votes?

I AM NOT A DONKEY!!!  

http://www.news.com.au/feature.....5tasrw-1225908552299

Election informal votes hit record high
From: AAP
August 22, 2010 6:10PM

WHETHER by design or mistake, a record number of Australians are cutting themselves out of the political debate by casting informal votes.
In what appears to be a new record, by this afternoon a total of 618,435 voters had delivered informal votes.

That's 5.64 per cent of all votes cast - a rise of 1.69 per cent on the 2007 election, although with counting continuing, that figure could change.

Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) spokesman Phil Diak said the informal voting rate did appear higher this time, although there was no information at this stage to say why.

"The AEC, as a matter of course, does conduct a review of the informal ballot papers, looks at all the ballot papers, after each federal election,'' he said.

ABC electoral analyst Antony Green said this was the highest percentage of informal votes since 1984 when the rate hit 6.3 per cent. In the 1983 election the rate was 2.1 per cent.

Overall, informal voting appears to be on the rise, running at 3.2 per cent for the House of Representatives in 1996, 3.8 per cent in 1998, 4.8 per cent in 2001, 5.2 per cent in 2004 and four per cent in 2007.

In the lead-up to the Saturday's election, former Labor leader turned reporter Mark Latham urged voters to cast an informal vote as a protest against the major parties.

Mr Latham insisted the high informal vote was really down to voter disillusionment and disengagement.

"Don't forget all the media criticism about the nature of the campaign, very little policy difference, very little that was worthwhile for the Australian people, and their response was a bigger informal vote, a bigger protest vote with the Greens,'' he told Sky News.


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/feature.....552299#ixzz0yzEgCDKc