Federal election called - 24 November ...
Commentary:
In many ways, however, it's more interesting to look at what will happen if the Government wins, and the Prime Minister is forced to inhabit the lumpy federal landscape he has spent the past few months building for himself.
See - Captain Wacky at the helm.
My main concerns about his character relate to what I perceive to be an unalloyed ruthlessness, a lack of his loyalty to anything but his own short-term political ambitions and his projection of a carefully constructed image that has little or nothing to do with Rudd the man.
See - Why Rudd is not fit to rule.
Also see - What you get in the Lodge if KRudd wins but has to step down.
News.com.au - Your electorate - meet the candidates.
If nothing else, it's gonna be entertaining ...
In many ways, however, it's more interesting to look at what will happen if the Government wins, and the Prime Minister is forced to inhabit the lumpy federal landscape he has spent the past few months building for himself.
See - Captain Wacky at the helm.
My main concerns about his character relate to what I perceive to be an unalloyed ruthlessness, a lack of his loyalty to anything but his own short-term political ambitions and his projection of a carefully constructed image that has little or nothing to do with Rudd the man.
See - Why Rudd is not fit to rule.
Also see - What you get in the Lodge if KRudd wins but has to step down.
News.com.au - Your electorate - meet the candidates.
If nothing else, it's gonna be entertaining ...
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 12:10 PM
14 Comments:
Excerpt from ABC News:
PM announces November 24 poll
14 October 2007
Prime Minister John Howard has announced Australia will go to the polls on November 24.
Mr Howard launched the election campaign after visiting Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery, earlier today.
He says in the weeks ahead people must decide who is most able to not only to preserve Australia's prosperity, but build it to make sure it is fairly spread.
"Is it a Government that has a proven track record in those areas? Or is it an inexperienced group of men and women, 70 per cent of whom are former trade union officials?" he said.
"The right leadership has the experience to further expand the the prosperity of the Australian economy.
"The right leadership makes unpopular decisions in the short-term knowing they have a long-term benefit for the our community.
"This country does not need new leadership, it doesn't need old leadership. It needs the right leadership."
Mr Howard says he is committed to ensuring full employment.
"That 33-year low [of 4.2 per cent unemployment] can go lower with the right policies. There is no reason why the current unemployment can't go lower," he said.
He also highlighted plans to enforce national security, Australia's interests overseas, and address climate change and water shortages.
Responding to questions regarding his comments this week on Indigenous reconciliation, Mr Howard says "we still have a long way to go".
"I have always wanted to achieve reconciliation," he said.
"What I believe the NT intervention has done, is provide a remarkable and a fortuitous opportunity.
"Not only do you have to unite conservative and progressive Australia, you've got to unite the symbolic with the practical."
Future government
Mr Howard says if re-elected, Peter Costello will remain as Treasurer and Alexander Downer as Foreign Minister.
He says voters cannot rely on the same commitment from Kevin Rudd regarding potential future ministers.
"You all know if Mr Rudd was to win, Mr [Robert] McClelland would not be his minister for foreign affairs," he said.
Mr Howard says there is "nothing balanced" about a federal Labor government and state Labor governments.
"We will have a Labor Govt in power at every level in Australia for the first time since Federation. There is nothing balanced about that."
Federal Parliament still needs to be formally dissolved for the election campaign.
The election is likely to be fought in the key areas of health, education, the economy, but also climate change and national security.
Other state-based issues will also likely play big roles, for example the approval of the Gunns pulp mill and Mersey Hospital takeover in Tasmania and local council amalgamations in Queensland.
The Labor Party needs to win an extra 16 seats outright to claim a majority government.
The Coalition has had a string of poor opinion polls, a recent Newspoll showed Labor with an election-winning lead over the Coalition, with 56 per cent of the vote after preferences, compared with 44 per cent for the Government.
1:07 PM, October 14, 2007
Entertaining is right - Gillard's bloke has caught Warnie's disease - texting some poor woman - 'Would-be deputy prime minister Julia Gillard has hit out at "gutter politics" after revelations about her partner's past. Hair products salesman Tim Mathieson is facing claims that police were called last year over his alleged harassment of a woman at Shepparton in Victoria. It is claimed that Mr Mathieson deluged the woman with insulting text messages.'
1:30 PM, October 14, 2007
if julia gets annoyed at some foreign pm she can always get him to bombard by sms
1:57 PM, October 14, 2007
Who would be so silly to trust Kevin Rudd. His cheshire smiling wife used work choices to benefit herself, but said she didn't know that was going on! What a load of b******t!
They are in it to make what they can for themselves. Greed!
2:29 PM, October 14, 2007
Howard: “Australia does not need new leadership, it does not need old leadership – it needs the right leadership."
Rudd (2 hours later): “What I am offering the Australian people is new leadership,'' Mr Rudd said.
Oops.
2:52 PM, October 14, 2007
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
3:23 PM, October 14, 2007
Some-one should have been listening to the PM speech and this is only the start.
The young pup is up against the old dog.
The ABC and other polls can say what they like but the only one that counts is on 24th November!!
3:26 PM, October 14, 2007
Ruddisms:
"great challenges lie ahead"
"we as a country need to widen our vision"
Does anyone know what he's talking about.
All PR and no substance.
8:42 PM, October 14, 2007
A Labor government would ratify the Kyoto protocol.
What's the point.
China and India aren't bound by it and the EU is moving beyond it.
Even Al Gore admits that signing Kyoto will have no more effect that sending some sort of message to the US - which they will promptly ignore.
9:48 PM, October 14, 2007
How could Rudd know how the average person is doing when his biggest problem is whether he and his rich wife buy the mansion at the coast.
Better to stay with the one we know than go down the track with a majority of union leaders.
9:50 PM, October 14, 2007
Bet he was annoyed that it got out that he made an offer on that Sunshine Beach place he rents for the holidays. A man of the people holed up in his multi-million $ holiday home. This is his one shot at getting into the Lodge and he'll say anything to get there.
10:00 PM, October 14, 2007
Just a word of caution. Careful about crossing certain lines with comments.
One of the comments above had been deleted although a censored version is repeated below.
What does it matter if **** **** is a stalker? Does it matter that **** had a kid with **** a few years back or that **** used to date women? It matters whether they can do the job. Nothing more nothing less.
10:14 AM, October 15, 2007
Excerpt from the Chronicle:
Upbeat Macfarlane not giving up seat
15 October 2007
Despite the prospect of spending the next three years in Opposition, Member for Groom Ian Macfarlane says he is in for the long haul.
Rumours in certain quarters of the electorate had Mr Macfarlane looking to bow out of politics after the next term; however, he dispelled any such notion.
"I haven't heard that one," he said yesterday soon after Prime Minister John Howard had announced a Federal election for November 24.
"Ive been doing this for nine years and I still enjoy it and I will keep doing it while Im enjoying it.
"I have no plans for retirement."
Mr Macfarlane saw roads, the second Range crossing in particular, as one of the major issues for the local campaign and put out a teaser that an announcement on the topic would be made public before November 24.
"There will be a significant announcement in terms of south-east Queensland during the campaign," he said, declining to elaborate further.
"The Warrego and Gore highways need work as well and for work to be done (on the highway) between Charlton and Oakey will be something I'll be pushing for."
Mr Macfarlane said, despite some polls pointing to the demise of the Howard Government, the experience of Government Members over their Opposition counterparts would prove important with voters.
"The real campaign starts now and, as the boss (Prime Minister) says, the only poll that counts is November 24," he said.
"We have the experience as opposed to the other side. The experience of the two teams is chalk and cheese really."
The two Groom candidates will debate the issues at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast on October 26.
10:21 AM, October 15, 2007
Why isn't Rob Berry invited to the debate?
10:52 AM, October 15, 2007
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