2007 Federal Election - Coalition or Labor/Howard or Rudd? (4 Viewers)

[Triangulum]

House of Reps and half-Senate election. Parliament prorogues Monday noon, dissolves Wednesday noon. Rolls will close on 22 October (apparently, I don't know what's going on there). Election 24 November.

Howard: "Country does not need new leadership ... needs the right leadership." Blah blah blah experience blah blah blah prosperity blah blah blah unions.

Edit: apparently Howard thinks that Downer is a good FA minister. Hahahahaha.

Edit2: "Balanced approach to [ie. continued ignoring of] climate change"

 

[cuppy]

well so its all been announced now...6 weeks

 

[jb_nc]

Edit2: "Balanced approach to [ie. continued ignoring of] climate change"

This. This is why I vote Greens. I hope they form government or force Labor to grow some balls and close down EVERY fossil fuel industry in Australia. We should be entirely powered by renewables and cars should be banned. I think exporting coal is morally wrong (and countries that buy from us are morally bankrupt to considering how we treat our indigenous peoples). Hopefully they make Australia not contribute to global warming anymore. And protecting our national treasure, the Aboriginal peoples who have been much maligned by everyone they should be given our land and we should have to pay them rent for occupying their nation!

 

[Generator]

Re. Press Conference -

Though I will be directing my preferences to the ALP (and voting for the Australian Democrats), Mr Howard is right in pointing out the prospect of a parliamentary ALP at the Federal level being dominated by former union officials. Yes, the ALP and the unions are as one (see national conference and party platform), and the ALP's policies, for the most part, are to my liking, but whereas I can stomach and largely ignore the ignorant locals favoured by the Liberals for most marginal electorates, the same can't be said for the many union hacks who are standing for the ALP this time around. Yes (again), some may be talented and deserving of a seat, but surely even the ALP knows that there comes a point when enough is enough?

Edit: As for the Greens, a part of me is hoping that they will take the balance of the power in the Senate, because there's a chance that this will be to the benefit of the country at large - on the one hand the Greens may realise that they need to compromise their ideals and moderate their policies if they are to be involved in the actual governing process, and on the other they may well lose much of their support if they use their position to grandstand for the duration of the next Senate half-term. Either way, the country wins. That said, I'm still with those arguing in favour of the Australian Democrats.

 

[Iron]

'Union hacks' is such a tired bullshit phrase. They're mostly lawyers who represented workers for years before entering parliament. Cf Liberal members who were lawyers for the other side. It's a nonsense claim.

But WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaow
Very Keating 96 - About leadership, unemployment, certainty etc. Totally unconvincing. Nothing like the hard hitting genious of the 04 announcement 'who do you trust'. This was pathetic. I love it.

 

[Triangulum]

'Union hacks' is such a tired bullshit phrase. They're mostly lawyers who represented workers for years before entering parliament. Cf Liberal members who were lawyers for the other side. It's a nonsense claim.

But WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaow
Very Keating 96 - About leadership, unemployment, certainty etc. Totally unconvincing. Nothing like the hard hitting genious of the 04 announcement 'who do you trust'. This was pathetic. I love it.

Yeah, I agree. It wasn't really a very engaging opener. You get the sense that they don't, when it comes down to it, really know how to attack Rudd.

Seemed to be quite a lot on unemployment, though. Maybe that will be the second-tier scare campaign, after OMG OMG OMG OMG THE UNIONS ARE COMING!!!1!!!1!

 

[Triangulum]

I love how on the ABC news website they have a breaking news strap saying 'Australia will go to the polls on November 24' directly above the headline 'PM announces November 24 poll'. Redundancy much?

 

[Generator]

'Union hacks' is such a tired bullshit phrase. They're mostly lawyers who represented workers for years before entering parliament. Cf Liberal members who were lawyers for the other side. It's a nonsense claim.

That they're largely lawyers (or at the very least trained as lawyers) doesn't make the claim any less valid, Iron. The unions and the ALP are still intimately linked, and I doubt that even saintly Kevin Rudd (Mr Howard mark II) will be able to push through any party level reforms. Look at what happened to Crean - yes, he was just an Opposition leader, but he was still a former trade union leader, yet even that didn't help the unions recognise the need to 'modernise' the structure of the ALP beyond a 50/50 split at the National Conference.

 

[Iron]

lol 'Love me or loath me'? Practically echoes Keating in 96. He admits he's on the nose. I predict the campaign wont make much difference.

And what the fuck was with his snorting!?
ALP. Tough on drugs.

 

[Iron]

That they're largely lawyers (or at the very least trained as lawyers) doesn't make the claim any less valid, Iron. The unions and the ALP are still intimately linked, and I doubt that even saintly Kevin Rudd (Mr Howard mark II) will be able to push through any party level reforms. Look at what happened to Crean - yes, he was just an Opposition leader, but he was still a former trade union leader, yet even that didn't help the unions recognise the need to 'modernise' the structure of the ALP beyond a 50/50 split at the National Conference.

The difference is that Rudd is insanely popular. He has a mandate to ignore the factions - just like Howard has previously had a mandate to ignore his ravenous young turks; he's the only one who can win.
Also, he doesnt personally rely on any faction to support him because he has none - Qld Labor right is a bit lonely at the moment.

 

[Triangulum]

That they're largely lawyers (or at the very least trained as lawyers) doesn't make the claim any less valid, Iron. The unions and the ALP are still intimately linked, and I doubt that even saintly Kevin Rudd (Mr Howard mark II) will be able to push through any party level reforms. Look at what happened to Crean - yes, he was just an Opposition leader, but he was still a former trade union leader, yet even that didn't help the unions recognise the need to 'modernise' the structure of the ALP beyond a 50/50 split at the National Conference.

The National Conference isn't really a very significant body any more, though. Actual policy decisions are made at caucus, cabinet and national executive level. Conference just sets broad policy goals, which the actual leaders then feel free to ignore.

 

[Generator]

The difference is that Rudd is insanely popular. He has a mandate to ignore the factions - just like Howard has previously had a mandate to ignore his ravenous young turks; he's the only one who can win.
Also, he doesnt personally rely on any faction to support him because he has none - Qld Labor right is a bit lonely at the moment.

I think that it's more a case of Rudd being preferred than popular. That said, you point still stands regardless.

The National Conference isn't really a very significant body any more, though. Actual policy decisions are made at caucus, cabinet and national executive level. Conference just sets broad policy goals, which the actual leaders then feel free to ignore.

True for the most part, but in determining the broad policy platform the Conference does shape the approach taken by the parliamentary wing of the party at the federal level.

Bah, you're both on the money, but I'm still concerned by the prospect of however many union heavies entering parliament on Kevin Rudd's coattails. Candidates like Shorten and Combet are well worth the trouble that the party caused in cementing their candidacy, but not every candidate raised by (or from) a union is as qualified as those two. I do realise that not every candidate can be a leader or a brilliant policy wonk, but I believe that those candidates who aren't aiming for the heights of Cabinet should more often than not be informed locals, not strays from the various union administrations.

 

[Triangulum]

Adam Carr, commenting at pollbludger.com:

This will be the big test for The Narrowing theory. Will the voters suddenly say “OMG Labor is a trade union based party! We never knew that!”? Well, maybe. We’ll soon find out.

Heh.

Apparently Rudd's press conference is scheduled for 2.15.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Oh I really don't care anymore.

That kinda saddens me.

 

[jb_nc]

If you are over 18 and not enrolled, or if you have been removed and want to get back on the roll you have to do this by 8pm Tonight, Sun 14 October

If you are 17 and will turn 18 by 23 November or if you become an Australian Citizen by 23 November, or if you have moved and haven't updated your details you have to do this by by 8pm Wed 17 October

 

[Rafy]

Actually you have till 8pm Wednesday 17th October to enroll. (Its the day the writs are issued, not the day the election is called). Those already on the roll have untill the 22nd to update their details.

 

[Iron]

I think Rudd's reply will set the tone of the campaign. It has to be pretty good.

 

[ur_inner_child]

Horay! I'm in Melbourne (more like, a few hours from Melbourne, so its small town-ish) currently and I just heard the news of it being announced! I'm totally excited! And funnily enough, the AEC called me to give me my job back! Horah!

This is all very exciting stuff!

 

[jb_nc]

Actually you have till 8pm Wednesday 17th October to enroll. (Its the day the writs are issued, not the day the election is called). Those already on the roll have untill the 22nd to update their details.

http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/aus...Federal_Election_Timetable.htm#Issue_of_writs

Could be today could be 24 October too.

 

[Triangulum]

Rudd is on now: http://abc.net.au/streaming/networktv.asx