Preview 2019 Federal Election

What are the three key issues of the 2019 Federal Election?

  • The economy

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Tax

    Votes: 2 33.3%
  • Government Services

    Votes: 2 33.3%
  • Climate policy

    Votes: 4 66.7%
  • Animal welfare

    Votes: 1 16.7%
  • Environment

    Votes: 1 16.7%
  • Wages

    Votes: 2 33.3%
  • Industrial democracy

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Superannuation

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Housing affordability

    Votes: 3 50.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 1 16.7%

  • Total voters
    6
  • This poll will close: .
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Thread starter #176
The duck hunter.......
I’ve been to parties on Election Day. Can be a hoot.

1983 was the day before my birthday and Hawkey (the drover’s dog) defeated Fraser. I’ll always cherish Fraser’s concession speech where his bottom lip was a quivering. 1975 was still fresh in mind and I loathed Fraser for the reckless damage he caused to the Westminster system which is still not resolved to this day.

Prior to this was a 21st I attended in December 1977 which was Whitlam’s swan song. Gough suffered a crushing defeat and he was a hero to so many of my peer group who benefited from the sweeping reforms that his government had introduced during his term. Well alcohol and liberal supporters don’t mix. I was accused of insulting the Aunty of the birthday boy because she batted for the other side. I still maintain my innocence.
 

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Thread starter #177
Annabel:hearteyes:

Good morning Robbo

At the going down of the daily page rate, we shall remember him.


A respectful hush fell over the federal election campaign yesterday, as both major party leaders paused to remember the fallen. Half-shouted imprecations fluttered unheard to the forest floor. The booming guns of campaign advertising fell into a spectral silence.

Oh yeah — except for one guy.

Of the 18 pages in The Australian's front section yesterday, five full pages (at least $100,000 worth) were sold to Clive Palmer, who — in the first of two open letters carried copiously therein — provided a lean but undeniable connection to the business of Anzac Day, pointing out that he had an uncle who was killed in Belgium in WWI.

Having thus cleared the path, Mr Palmer carpet-bombed readers at length with his ideas: Chinese Communist Government-owned companies have influenced the Australian political process by spending millions of dollars*, Labor and Liberal will just "sell you down the yellow river", and a Clive-led recovery would see him introducing nuclear power and have a serious high-level crack at the guy who was mean to his nephew in the Air Force. (The nephew — and his mesmerising moustache — are at number three on the Palmer Queensland Senate ticket).

There followed — looking at first blush like the pre-game lift-out for an AFL grand final between Richmond and Hawthorn — a double-page display of all the Palmer candidates and their mobile phone numbers (except Clive's). A few forgot to get their photos in on time and were represented in grey silhouette instead. (Candidates Meg and Dean Wrightson, contesting McMahon and Watson: surely you could have reminded each other? Over in Warringah, Suellen Wrightson seems to have got hers in on time. Catch up, Other Wrightsons!)

*But aren't you... oh never mind.

Don't mention the war

The day of rest gave Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten the highest possible authority — patriotism and respect for the fallen — to not talk about some things about which they'd already studiously not been talking for days. Mr Morrison is not talking about Clive Palmer, or the deal (confirmed late yesterday) in which the Liberal Party will swap preferences with his United Australia Party . (Or the — presumably — ancillary deal in which Mr Morrison will forget he was once likened to "Himlar" in a Palmer tweet (the author meant Heinrich Himmler, Hitler's wingman) and Mr Palmer will forget all the times Mr Morrison said he was a complete joke.

Mr Shorten, meanwhile, is not talking about Adani, specifically whether he agrees with all the voters he needs in Queensland who reckon the mine'd be a great thing, or the voters he needs in Melbourne who hate it. Every time he gets asked, he's all "We won't be leaping to any premature conclusions … something, something, rule of law … scientific evidence … oh look! Isn't that a black-throated finch?" until reporters pass out from confusion. Here, in case you've forgotten, is the ABC's Brett Worthington documenting both leaders not talking about their respective issues.

Given the quiet, it's a good time for a look at immigration. From the ABC's vast database of voter opinion, Vote Compass (do it now, if you haven't already!) it emerges that some voters are out of step with the policies of the parties they support. For example, the majority of Greens voters said they wanted more immigration, which doesn't gel with the party's actual policy. And Labor voters weren't too keen on boat turnbacks, which Federal Labor supports. Check out Catherine Hanrahan's analysis.

Finally, if you want to freak yourself out, read this ABC Investigations account of a political campaign app that worked for Donald Trump and for Brexit campaigners, and is now on the loose in Australia. Then watch UK journalist Carole Cadwalladr argue that the death of democracy is Facebook's fault.

Then maybe switch everything off till Tuesday, when I'll be back with more news.

 
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Thread starter #180
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Thread starter #181
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Thread starter #182
How do women compare with males in the race to become an elected representative of the people. Some facts and figures.

‘Representation of women in both Houses of Parliament has never been higher, but at 32 per cent we are still nowhere near equal representation.’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-26/how-women-get-elected-to-parliament/10871438?section=politics

Here’s an opinion piece along the same lines. Some sage advice late in the article if you’re considering a crack at politics.

“Don't be a Pollyanna. You've got to have mongrel in you to run for politics and one slip up could wreck your campaign."

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/st...igh-on-mongrel-and-low-on-pollyanna/?cs=14258
 
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