aus election 2004

Hang on to your proverbials

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 10 2004, 7:35 am

The count has started. Polls closed in Tasmania at 5pm AEST. They'll close in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT at 6, SA and Northern Territory at 6.30, WA at 8.

My head says the Coalition will win by about 5 seats. My heart says Labor will win by any number. I'm giving the casting vote to my pancreas.

And the pancreatic verdict? It will be a hung parliament. Howard will be returned with a minority government supported by independents, who will abandon him for Labor after about three months.

Rick's how to vote card for everyone else

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 10 2004, 3:40 am

I meant to do this earlier in the week, oh well. Now it's halfway through polling day in the eastern states.

In broad terms, I am advocating an above-the-line vote in the Senate in each state for The Greens. They, and the Democrats, have demonstrated their value as minorities in the Senate holding the balance of power. The Democrats, while looking good on their policy documents, have imploded over the past couple of years, perhaps fatally.

OK I have voted

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 10 2004, 1:45 am

It seems such a waste of paper to have that huge senate ballot just so that I can do one vertical stroke in one box.

This is how I voted this morning in my eleventh House of Representatives election:

House of Representatives, Grayndler:
2 Philip Myers (Greens)
3 Sue Johnson (Socialist Alliance)
4 Jen Harrison (Democrats)
1 Anthony Albanese (Labor)
5 Stephanie Kokkolis (Liberal)

Senate, New South Wales:

A variety of election stuff

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 9 2004, 8:18 am

A whole heap of stuff about tomorrow's election in no particular order:

ChilOut (Children out of detention) have their election guide to policies on refugees. They are running a campaign to hand out 20,000 flowers of hope tomorrow.

A Just Australia (now RefugeeGuarantee.com.au) has rankings for candidates and whether they have signed AJA's Refugee Guarantee.

The papers would say that, wouldn't they?

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 9 2004, 4:18 am

Rupert Murdoch's newspapers all advocate the re-election of the Howard government. Are you shocked?

Let's do the rounds of the editorials:

The Australian (News Ltd, national) - No convincing reason to kick out Coalition:

On the basis of what they have placed before us in this campaign, neither side of politics merits enthusiastic endorsement. But a choice must be made, and on that basis we should look to Mr Howard's record and Mr Latham's promise.... And we know that for all his policy failings, Australia has grown richer under his leadership....

Which policies matter the most? (Part 3)

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 9 2004, 1:58 am

I believe that John Howard and his government have shown such impropriety, through their handling of "Children Overboard" and the war against Iraq, to make their return to office untenable. I believe that their standard of global citizenship has been not just bad, but poisonous. On the domestic front, I believe that the main issues can be subdivided into two categories:

Domestic issues:

Which policies matter the most? (Part 2)

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 8 2004, 2:46 pm

I've seen "trust" and "truth in government" described as issues in Saturday's election. As I said yesterday, I think "propriety" is numero uno. John Howard and his government have a long track record of impropriety which, if you or I behaved like that, would have us sacked by our boss. Please remember on Saturday, that we are John Howard's boss. Sack him.

Which policies matter the most? (Part 1)

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 7 2004, 1:49 am

It's three days out from the federal election. The most likely scenario at the moment is that John Howard's Liberal/National coalition will be returned with a reduced majority. This must not be allowed to happen.

The campaign has degenerated into a policy auction, as each side tries to out-trump the other. It's significant, though, that Latham appears to have Howard on the run with policy decisions, as he has been doing since about February. Medicare is one example, Tasmanian forests will be another with an announcement expected from JWH later today. The outrageous exchange of costly policies is a bit sickening, especially as we can expect that none will make it through Parliament without massive alteration, dilution and compromise.

End the Lies, John Howard

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 6 2004, 10:21 pm

It got short shrift in the mainstream media on Monday, but the "End the Lies" rallies were well attended across Australia on the weekend. Great coverage from across the country on Indymedia.org, including links to an excellent photo gallery of the Sydney demonstration. - Rick

"End the Lies" Australians rally against the conservatives
http://www.indymedia.org/or/2004/10/111957.shtml

Global Village Idiot arrested

Submitted by Rick Eyre on October 2 2004, 7:12 am

Goodness me it's been a busy day. Global Village Idiot, Alexander Downer, was placed under citizen's arrest in Melbourne this morning. Unfortunately he got away.

The "warrant" for GVI's arrest laid charges of war crimes in relation to Iraq, also violations of the United Nations charter, violations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and violations of the Convention against Torture.