For Aussies.

[[Cameron]]

The Americans got their own threaad for the Presidential Election. How about one for our election, or is our political state not as interesting. Who do you think willl win? Howard or Latham? IMO i beleive it will be Howard again although i would like to see Latham win.

[auhsor]

Neh, I don't mind who gets elected. In the end, there will always be people complaing about how bad the PM is. I havn't been on this earth all that long, but I don't know many leaders of countries that arn't generally disliked. Maybe thats just coming from the current political climate with Bush and Howard.
Really imho, Howard hasn't done that bad a job. I'm sick of all these propaganda stuff happening, especially at uni. I go there to study, not to have opinions thrown at me every day.

I'm not sure who I'm gonna vote. Not that it really mattters but I think I'm gonna put the Liberals and Labor both down the bottom. Oh and along with the Greens and whoever else that I don't really like.

Oh... I think I will put Howard above Latham tho. Not sure why...

[Timosity]

Well there's less than 2 days to go, I'm sick of all the shit campaigning on TV at least it will be over soon.

What's annoying is I have got no idea what the Liberals have to offer, all they seem to do is put down Latham but forget to say what good they will do.

At least Labor attempt to have some possitive campaigning, I give credit to parties that don't just try to put the other guy down.

It's all just bullshit anyway as what they say now won't necessarily happen.


All I can say is we need a change of goverment and I'm not a Labor supporter but I'll put them much higher up my list, and as always the Liberals will be at the very bottom.


another thing in Aus is that it's quite big to have a Bet on the Election and you can pretty much bet on any aspect of it. Can you legally bet on elections in other countries? is it a popular thing?

the liberal prick (philip ruddock) in my electorate is not worth betting on, I read in my local paper that his odds are 1.01 to 1 with a minimum bet of $100, if I put $10,000 on it I make a cool $100, but I doubt they'd even take bets like that.

[las unplugged]

I'll just chime in and say that the interest rates debate, from an economics student's point of view, is so absurdly stupid and false it's hard to believe. Whilst the coalition brought it up, which really rubs your nose in the fact that everyone is so economically illiterate that they can make a claim so ridiculous and get away with it, the counter claims are similarily dumb.

I really cannot stress how utterly silly it is, you may as well claim that during one party's previous governments there have been more cyclones, ergo electing that party will bring more cyclones.

[Timosity]

I really cannot stress how utterly silly it is, you may as well claim that during one party's previous governments there have been more cyclones, ergo electing that party will bring more cyclones.

That's so true and unbelievably annoying (i'm no economist but I'm not stupid), in one of the tv ads, the libs quote the interest rates at the time of labors terms but fail to even mention theirs, so there's not even anything to compare it to (even though that would prove nothing)

It's also frustrating that the libs claim to have wiped out a lot of debt, but in the process they've sold off some major assets like half of Telstra, if there's more debt in the future there's no more assets to sell, therefore they are really just temporarily adjusting funds to look good in the short term, Fuckndumbcunts!!!


And I love the cyclones analogy, perfect way to put it.

[Kinoko]

I'm sick of all these propaganda stuff happening, especially at uni. I go there to study, not to have opinions thrown at me every day.

Halleluia! I get annoyed enough at the real elction but university politics... ARGH! Drives me insane. I just ignore everyone. You just know they're all failing their BAs because they spend all their time at uni campaigning and complaining about each other.

[DGMacphee]

It's like the old saying goes...

"It doesn't matter whether you win or lose... cause Bob Brown's got a million votes and he's partying already!!!"

[evenwolf]

Sorry to intrude Aussies!

but I've got a good turn out for my video project... that is to say - except from Australia!

Has the digital camera not made its way down there yet?Ã,  I bet it has.Ã,  Ã, 


I need:Ã,  an Australian standing outside somewhere "uniquely australian" (ie: geography, arcitecture, landmark), and for him/her to say the line "You'd get a nice tan down here, Jesse"Ã,  as if convincing me to come to Australia rather than another country.Ã,  ( "Don't go there, come here")Ã,  Anyone able?

moorefield@gmail.com 

[[Cameron]]

Well, this thgread shall soon be about who wins and our thoughts on the outcome. Voting is today. Channel 2 and 9 have live election thingy while Channel 10 has The Mummy Returns .

[Toefur]

As an ardent Greens supporter, I was devasted to find out that my girlfriend inteneds to vote liberal based on the fact that, "My dad wont get anywork under labor because interest rates will be so high".

I wonder if this is a good reason to break up with her.

I'd help you out, also, Evenwolf, but I don't think there's anything in my town that stands out as 'distinctly aussie'.

[Las Naranjas]

There seems to be a habit amongst the electorate in the country to always hang onto a government two or so elections past their usefullness. The coalition was spent by 1961 but held on til 1971 on sheer enertia. Fraser was spent within a few months, his primary use being getting rid of Whitlam, but hung on for 8 years during which there are very little notable achievements. Labor did very very important things during it's first 7 years, probably the most important changes since Curtin and of the post war era, but didn't deserve to win in 1990 and exploited dreadful economic illiteracy in 1993 in the same fashion that the government is now doing.

Side show. The government does not set interest rates, that is the reserve bank's job. The government logic being that a labor government would be more inflationary, causing the bank to set higher rates to combat inflation. The spending levels between the parties indicate no difference whatsoever. Incidently, when Howard was treasurer he presided over the worst inflation, deficit and economic depression in 30 years, as well as higher interest rates than under Whitlam. But people don't remmeber.
Additionally, Australian interest rates are amongst the highest in the industrialised world. 5.25% compared to 1.5% in the US and [effectively] 0% in Japan, both of whom have record deficits.
Moreover, there has been little direct benefit from the low rates since household debt has doubled as rates have halved, which means we come out even. The reason rates haven't risen yet [they will be december no matter who wins] is that the incredible inflation from assets [notably houses] has been offset by a fall in the price of imports, because the dollar becomes stronger because our interest rates are, relatively speaking, quite high. So your mortgage is costing far more, but your DVD player is alot cheaper.

Problem is, this means that much of the growth being trumpeted recently is based on consumer debt and an illusionary housing bubble. That'll come back to bite no matter who is in power. The main benefit of the coalition winning today may be that they will be forced to reap what they have sown.

But coming away from a vain attempt to give some sort of economic literacy to the world [Look, just don't listen to anything a politician says about the economy, it's equivalent to reading horoscopes for an insight into psychology] and back to governments being spent.

Whether you approve of them or not, at least the Howrad government had an agenda. Labour market reforms and the GST had some sort of drive behind them, with a purpose.
But what has been achieved in the third term. Medicare and Tertiery education were cited as priorities, but the cosmetic changes achieved there are so minor as to only garnish atrophy.
And I have absolutely no idea what they intend to do in teh next term, and neither does the electorate. 80% of their advertising has been negative, and the remaining 20% is gibbersih about keeping the economy strong, as well as a few vain attempts by individual candidates talking about how they're willing to fight for their electorate after another 3 years of slinece on the back bench.


The most depressing thing about elections is not who ends up winning, but knowing that the decision is made based on no valid data whatsoever.

[DGMacphee]

Another attack the Liberals always place on Labor is the relationship with unions. Howard has trumpeted this attack a couple of times over the last few weeks, which is ironic since his last major policy decision (Forestry) won support from the Tasmanian CFMEU.

[Toefur]

Good post, Las. It's a pity the rest of this country aren't as smart as you.

Howard has won again.

Fuck.

[auhsor]

Yep it seems that Howard won... again. Now thats like 4 terms. I don't mind that much. I'm not all that much into politics.

Oh and Evenwolf, I'm sorry I hjavn't contaced you about the pictures thing. I don't live near many landmarks and so I don't think I can help. And I don't have a video camera.

[modgeulator]

Neh, I don't mind who gets elected. In the end, there will always be people complaing about how bad the PM is. I havn't been on this earth all that long, but I don't know many leaders of countries that arn't generally disliked. Maybe thats just coming from the current political climate with Bush and Howard.
Really imho, Howard hasn't done that bad a job. I'm sick of all these propaganda stuff happening, especially at uni. I go there to study, not to have opinions thrown at me every day.

I'm not sure who I'm gonna vote. Not that it really mattters but I think I'm gonna put the Liberals and Labor both down the bottom. Oh and along with the Greens and whoever else that I don't really like.

Oh... I think I will put Howard above Latham tho. Not sure why...

Sounds like a fantastic argument for making voting in this country non-compulsory.Ã, 

[auhsor]

Hehe, well I've got more important things to think about. I guess.

I personally don't really like Latham at all. I don't like Howard either, but at least he is better than Latham.

[DGMacphee]

I'm not a big fan of a number Howard's policies, but he won and it's something I have to handle. Good luck to him.

Though, I had to laugh at (and feel sorry for) Costello. During Howard's victory speech he thanked Costello and you could hear someone shout "SIX MORE YEARS! SIX MORE YEARS!"

EDIT:

Good news: The Greens are going to get 1,000,000 votes! (Even though they may lose their power in the senate)

Bad news: Family First might secure a seat in the senate, giving the Coalition an advantage. I can handle a Coalition in power in the House of Reps, but in the Senate too?? With power like that they can do whatever they want now.

Sad news: Poor Democrats!

Fucking great news: Peter Garrett is now an MP!

[Las Naranjas]

I wouldn't mind if he had won on policies, or if thee had been any debate whatsoever in the campaign, but there was only a farsical mistruth on economics ground.

[Pumaman]

Problem is, this means that much of the growth being trumpeted recently is based on consumer debt and an illusionary housing bubble. That'll come back to bite no matter who is in power.

Sounds oddly familiar...

[DGMacphee]

Narangas: I find it odd because there seems to be a lot of campaigns these days built on fear of something instead of being built on a plan. I wonder if Howard has any plan for Australians in the oncoming years instead of just "manage Australai's economy well".