Why you should think carefully about Saturday.

[billyduckworth]

Yes, I think it is a choice between "nothing else matters except the economy" and "we care about other things too".

The Liberals have made it quite clear they stand for the first choice - especially those ads that say if we vote Labour "they will wreck our economy". What do you mean OUR economy? Them and us. Very divisive.

We used to be a nation that cared about social justice "a fair go". But ever since 1975 we have simply voted for whoever we thought could manage the economy better. Nothing else seems to matter any more.

I'm not saying Labour are perfect - far too much "met too" for my liking. But at least they give the impression they care a bit about education, health and some things other than just tax cuts, budget surpluses and pay increases for politicians.

[keri]

It's a hard choice to make. I know for me it's a matter of conscience. Even if I did believe Howard, and I don't, by voting for him in my mind I'd be voting for the party who gives ME the best deal, not who I trust to run the country in a fair and equitable way.

Plus, I could never vote for a party that contains Tony Abbott. Not only is he a big-eared, small-minded fool, but he gives Catholics a bad name.

[Madden]

How will it feel sitting in front of that $5000 plasma TV watching reruns of American reality shows, wearing clothes manufactured in a sweat shop and sitting on a sofa made by Third World slaves? How will that feel when our public education and hospitals have been gutted and our environment corroded to a point of no return? How will it feel knowing we have turned our back on people who need us most: the poor, the broken, the scared, the sick, the elderly and the vulnerable?

I agree that voting for Howard doesn't tackle any of these issues. But voting for the ALP (aka Howard lite) doesn't tackle many of them either.

If people really care about these issues, and want to send a strong message, then vote for the Greens.

The ALP has promised the following in relation to the issues discussed in that paragraph:

Third World Aid = nothing.
Child Slavery = nothing.
Public Education = free computers for all, and some new technical colleges. Not the desperate upgrade in infrastructure that schools need to stop having to cram 35 kids in a class.
Hospitals = ending the blame game. Providing assistance with waiting lists Once again, no upgrade in infrastructure or staff numbers.
The Poor = nothing.
The Scared, Elderly and Vulnerable = nothing.

I want Howard to go. But im not feeling like its the once-in-a-lifetime election I was hoping for.

It's Alien v Predator - whoever wins = we lose...

[BERT]

You could vote for a party that has done it or a party who has copied most of the Libs policies and whos leader is a massive slogan. Never said anything of substance in the near 12 months he has been leader. If I hear him say "Working Families" once more I'll spew.

Don't get sucked in people. The same people who are telling you to vote Howard out are the same ones 3 years ago that wanted to give you Latham as PM.

[keri]

I've already voted (Postal vote, I hate queues) and I voted Greens. And something odd, I've spoken to all of the candidates in my electorate (Even the Family First mob) but I haven't been able to get hold of the Liberal candidate for love nor money. Not that I would have voted for him anyway, but if he's not actively campagning, that says something.

And Bert, I'd tell people to vote Howard out if the alternative was a bag of hay.

[BenDoolan]

You could vote for a party that has done it or a party who has copied most of the Libs policies and whos leader is a massive slogan. Never said anything of substance in the near 12 months he has been leader. If I hear him say "Working Families" once more I'll spew.

Don't get sucked in people. The same people who are telling you to vote Howard out are the same ones 3 years ago that wanted to give you Latham as PM.

But you really won't be voting for Howard will you? You will be voting for that COWARD Costello - that spineless, smirking twerp who has no ticker to take on challenges.

[keri]

Who knows with that lot. They've lied so many times I don't know what to believe any more. Who'd believe the men who cried Tampa?

[BERT]

You could vote for a party that has done it or a party who has copied most of the Libs policies and whos leader is a massive slogan. Never said anything of substance in the near 12 months he has been leader. If I hear him say "Working Families" once more I'll spew.

Don't get sucked in people. The same people who are telling you to vote Howard out are the same ones 3 years ago that wanted to give you Latham as PM.

But you really won't be voting for Howard will you? You will be voting for that COWARD Costello - that spineless, smirking twerp who has no ticker to take on challenges.

Just like people who voted for Bracks and Beattie didn't really vote for them. Or Carr in NSW.

[BenDoolan]

You could vote for a party that has done it or a party who has copied most of the Libs policies and whos leader is a massive slogan. Never said anything of substance in the near 12 months he has been leader. If I hear him say "Working Families" once more I'll spew.

Don't get sucked in people. The same people who are telling you to vote Howard out are the same ones 3 years ago that wanted to give you Latham as PM.

But you really won't be voting for Howard will you? You will be voting for that COWARD Costello - that spineless, smirking twerp who has no ticker to take on challenges.

Just like people who voted for Bracks and Beattie didn't really vote for them. Or Carr in NSW.

What's Costello going to do for "Working Families"?

[Essendon4eva]

I know one thing is for sure. We won't blindly do everything the U.S wants to do witha Labor governemnt. that means no more nation building, less explotation of South American, African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries for there resources. And we diffenatly won't follow the U.S when they let the bombs drop in Iran.

[Sismis]

You could vote for a party that has done it or a party who has copied most of the Libs policies and whos leader is a massive slogan. Never said anything of substance in the near 12 months he has been leader. If I hear him say "Working Families" once more I'll spew.

Don't get sucked in people. The same people who are telling you to vote Howard out are the same ones 3 years ago that wanted to give you Latham as PM.

But you really won't be voting for Howard will you? You will be voting for that COWARD Costello - that spineless, smirking twerp who has no ticker to take on challenges.

Because Rudd is so rock solid on taking on challenges. ....

[Sismis]

I've already voted (Postal vote, I hate queues) and I voted Greens. And something odd, I've spoken to all of the candidates in my electorate (Even the Family First mob) but I haven't been able to get hold of the Liberal candidate for love nor money. Not that I would have voted for him anyway, but if he's not actively campagning, that says something.

And Bert, I'd tell people to vote Howard out if the alternative was a bag of hay.

Standing ovation!!!! Not that you've voted greens, although that is awesome. The fact that you have actually voted for a candidate rather than a party. This is the foundation of democracy. 2 Party politics is destroying democracy and this election shows why. 2 choices? They're so f****** similiar it's ridiculous. Both trying to score cheap points difference while standing for absolutely nothing.

The choice between the douche and the shit sandwitch.

[Sismis]

I know one thing is for sure. We won't blindly do everything the U.S wants to do witha Labor governemnt. that means no more nation building, less explotation of South American, African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries for there resources. And we diffenatly won't follow the U.S when they let the bombs drop in Iran.

You are kidding aren't you?

[Madden]

The choice between the douche and the shit sandwitch.

"It's democracy in action, put your freedom to the test,
A big fat turd or a stupid douche, which do you like best?"

[Madden]

Third World Aid = nothing.....wrong.

Isn't committing to meeting the Millennium Development Goals by increasing Australia's overseas aid to 0.5 percent of Gross National Income by 2015. This will save 140,000 lives in our region per year. Libs? Nothing. Not enough but a start.

Child Slavery = nothing.

Isn't this a UN responsibility?

Public Education = free computers for all, and some new technical colleges. Not the desperate upgrade in infrastructure that schools need to stop having to cram 35 kids in a class

Tax breaks on Laptops at home and software....Infrastructure? Connection to the new high speed Broadband to all schools. Halving HECS to Maths/Science student teachers. Funding pre-school for all 4 year olds. $1.5mil EACH to all schools to create a Trades wing. Dddress the skills shortage by funding an additional 450,000 skilled training places and up to 65,000 apprenticeships over the next four years.

He's doing nothing Stag? Mmmm.....

Hospitals = ending the blame game. Providing assistance with waiting lists Once again, no upgrade in infrastructure or staff numbers.

Umm...elected....summit with all Health Ministers in first few months to formulate a new National Health Policy that has to work otherwise the Feds take it over. He's establishing a $2.5 billion National Health Reform Plan in cooperation with the States and Territories to deliver improved health outcomes for patients in Australia's health care and hospital system and to take financial control of Australia's 750 public hospitals if State and Territory governments have not begun implementing the Plan by mid-2009.

Invest $600 million to dramatically slash waiting lists for elective surgery in Australia's public hospitals and invest $158 million over five years to create up to 2,000 transition care beds to free up hospital beds and help other older Australians get home.

Invest up to $800 million to fund up to one million additional dental consultations, under a new Commonwealth Dental Health Program, and up to $150 towards the cost of an annual preventative check for over 1 million Australian teenagers.

$200million given to States immediately for slashing Waiting Lists.

Doing nothing? Mmm...

The Poor = nothing.

Isn't abolishing no-Workchoices and AWA's helping the poor or those unable by way of age, experience or disability helping the poor?

Isn't keeping a permanent watch on petrol prices by appointing a new Petrol Commissioner and give the ACCC the power to monitor grocery prices and to publish regular surveys of prices to inform consumers helping the poor?

Isn't providing tax incentives so that middle and low income families can rent homes at 20 per cent below market rates, invest in housing infrastructure to reduce the cost of a new home, and improve the Federal Government's land release policy so there are more homes helping the poor?

Isn't giving $20mil to provide extra shelter for homeless people helping the poor?

What is the Rodent doing to help the homeless?

Mmmmm.........

The Scared, Elderly and Vulnerable = nothing.

Scared? Only thing we are all scared of is 3 more years of Rodentism.

Elderly. My old man is a 83 War Vet and I don't have to tell you which way he is going.

http://www.alp.org.au/media/1107/msagediscfcsloo010.php

http://www.alp.org.au/media/0807/msage221.php

Methinks Stag...whilst not perfect....Ruddy is a much better proposition in a human sense than what we have had for 11 long, depressing years.

Filth the ALP won't nearly as much as they could on foreign aid - you know it, I know, Tim Costello knows it (and said it last week).

There have been no policies to help the poor. And I'm not talking about working families, I'm talking about the poor, you know, people living below the poverty lines, on the streets. Those people that don't vote and get ignored. The lack of poverty relief / programs from both sides has been condemned by welfare agencies. That new poverty shelter program (miniscule in size too I might add) is window dressing - you know and I know that more needs to be done.

It's probably not the ALP's responsibility to help eradicate slavery in the third world - and if that's the case then why did the article even mention it?

As for health - well. They are investing about $3B total I see. Is this the same party that promised $31B in tax cuts? Will the $3B help? Sure, at least a little bit. Is it the change we have been crying out for? Is it providing health care for all who need it? Imagine what the system could do with $30B, or even $10b. You could change the whole frickin system with that. It would be a revolution, and instead they choose to mimic Howard and give it all back to the tax payers.

And for education - well well. Providing computers to year 9-12's (the majority who have access to one anyway). Rolling out broadband which will cost an arm and a leg and could easily be done by the private sector more efficiently and cheaply. The rebate for buying a computer at home is wasted money as well - its only been introduced as part of the 'Rudd is The Future' theme (computers = future). Will it help slightly. Sure. Will it stop delapidated classrooms from continuing to rot in our public schools? No. Will it stop children from slipping through the cracks because they are largely forgotten in their class of 35? No. Is it an 'Education Revolution'? No, and calling it one doesn't necessarily make it so. What the education system needed desperately was upgraded infrastructure and increased resources and the ALP are not going to deliver.

And don't even start me on environment. They are not doing enough. You want a real environment policy then look at the Greens.

Look, we will be better off under the ALP. I desperately hope they win. I despise Howard and want him gone. But I have a feeling that Kevin Rudd is a lot more "Bracks" than he is "Whitlam". I hope I'm wrong though, I really do.

[jimmyc1985]

Unless you're a parent in what is now known as a working family, i find it difficult to see how one can strongly relate to either of the major parties.

I am not a parent of a working family, and will vote accordingly.

[keri]

I've already voted (Postal vote, I hate queues) and I voted Greens. And something odd, I've spoken to all of the candidates in my electorate (Even the Family First mob) but I haven't been able to get hold of the Liberal candidate for love nor money. Not that I would have voted for him anyway, but if he's not actively campagning, that says something.

And Bert, I'd tell people to vote Howard out if the alternative was a bag of hay.

Standing ovation!!!! Not that you've voted greens, although that is awesome. The fact that you have actually voted for a candidate rather than a party. This is the foundation of democracy. 2 Party politics is destroying democracy and this election shows why. 2 choices? They're so f****** similiar it's ridiculous. Both trying to score cheap points difference while standing for absolutely nothing.

The choice between the douche and the shit sandwitch.

I wouldn't have voted Liberal anyway, but Lisa Hodgson who is the Greens candidate for Jagajaga (I love my electorate name, I really do) just seemed to care that little bit more. Plus, what she was saying about economic management and Medical and Dental care was the most concise and fair answer I'd gotten to questions I had put to all the candidates, so she got my vote. Realistically, I know Jennie Macklin (ALP) will win the seat, but I cast my vote the way I wanted it so I was happy.

[Sismis]

Third World Aid = nothing.....wrong.

Isn't committing to meeting the Millennium Development Goals by increasing Australia's overseas aid to 0.5 percent of Gross National Income by 2015. This will save 140,000 lives in our region per year. Libs? Nothing. Not enough but a start.

Child Slavery = nothing.

Isn't this a UN responsibility?

Public Education = free computers for all, and some new technical colleges. Not the desperate upgrade in infrastructure that schools need to stop having to cram 35 kids in a class

Tax breaks on Laptops at home and software....Infrastructure? Connection to the new high speed Broadband to all schools. Halving HECS to Maths/Science student teachers. Funding pre-school for all 4 year olds. $1.5mil EACH to all schools to create a Trades wing. Dddress the skills shortage by funding an additional 450,000 skilled training places and up to 65,000 apprenticeships over the next four years.

He's doing nothing Stag? Mmmm.....

Hospitals = ending the blame game. Providing assistance with waiting lists Once again, no upgrade in infrastructure or staff numbers.

Umm...elected....summit with all Health Ministers in first few months to formulate a new National Health Policy that has to work otherwise the Feds take it over. He's establishing a $2.5 billion National Health Reform Plan in cooperation with the States and Territories to deliver improved health outcomes for patients in Australia's health care and hospital system and to take financial control of Australia's 750 public hospitals if State and Territory governments have not begun implementing the Plan by mid-2009.

Invest $600 million to dramatically slash waiting lists for elective surgery in Australia's public hospitals and invest $158 million over five years to create up to 2,000 transition care beds to free up hospital beds and help other older Australians get home.

Invest up to $800 million to fund up to one million additional dental consultations, under a new Commonwealth Dental Health Program, and up to $150 towards the cost of an annual preventative check for over 1 million Australian teenagers.

$200million given to States immediately for slashing Waiting Lists.

Doing nothing? Mmm...

The Poor = nothing.

Isn't abolishing no-Workchoices and AWA's helping the poor or those unable by way of age, experience or disability helping the poor?

Isn't keeping a permanent watch on petrol prices by appointing a new Petrol Commissioner and give the ACCC the power to monitor grocery prices and to publish regular surveys of prices to inform consumers helping the poor?

Isn't providing tax incentives so that middle and low income families can rent homes at 20 per cent below market rates, invest in housing infrastructure to reduce the cost of a new home, and improve the Federal Government's land release policy so there are more homes helping the poor?

Isn't giving $20mil to provide extra shelter for homeless people helping the poor?

What is the Rodent doing to help the homeless?

Mmmmm.........

The Scared, Elderly and Vulnerable = nothing.

Scared? Only thing we are all scared of is 3 more years of Rodentism.

Elderly. My old man is a 83 War Vet and I don't have to tell you which way he is going.

http://www.alp.org.au/media/1107/msagediscfcsloo010.php

http://www.alp.org.au/media/0807/msage221.php

Methinks Stag...whilst not perfect....Ruddy is a much better proposition in a human sense than what we have had for 11 long, depressing years.

Filth the ALP won't nearly as much as they could on foreign aid - you know it, I know, Tim Costello knows it (and said it last week).

There have been no policies to help the poor. And I'm not talking about working families, I'm talking about the poor, you know, people living below the poverty lines, on the streets. Those people that don't vote and get ignored. The lack of poverty relief / programs from both sides has been condemned by welfare agencies. That new poverty shelter program (miniscule in size too I might add) is window dressing - you know and I know that more needs to be done.

It's probably not the ALP's responsibility to help eradicate slavery in the third world - and if that's the case then why did the article even mention it?

As for health - well. They are investing about $3B total I see. Is this the same party that promised $31B in tax cuts? Will the $3B help? Sure, at least a little bit. Is it the change we have been crying out for? Is it providing health care for all who need it? Imagine what the system could do with $30B, or even $10b. You could change the whole frickin system with that. It would be a revolution, and instead they choose to mimic Howard and give it all back to the tax payers.

And for education - well well. Providing computers to year 9-12's (the majority who have access to one anyway). Rolling out broadband which will cost an arm and a leg and could easily be done by the private sector more efficiently and cheaply. The rebate for buying a computer at home is wasted money as well - its only been introduced as part of the 'Rudd is The Future' theme (computers = future). Will it help slightly. Sure. Will it stop delapidated classrooms from continuing to rot in our public schools? No. Will it stop children from slipping through the cracks because they are largely forgotten in their class of 35? No. Is it an 'Education Revolution'? No, and calling it one doesn't necessarily make it so. What the education system needed desperately was upgraded infrastructure and increased resources and the ALP are not going to deliver.

And don't even start me on environment. They are not doing enough. You want a real environment policy then look at the Greens.

Look, we will be better off under the ALP. I desperately hope they win. I despise Howard and want him gone. But I have a feeling that Kevin Rudd is a lot more "Bracks" than he is "Whitlam". I hope I'm wrong though, I really do.

Excellent post.

1. Keep your f****** unecessary tax cuts and USE THEM!
2. For country with one of the bestlvigin conditions in the world we have far too many people living in third world conditions. In particular (but in no way limited to) Our treatment (or lack thereof) of indiginous Austalians is a disgrace.
3. Education, even labours promises are inadequate. We don't have enough teachers, they are not paid enough, theydo not get enough support especially in thier first five years. Teaching is by far the most important profession yet it is an afterthought.
4. Environment, Labour has completely dropped the ball and shown they have no intent to make the hard decisions that are required.

I'm so disillusioned right now. I'm preying the greens/independants can by some miracle gain some balance of power.

As for family first I hope they do not win a single seat and dissolve in a pile of their own self-righteous bigotedness.

[keri]

Family First make me vomit. The candidate for my electorate was very "Black and White" about things, and wouldn't even accept that medically necessary late term abortions should be discretionary in some cases. They're a church-puppet party. I'm hoping the Greens see the increases they have in the last few elections if not a larger growth, and that independents get a few seats as well.

[BERT]

Ladies and Gentlemen...I was in the fortunate position of seeing KR at the Press Club.

He gives me great confidence....and hope. Watch a replay if you can.

Did he say anything of substance or was it the same bullshit he has sprouted for the last 12 months? I think I can guess.