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Any final thoughts? (1 Viewer)

Generator

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Well, the time is near. Following in the spirit of the leaders' speeches, do we all have any final thoughts on what we see as being the issues that matter?

I am trying to create a thread that allows us all to 'freely' express ourselves (once!) without fear of ridicule or debate. I know that people will feel a need to argue, but perhaps that could just wait till the regulars have posted? Most points that should be mentioned have already been debated at length as it is... Oh, and Rorix, try and at least play along with the idea of multiple truths :p.



Well, I see this as being an election that will determine the direction that the country will take in the foreseeable future. Will we supposedly progress in liberal economic terms yet regress with respect to social policy under a Coalition Government, or will we face the prospect of apparently progressive reform under a Labor Government? Will we see the rise of 'radical' Senate parties in the form of Family First and the Greens, or will the Democrats maintain their position in order to 'keep the bastards honest'? Will the population at large care beyond their own immediate concerns, and should we expect any different?

I agree with the basic structure of John Howard's notion of choice, yet I believe that such choice will only be possible when the inherent inequalities evident within our society and the problems that they cause are properly addressed. Till that time, I will be voting for the Democrats, and at this election I shall also be voting for the Australian Labor Party. In my mind, Labor offers far more hope for the future than does the Coalition.

Edit (this is additional text only, I have not changed anything prior to this sentence): I have not taken much note of the polls, so I do not know what to expect. However, I do know that the Latham factor will play a significant role, yet will this be for better or worse? However, in the senate, I expect the Greens to gain an additional seat or two, and I hope that the remaining Senators for the Democrats use the following three years to present a solid front in order to improve their standing within the wider community.
 
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ohne

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Based on current polling and betting odds I expect the Howard government to be returned. Largely as a legacy of its good record of economic management.

In the senate I think this election will see the demise of the democrats with most of their seats being lost to the greens. I think is most states you will see three coalition senators elected, two Labor and one green. In some states we may see three coalition and three labor elected with no minor parties.

On a 2PP basis I will be voting for the Liberal Party in the lower house and the coalition in the upper house.

I expect little change in the electorate of Lindsay where the straight-talking of Jackie Kelly goes down very well. :)
 

Not-That-Bright

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I think it will be coalition by a slim margin or labor by a surprisingly large margin.

In the senate I predict the liberals might actually gain more.
 

Not-That-Bright

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Vote Liberal for a nation of choice, where your decisions can lead you to greatness & you don't have to follow labors method.

His IR policy will push us into the 50's.

However either way i just hope that australia advances, we do need some of labors social reforms etc.
 

mervvyn

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Asquithian said:
quick question...who was in power during the 1950s?
Monsieur Menzies of course!

My final thoughts: I wasn't told. ;)

But seriously... I suspect the coaltion will be returned, albeit with a slightly reduced minority. I hope Mark Latham stays on if they do lose, he gave the Liberals a good run for their money regardless and helped to make Aussie politics at least a little more competitive. However the vote buying/fear campaign of the Libs will probably allow them to hold on. I agree that the Greens will probably pick up a few in the Senate, probably at the Democrats' expense.

On a policy front, I recommend you all read today's Herald for the election liftout. There is a fairly comprehensive policy comparison between Coalition, ALP and Greens - just to remind you what you're supporting. As far as the balance of policies go, I prefer more of the ALP ones than the Coalition ones, but both sides have a mix of tolerable/good/abominable, i suppose it depends on your priorities. The Greens were.... well, Green. Plenty of ideals, not too much substance, a few good bits but by and large nothing worth voting in in my opinion.

It's been fun, but I think I need to look after my HSC a bit better from now on. =
 

Estel

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http://econrsss.anu.edu.au/~aleigh/
My thoughts; it's not all over.
On policies; both sides have been breathtakingly cynical.
Why anyone would be so ideologically aligned to either major party, as it seems so many are on this forum, is disturbing.
 

thorrnydevil

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Once again, I think we will see a Coalition government again. I also think the Labor Party will gain m ore seats in the Lower House and the Libs and Greens will gain more seats in the Senate.

The reason for the Coalition winning is simple, we have an ageing population, and all the Greens and Labor voters will probably off their heads after having a Friday night on the town.

May the best man win ;)
 

shazzam

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All the more reason for not being off one's head then.
 

thorrnydevil

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theone123 said:
the ninemsn poll says labor is clearly winning :p
And how many older, conservative, voting, Australians use ninemsn.com or hotmail?
 

zahid

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thorrnydevil said:
And how many older, conservative, voting, Australians use ninemsn.com or hotmail?

LOL....point acknowledged
 

veanz

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Not-That-Bright said:
oh damn those old ninny conservatives!
im looking forward to their extinction :p and who among our peers or frequent 'news current affairs & politics' BOS post-ers will be aiming to/lead the country...

possible candidates:
pookie
asquithian
rorix
generator
ohne

:p
 

thorrnydevil

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veanz said:
im looking forward to their extinction :p and who among our peers or frequent 'news current affairs & politics' BOS post-ers will be aiming to/lead the country...

possible candidates:
pookie
asquithian
rorix
generator
ohne

:p
Rorix and ohne all the way!!!
 

saladsurgery

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hmm.

i lurk on this forum a fair bit, but rarely post -- if i were to join in any of the arguments/discussions that go on here on a serious level, we'd just be arguing along two separate lines, each with ideologies that don't really intersect at all. the following words aren't mine; i stole them off a poster from another forum. but they seem to sum up my views on the election pretty succinctly.

someone else said:
'Voting', 'politics' and 'government' are all games invented by the rulers in order to rule more effectively. Thus, power moved from the predominantly physical game of brutality, to the predominantly psychological game of domination.

Today, the rulers work to concepts such as "full spectrum dominance", in which a complex hierarchy of controls are brought into play, ranging from ideological programming via the schools and television, to information control via the mass media, to threats of coercion, and finally through to actual physical violence via police, soldiers, armies and invasions.
that said, i'll play their game and vote tomorrow. overall, i find arguments for abstaining/informal voting pretty weak.
 
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