Australian Federal Election Today, page 4

The last time I voted ALP was when olde silver lobes Bob Hawke was PM. I voted for them...once...twice in the 1980-90s. By 1996 I just couldnt stomach them any more. Especially Keating.....they had become so arrogant.

I didn't see enough difference to change my vote in 2001.

This time I came so close to voting for ALP my wife yelled at me for coming out saying I voted Liberal again.

I thought the ads about Howard maybe retiring before a full term and giving old Peter Costello the job were more pathetic than nasty.

And yes, the Coalition certainly scored with the double Interest Rates ads and the L Plate Latham - stuffed up Liverpool council ads. Aim for the grannys and the economic watcher votes. Most of the people I spoke to thought they were crap but effective. Everybody knows the ALP is too conservative to let the inflation get out of control. It didnt determine my vote though.

Right up until Friday I was thinking of voting ALP. I had every reason to vote for them. I'm getting none of Howards domestic promises, even if delivered.

I wouldnt vote Greens, Democrats, One Nation or Family First to save my life - they dont budge and its thier way or no way.

I was distgusted the way both parties threw money promises at everyone. Tax is collected for the sole reason of funding infrastructure and services, not buying votes with tax cuts and rebates.

Health, Welfare, Education, the States and Defence all should have got thier fair share of the budget surplus.

Without the GST there would have been money for neither.

But people lapped it up, it was like a smorgash board. The sad plain fact that its becoming a case of making cuts, or increasing taxes to fund programs. But neither is popular.

What happens when there isnt a surplus to milk, or worse a deficit? All those nice little cuts and rebates will disappear and people will be screaming about it. And the government will be too scared to up taxes or make cuts. The ALP should be greatful. Unless the growth keeps going for John to claim credit.

Where the ALP lost me was in the last few weeks. Other issues important to me, and comments on mainstream stuff.

On Sunrise you had the Government and Opposition spokespersons for;

Foreign Affairs. Government explaining the issues as they saw it right or wrong. The Opposition just saying "yes we will do that"

Defence. Government promising to commit on overdue and vital projects, The government committing to staying in Iraq for the long haul -v- the ALPs position of abandoning Iraq and racing to bring our troops home by Christmas regardless. Does anybody truly think its going to help Iraqis if the coalition leaves Iraq while the factions and terrorists run amok? I supposed theres a bulk of other Australians who don't really give a stuff about Iraqis Afghanis or anyone else for that matter. But just out of interest does anyone really think that running away from Iraq helps our security in the long term? Your dreaming!
And ruling out pre-emption ( I was fine with) as a last resort (no way) and defining our defence needs by what didn't upset the sensitivities of our neighbours? When was the last time they worried about our concerns?

The government poorly defined pre emption and the ALP lept on it. The coalition failed to clarify themselves.

I saw it as if; we know there is a terror group, we know where they are based, we know that they are going to attack us. We are not sure exactly where and we are not sure exactly when. Do we alarm the public and alert the terrorists into changing thier plans. Or do we consult with our neighbour, share the information and let them attack the terrorists, or get permission to do so if they lack the capability themselves?

The Howard government never said anything about unilateral action by ourselves, but that was how the ALP slanted it, and that was when our neighbours got po'd in the press.

Downers explaination of reversed roles if Indonesia struck at terrorists based in Northern Australia, and us understanding. A point of illustration. We would understand if we were asked for permission. The difference is we wouldnt tolerate a known terrorist camp in our country and we wouldnt need Indonesias help to destroy it.

But for domestic politics the ALP had to twist it, and denounce it.

Personally. If we made a neighbour aware of an anti Australian terror camp and staging base planning to strike on the Australian mainland and they told us to bugger off, I for one would have second thoughts about that neighbours intentions, and use any covert means at our disposal to confirm thats camps purpose and then destroy it. Or are most Australians prepared to play the odds that a terror attack on the mainland wouldnt hit them directly. How many Australian lives is your own comfort worth.

For me, the ALP was negotiating that price.

Treasury. Asked to reduce the four volumes to 200 pages for income tax. Government trying to explain what is looked at to try and simplify the income tax laws. Simon Crean just giving an emphatic yes to do it.

To me nothing has really changed about the ALP in twenty odd years but some of the faces, and the desperation to promise anything to get back in.

Yes the Coalition is desperate too, but we can't help anybody on welfare, unemployment if the economy is stuffed too, and the Coalitions record is not bad there. It could be better, but I don't think the ALP is the one to do it...yet.

The Coalition possibly getting control of the Senate threw me though. I always considered the split of control vital for the necessary give and take to achieve some balance and control of events.

Frightening thought.

[edit on 15-10-2004 by craigandrew]

[edit on 15-10-2004 by craigandrew]