2012 ACT Election: October Revolution? [With poll]

madamcholet said :

It’s disappointing that the highest vote (so far) is for voting the same way you always have – not because that obviously means that Labor will be back in (with or without the Greens), but because I believe it’s a decision that should be made each and every time based on how it’s been going and what policies you prefer and especially given that political parties becoming more middle of the road as opposed to more left or right of the divide, (give or take a few extremists).

I hate it when you hear “I’ve always voted (insert party name), my parents always voted for (insert party name) – it’s in the family”. Such a cop out.

I think it’s more of a cop out to vote with your hip pocket. It results in lazy policy designed to be popular in three year cycles.

I’d like to think people changed their vote with their eye on the bigger picture and the greater good of the country/electorate in mind (which you may well do), but I’m too cynical to believe most people even give a second’s thought of putting country/electorate before self.

madamcholet said :

It’s disappointing that the highest vote (so far) is for voting the same way you always have – not because that obviously means that Labor will be back in (with or without the Greens), but because I believe it’s a decision that should be made each and every time based on how it’s been going and what policies you prefer and especially given that political parties becoming more middle of the road as opposed to more left or right of the divide, (give or take a few extremists).

Perhaps people saying they’ll vote the same way as last time has something to do with the Opposition apparently deciding to field the same leadership that was rejected last time?

What’s that line about madness being repeating the same thing and expecting a different result?

A defeat of the scale of Queensland is certainly not in the offing, because the ACT’s more proportional electoral system means that a party gaining 27% of the votes is not going to end up with only 9% of the seats. If the Queensland vote was replicated here the ALP would end up with about 6 seats out of the 17-seat assembly.

(By the way, if anyone thinks that Governments, particularly State/Territory Governments, have any real effect on the “Cost of Living” then they’re living in la-la land. This isn’t Soviet Russia; prices aren’t set by decree).

vet111 said :

Uh-huh. Because the liberal party is so bad that they’ve been whitewashed at the last three state elections, one not even giving them enough seats to form an opposition.

The libs have been winning recent state election partly because people hate the federal labor party’s recent shenanigans, but largely because they have got sick of long running state labor gov’ts – exactly how KRudd did so well after many years of Howards success.

Actually, I kind of like the idea of a more Liberal leaning state level governing of Australia, and a more Communist Labor/Green leaning management at Federal level.

p1 said :

The only good thing about the Libs getting in state elections in that by the time the federal election comes around people will have a firm idea of why MrAbbot would be a bad guy to run the country.

Uh-huh. Because the liberal party is so bad that they’ve been whitewashed at the last three state elections, one not even giving them enough seats to form an opposition.

Oh wait….

I disagree with the premise of this post.

We need a good real third option… I have little confidence in either party doing good (and that’s at both a state and federal level). To be honest I’m thinking of drawing a picture of a donkey on the ballot paper and placing that in the box, as I don’t like what labor is up to right now, and I can’t bring myself to vote libs.

What’s wrong with cricket bats? Where there’s a willow, there’s a way.

Primal said :

So who is the ACT’s answer to Bob Katter?

Captain RAAF?

Primal said :

So who is the ACT’s answer to Bob Katter?

Val Jeffery?

Primal says:

“So who is the ACT’s answer to Bob Katter?”

I don’t think we have one in this assembly. Steve Pratt was voted out at the 2008 election. My guess is it could be Val Jeffery after the October election.

+1

ka1042 said :

Pantsman says:

ACT Labor has the same malaise of service deliver failure, infrastructure failure, cost of living failure, governance failure, budgetary and economic failure etcetera that has beset other state Labor governments; with the only mitigating factor appearing to be the ACT’s leftist latte-set tendencies.

Bad grammar, spelling mistakes, sounds like a Liberal party staffer to me.

The only good thing about the Libs getting in state elections in that by the time the federal election comes around people will have a firm idea of why MrAbbot would be a bad guy to run the country.

ka1042 said :

Pantsman says:

ACT Labor has the same malaise of service deliver failure, infrastructure failure, cost of living failure, governance failure, budgetary and economic failure etcetera that has beset other state Labor governments; with the only mitigating factor appearing to be the ACT’s leftist latte-set tendencies.

Bad grammar, spelling mistakes, sounds like a Liberal party staffer to me.

Certainly crossed my mind and I must admit I did look at the OP’s posting record – it does seem politically focussed and perhaps with a bit of a bias towards the Libs!

madamcholet said :

It’s disappointing that the highest vote (so far) is for voting the same way you always have – not because that obviously means that Labor will be back in (with or without the Greens), but because I believe it’s a decision that should be made each and every time based on how it’s been going and what policies you prefer and especially given that political parties becoming more middle of the road as opposed to more left or right of the divide, (give or take a few extremists).

I hate it when you hear “I’ve always voted (insert party name), my parents always voted for (insert party name) – it’s in the family”. Such a cop out.

Exactly. That’s how you get safe seats, hopeless candidates, and out-of-touch arrogant governments. And then the same voters bother complaining about services.

So who is the ACT’s answer to Bob Katter?

madamcholet said :

It’s disappointing that the highest vote (so far) is for voting the same way you always have – not because that obviously means that Labor will be back in (with or without the Greens), but because I believe it’s a decision that should be made each and every time based on how it’s been going and what policies you prefer and especially given that political parties becoming more middle of the road as opposed to more left or right of the divide, (give or take a few extremists).

I hate it when you hear “I’ve always voted (insert party name), my parents always voted for (insert party name) – it’s in the family”. Such a cop out.

I could not agree more with that sentiment. I fear that relies on this voting mindset too much as well, but maybe just maybe the tide has turned and voters are starting to actually have a good look at the policies being presented before casting their vote.

Pantsman says:

ACT Labor has the same malaise of service deliver failure, infrastructure failure, cost of living failure, governance failure, budgetary and economic failure etcetera that has beset other state Labor governments; with the only mitigating factor appearing to be the ACT’s leftist latte-set tendencies.

Bad grammar, spelling mistakes, sounds like a Liberal party staffer to me.

It’s disappointing that the highest vote (so far) is for voting the same way you always have – not because that obviously means that Labor will be back in (with or without the Greens), but because I believe it’s a decision that should be made each and every time based on how it’s been going and what policies you prefer and especially given that political parties becoming more middle of the road as opposed to more left or right of the divide, (give or take a few extremists).

I hate it when you hear “I’ve always voted (insert party name), my parents always voted for (insert party name) – it’s in the family”. Such a cop out.

I think people who voted Green for the first time will have been left pretty dissappointed by the results of this current government and its left of left wing branch.

A vote for Green is a vote for the status quo as is a vote for Labor and I dont think anyone is happy with the status quo.

I saw a slogan up in QLD “Vote Liberal for Change” you know things are BAD when you’re voting conservative for change. The same should be said here.