And the ACT Candidates for the 2013 election are...

The election segment on Friday night’s ACT 7.30 was sad, and a bit lame, too.

Nothing says professional like a gmail address.

arescarti42 said :

Jacking up the population and not providing commensurate investment in services and infrastructure might be a good way to generate tax revenue, but it’s also a good way to see our quality of life decline.

Of course, its also a good way to see the quality of life for those people who arrive in Australia INcrease.

At its core, sustainable population via lower immigration is a selfish notion.

Lower birth rates is not, so go for that as much as you want (well, its selfish in that at some stage the consequences become serious)

Grail said :

Roundhead89 said :

the number one priority with a Liberal government coming in after Sept 7 is for Zed to win the second Senate seat so we have a voice in that government.

It will only be a Liberal senate if you do vote for Zed. So you can avoid a Liberal senate by not voting for Zed. You can make life more interesting for everyone by voting Greens, since both major parties have promised to never ever do a deals with independents or minor parties. Noone wants a repeat of the last couple of years of the most effective Government ever. Hell, if you keep passing legislation through you won’t have time to grandstand and pontificate about how slack the other half of the house is.

Now watch as both sides claim that their policies on immigration have “stopped the boats” when it’s actually Indonesia’s removal of automatic visas for Iranians (amongst others) that is going to stop the boats.

At least we’ll be saved the ignominy of another female prime minister for a while.

So the yardstick for calling the tragedy of the past three years “the most effective government ever” is that it has passed a record amount of legislation. More laws strangling business with red and green tape, more government interfering in our lives, less personal freedom. If that’s your idea of “effective government” then all I can say is bring on Sept 7 and the change it will usher in.

Grail said :

arescarti42 said :

Increasing the population ad infinitum doesn’t make us more productive or wealthier like both major parties seem to think it does, it merely increases total consumption and output.

Incorrect. As the population increases we end up reducing output because there is less space left for farming on our most productive farmland. The cities spread out, the farms recede, production of food and textiles goes down.

But at least we get more schmucks to tax in order to support the nonsense that is compulsory superannuation.

In an extreme overpopulation scenario maybe, but generally speaking, if as a society we produce stuff using land, labour and capital, and you just keep adding more labour, then ceteris paribus you produce more stuff (in aggregate at least, and up to a point).

Grail said :

…. the last couple of years of the most effective Government ever…

I’ll have whatever you’re smoking.

Grail said :

arescarti42 said :

Increasing the population ad infinitum doesn’t make us more productive or wealthier like both major parties seem to think it does, it merely increases total consumption and output.

Incorrect. As the population increases we end up reducing output because there is less space left for farming on our most productive farmland. The cities spread out, the farms recede, production of food and textiles goes down.

But at least we get more schmucks to tax in order to support the nonsense that is compulsory superannuation.

Depends on what you define “output” as. It is probably more than just stuff grown or dug up. Compulsory Super is supposed to replace the aged pension, but will probably take a few generations to do that. Not sure what you think the downside of it is, apart from increased costs to employers, which is a cost they pass on to everyone else.. So in the end society pays, not the employer.

IP

arescarti42 said :

Increasing the population ad infinitum doesn’t make us more productive or wealthier like both major parties seem to think it does, it merely increases total consumption and output.

Incorrect. As the population increases we end up reducing output because there is less space left for farming on our most productive farmland. The cities spread out, the farms recede, production of food and textiles goes down.

But at least we get more schmucks to tax in order to support the nonsense that is compulsory superannuation.

Roundhead89 said :

the number one priority with a Liberal government coming in after Sept 7 is for Zed to win the second Senate seat so we have a voice in that government.

It will only be a Liberal senate if you do vote for Zed. So you can avoid a Liberal senate by not voting for Zed. You can make life more interesting for everyone by voting Greens, since both major parties have promised to never ever do a deals with independents or minor parties. Noone wants a repeat of the last couple of years of the most effective Government ever. Hell, if you keep passing legislation through you won’t have time to grandstand and pontificate about how slack the other half of the house is.

Now watch as both sides claim that their policies on immigration have “stopped the boats” when it’s actually Indonesia’s removal of automatic visas for Iranians (amongst others) that is going to stop the boats.

At least we’ll be saved the ignominy of another female prime minister for a while.

beejay76 said :

Prolly because Fraser includes the Jervis Bay Territory. They’d probably be pretty keen to have a member all of their own if they could convince us ‘Berrans to vote that way.

Senate, actually, but yeah same idea I suppose. Not exactly playing with a strong hand though… standing up for 400 or so people of JB versus the 350,000 of Canberra is quite a creative way to waste your time and effort.

HiddenDragon said :

So what small business(es) does Simon Sheikh own?

Probably BHP-Billiton, or maybe AMP!

Who’d know anyway – after all, in my opinion this bloke seems to have a real credibility problem, so I don’t know what to believe about him anymore.

And as for Zed being a Consultant – is that what a “tool of Jesus” is called these days?

Primal said :

And we have one candidate with a contact address somewhere near Nowra…

Prolly because Fraser includes the Jervis Bay Territory. They’d probably be pretty keen to have a member all of their own if they could convince us ‘Berrans to vote that way.

Alderney said :

Primal said :

And we have one candidate with a contact address somewhere near Nowra…

…and Merinda Nash shares a home phone number with Zed…nudge nudge wink wink.

I noticed one that too…
Is there a big Liberal Party sharehouse somewhere to keep costs down?

Primal said :

And we have one candidate with a contact address somewhere near Nowra…

…and Merinda Nash shares a home phone number with Zed…nudge nudge wink wink.

arescarti42 said :

+1

Increasing the population ad infinitum doesn’t make us more productive or wealthier like both major parties seem to think it does, it merely increases total consumption and output.

The big issue for me is that both state and federal governments Australia wide have proven to be completely incapable of providing additional housing, infrastructure and services for the unusually high population growth we had over the 00s.

Jacking up the population and not providing commensurate investment in services and infrastructure might be a good way to generate tax revenue, but it’s also a good way to see our quality of life decline.

Indeed. I think it is reasonable to assume that GST and income tax, and some other tax, receipts increase roughly in line with population, but is expenditure on the basics (health, education, transport) increasing at the same rate, or is a percentage being creamed off to basically porkbarrel particular groups or regions/electorates?

Certainly my local Council’s income from State and Feds has not increased with population, and rates and other direct charges on its population only make up about half its income. So it is unable to increase spending on roads, parks, pools, libraries etc. in line with population increase. The State and Feds must be pocketing the extra taxes they are receiving.

IP

LSWCHP said :

Everybody…and I mean everybody in the entire country…should pay attention to what IP has written there. GDP per capita is one of those metrics that no politician ever mentions, because it would show that despite all their bloviation we’re all actually getting poorer, year on year.

The consumer society idea of “prosperity through never-ending growth” is an absurdity. At some point growth has to stabilise and level off, otherwise we will end up packed in shoulder to shoulder across every square meter of the country. That reductio ad absurdum won’t happen of course, because disease, war, or ecological disaster will thin the herd long before that happens. And when it does, it won’t be pretty.

Our country is an ancient, worn out, beat up pile of dirt, and it’s struggling to keep us all going. Given that undeniable fact, the Stable Population Party folks seem to me to be espousing some pretty sensible ideas.

+1

Increasing the population ad infinitum doesn’t make us more productive or wealthier like both major parties seem to think it does, it merely increases total consumption and output.

The big issue for me is that both state and federal governments Australia wide have proven to be completely incapable of providing additional housing, infrastructure and services for the unusually high population growth we had over the 00s.

Jacking up the population and not providing commensurate investment in services and infrastructure might be a good way to generate tax revenue, but it’s also a good way to see our quality of life decline.

Skidbladnir said :

c_c™ said :

Rise Up Australia Party, bunch of racist fascist nut jobs.

My favourite part of the Rise Up crazies has been the blatant and continuing redirection of

Catch the Fire Church resources into their “totally not an associated entity, no sir” political wing headed by Danny Nalliah
To the point that the Church has been running “Vote 1 Rise Up Australia” for months now and recommending that their congregation vote for particular candidates, and also asking the congregation to stump up money to run advertising for the Party.

How that remains legal, I do not know.

But I guess we should ask Irwin Ross about the legality, as locally it’s his campaign.

As the law stands, it’s pretty simple how it works.

In order for Catch the Fire Ministries to be deemed an associated entity (in the legal sense) a majority of its entire operations would have to be on behalf of the political party.

So while it is perfectly reasonable to argue that Rise Up Asutralia is almost entirely reliant on Catch the Fire Ministries, it would be rather harder to accurately say that Catch the Fire Ministries entire operations are mainly focussed around benefitting the party as opposed to running a massive corporate church to brainwash society of which a political party is just a small aspect.

Believe me, I detest the party and catch the fire ministries as much as anyone, but the law as it stands does NOT back up your assertion, no matter how often you insist you can’t believe it.

Deborah said :

pepmeup said :

Vote 1sex party in the senate, I think we need less laws and a little more fun.

I’d like to help with that! I’ll be running for the Australian Sex Party for the Senate.

I’m a business woman, Minecraft Mum (the non-sporting version of a soccer mum) and a part-time student. Politics aren’t my idea of fun but I’m tired of a vocal minority influencing government policy even when the majority of Australians don’t agree.

Look past the name and check out our policies at http://www.sexparty.org.au.

I’ll be voting for the Sex Party. Very best of luck, Deborah.

And yes – look at their web site and check out their policies.

So many parties I want to put last. Decisions, decisions.

LSWCHP said :

Everybody…and I mean everybody in the entire country…should pay attention to what IP has written there. GDP per capita is one of those metrics that no politician ever mentions, because it would show that despite all their bloviation we’re all actually getting poorer, year on year.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

But please don’t ignore the “adjusted for inflation” bit. PEEFO was reported as including a forecast of growth in real terms (inflation adjusted) ranging from 1% to 6% (from memory but I am confident of the 1%, because it is what made be sit up and take notice).

Growth of 1% is “negative growth” (contraction) when adjusted for Australia’s annual 1+% population growth. And several quarters of contraction in a row = recession.

So is Australia already in recession? Does anyone really know? I suspect we have been hovering around zero real growth for quite some time.

The Growth Is Good mantra is reminiscent of “Greed is Good” and just as silly. Let’s look for some proper measures of prosperity, or comfort or contentedness/happiness.

IP

pepmeup said :

I’ve heard the animal justice party is preferencing the libs, so with the donkey vote locked up Zed has successfully won the second senate spot in Canberra

They most certainly are NOT preferencing the Liberals. The Liberal party position on Live Export alone sees that not happening. The Liberal Party position is to apologise to Indonesia for suspending the trade when their appalling cruelty was publicised via Four Corners, and increasing exports, and reducing the current useless “safeguards”.

So, where did you “hear” the Animal Justice Party was preferencing the Liberals, exactly?

DrKoresh said :

Does anyone else get an uneasy feeling about the “Stable Population Party”?

What the hell is that about?

I keep nagging them to dispel fears they’re a racist party, but they seem to think everyone’s got the message by now. (I’m a founding member).

Stable population is an offshoot of Sustainable Population which has been a movement here for decades. It’s about people, the country’s (and the world’s) carrying capacity. it’s about resisting the moves by governments since Howard to increase the population too fast, the rush to “Big Australia”. So they’re against an immigration intake of Canberra’s population per year, but also against domestic population growth by means of things like the Baby Bonus and other payments/rebates.

It’s about bums on seats, not the colours of those bums. It’s about unaffordable housing, congestion, pollution, depletion of resources, everything that we’re seeing that diminishes our quality of life, and that of the animals we share our country with.

So who are the white “Vote 1 Ians” signs I’m seeing on the Parkway and Adelaide Avenue?

And we have one candidate with a contact address somewhere near Nowra…

pepmeup said :

Vote 1sex party in the senate, I think we need less laws and a little more fun.

I’d like to help with that! I’ll be running for the Australian Sex Party for the Senate.

I’m a business woman, Minecraft Mum (the non-sporting version of a soccer mum) and a part-time student. Politics aren’t my idea of fun but I’m tired of a vocal minority influencing government policy even when the majority of Australians don’t agree.

Look past the name and check out our policies at http://www.sexparty.org.au.

IrishPete said :

DrKoresh said :

Does anyone else get an uneasy feeling about the “Stable Population Party”?

What the hell is that about?

Kinda like the Voluntary Euthanasia Party’s policies, but less voluntary?

But seriously, you’d be amazed how many of the problems in Australia (and the world) are caused by the inexorable growth in population.

And how increasing the population is used by the mainstream parties to disguise actual recession, or near-recession. if they ever start expressing GDP in per capita terms and adjusted for inflation, then you’ll see. (There was a hint of it in PEEFO this week.)

IP

Everybody…and I mean everybody in the entire country…should pay attention to what IP has written there. GDP per capita is one of those metrics that no politician ever mentions, because it would show that despite all their bloviation we’re all actually getting poorer, year on year.

The consumer society idea of “prosperity through never-ending growth” is an absurdity. At some point growth has to stabilise and level off, otherwise we will end up packed in shoulder to shoulder across every square meter of the country. That reductio ad absurdum won’t happen of course, because disease, war, or ecological disaster will thin the herd long before that happens. And when it does, it won’t be pretty.

Our country is an ancient, worn out, beat up pile of dirt, and it’s struggling to keep us all going. Given that undeniable fact, the Stable Population Party folks seem to me to be espousing some pretty sensible ideas.

I’ve heard the animal justice party is preferencing the libs, so with the donkey vote locked up Zed has successfully won the second senate spot in Canberra

c_c™ said :

Rise Up Australia Party, bunch of racist fascist nut jobs.

My favourite part of the Rise Up crazies has been the blatant and continuing redirection of Catch the Fire Church resources into their “totally not an associated entity, no sir” political wing headed by Danny Nalliah
To the point that the Church has been running “Vote 1 Rise Up Australia” for months now and recommending that their congregation vote for particular candidates, and also asking the congregation to stump up money to run advertising for the Party.

How that remains legal, I do not know.

But I guess we should ask Irwin Ross about the legality, as locally it’s his campaign.

Vote 1sex party in the senate, I think we need less laws and a little more fun.

DrKoresh said :

Does anyone else get an uneasy feeling about the “Stable Population Party”?

What the hell is that about?

Kinda like the Voluntary Euthanasia Party’s policies, but less voluntary?

But seriously, you’d be amazed how many of the problems in Australia (and the world) are caused by the inexorable growth in population.

And how increasing the population is used by the mainstream parties to disguise actual recession, or near-recession. if they ever start expressing GDP in per capita terms and adjusted for inflation, then you’ll see. (There was a hint of it in PEEFO this week.)

IP

Pork Hunt said :

DrKoresh said :

Does anyone else get an uneasy feeling about the “Stable Population Party”?

What the hell is that about?

They go back to when baby Jesus was born and there was no room at the inn. They want a stable population so that no more babies are born in a stable…

Very good. I was trying to work out how to link the Baby Jesus with the SPP’s platform and you did it for me.

IP

muscledude_oz said :

LSWCHP said :

Darkfalz said :

I really detest grubby little Andrew Leigh. It’s a shame he’s sitting on a very comfortable margin. As long as Sheik doesn’t get in I’m happy. A big bonus would be Kate Lundy losing her senate seat, but it’s probably too much to hope for with the way senate voting works.

So what’s wrong with Mr Leigh? I’ve seen him in action a few times, and he seems like an intelligent, witty and decent man.

A pity he’s a wuss who doesn’t work out.

Hmmm. I move metal around at a gym, but there were many years when I didn’t because with three little kids I was too poor in time and money to be able to afford to do so. Perhaps AL is also too busy working and caring for his young family to be able to get to a gym. Perhaps he’d prefer to spend time exercising his mind rather than his body. Whatever the case, I wouldn’t write him off simply because he doesn’t have a gym membership.

LSWCHP said :

Darkfalz said :

I really detest grubby little Andrew Leigh. It’s a shame he’s sitting on a very comfortable margin. As long as Sheik doesn’t get in I’m happy. A big bonus would be Kate Lundy losing her senate seat, but it’s probably too much to hope for with the way senate voting works.

So what’s wrong with Mr Leigh? I’ve seen him in action a few times, and he seems like an intelligent, witty and decent man.

A pity he’s a wuss who doesn’t work out.

I saw a roadside sign for the Rise Up Australia Party this morning and was wondering what it was.

http://riseupaustraliaparty.com/

They’re followers of loony speaker-in-tongues preacher, Danny Nalliah! They talk about “protecting Australia culture” – something to which Nalliah’s crazy US-style religious fundamentalism is entirely foreign.

Note the “.com” top level domain. The irony just drips.

Darkfalz said :

I really detest grubby little Andrew Leigh. It’s a shame he’s sitting on a very comfortable margin. As long as Sheik doesn’t get in I’m happy. A big bonus would be Kate Lundy losing her senate seat, but it’s probably too much to hope for with the way senate voting works.

So what’s wrong with Mr Leigh? I’ve seen him in action a few times, and he seems like an intelligent, witty and decent man.

Darkfalz said :

DrKoresh said :

Does anyone else get an uneasy feeling about the “Stable Population Party”?

What the hell is that about?

I suspect it’s something to do with having a stable population and sustainable resources.

Of horses.

johnboy said :

I’ve got to say Fraser couldn’t have asked for a much better member than Andrew Leigh for my 2c.

Shame about the rest of his party.

I think on a whole I’m inclined to agree.

Rise Up Australia Party, bunch of racist fascist nut jobs.

Special mention has to go to the Canberran who is running for the Senate in NSW somehow.
http://www.aec.gov.au/election/nsw/index.htm#sen

McDOWALL, Mijina – running for the climate sceptics party, has a PO Box in Manuka, lists their occupation as “Missionary Pastor” and lists the following email address: THENETWORKOFJESUSLOVE@*****.com

oh christ you can’t make this stuff up.

DrKoresh said :

Does anyone else get an uneasy feeling about the “Stable Population Party”?

What the hell is that about?

They go back to when baby Jesus was born and there was no room at the inn. They want a stable population so that no more babies are born in a stable…

DrKoresh said :

Does anyone else get an uneasy feeling about the “Stable Population Party”?

What the hell is that about?

I suspect it’s something to do with having a stable population and sustainable resources.

I really detest grubby little Andrew Leigh. It’s a shame he’s sitting on a very comfortable margin. As long as Sheik doesn’t get in I’m happy. A big bonus would be Kate Lundy losing her senate seat, but it’s probably too much to hope for with the way senate voting works.

So Zed is a consultant? Like how Gai Brodtmann is a politician and not the more obvious Member of Parliament. We also have a human word processor and an ethical investment running. I’d like to see these ‘people’ out and about.

Having watched 7.30 last might I’d say that Gai’s saving grace is Tom Sefton. Thought she came across as not so great, but he was pretty woeful.

Does anyone else get an uneasy feeling about the “Stable Population Party”? What the hell is that about?

An interesting bunch! The professions make for some interesting reading too.

So what small business(es) does Simon Sheikh own?

The Animal Justice Party standing for the Senate leaves me with a dilemma. Who to put last when voting, either them or The Greens. The proliferation of leftist candidates makes it even more important to vote below the line and put them last because their preferences always flow to The Greens and the number one priority with a Liberal government coming in after Sept 7 is for Zed to win the second Senate seat so we have a voice in that government.

I think it’s pretty cool that we have so many options outside the major parties, even if a lot of them contain various quantities of nuts. Don’t forget that thanks to our preferential voting system you can express support for some of the minor parties’ platforms but still have your vote count towards your preferred major party.

(Unless everyone in the ACT really, REALLY wants a bullet train!)

bundah said :

Yeah there’s even a few tradies in there. I’m gonna say neigh to the horse breeder though…

This little piggy may say ‘wee wee wee’ to the Animal Justice mob. Not a donkey vote, though. They go ‘eeyore’.

Yeah there’s even a few tradies in there. I’m gonna say neigh to the horse breeder though…

I do love the professions