8 October 2008

Election Wrap - 8 October

| johnboy
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Animal welfare:

The RSPCA has released the results of their candidate canvassing on animal welfare issues.

Mike silenced:

The Canberra Times reports that Labor’s rocket scientist, Mike Hettinger, has had his election funds frozen (including Mike’s own money that he’d kicked in). Clever ploy to enhance Mike’s maverick status?

Posters:

Word reaches us:

    “There’s a points system going for people souveniring election corflutes. bonus points for entire party sets”

Pre-polling:

The ABC reports that 4,000 votes have been cast so far in pre-election polling.

Deputy’s debate:

The CT has a story on Katy crying foul about negative Liberal advertising during an otherwise uneventful Deputy Leader’s debate.

Community Policing:

The ABC brings word of angst in the Neighbourhood Watch groups that haven’t given up yet. They’re astonished to hear of Simon Corbell’s plan to duplicate their functions with “community policing committees”.

Labor:

The Canberra Times has a piece on Labor plans to turn Gungahlin into the Paris of the Antipodes.

Simon Corbell is trying to calm angry Neighborhood Watches with $20,000.

John Hargreaves is offering Tuggeranong an outdoor stage and some arts grants in exchange for their votes.

Katy Gallagher has stepped out on her own to announce an extra “$53.1 million which will provide expanded community based mental health services, more staff for our new suite of facilities and a Charter of Rights for Mental Health Consumers.”

Liberals:

The Canberra Times is having a look at the Liberal Party’s pathetic inability to produce key policy documents a week and a half before the election. Zed says they’re coming when they’re ready. By which I suspect he means when they’re finished and there’s not enough time for anyone to understand them before they have to vote.

Greens:

The ABC’s been told that the Greens want to give more support to small business, particularly shielding them from the burgeoning mega developments. The Green media release is now online.

Mulcahy Canberra Party:

Richard Mulcahy is advocating a Parisienne style cycle rental scheme.

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i mean the sandwiches,lollies and water and so on volunteers get to make standing on a both all day somewhat less horrible, my point is that there’d sweet FA money left now anyway; and no bills would be left unpaid. storm and a teacup anybody.

What volunteers’ lunch? How do I get my hands on this mythical volunteers’ lunch? It doesn’t exist and now that I think about it, it does make me feel a bit cranky. Even Lifeline gave me lunch and it’s a charity!

there isn’t one cranky; thats why they haven’t done that.

at this stage all that would be left out of campaign funds would be a little bit to pay for volunteers lunch on election day, suppliers and advertisers would have been paid months back.

Has anyone else got the Labor DVD in the mail? Has anyone actually watched it?

Just had a look at the LDP answers on the rspca page (see top of post for link, and then bottom of ldp document) – can anyone tell me where the seat of ‘monaro’ is? Am I mistaken or does McAlary not know where he is?

Funny that Labor are attacking the Libs on unity using news that is over a year old while they are publicly brawling with a candidate who is clearly distancing himself as far from the Labor brand as he can while not being kicked out of the party.

Not a fan of the Labor machine but I can see why they are not so keen on a candidate who did all he could to block the GDE…

Um, if the bills have been paid, what is the point of threatening NOT to pay his bills?

pretty sure they would have already been paid mate

So the Labor Party has decided to withold funding for Hettinger’s campaign.

Little thought appears to have been given to those Canberra businesses which hava already supplied services to Hettinger’s campaign. The TV, radio, signwriters, corflute suppliers, who provided services, but are now apparently whistling in the wind to get paid for these services.

Hey Labor!

Why are local businesses made to suffer for your internal bickering?

Times are tough enough!

Pay your suppliers!

Granny said :

So basically politikos and “SwingingVoter” are happy to have “anti-abortion catholics” in power, as long as they’re male ….

Not sure how you made that deduction, Granny! I usually vote Liberal, but I don’t think I’ll be voting for them this election, male or female. Where I come from (Victoria), they actually have some credentials, but this lot are a joke.

So basically politikos and “SwingingVoter” are happy to have “anti-abortion catholics” in power, as long as they’re male ….

SwingingVoter said :

S4anta said :

Swinging Voter,

Re: Ma’am Jones: The family of ex-prefect from St Mary’s in Launceston most definately would have sweet FA to do with woddchipping.

Thanks for the correction on Giulia.

I think you’ll find it’s St. Mary’s, Hobart – not Launceston. I find it odd that someone who didn’t get pre-selection in their home state last year is running up here. As for being a potential Green, that’s a joke – anti-abortion catholics and greenies don’t mix.

“I have some mates that are uber conservatives that are more green than Shane Rattenbury, so your assumption of Left and Right is incorrect.”

I am intrigued. I would love a pen picture of one of these friends of yours.

Whatever, “SwingingVoter” ….

SwingingVoter3:40 pm 08 Oct 08

harvyk1 said :

SwingingVoter said :

Granny said :

“SwingingVoter” … you are so obvious it’s embarrassing.

Hey Granny

Of course I’m obviously Liberal and a Zed lover. I have said so in Previous posts.

So why use the name of Swinging Voter? A true swinging voter is just as likely to vote for Stanhope as they are for Zed in the next election.

bryansworld said :

“I’m surprised that the Libs haven’t pulled a similar stunt to get some of the Green Vote by using their own green type candidate…”

Typically Green is considered to be a Left philosophy, not Right. Therefore you’d have

I have been a swinging voter for the last 15 years. I recently made up my mind to vote Liberal this time. Last time I voted for Labor and the time before I voted Democrat and green. Left and Right, you are kidding aren’t you. Green is an attitude and a way of life. I have some mates that are uber conservatives that are more green than Shane Rattenbury, so your assumption of Left and Right is incorrect.

SwingingVoter said :

Granny said :

“SwingingVoter” … you are so obvious it’s embarrassing.

Hey Granny

Of course I’m obviously Liberal and a Zed lover. I have said so in Previous posts.

So why use the name of Swinging Voter? A true swinging voter is just as likely to vote for Stanhope as they are for Zed in the next election.

bryansworld said :

“I’m surprised that the Libs haven’t pulled a similar stunt to get some of the Green Vote by using their own green type candidate…”

Typically Green is considered to be a Left philosophy, not Right. Therefore you’d have trouble finding people who would want to be members of the Liberals with a true Green platform. Furthermore typically the Green vote is not made up of swinging voters (the 15% of the population which this campaigning is truely targeting). The Green voters have already made their mind up, and as a result will usually vote left (either labor or the greens)

“I’m surprised that the Libs haven’t pulled a similar stunt to get some of the Green Vote by using their own green type candidate…”

Yeah, but with Mike it’s not a stunt. Check out his website (www.mikehettinger.com) he’s been green for years. Dare I say he has green credentials?

I’d put one together for the Libs but I don’t feel like bursting into tears at the workplace.

SwingingVoter3:08 pm 08 Oct 08

Granny said :

“SwingingVoter” … you are so obvious it’s embarrassing.

Hey Granny

Of course I’m obviously Liberal and a Zed lover. I have said so in Previous posts.

SwingingVoter3:07 pm 08 Oct 08

S4anta said :

Swinging Voter,

Re: Ma’am Jones: The family of ex-prefect from St Mary’s in Launceston most definately would have sweet FA to do with woddchipping.

Thanks for the correction on Giulia.

Sorry skid, but what can I say – great minds think alike.

Does’t explain me though does it 🙂

I had been hoping to save “Zed’s dead, baby” as a headline until after he led them to an election loss or bigger factional brawl, and he was forced to step down in disgrace.

I mean, we already had “So it goes”…

Easy tiger 😛

In all seriousness, this year Mrs Danman’s EBA, CA, whatever you wish to call it, was up fro re-negotiation. Local Labour guvment made sure that their negotiations (Which were a reasonable 12% over 3 years) were pushed through unchallenged.

Most other times it has come up for review it has been mooted out for a figure quite less than 12% over 3 years (Figures escape me).

For this reason alone I am going to vote for a Standope local government, because being married, what happens to her effects me and vice versa.

My most poignant (sp) election issues for me include maintaining/strengthening The Health Industry and ensuring adequate funding for education. Those 2 are the clincher for me.

d’oh! insert woodchipping at leisure please. Moo Brew spelling is not cool.

Swinging Voter,

Re: Ma’am Jones: The family of ex-prefect from St Mary’s in Launceston most definately would have sweet FA to do with woddchipping.

Granny said :

“SwingingVoter” … you are so obvious it’s embarrassing.

Agreed.

Stop that flirting, Danman!

*chuckle*

Whose motorcycle is this ?
It’s a Chopper baby
Whose Chopper is this ?
It’s Zeds baby
Who is Zed ?
Zed’s dead baby, Zed’s dead…..

Varooommm

“SwingingVoter” … you are so obvious it’s embarrassing.

Re animal welfare: It appears that the RSPCA has given a summary of the candidates responses but I cannot find links to the actual responses in full. I think this raises issues of concern as the RSPCA summary must be read through their own inherent bias. I have sent them an email querying this matter and will post their resonse.

Re Mike Hettinger: Ahh rebel Mike. I do love a rebel and wish we had one in the Libs. If he keeps this up he might climb quite high in my preferences.

Re Liberals policies: I’m getting a bit cranky at the silence on some issues.

Re Greens: Supporting small business by decreasing competitive opportunities only serves to stick it right up the jacksie of the consumer.

Re negative ads: Turn it up Katy. Saying why the other lot are rubbish is all part of telling a story. Real gutter politics is when you get on stage and accuse John McCain of having a bastard black child in South Carolina like George Bush did in 2000. Real gutter politics is making up lies to slander someone.

Saying that Stanhope is arrogant or that the Liberals have a history of disunity is completely valid if you ask me.

Re Mulcahy: Far better to have the true cost of operating a motor vehicle reflected in the actual cost, allow private operators to fill the resulting market (removing red tape to facilitate this), and then let people make the choice.

SwingingVoter1:07 pm 08 Oct 08

Mike Silenced

I’m surprised that the Libs haven’t pulled a similar stunt to get some of the Green Vote by using their own green type candidate Belinda Barnier. I spoke with her at some length at the shops last week and she is big on Social Justice, the environment, personal responsibility and Womens issues (sounds a bit green to me). I bet she even smoked pot back in here uni days – City News didn’t report that, only the boring Non Pot Smokers from the Libs got a run. At least the Labor guys admitted it.

So watch this space for the libs to come out with a green style candidate. Wonder who else could stand up in the Libs as a greenie in Molonglo. As I have met all of them at the shopping centre here’s my guesses.

Zed – Has to be green – he’s too nice to destroy the environment
Belinda Barnier – See above – she’s green
Jeremy Hanson – Not too many greenies in the Military
Giulia Jones – From Tasmania – probably a woodchipper
Clinton White – He’s an older version of Zed, just really nice
Jacqui Burke – Judging by the timber she used to hold up her signs she’s not green.
Gary Kent – I think he might be a closet one.

Hey candidates if I am wrong you can correct me.

Mulcahy Canberra Party:

Richard Mulcahy is advocating a Parisienne style cycle rental scheme.

Minor point: The Paris Velib program now has 20,000 bikes for just over two million people.
(Assuming total efficiency: 1% of the population can make use of it at once.)
So 3000 bikes for Canberra.
The below took about five minutes of calculation and assumes that the Canberra market is identical to Paris, so I imagine its had some more headwork done on it, but as its an election promise to Pedal Power, and is based on an experiment in a foreign market which has only lasted one year, can we see some better numbers?
Otherwise, I call Rob Ayling’s bluff, and call this a ‘non core’ campaign promise.

The bikes they used cost between $1300US and $3450US each (reports vary), and were an initial start-up outlay for the private company, with replacing bikes to theft (30% annual) and damage 10% being major overheads.
In Canberra, using similar pricings for the bikes alone, its a 5million dollar (Australian converted) minimum outlay for whoever wants to try it.
With a $1.6million dollar annual commitment for replacing stolen bikes, $530,000 in annual repairs, and a $500,000 cash payment back to government, its not something that any corporate sponsor is going to easily leap at without sweeteners.

The French model was successful where the Belgian and Danish models failed due to several things:
1) low entry barrier cost (you can subscribe for a single day for 1Euro, a year for 29Euro, paperwork takes minutes to process and you’re away)
2) Periods of free use, below a certain threshold, with exponential growth in fees over that threshold. (30 mins free, then 1Euro for the first hour, 3Euro for 90 minutes, 5Euro for two hours, up until 151Euro for no return that day.
3) High penalties on non-return of the bikes. (Extra 150 Euro/day penalty for not return)
4) Signing over massive amounts of billboard space to the administering organisation, in exchange for a) the option to use half of that billboard space for government programs, and b) ongoing maintenance of the bikes, c) the ongoing 5million Euro in back-to-government cash a year.
5) High-density of rental & dropoff stations near where people needed a bike to get from or get to.
6) Continuing willingness to replace the bikes,(despite losing 30% of stock in the first year), and fix them as they break.
7) Citywide adoption and in all urbanised areas, instead of allowing each city zone to negotiate its own deals.

So how does Richard plan to replicate Paris?

NHW ACT does not get any funding from the ACT Government – we get all our funding through our own fund-raising activities, ads in local newsletters, and when we are lucky enough, major sponsors chip in to help out. Corbell’s attempt to put spin on this situation (on 666 today) by implying that they do fund our activity is bollocks – he was talking about a one-off event that will support NHW Australasia. Not happy, Simon.

On a different note, there has been a change to the internal systems which generate the crime statistics, and at the moment, all we have are the type and place of offence. It’s better than nothing, but more is always good.

this neighbourhood watch thing is really stupid.

When will they learn that it is easier and cheaper to keep existing programs going, than to constantly re-invent the wheel (ala their 5 different kinds of community consultative groups that kept getting abolished and reinvented til noone could be bothered joining.)

Still – if you just continue to fund a successful operation like neighbourhood watch you don’t get to make and announcement about it do you?

Speaking of Neighbourhood watch – why have hte police stopped providing the date and time of the crimes in the little list of last month’s crimes?

DT said :

Clever ploy to enhance Mike’s maverick status?

Must say that was my first thought when I heard him on the ABC this morning – curious timing, given the poll published the other day indicating Labor would lose ground to the Greens, and Rettinger’s billing himself as Labor’s “green candidate”.

Mmmmmm… Mike was running on his “Green Labor” ticket in 2004 when he opposed the GDE.

Mulcahy’s idea would ensure that any future RA Bike Crawls would see a dramatic increase in patronage…

Clever ploy to enhance Mike’s maverick status?

Must say that was my first thought when I heard him on the ABC this morning – curious timing, given the poll published the other day indicating Labor would lose ground to the Greens, and Rettinger’s billing himself as Labor’s “green candidate”.

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