25 September 2008

Candidate list for 2008 election

| johnboy
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Elections ACT has published the full list of candidates for the upcoming election.

Highlights for mine include:

— No independents in Brindabella? Is tuggers really so devoid of personality.
— Harold Hird is taking another swing, part of a crowded Ginninderra ticket including Democrats, Mark Parton, and Adam Verwey.
— Pangallo, Mulcahy and the LDP are only standing candidates in Molonglo.
— Helen Cross is making another trip to the well in Molonglo.

Any other surprises or points of interest?

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I love personal reasons. Always so convenient 🙂

Darren Churchill1:20 am 02 Oct 08

Just for the record and to set things straight over another Jonathon Reynolds misrepresentation of my party. Marilyn Kay Dennis withdrew from the election for personal reasons, a couple of days before close of nominations. Greg Tannahill (Molonglo) and myself, darren Churchill (Ginninderra) continue to provide the same common sense, fairness and straight talking the Australian Democrats have provided for over 31 years now. Look for us in the Ungrouped column.

Darren Churchill
ACT Democrats President
Candidate for Ginninderra
http://www.act.democrats.org.au
darren.churchill@act.democrats.org.au
0412 196 473

Send any catchy imagery to go with it?

Anyway sounds like you might have taken it too far the other way so my apologies.

damianheffernan2:55 pm 28 Sep 08

Um, think you’re taking something the wrong way. I certainly never sat around.I have been around the media ropes long enough to know the drill.

1. email the media release
2. fax the media release
3. phone everyone you have a number for and enquire about the media release: “just following up you got it”, “do you have any questions”, “I can be reached at…”, etc, etc.

My media list was for local radio, local television, Canb Times, City News, Chronicle, generic and personal emails and phone.

I figured Riot Act doesn’t really need a media release when I can just post something myself.

You sat around waiting for the media to call you?

I can say I never once got a media release from you. We’re not mind readers, got something to say send it in.

But whinging about a lack of coverage when you never said anything is pathetic.

damianheffernan2:36 pm 28 Sep 08

Jonathon Reynolds said :

* Damien Heffernan (Independent – Ginninderra) is not running. It is alleged that he was disillusioned with the lack of coverage then media are prepared to give independent candidates (preference to the majors) and the amount of money it would potentially cost to run an effective campaign.

Absolutely right. Johnathon must be better connected than I thought as this is pretty spot on.

I draw the line at 20 unanswered media releases. Even after the media in Canberra knew I was out there they never called me to get comment on anything. If it’s a power plant it’s the greens they want a comment from. If it’s the dragway it’s the Motorists Party, etc, etc. Never an Independent. Until Jim Murphy gives you a fist full of cash and if you’re a radio host who has enough media connections and then suddenly you get a full page spread. I was particularly incensed at the CT running a double page spread on the alternative options and basically making it sound like the six or seven people featured where the only alternatives to the two parties! And this was after I spoke to a couple of journos on the phone! Pamphlets and door to door can only do so much.

The problem is though that even if an Indy gets elected unless they hold the balance of power they aren’t really going to acheive very much. Just look at our current assembly.

On a side note I’ve got something brewing that I can do, that will make a difference and that isn’t going to be affected by the media, funding or Government rulings of any flavour.

You would think he could have at least shuffled the order of the words around a little. I don’t think that promise even makes it to full ‘apple pie’ status!

“That’s a pie-crust promise; easily made, easily broken.”
Mary Poppins

Got a newsletter from Carers Act reporting responses to set questions. Pangallo’s answers were basically to repeat the question with “I would” interposed and check the grammar.

Q? Will your party support a strengthening of ACT Government policy to enable a better system to support Carers in providing care?
A. I would support any move to strengthen the ACT Government Policy to enable a better system of support for Carers in providing care?

How can you treat a candidate seriously who treats constituents with such contempt. On another site, every other party had responded except his. Clearly not winning my vote, which is a shame for him, because I don’t think I’ll make a final decision on who gets it till a few days before touchdown. I’m definitely in the same position as LG@11.

gun street girl10:07 am 28 Sep 08

LG said :

Am I the only one having trouble deciding which joker to put last? I can see plenty of people I don’t want to vote for and unfortunately, not many that I do.

Totally. It’s a field rich in mediocrity and spin.

disenfranchised9:57 am 28 Sep 08

Some interesting candidates. Helen Cross will get around 1,000 first preference votes in the largest electorate, Molonglo. In other words, she will have minimal impact. In my view Ginninderra is the key electorate for the Liberals. Harold Hird will take a thousand perhaps 1500 first preference votes away from the Liberals in Ginninderra. I maintain that will hurt the Liberals in Belconnen. Harold is known in the electorate and is seen to be a good bloke. With Stefaniak gone, and the Liberal Party relying on Vicki Dunne to be the drawcard to get as many votes as possible, look for a really bad result for that party in Ginninderra. Dunne got 3,300 first preference votes last time (a quota is around 9,900). She relied upon Bill Stefaniak to get her over the line. Bill got more than a quota in 2004. Dunne will NOT get anywhere near a quota. Look for Meyers to do well. She may well get ahead of Dunne. It is quite possible for only one Liberal to be elected. Mark Parton will do very well. So will the the Greens (one candidate). Labor will win 2 seats.

Well it’s good to note that you have been promoted from a “sales person” to a “sales man”. 🙂

Crikey said :

At last the numbers have been settled. No last minute surprises.

I think Mulcahy and Pangallo had expected more support but found it very difficult to attract candidates to their tickets.

I agree it is sad to see poor old Harold Hird and Helen Cross joining tired-looking Frank Pangallo in running. No fresh look there.

Labor and Liberal have some good up-and-comers plus the usual party hacks running.

Talking about Frank Pangallo, he was recently asked a question (when he was Mayor of Queanbeyan) in Council about asbestos he removed and dumped in his other life as an unlicensed electrician. Instead of answering the question he got up from his Chair and left the Chambers.

Poor old Harold Hird?

Never heard Horry called that before. I have a lot of time for him, he helped me out when I was a snot nosed 20yo sales person.

now, I am a snot nosed 37yo sales man….

At last the numbers have been settled. No last minute surprises.

I think Mulcahy and Pangallo had expected more support but found it very difficult to attract candidates to their tickets.

I agree it is sad to see poor old Harold Hird and Helen Cross joining tired-looking Frank Pangallo in running. No fresh look there.

Labor and Liberal have some good up-and-comers plus the usual party hacks running.

Talking about Frank Pangallo, he was recently asked a question (when he was Mayor of Queanbeyan) in Council about asbestos he removed and dumped in his other life as an unlicensed electrician. Instead of answering the question he got up from his Chair and left the Chambers.

Well when I get my overhead lifters, and four barrel quads, fuel injection cut off, and chrome plated rods, a four-speed on the floor, some purple French tail lights and thirty-inch fins, a palomino dashboard and duel muffler twins, new pistons, plugs, and shocks for my new automatic, systematic and hydromatic car I will definitely be joining the Motorists Party for sure.

Reckon I’ll be burnin’ up the quarter mile and coastin’ through the heat lap trials in no time.

Suddenly I can understand how the ex Footballer got in to ACT politics!

I don’t know that young revheads think of themselves as ‘motorists’ – that’s got fogey-ish connotations. Motorists are people like grey nomads, or older fellows who take their cars out for a drive on sundays wearing hats and gloves. Or the fuddy-duddies from the NRMA who are always going on about TPI and rego costs. The ‘Dragsters Party’ or the ‘Motorsports Party’ would be better branding for the young revhead crowd.

Am I the only one having trouble deciding which joker to put last? I can see plenty of people I don’t want to vote for and unfortunately, not many that I do.

Maybe at the next election, Hird and Cross should get together with Mulcahy as the Disaffected Ex-Liberals grouping.

I’m with tom-tom on this one – having been out and wandered along the revhead idiots (a few years ago I went out with friends along the Lonsdale st burnouts to shoot for a documentary – so I’m talking about the IDIOT section of the revheads, not those who like legal, sensible motorsport), they do seem to be of a rather vast range of ages.

They are however, yep, mostly male and mostly missing the odd chromosone… And they do vote. So cranky’s wider point is acknowledged, even if his assumptions about ages is rather wide of the mark…

cranky said :

Jimbocool,

A large proportion of 18 – low 20 year old males are petrol headed, political troglydites (sp?), who I have reason to believe normally vote informal.

If a bit of clever marketing was performed, can you imagine how the vote for the motorists party could be turned to their advantage by promoting their motorsport friendly policies? Particularly if the candidates were of a roughly similar age group.

I suggest that this voting group should be disregarded at some peril.

cranky when i was that age i was making considered decisions about how i would vote and why. so was everyone else i knew. the attitude of your post annoys me and it’s one that you are not alone in having; young people are quite capable of making informed decisions about how they vote and it’s a bit arrogant of you to suggest otherwise. I’m sure there are some blokes who meet your description but you’d be completely off the mark to suggest that this is a large proportion. I’m very confident that a large proportion of young blokes realise that being able to vote is a privilidge that a lot of the worlds population never get and recognise the importance of their decision and take it seriously.

Jimbocool,

A large proportion of 18 – low 20 year old males are petrol headed, political troglydites (sp?), who I have reason to believe normally vote informal.

If a bit of clever marketing was performed, can you imagine how the vote for the motorists party could be turned to their advantage by promoting their motorsport friendly policies? Particularly if the candidates were of a roughly similar age group.

I suggest that this voting group should be disregarded at some peril.

Lisa milat doesn’t actually live here, I know because I didn’t vote for her in the Wingecaribee Shire Elections last week. She is from Hill Top near Picton. THe Wingecaribee shire covers basically Mittagong , Bowral, Moss Vale and Bundanoon.

Check out the results here:

http://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/result.Wingecarribee.aspx

OliverCromwell6:46 pm 25 Sep 08

I’m quite saddened by the fact that Lisa Milat didn’t run. She could have made a significant contribution to the debate on how to reduce the number of homeless people in the ACT.

Where’s Lisa Milat.

She had a go at the Federal Election.

Thought she might try for the toy parliament as well.

Jonathon Reynolds5:30 pm 25 Sep 08

* The Australian Motorist Party is running a full ticket which should put them in good stead for a flow of preferences (would work well on a donkey vote) – Shame they are truly a single issue party… any policy you want so long as it involves a car or motoring.

* Damien Heffernan (Independent – Ginninderra) is not running. It is alleged that he was disillusioned with the lack of coverage then media are prepared to give independent candidates (preference to the majors) and the amount of money it would potentially cost to run an effective campaign.

* The Community Alliance Party are running far fewer candidates than Ric Hingee had been spruiking to everyone – no chance that they could be considered a possibility for an “alternative government” given the lack of candidates and spread of the candidates they are running. I believe that could be a new breed of single issue party for the ACT: instead all running on a single issue they appear to be individually running on their own single issues. It now appears that the CAP, which had huge potential, appears to have turned out to be little more of an ego trip for Mr. Hingee to keep his name in the media. Lets hope the “filler” candidates they have selected can actually perform well.

* The ACT Democrats appear to have lost their female candidate and are now only running two. The inability to keep their candidates confirms that the ACT Democrats are definitely a spent force in the ACT.

* Musician Tony Farrell is running again.

* Harold Hird was a member of the Liberal Party (after being reinstated after a 3 year period of purgatory for running as a non Liberal last time). By standing as an Independent this would imply that he has once again been cast back to purgatory and is no longer a member of the Liberals.

I’ll shortly have a relatively complete candidate profile spreadsheet available on the http://CanberraVotes.com web site that will outline candidate contact details, phone and email addresses and their various web pages (campaign sites, Facebook, Myspace, Wikipedia, etc and also includes links to their photos online where available). I currently need to update what data I currently have with the official published candidate list to fill in the (now) missing bits.

The Motorists Party is very family friendly there’s a few matching surnames amongst its candidates. I particulalry like Brindabella’s Ben and Burl Doble, I wonder if there’s another one called Paso?

Poor old Harold Hird, once a proud Liberal MLA (tipped out by Vicki Dunne in 2001) – then the proud leader of the “Harold Hird Independents”, this time he’s slumming in the ungrouped…

Ditto Helen Cross – once a proud Liberal MLA, then the proud leader of the Helen Cross Independents and now in the ungrouped with the other loonies…

I wonder who will get fewest votes between Harold and Helen (and the Dobles)

Damian Heffernan had publicised that he’d be running in Ginninderra (http://www.damianheffernan.com.au/), but isn’t on the Elections ACT website….

What happened?

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