20 August 2010

Do you want your questions answered?

| johnboy
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readership numbers

On 2 August we sent out our candidate questionnaire to those seeking elected office in the Commonwealth Parliament representing the people of this Territory.

The questions were drawn from those asked by our readers.

With three sleeps to go it is a little disappointing that our 5,000+ readers a day (stats above courtesy of Google) are held in such contempt that only Darren Churchill and Anthony David (Democrats) for the Senate, and Quintin Phillips-Hedges (Secular Party) for Fraser are able to answer your reasonable questions.

If you would like reasonable questions from citizens to have answers before votes are cast, then please send an email to the candidates who have not yet responded, expressing that desire:

    gjones@canberraliberals.org.au,
    James@canberraliberals.org.au,
    andrew.leigh@australianlabor.com.au,
    gai.brodtmann@australianlabor.com.au,
    senator.lundy@aph.gov.au,
    david@davidmathews.com.au,
    senator.humphries@aph.gov.au,
    matt_watts@bigpond.com,
    john.glynn@optusnet.com.au

Or you can endorse small-target campaigning on irrelevance, and a moribund democracy. Your call.

UPDATE: Indra Esguerra (Greens for Fraser) has now also returned a questionnaire, appearing as fast as I can format it.

Futher Update: Sue Ellerman, Lin Hatfield Dodds and Hannah Parris have also now responded.

YAU: We now welcome Gai Brodtmann to the party.

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bigfeet said :

I think the reason the main parties have not answered is due to questions 6 and 10.

6) Jivrashia asked: If a man says something, and the wife isn’t there to hear him, is he still wrong?

I understand the attempt to add some humour to the questionnaire, but it gives the candidates an excuse to opt out on the grounds that this is not a serious inquiry.

Best question in my opinion as it giave insight into the respondents’ composure, self-control and tact – all qualities needed for a career in politics.

I did sent an email and Hannah Paris sent a response. That’s enough to get my vote!

This is the first time I have read the questionnaire, and its really not up to the par of previous years… 🙁

bigfeet said :

The sentiment and intent of the question is fine, but the reference to “Witches” and “fundy nutsacks” is probably enough to have the parties Tactics Committee ban the candidate from answering.

I think that the “Witches” comment was actually pretty fair, since CTF Ministries specifically stated that their intention was to get rid of the witches, bringing a clear “one religious group persecuting another” activity to Canberra.

I get what you mean about “fundy nutsacks” though, I can hardly see the major parties wanting to alienate them, especially since the Liberal leader is one.

Holden Caulfield9:25 am 19 Aug 10

bigfeet said :

I think the reason the main parties have not answered is due to questions 6 and 10.

6) Jivrashia asked: If a man says something, and the wife isn’t there to hear him, is he still wrong?

I understand the attempt to add some humour to the questionnaire, but it gives the candidates an excuse to opt out on the grounds that this is not a serious inquiry.

10) Pommy bastard asked: Witches on Mt Ainslie, should their freedom of expression be protected from interference by fundy nutsacks?

The sentiment and intent of the question is fine, but the reference to “Witches” and “fundy nutsacks” is probably enough to have the parties Tactics Committee ban the candidate from answering.

I would agree with this.

Similarly, part of the appeal of RA is that it does allow a very high degree of freedom of speech. That’s great and it should continue to be applauded and encouraged. However, in this context it does bring with it an element of discourse that would have any campaign strategist recommending the site be avoided at all costs.

What is the political cost of saying no to a RA questionnaire as opposed to an interview on 666, for example?

I think the off-the-wall questions could get through if there was a stronger relationship in general with RA and the candidates. Maybe JB has tried hard behind the scenes to work on this, I’m not sure.

I’m also not sure how savvy some of the candidates would be to RA, sure they might know it exists, but how well do they really understand the site and how/why it operates?

/2¢

Sorry, what was the question?

Google ads are showing Labor atm. That’s good enough for them

How long til the ACT elections? Might get answers from the same people then. Giulia may be back!

Saw Gai Brodtmann on the street in Kingston handing out flyers. Poor thing looked quite stressed.

They probably think that the people who frequent this website have already made up their minds and can probably find the information they are looking for easily elsewhere on the net. Why should they waste their time?
They’d be correct!

I think the reason the main parties have not answered is due to questions 6 and 10.

6) Jivrashia asked: If a man says something, and the wife isn’t there to hear him, is he still wrong?

I understand the attempt to add some humour to the questionnaire, but it gives the candidates an excuse to opt out on the grounds that this is not a serious inquiry.

10) Pommy bastard asked: Witches on Mt Ainslie, should their freedom of expression be protected from interference by fundy nutsacks?

The sentiment and intent of the question is fine, but the reference to “Witches” and “fundy nutsacks” is probably enough to have the parties Tactics Committee ban the candidate from answering.

The ALP doesn’t care because they’ll win no matter what.

The Coalition doesn’t care because they can’t win, no matter what.

The Greens are a pseudo vote for the ALP so they couldn’t give a toss either, especially as they’ll pick up disenfranchised ALP voters who can’t bring themselves to vote Liberal.

The rest are irrelevant.

Don’t you just love democracy?

A safe seat is a marginal one in waiting.

Just because a lot of people think that labour always wins in Canberra doesn’t necessarily mean that that will always be the case.

It’s a disgrace that ACT candidates have hardly raised a sweat trying to win our vote. What is most depressing is that a bunch of mindless idiots in Western Sydney are going to decide the election for us. Hang on… maybe they’re not so stupid after all.

What we Canberrans need is to form the Canberra Pork Barrel Society, decide who we’re going to vote for and ensure there is an almost equal number who will vote the other way… no more safe labor seats!

Fiona said :

Dammit I’m still after an up to date fridge magnet.

I’m still waiting for my “Be alarmed, not alert” fridge magnet howard was supposed to send me years ago.

ebony57 said :

Hang on…I got a fridge magnet on the way into Jammo on the weekend…

Oh yeah. That must be it. I’m encouraged to vote for the best fridge magnet. Mine has a list of emergency contacts, so far that’s not too bad.

Dammit I’m still after an up to date fridge magnet.

As far as I can tell all major parties (greens included) are hopeful of getting what they want without having to answer questions from the public.

The Greens are a pseudo vote for the ALP so they couldn’t give a toss either, especially as they’ll pick up disenfranchised ALP voters who can’t bring themselves to vote Liberal.

The Greens are campaigning so hard for that Senate seat that it’s astonishing they haven’t responded to this opportunity for free advertising.

You mean that there are local candidates in the Federal election? Wow.

Hang on…I got a fridge magnet on the way into Jammo on the weekend…

Oh yeah. That must be it. I’m encouraged to vote for the best fridge magnet. Mine has a list of emergency contacts, so far that’s not too bad.

Pommy bastard1:46 pm 18 Aug 10

RiotAct Questionnaire, your response please!

Dear;

gjones@canberraliberals.org.au; sue@act.greens.org.au; James@canberraliberals.org.au; andrew.leigh@australianlabor.com.au; gai.brodtmann@australianlabor.com.au; indra@act.greens.org.au; senator.lundy@aph.gov.au; david@davidmathews.com.au; lin@act.greens.org.au; hannah@act.greens.org.au; senator.humphries@aph.gov.au; matt_watts@bigpond.com; john.glynn@optusnet.com.au

Dear Candidates,

I will be voting for the first time as an Australian citizen, on this coming Saturday. I am a big believer in the power of the internet, and of the relevance and importance of Canberra’s prime discussion and debate forum “The RiotAct”. I will not be voting for any candidate who does not reply to the reasonable and informed questionnaire which was drawn up by the members of RiotAct.

Your choice, my choice.

Yours cordially,

Pommy Bastard (Mr)

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