21 June 2012

Election Doorknocking? What matters to you?

| joingler
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Had my first ever doorknock from a pollie over the weekend. Caroline Le Couteur (Greens MLA for Molonglo) paid me a visit, asking me what issues matter most to me. For me it was public transport. I know health would be up there for most people at the moment. I want new childcare reforms as I work in that field but there is very little the ACT government can do as childcare is mainly a federal issue.

Anyway, I’m wondering what the issues are for everyone else here?

So what is the big issues for the election rioters? Public Transport? Health? Education? Housing? Road network? Development of Molonglo Valley/Gungahlin? What do parties have to promise to get your vote this October?

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Firearm law reform.

When I want to buy a new gun, I have to wait a pointless 28 day “cooling off” period before I can pick it up.

Not to mention the stupidity that equates propellant powders with explosives, which hinders my ability to purchase the smokeless propellant powders that I want.

etc etc. If any politician will fix up this nonsense they’ll get my vote. Obviously though, I’m not holding my breath.

HeighwayQueen said :

For me it would be Law and Order. I’m sick of….

I’m sick of formulaic procedural cop dramas too. Although at least Law and Order doesn’t have the orange/blue filter set to eleven like CSI.

As for door knocking – I will support it if the pollie turns up with a six pack and time to drink them with me discussing whatever happens to pop into my head that minute.

HeighwayQueen1:32 pm 22 Jun 12

For me it would be Law and Order. I’m sick of the crims getting less than a slap on the wrist and being sent back out into the community to reoffend over and over again. There’s no punishment so why stop their behaviour?
Public transport is a big one, health and the roads.
If someone could do something to improve the cost of living in Canberra too that’d be great. Maybe have a look at all the taxes associated with buying a house, registering cars etc.

bitzermaloney1:11 pm 22 Jun 12

EvanJames said :

Deref said :

Health and public education. Unsustainable population growth’s a long second.

Around the other way for me. Population growth and all the problems it brings, then the big infrastructure stuff, the degradation of the education system, the woeful mess of the health system.

Free vasectomy for every male?

Deref said :

Health and public education. Unsustainable population growth’s a long second.

Around the other way for me. Population growth and all the problems it brings, then the big infrastructure stuff, the degradation of the education system, the woeful mess of the health system.

I’d also be reminding them that whenever they use the term “families”, they’re deliberately excluding every person who’s not a family. Unless they’re talking about schools or something, they need to have a proper think about the use of that manipulative term.

bitzermaloney said :

Solution: “Return to Sender.”

All political advertisign has an address on it, so it’s an easy one to send back.

Yep! Worked a treat with that stupid rabble-rousing fridge magnet campaign of Howard’s. They’d been dispatched straight from the printer, so when all the “return to senders” started arriving, they had an interesting problem as there was nowhere to put them.

Good thing to do with Spam, too. Especially if there’s reply-paid envelopes involved, you can send them a nice supply of it.

Health and public education. Unsustainable population growth’s a long second.

bitzermaloney11:28 am 22 Jun 12

Primal said :

Got my first bit of election garbage in the mail during the week. It gave me the distinct impression that there’s a new party out there called the Katy Gallagher Party and that I should vote for certain of her minions in order to make KG our supreme overlord.

Solution: “Return to Sender.”

All political advertisign has an address on it, so it’s an easy one to send back.

bitzermaloney11:26 am 22 Jun 12

1. Integrity of the candidate (not the party);

2. Focus on more then being re-elected at the next election (i.e. focus beyond a 3yr period);

3. Proper representation for ALL candidates in their electorate (not just those of they identify with ideologically);

4. Improving the standard of living for ALL;

5. Someone who accepts that ACT Gov is a glorified city council;

6. Focusing on “REAL” local issues (eg.Transport (both public transport & roads), housing, schools, Public Circus expenditure, encouraging Private investment (in the form of services and encouraging new business), etc.), instead of left wing issue that don’t improve the cities standard as a whole (eg. Stanhope and his immigration policy, gay marriage, caged chickens, etc.). I’m not saying these are unimportant, but that there are more pressing issues that need to be addressed in order to improve Canberra society and lifestyle as a whole.

7. Ban the “Move to Canberra” ads that have been run in South Australia, South Africa & elsewhere. Channel the money into areas that would encourage people (eg. to make Canberra a “true” IT Hub offer significant tax incentives to reduce the operating costs and entice IT HQ’s out of Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, etc.)

Finally…

1. make voting “non-compulsory” so that only those that actually are interested in politics will vote (instead of the inebriated masses);
2. change the Party Registration conditions back to what they used to be so the ALP, Libs & Greens do not monopolise (or is that triopolise) the polls and provides better representation geographical representation (eg. Gungahlin, Tuggers, Woden Valley, etc.) NOT Party Affiliated representation as currently happens;
4. Change the voting system from Hare-Clarke which does not provide fair representation, particularly for minor parties. If it is kept, make the ACT 1 electorate (instead of 3).

What matters to me? Off the top of my head:

Health care.
Roads.
Tougher sentencing for convicted crims.
Better public transport.
Planning and land management.

Not necessarily in that order.

Got my first bit of election garbage in the mail during the week. It gave me the distinct impression that there’s a new party out there called the Katy Gallagher Party and that I should vote for certain of her minions in order to make KG our supreme overlord.

I met Rattenbury once at a function a few years ago and was impressed at how much one bloke could talk himself up. After a while someone tried to steer the conversation away from him and to the cricket and Rattenbury steered it back to him.

Someone then started a conversation with a pregnant friend who was standing with us and Rattenbury managed to steer the conversation back to him again. And it happened every time someone spoke. Bloody hilarious.

Wokie said :

Once got accosted by the Liberal Party at Woden Plaza years wanting me to join.
Told him I wasn’t an Australian Citizen. The look on his face was pricless!

Are you too good to become an Australian? Why don’t you go back to where you came from?

I had the Greens quiz me last election – they found out that I am very concerned about violence. She agreed with me. Violence against women. She agreed with me even more. Violence committed against women by muslims. The look on her face was well worth the effort. I was afraid her brain was going to explode there for a bit…

Had Steve Pratt knock on my door a couple of years ago. Not being funny, but the way his previous career ended should have pointed to a new career in Real Estate, not politics.

Tell ’em your from Queanbeyan. You couldn’t vote for them, even if you wanted to.

Sorry that should be years ago (seniors moment here)

Once got accosted by the Liberal Party at Woden Plaza years wanting me to join.
Told him I wasn’t an Australian Citizen. The look on his face was pricless!

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