Federal Election '07 - Call for email interview questions!

“Boat people are an entirely different matter. They are fleeing from wars and military dictatorships where, more often than not, their lives are at risk. “

Nice sentiments, but largely bullsh*t. The majority of ‘refugees’ that arrive do not pass the UN test for political refugees. Most of these people arrive looking for better economic opportunity. Of course, locking them away isn’t a good thing to do, either. But to say they are all fleeing wars and persecution is simply untrue.

What a comedian.

R4lph = D1ckh3ad. Of c0urs3 w3 a11 kn0w it is w4ter, it’s a Quest10n f0r the p0llies.

Water

hmm – missing link to http://www.dhmo.org – Dihydrogen Monoxide

What is your parties policy on which one of the Greenhouse gases, an enabling component of Acid Rain, the causative agent in most cases of soil erosion, and is present in High Levels in every creek, stream, pond, billabong, river, lake and reservoir in Australia ?

Significant levels of DHMO were also found in the devestating Indian Ocean tsunami which killed 230,000 Indonesians, Thais and Malays.

What will you and your party do to raise the profile of Canberra and restore (or instill) pride in our city as the National Capital? How do you see this being affected by the ALP’s plan to reduce funding to the National Capital Authority? What roles and responsibilities do you see as lying with the local A.C.T. “government”?

My questions: By how much will your party be increasing funding for education, research and development, and communications infrastructure? What added assistance will you be giving to private sector research and technology companies? What measures will you take to ensure the best possible education is available to all Australians? What will you be doing to promote and encourage an educated, intelligent, tolerant and vibrant Australian community?

Oh and Ralph, at least have the maturity to respond to DMD’s arguments, instead of jumping straight to ad-hom nonsense. Nobody is impressed with how well (or not well, as the case may be) you can construct an insult.

Thumper, give Mike Kelly another decade of luck, shady back door deals, some political nuance and perhaps a few favours from the SAS along the way…

(Only chose him because I am in the eden-monaro electorate and know nothing of other political wannabees)

No, more head up his arse, I think!

This Whitlam character sounds like a bit of a head in the sand pacifist.

But Mael – it was and we gave it back to them. If we hadn’t I’m sure we’d have to wear black armbands for that too.

Will you do something about that cnut on the telly who keeps running those adverts about ‘100,000 of my countrymen have perished’ ?

In preference, annex the entire PNG as an Australian special province. I have been there, they have pleaded with me to ask this.

I probably should have asked Nemo to post this…

If you were a fish, what fish would you be?

What are your policies regarding immigration and in particular unauthorised arrivals?

What is your view on a curfew for Canberra Airport?

No-one is saying it can be undone, captainwhorebags – but it should never be forgotten. That’s what pisses me off when I hear “Oh, all this sorry thing does try to make me responsible for what happen with the aboriginals”. It’s people like that whom need responsible education in history – enough to make them understand that knowing the wrongs of the past can help prevent them being committed in the future.
And not once did I say that ALL australian history is bad. We’ve made political achievements. We’ve served well in wars and our sporting history is something to be admired for a country of our size. However, in terms of the ways we’ve treated our aboriginal population since we came here, we rate pretty damn shocking. That is a big issue, really big, since the only history we teach is 200 out of 80,000 years of human inhabitation of Australia. To ignore this factor or belittle it would be grossly irresponsible.
On the Boat People. No-one is saying whites should leave, captain. What I say is that we should give help to the impoverished aboriginal communities and find a common ground upon which both our societies can co-exist peacefully and healthily. Boat people are an entirely different matter. They are fleeing from wars and military dictatorships where, more often than not, their lives are at risk. Refusing them a second chance after their first has been taken away by no fault of their own is akin to letting someone die on your doorstep in my opinion – and anyone who does that is a worthless, cowardly scumbag in my opinion. You can only step further down by locking up children.

DMD – it can’t be viewed in a positive light, and it shouldn’t be ignored or swept under the carpet. Mistakes were made, countless lives affected, but hand-wringing now certainly isn’t going to undo all that.

There are plenty of other shining examples of Australian history that can be viewed in a positive light, but if you’d rather ignore them and sit in a darkened room crying into a brandy glass all day long, that’s your prerogative.

I don’t think that the Aboriginal culture is anymore deserving of special attention than the countless other cultures that have called this land home. The same people who cry about the “white invasion” of 1788 then scream obscenities about restrictions on immigration. Boat people – 1788, bad; 2007, good.

Ooohhhh yawn, get over it kiddie.

It walks, it talks, the jibbering, left-wing robot kiddie – replete will all jingoisms, pre-programmed by teachers and the socialist alliance.

“Will black armbands be distributed free of charge so we can be reminded how bad we should feel about Australian history?”
Aboriginals had their land forcefully taken from them, they were enslaved and massacred. They weren’t even regarded as human beings by the original settlers. How the hell can that ever be viewed in a positive light?
It doesn’t mean we should spend our entire lives feeling wrong – but we should accept that the settlement of Australia was on the whole rather inhumane and a great number of misdeeds occured and are still affecting the aboriginal population.

If elected, will you continue with the current proposed nation-wide curriculum for the teaching of history? Will you make any improvements or changes? If so, what?

Will you support replacing our disgusting, imperialist, colonial flag? And consider re-naming the ACT to Ngunnawal country?

ssb, I meant the old codgers pension not the so-calld dsiability handout given to druggy scum.

Will black armbands be distributed free of charge so we can be reminded how bad we should feel about Australian history?

Will you support/how will you support a 30% reduction (from 1990 levels) in greenhouse gas emissions, and a 25% renewable energy target, by 2020, in the ACT and at a national level?

Will you work to ensure the ACT is not bound by Federal Government decisions such as the ‘Clean Energy Target’ recently announced by Howard that are weaker than our own?

Sepi,

They are pollies, all the risk in born by the Dept pulling their respective strings!

As the romans used to say; The true power of a democracy is always vested in its bureaucracy.

And the latest trendy trick question for job interviews:

What is the biggest professional risk you have taken?

I don’t see any ‘extreme-right-wing-Hansonite looney stuff’, most if it is incredibly left-wing.

Some good stuff in here. Some extreme-right-wing-Hansonite looney stuff too, but on the whole, some good thinking. Sometimes RA does come together as a functional thinktank…

Do you support the practice of locking up children in detention?

Do you believe the benefits of the off-shore detention program justify the massive expense? If so why?

The ACT’s Future Water Options report shortlisted several options for securing the ACT’s future water supply. Most of these options involve some matters of Commonwealth jurisdiction, and some also involve NSW jurisdiction; will you commit to supporting the final options chosen by the ACT through the necessary Commonwealth and NSW approvals processes?

I watched a bit of election coverage on the news last night and both major parties are constantly harping on about ‘working families’

In your words, what is a ‘working family’ and what are you going to do to support us/them..

Whats the single most pressing issue in your electorate (local electorate issue – not a broader issue that has an impact on your electorate) and how do you plan on addressing it ?

lol S4anta. its coming. patients grasshopper. I’ve got to fit this in around my day job and family you know

Anglea Shanahan wrote a fairly scathing piece in regards to the changes to medicare under The Strenghtening Medicare Package, released in 2003. Do you believe that the changes that have occured since 2003, have brought back the underlying concept of of ‘universality’ under Medicare?

thats better. wheres the freaking template jazz?

Sorry lads, rooted the tags. i owe you guys a few schooners.

Try:
What are you thoughts on the permanent trading of water entitlements, as per The National Water Initiative, and do you believe that giving water a tradable, economic value is really the best method to ensure that this scare Australian resource will be utilised sensibly in the future?

What are you thoughts on the permanent trading of water entitlements, as per The National Water Initiative, and do you believe that giving water a tradable, economic value is really the best method to ensure that this scare Australian resource will be utilised sensibly in the future?

Thumper,
Try: What will you and your party do to alleviate the aged care burden that may, or may not be passed onto the upcoming generations of Australia once the baby boomers have entered the system?

Small Business is crucial to the growth and development of not onyl the ACT economy, but Australia’s. What is your personal and your parties plan of attack in regards to providing a sustainable system of support and development for ACTs micro and small businesses?

Will you retain the SIEV X implied Australian Defence Force protest memorial?

What will you do with the Aboriginal Embassy?

Which pension are you referring to gingermick ?

What about “when will the health system be fixed” or “can we get some more focus on education in terms of development and funding”.

Personally I’m not as interested in social stuff as I am in infrastructure and services. But that’s probably because I’m one of those evil, wealthy people who doesn’t expect anything for nothing.

/insert flame here.

What about the bloody pensioners, you mongrels?

Maturity level? Ha!
‘I’ve got a shiny bit of paper, I don’t have to say anything’ ‘You don’t agree with me. You must be crazy’ ‘My name is Ralph’
Really…
Anyway, questions, what about these?

Are any changes intended to be made to the current Immigration policies? If so, what? And when will they be implemented?

Will your government make an official apology to the aboriginals for the stolen generations?

There.

I don’t care what the Canberra Times says about tax cuts. I just hope that Johnnie is going to look after those nice people from the Exclusive Bretheran!

I would certainly hope that Canberrans are smart enough to realise that it is unlikely that the govt (caretaker mode or not) would implement changes to the tax system so swiftly, and in the middle of a financial year…

(I should also add that I think the CT is generally full of complete tripe anyway)

Fair point. But a election plan is a long way different from a government rolling out an actual policy – I think CT needs to remember that significant numbers of our population (even in Canberra) don’t know the difference, and may well be thinking that tax cut is now in their pay packet.

I’d say there’s no problem with the fact you’re a student, but it does (presumably) pigeon hole your age group and (assumed) maturity level as a result…

Gungahlin Al said – “For starters, nothing has been rolled out by a government. An election promise has been made – whether it’s core or non-core is not known.

For seconds, they are – as of tomorrow – not the government. They are election candidates just like all the other ones.”

They’re still the caretaker government. I think the only thing you could possibly pick the CT up for there is saying “rolled out tax cuts” instead of “rolled out tax cuts PLAN”.

DMD, perhaps you have a question for a local candidate on how they’ll combat Howards supposedly racist policies?

Yes. It’s just DISGUSTING that I’m a student, isn’t it Ralph?
Learning? Trying to do better for myself? My dear god I’m a menace to society!

Well….at least I don’t hide behind possibly fictional degrees instead of making points, do I?
Makes me wonder which mill you got it from, since you seem to think history barely involves social issues. Or why you no longer teach it…
But this is beside the point. Howard has actively made a more racist Australia, with his immigration policies, supporting Alan Jones whom encouraged Cronulla and more recently supporting the blatantly racist and unfounded comments of his immigration minister. That’s why he’s possibly the worst (don’t confuse that with successful) prime minister we’ve had since the days of the stolen generation. He’s also the reason why we need fixed terms.
Santa Claus, he’s not a clause, was made a myth cause he was red!

Lunch over, gone back to classes.

Stop it Thumper! Next you’ll be telling the kiddies Santa Clause isn’t real … shame on you!

“True – but Keating wasn’t encouraging racism on the scale that Howard has managed to, namely by stealing all of that crazy Qld’er Hanson’s policies.”

Hanson crazy!!!! You take that back – that’s an insult to crazy people!

No brain today, Ralph?

Posting, as usual.

No school today DMD?

Posting crap as usual.

I can guarantee sunny weekends. Tell the mines they can only release emissions on weekends from Friday afternoon through till Sunday.

It will rain on Tuesday/Wednesday every week under my policy.

True – but Keating wasn’t encouraging racism on the scale that Howard has managed to, namely by stealing all of that crazy Qld’er Hanson’s policies.
Where’s my schooner?

“Will you give me my tolerant, livable country back, you bastards?”

When was Australia tolerant?

Oh hang on, that was probably when Keating was calling the Malaysian PM a recalcitrant and Evans was making jokes about eating the Chinese Premier’s missing dog! 😉

Mind you, Whitlam was pretty tolerant: he really tolerated everything Indonesia did while ‘jackbooting’ its way over the top of the East Timorese in 1975!

Will you sign the Kyoto Treaty?
Will you apologize to the indigenous population of Australia for the stolen generations on behalf of the government you will represent?
Will you refute the current immigration minister’s baseless claims that Sudanese immigrants have difficulties integrating and increase immigration from troubled, war-torn Sudan?
Will you stop locking children up in barbed-wire compounds in the middle of the desert and find a more humane way to process refugees?
Will you show some independence and responsibility for our armed forces by not engaging in ‘pre-emptive’ military action on evidence already proven insufficient?
Will you give me my tolerant, livable country back, you bastards?

As you can see, I’m grudging voting labor come Nov. 24. Only in the house of reps though. Bob Brown for PM!

On the topic of los federales, the Canberra Times is less than prudent with their headline today: “Govt rolls out $34b tax cuts”

For starters, nothing has been rolled out by a government. An election promise has been made – whether it’s core or non-core is not known.

For seconds, they are – as of tomorrow – not the government. They are election candidates just like all the other ones.

I think CT needs to be a bit more careful with their sub-editing than this effort.

Govt funding per capita for public health & education facilities seems to be on the slide, and the current govt appears to be pushing more people towards private health care & private education. What are your thoughts on this? If elected, in what direction would you be attempting to drive our health & education systems? What initiatives would you pursue in these areas?

“…..so will you also commit to other immediate action on other issues that you have the same amount of control over like, for instance guaranteeing an immediate end to the drought whilst at the same time ensuring that weekend remain sunny?”

And stopping Magpies from swooping in Spring!

We can assume that your party is committed to keeping interest rates low – so will you also commit to other immediate action on other issues that you have the same amount of control over like, for instance guaranteeing an immediate end to the drought whilst at the same time ensuring that weekend remain sunny?

Do you personally support having Australian troops in Iraq?

Will you lobby to convert Admiralty House in Sydney as a museum, as has been done with NSW Government House? Alternatively will you build equivalent Houses in each state capital and the PM can have a holiday in each whereby he can get in touch with real people?

“What is your biggest flaw?” ** if you say “I work too hard.” (or any other such pat crap) you don’t get the gig)

What work have you done apart from being a politician or political staffer or party/union/lobby employee?

On what issues are you prepared to promise you would cross the floor, even if it threatened your preselection?

The ALP started it, and the Libs have blown it bigger than Ben-Hur but what will you do to stop obscene sums of public money being poured down the toilet of advertising?

What is the single most pressing social issue in Australia today? And the single most pressing environmental, economic and foreign relations issues?

Do you support disclosure of the ultimate source of all political donations and support activities? If not, why not?

My question has already been asked but anyway:

What private opinions do you hold which are different to those of your party?

What will you do for the large student population of Canberra? What do you think about HECS fees, full fee paying uni courses, increasing Austudy payments, cost of living etc.

MrMagoo – the answer to that question will only ever be YES when the party answering the question is in opposition.

Will your Party in Government NOT use advertising to self promote your own policies at a massive cost to the taxpayer?

LG – it’s been on here for a few months now. He was probably one of the first paid advertisers.

Just noticed the Troy Williams ad on the site. that was quick!

+1 to Thumper’s question.

“As a ‘safe’ candidate, what have you done during the last 3 years to deserve the benefits of a safe seat?”

How about: “gimmicks and lame rhetoric aside – what are you actually going to do for Canberra?”

1. What would you like to see as the first piece of legislative change brought about by your Government?

2. What are your personal goals for your first year representing the ACT?

3. On which issues do you disagree with your Party’s stated position?

I would like to see a regular employment application style Resume (CV) for each person, just as you would expect from any other potential employee.

What is your current stance on the state of Broadband in Canberra and what do you plan to do to improve this service?

Do you think that it is important for the Prime Minister and their family to live in Canberra?

What is your experience or qualifications in economics?

Sorry… I have to ask these:

(a) If you win government (or hold a balance of power on the cross-bench) will you actively support and commit to the relocation of a major Government Department or Agency to Gungahlin in your term.

(b) If you win government (or hold a balance of power on the cross-bench) will you actively support (via funding) the construction of a comprehensive, fully integrated public transport system incorporating Light Rail for the Capital Region.

I am a big fan of the responses we’ve had from this one in previous election campaigns.

Suppose that you and I (the candidate) are stuck in an elevator for 5 minutes. You know nothing about me other than i’m in your electorate. What do you say to convince me to vote for you.

Can you give us a PRACTICAL example of what WILL benefit CANBERRA if you are elected to Parliament as opposed to your opponents?

Do you consider that making observations about the structure and makeup of the other major political party as beneficial to your own party’s role in the election ?

Email interview… cool!

Ok, how about:

“Are you in favour of fixed election terms? Why or why not and if so what length of term are you in favour of and why.”