The election IS ON, and so are the cliches. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was already pulling out the usual election campaign jargon when he announced he’d called the election yesterday, as was opposition leader Bill Shorten. In preparation for the next five long weeks, Crikey has pulled together a guide to help you read between the lines when the pollies bring out their old tropes.
The only poll that matters is the one on election day: I just lost my 29th Newspoll in a row. (See also: “I don’t pay attention to the polls”.)
This is the most important election in our lifetime/ever/for the next X years: You must vote for [insert party here] or risk the country’s future — a scare tactic to make voters panic about voting for the other party.
If a swing’s on, it’s on: One of many meaningless phrases used in commentating elections — if voters have changed their support from one party to another, the seat/government could change hands.
This will be 150 [these days, 151] by-elections: But some are more important than others.
I’m not going to talk about hypotheticals: I don’t want to answer that question (see also, “Let me be very clear” before changing topic and “I’ll leave the commentary to you”.)
A fair go: We know what you deserve, and we’ll treat you better than the other party. Both leaders had pulled this out within hours of the election being called, so you can expect to hear it a whole lot more over the next five weeks. (Related: “We’ll govern for hard-working families”.)
I have a plan: I might not be telling you what or how just yet, but I promise I know what I’m doing.
At this election there is a clear choice: And you should choose us!
If you can’t govern yourselves, you can’t govern the country: Especially useful in recent years, used to draw attention to dysfunction in the opposite party and distract from any such dysfunction or incompetence in one’s own party.
It’s not won/lost yet: It probably is won or lost, we just can’t admit it.
We’ll be governing for everyone, not just those who voted for us: You should vote for us even if we don’t stand for anything you believe in.
So it will be interesting to see what happens: I have no idea what’s going to happen.
Last minute swing back to X (anytime from the Wednesday before polling day): We’re hedging our bets/holding out hope that the polling isn’t right.
The hard work starts tomorrow (on election night): I’ve got a lot to do if I’m going to make good on any of those election promises.
Got a favourite election cliche (and translation)? Send it through to boss@crikey.com.au
“This is an election about choices”
Yes, that is what an election is.
“This is beyond politics and it’s a shame that [opponent] is trying to score cheap political points.” Translation: we’re really vulnerable on this.
So far there appears to be little discussion around, or forensic disection of, Morrison’s 2019 catchphrase ” a fair go for those who have a go”. This seems to me to be a not so subtle, even pernicious, reworking of “lifters, not leaners”
So if you have a go, all good, the LNP coalition will look after you. But what if you can’t have a go? You’re unemployed on Newstart. Looks like you’re a Dole Bludger, you’re not having a go, so no fair go for you. You’re disabled. No fault of your own, but you’re not having a go, so no fair go for you either. Refugee? Queue jumping, restaurant threatening thug. Not having a go, no fair go for you. You suffer from a chronic illness? A burden on the system, not having a go, so there goes your fair go. So if you are poor, marginalised, disadvantaged, or otherwise unable to “lift” tough toenails, not interested in you, other than to penalise, punish, and demonise you.
So if you are a media mogul, or run a multi million dollar multi national, or want to dig a giant coal mine in Queensland, presumably that’s having a go. You all get really fair goes. The rest of you just need to try harder.
It is patently obvious from J Edgar Tuber’s latest “statement” that the disabled are of no account.
He has my vote already for Arsehat of the year, 2019. See you next tuesday.
It is patently obvious from J Edgar Tuber’s latest “statement” that the disabled are of no account.
He has my vote already for Arsehat of the year, 2019. See you next tuesday.
Of course it is lifters and leaners again.
Standard Liberal Party divide and conquer.
I haven’t seen the sacred Laura Nauda icon being waved about yet.
I suspect after the spectactular failure of Laura Norder at the Vic state election that the Coalition have sent her on a year’s holiday to sunnier climes.
Laura and Chuckles cash as well?
Labor has a vision for the future.
The LNP are financial resource driven. The promises made are highly dependant on the state of the economy from their point of view. NDIS came a cropper through their resources being allocated elsewhere. The Budget is in deficit at present, It is merely a projection at this stage that the economy will be in the black next financial year. Sheer manipulation of facts.
A strategy used by the LNP appears to be to make application forms extremely difficult to fill in, or make criteria exceptionally high before a services can be obtained.
To create employment, immigration levels have been high, the LNP are suggesting they will reduce migration, so fewer new positions can be expected.