Get the election goss first – only available in Crikey’s subscriber only emails. Here’s some of the liveliest election snippets we’ve been running throughout the campaign.
Snowden’s cynical preference strategy
A Top Ender writes:
Hi Crikey, here’s a late starter for the sleaziest preference deal contest:
In the NT seat of Lingiari the sitting member, Warren Snowden is preferencing his primary opponents- the CLP- ahead of the Greens. The reason for this? Wocka is first on the ballot paper and wants to run his how to votes straight down the ticket donkey-vote style as he doesn’t trust the Aboriginal voters in the electorate to follow a more complicated ticket. Encouraging donkey voting might backfire on him next time around if he’s in the middle of the ticket though.
Not another Ruddock principle ratted on
Further to our item yesterday on Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock’s politically subversive lunch choices, a subscriber writes:
“If I recall correctly, Mr Ruddock is a proud vegetarian- along with Andrew Bartlett. What’s he doing chowing down on a meat pie? He used to feature on an Australian website for vegetarians as a prominent vegetarian in politics.”
Yeah. And he used to be a human rights campaigner, too. Bet he eats raw flesh now. It would follow.
Latham looks to Koch on interest rates
Whew!! We can all rest easy under a Latham Government. Interest rates won’t be going back to 18%. Says who?
Well, according to a Labor Party election flyer in letterboxes across Sydney today, Iron Mark’s mob says “David Koch, Respected financial commentator Channel 7 Sunrise 15.8.04, Sun Herald” was quoted as saying “There is absolutely no indication or any sign of home loan rates getting back to 18% under either a Coalition or a Labor Government”.
And Rory Robertson of Macquarie Bank was quoted as saying on 30.8.04 “I think under any government interest rates will remain low”.
Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative…
Embattled Liberal MP Ross Cameron seems to have discovered a handy new way to be seen in his electorate – without getting into trouble. Cardboard cutouts of the love rat MP are proliferating. We were going to say they seem to be breeding like rabbits, but that assumes a value judgement….
Getting personal in Dickson
In the Brisbane seat of Dickson, Liberal Peter Dutton, who ended Cheryl Kernot’s political career with a massive swing back in 2001, is distributing a carefully targeted brochure taking credit for new local child care places. It comes complete with a survey Dutton asks voters to complete “so we can better understand which areas of Pine Rivers still need more places”. Not that, we imagine, he can do much before October 9.
In case child care doesn’t do it to you, other voters in Dickson are receiving a personally addressed full colour letter from Dutton enclosing a postal vote brochure and explaining “We must choose between careful economic management which will allow Australia to continue to grow, or risk it all by putting an inexperienced and unproven leader in charge of Australia’s $800 billion economy”. And all this in a seat that is six per cent Liberal – on paper, anyway.
Why Aussie Post loves Malcolm Turnbull
In New South Wales, Australia Post must just love Malcolm Turnbull. Look at these two messages from Wentworth readers:
“I got home from work tonight to find 2 letters from the PM and 1from Turnbull. Decided to open only one of them to read I have a real concern that the seat of Wentworth could be won by the Labor Party at the next election. Wentworth is not (underlined) the safe Liberal seat that many people imagine’. Well, bless me and I thought this was a blue ribbon seat!”
“Just thought I’d let you know. Yesterday we received FOUR letters from the Prime Minister at this address. TWO people live here – myself and my partner. I received two copies of the same letter and so did she. It mentions that the mail out is not Govt funded and how the PM is worried about Labor winning Wentworth if Peter King stands against Malcolm Turnbull.”
Ross Cameron’s solo portrait
“Ross Cameron is off and running. He has mailed out his personally addressed fliers with the motto ‘Protecting’, ‘Securing’ and ‘Building’. There is not one photo of his wife or any children on the flier or his website.
“Apart from the usual Medicare, aged care etc he has bolded ‘We must choose between careful economic management which will allow Australia to continue to grow, or risk it all by putting an inexperienced and unproven leader in charge of Australia’s $800 billion economy’.”
Mal Brough’s promotion
There’s been a rush mail-out in the Queensland Liberal marginal of Longman. Either Mal Brough didn’t have time to proof-read a page and half or there’s been a snap reshuffle that’s created the position of “Assistance Treasurer”.
Localising Mex Fox’s daughter
Mick Mitsubishi writes: “If you go to the web page of the Labor candidate for Boothby, Chloe “I’m Mem’s daughter” Fox, you find that she’s pretending to be a local.
She lives outside the electorate but her web page has her address as a post box at the Mitcham Shopping Centre in the electorate. And another thing. Her biography has her down as teaching at “an Adelaide secondary school”. Why is she hiding the fact that she is working at one of Adelaide’s more prestigious private schools, Loreto College? Perhaps it’s because it doesn’t sit well with Mark Latham’s attack on funding independent schools.”
Another South Australian, Patti Zan, has this to say: “Has the Labor candidate for Hindmarsh joined the Liberal Party? Why is he putting out flyers printing in the traditional Liberal blue colour? He’s not trying to trick unsuspecting Liberal voters is he?”
Misdirected postal votes
Here’s something in Wentworth that Malcolm Turnbull doesn’t need to worry about – but instead suggests that the New South Wales Labor machine is losing some of its much-vaunted gloss. Labor MP for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek, appears to have just sent postal vote applications to a whole lot of households in Paddington on the Wentworth side of Oxford Street. The bright purple colour is, er, curious, Fine – presumably as long as they weren’t called Bin Laden.
Labor Labor in Hindmarsh
The Labor candidate in Hindmarsh, in South Australia, Steve Georganas, has been telling the electorate for months that he is running a modest campaign with the help of his wife from the kitchen table. That may be so, but the kitchen seems to be in an odd place – a lavish new building on one of the electorate’s busiest intersections. We wonder where Steve’s bathroom is.
Trish Draper’s hypocrisy
The election fairy has been sprinkling the voters in the South Australian marginal of Makin with mail that says “The Howard Government’s Trish Draper believes that families are the most important part of our community”. In the wake of her much publicised travel troubles the sheer gall of the idea must have left her political helpless with laughter, because they don’t seem to have got anything of their own into local letterboxes.
The graffiti of the campaign?
Spotted on Hoddle Street, Richmond: “Sauron votes Liberal”.
Making Dave Tollner look good?
What’s in the water in the Top End. Crikey readers all know and love the CLP Member for Solomon, Dave Tollner. He is a source of endless entertainment. But what about independent candidate Maurice Foley? Have a look at these comments from the transcript from the local edition of Stateline :
MAURICE FOLEY, INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE: What are you? What does it mean to be a human being? Next thing to consider — definition of love. Love is that sense which allows us to see others as they really are — fellow elements in an ongoing river of life. Not individually special, not individually vital. But collectively part of earth’s greatest immanence. The only way forward, to recognise this, for us to live as we can. So vote one ‘Philosophy’.
Hockey’s helpers
The Greens are polling strongly in North Sydney, and last week we reported claims that the Member, Tourism and Small Business Minister Joe Hockey, had hired some backpackers and dumped them in yellow t-shirts to provide a token yoof presence at his own launch.
Now, an email comes our way from “a Commonwealth Public Servant… taken to a jumped up little media event” for Hockey – the announcement that the old submarine base at Neutral Bay in his electorate will be handed over to the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Trust if the Libs are returned. Backpackers and public servants for media events, Joe? Surely not?
Who’s Mr M William Mackenzie?
Who the hell is Mr M William Mackenzie of North Rocks, New South Wales? He admires John Howard. That’s for sure. Brochures authorised by him telling punters “We live in critical times. It’s not time for taking risks. You can trust John Howard to make the right decision in a time of crisis.” are turning up in letterboxes in at least two states. Any info, Crikey readers?
Free and fair debate
An inveterate letter writer e-mails:
“The Tories have given up trying to nail Mark Latham. They’re now trying to intimidate his supporters one at a time. I’ve had 2 letters published in the SMH over the past week, and I copped a hate letter on each occasion. The first was anonymous, called me a cretin for writing about Guantanamo prisoners and included a tissue full of body fluids. The second was not so disgusting; it came from Turramurra after I’d criticised John Howard’s P & C capital works for schools bureaucracy – it reminded me of high interest rates under Labor and warned me of renewed doom and gloom. It seems the Tories don’t like free speech, a free press and dissenting opinions!”
Forget Eden-Monaro – watch the ACT Senate
A Canberra TV viewer writes:
“One of the interesting aspects of the federal campaign in the ACT (if there really are any) has been the amount of television advertising for Liberal Senator Garry Humphries. Humphries has had as much advertising space as his needy colleague over the border in the marginal of Eden-Monaro, Gary Nairn. Surely the Libs don’t need to put that much revenue into the good Senator’s campaign?”
Will the second Senate spot for the ACT – both go up for grabs at each election – fall to Green Kerry Tucker, or is there a real chance that Labor number two David Smith will get it. The ACT Senate race is really shaping up as one for the wonks.
If Tucker wins or – heaven forbid – two Labor Senators are elected, the recriminations within the local Liberal should be something spetacular. Humphries just defeated former Prime Ministerial adviser turned key taxpayer funded dirt unit, whoops, Government Members Secretariat member Gerry Wheeler in the preselection to replace long serving ACT Liberal Senator Margaret Reid when she finally stepped off the gravy train. It was a hard – and expensive – competition. It will be interesting to see who has the guts – and the deep pockets – for the contest if Humphries goes down.
The election online
Sick of policy on the run? Policy made on the double quick? Try some policy on the double click. Check out the random policy generator here. Quite possibly the site of the campaign.
Meanwhile, for a refreshing take on the campaign, go to https://completelybiased.blogspot.com. The name says it all.
All over for the Love Rat?
Here’s a prediction. Newspoll is currently polling the marginals for this week’s Sunday Telegraph and we hear that love rat Ross Cameron is gone in Parramatta. However, Gary Nairn is looking better for the Liberals in Eden Monaro.
Lucy’s pitch to the women of Wentworth
A Wentworth voter writes:
Dear Crikey
Lucy Turnbull’s impassioned plea on behalf of her brave and misunderstood spouse was delivered to our house on Monday. We have five voters in the household but only the three females received personal missives from Mal’s missus. Is this a response to the so-called “doctors’ wives”?
Cheers, Kerrie
Sydney Aquarium gets all political
The latest addition to our political websites comes from the most unlikely source of the Sydney Aquarium. Check it out here: https://www.fishtycuffs.com/
Howard overboard
A drunken sailor? We can’t help ourselves and have to give a plug to the Truth Overboard game on the website of the Greens candidate for Bennelong, Andrew Wilkie. The Fib-O-Meter, where John Howard’s nose grows as the porkies increase, is fairly spectacular, too.
Meanwhile, are the rumors true that the Greens are polling above 20 per cent in both Bennelong and North Sydney? No wonder the PM was suddenly talking about saving the Tasmanian forests – a promise he quickly broke by cuddling up with the loggers.
Things get kookier in Solomon
ABC radio in Darwin this morning reported that at last night’s “meet the candidates” forum hosted by the NT Environment Centre, Independent Candidate Maurice Foley led the crowd in a political meditation.
“In between, when your eyes are open, when the lights are on, you’re in The Matrix”, Foley solemnly intoned.
Meanwhile, Crikey’s favourite candidate, Big Dave Tollner, is one of only 3 of the 7 Solomon candidates to have responded to the Voters Guide questions posed by the Australian Christian Lobby.
It may surprise some Crikey readers, but the poll reveals Big Dave is a regular church-goer, and Dave answered “yes” to the question “would you support preventative approaches to tackle drug addiction in Australia rather than harm minimisation policies?”
Nothing new under the sun
How has Shadow Employment Services Minister Anthony Albanese escaped a caning for this performance last Friday on the ABC Illawarra:
PRESENTER: Are you saying that by 2009 there will be no youth unemployed?
ALBO: That’s exactly right.
It sounded just like Hawkie at the 1987 campaign launch. Which leads us to our next question. How can Albanese channel Hawke when he isn’t dead yet?
Sheer policy genius
Political observers should never ignore the minor parties. Who knows what ideas of genius they might miss. Take these suggestions from Nicholas McShane, the Ex-service, Service & Veterans Party Senate candidate in South Australia.
It’s not online, but in his manifesto, Nick says: “There is need to reapply our national rail grids as fossil fuel resources dwindle. There ought to be a national financially induced scientific incentive to find an alternative means of locomotive power, for example perhaps achievable by huge battery tenders, solar and or wind charged, for locomotive journey step stationed for a transferable power source.”
Tim Fischer was a train buff. Why didn’t he even do anything on this when he was deputy PM?
Family First sermons
The Holy Spirit tells us that the congregation at the Burnie Christian Centre in the Tasmanian Labor marginal of Braddon was subjected to a Vote 1 Family First sermon last Sunday.
The faithful, however, has since discovered that a vote for Family First in Tassie increases the chances of Labor Left leading light, David Price, being elected to the Senate, thanks to their preference deals for that house – and are wondering if this is heresy.
Greens v Dems
The Australian Democrats and their supporters are going down fighting. They’re taking exception to a Greens online poll at https://www.greens.org.au/familyfirstpoll
It states “The Democrats are directing Senate preferences to the Family First Party ahead of the Greens nation-wide” then asks “Which Family First policy is the most offensive?”, listing opposition to same sex marriage, support for corporal punishment for children and opposition to abortion rights amongst others.
A correspondent suggests “How about another poll that says the Greens are preferencing Labor ahead of the Democrats across the county. Which Labor policy is most offensive?
a) Mandatory sentencing of asylum seekers
b) Allowing clear-felling in outback Queensland
c) Opposition to same-sex marriages
d) Pushing up the price of the PBS to low income earners
e) Draconian new ASIO powers which target non-suspects”
They’re probably glad to have it off their chest – but we doubt if it will make much difference.
Gays and Lesbians Putting Labor Last?
Many gays and lesbians are still very angry about the decision by the Labor party to support the new anti-gay marriage bill, (Marriage Amendment Bill 2004.)
There is a website asking gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals, trans-gender and people who do not support discrimination to put the Labor Party Last and the Liberals second to last. Typically Labor could always count on gays and lesbians to at least put them before Liberals, but not now. Many, after an agonizing soul search are putting Johnny before Mark. Considering there are a few marginal where there is a large gay population this might swing a seat.
Brian Deegan
Brian Deegan, the anti-Downer candidate standing in Mayo, gives his occupation on the AEC website as “magistrate”. Strange – seeing as how he resigned even before the election was called, at the behest of the Chief Justice who felt his political posturings were at odds with a judicial role.
Any candidate who is an office holder of the Crown must resign once an election is called. For example, in Kingston Kym Richardson, a local copper, now refers to himself as “former policeman” on the AEC site. Doesn’t “magistrate'” Deegan know the law?
A new sea shanty
What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
Ear-ly in Octo-ber.
Put him down last don’t re-elect him.
Put him down last don’t re-elect him.
Put him down last don’t re-elect him.
Ear-ly in Octo-ber.
Holier than thou?
Why doesn’t Shane Neumann, the Labor candidate for the Queensland Liberal marginal of Blair make the Family First grade, punters wonder. He is heavily involved in the local Baptist church, after all. A case of holier than thou?
Family First’s preferences explained?
Forget the talk of some svengali being behind Family First’s preference decisions. A simple typo may have given us the answer. Key in www.alp.org – no “au” – and you come to the homepage of the “Audre Lorde Project”, a “Community Organising Centre for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit and Transgender People of Colour”.
A new anti-Latham site
We’ve been over-run with anti-Howard websites so it is good to see some enterprising Coalition supporter has fired up another anti-Latham website, this time looking at his performance as Mayor of Liverpool.
Check it out here: https://www.mayorlatham.com
Ross Cameron’s sex and party change
Check out the AEC candidates page here. Scroll down to Parramatta and you’ll see that sitting Liberal Ross “love rat” Cameron’s email contact is julie.owens@nswalp.com.
Ross must have made a party swap and had a sex change. Or is Julie just one of the many ladies on his email list?
Finals fever
Are Family First about to receive a Port Power related bonus? One of their key people is Michael Aish – a former South Australian footballer and the 1982 winner of the local equivalent of the Brownlow, the Magarey Medal. The fact that he played for Port Adelaide’s archrivals, Norwood, will surely be overlooked in a win over the Victorians.
A different kind of sermon
Complaints come from the Assembly of God church at Nambour about a very different kind of sermon – a 15-minute party political advertisement for Family First. Presumably the text was not “render under Caesar”.
Ivan Molloy’s other views
Labor candidate for Fairfax Ivan Molloy has plenty of media attention this week over his views on terrorism, but what about some of his other opinions. He appears to have also taken an interest in the tropic idyll that is Castro’s Cuba. What next? Love letters to the Dear Leader in Pyongyang?
More problems with the AFR map
Not only is that AFR electoral map full of errors and difficult to understand, but it has the electoral boundaries from the 2001 election. Not very clever. This one is much better: https://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2004/electionmaps/
Rove’s stunt
Around noon a light aircraft was seen towing a banner around the Parliamentary Triangle. The banner read “Mr Howard pls come on my show -Rove”. Doesn’t Rove know that he’s not there?
A boffin writes:
“Had an email overnight from a colleague who is attending the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference. Hot gossip is that Alexander Downer might be a candidate for the post of DG of the Agency when it falls vacant at the end of next year. Could this be true?”
Latham on the run…
Great story in the SMH and Tele today about Latham’s tactics for dealing with journos who ask him about his health. He challenges them to a jog and the journo who was challenged yesterday pulled a calf muscle after 8 minutes and had to quit. According to the Tele the Journo was Gerard McManus.
Check out the SMH story here – Latham gives reporters run-around on health
Have the Greens disowned Michael Organ?
Michael Organ wasn’t at the Green’s launch at parliament House, he’s not on the cover of their literature or the masthead on the website. Both feature Brown and Nettle, but not Organ. Why?
He only appears on the website further down with a long list of candidates, but is not given the same status as Brown and Nettle.
The Daily Tele reports Organ’s spokesman said it was because he was away up north when publicity was put together, but could the MP have been banished by his own party?
See the short report in the Tele here – The Green Lantern
Taking the political temperature
A clever little Labor brochure has appeared in a Brisbane marginal – a black and white A4 flyer headed “Medicare Check – Name: Peter Dutton, Electorate Dickson”.
It lists Dutton “Health Record” with points such as: “Allowed bulk billing rates in the electorate of Dickson to fall more than 37% in three years – source – D’ment of Health and Ageing Sept 2003. Diagnosis: Medicare in Dickson is in a terminal condition. Suggested treatment: Save Medicare before it’s too late. Vote Labor.”
It’s a clever use of medical imagery for a cheap maildrop. Expect to see more of it.
Where have we seen that face before
Another political ad star. “Lisa Chesters, last years National Women’s Officer for the National Union of Students is the girl in the flowery shirt bidding for a uni degree in the Labor ‘auction’ ad.”
Pragmatism or hypocrisy
Haven’t the Prime Minister and John Anderson – let alone those brochures that the NSW Liberal Party have issued but won’t put their name to – claimed that Bob Brown is the spawn of some unholy alliance between Kim Jong Il and Rosa Luxembourg? So why are the Liberals giving their preferences to the Greens in key inner city seats in NSW and Victoria where the shrubhuggers could give Labor a fright – Sydney, Grayndler, Melbourne and Wills?
Wasn’t the Prime Minister warning of the “shadowland” of a Parliament where the Greens had the balance of power? Why is he helping? When does pragmatism become gross hypocrisy?
The Wentworth wilderness
Malcolm Turnbull gagged? Not quite – but more than a few of his posters have “Not happy, John!” stickers plastered across his mouth in the photo. A few gags could have come in handy at the candidates’ forum at Bondi last night organised by the Wilderness Society, too. Bill Heffernan took up most of the front row and offered fortissimo scoff at the end of virtually every phrase uttered by Peter King.
Election lottery
Labor have a cute little brochure going out in Dickson in Queensland. It’s headed “The Great Federal Election Scratchie – Who are you really voting for? 2005?? 2006?? 2007?? Scratch here.” Scratch away – and pictures of Peter Costello are gradually revealed. Not bad.
One Nation preference strategies
One Nation are clearly on the ball in the marginals, if this exchange is anything to go by. A Crikey reader wrote:
“I am a registered voter in Dobell. Could you please advise to whom your candidate is directing preferences.”
This reply came through:
“I don’t believe that his decision is made up yet. Where do you think he should direct his preferences to?
Regards
Brian Zarth
PHON NSW Web Manager”
An online focus group, perhaps?
If you can’t govern yourself…
Okay, okay… we know Crikey can’t talk about typos and lits – but Michelle O’Byrne, the Member for Labor’s most marginal Tasmanian seat, Bass, is not impressing many people with ads where she manages to misspell her own name in the authorisation line.
Blue for boys, pink for girls
Now here’s a novel campaigning idea. The embattled Liberal MP for Parramatta, Ross Cameron, is putting out separate direct mail letters for the blokes and the sheilas. And, no, he’s not adding a saucy PS to the version for the ladies. At least not on the example we saw.
See for yourself – here for boys. And here for girls.
Know your demographic
Some enterprising soul has been at work on a Malcolm Turnbull poster on Edgecliff Road. Rather than reading “Putting Wentworth First” it now says “Fisting Wentworth”.
Some preferences don’t matter
Bob Brown bagged the “far-right Family First Party” when he announced the preference deal with Labor on Saturday – yet in the West that isn’t stopping the Assemblies of God linked party directing their preferences first to fellow God-botherer Fred Nile’s CDA and then to the Australian Democrats, whose ticket is topped by Brian Greig.
Stroppy doctors wives?
Are Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey really in trouble, as the Sunday Telegraph suggested yesterday in this piece? While popular local independent Peter McDonald gave the Mad a Monk a scare back in Warringah at the 2001 poll, he is staying out of the fray this time round and the Fishing Party isn’t seen as a major threat.
North Sydney, however, could be a different matter. This was the seat, of course, that threw out Liberal blue-blood and second generation MP John Spender in 1990 in favour of the former local independent mayor turned local independent state MP Ted Mack.
Even Hockey’s old boss, John Fahey, has been heard to remark that the boy is getting a bit big for his boots – and he’s scarcely shone in his portfolios. Then there’s the matter of the local weirdo he’s been linked with, the one who lives down at Kirribilli…
The pols listen to Crikey
Labor MP for the Tasmanian marginal of Braddon, Sid Sidebottom, has remodelled his website after it was listed in Crikey as a “what not to do”. The silly typeface has been changed, the voiceover welcome gone and the special “Word art” election welcome binned. An invoice for web services is in the mail, Sid.
PS We’re not sure about the picture on the site of Sid on a quay talking on a mobile. Remember that Tim Fischer incident with the phone call on the bushwalk, Sid? Don’t get distracted.
Weird and wonderful candidates
A Labor staffer writes:
Have you seen the name of the Liberal Party candidate for Capricornia? Her name is Ms Di Kuntschik – not sure how to pronounce it.
And the Liberal candidate in Jaga Jaga is obviously working the other side of the street – his name is Woody Inman (Woody in man – geddit!). I’m told his name has got a few rave reviews in gay circles.
Canterbury tales
This piece in the SMH on Saturday was definitely the most interesting and insightful profile we’ve seen on the PM in a while. Was it public knowledge before that the man who delivered five straight deficits as Federal Treasurer also failed high school maths.
Khemlani Koverage
More on the komprehensive Khemlani koverage in Brisbane Lawyer magazine. The author is one Sandra Kafrouni. Amazingly, a member of the Klan Khemlani and the Fig Tree Pocket Young Liberals has exactly the same name. Spooky, hey!
Green dirt sheets
Green preferences are in the news – and the toxic anti-Green brochure that the NSW Liberal Party won’t put their name to has now appeared in the Blue Mountains in their seat of Macquarie, held by Kerry Bartlett. No doubt it is delighting the local Berchestgarten Brigade.
God on their side
First Ross Cameron – and now we hear that another marginal Liberal God-botherer has an interesting interpretation of just what muscular Christianity involves. Apparently they have a highly idiosyncratic approach to the laying on off hands – and even once tried to fill Pauline Hanson with, er, the spirit.
Dogged by controversy
Labor voters in Makin in South Australia are delighted to finally see some evidence that their candidate, Tony Zappia, is alive. The biggest news in the seat still, however, is the story of how embattled Liberal MP Trish Draper’s dog Bessie bit Brendan Nelson on his recent visit to the electorate. It more than makes amends for Draper’s well publicised travel troubles in the eyes of some undecided voters.
Playing favourites
Susan Davies was one of the three Victorian Independent MPs who bought down Jeff Kennett five years ago, but now she is the Labor candidate for the outer eastern Melbourne marginal of La Trobe, being vacated by Liberal Bob Charles.
Davies received a profile on Victorian edition of Statelineon Friday – – but why the favoured attention? The only other electorate Stateline has looked at is Victoria’s most marginal, Deakin, a fortnight before.
Stories say that the ABC is sitting on a program on filmmaker Richard Franklin, the lead Senate candidate in Victoria for the Indigenous Your Voice Party and recipient of $10,000 from Channel Seven’s Vote For Me, but won’t put it to air because of the campaign. However, Aunty is happy to showcase Pauline Hanson on Enough Rope. True? Please explain.
Khemlani kwestion
“Is this man the future of the Liberal Party in Queensland?” asks Brisbane Lawyer magazine in a profile of our friend Khemlani. Quite possible – if the local Libs want to drop even lower than the three state seats they won back in 2001. Fans of the Member for Ryan are also delighted to see that the mag raises some of the more colourful allegations surrounding Khemlani – like certain claims regarding fundraising a certain restaurant – before saying they were baseless. So why mention them, then?
Locusts and wild honey
From the wires: “Animal rights activist Ralph Hahnheuser has begun his attempt for a Senate seat in South Australia by saying he will go on a hunger strike for three weeks up to polling day”. Perhaps some other political, er, heavyweights could benefit from his example. Any nominations?
Innocent naif
A touching home made, unauthorised, A4 sheet is ending up in letterboxes all over the blue-ribbon Victorian Liberal seat of Goldstein, being contested by former Liberal federal director Andrew Robb:
“The Liberals are Liars! Vote them out this election!,” it reads.
“Election day is your chance to tell the Liberals what you really think of them.
“Deception, evasion, self interest – put an end to it by casting your vote away from the Liberals.
“Do you want another three years of limp leadership, lies and failure to
listen? You can make a difference!”
Touchingly naive – but if we knew who was behind it, we could probably recruit a whole army of letterboxers to help them.
Oh bruvver where art thou
News comes that the loggers union, the CFMEU, is looking at running candidates in some key marginal seats with forest industries – including the radically redistributed Gippsland, now held by Science Minister Peter McGauran by just 2.6 per cent.
The news will delight the ALP – and the Victorian Liberals, too. If McGauran is defeated, the local Libs are convinced the seat will be in their hands in an election or two. National Party politics in Victoria are a family affair, and the state Libs have long been unhappy at the presence of McGauran’s brother, Julian, in a protected place on the Senate ticket. If Peter goes, the Libs should be able to rip up the Senate arrangement with the Nats and claim that spot, too.
High profile recruits
The Victorian Branch of the Liberal Party has felt a little overlooked over the past few years. They’re never really happy when someone from north of the Murray is Prime Minister. However, at the moment everyone from the humblest branch member to senior staff at 104 Exhibition Street can give themselves a pat on the back. Compare and contrast. What high profile recruit, what example of impressive new blood is doing better – even though it mightn’t be reflected in column centimetres – out of Malcolm Turnbull and Andrew Robb?
Asking for trouble
Who’s advising Labor’s candidate for Parramatta, Julie Owens? She’s regularly leafleting railway commuters, even though Sydney’s creaking rail system is one of the nastier bones of contention between local voters and the New South Wales state government – and despite the Carr Government’s decision to leave the Parramatta end of the much ballyhooed Parramatta/Chatswood rail link to further down the track (geddit?!?). Crazy brave.
Close of rolls figures
We’re all waiting to see the final nomination figures from the AEC but instead this afternoon they’ve sent out this link to the final voter numbers which is interesting in its own right.
More hardball in New South Wales
This time it’s directed at the embattled Liberal MP for Parramatta, Ross Cameron. Has anyone else received election info in their letterbox telling them not to vote for a candidate and then not say who it is from? 
Click here for a larger image:
https://uat.crikey.com.au/images/2004/09/15-YV02WF9J00.jpg
A sign from God?
Fred Nile and the Christian Democrat Party all shout “Halleluiah!” whenever it rains on the Mardi Gras parade. However, theologians are puzzling over the implications of events at the CDP’s Senate launch in Warringah. The shindig was interrupted when the lights suddenly failed.
Bible belt
The parties of the left clearly think that Mitchell, in the bible belt of Sydney’s Hills district, is unwinnable God-bothering country. This seat covers Baulkham Hills Council, which has been distracted recently by local opposition to the building of a Muslim prayer room at Annangrove – and who have they chosen?
Well, the Democrats have chosen Kamran Talebi, an Iranian refugee, while Labor has gone for Harry Walia who, according to the bible that is the Labor website, appears to be a Sikh. Obviously they’re not expecting to win.
New kids on the block
We hear that one Tom Stephens is the new Labor candidate for Kalgoorlie – even though it had been reported in the media that he ruled himself out and as late as yesterday evening he was phoning members of the local party Administrative Committee soliciting votes not for himself, but for another bloke.
Haven’t they learned from Ross Cameron?
Just what’s going on in the seat of Robertson? Look at this photo from Liberal MP Jim Lloyd’s election insert in the Central Coast Express Advocate. Jim is maintaining professional etiquette but not the Minister. The brunette looks very cosy – and only one of the women is named.
Check it out here.
Pushing it?
Someone isn’t trying a bit of push pulling, are they? This report comes in from a disappointed Labor voter in the seat of Adelaide: “My wife had a call last night asking if she knew Trish Worth had sold her house in Adelaide and had a property in NSW would it make any difference to her vote.” Naughty!
Expert opinion
Since it quotes such a dedicated Crikey reader, we’d better quote this Labor brochure appearing in the West. It’s headed “What the experts say on interest rates,” and has this little line from the Sunrise program of August 18: “There is absolutely no indication or sign of home loan rates getting back to 18 per cent under either a Coalition or a Labor government”.
And the expert? Crikey favourite David Koch!
Divine intervention?
The Assemblies of God backed Family First Party is having an impact far from its birthplace in South Australia. It announced on Monday that it will be fielding a Senate team and candidates in every seat in Queensland – more wannabe MPs than the local Libs and Nats and the same number as the ALP. While Bob Brown continues to make much of his preferences, with an effort like this in such a key state Family First votes could end up becoming a crucial factor in determining the final election outcome.
Local touch
What is Labor up to in Bass? Member Michelle O’Byrne has a new brochure out featuring lots of talk about “Strengthening Tasmania’s Economic Opportunities” and “more and better essential services in north-east Tasmania” and three pix of her beloved leader – taken in Ingleburn, New South Wales. The name of town even appears in some of the pics.
Church news
Parliamentary Secretary Trish Worth, South Australia’s most marginal Liberal, has newsletter out this week featuring a picture of the Member discussing issues over her desk with the PM. Present in the background is a photo of Worth with a number of local church leaders, including the former Anglican Bishop of Adelaide, Ian George – forced to stand down earlier this year after incompetent and insensitive handling of sexual abuse claims by the local diocese. Whoops!
Public private partnership?
“Save Medicare and bulk-billing” screams the headline on the latest newsletter from Labor up-and-comer Stephen Smith. So why does the accompanying picture show the Member for Perth standing in front of the Mercy Hospital – the electorate’s largest private hospital?
Touche!
Craig McConnell, the Labor candidate for the Queensland marginal of Dickson – Cheryl Kernot’s seat during her unfortunate time with the ALP – has a nice sign off line on his latest maildrop: “Not printed using taxpayer funds”. Touche!
Naughty, naughty!
It’s campaign hardball from Scott Morrison and the New South Wales Liberals as this leaflet lands in more and more letterboxes across the state: https://uat.crikey.com.au/images/2004/09/13-YUTTY3BT00.pdf
Not that you could tell who the brochure is actually from. Look at the authorisation line. It mentions Morrison, but doesn’t actually name who he represents.
Odd. Very odd. The leaflet doesn’t pull any punches – so why does it spare its readers this gruesome detail?
Canberra Liberals – we deliver
From Briant Clark, the most can-do political candidate in Australia:
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004
The residents of Nicholls will no longer have to drive to another suburb to do something as simple as post a letter. Briant Clark, Liberal candidate for Ginninderra, will meet with local residents today at 2pm at the Nicholls shops, where Senator Humphries will announce that the people of Nicholls will be getting an Australia Post mailbox.
“I have been out door knocking and listening to the people of Nicholls, ” stated Mr Clark. “A lot of the residents I have spoken to in Nicholls feel like they have drawn the short straw. Many are not happy that they miss out on the basic things that most Canberrans take for granted. Such things as being able to post a letter.”
After hearing many complaints by local residents in relation to not having a mail box for posting letters, Mr Clark was able to follow this up with Senator Humphries who will be actioning this need. Briant Clark is dedicated to listen to and represent the people of Canberra in the ACT Assembly.
Campaign style is back in fashion
A few people are out and about wearing their NOT HAPPY, JOHN! t-shirts. One wonders if they have compatible undies? Check out the range of knickers, including ‘Vote Liberal? My Arse!’ undies – online at https://www.polichicks.org/
Why not wear your political heart on your backside? And let your most intimate friends know you’d rather stab yourself in the eye with a fork than vote for the Liberal.
Latest election campaign website – time for Howard’s end?
A subscriber writes:
Although the number of anti-Howard websites continues to mushroom, the latest instalment is of a slightly different ilk. It is a competition called Howard’s End ’04 whereby people are invited to submit their own slogan expressing why they think it’s time for Howard’s end.
Slogans have to be less than 65 characters (for obvious reasons) and the prize is that the winning entry will be printed on 5,000 fridge magnets (what else?) and distributed in the PM’s seat of Bennelong in the days leading up to October 9.
Surely the politically sharp and witty minds of the Crikey Army could drum up some good entries! As the website proclaims, if you think it’s time for Howard’s end, say it with a slogan at www.HowardsEnd04.com.
Khemlani koverage
Queensland Liberal Leader Bob Quinn put on a spectacular show of stonewalling when asked about the Russell Galt payments on PM on Friday evening – https://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2004/s1196870.htm – but we hear that he felt less constrained at the party conference dinner on Saturday night.
Much less constrained. He seemed to have plenty to say to Khemlani. Still, credit where credit is due to Member for Ryan. At least he had the sense to stay away for the day itself and left the dinner immediately after Bob’s boll*cking.
Postcard from Washington
A subscriber writes:
“Recalling your coverage of Richard Howard’s White House internship, I wish to bring to your attention the lad’s latest exploits. He is currently in the states working hard for George W Bush’s re-election campaign. I also heard that his email was rhoward@georgewbush.com, which I have confirmed is a genuine address at the campaign (by sending an email which hasn’t bounced and for which I got a delivery receipt.) Hope this is of interest for you – do with it what you will!”
Hmm. Is it naughty to give this item a run? Probably not. The Howard family, after all, seems to have a comfortable and relaxed attitude to the matter of spam.
Now where have we heard this before…
American politics wonks! Hold your noses and log onto the One Nation website https://www.onenation.com.au and check Senator Len Harris’ comments on the Free Trade Agreement:
“Workers will unbolt the very machines that they have worked for years and years, dismantle them, put them into shipping containers and send them overseas along with their jobs.”
Those non existent Liberal dirt unit members have made much about Labor borrowings from American pols, but don’t Len’s lines come from Dick Gephardt or John Kerry or some other Democratic Party luminary? Can someone confirm their source?
A curious focus group
An enthusiastic election researcher e-mails Crikey:
“Have just been on the town hitting the tabletop dancing establishments. Strangely enough many of the girls were keen to talk politics. Believe me when I say that I didn’t raise the topic. I generally try not to think of Latham and Howard when in the presence of scantily clad women. Bad news for Mark Latham. Amongst this key demographic Howard is trumps, much to my surprise.”
Equal time diversions
Meanwhile, if you’re bored with all the websites having a go at John Howard, check https://www.advancedhair.com.au/2004/latham.html. Not that we think his hair could get much sillier.
Bob Brown wins the Russian vote
So Bob Brown might have been on a winner with his idea that we send koalas to Beslan despite what those nasty Murdoch hacks say. Blinky Bill writes:
I have recently returned from Russia, and I can assure you that Russians just LOVE stuffed koalas. Embassy workers, Siberian Airlines workers, Aeroflot workers, and you name it. They are a real hit. I always carry a number in my bag when overseas, and I can assure you that one koala does more than any Australian Embassy staff member would ever bother to do. So popular are they that I have just mailed off a package to Russia of – you guessed it – stuffed koalas.
Telstra hanging up on local call centres?
The linesman for the county writes:
Rumours continue to circulate inside Telstra that the telco is sitting on an announcement to cut back on the number of call-centres it operates in regional and rural Australia as part of a “realignment” until after the election.
Earlier this year there was public outcry when it looked like huge chunks of the Ballarat Bigpond workforce were to be hived off to sites in Melbourne or Adelaide. Now the focus has shifted to Moe, where Teletech operates a large 400-500 staff site for Telstra , handling mobile sales and services. The word is that Telstra have decided not to renew Teletech’s contract which ends in October.
Moe, of course, sits in the hightly marginal seat of MacMillan – currently held by the ALP’s Christian Zarra but notionally a Coalition seat after the redistribution.
The Monarchist League’s expert advice
It looks like Phillip Benwell and the Monarchist League got expert advice before deciding not to back Peter King for Wentworth. Check out this item on Antony Green’s Q & A page at the ABC’s election website – here.
Silly parties and silly candidates
We’ve never heard of this lot, but apparently they are a registered political party – https://www.greataustralians.org.
Have a look at their site and click on candidates. They state “Great Australians have the goal of contesting every Federal Seat and Senate position in the upcoming 2004 Federal election”. There is then a list of all 150 electorates but, unfortunately, no candidates.
Are they doing a JFK and using Sinatra’s High Hopes as a campaign song?
Moving on
Morrie Motorist writes:
“This morning on the Cahill Expressway toll booth on the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a black and white sign saying ‘Moving Sale, Kirribilli House, October 9’.” Can any kind Sydney commuter let us know of its fate – or if it pops up again.
How they are connected – online
A techie writes:
“John Howard’s ‘Welcome to my Bennelong website’ at www.johnhowardmp.com is hosted by a company called Web Central located in Brisbane. Web Central Pty Ltd has on the board no other than Lucy Turnbull, the other half of the candidate for Wentworth. Web Central is owned by FTR Holdings. On the board of FTR holdings are Ms Lucy Hughes Turnbull (Non-Executive Director, Chair) and Mr Malcolm B. Turnbull Non-Executive Director. How very neat for all concerned.”
Queensland Lib Diversions
The Prime Minister might be holding his formal campaign launch in Brisbane – but no doubt he’ll be steering well clear of the Queensland Liberal Party State Conference in Queensland this weekend. After all, it only took how long for the local faction fights to dominate the election campaign?
Tourism Minister Joe Hockey should also avoid the do, too. He’s come out today complaining about the impact of the Queensland Government’s proposed smoking bans, saying making patrolled beaches smoke-free is “draconian”. Unfortunately for Joe, it was the Queensland Liberal Party that first got the issue on the agenda.
Mike Kaiser no genius – former opponent
The former Queensland Liberal State Director writes:
Secret Weapon? Pahlease, stop the gush now. Having being the Liberal State Director in the 1995 Qld State campaign (the so called “unloseable election for Goss) where the Liberal side of the Coalition won 7 of the 11 seats needed to change government, having then been campaign director for Mundingburra’s Frank Tanti the following January and winning that by-election campaign to usher in a change of government – and on all those occassions, having Mike Kaiser as my opponent – and seeing his “genius” up close and personal – hmmm, I must say the words “secret weapon” just don’t spring to mind. But what would I know?
James Barron
How green is the King?
Hi Crikey, I noticed from the listing below on AAP Medianet’s diary that Brad Farmer is fielding media calls for Wentworth candidate Peter King.
If he’s the same Brad Farmer I’m thinking of, he’s best know for setting up the coastal protection group Surfrider. See this link: https://www.coastal.crc.org.au/hiab/about.html
I’m not sure what to make of it, but it certainly suggests King is going to try to impress on the electorate that he’s got a green heart.
Labor all tied up?
Ok, so we’ve still got 33 days to go in the campaign – and the big tax announcements are still to come – but how happy can Labor be with the current state of the polls.
Look at the two most recent – the Newspoll of the 12 most marginal Government seats published in the News Limited Sundays and the Taverner poll from the Sun Herald.
The Taverner poll, taken September 1-3, gave Labor a whacking great 59 to 41 two party preferred vote. Happy days? Well, the Newspoll said the Government was ahead in seats it needs to hold with a 2PP of 52 to 48 per cent.
Are we going to see a repeat of 1998 – a strong Labor vote tied up in Labor seats that does not translate across to the marginals? Kim Beazley got a majority of the 2PP vote then – and look where it got him. Is this what these two polls show?
The PM’s website
A subscriber writes:
Dear Crikey, perhaps The Rodent is too busy spamming everyone but he deserves a spray about the currency of his web-site. Probably it’s due to the scant regard that he holds for his constituents but as we are almost into the second week of the campaign, it’s somewhat surprising there’s noting on his local web-site about the pending election…have a look at www. johnhowardmp.com
Has anyone noticed that the Australian Electoral Commission is using “You’re the Voice” as the soundtrack on its enrol to vote ads? Has anyone noticed the lyrics?
You’re the voice, try and understand it
Make a noise and make it clear
We’re not gonna sit in silence
We’re not gonna live with fear
And has anyone pointed that last line out to Phillip Ruddock?
Coonan gaffe
REPORTER: Senator Coonan, Mark Phillips from Australian Associated Press. I just can’t resist asking you with an election campaign underway today whether Peter King is fatally wounded, and Malcolm Turnbull’s chances of entering parliament.
COONAN: Well, what I would say is I certainly hope not. And I think it is disappointing that Peter King has decided to stand as an Independent. However, I actually live in the electorate of Wentworth and I’ll be out there supporting Peter King … Peter … Malcolm Turnbull.
[Laughter]
COONAN: Supporting Malcolm Turnbull as the endorsed (laughs) Liberal candidate. I supported Peter King last election.
Did anyone else laugh on hearing PM last night? What a priceless encounter between Ross Cameron and a very well-meaning constituent who congratulates him at excruciating length on being so ‘honest’ about his infidelity.
The transcript is here but the real audio is the better option. The constituent says the following:
“I wanted to congratulate you on your honesty and yeah, really appreciated the fact that you were prepared to share something personal and to not play just the typical political games. Yeah, I have voted Liberal in the past. I’m not a Liberal voter because to me there have been some rather atrocious breaches of international law and other things that don’t really gel with me in terms of what a government should be doing but that aside, I would be voting for you because of your honesty.”
ABC website gets even better
Okay, you thought the ABC website was good before. It just got a whole lot better. Now, as well as all the background material, the news content is up to date. And check out the interactive map.
The only question remaining is why doesn’t the ABC put a link to it from the front page of their site? Only the best election website, top of the pops on the Hitwise politics site listings, but buried away inside the site. Does Sandra Levy determine web site content as well?
As expected, David Britton is running the media operation from the bunker, just like in 2001.
Bruce Billson, the sitting Liberal Member for Dunkley, has had a website for years at https://www.billson4dunkley.com
He may begin to wish that he had registered brucebillson.com all those years ago as until 4 weeks ago the domain name had never been taken. Now a website has popped up at https://www.brucebillson.com that he may prefer didn’t exist.
Just another example how much of this election will be fought online.
The Oz publishes old electorate boundaries
Oh dear! Someone at The Australian deserves to get their butt kicked this morning. The electorate map and state by state results published this morning includes a footnote that states “Taking into account redrawn boundaries”.
Unfortunately, the boundaries drawn are nearly all the old boundaries. Somehow Victoria includes both the abolished seat of Burke and the new seat of Gorton, and South Australia still has 12 seats.
Quite a mess. Let’s hope they correct it tomorrow.
What happened on October 9?
Crikey subscribers are smart cookies, but how many of you remember those characteristically humble words with which Gough Whitlam greeted the calling of the 1972 election?
“The second day of December is a memorable day. It is the anniversary of Austerlitz. Far be it from me to wish or appear to wish to assume the mantle of Napoleon; but I cannot forget that 2 December was a date on which a crushing defeat was administered to a coalition, another ramshackle, reactionary coalition.”
So, what happened on October 9 and what does it mean? Political editor Christian Kerr reads the tea leaves on the site here: https://uat.crikey.com.au/politics/2004/08/29-0003.html
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