Comments on: Spin cycle

By: Alex Turvey

Alex Turvey — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:19:46 +0000

Not that it counts for much I guess, but it does show I suggest the level of interest by the candidates themselves in the election – I went to Beecroft on Monday to check out the pre-polling in Epping- there were only 2 candidates represented – Smith with corflutes and an energetic young man and a lady representing Levine- with a bag of how-to-vote cards but no corflutes or posters.

By: wombat

wombat — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 07:49:38 +0000

The current seat of Epping may have taken in some northern parts of the pre-99 seat of Eastwood but has far closer resemblance to the pre-99 seat of Northcott. Basically fairly safe Lib territory although Smith’s brand may not go down well in all areas.

Re comments on Hornsby Council. It is the fashion for local Libs to portray themselves as Independents. Mind you, they run tickets that are authorised by prominent local Lib identities and booths manned by same people who man Lib booths at state and Fed polls. Granted, a few DO identify themselves as members of the Lib party in the local press but not all ……… including some who are serial preselection candidates. Doesn’t bother me that they are Libs rather that they’d have the balls to stand as what they are ……. something that the local Greens and ALP have done.

Riverstone being moved further north towards Windsor will aid the Libs but may be a bit too much of a stretch this time. Do remember the Lib candidate in 2003 (one Ray Williams – intending Lib member for Hawkesbury) carrying on like he was a shoo-in ……. and failing to carry 1 booth on 2PP.

Had a nice old chuckle re the comments on Prue Goward’s “thin skin”. Nice to know that things never change. Remember her ABC TV days when she fancied herself as quite the little attack dog …… but couldn’t handle it when fire was returned. Potential Lib leader methinks not.

By: kogarah

kogarah — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 03:17:36 +0000

In Kogarah, I received more pamphlet and signs of the labor candidate Cherie Burton than normal letter last week, I donâ€™t even know if the Liberals are running in the seat. On Tuesday we also had a visit at Kogarah station by the celebrity Labor personality Frank Sartor, there was two things wrong with this
a. Rochdale (where he was parachuted into, is 2km down the road
b. I heard quite a few people muttering that thank god he is not their mp, when you are that popular, a wiser choice would be to lay low

By: Ben Raue

Ben Raue — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 02:52:07 +0000

Talking about “independents”, it’s fairly common in Camden and Wollondilly (although not in Campbelltown, where even the indies register parties and effectively run as a coalition, that’s cause Ctown has no wards and is more like a PR/party list system as a consequence).

The seat of Camden was won off Labor by Liz Kernohan, the “independent” (ie. Liberal) Mayor of Camden in 1991. When she retired in 2003, it was won back by Labor’s candidate, the “independent” Mayor of Camden (and Kernohan returned to council as an “independent” for six months in 2004 before passing away), and the Liberal candidate this time, with quite a good chance of winning, is the “independent” Mayor of Camden.

Likewise Phil Costa, the Labor candidate for Wollondilly, is the “independent” Mayor of Wollondilly. Although I think someone forgot to let the other Wollondilly councillors in on the joke, as they reacted fairly angrily when he was preselecting, voting no confidence in him as Mayor and restricting his ability to speak on behalf of the Council.

By: Evan

Evan — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 22:00:29 +0000

Yes, both winners of the Hornsby Council C Ward By-elections were Liberals posing as Independents: not uncommon in this part of the world.
Andrew, like you, I’ve received a mountain of mail from the Libs in Epping. Nothing as yet from Labor or the independent, but I presume they don’t have the resources available to Greg Smith. The ALP of course isn’t going to bother campaigning too much in Epping, a seat they will never win.
The independent candidate Martin Levine however might have a chance, if enough disaffected Liberals lodge a protest vote over Greg Smith’s preselection.

By: Western Suburbs Magpies

Western Suburbs Magpies — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 10:24:27 +0000

Josh WK, both Hornsby C-Ward wins were for declared Liberals. Not much more that can be said there. Greg Smith just seems to be trying to build name recognition, replacing a popular local.

People (including Marcus) should note that Riverstone does not really have any of Blacktown proper in it anymore (that bit was moved into Toongabbie). The seat is exclusively north of the M7, right smack bang in the middle of new housing estates. How this will affect it is anyone’s guess, but it certainly isn’t Old Labor anymore.

Apart from the fact that the Liberals aren’t in Riley St anymore (they had to sell it to finance excessive expenditure on the 1999 campaign) I am starting to doubt their strategy.

Most people I talk to want to give Labor a kick, but seem to doubt the competence of the opposition. At the same time, some good grassroots campaigning may swing it either way in particular seats.

If Iemma is in the South Coast for real, he must have similar poll results to the official ones, but maybe it just helps him in Kiama.

By: George

George — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 07:52:28 +0000

I think Berejiklian will increase her margin.

By: Josh WK

Josh WK — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 06:49:17 +0000

In Epping, maybe the recent council by-election results (C-Ward) have spooked the Libs a little: declared Liberal candidates, from memory, fared rather poorly, and both times an Indie was elected (admittedly the second was a declared member of the Liberal party, but was also a former mayor of the Council). The Greens achieved 33% of the primary vote in the Feb. 17 by-election – more reflective of a ‘who the heck are these two independents’ vote than a genuine swing to the Greens, perhaps, but it is at least POSSIBLE that there are small-l liberals in Epping who are fed up with Debnam’s right-wing posturing and scaremongering, and are looking for any alternative.

I doubt it’s a seat-to-watch, but perhaps the election of the Right faction Greg Smith made a little impact, it was one of the more high-profile preselections of the campaign.

Pat Reilly in Willoughby: I live in the seat, but there is very little recognition of him outside Willoughby Council itself… how do the ‘commentariat’ rate his chances?

By: oakeshott country

oakeshott country — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 06:35:20 +0000

I suspect the leaflets in Sydney have been done at the candidates expense. The major parties tend to spend minimal amounts on any but the key seats. Any other campaigning is done at the sacrificial lamb (sorry, candidate’s) expense.

By: Sacha

Sacha — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 04:49:11 +0000

Good question, Ben – I’d suggest that the Libs have the least chance of winning out of themselves, Clover, the Greens and Lab. Edward Mandla hasn’t distinguished himself by continuing to say that he’s “listening” to what people think about the injecting centre, as he’s been “listening” for over 6 months! I think that that’s just code to not antagonise people who are either for the injecting centre or against it, especially as the official Liberal policy is to close it down the first day Debnam is Premier!