Comments on: Seat du jour: Makin

By: Matthew Sykes

Matthew Sykes — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 10:56:28 +0000

1. SA Seat Predictions Part 2: Makin
This is a seat that labor people in south australia will enjoy watching out for on election night, hoping that the liberal candidate Bob Day doesn’t win. Bob Day, as William points out in his analysis is a veteran of the industrial relations wars, and is closely associated with the HR Nicholls Society, and has written some controversial papers on minmum wage (or lack thereof) policy.
The Labor candidate Tony Zappia, stood at the 2004 election, and is the mayor of the city of Salisbury, and thus has a strong recognition factor, particularly with the retirement of the sitting member, Trish Draper. This gives Zappia an added edge in this seat. Labor has been stressing Zappia’s efforts with water recycling programs as Mayor.
I think the anti-workchoices feeling in Makin, coupled with the recognition factor of Zappia, and his environmental credentials point to a hefty swing to labor.
So, a labor gain, with a predicted swing of 8%.

By: gordon

gordon — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:33:55 +0000

Charitable fellow is our Bob. Even started up his own Union. The Independant Contractors Association. Wonder why a big builder would do that! There is bucket’s of Merde coming young Bob’s way. Its not where you start that counts, its where you have been and what you have done. Unfortunately for Bob, many people know where Bob has been and what he has done. I am sure when the good elector’s of Makin get to know of Bob’s privatise the profits, socialise the losses approach to life, his votes will be few.

By: BrissyRod

BrissyRod — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:12:56 +0000

Predzo – I guess, based on your assumptions, Bobby Day has nothing to worry about.

By: Predzo

Predzo — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 13:00:18 +0000

If Arbie Jay is correct then one would think that IR would be a hot topic of conversaiton in Makin. It isn’t. In fact, when a public meeting was called to discuss Work Choices it only a handful of “Your Rights at Work” faithful turned up. Perhaps the community at large recognises that unemployment is at a historic low in the area (3.8%) down from 9% in 1995 and that cumulative real wages growth in Australia has been 15% over the same period. (OECD figures) That doesn’t sound like widespread exploitation to me.

By: Arbie Jay

Arbie Jay — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 09:54:50 +0000

Work Choices is falling apart each day and Bob Day is one of its big supporters.

Besides the forgotten 350,000, those who were forced onto Work Choices before Howard’s so-called fairness test, and are not subject to any review there are also over 25,000 agreements refused because they could not pass the test.

I don’t see how Makin could be any different for the number of employees ripped off under Work Choices or the number of employers totally confuused and dismayed with the extra paperwork and confusion it has brought.

By: The Chinster

The Chinster — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 09:32:30 +0000

Aslan – People talk about Rudd having a glass jaw: Bob Day is so sensitive to criticism that he even tries to justify his motives for entering politics to people he knows work for the local Labor Members of Parliament! Interestingly, his years of good works for charity always get a mention; not bad for someone you claim is too modest to talk about it. If he’s saying that to the enemy, what’s he saying to people he wants to vote for him?

By: BrissyRod

BrissyRod — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 07:16:58 +0000

Aslan – I guess you have different information to me as to the so-called ‘benefits’ of Workchoices in South Australia.

As to the effects overall, as judged by the good voters of Makin, I guess we will see on election night.

By: bill weller

bill weller — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 07:04:25 +0000

In Kingston small business is suffering to the multinationals. These same multinationals are now moving into small townships splitting the community. Workchoices makes it so much easier for the big companies to compete and destroy the small business. Take a stroll down one of the shopping streets near the beach and those owners will tell you. It seems both major parties have let these people down both state and federal and interestingly the Greens seem to be slowing picking up small business membership. I think the real fear the major parties have with the Greens is that they are no longer the “Hippie club ” but a real alternative that is attracting a broad membership. When the Greens start to win lower house seats will we see a uniting of the major parties to fight this similar to what happen to Pauline Hanson? It makes you think what is this Greenswatch website and who is behind it. I have never seen such an immature and weakly based site with the so called public comments very sad.

By: Aslan

Aslan — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 05:23:40 +0000

BrissyRod, Makin is full of small businesses that benefit from WorkChoices, which has enabled them to employ more people and in full-time positions. This also benefits those employed of course. The unemployment rate in Makin went down from 9% to 4%.

These thousands of small businesses started out much like Bob Day did–with very little–and have grown as a result of their own hard work. ie. they aspire to do what Bob Day has done.

I doubt very much whether WorkChoices will play that big a role in this seat.

By: Predzo

Predzo — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 03:39:19 +0000

If Day truly was a “shameless self promoter” (as BrissyRod claims) why would he waste energy and resources supporting all manner of humanitarian causes beyond the bounds of Makin, South Australia and even Australia and then tell no-one about it. There are no votes for Day in quarry villages in the back blocks of India or among refugees or homeless youth in our cities.

As for being a “lover of Work Choices” (another claim) – I think that Day, as someone who has provided thousands of people with jobs over the past thirty years, has a much more credible view of what creates jobs and sustains employment than those who sit on the sidelines and criticise.

Anyone who thinks that Makin going to Labor is a foregone conclusion knows nothing about Day’s determination and tenacity.