Like the other posters here I’m an admirer of your blogs. I think your criticisms of Labor’s campaign are pretty spot on. Labor has played a very tightly disciplined game of lock-step with Howard.

The strength is that it has denied Howard opportunities for a wedge or a dog whistle – certainly that was the case with the ’save the children’ strategy, the Haneef arrest, even the Mersey Hospital. Given the perception of Howard as dominating the media, it was successful in nullifying Howard from diversions.

The weakness is that it reduces the extent of criticism of Howard’s agenda, and diminishes Labor’s efforts to establish a new direction.

I know that you don’t accept IR/Workchoices as so dominant in the campaign. To the point that it’s not on everyone’s lips, I’d agree. But I’d also agree with the McKerras thesis that springing it on us without notice was a serious breach of trust. The ‘no argument’ approach to rushing it through compounded that impression. It was a turning point in the way Howard was viewed. After that, anything he said or did was viewed for the political motives behind it.

And oddly enough, that was pretty well the correct perception. Everything he does is for the political implications – hence his rush to embrace nuclear energy as a belated attempt to catch up on climate change, while still trying a wedge.

So I’d say Workchoices led to that change in belief about Howard.

On another matter, assuming from your pen-name you’re a South Aussie, how do you think Nicole Cornes is going in Boothby? My impression, from Phil Robins occasional posts is that, despite the bagging she’s getting from MSM and political insiders, she’s actually faring quite well with voters at large.

Koch, Doyle and O’Keefe?? Is that some kind of joke?

Nope, it’s serious – they’re even running the ads.

I’m surprised they’re not doing the National Election Night Bingo Game.

SATIRIST Charles Firth, game-show host Andrew O'Keefe and Sunrise presenters David Koch and Melissa Doyle have been roped in by the Seven and Nine networks in a bid to make their election night coverage entertaining for viewers.

However, both networks stress they are taking the November 24 poll "extremely seriously" - while attempting to cast each other's plans in a frivolous light.

Seven's first commercial-free, full-night election coverage in about 20 years (to be called Your Call 07: Election Night Done Right) will be hosted from the Canberra tallyroom by Koch, Doyle and Deal Or No Deal host O'Keefe.

Seven's executive producer of news and current affairs, Mark Llewellyn, described the line-up as "people who are entertaining but who have absolute cred".

"They are people who communicate with the audience very, very well," Llewellyn said. "We're not looking to plant ersatz entertainers into the coverage, as others might be."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22721793-30540,00.html

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22721868-5014046,00.html

Those numbers confirm what my Lib staffer mate told me the other week (posted on a thread somewhere here, tho I’ll never find it now) – especially in SA.

I don’t see any way they can get out of this now. I think it’s over.

National 54/46 swing 6.7%

NSW 54/46 swing 5.9%
Vic 55/45 swing 6.0%
Qld 54/46 swing 14%
SA 58/42 swing 14%
WA 50/50 swing 5.4%

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/files/newspoll-8nov.pdf

What a slimy shameless creep.

Oh and the Doctor’s Union are opposed to these Clinics as they are “Impersonal and Beaurocratic”

OH and what about large Privately run Medical Centres ??

FEDERAL Labor's plan to fund two GP super clinics in Perth has nothing to do with the fact they are in marginal seats, opposition health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon says.

Campaigning in Perth today, Ms Roxon announced a Labor government would invest $5 million to establish a GP super clinic in suburban Wanneroo, in the Labor-held marginal seat of Cowan.

The same amount would be provided for another clinic in Midland, and also in Labor's other marginal West Australian seat of Swan.

Ms Roxon said Midland was chosen because of a doctor shortage in the area, while Wanneroo was a growing area with many young families.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22718438-5006789,00.html