This is a real issue of concern and one reason why I have been advocating that the electoral statistics on the night MUST include the number of postal votes, prepoll, absentee and provisional votes issued. (not to be confused with the number of postal votes returned).

There is no reason why this information can not be tallied and reported on election night or at the latest the Monday after.

All this information should be readily available and forms part of the polling place divisional office’s returns.

Had this information been available during the Victorian State Count (As requested) then the disastrous, should not have happened, mistakes made by te electoral office would not have happened.

By not presenting this information the electoral office is always open to the allegation of stuffing the ballot box after the result.

This is one reason why I also like to compare the lower house polling place data with the upperhouse. I theory they should match. (IN Victoria’s case they did not match and votes went missing from count A to count B – Little wonder why Steve Tully has refused to published the statistical preference data for the first count to avoid comparison and independent analysis.)

My mother, maybe. Nursing Home, Kingston. Asserting a liking for Howard.

Totally out of character.

So tricky, understanding dementia.

Not for some, apparently.

Understood, exactly. Tax will do. In the current absence of.

And I think that was what Bushfire was kind of proposing, in a different way.

Someone in the US was taken into long term imprisonment in the last 24 hours for same stuff as the AWB perpetrated, but under a Criminal Law, which we have not yet enacted.

Despite the late unlamented Peter Costello’s promise to do so. Three or more years ago.

PS Lefty E, thanks muchly for following that up.

Retirement Villages with Nursing Homes on site, not so far from me, but electorate Hindmarsh. Howard consistently visited this one. Election before this, too.

As I was informed, sardonically, by an astute retirement villager and her husband, as it happened. Showing me the official invitations from the management of the homes.

Big, big audience. Lapped it up. The Prime Minister!

Betcha Howard was at all such homes in Boothby, Kingston, Makin. Just didn’t have other sources of information. Though could have, if I had thought about it.

SA is renowned for many things, including an aging and apparently captive audience.

Yes, William, I said, go to bed, just checking. You have not.

1. Libs VERY organised with postals, and sent out material (which looked almost official, ie from Oz govt) saying this is how you apply for a a postal vote
2. Then, when the AEC sends the voting papers, they have a fair idea (since they reported the voter request to AEC) when to send bulk Lib advertising to the residence, to arrive at roughly same time.

Borderline dodgy, but perfectly legal. ALP should either

a. Ban the practice of having parties advertsie the postal vote scheme, or
b. Get as organised as the LIbs at exploiting it.

HArry, when I look at seat updates I go to these two places:

http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseCloseSeats-13745-NAT.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/results/seatsindoubt.htm