• Joe Spagnolo of the Sunday Times reports that the Liberal internal polling that persuaded Troy Buswell to go showed that even with Buswell as leader the party would have retained Bunbury (Liberal-held but notionally Labor post-redistribution) and won the notionally knife-edge new eastern suburbs seat of Kalamunda. However, they were trailing slightly in the must-win seats of Albany (Labor-held but now notionally Liberal) and Kingsley (northern suburbs, Labor-held, notionally line-ball). A report from Robert Taylor of The West Australian suggests the poll showed them winning all four if Barnett was leader, by a margin of 60-40 in Bunbury. However, Taylor also reports Labor polling is believed to give them a “nice buffer”.
• Independent Churchlands MP Liz Constable has been included in the new shadow cabinet, with the public sector management and government accountability portfolios: smartly chosen in the context of an election campaign that will emphasise Brian Burke and ministerial sackings, but potentially very dangerous thereafter. The formerly estranged Rob Johnson and Graham Jacobs (members for Hillarys and Roe, with the latter set to contest the new seat of Eyre) are back on the board.
• It now seems likely the Liberals will be unable to accommodate Deidre Willmott, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry policy adviser who had to abandon Cottesloe so Colin Barnett could shelve his retirement plans. This leaves the Liberals with a grand total of four female lower house candidates out of the 43 nominated so far: Liza Harvey in the marginal Liberal new northern suburbs seat of Scarborough, Andrea Mitchell and Milly Zuvella in Kingsley and Joondalup further north (respectively line-ball and marginal Labor) and Ruth Webb-Smith in long-shot Kimberley.
• Today’s West Australian reports that outgoing Carine MP Katie Hodson-Thomas is ruing her decision to retire, made on the day Troy Buswell became leader. Hodson-Thomas complained Buswell had made “inappropriate comments” to her in front of male colleagues.
• The West Australian’s Gary Adshead reports that Sue Walker, the Liberal-turned-independent member for Nedlands, is yet to have nominated for the election, prompting speculation she was “throwing in the towel”. Walker responded by telling Adshead that a man had come into her electorate office to say her “life was in danger”, but that “providing there’s nothing that stands between me and the close of nominations, I intend to nominate”.
• Alan Carpenter has announced a re-elected Labor government will spend $160 million rebuilding Albany Regional Hospital, after earlier committing only to a $55 million redevelopment. Albany was won by Labor in 2001 and retained by a 1.4 per cent margin in 2005, but the one-vote one-value redistribution has turned it into a 2.3 per cent Liberal seat by expanding it into rural areas beyond the city limits.
• In other policy news, the Kimberley canal is officially off the agenda of a first-term Liberal government. Word is that the once-bitten twice-shy Barnett will pursue a “small target” strategy.
• If you’re a Crikey subscriber, you can my read quick overview from today’s email. The upshot is that the Liberals are a better chance than the $4.25 being offered by Centrebet suggests.
UPDATE (9/8/08): The Sunday Times reports Labor polling conducted after the Liberal leadership change shows Labor leading 56-44 in the new seat of Jandakot, which has a notional Labor margin of 3.6 per cent.
340 Comments
Exactly, the CCC may make mention about the role Noel Chrichton-Browne has with Brian Burke, and NCB’s influence with Troy Buswell, John McGrath & Anthony Fels.
Here’s one of the funnier stories of the election campaign so far about the bitterness between the WA Premier and the Opposition Leader. I haven’t heard this story before but it is beginning to look like Barnett and election campaigns just do not seem to fit together well. Indeed the master of imploding election campaigns Lawrence Springborg would have been proud of this effort.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24150950-5006789,00.html
Frank,
you’re aware that the CCC already cleared Buswell of anything inappropriate (long ago) as well as McGrath (more recent) of any wrongdoing? My understanding is the coming CCC report centres firmly on the Carpenter governemnt’s links with Burke and co – things including stories that have been covered yet unresolved like Carpenter’s involvement at a Burke fundraiser for Ben Wyatt, Mark McGowan and Fran Logan engaging Burke for fundraising and campaign direction (this is the one from the Sunday Times where McGowan tried hiding it by using his wife’s email address). There likely be info on Archer links as well as Ljiljanna Ravlich involvement which was briefly touched on in a previous report but not in any detail.
The CCC has been working this up for a long time. Remember, it had already seized Burke’s computers when the Oppossition revealed the Burke/Fong email thing that eventually dragged McGinty in in the cover up and led to Fong resigning.
I also note that on the Albany Hospital the Opposition also announced their plans yesterday which had it finished by 2012 instead of the 2015 announced by the gov’t. Not sure if you have been following it, but the Libs have been going hard on this in Albany for months and thier plan is apparently based on a leaked governmnet document.
Jasmine @273 in the previous thread
Stygians would be under-dwellers, from the River Styx, which you cross to enter the Greek underworld.
Will Constable now be running as a Liberal candidate, or does she still purport to be an independent?
Yeah thanks Stewart, google and wiki helped overcome my lack of classics education and memory but I was trying to work out exactly why that group of MP’s was being blessed with that description?
Libs ditch ditch. Col: It’s a Canal Too Far.
Jasmine
Good question – maybe skink is making a sexist remark after all…or he thinks they are all demonic, infernal, hellish…or is it a factional think (don’t know anymore who’s in what faction in WA)?
Dont know how much the Burke thing will damage Carpenter, if at all. Could be more than balanced out by the fact that NCB is sill a power in the Libs. Liz constable should run a a Lib.
Buswell may have been cleared by the CCC, but he is still the chair sniffer, and people wont forget, that when the Libs had the chance to make the statement and dump him, they choked, and kept him on. Barnett seems to be there only try and beat Carpenter, not to be Premier, and so the ALP will still be able to keep up the scare. Maybe Buswell will be back if the Libs win and then set about carving each other up??
The ALP is i think a bit vulnerable on Environmental isssues as they have been very, very supportive of development in the north regardless. Still, for most people they seem to be a party that has got things done. Desal plants (1.5 so far), Perth to Mandurah rail (opposed by the libs and now very popular with the punters) work for them. The redistrubution and deserved desertion by the Nats (who may be realizing that they have more in common with the ALP, finally) works for them. I reckon the ALP over here have 1 more term in them before they implode and make the libs look adequate.
Urgh after the page of the west this morning harping on about libs allowing weeknight trading…
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/09/2329873.htm
Libs won’t commit to trading hours changes
Colin Barnett
The Opposition Leader Colin Barnet says he will not commit to any changes to trading hours in the lead-up to the state election.
Mr Barnett says he would like to see stores opening later on week nights but would not make any changes without extensive consultation with all of the interested parties…
“Will Constable now be running as a Liberal candidate,”
Surely Liz will join the National Party to bring steadiness, bearing in mind Gough’s famous quote of course.
What a backflip – no doubt he’s been advised that the IGA would campaign against/withdraw funds from the Libs if they went ahead with it.
And here is how The West reported the policy announcement re Trading Hours.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=90109
How wishy-washy is that – and from the so-called party of Free-Enterprise and Choice.
Carpenter has bailed on trading hours too
Instead of his initial pledge to deregulate completely he’s going to make more places in the city ‘tourism precinct’s to allow them to open on sunday as well letting homeware and white goods retailers open
*nb my source is a PerthNow article that is coming up on planet 3 but not on the website
At least it’s more concrete than “Considering & Consulting”
It’s still very dissapointing. There are facebook groups with thousands of members supporting deregulation. I guess its to quell a political backlash (politcally from the conservative media and the surpisingly influential IGA), but at the end of the day its embarassing that this is still an issue given all other states have sorted it out.
Exactly, and it eventually was revealed that the person behind the IGA campaign was none other than Brian Burke, and Bob Maumill was involved as well.
So it is very hypocritical for Barnett to associate Burke with the ALP, when in fact his tentacles have spread to NCB, who until Tuesday was still writing in Crikey supporting Buswell.
Another article coming out 2mw as well showing a letter form the sniffer victim to Buswell last december. Has her saying she supports him and that he needs to go on etc. Says she began to really hate him when he started denying the incident early this year, Full of quotes from pathetic Liberals saying it proves Buswell is perfect, a saint and a larrakin and that all sexual assault victims are liars and whores
That won’t go down well amongst Women voters at all, How stupid is that ?
Some quotes
“if she was so offended by the original incident, why did she send him such a glowing letter? Then she goes berserk five months later”
“jokes gone wrong”
“he would never try to offend someone”
SeanofPerth,
Is there a URL ?, or is this in the dead tree version ?
Its coming up now in the 2nd section of this article
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24153744-948,00.html
Labor’s five-year plan for law and order
EXCLUSIVE: PREMIER Alan Carpenterwill today unveil a $100 million plan to attract more police officers to WA.
Acknowledging law and order as a major election issue, Mr Carpenter will announce one of Labor’s biggest election commitments — 500 extra police officers over the next five years.
Labor’s police policy will also include commitments to new police stations and additional resources.
Labor will tell voters today that it has already boosted police numbers by more than 600 to 5380 since it came to power in 2001.
*He has already got promises of $350m or so over four years, this cant go on for too long
Hmm, That’s not going to go over well with Local Govt.
Well Labor has the Northern suburbs Vote stitched up
Well there’s ya problem right there. He’s now Shadow Treasurer. Not exactly a bloke you can hide under a rock.
Liberal Party? Comedy gold!
We Know
I don’t know where you got that from, Frank, but if Joondalup’s on the tourist trail, Scabby Beach should be too. In Perth, the possibilities are endless.
And sadly, no flickr shots down Rockingham way.
Subi in no doubt because of the Footy at Subiaco , plus compensate people for the closure of the Subi Markets, plus the fact that Homebase Wembley is open on Sundays.
Joondalup covers areas south like Scab Beach, and north to Butler and surrounding suburbs.
Now if they made Ellenbrook a Tourist Precinct it would really help the ALP retain Swan Hills
Stewart at 9, three out of 4 were from the one faction, perhaps the 4th was friendly fire.
Swan Valley + Ellenbrook Frank, it wouldn’t do to look like you were just helping a marginal seat after the Premier showed such great support for the very popular local member.
LABOR would have won the crucial seat of Jandakot if an election had been held this week, polling shows.
The Labor polling was done on Tuesday after Colin Barnett confirmed he was standing for the Liberal leadership, which he clinched the following day.
It showed Labor securing 56 per cent of the two-party preferred vote in Jandakot, one of 10 marginal Labor seats in the metropolitan area and a bellwether seat for the September 6 showdown.
Jandakot is a mortgage-belt constituency with a 3.5 per cent margin, and whichever side wins it is tipped to win the election.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24155022-5017005,00.html
SeanOfPerth:
I Note Peter Van Onsolen is still banking on a Liberal Win, but I think tomorrow’s article re Buswell’s letter and the blaming of the woman will change the way the election will move.
Chair Sniff Victim story is up.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24153351-2761,00.html
Not good timing this story – reminds the electorate why he quit, and whether there was any pressure for the woman involved to write that letter of support ?
Chair-sniff victim was a Buswell fan
EXCLUSIVE: Paul Lampathakis
August 09, 2008 05:00pm
THE woman whose chair-sniffing revelations helped end Troy Buswell’s leadership supported him after the incident and urged him to stay in politics.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24153351-2761,00.html
I dont think its as bad as it seemed when I read it on my phone, but it does reek of trying to discredit the victim.
By the way there are also rumours that revelations of Buswells former sexual harrassment issues while in local government will come to light during the campaign.
Hopefully it would force Barnett to humiliatingly dump Buswell from the front bench during the campaign, wonderful show of judgment
Oh and by the way, a Minister told me this week that they jokingly refer to the “canal” as the “Far-Canal”
Of course they are trying to discredit her, that’s the modus operandi of sexual offenders/harrassers and their supporters.
But who has he got left to replace Buswell with – will look very shabby indeed.
Sean, I like to think that they heard that here first. Thanks for alerting me to the Jandakot story – update added. Indeed, thanks to everyone for calling attention to breaking news, especially Frank: it’s saving me a lot of work and generally improving the quality of coverage.
also, not sure if anybody has notices, but on Watoday and Perthnow Labor has already been running ads
Shows the words Vision then Stability then Leadership then Carpsy.
This is Labors campaign website http://www.visionwa.org.au/
So the theme is “Vision. Stability. Leadership.”
Great use of words I would think, it’s everything the Liberals don’t have.
They mentioned that on the ABC TV News last night and noted that while the libs will be using Youtube, the ALP have said they won’t be using youtube because of the inability to control comments, though it has to be said you can disable comments on Youtube.
I would have been a talking head on that ABC report, if only I’d had my mobile with me when called.
You silly boy
But be grateful it wasn’t one given to you by Brian Burke 
And speaking of websites it seems WAFamilyFirst.com hasn’t updated theirs
_
http://www.wafamilyfirst.com/index.php
This general discussion seems to be degenerating into some kind of love in between a couple of Labor staffers. Do you people get a bonus for each post?Can’t wait for your positive spin on the NT result.
Frank, as for local government being annoyed about Barnett wanting to amend McGinty’s ‘2 workers in a brothel in the suburbs’ my reading of it is that local government doesn’t want anything to do with it. Can you imagine a mob of councillors supervising the local knocker shop. I haven’t heard of any local government who considers McGinty’s idea as any less crazy than most of the other things he does. Carpenter obviously has some sense, he didn’t even consult him on when to call the election.
Shock Horror, Kids Selling Chocolates like Drugs
I’m awaiting for the Libs to promise to employ “Lunchbox Inspectors” to solve the problem.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24153041-2761,00.html
A: I am not a staffer, Member of the ALP, Staffer not.
and secondly, the NT Election is a who different ballgame. as Adam said in the NT thread, that election is a glorified Council Election.
That should read a WHOLE different ballgame.
Any official voice of local govt in WA is an extension of the liberal party. If they can’t come out and applaud a canal colin promise, no person can.
From the Buswell article posted earlier:
I’m curious about the timing of the article – within days of an election being called, are the Liberals who are leaking this on a death wish to remain in opposition ? You would think that you wouldn’t be kicking “own goals” by leaking potentially damaging emails designed to destabilise the party, instead of supporting the leader and regaining government.
Is this from the NCB and ABC (Anyone but Colin ) factions smarting that Barnett is leader again ?
Oh dear, it seems the WA Liberal Party website may be either down, or is about to get a new URL.
http://www.wa.liberal.org.au/
I wonder what the new address will be ?
http://www.delesseps.com.au
There comes a time in any political cycle when irrespective of the perceived “cleverness” of the political operators behind the party its time to go. That point has arrived in the UK, came federally in november in last year. Its not midnight for the State Labor governments but the clock has struck 11pm.
54 Edward – “Its not midnight for the State Labor governments but the clock has struck 11pm.” I agree basically with what you are saying but I don’t think you can make a blanket statement like that. Some states are closer to 10.00pm while others are closer to 12.00 pm. I really don’t see Labor losing Victoria next election, nor Queensland or SA. WA, probably not this time and Tas who knows. NSW I think is gone.
The elections after that will be difficult though.
ESJ,
I know these tired old cliches give comfort and hope to soothe the raging irrelevance that the Libs and their fellow travellers feel. My clock always says the same thing. It’s time to elect a Labor Government.
Very reliable time piece, barometer, seismic calculator and weather vane is my clock.
I think WA Labor has one more term in them.
A lot of their massive projects are just beginning or only a few years in.
There is no reasonable case to change government.
The media, led by that idiot Van Onselen keep on going on about Barnett as some sort of messiah – when the electorate see him as a twat.
Van Onselen wrote a ridiculous article in todays Sunday Times saying Buswell is future premiership material and that Colin Barnetts decision to make him shadow treasurer was a good one.
Is there really a place called Scabby Beach in Perth? Googa Lerth doesn’t know of it.
Er, no… the place is named Scarborough. Go there on a Friday or Saturday night to discover where its nickname comes from.
Re:
262
neophyte Says:
59
Bird of paradox Says:
Yes, Scarborough Beach. There truly is a Foul Bay in WA. My favourite WA place name is Damboring. It is in the Shire of Wongan Ballidu. Only a Picnic Away. It is excitingly in the electorate of Central Wheatbelt. It’s not far but who could wish for Moore?
Damboring Photos:
http://home.people.net.au/~tait/RobertTait/tiki/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=2
There’s a lot of funny names of roads or wheat bins between Goomalling and Dalwallinu… well, funny to my 10 yr old ears, anyway. Konnongorring, Kalguddering, Gabbyquoiquoi, Byberding, Botherling… reading some of those signs makes that very boring drive almost OK. And I’ve had picnics on salt lakes or granite outcrops up that way a few times, so can confirm it’s definitely Dam boring.
Also, there’s a siding called ‘Bowelling’, down near Collie. Who thought up that one?
57 SeanofPerth: yes indeed. And the problem for the Libs is, in 2008 Labor can say ‘Look what we’re in the middle of doing’; in 2012 / 2013 at the next election, they’ll be saying ‘Look what we’ve done’. New desal plant, new hospital at Murdoch, etc. Even if the Libs call the day after they lose this election day zero, say goodbye to at least three of their recent leaders and get a bunch of new people in (I’d expect a few of them that come into parliament at this election to go straight into shadow positions), it’s going to make life hard for them if Labor keeps on track (ie: if the govt doesn’t turn into something like NSW, and the Brian Burke issue doesn’t get any worse).
Yah! Disasterboy (and wouldn’t people love to know how you got that moniker…)
But Buster@46 and his comments re brothels and local government: amendments here in NSW do actually place regulatory powers with local councils. In parts of the city this has even worked well. What hasn’t is the changes made by the ALP & Fred Nile (and pursued by brothel industry) against private/independent workers. These were aimed to force prostitutes into brothel work – which it has to be said is less safe, more discriminatory, less healthy and more prone to corruption than is the case for many private workers. But the brothel industry has long pockets and longer memories (and very good lobbyists).
A good progressive council would have no problem with have control, so long as local residents were aware of the regulations, were involved in the debates and understood the ramifications. The case of Marrickville Council in NSW is a case in point.
But in terms of them making a fuss about it – well, I suspect they wont want to make too much of a fuss really. They may dislike the changes because it removes any control they have now, which may lead to brothels being opened where residents don’t want it, but the police feel is contained and do want it. But there will also be Council elections in May and I can imagine some Councillors getting cold feet about making a big fuss!
WA Greens site:-
http://wa.greens.org.au/
with a promise of update soon
and preference decisions being eagerly awaited
OK
Stewart J: just a sample to make the point about wherever I go I call DISASTER:
1. Invasion of Czechoslovakia by 5 Armies
2. Communal Violence, Sri Lanka
3. Plutonium leak kills 2 directly, Japan
4. 7.3 Richter Scale Earthquake Oaxaca, Mexico
5. Hurricane Floyd Florida+ , USA
6. Major Flooding, California
7. White Nile Virus Outbreak NY, NY, USA
8. Major Flooding, Java
9. Biggest Sandstorms on record: Gansu, China
10. Anti Western Alliance riots in Kyrgyzstan, people shot
11. Anti Japanese Soccer Team riots in Moscow, someone trampled to Death
12. Avalanches, Washington State, USA
13. Chaiten Volcano erupts, Chile
I’m in WA, I wonder how this State Election will go?
Disaster!
I know: we’re gonna end up with a bunch of bloody politicians running the show! Isn’t that always the way.
You’re right about that article – what a joke. Van Onselen cannot be seen as being objective, being a former Howard Govt Staffer.
And I love how the Perth Now commentators go on about the ABC being the propaganda arm of the ALP when their Breakfast Announcer was a FORMER LIberal Member for Stirling, and Grant Woodhams, the Nationals Member for Greenough was until he entered Parliament working for Aunty in Gearldton.
Indeed,
I note that according to Ch 10 News, the LIberal plan is to move Brothels to Entertainment Districts like Northbridge.
So does that means Colin wants to bring KIngs Cross to Perth – that would discourage more people from going to Northbridge, especiall families if they have to put up with Prostitutes and Pimps plying their weares next to Timezone in James St
Hmm, 1 ALP ad in each break of Ch 10 news – and not 1 Liberal ad – YET
Sue Ellery Attacks Libs over the leaking of the Buswell email.
http://www.visionwa.org.au/mediareleases/treatmentofwoman100808.pdf
http://www.visionwa.org.au/mediareleases/treatmentofwoman100808.pdf
what were the ads like?
Good and straight to the point, it was the same ad twice I think, and they mentioned reduction of Greenhouse Gasses with the expansion of the Rail Network etc.
Like Frank says, positive ads featuring Carpenter outlining the government’s achievements. Quite effective, I thought.
The Mesmarealda on the WA Election
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=90324
Have you recorded them for youtubing William ?
And I note that the ads are Authorised by Alan Carpenter himself, and not Bill Johnston which is strange – no doubt to emphasis that “The Buck Stops With Me”.
Yes, I noticed that as well. Very odd. As for YouTubing, my TV card is playing up – I’ll get that looked at this week.
The ad is on the home page of this site
http://www.visionwa.org.au/
Liberal Party Website is back up – They’ve now posted the full shadow cabinet.
http://www.wa.liberal.org.au/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=1&tmpl=component&format=raw&Itemid=117
Could this have something to do with Bill Johnson being a candidate this time around? Or as Frank says, that the campaign is Alan’s domain?
Perhaps since Bill has publicly discussed difficulties telling the difference between cheques and cash perhaps they have found some other role for him, folding leaflets perhaps.
It might be because Bill is the candidate for Cannington. Though then they would just have Simon Mead use his name as acting secretary.
Actually you can still pay in person with cash at Head office, which I did, even though I’m wheelchair bound, it was no great hassle – the person behind the desk even came down to let me in at the rear which entrance which was security locked, also they ask for photo ID, I only had my Pensior Concession Card, which was accepted and was photocopied and attached to my renewal form.
I believe the no cash at branch level was implemented so as to prevent branch stacking where a candidate or similar person would get people to sign blank membership forms and the person doing the stacking would just hand over a wad of their own cash with no questions asked.
Here is the WA Christian Democratic Party Youtube page.
I wonder if they will preference wafamilyfirstdotcom before the Libs ?
http://au.youtube.com/user/cdpwa
The ALP do not have candidates for ten seats of their website.
Does this mean they are not running candidates in those seats????
And neither do the Libs have 14 candidates pre-selected. No doubt they will be pre-selected and be nominated by this Friday when Nominations close.
And here are the endorsed candidates for the Liberal Party.
http://www.wa.liberal.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=151&Itemid=56
Not much to report from The West. Front page lead is “Premier denies early poll a danger”, referring to the NT election; also an unlikely sounding story about the Nationals weighing their options on preferences. On page six there’s a strange piece by John Halden (former Labor MP and now lobbyist), who suggests a majority of less than 17 will be a bad result for Labor and says Ben Wyatt will be Premier at the next election – I’m not sure if he’s joking.
Gees, I wonder if he’s yanking The West’s chain because of the big brouhaha over being ordered to withdraw as Karen Brown’s Campaign Manager when (according to Crikey) “had boasted of receiving leaked Cabinet information ” ?
http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20080721-lobbyist-reg.html
There’s quite a lot on Colin Barnett, Diedre Willmott and Sue Walker in the Subiaco Post (Sat 9th Aug). That paper seems to be pro-Walker and anti-West Australian (the paper, not the political party
).
Yep, Brett Christian is a very vocal critic of Paul Armstrong, and in fact was a guest on Liam Bartlett’s show on the ABC and I think Paul was a guest with Brett and with all the listeners ringing and complaining about The West, Paul then refused to be on ABC radio ever since.
btw, you can download a pdf copy of the paper (big download) here:
http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20080809/20080809.pdf
jasmine @273
stewart @5
the Stygians were three witches from Greek mythology, who had only one eye and one tooth between them, and had to take turns.
yes, it is probably a bit sexist, but Roberts, McHale and Quirk used to hang around together and if you had ever been trapped in a room with them when they were on the chardonnay, you would understand the metaphor.
not my invention – they were given that name by someone within the House.
Peter Kennedy on ABC radio
Swan Hills Labor polling – 69% said Liberals not ready to govern
http://www.abc.net.au/news/wa/default.htm
Didnt leak 2pp result
I wouldn’t be surprised considering the comments the Liberal Candidate said when he was Councillor about Ellenbrook residents should be paying for their own gardens in the suburb, instead of the City of Swan, aka an Ellenbrook only tax.
Carpenter says he will serve a full term if re-elected
The Premier Alan Carpenter says he has no intention of retiring during the next term of parliament
In a comment piece published today, the former ALP state secretary, John Halden said Labor backbencher, Ben Wyatt will be Premier in four years.
Mr Carpenter says there are no special deals for a handover to Mr Wyatt and he has promised to stay put for the next term of parliament.
“I love doing what I’m doing, it’s an amazing experience and I’ve got absolutely no intention of giving it away,” he said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/11/2331279.htm
Looks like the Libs got carried away with themselves.
That’s bizarre. Out of all Labor MP’s, why Ben Wyatt? He replaced a premier in Vic Park, but that’s about it.
Young, Bright, Indigineous (he’s the son of Cedric Wyatt, who once stood for the Libs no less), has obviously very little baggage.
And Bob Kucera is Quitting Politics, which is one less headache for the ALP.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=90493
Libs to save RPH.
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/we-will-save-royal-perth-liberals-20080811-3tdq.html
This does NOT look good – there goes any preference deal with the libs.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/11/2331321.htm
MP3 of Peter Kennedy mentioning Swan Hills.
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/news-audio/200808/200800811-kennedy.mp3
#99
The Nats in WA sound like the Greens- they’ll make alot of noise and bluster about not taking preferences for granted, but will inevitably end up giving them to their ideological cousins.
Because one day we will see Ben Wyatt v Christian Porter for the top job in WA. Both have almost identical CV’s, articulate, and each has the ability to attract voters from both parties on the strength of their personalities.
Christian Porter is easily the best performer on the Lib front bench, and Ben Wyatt will make a minister soon enough.
Thanks Skink, if it came from within the house it almost certainly is sexist regardless of which brand it came from.
The Wyatt stuff is really interesting why would Halden do that in a campaign. Don’t know him at all, is he a lost cannon or is he making some kind of point?
I know many see Carps as a complete innocent who would love to leave. I see him more in the ‘will hold on till he is blasted out’ category; his behaviour IMHO is not that of an accidental premier who hates it. He is, as a labor premier should be a Labor Power Broker.
Has anyone noticed that all of Colin Barnett’s media statements since the Election has been called have been held outside of Parliament House.
Here is one example re Stand on Daylight Savings.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2008/08/11/2331637.htm
Are the Libs frightened of him actually mixing with real people ?
Now this will make the Country outcome look interesting.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/11/2331701.htm
6PR’s State Election Page complete with Audio grabs.
http://www.mytalk.com.au/Stations/Talk/6PR/Pages/StateElection2008.aspx
Bob Maumill’s “Ode” to Alan Carpenter.
http://www.mytalk.com.au/aspx/pages/mediaplayer.aspx?t=audio&w=12165
Tonight’s ABC TV Coverage of the Election.
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200808/r280908_1192216.asx
Barnett names a new Chief of Staff the former Liberal candidate, Deidre Willmott.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/12/2332108.htm?section=justin
Frank@83
I would expect the CDP to do a deal with the Libs – they got close in SouthWest last time (except the Nats went to the Greens instead of them, so locked them out) and then look for something from the Nats – or maybe a deal with the Nats and just expect the Libs to come to them first? That might be a clever game plan. Will require some manourvering by the Greens to trip that one up. But then with the redistribution I’m not sure how things will fall this time.
re Ben Wyatt – well liked local MP – he works his electorate hard, appearing at a lot of local functions, helping constituents, as well as being bright, articulate etc. Should be in Cabinet/leadership position. As for Halden, well, I suspect he’s just stirring the pot – but as a former ALP State Secretary, MP and hard man (he faced down the Easson Inquiry, was unapologetic about the petition, and took the fall for Carmen) he may also be setting the scene (if things go pear shaped for WA ALP) for a future transition to Wyatt as Oppn Leader.
Skink – thanks for that – I’d forgotten about the witches.
not that I want to seem nasty but if things do go pear shaped it will be very interesting to see who actually lines up for a stint in opposition, there could be a flood of by-elections as you would expect there are very few cabinet ministers or even the imported carps dream team that are expecting the hard work of opposition this term. Would be very funny.
There is a bit of generational change this election, on Labor’s side, but perhaps unfairly I don’t get a grind and work feel from the dream team.
Govt to extend Trading Hours – sort of
Sounds like a reasonable comprimise and it’s more than what Barnet has said about only considering.
Also good to se Midland being given Tourist prescint status, considering we have the Swan Valley.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24168111-948,00.html
Fels fails to register his new “Party”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/12/2332067.htm
Via LP here is Peter Lambert, the Independent Candidate for Kwinana’s website, which was posted by his daughter.
http://www.peterlambert.info/
You’re doing a fine job there Frank. You’re keeping me in the picture. What’s the feeling on the ground over there? Is there change in the air?
Who knows, if talkback and the readers comments on news websites are a guide, there’s blood for the ALP, but then again it’s the same bunch of idiots who say that regardless.
It’s too soon to know, only the ALP have run Ads atm and have a proper campaign websites with policies published, the Libs site still has as it’s most recent item, Julie Bishop congratulating Colin Barnett for being elected leader, and not one policy that’s been announced in the media is on the site.
During the last Victorian election campaign I lstened to 3AW. Had their announcers and callers been truly representative as to what the voting public were going to do on election day Labor would have been swept from office in a landslide. We know the actual result now, quite the opposite.
I remember reading blogs during the Queensland election. Had they been truly representative as to what the voting public were going to do on election day Labor would have been swept from office up there in a landslide.
During the NSW election The Daily Terror ran their own online polling. The results they got on there would have seen Labor wiped out.
I guess we just have to wait for proper polling.
We may not get any proper polling other than on election day. Unless some of the staffers with us are happy to leaking internal polling. Go on boys you know you want to.
Sunday Times has already published polling that Jandakot is good for Labor, as William has mentioned here:
“UPDATE (9/8/08): The Sunday Times reports Labor polling conducted after the Liberal leadership change shows Labor leading 56-44 in the new seat of Jandakot, which has a notional Labor margin of 3.6 per cent. ”
Plus there was the audio file I posted yesterday about Swan Hills as well.
Libs to release their costings earlier, so giving Labor more time to find holes
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/12/2332951.htm
ignore everything
we only have one daily newspaper, and it is rubbish
we have only one talkback radio station, and it is rubbish
the Labor Govt have at various times boycotted both, and so both are out for vengeance. The paper today tried to make an issue of the Premier kissing and sniffing babies, and whether he held on to one for a bit too long, and whether it was equivalent to Buswell sniffing chairs. That’s how petty and clueless they are
similarly, any polls are very unreliable, since they seldom Poll very far from the city centre, or with more than 400 samples, so do not reflect suburban and regional voters
difficult to comment on the feeling here.
The snap election call has made Labor look desperate, and the pork-barrelling emphasizes it. Carpenter does not enjoy the same affection as Gallop, and is a bit more of a vegemite politician. He is relying on the booming economy to give him enough momentum, and the fact that he has not really done much wrong during his tenure.
On the other hand the Libs have no talent (recycled a retired leader and co-opted an independent into the shadow cabinet) no policies (except the usual Lib fearmongering over drugs and prostitution), no organization on the ground, and still lots of party-room infighting.
both parties have a bit of an odour round them – Labor of Brian Burke, Libs of Buswell and Crichton-Browne.
no real sense of optimism, like the Fed election, more an apathetic sense that there isn’t much worth voting for, so which do you dislike least? The election can barely hold the front page
Frank, I have noticed Barnett has ditched the canal and daylightsaving is there anything left that he does stand for or is he going to turn up naked on election day?
That trading hours thing is funny. They might be made ‘tourist precincts’ in name, but there’s nothing touristy about Midland or Armadale (or, for that matter, Joondalup). It’d be because they’re down the end of train lines, so every train line would have a Sunday trading area at the end of it. If those places get Sunday trading, then Carousel would want it too (because Cannington’s on the train line too), then Morley and before you know it… Sunday trading pretty much everywhere by stealth. Well, I suppose a referendum didn’t work last time…
strange that Barnett blinked first on Sunday Trading, and now it’s a non-issue. All his little battler shop-owners will be furious.
so in answer to Steve’s question, there is not much that he stands for, only a few head-in-the-sand negatives like bongs and brothels
Maybe Barnett is trying to do a Rudd. Get rid of contentious policies and accept those your opponents espouse that have proven popular with voters..
huh?
when did Rudd do that?
the contentious policies at the Fed election were Work Choices, Mandatory Detention, Kyoto, emissions trading, inflation, interest rates.
Rudd has taken action on all those, and always travelling in the opposite direction to Howard
He’s still got P**fter bashing to go – wait for the raising of the age of consent between gays and the re-criminalisation of the deed.
For our Eastern States Bludgers, this was what Skink was referring to when Paul Murray Compared the Premier kissing and sniffing a baby to Troy’s Chir sniffing antics.
To quote Skink:
http://blogs.thewest.com.au/general/paul-murray-is-baby-sniffing-going-too-far/
“He’s still got P**fter bashing to go”
So I take it that a P**fter who likes a couple of bongs before he visits a brothel is not welcome.
Nope. Especially not if you want to do it on a Sunday.
Rudd to Campaign in WA.
http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=505448
Just a few thoughts
The Libs under Barnett seem to be going back to the old conservative staple diet which may have appeal to some punters.
I’m waiting for the “women at home” announcement which was forecast by Barnett in his brothels announcement where he referred to the electorate not wanting brothels near “your wife and children”.
Maybe he also intends to amend the one vote one value to limit voting to middle aged angry blokes.
It seems the local paper editor wants to be king maker having missed out in getting rid of Gallop in 2005 and continues to run what can only be described as a pretty severe anti government line.
Mates of Burkie are running the anti carpenter line on talkback and in comment pieces in the paper.
The government has had it problems but I think wading through most of the very subjective analysis to get somewhere near the facts proves to be the most difficult task.
All we need now is a WA version of the O’Reilly Factor.
The Greens must be mad to direct preferences to the Libs if they think the Libs will ban Uranium Mining.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2332920.htm
The WA Greens site :-
http://wa.greens.org.au/
So if because of Greens public voicing of these issues sending mixed vibes to voters re Labor , or because of direct Greens prefs to Liberals , and Barnett gets in who supports Uranium mining , (whereas Labor presently suports explorotion , without yet a mining decison) , then Greens ar going to look naeve in handing government to an unambiguoysly pro mining Party
Negotiations should hav been done privately , and then make an announcement of a decison whatever it is
Plus the facts the Libs have a very tough anti=drugs policy as well.
VERY bad move on the Green’s behalf, will alienate a lot of their traditional supporter base as well.
Basically the Greens are good at posturing and pathetic at politics. That’s why they are irrelevant after all these years.
Correct, as it was the Green’s amendments to the wording of the referendum question on Retail Trading Hours at the last State Election, which ensured it got defeated.
Frank,
While you are around, I would like to say thanks for all your efforts on this site. Your WA perspective is much appreciated by your fellow Bludgers as is your terrier endevours to post interesting and relevant links.
Being an ALP member, you rock. However, if anyone from the other side wants to get involved, then Frank has certainly set the standard.
This public pref negotiation on prefs almost inevitably may lead to Barnett (late)shtting th door on greens as Libs will not reverse pro mining , and then forse Greens perhaps to “save face” to offer some split tickets , trather than all to Labor (thereby “helping” Barnett via Greens leakages , who Greens reely do not want to win)
Gee Thanks
/me blushes
But I do note that “Buster”, who came in on this post the other day accusing me and SeanofPerth of having “a love in between ALP Staffers”(which I’m not) has not been sighted since.
Is it because there are very few conservative posts who are unable to put forward their case without resorting to cheap barbs and recycling Liberal Party Talking Points ?
“Is it because there are very few conservative posts who are unable to put forward THEIR CASE resorting to cheap barbs and recycling Liberal Party Talking Points ? ”
Either there Liberal case was so shallow you heard th lot in just a few posts , or th quality and policy soundness of yous WA Labor posters over yonder embarassed them
Seriously , I do not think Liberals actualy know what they reely stand for at moment , having had Howard take them down a ‘very consevative slant’ to electoral oblivion , suspect they ar looking around at th ashes of there philosaphys , and trying to piece something together that sounds credibile (outside of free enterprise and freedom of th individual motharhood statements
Which isn’t evident in Barnet’s policy on Retail Trading Hours of “thinking about it” and not going for full de-regulation, so as to not offend the all powerful “Independent Grocers Association” who who have a monopoly on opening when the others are shut via the IGA/Farmer Jacks supermarket outlets.
Frank , thats perhaps called none core disposable free enterprise policys , when those donors amke big contributions Byu th way echo others here regarding your info
Also I’d stress its always been “fair and balanced” , just th way we all like it , so those liberal posters “Buster” and SeanofPerth didn’t know a good thing
If Labor can win this election that will be the two most conservative electorates out of the way for a awhile, NT and WA. I suspect the next very big test will be NSW and I don’t think Labor will pass that one unless something remarkable occurs.
Actually SeanofPerth is an ALP’er like me – think I bumped into him at the ALP bash at the old Midland Workshops at the last Federal Election – he was one of Sharryn Jackson’s campaign workers.
Frank, Mesmeralda said she thought Rudd entering the election campaign would be a negative for Labor over there, what do you think?
Nope ive never worked for Sharryn or the ALP I am in the seat of Ocean Reef. I am not even an ALP member anymore.
Btw this new retail policy is a joke, very disappointing from both sides. I wonder if the west will make a big deal out of it, if they do they are hypocrites considering they are one of the biggest spreaders of misinformation in the trading hours debate
I think Rudd is viewed as very distant from WA over here, he sort of doesnt fit in, I dont think it will harm or benefit Carpenters campaign, it would certainly help if they jointly announced funding for an airport rail link or something, otherwise whats the point.
What about Nelson Sean, would he help Barnett?
Apologies about that, got you confused with Hossen12.
Now that’s an interesting question, considering he came out in support of Buswell at the height of the Chair sniffing /bra-snapping woes, and as I recall didn’t give any sort of congratulatory message to Barnet as he was already out of the country last week when he was elected.
Only by resigning, Gary
“otherwise whats the point.’
Point of Rudd coming to WA is whether Federal polls in WA show him as a big plus or Nelson as a big negative , and whether he has any big project ‘handouts’ (obviously voters know its a State electon)
Well Peter Garratt was in town yesterday campaigning in the Seat of Midland at the Midland Sports Complex – it was to launch the Solar City project, of which the City of Swan is one of the Consortium members.
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=130692
“The Perth Solar City project is worth a total of $85million over five years
the potential to deliver greenhouse savings of 50,000 tonnes per annum and cut peak electricity loads of six megawatts per annum.
There are than 6,000 households and businesses will be directly involved.”
Anything with solar as a replacement enegy sourse I’m for Did this Garrett announcement get big airplay on current affairs , or ar good news storys shelved
Only briefly mentioned on the news here – nothing on TV, dominated by the Olympics.
Is there any info on the former liberal deputy who has teamed up with Family First? Is this an election for all the upper house in WA ? Does the voting system in WA heed or help minor parties?
Yes, the election is for the whole upper house, but unlike NSW and SA the state is divided into six six-seat regions so the quota is the same for the Senate and thus tough for very small parties. Not impossible though – other similarities with the Senate include above-the-line ticket voting, which very nearly produced a win at the last election for the insignificant Fremantle Hospital Support Group in South Metropolitan region. A Victorian 2004 style boilover is unlikely, but certainly not out of the question.
William,
Have you got a preview of Tomorrow’s West – What’s their take on Trading Hours ?
Video of Buswell accusing the State Govt over the recent Gas Crisis, though it was a bit unwise to use the term “Stink ” about 3 times .
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200808/r281322_1194415.asx
Thanks William for the background on structure of WA elections. On another note, I am in Boothby electorate and I am also interested in the Mayo election but I guess there is very little info released publicly on this upcoming election – because it is on the outskirts of Adelaide and mostly rural – but there seems to be a few local people on your bloggs who have good info at times – would there be enough movement to have a Mayo blogg ticking over as it covers a fair bit of the bottom of the Murray. Also I am interested in how Bob Day will fair under Family First banner.
on the Nelson-Barnett front – there is something to be discussed there.
some weeks ago John Howard and Alexander Downer came to Perth and held a big Lib bash in town as part of their farewell tour. Julie Bishop hosted it, and much comment was made that Buswell, although State Leader, was not seated at the high table and was on the outer.
whether this was because Howard thought Buswell was on the nose, or because Buswell didn’t want to be seen close to the man who took the Libs into opposition at all levels, was not clear. I am not even sure if Barnett was present.
it should not be forgotten that WA swung towards Howard in the Fed election, and that Bishop controls the Fed Lib MP’s, and that they held the balance of power in the Party room that delivered the leadership to Nelson. I interpreted Howard’s visit as a thank-you to the WA true believers, of whom Bishop is top dog and still in denial that Work Choices is dead.
the state Libs have been begging Bishop to leave Fed politics and run for Premier in WA, but she’s not that daft. She tries to keep the State party at arm’s length, so I doubt she will want Nelson coming over. She always likes to remind people that she is not from WA.
It will be interesting to see what happens to Bishop when Nelson gets rolled as leader. If Turnbull takes over, he can either retain her as deputy to hold the party room together, or bone her for not supporting him last time.
if she gets the arse we might yet see her in State politics.
Skink – “it should not be forgotten that WA swung towards Howard in the Fed election”.
If I’m not mistaken I think you may find that in fact there was a small swing overall to Labor last Federal election. I seem to recall someone saying it was in the order of 2%. In the seats that counted Labor lost some ground.
Quite so, Gary – there was a 2.1 per cent swing to Labor in WA, which was in fact just slightly higher than the swing in Tasmania. However, the cookie crumbled in such a way as to cost them Cowan and Swan, while gaining them only Hasluck.
er…I shall stand behind the fact that the Libs had a net gain in seats
The funny thing there is, Swan probably had the smallest swing in any direction of any seat in the country in 2007 – a couple of hundred votes. Kim Wilkie’s good luck last time, bad luck this time… when was that seat last not super-marginal? (And meanwhile, in the state seat of Belmont, which is in Swan, there’s no question Eric Ripper’ll get back in… go figure.)
I didn’t know the WA ALP swing was bigger than that in Tassie, though. Was that because of the preselection troubles in Harry Quick’s old seat?
@166
The funny thing there is, Swan probably had the smallest swing in any direction of any seat in the country in 2007 – a couple of hundred votes. Kim Wilkie’s good luck last time, bad luck this time… when was that seat last not super-marginal?
Depends how you define ’super-marginal’. It was 52-48 in 2001, 53-47 in 1998, 54-46 in 1996, and 58-42 in 1987.
165 skink – and WA swung to Labor. A gain of one seat obviously does not make a summer, if you know what I mean.
Exactly, Cowan was lost basically because of the retirement of a very popular member, and Swan was very close again, and the Libs Just scraped through.
And meanwhile Matt Birney has retired and said the Libs will find it hard to win.
And note that the Libs aren’t running a candidate in Churchlands – that’s to ensure they get Liz Constable a Ministerial spot if they win.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/13/2333546.htm
Bird of paradox @ 166,
Yes, the seat of Frankin had the biggest swing away from Labor in the 2007 election (3.1%). Bass only swung to Labor by 3.6% and Braddon by only 2.6% – yet Labor were able to pick both of these seats up. In Denison, there was a swing of 2.4% to Labor, whilst the biggest swing to Labor in Tassie was in Lyons, where there was a 5.1% swing.
In WA, however, whilst Cowan went to the Libs by 2.5% and Swan by 0.3% (both leading to ALP losses), there were consistent swings of about 3% in most of the other seats in the state (highest was 4.6% in Forrest).
It’s interesting to note that in Pearce, the biggest swings to Labor were in booths that were in the Swan Hills electorate.
And once The West are now calling on both parties to support full de-regulation, which is a 180 degree turn from the last poll if I recall correctly, The West were running the No campaign for the Referendum.
“Coalition frontbencher Joe Hockey said Senator Xenophon’s concerns reflected the opposition’s long-held views that FuelWatch was bad policy.”
Talk about a wedge. So what are the WA Libs going to do, agree or disagree with Hockey?
Good question, considering it was a Liberal Govt here which introduced Fuelwatch here in WA in the first place.
Hmm, so the Libs won’t be running TV ads during the Olympics ?
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=91148
175 Frank Calabrese – ie “We have money problems.”
Making a virtue out of necessity if ever I saw it done….
I note the Libs are crying foul over Hospital ads being in the Weekend Community Press.
But note the Govt’s Response.
Which would indeed be correct as the deadline is approximately 4pm, and the Election was announced at a media conference around 3pm, which means that the copy is sent to the printers that afternoon so that the papers could be printed on a Friday and are usually delivered on a Saturday, hence no time to pull the ads.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24174900-5017005,00.html
“Liberal party advertising campaign was being planned.”
I thought that “The West” and the radio stations were already doing all the lib advertising gratis for them and had been for the past five years.
“The deadline for the community newspapers was Thursday and we missed the deadline.
Re Deadlines, these are the deadlines for display advertising for the Community Newspaper Group.
Note the deadlines for the Hills Gazette and the Weekend Courier.
http://www.communitynews.com.au/Portals/0/PDF/Production_Specifications.pdf
Prepare for the Buswell Razor Gang.
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/labor-blew-boom–buswell-20080813-3uxe.html
Don’t let Buswell loose with any kind of razor. With his track record he’d remove his own testicles.
And the libs have a platform on Mining Uranium, and I note that Gearldton is a Marginal seat, and of course Esperance had problems with lead contamination killing local birdlife.
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/uranium-has-more-than-a-halflife-under-liberal-plans-20080813-3uz1.html
And Barnett vows to keep Fuelwatch, thus putting him at odds with his federal colleagues.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=91198
So the consumer then goes and buys his petrol from the more expensive venue?
I think the Liberal leadership has been sniffing more than chairs if they believe fuel watch doesn’t lower the price of petrol for those who look at the website or watch the summary on the nightly news bulletins.
Yep, so much for being the Party of Individual freedoms and choices and of Free Enterprise.
What’s the go with increasing uranium mining by the Liberals? Are they determined to ensure they get no Greens preferences?
And Shelley Archer will now retire at the end of her term.
It seems that those who have since become independents after being dumpe/forced to resign from the ALP are slowly realising that running for re-election isn’t such a good idea, first Kucera, now Archer – will John D’Orazio be next to fall on his sword ?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/13/2334564.htm
184 Frank – this is a case of having your cake and eating it too.
Why Shelley Archer resigned.
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/archer-to-retire-from-politics-20080813-3v0r.html
William,
Both Parties have all their candidates up on their websites.
Libs: http://www.wa.liberal.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=151&Itemid=56
ALP:http://visionwa.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=26
Frank
excuse me if you have been asked before,but what is your prediction in terms of final seat numbers for WA
To be honest, I have no idea in this first week, but I reckon that what may have been a very close result will now be a fairly convincing ALP victory due to the Libs announcing a Nuclear Mining policy.
I reckon the ALP by about 5-10 seats
And the Libs call for the Nationals to drop the preference deals with Labor & The Greens because of further one vote one value reforms.
http://www.wa.liberal.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=490:call-for-nationals-to-drop-laborgreens-preference-deal&catid=54:loop-news-category&Itemid=109
frank
ta for that
from a long way off i come up with only 2-4 seats,but if as you say the yellowcake policy bites then 5-10 is foreseeable.
Day 6 of the Election Campaign courtesy of West TV.
http://www.westtv.com.au/?vxSiteId=43c6a3c7-abf1-4c32-b98d-c27f8fa83360&vxChannel=News&vxClipId=1416_WAU1359&vxBitrate=700
Interesting piece by Robert Taylor in The West on the Liberals’ unpreparedness – as Frank did earlier, it notes that Barnett “has generally made his announcements at Parliament House, where the television pickings are very slim”. Not much else to report that hasn’t been noted already.
Yep, and those “on location” announcements have been opposite the RPH North Block for the retention of RPH policy, Esther House for the Anti Drugs policy, and of course Whitfords Sea Rescue base for the announcement of increased funding, whereas all of Labor’s announcements have been at various community locations, complete with local members in the background.
I am still stonkered at the uranium mining announcement.
You try to differentiate from the other mob on many issues, but mining uranium. geez.
As well as possibly some national prefs, now they have blown away green prefs.
Green prefs can be crucial in the city.
Overall I believe the election will be messy. Probably Labor to just survive.
The overall feeling in Perth I reckon is ‘meh’ and ‘who cares’. A general malaise if you will.
Especially in Hills seats like Swan Hills who have quite a high number of Greenie/Hippy types in Glen Forrest and Stoneville, as well as in nearby Darling Range.
Uranium mining??? Yikes! It’s pro-growth, pro-employment and sensible.
Voters must hate that.
You’ll find they do AC. The voters tend to be far more sensible than the uranium lobby and their urgers.
Rudd’s visit was covered heavily yesterday (well, third on the ABC bulletin behind the Lympics and Georgia)
Colin Barnett did not appear once in the bulletin.
Peter Kennedy did a good sketch piece about whether Federal Leaders helped or hindered State campaigns – Gallop had insisted that Latham stay well away, Carpenter clearly can not get enough of Rudd.
This of course led to whether Nelson would make an appearance. He has said that he is eager to come west, but no date has been set.
Kennedy does a daily “Campaign Diary” on the ABC, but since it is broadcast on widescreen, and I have an old narrow telly, it just says “Pain Diary” on my set. Quite
Barnett has had no tv ads yet as far as I can see. Carps is wall to wall.
I was at Parliament House yesterday afternoon and noticed Barnett wandering around on his own for about 15 – 20 minutes. Just meandering around looking lost all on his own.
He even said hello.
Exactly, the Libs have said theirs will start after the Olympics , Barnett find’s Carp’s ads “sppoky” – is that because they show what the Govt has done, so far and what they will do for the future .
all the evidence above seems to suggest that Carpenter really has caught the Libs napping.
he’s had a free week to roll out all his pork-filled goodies – rail, hospitals, Gorgon expansion etc, and tehe Libs have yet to roll out any policy, except for stumbling over Sunday trading and Uranium.
Since the Libs are so difficult to find, and don’t have much to say, The West have had to do their job for them, but to date have only landed one glove on the Govt with Eric Ripper’s Lloyd’s gaff.
I would be interested to know what is happening at constituency level – if the Libs can’t fund advertising, and are so disorganized at cabinet level, they must really be finding it difficult getting out onto the doorsteps
They only appointed the new Party director a few weeks ago if I recall correctly, and their so called Howard Spinmeister has still to arrive in the state.
Re local campaigns, the local Lib candidate has sent a letter with a postal vote application form which states only one local issue – Hoons and Crime – the same strategy used at the last federal poll, and the letter doesn’t even state the date of the election, even though it was dated 10th August.
on the Uranium question, it is only a matter of time before Australia changes its policy. It has always been a matter of which party blinked first.
I had the impression that Howard was laying the foundations for a policy change in the months before he left. Rudd has been quiet on the subject, but he is probably waiting for the dust to settle on the emissions trading fandango, and then hoping that he can use Kyoto to sell nuclear as more green than fossil fuel.
like it or not, the whole world is turning to nuclear. Sarkozy just toured North Africa and the Middle East peddling French nuclear power stations to Arabs
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7185660.stm
if the oil rich Saudis and Libyans are thinking about it, then there is going to be a rapid domino effect in demand for nuclear. Even if Australia stays with coal and gas for the near future, there is going to be a lot of pressure to start mining.
imagine that – selling uranium to arabs. I want a solid gold Mercedes, please.
Latest Betting.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=91332
Hmm, Nationals could hold Blance Of Power.
[Curtin University's Harry Phillips says that for the National's to achieve that goal, Labor would need to lose at least six seats and the Nationals would have to retain three.
Dr Phillips says the Nationals have campaigned well and the party should win the seats of Wagin, Blackwood-Stirling and Central Wheatbelt.
"It [ the Nationals] hasn’t been associated with any CCC [ Corruption and Crime Commission] derogatory findings,” he said.
“It’s got all its preselections in place. It’s got key policies and I think it’s had very good publicity with a balance of youth and seniority.”]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/14/2334745.htm
Beazley predicts a “Cliffhanger”
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/poll-will-be-a-cliffhanger-20080813-3uyc.html
I know the polls we get to see are rubbish, but they are inconsistent with liberal brand damage.
They should have brand damage but in a two horse race the Carps brand is being tested too… perhaps Dear Leader has brand issues…. I have gossip, unscientific, from a labor seat that speculates the Dear Leader Brand is VERY damaged. Could be entirely wrong, but I know the booths too look for on the night.
Pardon my ignorance Jasmine, who is the Dear Leader in the WA context?
You wanted insiders on both sides to reveal any internal polling, so in the interests of fair play, can you please tell us WHICH ALP seat that the brand is damaged ?
I think she is referring to Alan Carpenter.
So was his father the long-serving Great Leader of WA? (People who use North Korean analogies should use them correctly.)
Nope, his Father has never been in Politics.
(People who use North Korean analogies should use them correctly.)
Exactly, or else they look like a goose.
Wouldn’t that be Charles Court + various sons?
On the Liberal side – yes, but Barry Court hasn’t done the party any favours in his unwavering support of Troy Buswell.
Whatever happened to Supertonk – did he have any offspring?
Unfortunately Supertonk died a few years back, and according to Wikipedia, his daughter had died of Cancer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tonkin
And here is his WA Constitutional Centre entry.
http://www.ccentre.wa.gov.au/index.cfm?event=premiersJohntonkin
He was a very fine Labor man of the old school
Totally agree, unfortunately he lost to Sir Charles Court, and we all know what happened then.
FYI Here are the Caretaker Conventions for the State Election.
http://www.dpc.wa.gov.au/Documents/CareTakerConventions2008.pdf
I was referring to the Hon Premier.
And the brand damage is very outside of any party sources, but if it is there it would be showing up in their daily polling by now.
“Just meandering around looking lost all on his own.”
Maybe he was looking for ideas, perhaps you could have been kind enough to give him a couple.
In other words you have no proof – my posts which quoted Jandakot, and the audio file which mentione Swan Hills may indicate otherwise.
Labor’s getting a very young looking guy from Balcatta to run for Eyre, although they did look for candidates in Esperance (someone I know down there got asked early this week… that’s how late they left it). Nationals will come second by the looks of it.
http://kalgoorlie.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/labor-parachute-into-eyre/1244342.aspx
Also, the ALP website is http://www.visionwa.org.au – funny name for a political party’s website. Sounds like an optician.
They’ve also got their candidates for Vasse, Blackwood-Stirling and Wagin. The last two are gonna be safe National, but I would’ve thought they’d have a bit of a go in Vasse, what with Troy Buswell’s troubles… looks like they want the Nats or an independent to win.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/14/2335316.htm
It was the same for the Libs, they had to do a whole raft of nominations at the last minute, but note these were safe labor or liberal/national seats, which under normal circumstances would’ve been filled before the poll was called, unlike marginal seats which needed a candidate pre-selected at the earliest opportunity to enable proper campaigning.
http://www.abc.net.au/elections/wa/2008/calculator/
Antony,
thanks for the page, now quick question how do determine who wins, considering there is no coalition in WA this time around ?
By the name of John Keogh…would that be any relation to Matt Keogh? Who is a staffer to Carpenter and former President of WA Young Labor.
Antony,
Again, thanks for page. Not wanting to nitpick, but for sake of completeness, just a little editing thing on the Candidates page..Ben Wyatt is not listed as an incumbent. (I didn’t see a ‘Contact Me’ button, so thought just best to put it here?)
Looks like Bernie Masters probably isn’t running in Vasse…
http://southwest.thewest.com.au/Regionals.aspx?MenuID=334&ContentId=90792
I love this bit.
http://southwest.thewest.com.au/Regionals.aspx?MenuID=334&ContentId=90792
And the Libs first Laura Norder policy has been released – straight out of Talkback radio.
And it should be noted that Assault can medan something as simple as poking an officer in the chest with a finger and /or pulling his hat off his head and throwing it in the air.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24180058-2761,00.html
That should read “mean”
Liberal Party Radio Ads.
http://www.wa.liberal.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=489&Itemid=140
And surprise Surprise there is a file error and you can’t listen to them – rank amateurs.
They work fine on my computer, Frank – maybe it’s your browser?
Odd, it works in IE, but not Firefox.
Not that I am supporting this policy at all, but the poking in the chest, taking off the hat type business would not be covered by a mandatory sentence under this. The Criminal Code has different levels of Assault, starting at Common Assaults – the finger poking stuff, and then rising to Occasioning Bodily Harm – where there has to be something like a black eye, blood nose. The mere infliction of pain is not bodily harm. So just poking a cop would not be sufficient.
Now, onto mandatory sentences – useless. The cheapest policy shot in the book. Does nothing to address the root of the problem. Just like the three strikes mandatory burglary policy – solved no problems, just created a whole heap of new ones.
Exactly, there is no discretion if the cop or public officer provoked the offender to attack him – and yes it does happen, for example if an undercover officer who is not wearing a police vest is talking to your wife/girlfriend and you assume that he is hassling/chatting her up there is the expectation that you’d “sort this guy out”.
Oh and this announcement was NOT mentioned on Ch 7 news either.
And the “3 Strikes and your in” Laws for Yoofs is back.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/14/2335817.htm
Now that is truly pathetic. A law that disproportionally jails young Aboriginal males from low socio-economic backgrounds. Proven to have no impact on burglary and just no positive impacts on society other than reducing the number of ill-informed fools calling talkback radio.
Precisely, and watch the Jails being filled with kids who are in there for stealing an icecream or a packet of biscuits, because he is homeless and is starving.
Guess I’m just a goose then.
Jasmine , which ALP seat did you hear Carpenter/Labor hav a brand problem
Arrgh, bloody Blockquotes
Very scathing Commentry on the very small number of female Liberal Candidates standing for the State Election.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24181885-5017005,00.html
Not nit pickin Stace at 233, but I know both Matt Keoghs, (there are two) the one that works for Carpenter is over fifty a bit of a duffer and is hardly young Labor, the other one is a very talented labor lawyer type, young, they are not related.
Tonight’s ABC News coverage.
btw, re Barnett’s whinge about not being allowed access to a Public School may I quote from the Caretaker provisions.
It is believed the Libs didn’t seek permission from the School Principal to attend.
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200808/r282157_1198843.asx
Ron I said my source was very unscientific, it wasn’t a poll, it was just feedback from a community person, who has feedback from a number of community groups in a safe labor seat, not so far from Frank.
Frank is welcome to write my gossip off, it was always gossip and therefore less reliable than a westpoll (if that is possible), bit crude and cruel of him to write me off as well, but whatever floats his boat.
As for Adam in Canberra and his rather narrow view of linguistic expression I can only recommend mythologies by Roland Barthes, or getting out more often.
But prodded by his snobbery I did look up the Dear Leader / Great Leader North Korean stuff and I’m a bit stunned even having read the contextual stuff that he couldn’t stretch his mind to the point I was making.
But you did NOT name the seat in question, which I’m assuming is Midland by your description.
And depending on the community group involved, I’d take anything they say with a grain of salt.
As I said, you need to back up your allegations with some sort of factual basis, or you end up looking like a goose, and it is not crude or cruel, in fact I could’ve used the F word which wouldn’t have been fair to William, or anyone else.
Community groups dear Frank a number of traditionally labor community groups, and I told you to take it with a grain of salt so you don’t get points for brilliance taking my advice; based on your attitude to me you’d clearly deserve swear words of abuse for taking my advice.
And it is West Swan not Midland, not that it matters much, IF, and I say IF, the mood sensed is real and illusory it wont matter what seat it is.
And the Swan Hills polling you speak of is pathetic, they didn’t leak the TPP just the ‘ready for government’ and I’ll ask possum what stats he has linking the two next I meet him in a tree but till then I’ll assume the link is relatively weak.
The other seat you talk of, what was it, is consistent with a sound Labor win, but inconsistent with serious liberal brand damage.
there is a ‘not’ missing from my last post, I’ll let Adam of Canberra fill it in.
Frank,
At 140. Yeah, you’re probably too bright to be a labor staffer, maybe an academic ?(who else would have the time). I pop in from time to time, but too busy to make too much of a nuisance of myself. Keep going good read anyway.
Let me guess are these “traditional Labor Community Groups” in parts of the electorate which used to be in Ballajura ?
To quote from Antony Green’s Election Guide for West Swan.
Of course they’d be upset if their MP is the flip flopping on again/off again John D’Orazio, whose creative branch recruitment methods did more damage to the “ALP Brand” than any pre-selection stoush.
Bzzt, wrong again, just a humble Disability pensioner with an obsession with politics
Interesting theory on John D’Orazio, but as uninteresting as this election is, that is a theory we’ll have a pretty good idea of following the result in Morley. So on your view of Mr D’Orazio you’d be expecting him to poll 5-10%? Less?
But no the gossip I get uses just one name as the problem.
Jasmine
Thanks for advising seat “West Swan” and th context of where info came from
Will be interested on Electon nite on that area , and booths
Omodei to quit politics.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/15/2336726.htm
The L/NP would have more seats than Labor with a uniform swing of 4.4%. A much smaller swing is required if they pick up Joondalup (4.4%) and Jandakot (3.6%). A mere 2.1% swing plus these two would give it to them. Closer than you might think.
Paul Omodei’s doing same as Shelley Archer… retiring after making a lot of noise. Back to the farm in Pemberton he goes… not challenging Buswell in Vasse, although the ABC thinks Bernie Masters might. I hope he does.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/15/2336726.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/15/2336536.htm
It’s interesting that of the 3 most vocal “independents” in the current parliament, only D’Orazio has the balls to contest the election, though in reality he may poll well, but he won’t get over the line.
And I should add that according to the West’s website, Sue Walker has nominated to run as an independent in Nedlands, which should she win will be a real embarrasment for the Libs.
I know nominations only closed at 12pm, but the draw for ballot positions should now have taken place…any idea when they will be on the WAEC website?
Hopefully they should be on the website by close of business.
Don’t hold your breath. the names have to be tripled checked, as they go straight into the system that typesets the ballot papers. Any stuff up there and they have to re-print the lot, as occured in O’Connor at the 2007 Federal election. Full list unlikely before 5pm western time.
If that sounds like an odd priority, the Electoral Commission has to give priority to the process that sets the printing in train. They have to start pre-poll next week and so need ballot papers by then. Turning around a couple of million ballot papers over a weekend is always tight. As well, all parties have to be given full lists of LC candidates today so they can lodge group ticket votes on Monday. The WAEC will dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s before they release the names.
Had the Libs kept Buswell as leader, Labor would have won in a landslide. IMO, giving Barnett the leadership gives the Libs a better chance than the bookies currently give them. Labor hasn’t exactly been great in the West, what with all the scandals involving Brian Burke. The change to Barnett may now may the Libs electable; if Labor’s on the nose, the Libs could well win.
Doubt it, the policies released by the Libs so far have been lowest common denominator Talkback inspired rubbish.
Plus as I’ve said before, The Nats are going alone, and the libs won’t be able to rely on their seats being part of a coalition.
And Brian Burke – Meh, The Libs can’t claim the moral high ground when Noel Chrichton-Browne has still got his hand in the liberal cookie jar as a supporter of Buswell – Carpenter got rid of/forced them to resign from both the Parliament and the ALP those associated with Burke, while the Libs have kept Buswell as Shadow Treasurer.
Sportingbet is still unmoved:
Labor $1.18
Liberal $4.50
Frank what about Mark McGowan?
The Libs are running ads on CCC stuff, so their research is saying it is a line worth running.
The link from Burke to Buswell is a bit tenuous.
Jasmine,
Honestly you have no clue whatsoever, NCB WORKS for Burke, was with Buswell in the carpark of Parliament House with Buswell COACHING him on what to say to the CCC and you say it’s a “Tenuous Link”
It’s all realitve and hypocritical of the Libs to carry on about Burke, when Burke has links to the Libs via NCB – in fact Senator Ian Campbell was forced to resign from Federal Cabinet when it was revealed he was a t a meeting with Burke.
Like I said, they’re mad to refer to it, it WILL backfire.
Bloody Blockquotes AGAIN
That should read” NCB WORKS for Burke, and it was revealed that NCB was with Buswell sitting in a car in the Parliament House Carpark on the day of the Omodei leadership challenge COACHING Buswell in how to respond to Questions in relation tothe Smith’s Beach Development in the CCC.
There is an old saying, “Better to be ruled by one Lion than a thousand Rats”.
That is what I think the betting markets are continuing to reflect.
People will just not vote for an infighting, disorganized rabble, who’s main spokespersons are the editor and the jaundiced hacks of the West Australian, who’s apologists and principal supporters are far right sturmtroopers such as Armstrong and Murray, who’s policies are promulgated by half witted shock Jocks and agenda merchants, and who stand for nothing other than a pathetic but unshakable belief in their superiority and dIvine right to rule us all.
No, give me Carps any day of the week, rather than an insipid, empty polystyrene cup like Barnett, surrounded by soiled goods such as Buswell, and the stench of death emenating from the likes of Maumill, Sattler and Henderson. Add Ken Court and the cast of evil muppets at the West Australian and we have the entire talent of the WA Liberals paraded before us in all their glory.
Labor Launches Attack Ad over Liberals’ lack of female candidates.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/15/2336983.htm
Frank,
You’re getting more and more hysterical as the campaign progresses. Sensing the the possibility that your corrupt, born to rule union/politician lackeys might be in for a nasty surprise in several weeks time?
Are you sure it’s not your beloved Liberal POarty you are referring to ?
See my response to Jasmine and Lord D.
No, Calabs. I was referring to you.
Stick to campaign updates. You appear to be much better at regurgitation as opposed to comprehension.
“NCB WORKS for Burke, and it was revealed that NCB was with Buswell sitting in a car in the Parliament House Carpark on the day of the Omodei leadership challenge COACHING Buswell in how to respond to Questions in relation tothe Smith’s Beach Development in the CCC.”
Doesn’t Noel Crichton-Brown also have an attitude problem towards women, what else has he been coaching Buswell in, unfastening womens underwear, sniffing ?
No, Calabs. I was referring to you.
Stick to campaign updates. You appear to be much better at regurgitation as opposed to comprehension.
Typical Liberal Hack, you’ve got no clue on policy, so you attack personally.
Get it through your petty little mind – Barnett will NOT win, just as myself and Fulvio have outlined why.
The Libs have been caught on the hop, and only have policy based on populist media crap. THe ALP have reelased policies which build on infrastructure and the future – the Libs have only released failed policies from the 2005 Election.
And Colin’s Nuclear Mining Policy is his Canal of 2008 – People will NOT vote for that.
There is more to Public debate than what’s published in THe West, THe Sunday Times and 6PR.
Yes, indeed that is correct, something about grabbing breasts.
Real champion of Women the Liberal Party are – full of Stepford Wives and Western suburb airheads.
Apparantly Julie Bishop is an airhead then eh.
Frank hate to spoil your whole evening but I’m firmly in the Labor camp. I just happen to be one who doesn’t feel I’m obliged to believe everything the Premier says, merely because he is the Premier. At the same time I’m am sure the Liberals shouldn’t win this election, I’m just not sure they wont.
I am pretty sure I have heard Ms Bishop say, that it is fortunate people aren’t judged solely on their life partners (there is something in that for all of us I’m sure).
I can’t remember any stats but it is amazing how many you run into that are not only comfortable with nuclear power, but actually believe it is needed – but it is still contentious.
I don’t think there is any rational opposition to uranium mining, and I’m pretty sure Western Australians with the highest per capita state taxes (last I saw figures), rising interest rates and falling house prices can rationally delay any longer an industry that even Labor supports in some parts of the country. It is just foolish not to have the industry.
Jasmine,
All I can say is stop taking your talking points From The West & 6PR
I’m sure my wife will take great comfort in the sentiment expressed in the second paragraph of your post Jasmine …
Hey Frank, lifes cool. Chill a bit, mate. Just because we see things a little differently doesn’t make us enemies. Unless of course we vote Liberal…
By the way, did I ever tell you why I argue bitterly with my elderly mother?
Almost never buy the West, certainly haven’t read one since the election was called and I’m not sure I have ever listened to 6PR at all. Pretty much a PNN or 720 girl, even with that guy in the mornings sometimes (but not often).
Shall we say as for our Premier given a choice between the west and what he says, it is going to take me a while to work out if either of them are telling a truth I’m buying.
As for the State Secretary as dreadful and biased as the West is, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t be stupid enough to try to tell me a cheque was cash or vice versa.
Still harping on about that I see, Build a bridge, it’s no big deal, it was designed to PREVENT Branch stacking, or are you in favour of what the former member for Ballajura did to damage the “ALP Brand” you are so concerned about.
295 “Almost never buy the West…”
I’ve never bought the West in my life but I did like this tale. Interesting to see what the polling says tomorrow.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=146&ContentID=91332
Just read your link Steve.Yasmine, Jasmine? Is someone moonlighting?
Fulvio, the West wouldn’t support uranium mining though would they? Do you know if they supported the canal last election?
The reporter almost has a good name.
So lying for political gain is fine in your book Frank, you are sounding lots like a Howard man.
From memory they paid out on Barnett big time as soon as he mentioned the Canal, up until then they were hailing him as the Lib’s saviour against Gallop, kind of like how they treated Buswell once the Chairsniffing came to light – upset Armstrong, and you’re a dead man walking, he takes things personally BIG TIME.
Stop twisting my words around, you know full well what I meant !! You’re more the Howard girl than I’d ever be a Howard Man, especially on Uranium Mining.
I’d have thought that the West would have tried to keep the focus on deregulated trading hours like we have had in Queensland for years as the pro business pro liberal slant but I suppose that once Barnett dropped the trading hours ball, all that is left will be uranium mining and Laura Norda.
They are the last two desperate issues whenever the conservatives are finding the going tough.
Steve, I think Jasmine is just honest, and is expressing her doubts about the way to go forward.
I must admit that a month or two ago I seriously considered whether nuclear power was a safer option than the risks of climate change, and while I concluded that it wasn’t, I respect the views of others who think differently.
I can’t remember if the West supported the canal. I was too busy laughing at the stupidity of the proposal, to be honest.
But if the infant editor was in charge at the time he would have wholeheartedly supported everything the dejure Liberal party leader said. If Barnett had publicly broken wind after a night on the turps it would have been hailed in the West as a refreshing change in atmosphere…
Except for a Robert Taylor piece in the dead tree version slamming both sides for not supporting full de-regulation, onlky Perth Now have done an online piece comparing China’s trading hours to ours, and all the naysayers came out and declared that even Carp’s Clayton reforms would be the end of modern civilisation.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24170161-948,00.html
your words didn’t need twisting Frank.
And Frank other than Carps says, can you explain the uranium mining policy of Labor around the country and identify the underlying belief or rational for it at a state and federal level. Come on labor people can count higher than three.
Ok Frank, I bow to your superior recollective powers!
Frank
if jasmine is the redoubtable jasmine a of oz politics fame ,i can assure you that she is not a howard fan
(from memory jas slayed many a fib pre election-especially the despicable fonz)
eben if wez can’t spull
fonz … how I miss him.
Jasmine, you just CANNOT get it don’t you, politically, it is suicide to even consider it for the simple fact of leakage and storage of nuclear waste, plus the fact that in the wrong hands it can be used to produce nuclear weapons which could be used against us in a time of war.
If you can live with that on your concience – fine.
I won’t.
Jasmine, it’s because it is such a vexing issue, a choice of be damned or be damned, that there is such a divergence of views on the issue, even within the Labor party (or, to be fair, within the Liberal Party for that matter).
Neither you or Frank are entitled to the high moral ground.
Ummmm Frank I’m taking uranium mining – you know that thing that happens in SA and the NT; and I’m pretty sure Australia exports it, so my dear it is already on your conscience as you are Australian and we sell the stuff already.
That is why I don’t get your position. If there had been a consistent no uranium mining policy applied by labor I would have more trouble than I do.
But it makes no sense to me. And yes it could be used against us in a nuclear war and there would be an irony I might not be alive to appreciate it if it was.
Buut we are talking about WA here, not SA/NT, if they want to pollute their land – let them go right ahead.
I do NOT want WA to go the way of SA/NT and I support both Gallop & now Carpenter in that regard.
you are right Fulvio there is no moral high ground and even if there was one they are soooo boring.
And I don’t think it is politically bad, I think if sold right it would be a net positive for the libs. Politically they can make carps look stupid; it is ok for families to pay the bills based on uranium mining in SA; it is ok for mortgages to be paid based on uranium mining in the NT, but Mr Carpenter thinks you have it so well that we don’t need a whole new industy…. blah blah blah…. if you aren’t enjoying plummeting house prices vote for Mr Barnett.
Jasmine
“fonz … how I miss him.”
apparently his battles with you, arbiejay and the gang have left him a blathering mess (or he lost his seat in parliament!)
i miss his bullshit scenarios-when he alleged an assault had happened at his workplace and he didnt know what to do because of “labors” unfair dismissal laws, I completely wrote the fool off.
Your destruction of his quasi economics was always a pleasure to read
BTW what is your prediction for WA in terms of seats?
I’ll give up but IMHO Labor lost the uranium mining debate / high ground / any sense of the rationality with the three mines policy.
Yes what did happen to Fonzie, was he banned by William too? I recall he migrated over here with the rest of us for a time…
Articulate and not afraid of a good natured though abrasive stouch as I recall…
William’s site was a little more highbrow in those days, but we put an end to that.
You have in that statement once and for all, you’d rather sleep with the devil known as the Liberal Party.
John Curtin would be spinning in his grave.
sorry gus I have no idea. Carps should kill them, but it looks very uncertain.
It’s just not a winner with voters Jasmine, if uranium mining or it’s derivatives had voting power John Howard would still be in power today. It is not the sort of issue that will win an election.
I fail to see how when the whole focus of the Climate Change debate is about supporting renewable energy that the uranium industry would even get a look-in. The biggest nuclear power countries also happen to be the biggest polluters, the list of nuclear nations and biggest polluters is almost identical. Germany has had nuclear power for years and is closing them all down.
With the lack of free time available to people today, it’s hard enough to find extra time in life without going out to find everything closed.
This is the sort of issue that business and government can turn in their favour as voters can see an instant benefit at little cost to themselves. Unless you happen to be having Sunday off at the moment and in the future will have to work on a Sunday but that is the way the modern world turns.
I said I’d give up Steve but one last try, I think nuclear power generation is politically stupid, Howard went there, he shouldn’t have (from a pure political pov).
But mining is different, because we already do it. Yes it feeds the power generation and weapons (you can’t pretend it is all used as paper weights it makes nuclear weapons) but we as a country have been mining it for what more than 20 years and shipping it away. The horse has bolted. Only question is whether WA ignores the resource and the industry or not.
Remind me is the SA Government not Labor?
from some SA press release:
=========================================
SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S THIRD URANIUM MINE APPROVED
Friday, 11 January 2008
Acting Minister for Mineral Resources Development Michael Atkinson announced today that the Uranium One Australia Pty. Ltd. Honeymoon Project has been given the go ahead to begin construction of South Australia’s third uranium mine.
We’ll find out in two weeks time Jasmine whether he was on the right track or it is back to retirement.
Well it won’t be with the help of Greens Preferences
True Steve. Might be fun on the day.
Candidates are up
http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_elections/election_results/2008_State_General_Election/candidate_list_-_legislative_assembly_district.php
It’s shaping up to be one of the best stoushes for a long time. Luckily I’m far enough away to not get lost in the petty detail but this WA election after the lull following the Olympics should be a knock ‘em down and drag ‘em out affair in the last two weeks when the heat and pressure gets applied.
I think the wakeup call to Labor from the NT election won’t be missed either and the CLP probably did the WA Libs no good by scaring the horses and letting Labor know they have to work hard for every vote.
Carps will easily retain Willage.
Candidate Party
CARPENTER, Alan Australian Labor Party
DELVES, Robert Greens (WA)
TAYLOR, Matt Liberal
http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_elections/election_results/2008_State_General_Election/District_of_Willagee/candidates.php
No wonder the Liberals look as though they believe in nothing – they have wiped the slate clean.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24183478-5006789,00.html
Geez, Frank, not even the most pessimistic amongst us would have thought otherwise!
And according to Inside Cover, the Education Policy released yesterday had on it’s front cover a picture of the Exclusive Guildford Grammer School – not a local Govt School.
And the Libs have lost the Teacher’s vote despite the current pay dispute not being finalised.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/15/2336094.htm
Found this on one of the WA Threads over at LP by Waybe Thompson – Independent Candidate for Carine.
Here are the last few paragraphs.
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/08/07/day-1-of-the-wa-state-electionand-were-all-bored-already/#comment-496193
A Westpoll is out. Libs leading in four out of five marginals and one a dead heat.
http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=506582
Meh, only polled 400 voters in each seat, what’s the bet they picked the most liberal part of the seat to call
And further down the article it don’t look good for the Libs, and it corresponds with the Swan Hills polling that was leaked to Peter Kennedy earlier in the week.
WA Newspoll 51-49 2PP
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24188629-5013404,00.html
James J
Can you please put those Newspoll figures through Antony Greens’ Electoral Calculator ?
http://www.abc.net.au/elections/wa/2008/calculator/?wa=0&retiringfactor=1
According to the Calculator, this should still be the result – still a reasonable ALP Victory.
http://www.abc.net.au/elections/wa/2008/calculator/?wa=-1.3&retiringfactor=1
New thread.