The Federal 2013 Election Thread

[id_pending]

Hey everyone...

So, we all know theres an election coming up!

September the 14th is the big day. Like mentioned, plenty of time for us all to plan for that date.

Also means its going to be a looooooong campaign.

For the peace of the board, so everything else doesnt get pushed down by debates on policies and dirt and gossip (and digs at each other personally) etc, can we at all perhaps try to contain as much as we can in a thread much like this?

Theres bound to be plenty of healthy debate (particularly by a few members well known for their strong stance and support for a certain party) and its always easier to follow it etc in one place.

Should be an interesting year ahead! I know I for one am looking forward to it!

[id_pending]

With all that said, I was wondering what peoples thoughts were on the election being called so early.

Was it a good move? What might be the cons for each side? The pros?

What do you think the motives of it are?

[id_pending]

Oh and obviously...if you think this thread is a bad idea, just let it drop out of existence. It was only an idea for peace and harmony. 🙂

[sniper_patrol]

Great thread id_pending

I think it's a great move by Ms Gillard to call the election this far out. It removes all the unwanted speculation that will occur over the course of the next 8 months about a date.

Hopefully it will force the hand of the LNP to have their policies and costings available to the public much much earlier than they did at the last election.

The government can now get on with the job of governing without the constant need to clarify a date.

A slow move to the election rather that a spiteful TV flooded smear campaign is something I would prefer to see. May not occur, but I live in hope.

[id_pending]

I see Tony Abbott has made his own speech about the upcoming election now that it has been announced. All about trust....and something about more and less.

I see also that now some people are starting to complain about the date and the timing of certain religious events. Turnbull being one.

[cueperkins]

I've become seriously disillusioned with politics in the past decade.  One thing I know for sure is that no matter who is in Govt....Rural Australia always does it hard.  They don't seem to understand that small business needs help to create full time jobs.   We had 12 years of John Howard and at the end of it, our region had the highest unemployment in the NATION. 

That was when he was telling us "We'd never been better off in his once in a generation labour market".  (Don't mention the War....on Industrial Relations & workplace rights).  Don't also mention 12 years of infrastructure being robbed for surplus bragging rights.  A bit of "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" is all it was.  We built nothing in all those years of any note.

Then we got Rudd and I was really happy because for once in a long time, we seemed to have a pollie with personality & intelligence....the rest is history. 

Did Anyone see the Q & A before Christmas on ABC with Rudd & Turnbull debating?  It was truly something worth listening to and voting on. 

So hard to find good pollies these days....

[catsnknots]

I want to know why we now have Gillard in glasses.... like when did this happen??? I was only out of action for 4 days..... 

[catsnknots]

Is she trying to look like Rudd or what?? 

[lurker17260]

Cheap shot cat, not really worthy of you.  Apparently she normally wears contact lenses, and yes these are a new pair of glasses. 

[nero_bolt]

Its the new new new and newer Julia re-invented again and again and again  in glass's this time.

As she normally wears contacts maybe some focus group has come up with the idea that the glass's make her look more trustworthy and change her image and her shifty eyes dont appear so close together in glass's 

🙂