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!

[katydidthat]

Gillard's just about to give a press conference on ABC News 24

[katydidthat]

Roxon and Evans are with her.  

[cueperkins]

azurline, once upon a time, Aussies extracted the Urine from Pollies on TV (See Max Gillies)....It's nothing more than a verbal caricature, no different to the daily papers usual political comics.

Nothing beats a sense of humour in this era of PC strangulation.  It's good to laugh at them, because the opposite of course would be to get angry.  Can't have that.

Max Gillies does Don Chipp:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMb3pILpsCk

Gilles does Bob Hawke:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrZy8ornRxQ

The Gillies report:  Corruption in NSW:  Gillies does Neville Wran

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHGn29SuMUo

Garn...have a laugh....

These days it's Get Up Sydney....thank Gawd somebody still does it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax0dFMIcgrU

[katydidthat]

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Tony Abbott has seized on the latest embarrassing revelations to reinforce his message that he will "clean up corrupt unions" if he wins office.

He criticised the Government for continuing to accept the MP's vote in the federal parliament. "We have refused Craig Thomson's vote ever since the Fair Work Australia report came down," he said.

"Every day that the government continues to accept his vote is a day when the government continues to be under this dreadful ethical pall of the Health Services Union."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/handwriting-expert-on-thomson-case/story-fncvk70o-1226567080592

Now, this annoys me.  

1. Having spent years being involved with unions, including working as an organiser, I KNOW the good work unions do.  I KNOW that most are not corrupt, but full of hard workers, often working masses of unpaid overtime to help their members.  

2.  I cannot imagine that Thomson would EVER vote with the Coalition and against the ALP. Has it happened?  Is this mere spin?  

3.  The union appears to have cleaned itself up with new leadership.  

PS.  I am trying to put things in this thread if they don't belong in another thread 🙂

[daydream**believer]

so much for keeping it all on this thread.

13 political threads on page 1 X-(

[id_pending]

Ahhh well. I tried. 

Anyway....just seen in todays news...

JULIA Gillard has accused her own MPs of trying to destroy her Government from within as she addressed a shattered caucus ahead of the resumption of Parliament tomorrow.

Why would she do this?? People are already feeling and thinking that the ALP is in disarray and this is certainly not going to help that cause!

[nero_bolt]

So sad (NOT) even her own party dont like her

Julia Gillard accuses own MPs of trying to destroy her, leaking to media

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/pm-accuses-mps-of-trying-to-destroy-govt/story-e6freuy9-1226570172009 

Caucus source: PM accuses own MPs Clear sign Gillard concerned about new challenge Former PM Rudd absent from meeting

JULIA Gillard has accused her own MPs of trying to destroy her Government from within as she addressed a shattered caucus ahead of the resumption of Parliament tomorrow.

A source inside the caucus told The Daily Telegraph that the PM said she was aware that MPs had been leaking to journalists with the intention of backgrounding against the Government. Backgrounding is where politicians provide sensitive information to journalists under the assumption they will not be named.

In a clear sign that Ms Gillard and her backers are concerned about another challenge being mounted against her leadership, the PM said that marginal seat MPs would be the only ones to suffer from the continuous leaking.

While talk of Kevin Rudd has been revived following today’s disastrous poll results, the former PM was a noticeable absence from the meeting. Mr Rudd was said to be unwell.

The caucus met at 2pm today in Parliament.

Ms Gillard then claimed that the source for her claim of backgrounding MPs was a journalist.

The caucus also elected Communications Minister Stephen Conroy as the new Senate leader to replace Chris Evans, who rocked the Government on Friday night when he stepped down from Cabinet, along with Attorney General Nicola Roxon.

A caucus spokesman said Ms Gillard's remarks had been "implicit" and had not referred to individuals.

"She referred to media that had said to her a range of negative comments, or people with negative comments, were waiting for them when they came back from leave."

Caucus had been shaken by the messy start to the year, which included a row over the selection of Nova Peris as a Senate candidate, a shock announcement of the election date, and two cabinet ministers announcing they would quit at the election.

"We need to make sure we're all united," Ms Gillard was quoted as saying.

In an evaluation of Ms Gillard's remarks today, one unimpressed Labor MP who did want to be named said: "It's everyone else's fault."

[newstart2380]

so much for keeping it all on this thread.

13 political threads on page 1 X-(

Enough already, I don't think I can swallow another 9 months of this. 

[newstart2380]

Enough already, I don't think I can swallow another 9 months of this. 

Forgot to ad, I can carry a baby for that time and that seems forever so pleeeeeeaaaaase no more until one month away and then lets all get into it big time.

[just_me_karen]

Just ignore the threads, newstart.. Don't even click to open 🙂