I really cannot see how voters can be dumb enough to vote for a disgraced candidate who has caused a by-election and associated costs by being a dual citizen when they were elected the first time. The very fact that disqualified candidates are having another go speaks volumes about their lack of remorse and poor character. We have not even seen public proof that they are now not dual citizens.

“Multiculturalism and identity politics aren’t things in Longman. Most people are of European extraction, and they are nationalists, not cosmopolitans.” Well, that’s a nice change. There is hope.

“Turnbull’s best chance in 2019 is for Shorten to be his opponent…..”. So true. Shorten is the only advantage that Turnbull has.

You could be right on the money Graham?

And If the Government takes the seat from the opposition in a by-election? It'll be the first time in a hundred years and cement Turnbull in as Leader!

The elephants in the room are the cost of power, associated living costs and the spectre of Newman?
Alan B.

GY: Ruthenberg immediately admitted to the mistake, and received support from some RSL members.

If the issued medal is the Australian Service Medal then It's not Ruthenbergs fault. The fault lies with CARO & the Medal issuing Department. Your name & Rank & Serial Number is stamped on the Rim. & The Paper work that comes with it. Come to think of it I never applied for any Madals while I was in the Army. One was chucked at me across my Barracks Room. The other I got in the Mail. The ICB I had to buy myself. My OC just announced on Dismissal Parade that we were now entitled to war it. The rest I had to apply for as I had left the Army. I didn't Apply for the CoG or the ICB, they were just sent to me. Actually they gave me a CoG when I went to the I RAR Parade in Townsville that year in 2016.

So if Ruthenburg was issued the ASM instead of the ADM it wasn't his fault anyway.

I'm not sure that one election loss will be enough to see Shorten get the chop, as I have already seen a group of ALP MPs preparing the ground for a defeat in Longman with "it is only on a very thin margin" and "we have lost One nation's preferences" etc, but two seats would see him swinging from the ALP's masthead.

One possible advantage of winning two seats is that it will give Labor a wake-up call that they have drifted too far to the left, and that they need to revise their more stupid policies.

Thank you GY, an informative article.

*“Winning the battle for Longman might cost Turnbull the war.”*
One would hope so.

*”it might also fracture Labor and hand the leadership to Anthony Albanese.”*
A male version of Julia Gillard…God spare us!

*”Turnbull has started talking about population.”*
Dutton is believable: Turnbull isn't! An unfortunate conflict!

Hanson, the “dolt grenade” used effectively by the beleaguered public, against their main opposition in life, the politician!

Sadly, this seat and the next election will be won by the best negative campaign!

And voters voting for whom they dislike the least. And therefore nothing very much will be promised or done other than the customary pork barreling at election time, to buy a few votes?

There will likely be some modest commitment to lower power prices, i.e., a couple of cents per KwH less?

When a real leader able to put the country ahead of personal concerns or pernicious party politics, would move to reduce it to just a couple of cents! And would promise to lift the standard of living for all with a power price reduction, led recovery.

Would commit to new better medical care that cured conditions instead of just managing them so be pharma could continue the upward projection of the profit curve. Where cures would/could literally demolish it!

better a few kids survive a few months of horrendous and extremely profitable chemo, that to have their life-threating conditions removed in a single afternoon!

Voters need to be treated like mushrooms, fed lots of BS and kept in the dark so the gravy train can roll ever onwards and the maximised profits and parliamentary pay scale and post-politics pensions can be maximised!

Understand, by their fruits, ye shall know them and then go and vote with your conscience and for the national interest, or not?

Who cares? Alan B.