That the best you've got Belly?

You don't cite a single positive reason why the Iemma government was re-elected.

This election is a victory for negative campaiging and refusal to engage by both sides on the real issues.

I am very saddend that hatred of John Howard, however justified, has poisoned the minds of the NSW public into voting back into office this bunch of corrupt, incompentant fools.

Reason not to vote labour; roads, water, planning, taxes, crap hospitals etc.

One simple challenge for you then. Name five things the labour government has done in the last twelve years that should have made me vote for them. I can't think of one.

And by the way whatever you think of Debnam the attacks on him were pathetic.

gw

I have my own pet theory.

The problems with NSW were mostly in areas that the public generally considers to be in the strength of the Labor party. Health, education, the environment, water and not least public transport were all big issues, along with the usual economic issues, as well as some development issues.

Had NSW experienced these problems under a Liberal government, they would have been voted out in a heart beat. However, people (rightly or wrongly) often associated the Labor party as being superior on these issues. Thus, the Liberals would have had to work doubly hard in order to convince the electorate that they could do better. Debnam fell well short of this.

However, the public are not likely to need as much convincing should these problems still be evident in 2011.

As for me, I'm feeling quite good that I voted for, and preferenced, neither major party.

Labors strong in public transport

so thats why they are going to sell off Country Link
loss of jobs
higher cost of train tickets

Didnt know

well Labor only tells the people what they want them to hear.

And like ChrisC i didnt have much choice but didnt vote for the 2 majors either.

Why disrespect for the people, and deceit.

The under valuing of voters choice and indeed the ignoring of voters intent is apparent.
How can so many give themselves a pat on the back for understanding the issues and think others failed to do so?
The electorate understood the issues and Labors failures, they did not buy the conservatives.
Dirty tactics? how about the parading of parents of dead children and blaming the ALP?
The Sydney press?
In just weeks from now we will see voters got it right! a new government by the end of next week with our leaders stamp on it and some real rubbish gone.
What then for the contented purr of the unhappy conservatives who claim insight they own and not the voters?
Do not please let bitterness mask the voters have spoken and if they did not take the path you wanted do not devalue their intent.
Clearly conservative Australia should address its own problems first.
Howard and his dirty half dozen must return to policy not lies.
His party should review its direction and leadership .
Post election 2007 it will be done from the middle of the rubble that was once conservative Australian politics.
You will still hear the voices coming from that pile saying the voters got it wrong.
Extraordinary!

T800, thanks for clearing that up about One Nation. I didn’t realise they couldn’t run in NSW any more; shows how much attention I pay to politics!

Belly, I’m not actually sure how much influence Workchoices had on the outcome of the election. It doesn’t seem to have bitten that hard yet, and possibly won’t until there’s a significant downturn in the economy. I think it’s more likely that it was a combination of factors, such as those identified by ChrisC, with a little bit of uncertainty over Workchoices thrown in.

Personally, my reason for preferencing Labor over Liberal was simply the oft-repeated promise by Debnam to cut 20000 public service jobs. So have a guess what I am!