I'd agree with this assessment to a large extent. Up to the point where people vote for parties. It's surprising the number of people you meet who want to vote for either Rudd or Howard, but don't know which party they lead.

Candidates like Turnbull who are not including Howard in their campaign material will have this problem. Less so Turnbull because he's well known in his own right, but when nobody candidates do that a lot of people wouldn't know where their vote is going

No great dissent here either, I wonder if it is important in a marginal that you have a publicly known candidate, which is worth X %, and that this could make a difference in a tight race against a lesser known opponent, not the case in Bennelong of course.

I wonder if an election choice ends up being like choosing a home to buy, you can be as rational as you like but in the end the one you want is the one that has that certain feeling.

Kevin07!

I think it is good that those who have the courage and who want Australia to problem solve, for the future, get our honest and genuine support.

Australia has been lucky for many reasons, but I believe we are at a cross-road. Problem ONE is with TRANSPARENCY.

Blind are those who can't see the need to build on community infrastructure.

I use this comment to make a statement on free speech.

My website has a number of "no name crawelers" , and possibly a "hacker or two".

I have complained about this in the past and especially during APEC, but tonite, in case it is happening to others I state that it is the particular files that are getting the unusal or selective "attention".

On these PAGES I get a notice which I paste below.

"HTTP Error 507

507 Unexpected

The Web server encountered an unexpected error while communicating with the ASP service.

Please contact the server's administrator if this problem persists."

The two files that appear to be of political interest are linked as

1) "DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM?"

http://www.miacat.com/Media_Pan_One/REGIONAL_Pacific_News/Local_Cape_York/New_campaign/Do_We_Ck_Letter_Open.asp

and;

"WHO IS MS ELSIE PHILLIPS" a political Alias (someone in leadership?). A letter printed from the local news and which appeared after the last local elections here in Cooktown;

http://www.miacat.com/Media_Pan_One/CreativeEssentials/mia_Ltr_Editor/2001_5/Miacat_letters_2004.asp

Blocked also are my letters to the local editor over the previous seven years.

I am tired of it. I believe we do have a problem and I hope others if they are experiencing it REPORT IT ALSO.

I have not the resources to make a big issue of it, but I am certain - I know who it might be, hacking, and I am sure it is fowl politics.

Given I have reported the problem to my server many times, I now expose the problem openly and let the Australian public know this is happening.

I don't believe I deserve any "special editing" and surely a phone call from the perpetrator would be more constructive.

http://www.miacat.com
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Crime Prevention works when you have the support and transparency.

Notice the links I disclosed above are now open.

Thats right. Many would like you to think we are so powerless, that to be bullied is all it takes to make us run scared.

Not in your life. We need a public watch if our rights as citizens is to be protected.

I have nothing to hide and know I report bullies, fowl play, abuse and all forms inauspicious.

I am against all forms of violence and especially structural forms of violence.

Thank You for the correction, for reversing the above mentioned, impediment.

http://www.miacat.com
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