Karen Chijoff (Liberal Party's candidate for Lindsay) is either naïve or representative of the desperation afflicting the Howard/Costello Liberal Party.

Are the actions of her husband, the retiring Liberal candidate's husband and a senior Liberal Party official typical of the fear and scare campaign that the Liberal Party so fiercely denies they are engaging in?

Mr Howard said the written apology by Gary Clark (husband of retiring Liberal MP, Jackie Kelly) and sent to Liberal Party NSW director Graham Jaeschke this morning, stated that “Ms Chijoff had been unaware of the pamphlet.”

Mr Howard says; “I have been informed, and verily believe, that the candidate had no prior knowledge,” Mr Howard said.

PIGS FLY too.

Do you think Karen Chijoff would not have been aware of her husband’s night-time clandestine escapades?

Do you think Greg Chijoff would not have told his wife what he and Jackie Kelly’s husband and Jeff Egan (a member of the NSW state Liberal executive) were up to?

Jeff Egan has rejected any claim of involvement, but today a journalist at Prime Minister John Howard's final election speech, said during question time that Mr Egan had indicated the pamphlet was authorised.

Jeff Egan says he has “been falsely accused of distributing unauthorised material,'' and “categorically denies distributing any unauthorised material. I intend to clear my name.''

Mr Howard also said today that a partner in a marriage should not be held accountable for the other spouse’s indiscretions. This is admirable.

BUT, one has to question whether it is only her husband's indiscretion or whether this is typical of an evil regime desperate to hang onto power, at any cost.

No prank Corri, a hopeless and presumably criminal act. It seems to be the last ditch act of those who don't want to accept the message of their own polling.

Is it really any worse tho' than Labors dishonest "nurse, nurse..." add that misrepresents nurses employment?

Let's not be too holier than thou- neither side could win this argument.

Dear Corri,

No, this definitely was not a prank. They were not expecting to be found out. But it just illustrates how pathetic they are. Let them stand on their record indeed. On asylum seekers, the 'children overboard affair,' their detention centers, their racist attitudes towards Aboriginals, the list goes on.

They have nothing new to offer the people of Australia - so they resort to fear and scare tactics in the hope that we're stupid enough to fall for them. Well, guess what? Nobody believes the lies anymore!
And come 24th November - the landslide will drown their party!
Hopefully for decades to come!

I fear this debate is far too one sided ... are there none that would stand up for the Liberal government? Though Palimpsest at least offers a balance, that neither party can claim holier than thou.

Foxy ... decades! That may be a little harsh.

Should the government have sacked Chijoff and gone into spin mode? They may have saved face as a party ... especially based on Q&A's remarks that Greg Egan plans to save face (is Egan part of the David Clark / religious right set?)

So, for those of the left persuasion ... what if the roles were reversed, we were in Bennelong and it was Maxine's hubby that got caught ... what should have been done to rectify this? (Ignoring of course that this may be indicative of a wider culture rather than a one off event).

Dear Corri,

A little harsh? Yes, perhaps... (make it one decade).

As for Maxine's husband pulling a similiar stunt? It wouldn't happen.
She would have married an intelligent bloke!

Dear Corri,

Sorry, I forgot to answer your question ... What should be done to rectify this?

John Howard should sack the woman whose husband was responsible...
She knew full well of what he was going to do, but did not expect him to get caught. Now, she should pay the consequences.

But, of course that's not going to happen. It will somehow be justified(as it always is) with Mr Howard and his team.