"In one corner we've got one tough, experienced
pollie - Belinda Neal.

In the other - we've got someone who took off
when the going got tough - Melissa Batten."

That is an interesting take on things, Foxy. For me, integrity rates highly, tough does not equate to bully, and experienced does not mean coercing people into making false statements to police. Of course, I am assuming that Melissa Batten's claims are true.

Dear Fester,

I fully agree with you.

That's why I said I had reservations about
it all.

We'll have to wait and see, I guess, perhaps
much more information will surface as the
election draws nearer. Or perhaps Belinda
Neal will choose not to run.

Time will possibly sort things out.

Very true, Foxy. Morality is so polarised in politics. The best outcome for the electorate is to choose a candidate who will faithfully represent them. Good luck to them.

I just read that Belinda Neal has lost a preselection contest for the seat of Robertson to a Deborah O'Neill.

I still can't imagine why Kevin Rudd didn't cut Ms Neal off after her disgraceful behaviour in the 'Iguanagate' issue. Having to ask a serving Politician to take anger management classes is like waving a red flag.

It's one thing to find out a politician is no good once they have already won a seat in parliament, but quite another to know what sort of person she is before again voting her back in there!

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Fester do you agree we all are accountable for our posts here?
That unlike some who defame OLO saying it is a graffiti wall it in fact is a place for considered and informed opinion?
Your reference to NSW branch of the ALP seemingly overlooked the fact Robinson is a federal seat.
And a truth the party machine has far more say, often so, than members.
Last night members spoke.
I am so very happy they did.
We are so much better for it.
But the seat is to be won by conservatives or Labor.
Forrest you know better you are much respected I read every thing you post.
However last night that young Lady's boat sank, it will be a mammoth victory, against the odds, for Labor to win this seat.
It has been used as a plaything by a foolish unpleasant lady.
Who is wed to a great man held back because he loves her.

Yesterday sitting Robertson MP Belinda Neal, ALP, lost a pre-selection contest to Deborah O'Neill by 67 votes to 98, with four votes being recorded as being informal. 177 party members were reported as having attended the pre-selection ballot, so it would appear either eight ballot papers were lost or not counted, or eight abstentions from voting by members who attended, or some combination thereof. For a MSM report that only accounts for 169 of the 177 ballots supposedly issued, see: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/06/2838498.htm



Belly writes:

"However last night that young Lady's [Melissa Batten's] boat sank,
it will be a mammoth victory, against the odds, for Labor to win this seat."



I agree completely with the second line in the quote as I have posted it, and have to agree that in all probability Belly is right in the first line of the quote as I have, hopefully correctly, amplified it.

In my opinion, the best result for the ALP (and, in a parochial sense, for the Central Coast), from the point of view of maximising its chances of forming a government in circumstances of a close 2010 Federal election result, from that pre-selection ballot would have been if Belinda Neal had won by just one vote. Why would this have been so?

Think about it.

So far it seems that such as have thought about this pre-selection contest have focussed entirely on the mirage of candidacies of both Belinda Neal and Melissa Batten together in the same election as acting to 'split the Labor vote'. Under the compulsory preferential voting system that applies in Federal elections, there is no such thing as a 'split' vote. Every voter is in sole control of to which candidate they will give their second (and any subsequent) preference.

It seems not a thought was ever spared as to the effect a concurrent candidacy of Neal and Batten could have had in splitting PRIMARY vote away from a likely near-front-running "conservative" candidate at the upcoming election!

TBC