where I live and therefore vote is a safe seat for my local member so I feel my vote will not sway things one way or another.
I voted for Kev in 2007 and was incensed to see him ripped from power by a bunch of back room boyz who did not much like him form the start (too conservative for them?)
I would like to vote informal this Saturday just to say to those boyz you can not put someone up as subterfuge to get us to vote for you then whip them down and put up your stooge! take power in the manner of some coup.
I will not vote for that.
Not that inspired by The Abbot and his horse and cart internet, or Bob and his nothing is better than anything to fix this planet (we will make things so hot they have to come crawling to vote for us eventually?), I think I will write on my ballot "bring back kev!" for an informal vote this Saturday!

Dear rchy,

Did you happen to watch "Q and A,"
last night? And if you did - could
you honestly say that you'd want
Tony Abbott as our PM?

Of course you're entitled to vote
however you please, but if I were you
I wouldn't listen to Mark Latham who's
got an axe to grind, when he suggested
people vote informally (pay back time).

Watching Tony Abbott on "Q and A," last night
was enough to convince me that no matter what
happened with Kevin's demise,
the bottom line is - allowing
Tony Abbott to even get a chance at being
PM - is simply not worth the risk.

I believe that Kevin may have had a better plan than Wayne or Julia, and they gave him no support at all, it is just a suggestion that his decisions on the insulation was the only alternative they left open for him to get some assistance for low income earners, and the alternative was to hand over to his detractors. Well, they took it off him, didn't they. Knowing the result of the low tax rate brought about in the 1930's, I am dammed if I can see anything that has been done or promised by either side, can bring the successful economy we need. You would have to be a complete idiot to believe you could. Sure, I am looking forward for improvement, but there is no direction which way to go. I am not a fanatic, so I can't see a successful plan that doesn't exist. As far as John Howard goes, he was in breach of clause 44 of the Australian constitution, and those who were in the ministerial party, would be part of that breach.

Consider Family First folks...

See this for reasons.

http://australiavotes.org/policies/index.php?topic_ids=55,61,56,57,58,59,60&pointsofdifference=true

Anyone who does an informal vote this weekend should not then complain about who does come into power. You will get what you deserve.

I agree with Foxy. It will be a scary day on Saturday if the Abbott gets in and is able to um and ah his way through the next 3 years.
Quite apart from his very conservative views, how embarrassing would such a poor speaker be as our Prime Minister?

AGIR, I am not at all surprised that you love the Catholics (sorry -Family) First party.
I always put them last on my ballot papers, and you have now given me yet one more reason to continue to do so.

Suze, m'dear

Anyone who seriously considers anything Latham advises them to do, forfeits any right to utter a single word regarding anything political until they place a valid vote again.

An informal vote does nothing - it is not a protest because it makes zero difference.

I'm not sure this argument is convincing, suzeonline.

>>Anyone who does an informal vote this weekend should not then complain about who does come into power. You will get what you deserve.<<

I've heard it trotted out every time someone suggests we end compulsory voting.

On this logic, it would appear that my only reward for being forced to enter a vote for someone whose policies I actively reject, is permission to complain?

Seems a pretty poor return on investment to me.

Surely, even if I choose not to vote, I am allowed to complain, first and foremost, that the system as it stands actively discourages political parties in Australia from articulating actual policies. Witness the fact that the ALP only "launched their campaign" yesterday... how arrogant is that?

Then I should be allowed to complain that even if I vote for a Party that has "policies", there is nothing to prevent that Party from changing its mind, after it has been elected... having used my vote in order to do so.

In business, that would be fraudulent. Directors would face jail sentences. Careers would be curtailed... and quite rightly too.

So, telling me "I get what I deserve" by withholding my vote seems just a teensy bit harsh. Especially when I "get what I don't deserve", when forced to mark the ballot paper in the first place.

I would be happy for my non-vote should be understood as any of the following:

"you haven't convinced me that you are honest"

"I don't believe you, when you say you will do this."

"I don't believe that the leader of your Party has the intellect, intestinal fortitude or necessary statesmanship to represent this country abroad"

"I don't want to vote for a "faction"; I want to vote for a Party"

etc. etc.

I certainly believe that anyone who would want to see Rudd back should vote informal.

That would get rid of some of the idiot vote.

Now, all we have to do is get those who think a that anyone who could walk the street with hair died that ridiculous colour of red, is suitable material to lead any country to do the same.

For those who don't like UMs & AHs, I have to agree, but I like even less that shovel scraping the bottom of the gravel pit voice, of little Julie.

Have you noticed how Julie is talking more & more about the big "I", & "MY". "My government", "when I'm reelected", but we hear quite a bit about "we" & "our" from Abbott.

It would be nice if someone would tell her it is our government, not hers.

When did physical appearance or the way someone speaks become so important in this election. It is policies and belief in follow-up that are important. To think otherwise implies this Ad-style campaign of an election circus is exactly what we deserve.

Suze,

I think Bob Hawke was a decent PM. He patented the ums and aaahhhhs.

I prefer it to Kevin's 'let me just say', and Julia's slow talk. It's all about thinking time. It's hard to think tactically and talk at the same time.

It's better for politicians to stall in this way than have the media (let alone the other parties) pounce on every turn of phrase and distort the whole meaning of what they are trying to say.

People like to pretend Abbott is stupid just because they don't like his policies and the way he presents himself. He's no dill, and it's lazy thinking and one-eyed bias to assert this.

BTW: I find it hard to vote for such a patronising person such as Jooolia. Apart form her slow talking (which as I said is her thinking time, but it comes off as patronising) did anyone see her 'hands up' speech to the pikeys the other day. She showed them no respect, putting herself up as the teacher and them the school kids.

In the end they're both pretty average speakers. Turnbull and Tanner run rings around them.

A silly idea just as silly as Boazy asking us to vote for the dead beast that was family first.
Broke in big debt and dead it will never rise again.
Its only winner won on ALP preferences and proved unstable.
After the election we will know more about Rudd.
And How did Christians get involved with FF?
Most voters know how to use a vote Labor will be returned.

Suzi,
I agree in principal with you.
I think you'll find it's the evangelical churches that are behind FF.
Locally the Catholics are all supporting the LNP
The DLP is also traditionally supported by the Catholics.

Pericles,
What we have here is a philosophical difference between those who believe in SEP (its Somebody Else's Problem) i.e. You.....and those who believe in personal responsibility.

While I clearly don't believe in the dysfunctional party system of government. And therefore don't vote for parties but for policies as expressed by my "representative".

I will be voting against the Local sitting egotist (lib) then again I'd vote against him if he was Labor. This election will be for me voting for a representative I don't know hoping they will be better that a known quality, a political drone.

So you can see there is a point to vote even if just to oust the a pitiful representative (sic).

"I think I will write on my ballot "bring back kev!" for an informal vote this Saturday!"

I reckon that'll be about as informal as they get.

<< Anyone who does an informal vote this weekend should not then complain about who does come into power. You will get what you deserve. >>

Suze, I have to disagree. Those people who will be voting ‘informally’, as prompted by Latham (and perhaps by Ludwig’s much-repeated comments on OLO and elsewhere!) will be doing so as a well-considered option because they feel that neither Labor or Liberal deserves their vote. They will be strongly (and rightly) complaining that neither of them are good enough to govern us!

It is everyone’s perfect right to vote for no candidate if they feel that none deserves their vote or that the voting system could steel their vote and make it count where they don’t want it to count.

Both of these concerns are very real in this election.

A deliberate null vote should not be considered informal. Neither should it be considered a wasted vote.

Is it better for a large portion of the populace to vote for the party that they feel is the ever-so-slightly less evil? Or for them to vote for one or other major parties when they are highly disinterested and don’t know or care about what the candidates are really offering? Or for them to lodge a null vote?

I’d strongly suggest that the last option is the best, for anyone that does not have a good policy-based reason for voting for either Labor or Liberal.

T.A. is a great deal more intelligent economics wise and if given the opportunity Saturday/Sunday, my forecast is that he will stamp out the deficit before it is beyond repair, thereafter reducing all Australians costs of living dramatically.

A change is as good as a holiday and under Labor, voting Liberal, will be as close to a holiday as I will get this time next year!

T.A. may not be the best in the drama and bull crap department [despite speaking articulately though], as some others are full of it in the Labor camp, however my bet is that he will be one guy full of surprises in order to wipe out the Deficit and take the pressure off families and businesses. There is more intelligence to Tony and many of the Liberal Party Candidates than meets the eye.

Beware of those who spruik far too greatly and already demonstrated the Billions run up that WE fellow Ozzies now inherit under Labor.

How is that for a grand Liberal speech! The truth hurts and hurt you all will by this time next year if you repeat voting for Labor. Do not whinge on OLO next year or I may just say "you were warned about the Debt and high costs of living under the current Labor party".


Those fooled regarding T.A's intelligence,qualifications experience, economic plans and strategies, should think again if they wish to enjoy lower utilities/less financial pressure all round in their lives ie QUALITY OF LIFE, by this time next year.

I advise you all to take ownership of the current debt before it explodes beyond repair [that Labor instigated].

T.A. has a background in Economics to plan wisely ahead as opposed to spending and wasting. How disgraceful when that capital could have been spent to save lives instead of costing lives.

Labour under Labor is what Australians will do; toil away and waste another four years of lives; this time doing it tough!

Life's short, make the most of it, and vote Liberal, after all what have Australians now got to lose

Not one of them are worthy of my time to vote, hence I'll do what I always do and write "LICK MY BOOTS!" They're all morons of the highest caliber.

I feel sick every time I have to pay a tax knowing I'm paying for those slime balls to have a great life while they destroy ours.

I hope as many people as myself and friends are doing what we're doing. Not spending anymore than absolutely necessary so as to reduce their income. Every day we convince another 3 to do the same, that's around 70 a day and growing. At the rate we're going, they'll all be broke before the next election. Then they too can eat rotten crap from Coles and Woollworths like the rest of us and turn off their lights and heaters when it's dark and freezing!

Time to stop feeding the beast, it needs to DIE!

VIVA LA REVOLUTION!