examinator sorry I write as I think.
And in truth have often had to look twice to see if you said what I thought you did, none of us gets it right all the time.
I am angry believe me very,, about such dribble about hiding, never ever think I would do so.
While you are much further left than me I feel reality is greens should consider even with boats full of Labor refugees/traitors they are bound for ever to be a minority,
There now you can dislike me even more.

Country Gal, I was a student at The University of New England, graduating in 1970. It was then the most conservative education institution in the country. We even had a residential college named after Sir Earle Page, the eminent leader of the Country Party way back in the twenties.
Whilst universities in the big cities had rabid left-wing radicals such as Albert Langer, Peter Steedman and Gareth Evans, we had ONE radical, known as the University Radical!
The biggest event in Armidale was the annual visit by Slim Dusty, and most of the students were drawn from rural areas.
I doubt that the New England region has changed much over the last forty years. The local member before Tony Windsor was Ian Sinclair, the leader of the old Country Party.
I know you trust Windsor, but if Windsor was instrumental in returning this very bad Labor Govt., how do you think he would fare in your seat electorally?
The Rudd/Gillard Govt. has been the worst federal govt. in this country’s history. Do you really suggest that Windsor can put this very bad Labor Govt. back in power and not cop extraordinary flack from the New England electorate?
Regards, Geoffrey Kelley.

Dear thinker 2,

Of course politics is a numbers game,
as the current Election has proven.
I was merely commenting on being
extremely impressed by what I saw of
the three Independents. And I still
trust that they will make the right
decision as to who they will or will
not support. Thanks to the Australian
people, we can only hope that our
political scenario may have changed for
the better.

What I find stimulating is that since
the Election, we on this Forum have
indulged in rigorous uncensored debate,
and that's the way it should be.
We should be able to confront a variety
of opinions, whether we like them or not.
By the way, I've got family living in
Port Macquarie,
Kempsey, and Quirindi. I'm somewhat familiar
with the area and its politics.

What the independents are doing is biding their time to see who is getting the most seats. With 3 seats they are no use to a party with 72, but are for a party with 73. Their "independence" is the first stage of bartering.

If the libs get 73 seats you will see Abbott as PM. With Labor at 73 you will see JG as PM.

GeoffreyKelley,

UNE has changed quite a bit - I graduated a significant time after you (>30yrs), and I know I found the whole uni experience a little to Left for me.

Take into account that New England has a State Independent too, who has very known Labor leanings - Richard Torbay. So I dont think that deciding to go with a Gillard government will be Windsor's undoing. If he does, and votes with their worst policies WITHOUT explaining himself well to the electorate, then he is in danger. But Windsor has shown in the past that he communicates very well with the people around him, so the risk is reasonably low.

Country Gal and others, according to “The Age” the current state of play is, ‘If counting trends continue in these three seats, the final result will be Labor 73, the Coalition on 72 - including WA National Tony Crook - plus four independents and one Green.’
The Green will go to the ALP, and so will Wilkie in Tasmania, although he will stay an “independent”, giving them 75 seats. If the three remaining independents go with the Libs, we have a hung parliament.

If the Three Amigos (Windsor, Oakeshott and Katter) go to the ALP, the results will be ALP 79 and the Libs on 72 seats. Gillard will apparently have a manageable majority of seven seats. But will it work? I doubt it.
Katter represents a large mining constituency and does not want the Great Big New Tax on mining. Katter also represents farmers and has mentioned on numerous occasions the number of farmers in his electorate that are committing suicide. Gillard will have to lean far to the right to accommodate Katter.
The Three Amigos all represent rural electorates so they will oppose the carbon tax, yet Gillard will face a senate controlled by the Greens.

Either way the country is in trouble. We either get three more years of the worst govt. this country has seen, or a hung parliament. We are in for a wild ride ☺

Geoffrey Kelley