SUPPORT for independent MP Rob Oakeshott in his Port Macquarie electorate has plummeted to just 14.8 per cent primary support.

A mid-north coast newspaper said the poll of just under 500 people found support for the MP had collapsed.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/poll-shocker-for-mp-rob-oakeshott-as-support-plunges/story-e6freuzi-1226122437449

Rob,

After shafting your electorate, I would suggest that you dust off your Resume.

Bitter, nasty, probably true.
But standard issue bunkum from this forums usual suspect.

Belly,

I gotta love you. You always feel the need to add a disclaimer to my posts.

Do you remember just after the election we were debating who the independents were going to support. My comment was "Given that the electorates of Windsor and Oakeshott are very conservative, neither of them would be stupid enough to back Labor"

I was wrong, they were that stupid. They are both now looking down the barrel of a possible new election with the obvious result. This is almost certainly why they are backing the weasel Thomson.

SM,

Yes indeed, gotta love the web you try to weave
in your practice to deceive.

There's quite a great deal that you've left out
in your opening post.

Firstly, the Port Paper that you quote from is a
heavily partisan paper. In fact it's not a newspaper
as such but a mouthpiece for the National Party.

The article to which you refer was written by a staff
member who worked for the Nationals' MP Luke Hartsuyler,
whose electorate borders Mr Oakeshott's and who launched
an attack in Parliament yesterday.

Nationals' MPs have been targeting the seats held by
Independent members who are backing Labor in the minority
government.

Clearly there should be an investigation into the newly
established New South Wales mid-north coast newspaper -
which has ties to the National Party. And equally clearly,
one can only take what it prints with a pinch of salt.

Sorry SM I can not share that emotion about you.
I do however feel a touch sorry for you.
Consider these unpalatable facts.
Rob Oakshot left the Nationals a very long time ago.
He held a seat in the NSW Parliament for some time.
The seat he now holds, was the seat of the former Deputy Prime Minister.
A man who, in the middle of his political career, left the Parliament under a cloud.
1 of seven Howard Ministers to do so, sneak out while the going was good.
Oakshot, as an independent, WON! that conservative seat! in a trot.
Windsor too had just such a history, your claim they betrayed conservatives is ,frankly amusing.
London to a brick your team, late next year or early the next, takes government.
What will you say if you need to deal with others? besides your party's lap dog the Nationals.

Nice try Lexi,

The ex staffer who used to work for the nationals commissioned research by Australian market research company ReachTEL, and did not do it themselves.

You can find the results here:

http://www.reachtel.com.au/blog/lyne-electorate-oakeshott-poll

"This survey was conducted using an automated telephone based survey system among 448 voters. Telephone numbers and the person within the household were selected at random. The results have been weighted by gender and age to reflect the population according to ABS figures. Please note that due to rounding, not all tables necessarily total 100% and subtotals may also vary. Copyright ReachTEL Pty Ltd."

Lets see you wiggle your way out of this, unless of course Reachtel is a coalition propaganda mouthpiece.

SM,

Nice Try SM.

But you don't get to wiggle out of this one.

To quote you:

"A mid-north coast newspaper said the poll just
under 500 people found support for the MP
had collapsed..."

My response in my previous post old chap
was concerning that particular "mid-north coast
newspaper," and everything that I cited still stands.

I don't care who was paid to do the actual survey.
It was who used it that matters - and for what reasons.
And that is crystal clear to everyobody but yourself.
So try again - you're not fooling anyone old bean!

Lexi,

Did you read what you wrote before you posted it?

"I don't care who was paid to do the actual survey. It was who used it that matters"

So that an unbiased research group did the survey using recognised methods matters for nothing. That it was commissioned by a small newspaper in Port Macquarie means that you don't accept it. Never let the facts get in the way of what you want to hear?

The survey being of less than 500 people means that the margin of error is about 4%, but it still means that Oakeshott does not have a political career beyond 2013.

The Port Macquarrie news paper quoted is not one of the country news paper gems, look else ware for that.
Serving retirees mostly middle to high income ex City and Farmers it performs for its audience.
Full of Advertising it touches on local news lightly.
But it has always been a National Party slander sheet.
Its current Editor IS INDEED an ex employee of the National party member north of this seat.
That paper, went to extreme trouble to try to pin Oakshot for his support and the support in return, of the districts biggest single firm.
The Australian conservatives, have within them two versions of the American tea party.
The Tony Abbott's one.
And the National one [the National had been a dieing party pre Rudd/Gillard/ the self destruction of NSW Labor]
Now powered by the Barnaby Joyce Mad Hatters Tea party this paper is but a mouth peace.
Oakshot remember, won both the state seat and the federal one,and held them, from the Nationals.
As Labor, dragged down not unlike 1975, in part by its own faults, but the ugly miss use of those faults and even inventions of faults that do not exist.
Learn too the Conservative Government swept, pushed,pulled in to government was in part the biggest pain to conservatives them selves as the propaganda changed nothing about the ability to lead this country.
We, if we look, should shudder at the reward lies and hate are to give these school yard BULLY'S.

Don't worry SM, even once they have lost the election they will still be in denial

This pair shafted their electorates the minute they pledged their support for gillard.
If you remember I said then it was the beginning of the end for independents and who can forget that ramble from oaks or the admission from windsor that he was voting against his better judgment

I can see question time once this lot get chucked out, every response will be something like, well, you lot (labor) caused the mess, we are simply here to clean it up. AGAIN!

The fact is that the labor puppets are clinging to hope but their horse has bolted but they just won't accept the facts.

The only comforting thought is that you and i will never see another labor government as long as wee live. Ye ha!

Belly,

Another attack on the messenger. The message that RO is deeply unpopular in his electorate still stands unchallenged.

Tony Windsor, usually a canny survivor, must be kicking himself that he let RO persuade him to tie his fortunes to the stinking carcass that is Labor.

I am looking forward to reading about TW's popularity.

Gentlemen I can only say this.
Those two posts say a great deal about you both.
Advice is cheap, but this is free,immature mutterings do not make for balanced or understanding comment.

Dear Rehctub,

"They'll still be in denial after they've lost
the election."

You got that right - Tony Abbott and Co.,
are certainly in denial!

SM,

You can twist and turn - all you like -
you have no credibility whatsoever -
and neither does the party you support.
I stand by what I've posted - and it came
from credible sources - so say whatever you
want the facts stand - as does your continued
propaganda which is fooling nobody.
Anyway, I wasted enough of my valuable time
on your nonsense (which is all it is).
In future I simply shan't bother. You're not
interested in anything other than the usual
condemnations which as far as I'm concerned
have earned themselves a place on my
"to ignore." You and your cheerleaders are
welcomed to preach to each other.

Cheers.

Lexi,

You haven't offered any sources for your opinion. Why is the research group wrong? Or are you just stamping your foot in a hissy fit?

All you can say is that because I am a coalition supporter every thing I say is wrong and the links to respected research groups must be a fabrication.

Perhaps Juliar grasping power was good for the coalition, in that it stripped labor of any last shred of credibility or decency, and the next election will see Federal labor go the way of NSW labor.

I actually live as close as you can get to the mans electorate as you can get, without being in it.
I gave truth and balance , not wanted here but true still.
Remember,take note, only few of us come here looking for other than comments that support our biases.
One day, unlikely from my opponents here in this thread, understanding may come.
It must be considered,this non conservative, like Windsor, mirroring in fact Windsors career, won in a landslide seats others once held.
And won it from them.
Had they, in the exposed view of some here, went the other way, put Abbott in the lodge, to deal with the greens, they would be considered brave and just men.
Australian Politics needs better, from both sides.
It can not expect that from these blind gentlemen.

SM,

No I'm not having a hissy fit.
But you really take the cake.
You ask for a source?

OK. How about the one YOU gave yourself
in your opening post? That should be good
enough for you shoudln't it?

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/poll-shocker-for-mp-rob-oakeshot-as-support-plunges/story-e6freuzi-1226122437449

You in your opening post did not mention the details that I picked
up on in my subsequent posts (wonder why?). The article in the
Daily Telegraph makes it quite clear, and I quote:

"Mr Oakeshott hit back last night saying the Port Poll was biased.
The Editor still worked for a National Party MP...
The Editor of the Port Paper is on the Parliamentary Staff Lists
as an employee of the National Party's MP - Luke Hartsuyker..."

"Mr Oakeshott has referred the paper (which was started in March)
to the NSW Electoral Commission and the Press Council."

I don't make things up - there's other sources available
with this information on the
web, as you well know.

Which makes one wonder about the figures quoted in the
Port Poll. As a reader commented, "Is that 14.8%
or 14.8 people."

We all know how your Party has trouble with numbers
and percentages.

Lexi,

I know you don't want to hear this but the research was not done by the paper but by an independent research company " Australian market research company ReachTEL".

Irrespective of the affiliation of the paper the research is solid.

Oakeshott is gone by 2014.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-day-abbott-bared-his-soul-20110827-1jfgv.html
An interesting read.
Some will say from a paper that is tainted.
And refuse to see the real nature of the people involved including Tony Abbott.
I fear for this country.
If, and in my view it is not, this paper is slanted what then of the Murdock Media?
Yes look at the failures of Labor.
But not using a magnifying glass.
Not in a fun fair mirror distorting the image.
Just except,assisted by Labors internal self interests, the spin has done its job.
Conservatives will win the next elect.
Now that is settled.
Look now at Tony Abbott, his front bench.
If Gillard lied, Abbott breaths them in and out in his every breath, as do some of his supporters.
What future this country? our seconds run it, and will run it.

Belly,

Julia wanted the position just as much, and sold out her credibility with the great big lie on the carbon tax, the pokie reform etc.

Tony Windsor is trying to justify his position, as is RO.

To RO and TW, the conservative nature of their electorates was clear, and the whole group hug compact was there to ensure that if they chose to support labor that labor could govern without interference from Abbott, and if they got 3 years of competent government, they could sell their choice to their electorates. It was a complicated sleight of hand that fell to pieces when TA tore it up after realising it was a con job.

The consequences for RO and TW, is that since their deceit, they have got nothing from Juliar, they are now tied to a government lurching from failure to failure, and an electorate that is angry, not only because their representatives did not represent them, but because they helped bring in the most incompetent government in decades.

In their electorates the voters' anger is palpable, which is why neither of them seem to be showing their faces in their own electorate much.

SM
Do you really believe the promises of the Liberal Government to gain power via the Independents were not equal to that of the ALP?

C'mon man you know better. Abbott had already previously backed a Carbon Tax and are you that naive that he wouldn't have put it on the table to win government. Responses to climate change were already ingrained in Coalition policy.

The Independents claim that Abbott went on bended knee begging for their support and Gillard proved the better negotiator and not quite so 'alarming' in her grovelling. Abbott pushed all sorts of bribes to the Independents to win their support.

This is just more sour grapes.

Oakeshott might be gone in Lyne but so what? This is a democracy and it is not 'news' no matter how you spin it that people might change their support. Clearly the people of Lyne were not satisfied with either of the major parties, that is why Independents win votes.

My own take on hung parliaments as far as Independents go is to ascertain which party was the 'preferred' in their electorate and follow that lead, even if it might go against personal leanings (unless the result was that close it is hard to ascertain). From there attempt to do as much for your electorate as is possible including introducing the reforms for which you were elected.

Pelican,

There is nothing to show that Abbott promised anything directly compromising a promise he made to the electorate. Getting elected on a solemn promise of "no carbon tax under the government I lead" and then bargaining it away without a qualm is a lie that has cost her her integrity. This is reflected on Oakeshott and Windsor.

It would be interesting to see what informed posters,with balance think about this.
You too if you wish shadow minister.
It is my view, no matter what changes, for our foreseeable future 85% of voters always will vote Labor or Liberal.
It could well be more, currently Greens are bouncing between 12 and 14.
I talk of those who vote.
Not the silly beggars who complain constantly but do not.
Clearly a group, about ten percent now, of Labor voters may go conservative, but in my view not green.
6% have left to vote green and preference Labor.
LIBERALISM is a bit under the weather right now, the hard headed hard right [ welcome home SM] number no more than 8 or 10%
But those likely to switch sides? less than 3%.
So why the over representation in print on the net of those Tea party types.
In my view they can not bring as many new followers as they push away, and the extremes within both party are illnesses not promises;.
We will not make ground with SM or his like,conservatives will, one day, unload their illness.
Labors task then, will be eminence.
Another number for consideration.
If only those in control of my party would listen
Julie Gillard right or wrong can not take back those words not win an election.
Planning for a rebuild after a defeat is gutless and betrays every ALP member and our party.
Julia gos? our polling rises 6 points the next day.

Belly,
I haven't been reading this thread simply because I think Oakshott is a fool and I am not interested in him, as he is gone next time.

Just had a look this morning and you said you live as close as you can get to the mans electorate and then you mentioned truth.

Come on! I understand you live in a small villiage on the Southern Highlands and that is a long, long way from Port Macquarie and Oakshott's electorate.

That would put you in either Hume or maybe Throsby. You could just get to Lyne on a tank full of fuel, if you were lucky.

I have never had reason to doubt you before, but your statement here is grossly incorrect. Your local knowledge of Lyne has to be nil.

Banjo
Maybe Belly has moved.

SM
In a perfect world and idealistically, I agree Gillard should have kept her election promise. However with a hung Parliament and negotiations with the Greens, the choice was either a Coalition led Government with a Carbon Tax or a Labor led Government with a Carbon Tax. The electorate would still have a Carbon Tax. Abbott knows it, his paty knows it, that is what makes the hysteria all the more dishonest.

If I was Gillard I would have stressed to the Greens that the election promise was sacrosanct but offer other direct action policies in response to climate change concerns. There are other ways to address climate change than a tax.

You are dreamin' if you think it would be any different under a Coaltion government.

If your only concern is the 'broken promise' you should look to the passing of WorkChoices legislation which was never taken to the electorate and while you won't believe it, stuff that has not yet been revealed about AWB. You don't think Children Overboard saga was fraught with lies and a self-serving immigration policy agenda?

Abbott's promises don't seem to mean much given not everthing he says should be taken as gospel (in his own words) and including flip-flopping support for property owners on the Liverpool Plains and the mining vs agriculture/water protection issue in NSW.

If it is a choice between two incompetents it is difficult for me to see the Coalition as the better of the two.

Banjo!watch my Friend how you place your feet!
You are standing on your bottom lip.
I was born in Yass Mum Bargo,Dad Bowral, we lived as the family of a railway fettler in Picton Tarmoor Bargo Yanderra and Yerinbool.
I left the souther highlands, apart from one session playing foot ball over 40 years ago.
AND NEVER CLAIMED TO LIVE THERE NOW!
If I ever! have to lie,to protect Labor or abuse conservatives I am nothing but a grub.
Show me the claim I live there, do not let your misconceptions insult me.
Many know,of my recent problem with a visitor from these pages, others know it is not the first time.
It is known by a few I worked as a union official in Newcastle.
My post history again and again talks of my 22 years on the RTA based at Port Macquarrie then Newcastle.
My union days took me to both twice a week.
See links I post from local newspapers latest the northern rivers star.
Banjo, you need to focus, you do mate, it is my belief you and I are not far apart.
But I could name city's towns villages all over Australia I lived in.
It is one hour drive from here to port, I will be there next Sunday, for a market.
I forgive you mate, but please UNDERSTAND! to wrongly infer I lie is a mistake but low in any case.
First shout is yours top shelf too.

I like Banjo, he has made a mistake, no worse than one I made calling him Bazz then launching in to an attack.
No reverse gear still, but aware,uncaring much ,my age forbids stupid acts I nearly put my home address here.
Never ever do that please!
WARNING! it is not an act of bravery but stupidity.
IF WE contribute enough GY has said we can get personal messages between us, give if we can.
But be careful please.
We are not experts, not one of us, every opinion any of us put up may be wrong.
But am I just getting old and silly.
Am I foolish to think I see a chasm opening up in Australia, due only to our politics.
Are we puppets for some hidden divid and conquer powers.
A FACT I no longer respect Rob Oakshot, he seems to leap in front of Cameras.
But he won and held with massive margins, NSW parliamentary seat.
Windsor did too.
Oakshot supported Labor there, Windsor once the other side.
Both had been LOVED and defeated the Nationals in elections.
Both entered Federal Parliament the same way, trouncing the National, bigger than big margins, both held love and respect.
Until they backed Labor, one had before one? not sure.
Two blokes not unlike one another Banjo and me.
At war, a war started by TONY ABBOTT, he could but will not, wait his turn, victory is his, but what of Australia?
no band aids will reunite us only new leaders on both sides can stop us ripping the guts out of our country.
Lyne is next to the seat of?Paterson, my old office in Lyne home in Patterson.Banjo, been here from about 1982, this home 7/5/2002, and staying.

Belly,
Just now back to this thread. Been doing other things.

My apologies.

I was wrong and am sorry.

I have seen your references to a village on Southern Highlands and mistook it as your home for many years. I know you worked for the RTA and a Union which I presumed to be the AWU and that you are now retired. Some time back you related about going up the coast to pick up a couple of blokes that were in trouble and I did think it was a hell of a way from Bargo.

I must admitt to being a little dissappointed as I thought that one day I could find you, at Bargo, and meet and have a beer, but further north is too far to go. I am South of Bargo and every trip on the Hume meant a stop at Bimbo's roadhouse, where all the trucks stopped.

I owe you one. I do read what you write but presumed too much.

Pelican,

In politics as in life, there are choices, and with each choice there are benefits and consequences. With neither Labor nor the coalition having won a majority, it became a race to garner the support of the independents. Gillard's choice was to keep a promise to the electorate or gain government.

She clearly chose the latter, and thought that she could manage the fall out from the broken promise, as at the time there appeared to be a slim majority support for action on carbon. They seriously under estimated the response from the coalition, who made the tax wildly unpopular and framed the broken promise as treachery.

The same applies to RO and TW. They thought they could hitch their wagon to a government clearly beholden to them and make it work. The reality is that they have misrepresented the clear preferences of their electorates, and have delivered a government lurching from crisis to crisis.

The choice between 11 years of sound economic management and 4 years of incompetence is clear for all but a few remaining labor tragics.

I think you lot have to come to terms with e fact that this guy is all but washed up and may not even run in the next election, given his obvious bias.

He has also done untold damage to the true imdepenant, a position that was once like the demarcates with a view to wards keeping the bastards honest.

How, oakshot, wilki or windsor can continue to pledg their support for this, the worst government in my time, is a mystery and one that will be their downfall in my view.

Paper or no paper, this guy is about as popular as a fart in an elevator.

All ok Banjo, Bimbos! 7 year old so it nosed kid if I mowed a lawn walked Yanderra to Bimbos and spend the 3 Penny's on a cold draught ginger beer.
I am firmly convinced Labor is dead.
And in part at its own hand.
Much like 1975, and blinded by the same silly thought, the public will wake up to the other side.
It is my dream, that Labor, in a year of reform, will remember us.
Those Unionists/members/voters who put so much hope in this wreckage of our party.
That they will understand we do, understand, how awful our opponents are behaving.
And that we, most of us, want our proud and focused current agenda pass the Parliament too.
Few here, if any, understand, if this man, and in my view he did, spent his unions money this way, HE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PRE SELECTED.
But here, in Parliament he is being convicted hung drawn and quarter ,with trial, with no crime conviction against him.
So in my view a man unfit to be a Representative in Parliament can become prime minister.
Continued

Some, on both sides, will shake their heads and refuse to agree.
But this Australian government is not as bad as it is painted yet it is doomed.
It has a better front bench and better policy's than its opponents yet it is doomed.
This man is only a straw many exist.
The silence about Rudd's dominance.
The ex NSW failures advising him and my party.
Gillards knife crew, still infest my party, still neglect she can not ever win not ever improve her position.
In a year of reform, a planned new future for my party we let insiders maneuver over? the bones! leadership of my party after defeat!
Now, remember, I you have seen it tens of times here, am blindly biased, LAB RAT!
Take the time to look,read the statements and policy's of our next government, they are that,look now at Australia in 2 years after that election.
Work choices back, a shattered unfocused ALP,a DD election has by then been held and one party again holds both houses.
A castle build on lies,but look!
The foundations are body's of Labor supporters stacked there by those trusted to represent them.
A gutless refusal to say Julia its time.
For get both the lies and my party's gutless act at our country's peril.

This was such a blatant piece of propaganda masquerading as "news", I wonder whether it will get a run on Media Watch tonight? Possibly not, as the full expose was done by Crikey, and they are a bit on the nose with the mainstream media.

http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/08/26/the-peculiar-provenance-of-the-port-paper-and-its-polling/

But whatever your protestations, Shadow Minister, even you must recognize that a survey of 448 people, performed by a direct-marketing company, commissioned and published by a thoroughly politically-compromised newspaper, smells to high heaven.

Belly,
You said,"But this Australian government is not as bad as it is painted yet it is doomed.
It has a better front bench and better policy's than its opponents yet it is doomed".

I must dissagree. The present government is far worse than is painted, I have a list of about 20 major stuff ups that has wasted billions and another came to light the other day. $20 million spent on providing legal aid and advice to the illegal boat people. These shonks have gate crashed our country and we give them this aid!

What policies has been put forward that will benefit Australia? Carbon tax- no, NBN- some only, maybe?

You have no idea yet how a liberal front bench will perform, it could not be worse than the present lot, and the previous lot have a track record of good fiscal management.

One thing I will say, People put too much emphasis on the leader, Gillard is not entirely to blame for the failures, her frontbench should accept some of it. We do not hear enough from ministers. But she became undone with the BIG lie. Got in by deceit, that is unforgivable. Electors will punish that.

I do not think much of Abbott but he will get there by default.

Labor can only blame itself for their current situation.

Pericles a good link thanks.
You will not get an answer betcha my mate Banjo, and some others will not even read it.
Banjo, yes still mates, your understanding of politics is challenged by quite a lot of your posts.
If you and I, in to our third beer by now leaned on a bar away from goggle we could take a test.
What Position did Kim Beasley dad hold in the Witlam first Cabernet.
But that is one of ten questions off the top of my head.
Considered thought, observation, understanding, and memory's of 7 past Members who left under a cover of white wash in shame.
No questioned needed Banjo, lets deal you and me, lets agree to both Be honest in two years after your mob take power.
One of us is wrong.
PS no cheating! how many shadow portfolios has the mad hatter Joyce held

Pericles,

I am surprised at you. Normally you engage your brain before posting. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you haven't actually read the rest of the thread.

Newspoll is commissioned by The Australian, The Galaxy poll is commissioned by the Courier Mail, etc. These polls are commissioned to reputable companies specifically to avoid petulant claims of bias (plus the advantage of being the first to publish).

Even assuming the worst case scenario that the motivations of The Port newspaper were to humiliate RO, the poll was conducted by an independent research company that stands by its reputation. The biweekly Newspoll which uses responses from about 1200 people country wide is usually pretty spot on, 448 for a single electorate is more than enough.

Just wanted to wrap the mistake between Banjo and me.
Found on entering the site yesterday,every time I had to re enter my details.
Could be anything could be nothing.
I however am the same Belly from other sites before this one.
And the awful spelling ranting one who first came here.
Forrest Gumhp found me, if you looking you can too but lets not.
I have made provisions no one will post under my name if I die.
So lets leave that behind, with a warning!
Be very careful! on line and with your own personal details.

Belly,
Yes, one should be carefull about disclosing personal details on sites such as this. I have said i would like to meet you one day and have a beer, that still holds, and if so the contact would be done through Graham Young, which would give you the opportunity to say yay or nay. I certainly would not just lob on your doorstep, even if I could find you.

Believe it or not, there are things with the previous government i am not happy about. I think Abbott lacks personal appeal and I am not happy about his role in the persecution of Pauline Hanson. The collusion between both major parties was most unfair. Their Immigration was far too high, their support for multiculturalism took too long to wane, took too long to stop the boats from coming and did nothing to stop the immigration of those groups that cannot or will not integrate into our society. To conceed anything about AGW is a failure.

These are important issues for me and apply equally to both major parties. No time at all for Oakeshott or the Greens.

Back atcha, Shadow Minister.

>>Pericles, I am surprised at you. Normally you engage your brain before posting<<

I think you may be allowing your partisanship to overcome your perception.

>>...the poll was conducted by an independent research company that stands by its reputation.<<

That's just it, you see.

If the poll had been conducted by Newspoll, or Galaxy, or Roy Morgan, or Ipsos, or Nielsen, or even Ipsos/Iview, the whiff of collusion-to-make-a-political-point would be absent. Those folk have national reputations at stake.

Instead, an already hopelessly compromised "news source" employs a firm whose primary product is pre-recorded marketing messages.

I'm surprised you cannot make the connection.

Banjo all understood, mid next year, all being well, I will revisit the southern highlands of my youth.
We may yet get that beer.
It is in our DNA, all of us in the end,to be who we are.
I can not agree with some of your list and can not stop agreeing with others.
We,you and I inhabit middle Australia,so many do not understand that, from both sides of a fence only in our minds most find that fence as home.
Not the next paddock.
We all should be pleased with that.
I ask nothing of my opponents here except this.
Turn around, take the briefest of looks, at Tony Abbott, and those few, that is their number, who prop him up.
Look too at the policy's and at times lack of them.

Pericles,

It is the first time I have caught you in a lie.

You said "a firm whose primary product is pre-recorded marketing messages."

Please refer to the other polling done by Reachtel, and you will see that your statement is pure BS.

http://www.reachtel.com.au/category/tags/market-research

That Reachtel is not as big as Newspoll and Galaxy, does not mean that they are Mickey Mouse or unprincipled as you are implying. Your logic is twisted by your partisan views.

That's rich, Shadow Minister. Even for you.

>>Pericles, It is the first time I have caught you in a lie. You said "a firm whose primary product is pre-recorded marketing messages."<<

Which just happens to be the unvarnished truth.

Here is their own description of what they do:

"ReachTEL provides voice broadcasting, SMS broadcasting and email broadcasting services"

That is called direct marketing. They have automated the process of calling you while you are eating your dinner, and instead of a call-centre in Mumbai asking you to change phone companies, you hear an automated message.

Here's their submission to ACMA, on the topic of what they call “robo calls”:

http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib312161/ifc18-2011_reach_tel.pdf

It's their primary product, just like I said.

>>Please refer to the other polling done by Reachtel, and you will see that your statement is pure BS.<<

Ok, let's see.

They have done some surveys of their own, in electorates of their choosing. As they say on their web site:

"Like any new technology, it can sometimes be hard to convince people to give it a go over more "tried and tested" methods. We often find this is the case with our voice broadcast technology. What better way to demonstrate the technology than some political polling."

And as they said in March, after the NSW Election, for which they placed "literally millions of phone calls".

"People were sceptical about the accuracy of the platform and we set out to prove ourselves... If you are interested in running a political poll or general market research simply pick up the phone..."

They have done some robo-polls "in conjunction with" Channel Ten, predominantly the George Negus programme. It doesn't say "sponsored by Channel Ten", so it is possible they do it just for the publicity it gives them.

They have "teamed up" with a hospitality organization, Dickson Wohlsen, to robo-poll people about gambling.

Let's face it, they don't exactly have a long queue of customers for their automated, voice-message, push-a-button-to-say-yes surveys, do they?

It's just possible that The Port Paper "survey" was their first paying gig.

If indeed they were paid for it.

Still a lie Pericles,

Automated polling is worlds apart for "pre recorded marketing messages". It is like calling Newspoll telemarketers.

For short 1 minute polling, the automated system appears to have no significant difference in accuracy, and is vastly cheaper than using people. The previous political polling they performed was for self advertising purposes and produced results very closely mirroring similar polling done by the big companies. I would imagine that corporate clients would not appreciate having their market surveys published.

What I don't get is that because Reachtel is a small company, you automatically assume that they would sell out their reputation by deliberately skewing results.

Even if the accuracy was a bit rough, whether RO's polling dropped by 70% or 50%, he is politically a dead man walking.