Tuesday, August 17, 2004

Can you vote for this man?

It's a damn hard ask.

'Course, the problem is that voting for the other bloke is a pretty tough ask, too.

3 comments:

JamesA said...

My response are below.

* Politicisation of the public service

Talk to my father if you want to ask anyone about the politicisation of the public service...

* Degradation of the office of Governor-General

Anyone heard of Lionel Murphy?

* The inappropriate appointment of a churchman as head of state

As opposed to a hypocritical self-confessed Republican who was a former Labor staffer?

* Ministerial attempts to intimidate the judiciary

Di Fingleton anyone?

* Bailing out his a company his brother had an interest in while ignoring others

Anyone ever wondered who's brother works for Berri juice?

* Accepting inappropriate donations from business

As opposed to compulsory fees acquired by organisations who are suppose to represent their members "best interests" and not the political future's of their executives?

* Defining "core" and "non-core" commitments

"By 1990, no child will be living in poverty"

* The "never, ever" GST - implemented with a $200 voucher to help small business

When the entirety of his second election victory was campaigned on the basis of implementing said tax, it's kind of hard to say the Australian people weren't given the choice to reject it.

* Increased small business red tape

Ambulance levy anyone?

* Introducing then ignoring the Ministerial Code of Conduct

The Scott Volkers case in Queensland?

* Failure to ignore standards of ministerial accountability - Peter Reith and the Telecard, Wilson Tuckey's interventions in support of his son

And are either of those people still Ministers? I know, let's campaign on the basis that Cheryl Kernot and Gareth Evans misled the Australian public when revealing Kernot's reasons for quitting the Democrats to join Labor... Or how about the current Federal Labor President and the Penny Easton affair...

* An unwillingness to stop the concentration of media ownership

And who's government introduced the media cross-ownership laws that allowed this concentration to occur - Bob Hawke's.

* An unwillingness to allow the proliferation of new forms of media

This is funny when this article is run on Crikey - an online media outlet which has emerged since the Howard Government took office.

* Tampa

People shouldn't attempt to make refugee claims (even if they're later proven to not be refugees) on an economic basis - that's what immigration is for.

* SIEV X

So it's the Australian Government's fault that people choose to use illegal means to enter the country and it proves to be dangerous? Maybe that's one of the reason's why it's illegal?

* Kids overboard

And if the people who are suppose to give you the correct information give you the wrong information, it's still your fault?

* Detention of children in interment camps

If they're illegally entered the country and aren't shown to actually be refugees why should they be rewarded over the thousand's of genuine refugees who are waiting in camps around the world for a chance to live a better life because they weren't rich enough or lucky enough to pay enough money to people smugglers?

* Indefinite imprisonment of adults ditto

If they're illegally entered the country and aren't shown to actually be refugees why should they be rewarded over the thousand's of genuine refugees who are waiting in camps around the world for a chance to live a better life because they weren't rich enough or lucky enough to pay enough money to people smugglers?

* Permitting the vilification of 43 loyal Australian elders for exercising their right to disagree with his policies

Maybe if said elder's don't want to be attacked/disagreed with/criticised, they shouldn't then expect to comment on current events with impunity? Is it unfair to refute criticism?

* Former ministers with potential conflicts of interest - Peter Reith with Tenix, Richard Alston with Austereo, Michael Wooldridge with the Royal College of General Practitioners

Bob Gibbs with a credit card bill of over $250 000 while living as a trade envoy in the United States for the Beattie Government for which he was a former Minister. Grace Grace, current secretary of the Qld Council of Unions and ALP member who is a board member of Energex and earns around $20,000 a year.

* Suspension of habeas corpus for David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib

People captured on foreign soil involved in terrorist activity with an organisation responsible for one of the greatest peace-time atrocities of all time and they should be released on bail? Maybe if they were actually arrested in this country, our courts might have some responsibility.

* The possible subornment of testimony by intelligence personnel over Iraq and weapons of mass distractions

The "possible" subornment. Just because some conspiracy nutcase believes it to be so? You can't blame people for something for which there is no proof.

* "Another rule" for his son when it comes to working in the United States

And this "rule" is?

* A free trade agreement that may not be in Australia's best interests

Funny, Labor's supporting it too. Their "amendments" have little, if no actual impact on what is really going to occur.

* Supporting God-bothering hypocrites

As opposed to Men who desert their first wife after she's help pay for their university education and then start an affair with another woman while still married to the first?

* More expensive office and official residence arrangements; and

What's the current rent on Centenary House again?

* Displaying an autocratic style - and a vindictive nature to individuals and groups who seek to cross him.

Ask the Pilot's Union what their attitude is to Bob Hawke? Paul Keating was known as a consensus leader. And how many times has Mark Latham let Simon Crean make any kind of comment or announcement on the economy - who know - the guy who would be Treasurer if Latham actually was elected?

Does this count as the longest comment ever?

JamesA said...

"* Degradation of the office of Governor-General

Anyone heard of Lionel Murphy?"

Blogger has decided I can't edit this comment so I'm here to correct my brain fart.

Replace Lionel Murphy with Richard Butler - and read as before.

Grant said...

Well lets just consider the alternatives for a moment:
The Labor Party, The Democrats, The Greens, One Nation.
Yeah these would all be better than the Liberal Party.

The Labor Party are responsible for the largest unemployment since the great depression, 19% interest rates where families were losing their homes and lets not forget the Collins Class subs.

The Greens...enough said.

One Nation...[CENSORED]ers