November 24th, 2007
Here it is participants, Prime Minister John Howard has announced the date for the next election! I find myself actually excited about what the outcome will be. I am sure many issues will be brought to bear in the media, ministerial promises made, all in an effort to woo public voters.
Following from our first post I would like to open this topic again of who our next Prime Minister could be but in a diffrent light. In the following weeks I will be posting many of the issues that will surface as the election campaigns rolls on. In addition to that I would like to, as is consistent with the purpose of theblogforum, ask all of you to submit and discuss the topics and issues that matter to you as well. I hope this further inform all of you as to which coalition could be our best choice for the next 3 years.
Tax cuts you beauty….
Mat
October 16, 2007
I agree with you Mat. The question I have in mind right now is, based on the previous election topic posted a few months ago, why is it that most of my fellow participants are so apathetic and uninterested in deciding who they will vote for. They have reverted to: “….we just need a change.” or “…another term of John Howard is just too much.” -paraphrase
Ambrose
October 16, 2007
Participants do you think that the Labor party can come up with a “competitive” tax cut plan to rival that of the Liberal’s? And how do you think they will be able to pay for this?
Moderator
October 16, 2007
Hi Ambrose, well I’m finding it interesting reading you blog. I don’t normally comment because the issues tend to be outside of my deep understanding! However, in response to the issue of elections, I can say this – we have a great freedom in being able to participate in the democratic process.
fikalo
October 18, 2007
I am one who is apathetic in regard to Australian politics. It seems that once upon a time Australian’s were very passionate about political parties, but today all I really care about is policies and their execution. With all the parties taking similar positions on policies and gaining bad reputations for not being honest with the Australian public when implementing such policies, it has made me apathetic to political parties. Like, what am I supposed to do if each party has a policy I agree with?
As for tax cuts, I think that if my government didn’t give my own money back to me that would be theft. What I couldn’t deal with is the government giving my money to people with more money that me.
To be constructive, I would really appreciate the next government having some kind of strategy for rolling out version 6 of the Internet in Australia.
peeto
October 18, 2007
I have another question for all of you participants, is it that bad to have labor “run” by the unions? What will a union dominated labor party look like and how will that effect our economy?
Moderator
October 18, 2007
I was at dinner last night with a few friends. A few comments were passed about politics and it occured to me…actually I was reminded again of another important fact about politics. Across the table a friend of mine commented that the Liberal coalition did not have policies that policies that respected human rights and that the party was never founded on policies that benefited the grassroots majority; whereas the labor party had more policies that “sided” with the local workforce. It was at this point that another friend of mine came in with what I believe was an excellent point, something that I need to be reminded of once in a while and that was the reason why the liberal party is so harsh on human rights in terms of refugees and, in my own words, more business minded, is because this is simply a reflection of the views of the peolple themselves. Policies are a reflection of the values of the people who vote for them, so if you want to see policies changed you need to change the values of the people and then you will see, in all levels of elections, a shift of focus in policy matters and laws towards “appeasing” voters to win votes. So in many ways if we do not see higher standards in politics, it is because we are either too apathetic about these issues of human rights and environmental responsibility and more concerned with our own welfare of living an easy comfortable life because obviously there seems to be more of a focus on tax cuts in this year’s federal elections.
Ambrose
October 21, 2007
Thank you Fikalo. I hope that, like myself, you will be able to learn from what the other participants have to add to this forum.
Ambrose
October 21, 2007
Alright the great debate is now over. I would like to hear what each of you have to say in response to who you think got the upper hand during the debate and how this could potentially affect both the Liberal and Labor party campaigns from here on.
Moderator
October 22, 2007
Hi Ambrose
I will vote John Howard for i believe Australia, this Great Southland of the Holy Spirit, needs a leader with christian values. Pastor Danny Nalliah held a meeting recently not only prayed for rain, they also prayed for John Howard to win the election. Though Kevin Rudd won the televised debate it doesn’t mean that he will win the election.
Freda Wong
October 24, 2007
Well it seems that a new era is now upon us and the Labor party in now in power with Kevin Rudd at the helm. Its a little sad for me but I anticipate mostly, the policies that concern our relationship with the internationaly community and more importantly with our neighbours in this part of the world
Ambrose
November 25, 2007