Thursday 22 November 2007

Say that again, John?

Yesterday The Age reported that John Howard (when laying out his 5-point plan to a group of Sydney business leaders) was warning that his government should be returned come Saturday or the sky would fall in.
"He said every change of Government since the end of World War II had resulted in a profound change in the nature of the country."
 
Hold on, John - say that again? So your government effected profound change when it came to power in 1996. Think more than a few of us would agree with that. Australia is now a more divisive and unequal country, where unsafe and unhappy is the condition of a great many.
As Prime Minister and leader of a parliamentary coalition you broke the social contract between government and the governed while calling this a virtue.
 
You've never been good for the soul of this country - it's time you and Janette faced the fact.

Deputy Prime Minister threatens North Coast with unwanted population explosion

Mark Vaile was on the NSW North Coast again this week and one can see that he is reacting to the local Nationals own white shoe brigade's develop-to-death philosophy.
He has promised $5 million to encourage more sea and tree changers to regional areas.
Great one, Deputy Prime Minister. Just what we need. A Coalition Government which will add to the environmental, social and infrastructure stress already being felt due to sustained coastal population growth. 
Five million dollars wouldn't even solve waste and storm water problems in one local government growth area.
Mr. Vaile shouldn't be listening so uncritically to his local candidates - at least one of them has a long history as a land developer.
Instead he should be listening to coastal residents who have been saying for years that they don't want to turn into a Gold Coast or unsustainably developed south-east Queensland.
But then, genuinely listening was never the strong suit of the Coalition Government.
The Australian yesterday:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22796271-5013871,00.html

Rotten lying rodents seemingly abound in Howard's Australia

If there was something more needed to convince Australia that John Howard needs to go, it might be that this latest attempt at racist campaign mischief may be just that little thing which tips the balance.
 
In The Daily Telegraph this morning.
 
"THE Liberal Party has been hugely embarrassed over a campaign team caught delivering fake letters linking Labor with the Bali bombers.
The grubby night-time operation in St Marys, in the seat of Lindsay, was busted by a squad of ALP sleuths who conducted a stake-out.
Police have been called in to investigate the distribution of the letter, as well as the Australian Electoral Commission.
The Liberal Party yesterday expelled two members involved in the scheme.
The gang included Gary Clark, husband of retiring MP for Lindsay Jackie Kelly, and party state executive member Jeff Egan. Another was named by Labor as Troy Craig, president of the Glenmore Action Group."
 
Alleged timeline:
"TUESDAY: Labor officials, acting on a tip-off, stake-out a Penrith house:
8PM to 8.30pm: Three cars park near the house and the occupants enter it;
8.40PM: A group of men leave the house and walk up the road to Ms Kelly's residence;
8.58PM: Six men leave the Kelly house to the three cars which arrived earlier, and drive to the Great Western Highway;
9.25PM: At St Marys they turn into Glossop St, then Debrincat St where they separate at corner with Boronia Rd.
9.30PM: Two men seen putting material into Boronia Rd letterboxes, which the ALP shadows find to be the fake Islamic Australia Federation letters.
The Labor men confront the pair and identify one as Mr Egan, a prominent Liberal Party figure in the Blue Mountains area.
9.30PM: Two men seen letterboxing the same material in Maple Rd. They are approached and identified as Ms Kelly's husband Gary Clark and a man said to be president of a residents' action group."
 
The Daily Telegraph articles:

Campaign Day 39 - we all deserve medals

Thankfully all election advertising went off television and radio airways as of midnight, but your phone might still bite because those pesky, tinny recorded campaign messages are still allowed.
Newspapers will as usual carry those last minute attempts to sway voters of course, and today and tomorrow may still see some libellous Nationals garbage turning up in letter boxes across Australia.
Probably a crude leaflet all about how the Greens/Democrats/Labor, and anyone but themselves, will shear your granny and rape the sheep.
These last six weeks have been an endurance marathon for everyone with the misfortune to not be able to afford an extended overseas holiday.
John Howard deserves to lose this election solely on the grounds that he authorised our protracted torture.
I hope his chooks turn into emus and kick his dunny down.