Campaign Day 31

You've just got to feel sorry for that Costello bloke. First he has to stand there with a sickly smile on his phisog while Howard gives away the farm. Then he finds out that Howard doesn't intend to hand over the reins until there is only a year left until the 2010 election, leaving him little hope of salvaging anything from the mess.

Poor Peter must go to sleep at night counting the daggers he would like to plunge into Howard's back.

A generation's home dream vanishes in Australia

With an old-style three bedroom house with a galvanised roof advertised for $425,000 in Maclean, a similar house in Grafton on the market for $370,000 and a cladding 'starter home' advertised for $325,000 in Yamba, and with newer or larger homes coming it at much higher prices, it is clear that first home buyers are also struggling on the North Coast.

The family home of our dreams is starting to require a debt commitment of almost half a million dollars and is fast becoming as expensive as those in metropolitan areas.
John Howard's housing policy does little to address this problem.

The Age reveals that Australia is now a world leader in unaffordable housing and that neither of the two political parties are addressing the core reasons.
"A survey by consultants Demographia released this year found that Australians paid 6.6 times the median household income for a median-priced home. In New Zealand, Ireland and Britain a median-priced home cost between 5.5 and six times the median yearly household income. In the US and Canada it was between three and four times. An affordable market is regarded as about three times income."
The Age article on Monday: http://www.theage.com.au/news/federal-election-2007-news/a-generations-home-dream-vanishes/2007/11/12/1194766590346.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

Odds are getting better for Labor in Page, Roberstson, La Trobe, Herbert, Leichhardt, Petrie, McMillan & Corangamite

MEDIA RELEASE

13 November 2007

 

OPPOSITION NOW FAVOURITE IN 19 COALITION SEATS –

MORE THAN ENOUGH TO FORM GOVERNMENT

 

Punters betting with Australia's biggest bookmaker Sportingbet Australia have installed the Opposition as favourite in 19 Coalition held seats, just a week and a half out from polling day.

The Rudd led Opposition needs just 16 seats to form Government.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said the Opposition was closing in on favouritism in an additional 4 seats.

"Experience has taught us that the betting public are keen judges of the mood of the electorate," said Mr Sullivan.

"The Opposition has moved into favouritism in the NSW seats of Robertson and Page, La Trobe in Victoria and Herbert in Queensland and is line ball in the Queensland seats of Leichhardt and Petrie and the Victorian seats of McMillan and Corangamite," he said.

"Despite Labor's dominance in the betting stakes, the weight of money wagered since yesterday's Coalition campaign launch has been a fairly even spread," Mr Sullivan said.

"A lead this big, just 11 days from polling day, means that unless the Prime Minister can pull out the biggest rabbit of his career, his tenure in politics is likely to come to an abrupt end." Mr Sullivan said.

The latest odds from Sportingbet Australia rate the Opposition the clear favourite at $1.35 and the Government at $3.20.

 

AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL ELECTION

Sportingbet Australia Market

Labor $1.35

Coalition $3.20

Oh the tragedy of it all - too late to change my vote!

The Prime Minister along with the majority of Liberal Party luminaries gathered yesterday for an official campaign launch during the last two weeks of the federal election campaign, and a week after postal votes began to arrive in North Coast mail.

 

I really felt the tragedy of the situation, truly I did. Howard had waited too long to convince me - I like many others had already voted.

 

I will console myself with the knowledge that my vote could never be bought or beguiled. Not even for his squandered tens of billions, that old 'Go for Growth' slogan, his talk of the "years ahead of us", his desire to share his "hopes and dreams", his "great work",  or his lies about "an opportunity society".

 

Sorry John, but I wouldn't have been selling anyway. You need to focus your worry on those who haven't voted yet. After yesterday's performance they may feel you have insulted their intelligence and sabotaged the economy - all within the space of less than an hour.

Sue Page, the Nationals own Pearl Pureheart

National candidate for Richmond flirts with the electorate in The Northern Star yesterday.

 

"RICHMOND Nationals candidate Dr Sue Page says she would have voted against the Government on its original WorkChoices legislation had she been in Parliament at the time.

Speaking at a candidates' forum at Byron Bay on Friday, Dr Page said the original legislation disadvantaged the nation's most vulnerable workers.

She said she would have opposed it on the floor of Parliament."

 

Oh Sue, Sue. Didn't see you speaking out against this legislation at the time. Can't recall one mention in the media of your alleged opposition - not even a letter to the editor. Sure I never heard of you attending a local protest rally. Bet you never even wrote to the Nationals leader objecting to your party's enthusiastic support of WorkChoices.

 

This candidate is desperate to highlight the supposed differences between the Nationals and their coalition partner, the Liberal Party. Sue, we know the parties are different. The Libs are made up of wealthy investors, company directors, business owners, property speculators, doctors, lawyers and a smattering of average Australians.

The Nats are made up of wealthy investors, company directors, business owners, property speculators, doctors, lawyers, a smattering of average Australians and a dwindling few who genuinely farm.

The Northern Star article:
 http://www.northernstar.com.au/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3754985&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

Money, money, money, must be funny in a federal election year

In the teeth of the Reserve Bank's warning yesterday that increased demand due to public sector spending was fuelling Australia's underlying inflation and Consumer Price Index which could both rise above 3% for the next two years on a year-ended basis; John Howard strode to the Liberal campaign launch lectern and promised to spend, spend, spend to the tune of $9.4 billion on top of his other recent pledges. 

 

The Prime Minister has lost any credibility as an economic conservative. He is playing with funny money promises. If re-elected he would have to recant on many of his money promises if inflationary pressures are to be kept in check.

 

But then, on the NSW North Coast we have said for years that John Howard takes the money from his right pocket, waves it at us, puts in it back into his left pocket, and the cash never sees daylight again.

Campaign Day 30

Possum Comitatus says that the polls show the Coalition will be within reach of victory on or about 28th July 2008. Ah Possum, you are good value for the money! You have made 'the narrowing' into the butt of quite a few jokes here on the North Coast.