Election Thoughts

One and a half weeks into the election campaign, and I've hardly written a thing about it. Time for some thoughts on the subject.

The Coalition called the election earlier than (I) expected, seemingly to prevent any more embarrassing questioning in parliament about the 'Kids Overboard' affair. As the Poll Bludger's electoral calender explained about the 9 October election date:

If the Prime Minister wishes to avert a potentially dangerous session of parliament starting on August 30, but thinks the NRL and school holidays make October 2 unfeasible, this is his only real option as he will otherwise face a seven-week campaign.

I was right about him going before his mate Dubya faces the people, but wrong about the date, predicting 23 October.

The upshot of the longer campaign period is that it's given people time to register to vote, unlike the last few elections where the rolls closed soon after the elections were called. It's mostly young first time voters who'll enrol and it'll be interesting to see what effect they have on the result.

I'm no fan of the government or my local member. I live in the Benelong electorate and will number the incumbent last on my ballet paper, as recommended by John Valder. However, I'm not hopeful that the government will change, being one of those who subscribe the theory that oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them. Governments lose when the economy turns bad, or when they become arrogant after being too long in power. The economy's going fine, and although there a whiff of arrogance there, it's still got a bit of festering to go before it becomes noticeable to the general population.

Howard's cleverly turned the focus on the economy by 'Trustworthy' slogan. It'll take a long time for the population to forget Labor's 18% interest rates of the early 90s, and with so many people heavily in debt due to the housing boom, largely brought about by the government's changes in capital gains tax, it's a very effective scare tactic.

The campaign is taking the form of a bidding war. Labor announces their health policy and was snookered by the government's health counter bid. Labor's tax policy is out and the government snipes at it.

It's only people who are relatively financially secure, like myself, who will focus on all the non financial issues and vote accordingly. I suspect that there will be a reduction in the vote in Liberal safe seats as people register a protest vote. The government will take the hit in the safe seats and get over the line in the marginals.

I have to keep reminding myself there's over three weeks left to run. Perhaps once the big ticket items are out of the way there'll be enough time to focus on some of the non financial stuff that disturbs so many of us.