Anyone who�s given a cursory glance at this blog over the past months will know that I won't be voting conservative this Saturday. I'm firmly in the Labor camp this election, for the following reasons:
- Iraq. I'm not happy with the way Australia under Howard followed United States' foreign policy without question. Going after terrorist havens in Afghanistan was sensible; abandoning that effort to invade Iraq was stupid. He should have told the Americans so.
Bin Laden is still free, his terrorist organisation is still operating, and the forces that should be hunting him down are busy controlling the Iraqi insurgency.
Howard lied as he had already committed troops to Iraq when he was stating that the decision to deploy had not been made.
Over a thousand allied troops, and many thousands of Iraqis, died because of the invasion.
- Howard often stated his dislike of Medicare. Under his watch, Medicare diminished as bulk billing decreased due to the non adjustment of the doctors' scheduled fees. Only when it became a potential election issue did he move to shore up the system by creating the 'Medicare Safety Net.'
The problem is that the Medicare Safety Net favours the well off, shown by statistics of where the money's being spent, and the doctors, who can raise their fees much more easily.
- Under the coallition, government grants paid to wealthy private schools increased enormously. Any complaints about this are dismissed by saying they are based on 'class and envy.'
- The government refuses to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
The weather patterns are changing, global temperatures rising, coral reefs bleaching, glaciers and ice shelfs retreating, while the government refuses to acknowledge there may be a problem.
Their solution to CO2 emissions? Carbon Sequestration! Purleez!!
- The economy. Yes, it is doing well, but is it sustainable? We have a boom based on a housing bubble, fueled by reductions in capital gains tax and ballooning debt. Our current account deficit is at record levels. We have woeful levels of research and development.
Debt levels are so high it would take only a small rise in interest rates cause a collapse in the housing market. The global economy is not looking strong, and the oil price is at a record high.
Howard's had his go. It's time for a change.
