I have never engaged with the nitty gritty of an election campaign. Have you? I wonder how many of us have? Compulsory voting doesn’t mean compulsory ‘thinking before you vote’. So in July and August this year I’m going to pay attention and try to make an informed choice when I cast my vote (about time - this is the fourth federal election in which I am eligible to participate). How embarrassing to not take my democratic right seriously. Anyway, I’m hoping my choice in 2010 will be the result of an analysis as to what’s best for me and mine, but also what’s best for the country. Oh yes.
So I’ll look at some policies that are important to me, such as action on climate change, the right of women to paid maternity leave and not to be punished for time out of the workplace to have and look after children. Access to quality childcare and after school care, and I’ll have a look at the economic, health, education and aged care policies. Time to decide who offers the best way forward and what the differences are between the two major parties and the independents and Greens.
The ABC’s Mark Simkin says its close enough between Labour and the Coalition for good campaigning to make a difference on August 21, so in my blogs I’m going to look at the personalities, the campaign methods, the highs and lows, the points of difference.
Will it be Tony 10 or Ju G? Julia Gillard, the Labour incumbent, says she’s called the election because the Australian people have a right to be led by an elected prime minister. Will the election be soon enough for her to ride the wave of current popularity straight to the Lodge? Or as a friends suggested will she get the majority of female votes just because she’s a woman?
The average punter’s decision may be based on how they appear in the evening news and in the major papers. Tonight on the television Julia was beautifully groomed, she was calm and composed, polite and eloquent. She looked happy and relaxed. Tony Abbott was well groomed and looked fit (we all know he exercises a lot), but he also looked angry, stressed and was very negative ‘it’s going to be a filthy campaign’. I know it is the job of the opposition to oppose but why doesn’t he quickly ‘bridge’ to his party’s own message rather than spending all his airtime criticising Labour? He needs to chill out and focus on his own message.
Penny Rush
Masters Student, School of Social and Political Sciences