Phoney war dispatches: wacky Wednesday edition

• I failed to mention it at the time, but followers of this site no doubt picked up on the poll of Sydney and Melbourne voters conducted by Nexus Research over the weekend. Well, bless their cotton socks, for they have published their data in a form that allows cross-tabulation of responses to the various questions asked, including age, occupational status and vote at the 2004 election.

• After a nudge from the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, the Australian Electoral Commission has ruled it will be business as usual this year for the National Tally Room in Canberra. This now performs a basically ceremonial role, and there have been frequent suggestions it might be scrapped. JSCEM argues that the tally room presents a “visible symbolism of transparency in the election process” (UPDATE: Seems I’m a bit slow here).

Greg Kelton of The Advertiser speaks of a 64-page report which translates last year’s South Australian state election results into federal outcomes, compiled by state parliamentary librarian Jenni Newton-Farrelly. I have not been able to locate the report, but it shows Labor gaining Sturt, Boothby, Makin, Wakefield and Kingston, with the Liberals dropping a Senate seat to “either the Democrats, Family First or the Greens”.

Imre Salusinszky of The Australian reports “evidence of a groundswell of support for Maxine McKew” among voters in Bennelong‘s conspicuous Chinese community.

Andrew Fraser of The Australian reports that the much-touted plebiscites on Queensland council amalgamations will be conducted by postal ballot after the federal election, as the Australian Electoral Commission does not wish for confusion to arise over postal election votes.

• Speaking of which, the Sydney Morning Herald reports the number of postal, pre-poll and absentee votes is expected to top 20 per cent at this election, due to the active promotion of postal voting by the major parties. This increases the chance that the result will still be up in the air when counting closes on election night.

Greg Roberts of The Australian reports that registration of Pauline Hanson’s United Australia Party will not be cleared in time for the election if it is called in the next few days. This would result in her list again appearing under an anonymous group name, which was deemed to have cost her votes in 2004.

• Anyone speak Portuguese?

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

762 comments on “Phoney war dispatches: wacky Wednesday edition”

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  1. [Firstly Rudd claims this to be part of a smear campaign ok so then how come his heart condition was common knowledge as RUDD himself said that he had such a condition on Sunrise on Channel 7 several years ago]

    This is bullshit mate. He said he had a transplant, he didn’t mention it was heart valve.

    [Rudd is getting the jitters.]

    Costello gets the jitters whenever Howard says “I’m staying Prime Minister, and you’re staying Treasurer”, followed by a pat on the head.

  2. We can but hope that this will be a “fair” election. But there are a lot of people still believe this claptrap. Big Brother Eviction is a ratings winner, and many of its viewers get to vote

  3. Yes, Kina. Julia G offered a spirited and I thought justifiably angered response to Tony on Lateline on the topic. It is fair to raise the issues of dirt and smear and ask quite fairly from where it is originating. I cannot think a Rudd Government would behave as the Coalition is these days. I only need to think on Kevin Rudd’s usually temperate parliamentary behaviour, something which annoys the Government no end.

  4. [We can but hope that this will be a “fair” election. But there are a lot of people still believe this claptrap. Big Brother Eviction is a ratings winner, and many of its viewers get to vote]

    I’m dreading the day some bright advertising spark suggests Gretel Host the Debate with a panel consisting of Marcia, Kyle, Dicko & Mark Holden and viewers being to SMS which leader to “evict” or “Save”.

  5. [Yes, Kina. Julia G offered a spirited and I thought justifiably angered response to Tony on Lateline on the topic. It is fair to raise the issues of dirt and smear and ask quite fairly from where it is originating.]

    Yep, Julia was good on Lateline.

    [I cannot think a Rudd Government would behave as the Coalition is these days. I only need to think on Kevin Rudd’s usually temperate parliamentary behaviour, something which annoys the Government no end.]

    Neither do I, Howard hates it when Rudd doesn’t respond and Today Howard looked like a stunned Mullett when Julia grilled him on Jason K and the “Ministerial Suite”.

  6. I notice that D.Shanahan in today`s Australian is repeating his `Labor needs 17 seats to regain office` crap. Not sure why it annoys me so much, but…

  7. What’s the go with the Libs all of sudden being back in he fight when the are in the same crappy position they have been in all year.

    It is so sad that the majority of Austrlian’s media, read Murdoch press, is obsessed with spruiking the rodent and his rodent buddies.

  8. From The Age
    “The Age has also been told by a Liberal source that a hospital worker was spreading details of Mr Rudd’s heart-valve transplant — and had told a Queensland senator of it. The source said the worker indicated he (the worker) would spread the story widely.”
    http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/slurs-close-parliament/2007/09/20/1189881684405.html

    Is the hospital worker breaking the law and if so a Qld Senator had been advised of the act and, that it was going to be spread widely… are they complicit in the act, should they not have reported it to the police?

    Patient confidentiality laws in Qld?

    Just imagine the police interigating a hospital worker and questioning a Qld Senator at this time.

  9. [Queensland Liberal senators Brett Mason, Sue Boyce, Russell Trood and Ian Macdonald yesterday categorically ruled out any involvement by them or their staff. Senator George Brandis could not be contacted because he was flying overseas.]

    I wonder if the former Senator Santo Santoro was the one told, as he was Aged Minister and would no doubt have access to Hospital staff as part of his portfolio.

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