With five more days to go:
• Nigel Adlam of the Northern Territory News wrote on Saturday that Labor’s Chris Natt faces a tough fight to hold Drysdale, but should be helped by Labor’s promise to build a water park and sports complex in Palmerston; tips the CLP’s Kezia Purich to gain Goyder from Labor’s Ted Warren; declares himself surprised that the bookies have Labor’s James Burke down to retain Brennan; says the CLP should have no trouble reclaiming Braitling with the retirement of independent Loraine Braham; and ultimately tips a result of Labor 14 and CLP 10 with independent Gerry Wood retaining Nelson.
• Fong Lim CLP candidate and former Solomon MP David Tollner was seen to confirm his lack of interest in serving under Terry Mills’ leadership last week, when he talked over him to answer a journalist’s question regarding the party’s embarrassing failure to find candidates in Macdonnell and Arnhem. Former Darwin lord mayor Garry Lambert has given an “absolute undertaking” he won’t challenge Mills, but before not doing so he must win the outgoing Clare Martin’s seat of Fannie Bay. Lambert says he supports Mills’ leadership, “at the moment”. Jodeen Carney, member for the Alice Springs seat of Araluen and party leader until January, says “nothing’s ruled in, nothing’s ruled out”.
• The Radio National program The National Interest featured a lengthy item on the election on Friday, featuring interviews with Terry Mills, Loraine Braham and Treasurer Delia Lawrie. Transcripts from Friday’s action-packed episode of Stateline should also come online shortly.
Since I have undertaken to be nice, I will not share my opinion of Drew Hutton with you. You can read all about his doings here
http://www.aph.gov.au/Hansard/joint/commttee/J8527.pdf
Maybe that’s the way forward for the Greens; to take the genuine environmentalists like Hutton and set up a more centrist Green party. The attempts of parties like Liberals for Forests in WA showed that conservatives might vote for a purely environmental party without all the ideological baggage. The more radical Greens members could then go off and form their own Left Party or join the Socialist Alliance or something.
Adam makes reference to Koala burger patties.
Where are these available?
At McDonald’s, apparently.
If Labor activists are so worried about the Greens preferencing the conservatives then they’d be better off not telling lies. If when the Greens choose to not make a recommendation (hardly a radical position) they have people like Grace saying this means we are putting the CLP ahead of Labor then all it does is make people think
a) if Labor is this dishonest they don’t deserve preferences.
b) If we’re going to cop the allegation of preferencing the coalition anyway we may as well actually do it.
Obviously there are arguements against not directing preferences, but its a very different thing from preferencing the CLP, and spreading lies about which one the NT Greens are doing doesn’t help your cause.
i suspect Grace is involved in discussions with The NT Greens,
and is trying to put pressure on The Greens,
instead Grace only made a fool of the serial megaphones spewing ‘hate’ and lies about the visionary Greens.
If the Greens are so visionary, why do we only ever hear their noise?
good to see your hearing something GG,
perhaps something will sink in.
try this:-
http://www.democracy4sale.org/
Feral sparrowhawk #55 AND the Judge #56
Both calling Grace ‘a liar’ for outing yous Looney left Greens , for being santimonious lightweight butterflys for being indifferent to preferences going to CLP
Lets see , a CLP happy to have a uranium dump in central Australia and a looney left Greens Party moralising as a core principal against uranium , yes I can understand Feral sparrowhawk AND the Judge why you both feel helplessly foolish , and irrelevant
So, the Greens NOT preferencing the ALP is some sort of traitorous position? To whom is this so? With the ALP committed to uranium mining, not committed to climate change (and don’t give me the palaver that Senator Wong is here to the save the day – the concessions to motorists and industry undermine any legitimacy of the emissions trading scheme in dealing with climate change), not committed to adequate support for advocacy and community groups (following on from the footsteps of the Howard Govt in this manner), and (for you Dr Carr, now a member of the NSW Right) totally committed to mining the crap out of NSW, selling it off to the highest bidder, and (in my opinion) apparently deeply corrupt if Wollongong Council is anything to go by I find it hard to believe they are not punishing the ALP MORE.
The fact remains that there is on too many issues little daylight between ALP & LP/NP/LNP/CLP positions. On some issues there are clear distinctions (signing Kyoto was a start, but not setting real targets and a setting up a trading scheme that looks suspiciously like more handouts to business diminishes this achievement – and then we get to Workchoices light…) and they should be applauded for good policy (increased child care, and even just for considering paid maternity leave), but lets not pretend they are all gleaming white knights.
In the NT I personally would have thought there were good reasons for not supporting the CLP (the last 25 years for instance…), but this should not provide an automatic preference for the ALP. I would suggest that in NSW there is ample evidence for not supporting the ALP, and even for the need for a change of government, but a preference for the LP/NP would be a very serious measure to take – more likely the same ‘open ticket’ approach would be adopted. But if the Greens believe that the ALP has failed the test of good government, good policy, transparency and probity why should they slavishly support them? I take you back to the Cunningham byelection when ALP branches (I know at least 2) refused to support Sharon Bird in all but the most token of manners (providing $1 to the campaign) and members actively campaigned against her.
Slavish following the old “left to right” preferencing model relies on parties fitting this model – by peoples own admission on this site the ALP does what it needs to get elected, including ditching policies that don’t appear to win support across the board. I would suggest the days of the ideology-driven mass party are over and with it this model.
Oh, and Dr Carr @51 – your link just shows how miserable, bitter & twisted some members of the Liberal Party are. Your former employer Mr Danby seems to have not managed to keep them in line either (although not being the Chair doesn’t help).
Stewart J,
So many words, so little to say. The Greens are just ideologically driven ratbags that won’t be satisfied till we are all living in caves.
“Grace Says:
August 4th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
The Greens have announced they will preference the CLP ahead of Labor in all seats bar Port Darwin”
are you completely incapable of understanding the facts ron?
Grace is not telling the truth and you are parroting her lies.
Let me say one more time,
The Greens are NOT preferencing the CLP in the NT election
Get over your jealousy/hatred of the inspirational Greens ron,
learn to live with the future and the truth.
GG
Hmmm, this would imply (following the same train of thought it seems) that the ALP would have us living in holes in the ground…
nothing sinking in GG, maybe to much ear wax
Apolgies to all PBers – when I posted yesterday afternoon, I was not lying, not in negotiations with the Greens and trying to put pressure on them but relying what I had heard on radio – I then double-checked with ABC Online which confirmed what I posted.
The ABC News @ 7.00 however said that the Greens were not directing preferences to either party – which if I had known earlier would have changed some of my post.
Having said that – I still don’t see why the Greens cannot differentiate between the CLP who have repeatedly called for the Labor Govt to open up the Daly River area for development; and support a nuclear waste dump for Central Australia and the NT ALP, (although their environmental position on issues could certainly improve).
BTW
I also apologise for not providing the link in my original post.
Cheers
good on you Grace,
now waiting for ron, GG to apologise……
……i’m a dreamer.
Thanks judge, I wouldn’t knowingly post incorrect information.
Good on you Grace for clearing that up.
It’s just bloody irritating when people run with that line – just because Greens allow the voter to make up their own mind in most seats (it’s not like many of them will preference the CLP, but it’s a valid point that NT Labor isn’t always the most impressive of parties) DOES NOT mean that there’s any ‘dealing’ or otherwise with the conservatives. It was the same lie in Victoria 06 – they tried and failed in NSW 07 – it’s just something Greens are accustomed to from the ALP now.
I’d preference the ALP – but then that’s just me 😀
Besides – if the Greens want to become/have just become the third force in Aus politics, they can’t be a sweetie party for one or another big party. A bit of independence isn’t a bad move – and voters can make up their own minds rather than have parties do it for them.
I can understand Grace, the MSM have never been fair to The Greens,
especially in the last few days of an election.
When over ONE MILLION Australians Vote1 The Greens its a miracle.
Such a miracle sends shiver down the spines (i’m being generous), of the LIB/LAB nepotistic/incestuous, 2PP CLUB.
The Old School can only lie, bully, abuse and name call from their ivory towers, as The Green go from strength to strength.
Some in the ALP thinks that the Green is a branch of their party and thinks that the Green has to do what the ALP wants.
If the Greens want to be someone’s lackey, then they will follow the ALP in everything. Eventually all their supporter will just vote the ALP.
If they want to be a real party, they will look at the merit of both ALP’s argument and the Conservative’s argument and make up their mind what is best for the electorate, only then will they cease being a fringe party and have some power to shape Australia.
Unfortunitely that will make them a centrist party, and alienate them from their current following.
The Greens are just ideologically driven ratbags that won’t be satisfied till we are all living in caves.
Talk in vacuous ideological clichés much, GG?
GG lives in caves dug by ron
I was told that Terry Mills either said or implied that he would cut the Public Service in the NT. I don’t know if that is true but if it is it would be a very silly thing indeed to say. And if he did Im not sure how many picked up on it.
The NT Govt having such a large area to service but having a small population neccessarily has a larger percentage of Public Servants making up the population. The PS with their families and friends not to mention the amount of revenue they give to small business is a significant voting block all round.
It is coincidental that I was saying only last week to a friend that the CLP could guarantee itself extra votes by promising to not cut the PS.
Clair Martin I believe picked up a number of votes when she first won govt by saying there would be no PS reduction.
The Judge
Australian Greens hav become th harlot of Liberals/CLP
Santimonious Greens supposedly anti Uranium , ar indifferent to preferences going to CLP who want a uranium dump in central Australia
But a Greens fruitcake like you is oblivious to how stupid Australian Greens now look
ron your funny.
stick this in your solar grid:-
http://icantseeyou.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/08/major-discovery-from-mit-primed-to-unleash-solar-revolution.html
Can we get to the serious business of forecasting how many seats each side?
Is Nigel Adlam on the money tipping a result of Labor 14 and CLP 10 with independent Gerry Wood retaining Nelson?
Stewart J
#60
Another looney left Greens party faction member
Your post is typical of why 92% of th Public regard your Party as made up of extremists and loons
you wrote alot of words , but deceptiverly NEVER addressed th point raised at all NT Greens with Bob Brown shamefully hiding away , hav trashed there core for existence , pro environment & anti Uranium
ie by being indifferent to Greens preferences going to CLP who suport opening up the Daly River area for development (anti environment) and who support a nuclear waste dump for Central Australia (pro Uranium)
Does not matter how you try to ‘spin’ your way out of your NT Greens Partys pitiful decsion , its a hypocritcal stanse ditching your very core and you and Judge lack th moral conviction to disagree
the Judge
#76
could not answer my point could you , not surprising seeing its a PUBLISHED FACT
ron says
“Your post is typical of why 92% of th Public regard your Party as made up of extremists and loons ”
where is thal poll published?
another of your facts ron?
i’m still laughing about “Hawk saving the Franklyn River”
I think the possibilities of this exchange have been exhausted now.
Ron@78
Often you have not been so abusive, so I can only assume that you are in fact a welded on ALP voter who can’t bear to think of someone not agreeing with you. I did note the policy differences between the ALP and CLP, but I also noted that the ALP is PRO-URANIUM and PRO-DEVELOPMENT, which you accuse the Greens of pandering to in not actively supporting the ALP. I would suggest that the ALP are the rank hypocrites here. On the one hadn its okay to open up uranium mines (even consider nuclear energy), but its not okay to then take the rubbish created back. On the one hand its okay to take money from developers, over-rule local communities and pander to the Property Council, but on the other they are magically better than the CLP/LP/NP? In case you failed to note it, I said I would expect an open-ticket, not saying that the Greens support the policies of the CLP/LP/NP, and I expect that to be the same in NSW.
By your logic you would have the Greens as the “harlots” of the ALP. Oh, and as for “92% of the Public regard your party as made up of extremists and loons”, the same logic suggests that 56% of the Public think your party is also made up of extremists and loons. Neither is correct, you know it, and you are engaged in simple abuse because you don’t like the result. Get over it.
Apologies William, comments crossed. Will cease rant now.
That’s okay Stewart, it wasn’t directed at you and your comment was reasonable as always.
Hi William, How about a Lyne by-election thread. My namesake is about to deprive the Nationals of one of their safer seats. This could well have significant effects on the party’s future.
Yep, you’ll definitely get one soon, OC. Very exciting news.
Thomas Paine @ 74
Yes, Terry Mills has promised to cut $50 million from the public service
“Mr Mills said his razor gang would target senior public servants and high-priced consultants.
“There’s a lot of fat in the public service, especially in the senior levels,” he said
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/08/01/4915_ntelection08.html
As you said … brave
Yes, great news on Lyne (if it’s official). My parents retired up there, and they despised Vaile but adore Oakeshott. They’re rusted-on ALP voters, so they get to stick it to the Nats in a seat that the ALP could never win.
Has anyone seen the CLP email begging forcash that was accidentally sent to the media, yesterday? The email by CLP director Bob Johnston referred to the party being under severe financial strain.
“Your voluntary contribution is greatly appreciated, but at present we are very short of cash,” he wrote.
The Johnston memo asked members to provide a total of $10,000 by the end of the week.
It was also sent to the media, providing a list of the party’s members and financial backers.”
Having an inquisitive disposition I would love to read that list!
The link for my posting @ 87 is:-
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/08/05/4966_ntelection08.html
Yeah not very smart
Lets try to get people to vote for you while threatening their/their friends/ their family’s job
Mr Mills just got everyone who is a member of PS, who has family in the PS, or who know someone in public service to vote against him
From that link:
“LABOR yesterday promised to expand the NT’s public service to keep up with the booming population.
The Territory’s public service has grown to more than 16,000 people – despite repeated promises by former treasurer Syd Stirling that numbers would drop through natural attrition. ”
………………”The Chief Minister said Opposition Leader Terry Mills wanted to slash $50 million from the public sector in the first year of the next government.
Mr Henderson said this equated to the loss of 500 jobs. …”
Well seems the ALP knows what it is doing here. Normally you wouldn’t make such a promise except maybe in the NT and Canberra.
If Terry is smart he will come out very quickly and guarantee the jobs of PS or at least say that he is only refering to E01 and above or some such thing.
Luckily it wasnt a Saturday or Sunday paper which most people would read.
On the Lyne/Oakeshott thing… a piece of trivia. If this seat (Lyne) falls to an Independent, it will mean that no federal seat that has ever been held by a National Party or Country Party leader will be currently held by a National – with the sole exception of Earle Page’s seat of Cowper. The federal seats once held by Cameron, Fadden, McEwen, (Doug) Anthony, Sinclair, Blunt, Fischer and Anderson are now either held by another party/Independents, or were abolished. It’s sort of a metaphor for the plight of the National Party.
With regard to cutting public service numbers, one statistic is bandied about broadly by the CLP.
There are more journalists and PR people employed by the NT Government than there are journalists and PR people in the entire Northern Territory media machine.
Im guessing thats where the snipping will start.
Gonna cut 500 PS jobs eh?
Good luck, Mr Mills.
Expect Labor to win government and expect its environmental credentials of opposing th opening up the Daly River area for development to be a winner This issue voters will see as a clear choice of Labor opposing , CLP in favor , and Greens regarded as suspiciously equivocal due to no preferencing It could be Labor still gets approx 70% of Greens votes anyway by voters simply ignoring there own Partys stanse , and if so th credibilty damage (correctly) will go against th greens party itself severely , rather than against its members
Publication of members & financial backers & dealyed Party name chang will simply reconfirm CLP incompetence Its ironical another river (th Daly) is suported by Labor , seeing th last time Labor ran on a platform of saving a river , Tasies Franklyn river (which Hawke’s Labor govt actualy did) , despite knowing in advance it would lose all 5 Tas Federal seats (which it also ultimately did) Stewart J , If you throw stones as you did in #60 against a Party (and incorectly as well) , don’t whine as you did if they come back
Oakeshott has officially announced he will run as an independent (ABC news) My prediction: Oakeshotte will get 55 -60% primary vote.
legitimate predictions are usually based on a rigorous analysis of who will win and why; not based on blind ideological or party loyalties and who you would like to win.
John ,I predict there is nothing blind about oakshott country’s prediction.
Publication of members & financial backers & dealyed Party name chang will simply reconfirm CLP incompetence
plus publicising the fact (via the same document) that they are broke and are pleading for money.
This is a really, really bad look for the CLP, especially at this stage in an election campaign, and will cost them votes from many fence sitters. Now they simply cannot make any allegations of financial/administrative incompetence against the government and expect to be taken seriously. Effectively they have demonstrated they are not ready for government yet.
An unbelievably stupid mistake. Expect resignations over this one from within the party machine.
I think this stumble has sealed the election.
I am sticking with my original prediction of Labor losing 2-3 seats, and the CLP gaining 3-4 (they will probably pick the formerly independent seat of Braitling).