Well, if you are Australian, probably not, because that is going to be polling day for the federal election. Will Aussie's decide that 11 years is finally more than enough of a Prime Ministership for John Howard? Will they actually go for Kevin Rudd? Australia has compulsory voting but that doesn't
mean people vote properly. I, like many other people I've known cast "donkey votes". That is deliberately invalidating your voting paper to make it a non-vote. But then that's probably why someone like Howard has been running the country for 11 years. I don't know of many people who are "middle class" who deliberately invalidate their vote. My brother being an example. It would be absolute SACRILEGE for my brother not to use his vote properly. And I would put my life on it that my brother will vote for Howard once again.
It's hard to argue with the statistics. Lowest unemployment rate for over 30 years and very strong economy. But statistics are there for the "fudging".
I'm not sure Rudd is the right man either. While I was in Oz earlier this year, the man does seem to come across as a bit of a Blair clone. He seems like one of these New Labor blokes. He seems to have some very right wing views. But still has ties with the unions. So maybe he's not as right wing as Blair seemed to end up being. I suppose it's up to the Australian nation. Do they want to continue right, right, right...or just go a "little" right...or is that left?
I'm sure by the time November 24th swings round, the Australian public will sick to the back teeth of electioneering. Both leaders have been in "election" mode all bloody year anyway. There was talk of the election all the 4 months I was in Oz earlier in the year. If Gordon Brown had called one here in the UK, it would have been interesting to see how the two elections would have panned out. As it is, we get a reprieve in the UK, but I'll be thinking of you Aussie's come November 24th. Good luck, whoever you decide to go with. I dare say, no matter who it is...you're going to need it!
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Larelle
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