Federal Election Predictions

[wycbloods]

Isn't that the perfect world guys?

Liberal in, stop the boats, no WorkChoices, and Pyne to lose his seat!

Everyone's happy..

I think there is something wrong with me but i don't have a problem with 3% of our refugee intake coming in on boats.

I am with you LL i don't have a problem with it but i am worried I have two heads or something similar with the way people look at me when i state this.

[bulldogproud2]

A lot of us must have two heads, wycbloods. The Jesuit Alumni is planning on sending a very stern letter to Tony Abbott condemning his 'unchristian approach to asylum seekers'. We are ashamed of having him as a former student!

[Brucetiki]

Current polling has Labor with a 52-48 lead.

With former Liberal leader Andrew Peacock's disgusting attack on non-Liberal voters (labelling them all handicapped), I expect that lead to increase.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/specia ... 5903009319

[mick]

Current polling has Labor with a 52-48 lead.

With former Liberal leader Andrew Peacock's disgusting attack on non-Liberal voters (labelling them all handicapped), I expect that lead to increase.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/specia ... 5903009319

That's absolutely disgusting, slow..... but certainly not handicapped

[ca]

I’d expect Labour to get back in with a slightly smaller margin. Given the result of the last election and the record popularity of Kevin Rudd this would probably be a good a result and would set the Liberals up for the next election. It really is amazing that it is as close as it is. I can’t see any seats in South Australia changing.

[Psyber]

A lot of us must have two heads, wycbloods. The Jesuit Alumni is planning on sending a very stern letter to Tony Abbott condemning his 'unchristian approach to asylum seekers'. We are ashamed of having him as a former student!

They'll be sorry in a few years when Christianity gets banned in Australia and Sharia Law is introduced.

[bulldogproud2]

Typical nonsense and scaremongering, Psyber!!
(Even if it was tongue-in-cheek)

[redandblack]

The problem is that it's probably only 75% tongue-in-cheek

No need to dogwhistle here, Psyber

PS: After the broadband announcement debacle today, I'd expect Tony to go back to hammering the 'stop the boats invasion' again.

[gadj1976]

Mark Latham to go postal..........shortly.

[Psyber]

Typical nonsense and scaremongering, Psyber!!
(Even if it was tongue-in-cheek)

It was - I don't really expect it will happen, nor expect anyone here to believe it.

[fisho mcspaz]

... and Pyne to lose his seat.

x2

[Brucetiki]

Unfortunately it looks like there's a swing to Pyne in Sturt and he looks safe, so it looks like SA will maintain the status quo.

[Media Park]

Mark Latham to go postal..........shortly.

x2

[fisho mcspaz]

Jeez, I can see why Andrew Peacock never became the PM! What a moron.

I predict:

Labor to win despite overall swing to the Coalition
Pyne to retain Sturt, unfortunately
Southcott to retain Boothy, unfortunately

And I reckon Maxine McKew might be on her way out.

I sincerely hope that Tony Abbott does not become the Prime Minister, or I will have to consider moving to New Zealand. I am ashamed that his vow to 'stop the boats' is apparently such a favourable premise among Australians. Why are we so down on immigrants? (That's a rhetorical question. I know why. Because of ignorance, and misplaced fear. Here come the dirty foreigners to steal our money and our quality of life, etc.)

[Squawk]

Fisho (and others), I think you'll find that Labor wants to "stop the boats" too.

Indeed, Labor has probably thrown more 'manpower' at "stopping the boats" than the Coalition did. The only difference between the two parties is what they do when they manage the people on the boats and charge the organisers....

For all the controversies, no one has yet come up with the solution. I've had a go myself and my goodness, it's tough to work through when you scratch the surface that is reported by the media and the pollies and see what sits behind it all.

[fisho mcspaz]

Everyone wants to stop the boats. It's the main reason I've become so disillusioned with Labor (not to mention human nature in general). Still, I've always voted Greens 1, Labor 2, and I won't be changing that for this election.

[dedja]

Agreed, everyone is trying to find a solution to a virtually non-existent problem.

Doesn't have the same oomph to crack down on visa over-stayers.

[Squawk]

Agreed, everyone is trying to find a solution to a virtually non-existent problem.

Doesn't have the same oomph to crack down on visa over-stayers.

"The problem" at the moment is a few thousand people per annum. If any of the current prevention mechanisms were withdrawn, it would balloon out further. No doubt. In fact, it could actually become a genuine 'problem' where tens of thousands descended towards Australia by boat.

[dedja]

So you're not concerned with the 'tens of thousands' that currently overstay their visas that have descended by plane?

[Squawk]

So your not concerned with the 'tens of thousands' that currently overstay their visas, hence are illegally in the country?

Yes I am.

I'd like to say a whole lot about this that is more insightful, but I can't unfortunately.

In short, the 'problem' with 'stopping the boats' goes far beyond issues of queue jumping. Its a big P "Political" issue that extends beyond Australia's jurisdiction, and beyond the issue of just how Australia manages them regardless of who holds Govt at any one time here (ie Labor or Liberal). It goes to Indonesian domestic politics, Malaysian politics and Sri Lankan politics, and what's more it goes beyond the realm of illegal entries and in to the realm of other Foreign Affairs policies that encompass the whole Strategic Alliance as well as religious ideologies. As I said, I've actually had a go at 'stopping the boats' myself (in a professional capacity) and it is one hell of a situation to 'cut through' and solve. Indeed, it will probably never be solved until the world has changed in a lot of different ways. There are public problems which we all hear about, but there are far more issues at stake that will not be publically discussed by politicians of either persuasion.