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Wednesday May 23, 2012

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Hinch's final say on election 2010

Posted by: Derryn Hinch | 20 August, 2010 - 5:04 PM
Derryn Hinch

AUDIO EDITORIAL:

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FINAL SAY: On the last day of the federal election just think back a couple of years: Who would have thunk it. People would have called for a straight jacket, and made you an appointment with the funny farm, if you had predicted that in 2010 Australia would be going to the polls and making a choice between the Mad Monk and that red-headed Leftie.

Even in their own hearts, if they were being really honest, neither Tony Abbott nor Julia Gillard could have dreamed they’d get to fight for the keys to The Lodge.

After John Howard’s ignominious exit in the 2007 Kevin ’07 election Abbott put his hand  up for leader but hastily withdrew when he realised what little support he had.  And when Kevin Rudd successfully moved against Kim Beazley Gillard happily accepted his offer of Deputy Leader because she knew she couldn’t win a challenge in her own right.

Maybe that is why this election has come down to wire with so many voters wishing they could vote for a candidate called NOTA.  None of the above.

Or, in Shakespearean terms: ‘A pox on both your houses’. I have said, as these five weeks have ground on and on, it has been a droning, repetitive, deceitful, lacklustre election campaign.

Abbott, for years the Liberals attack dog kept himself muzzled and on a short lease. Some of his ultra-conservative views well hidden. He did not try to savage Gillard, maybe on the assumption that he would look like a bully against a female opponent.

But even on the issues, and even after Bob Hawke urged voters to study the form, the Libs didn’t seem to pin the Rudd-Gillard government hard enough on the pink batts and school rorts which cost billions of dollars.

Gillard, after a disastrous start, had to fend of attacks from inside her own camp. The damaging leaks about her opposition to paid parental leave and a callous and cynical attitude towards pensioners. Leaks that miraculously stopped after the betrayed and beaten Kevin Rudd joined the campaign – obviously on a promise. Around the time she said she’d  become ‘the real Julia’.

Gillard and Wayne Swan deserved credit for Australia’s safe passage through the Global Financial Crisis. But the pats on the back were tempered by two things: They had inherited a $20 billion war chest from the Liberals. And the final credit had to go to Kevin Rudd – the leader they shafted.

Labor’s True Believers must despair. Gillard has steered their ship closer to the Libs on issues like Boat People and by pushing the ETS out into orbit. No wonder the Greens are polling so well. It’s a wonder Penny Wong hasn’t jumped parties. And Abbott has swallowed Work Choices.

There has been no passion in this scripted, cautious election. No fire in the belly. No oratory. Not one speech I bet you can remember. Little wonder the polls show the parties so close.

In fact they are so close that whoever wins tomorrow night – if we have a clear winner tomorrow night – you will still wake up on Sunday morning with the country in safe hands.

Neither Gillard nor Abbott – both decent individuals who have both campaigned like Opposition Leaders – will frighten the horses if elected despite the bogeyman campaigns. And that’s reassuring.

3AW Radio's 'Super Saturday'

3AW Radio has you covered for EVERYTHING Don't miss 3AW's call of Collingwood and Adelaide on 3AW FOOTBALL on 3AW 693 while 3AW ELECTION on 3AW Radio 2 will provide extended of the 2010 campaign coming to a close.

Blog comments Your Say

  • "Devastation that was brought about by labor and greens pressure in local councils to stop burn offs and allow people to build right up next to the forests and bush". No Sunday, you are confusing cause and effect. We can't simply denude the bush and clear up and burn the native vegetation! There is pressure due to urban sprawl to escape the rat-race and live in tree-change areas outside the sprawl, near national parks. More people in already bushfire prone areas magnifies the impacts. Also, climate change will mean more extreme weather patterns. You can hardly blame the Greens! We have had a Federal government intent on population growth, with State governments forced to "manage" it. The Brumby government has endorsed higher density living and toxic urban sprawl, closer to the bush and even over market garden land. There is nothing "sustainable" about property-developer-driven population growth. Any more land subdivisions need to be stopped to preserve Victoria's forests, grasslands and ecosystems.

    VivKay Sunday 22 August, 2010 - 2:15 PM

  • That makes two of us Maebe and it amazes me how there was a swing to labor and the greens in the seat of McEwen where there was so much devastation by the bush fires. Devastation that was brought about by labor and greens pressure in local councils to stop burn offs and allow people to build right up next to the forests and bush. Will we ever learn???

    David Sunday 22 August, 2010 - 1:20 AM

  • The Brumby government has been hijacked and manipulated by the property development and housing investment industry for too long. Why hasn't homelessness and housing affordability been an election issue?
    Housing is a basic right, a basic human need. However, it has been used by property developers and bankers become overly rich. So-called "affordable" housing has outstripped average wages, and the "global financial crisis" has been conveniently blamed, not boosted population growth!
    People are not livestock to be imported, bred, contained and deprived of basic need to extract profits and income from! We need a government in Victoria to preserve and restore the integrity of our State, and our bush and forests, and stop the addiction to population growth and the control of the property developers.

    Matilda B Saturday 21 August, 2010 - 6:46 PM

  • I cannot understand how they can say Victorians will swing in favour of Labour. After a decade of Labour mismanagement in our state, we must unite to send these guys packing! I for one cannot afford the increased taxation from Labour or the Greens so that they can chase ideals. After all the pollies don't have to put their hands in their pockets as they get most things for nothing! Make your vote count and send them packing.

    Maebe Saturday 21 August, 2010 - 11:02 AM

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