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Stanley on Power to the People So now we are people.No wonder even the East Timor parliamentarians rejected our begging for attention.Did the people decide ... more
Jenifer on Yes We Will .. Will We? Yes, we will....go to the dogs ,if I don't win. Gillard's last jinx. more
Barb on What you don't see in a campaign I see! I see! I see!Very very big knife for very very big stab for Lady as counting results brings Tony to Top. No running ... more
Sally on Dance of the reluctant brides Lenny must be suffering from acute entrails problems as his red medusa idol lately. The eennnnnnd of the wwwwooorrrlldd is ... more
Hughes on Yes We Will .. Will We? I suspect Lenny is a tree hugger and BBrowntongue is expecting to ride on Labor prefs at the cost of Labor itself. They ... more
Katrina on Election result on 'knife's edge' When you have biased lefties like MARTIN O'SHAUGHNESSY using subtle ratting suggesting listeners could pass a sympathy vote ... more
Kate on It ain't over til it's over The National Beijing Network will be bought and run by you know who ? So no complaints.All is fine. Only I have the ... more
baron of bentleigh on Yes We Will .. Will We? I am in Crean's electorate and most of us in line have switched sides. We are making our vote count and putting Labour and ... more
Lenny on Yes We Will .. Will We? Sue, only an ignorant self serving imbecile would vote for the Liberals. The Rabbit couldn't manage a game of two up~! ... more
peed off on How to vote in Federal Election I would like to know if either party is going to do anything about changing the policies in the department of housing. Wait ... more
Brendan Mason on How to vote in Federal Election I used to believe in compulsory voting but now only want people with fair dinkum opinions to vote. Those who don't care ... more
Brendan Mason on It ain't over til it's over The fear of the Liberals is of what may or MAY NOT happen where as we know what to fear of Labor...house fires, rorts, ... more
David on It ain't over til it's over Lets not give this incompotent government another term. more
mylene on Yes We Will .. Will We? Lots of people say if the election result doesn't go their way they'll leave the country but I'll bet anything that nobody ... more
Danny on It ain't over til it's over Gillarding is the word.You will wake up on Sunday You will wake up on Sunday You will wake up on Sunday, will you really, ... more
janet page on It ain't over til it's over Just remember people when you vote tomorrow, you are Not voting for an Individual, but a political party, and the parties ... more
janet page on Power to the People If you want people power, Look up the, Senate on Line Party. more
janet page on It ain't over til it's over Labor has announced it will sell off the multi billion dollar Broad Band, that we the people will be forced to pay for. And ... more
steve murphy on Juila will and Tony will not? Gerard, It is the one big question that hasn't been answered during the campaign. What will it cost me to access 100mbps? ... more
Kevin H on Yes We Will .. Will We? I hope Labor wins and the GST goes up to 40-50%, petrol 5$ a litre and more, bank rates at 19.7% as it was with the last ... more

Power to the People

Posted by: Steve Murphy | 12 August, 2010 - 5:32 PM

While swinging voters, according to an exit poll of participants, were more convinced by Tony Abbott than the Prime Minister at last night’s peoples’ forum in Western Sydney, the event highlights just how close this race actually is.

For anyone who doubted, and there have been plenty, that disaffection with the toppling of Kevin Rudd and the low standing of Labor brand in New South Wales, then last night should’ve put those doubts to bed.

The voters were out of the blocks quickly to ask the PM about her ascension to the top job and why they should believe the Parramatta to Epping rail line (which Ms Gillard will co-fund with the NSW Government) would ever be built despite her financial commitment.

While she performed well the audience reaction to the asking of these questions as well as the answers were very instructive. The participants were dismissive, sceptical, non-believing and slightly hostile.

While political professionals will always say that voters clearly distinguish between federal and state issues, the Labor brand in NSW is so tarnished and the link between NSW Labor and the toppling of Rudd so potent that voters might not be making that distinction and there are two reasons as to why.

First, at least two of those who got the numbers for Ms Gillard to become PM, Carl Bitar and Mark Arbib have been associated with the rise and fall Premiers Iemma and Reese and the installation of Christina Keneally in the past three years. All came to the job on the back of poor opinion polling showing a Government in trouble. A familiar story.

The changes haven’t improved the Government or its standing as evidenced by the whopping 25% swing it suffered to lose the state seat of Penrith recently. Penrith is smack bang in the middle of Western Sydney, one of the main battle grounds of Campaign 2010.

Second, is the announcement by Ms Gillard to co-fund the Parramatta to Epping rail line. As I wrote yesterday, this line has been promised and reneged on several times in the past decade and no one believes it is going to be built.

So, not only has the PM directly associated herself with a bad state government and that Government’s broken promise she also got her job thanks to those machine men seen to be responsible for giving New South Wales a dud administration.

A dangerous combination and I can’t understand what the Labor strategists believed was the up-side in cuddling up to NSW Labor (with the rail line announcement) at such a critical point and critical place in the campaign.
I’d like to see another peoples’ forum in Queensland and get an insight into the depth of feeling of the knifing of Rudd in his home state. That’d be really interesting.

The good thing about last night is that it was refreshing to see the Leaders exposed and responding to voters with real concerns and real issues. Ofcourse they do it all the time on the hustings, it’s just that we don't get to see it.

That’s the real benefit of last night. We got to see it and it will no doubt play some role in influencing the broader electorate. Power to the People!!!

Blog comments

So now we are people.
No wonder even the East Timor parliamentarians rejected our begging for attention.
Did the people decide ?
Yea right.
Hey! what has become of Kevin ?
Sorry. Forgot. Australia Govt good revolving door.
Funny....,People.
Ok

Stanley Saturday 21 August, 2010 - 3:15 PM
If you want people power, Look up the, Senate on Line Party.

janet page Friday 20 August, 2010 - 12:45 PM