Why on earth would you want to vote for the LNP?
Give or take a bit, the polls have both parties squared off at 50/50.
So it means that half of the voting population are prepared to re-elect the Turnbull Government.
People, of course, are free to vote for whoever they want, but I am also free to ask why they would bother to cast a vote in favour of the LNP. Why on earth would you want to vote for a government that:
Has been the worst economic managers since Menzies.
Will provide you with one of the worst broadband networks in the world.
Will keep cutting money from education and health.
Will see you paying up to $100,000 for a university degree.
Will in all likelihood sell off Medicare – at your cost.
Will do nothing to address the ravages of climate change.
Will do nothing about housing affordability.
Will look after the well-off at the expense of the poor.
Will continue to lock up asylum seekers.
Will continue to slash services to the poor, the elderly, the homeless and the ill.
Will do nothing to address Indigenous disadvantage.
Will continue to lie and rort.
Will continue to widen the gap between the rich and the poor.
Will do whatever it can to limit wage growth.
Will cut penalty rates.
Will, if the economists are correct, lead us into a recession.
Will not even countenance an investigation into the banking sector.
Will have no policies, only slogans and scare campaigns.
Will only ever continue to make vague promises about marriage equality.
Will continue to say one thing – only to do the other.
Will ignore science and technology.
Will allow our prime agricultural land to be mined.
Will more than likely make further cuts to the ABC.
Will send more jobs offshore.
Will do nothing about negative gearing.
Will continue to offer unnecessary subsidies to the mining industry.
Will ignore human rights.
Will have a prime minister beholden to right-wing extremists.
Why would anybody want to vote for a government that would make themselves, their families, and the majority of Australians worse off? Why would anybody want to vote for a government that is out of step with the rest of the world? Why on earth would you want to vote for a government that is turning Australia into an economic basket case? Why on earth would you want to vote for a government that will not address social or environmental issues?
Oh, I see, they ‘stopped the boats’ and they ‘axed the tax’.
Well in that case – if that’s all you’re interested in – then go ahead and vote for them.
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z -
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Jennifer Meyer-Smith
Return to home pageNailed it, MT.
They have also separated us from the international community. We need the international community now more than ever, yet we are becoming more and more isolated. This actually does not bode well for us at all.
excellent article Michael
Because half the electorate don’t use reason, logic and facts to make their decision, they rely on emotion, opinion and judgement calls. And they are encouraged to do so by the LNP. The last thing they want is for the electorate to actually understand reality! They’d never get into power again!!
Yep, pretty much sums it up; I couldn’t agree more.
Anyone seeing the dismal performance by Turnbull last night, would wonder, why bother sacking Abbott and employing Turnbull instead…
One spoke in three word slogans, the other waffled…so there’s a bit of a difference.
Simple. They will vote for them because they and their media propaganda arm have convinced those ~50% that Labor or anybody else is worse. They have also convinced the ~50% that they will get more free handouts and pork from the Coalition.
I have spoken to quite a few people – they base their choice on personality rather than policy. MSM can be satisfied their fear-mongering campaign against unions (asylum seekers, welfare recipients etc etc etc) has been so successful.
I fear for Australia if this poor excuse for a government is re-elected.
…and the LNP will continue to break any promise that holds any benefit for the majority of Australians.
The only economic plan that the Liberals have is to find new and innovative ways to convert public money into private profit.
It’s shame that a lot the questions on Q&A last night gave Turnbull too much wriggle room. I wish someone would just asked the question “You specifically lied to the electorate at the last election why should we believe anything you have to say. what’s changed”?
There are those that will vote for them because: as far as I remember all my family for many generations are voted for the conservative party
I my add that this happens world wide.
Jeremy, not too many seemed happy with his answers, Jones tried tell him to keep his replies shorter, I suppose more to the point; he was not going take too much notice of Tony…he’s after all born to rule.
All of the above are the imperative reasons not to, but 5 decades of precisely targeted propaganda say otherwise.
Hmmm … would it be fair to say that the introduction of television 50 years ago has played a major role in the dumbing down of our population??
Today’s Essential Poll: Labor hangs on to 51-49 lead two-party preferred lead, enough to deliver the tiniest of majorities if it were reproduced on a national basis on July 2. And PM Malcolm Turnbull has continued his decline in the eyes of voters.
For the first time, the Prime Minister has a net negative approval rating, with 40% of voters approving of his performance and 42% disapproving. Turnbull’s problems with voters began around March, when voters appeared to run out of patience with him and began souring on him.
Source (Crikey.com)
Back in my Uni days I studied statistics and data collection/surveying as part of Geography.
One truism of surveying is that you will never get the opinion of one group of society.
That group are the people who refuse to participate in surveys.
In today’s world many people are left out of surveys depending on the chosen survey method.
Many people do not have the internet or computers or decent broadband. Others only have a mobile phone.
Many collection methods ignore these groups. And of course there are people like me who hear the recording or the drone of the telemarketer and hang up without hearing any more.
I hold the, perhaps naive, hope that polling has missed a whole swathe of society who fit the abive categories.
I certainly know from what I read online that there is much angst towards Turnbull online. But then I don’t tend to read much pro LNP propaganda.
I still believe that many people who voted for the Lib-Nats in 2013 have had 3 years to understand that they were in error – that during that time they came to understand that they have been hurt, or will be hurt, by their policies – that through their family, social and workplace networks they came to understand that many others have been hurt, or will be hurt, as well.
I believe that many people will not make that mistake again in 2016.
If Australia had a responsible, ethical media that actually reported the matters on this list objectively every day, rather than what amounts to several propaganda organs of the Liberal and national parties and IPA, we wouldn’t be in this situation.
Turnbull is very confident about his Budget plan for “Jobs and Growth” and a return to surplus. He says the Budget has been signed off by Treasury. Well, so was Hockey’s Budget – and where is Hockey now?
Turnbull is not able to say when we will get the flood of investment to achieve the desired plan. It is all so woolly and imprecise.because forward estimates are just that: estimates – and with “head winds’ threatening, the future looks very uncertain.
What is there that we have seen in the past 2.5 years which would give us confidence that the “better economic managers” will cope ?
And another on-going problem for the Coalition is the matter of immigration and the Manus/Nauru gulag. Turnbull was very mealy-mouthed in his reply to the Iranian who asked why he was in prison. Turnbull spoke of “unauthorised arrivals”, avoiding the word ‘illegal’ commonly used by the Coalition, and proceeded to bad-mouth the Labor problems of the past. He mentioned drownings, of course, but he had nothing to say about the trauma, rape and suicides on Manus/Nauru. Nor did he mention that the NG government has declared the Manus detention centre to be illegal and unconstitutional. Instead, he has handed over responsibility for what happens on Manus/Nauru to the host countries.
The Coalition policy is roundly condemned by Amnesty International and the UNHCR. It is unsustainable. Where will it be in three years time? It will come to a bad end, for sure.
Government could well be a nightmare for the Coalition – and, sadly, for Oz.
Guest, that’s precisely it..it’s all so woolly and imprecise. Here’s a not so imaginary interview with Malcolm:
Mal: Well Gonzo, it’s all about jobs and growth.
Gonzo: And how are you going to create the jobs which provides the growth?
Mal: Well Gonzo, we’re better economic managers.
Waffle, waffle, repeat three word slogan to be joined with it’s friend the 4 word slogan…
Exactly Carol, policy discussion is now circular waffles. Pass the syrup.
@Jack Russell, I live in hope but I rarely hold my breath.
Apart from being a smoker making that a difficulty in itself, I have been let down too many times by too many Australians who were in fact too stupid to be allowed to vote in a real democratic process, which of course, this is definitely not.
My Dad was a rusted on Liberal voter. His philosophy was simple: no matter how bad things are under a Liberal government, they will be worse under Labor.
Jack Russell,
I’m with you. I can’t see how reasonably rational people would think that what this bunch of LNP Degenerates have attempted to ruin in the past 2 2/3 years warrants them to be re-elected.
I understand many are rusted on but the reality is they will also suffer any attacks on Medicare; their children and grand-children will be shut out of the house markets; and their children and grand-children will be cut out of the job markets with more and more jobs vanishing through loss of industries or jobs being off-shored.
Rusted on Libs can’t be THAT stupid!
Same goes for the Nats who have shown some gumption of late in their vehement opposition to ‘fracking’ CSG fracking.
When I referred to Libs and Nats in my last comment, I’m meaning the Libs and Nats voters bases.
NOT the parties’ machinery coz they are both irredeemable.
Wait a minute arnt you independent?
I would also point out that many ALP policies are, in their application at least, continuations or add-ons perhaps, to what big business want.
Essentially under the 2PP system, we as a nation of disinterested electors, are essentially screwed at the altar of the big business dollar and the pollies mates from both sides of the house, though it has to be said, ALP are a little better in their efforts to see at least some form of fairness in their policies.
We have to remember that at the last election Labor was definitely on the nose. Fighting, division and a lot of self interest. Bill Shorten has been able to rebuild Labor and party members have once again gained confidence with their party.
Last election people went away from Labor in droves so we had the big swing and Labor lost many seats. Some of these seats will go back to Labor this election. But the big question is will the swing be enough.
“Last election people went away from Labor in droves so we had the big swing and Labor lost many seats.”
Not really a true statement. The election was a lot closer than most people think, and definitely closer than the MSM spruiked it. Yes there was a fair number of seats that changed to the L-NP, but many were by a small margin. In Western Sydney around 30,000 voting the other way in several key seats would have seen Labor retain government.
Also, though it was true party disunity cost Labor votes, so did a relentless MSM campaign against the government, especially Gillard, and for Abbott. I’m still hearing people today rolling out the same falsehoods on Gillard, now even more exaggerated through the passage of time. Some of these people are not at all rusted on L-NP voters and are surprised when you point them to the facts.
Sir SM, I would see the electorate as somewhat ‘flat’, having been pumped up to the extreme by the MSM with outrage during the Abbott era – Ditch with Witch! This is a dysfunctional government! Knighthoods. Government by dictatorship aka Credlin etc ad nauseum only to find that the whole thing was a farce, a sham resulting in the knifing of Abbott. To everyone’s great relief Turnbull wafted in who took no time in proving to everyone that he was/is a FIZZA – a person who if he once had principles is more than willing to dump them. Who can lie without blinking about Medicare, about the NBN, about climate change, about marriage equality. At least with Abbott you knew that he had no principles to start with but with Turnbull, he has become the hollow man.
If the electorate is disinterested, it’s because they have no where to turn and no one to believe in. Trust? Since the Abbott era there is no expectation that any politician will keep his word. Shorten has the ability to prove them wrong, let’s hope that he gets the opportunity to do so.
“Who can lie without blinking about Medicare, about the NBN, about climate change, about marriage equality.”
Worse Carol. He can deliberately and forcefully go out of his way to suppress information and reporting of his lies on those things, whilst lying that he’s denying the public the right to know of his failures. In this way he’s worse than Abbott, who didn’t care that people knew he was a liar and failure.
Mobius, the latest is against Shorten and the negative gearing rort. The Libs have produced a new report showing that under Shorten’s plan that house prices will drop and rents will increase. This is in spite of the fact that the MSM was indicating a drop in house prices, especially units ’16/’17 in major capital cities due to oversupply. A typical Lib tactic – take an event which is occurring due to other factors and blame it on Labor.
I might add – house prices will drop? Given that Australia has massively inflated housing prices bringing die warnings from overseas, wouldn’t one think that this is a good thing.
And as far as rents increasing – what’s happened under negative gearing? Rents haven’t exactly gone down. And the fact is, Turnbull knows that it’s bs that he’s spouting…quite delighted in fact to proceed with a scare campaign based on the politics of greed.
Too convenient by half is the arrival of a refugee boat from Vietnam. The refugees were processed at sea and sent back.
What is convenient in this case is the wide media reporting of it. There have been other boats in the recent past who endured the same fate, but mums the word because of the secrecy provisions in Sovereign Borders.
So how come this one wasn’t kept secret, and indeed there was Turnbull having a presser on it?
Election.
The media reporting on cue has dutifully reported it as a test for the government during an election campaign, which they magnificently passed of course.
The sad thing is that too many Australians will lap this up and believe both the media reporting and government.
The Coalition have been out there every day saying the boats will start again. The reality is that they never stopped. They have just started talking about them again.
And in another despicable act…..
“The trauma specialist who condemned the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees in Australia’s offshore detention regime as the worst “atrocity” he has seen has had his contract to work on Nauru terminated.
Psychologist Paul Stevenson, whom the Australian government awarded an Order of Australia for his work counselling victims of the Bali bombings, had undertaken 14 deployments to Nauru and to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. He was due to return to Nauru on Thursday.
But after he spoke publicly to the Guardian about his experiences working within Australia’s offshore detention regime – describing conditions in the camps as “demoralising … and desperate” – he was told his contract had been summarily cancelled.”
One thing is certain, you will NEVER hear the truth while these bastards are in power.
Dutton on ABC News saying that the only way Australia can have strong border protection is to elect Turnbull. This government stinks in every way possible.
Interesting to note here is that Dutton never said Liberals but said Turnbull instead. Turnbull’s website doesn’t mention or show Liberal or their logo anywhere. The brand Liberal must be on the nose for the party to abandon it as much as possible in this election campaign, right through to members not displaying the Liberal logo or name anywhere on their campaign material.
It is a deliberate campaign strategy. They have banked everything on a presidential campaign because all they have got is that Malcolm isn’t Tony.
The Liberal logo has never appeared on Turnbull’s website. he’s a Coalition Prime Minister not a Liberal Prime Minister.
Why is this guy not a bigger story? It’s incredible.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jun/20/the-worst-ive-seen-trauma-expert-lifts-lid-on-atrocity-of-australias-detention-regime
Recalcitrant,
I would suggest that as many people as possible ring Dutton, Turnbull and their local member if they are Coalition to express their outrage at the sacking of Paul Stevenson and at Dutton’s cynical media blitz about what was previously verboten as an “information service for people smugglers”.
Kaye, I just posted about Dr Lynn Simpson one of the most respectable and senior vet in the country.
The Federal Government removed her after she presented evidence of cruelty and appalling conditions on board Australian live export ships, according to documents obtained by the ABC.
We are heading towards a type of dictatorship if our government and opposition allow this.
This is getting completely out of control. Anyone who tells the truth gets sacked. For the sake of our country, for the sake of our children, for the sake of humanity, vote these bastards out.
“Oh, I see, they ‘stopped the boats’”
The ineptitude of this alleged government knows no bounds. From the ABC ‘Election Live’ coverage this morning;
“Dutton is speaking on the intercepted asylum seeker boat
The Immigration Minister is speaking in Brisbane, where he is speaking on border protection.
Peter Dutton has detailed the interception of an asylum seeker boat on the Timor Sea, saying it was intercepted at the beginning of the month.
Mr Dutton says the passengers:
… claimed that they were wanting protection. It was found that they weren’t owed protection and they were returned back to Vietnam.
He said the boat – the first to attempt to reach Australia during the election campaign – was not seaworthy.”
Having no legal expertise whatsoever, I am left to ponder. What are the maritime laws about intercepting boats in the Timor Sea? Do we have jurisdiction (other than for the purposes of interrupting Timor’s claims to sovereignty over the oil and gas reserves)? Is there a ‘legal’ difference to the passengers ‘wanting protection’, as opposed to ‘seeking asylum’? How was the assessment conducted that they ‘weren’t owed protection’ and how long did it take? How does that assessment compare (or differ), in procedural terms, with an assessment of a request for asylum? What liability attaches to the alleged government if they have, indeed, turned back a vessel that ‘was not seaworthy’? If the interception occurred in early June, and we never discuss ‘on water matters’, why is it suddenly appropriate to release so much information about a turn back, including so many details of potential breaches of internationally recognised maritime and asylum laws and principles? It’s not like a boat load of Sri Lankan’s arrived in Cocos Island in May of this year, is it?
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjMhcS767rNAhXLjpQKHT7dB8sQFggoMAM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Ftriplej%2Fprograms%2Fhack%2Fflight-from-cocos-carrying-sri-lankan-asylum-seekers-locals-say%2F7379218&usg=AFQjCNHBqvwKeeYffq2HWqG2w7cEq_MwDg
I would normally expect these questions would be asked by journalists. Nick Harmsen wrote a piece a while ago, “How does the ABC weigh coverage between political parties and issues?” It has many useful insights, not the least of which was;
“The Election Guidance note contains some more useful directions for ABC staff:
The ABC expects that the Editorial Policies will be upheld with particular care during election campaigns with the overarching aim of providing high quality coverage through:
•The reasoned application of news values;
•Responsiveness to events and issues as and when they arise; and
•Good-faith efforts to fairly and accurately obtain, scrutinise and report the actions and policies of those seeking election, especially those parties with a practical prospect of forming the next Government.
•Thoughtful attention to issues of style and tone which may inadvertently colour perceptions of impartiality. For instance, don’t sign off an interview with a candidate with a phrase like ‘good luck’. While you’re only meaning to be polite, it could well sound too encouraging to some of your audience.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-28/curious-campaign-how-does-the-abc-weigh-coverage-in-elections/7455078
It struck me as odd that there is nothing obligating the ABC to formulate questions and rigorously seek answers. As for the rest of MSM, any expectation would be unreasonable. I am not sure if any of that answers your question, Mr Taylor. It may explain why the question is so important. Thank you. Take care
Kyran, for this government the maritime laws about intercepting boats in the Timor Sea, UN signed agreements and conventions, International Crime Court means nothing. They just ignoring them if they do not suit their agenda.
All good but I disagree the Liberals didn’t stop the boats the biggest fall in boat numbers was in 2013 before they unfortunately lied their way into office .http://johnmenadue.com/blog/?p=4280 Infact the LNP increased the boats .The action by Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison in association with the Greens triggered this dramatic increase in boat arrivals. Both Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison made it abundantly clear that they did not want to stop the boats with an arrangement such as that with Malaysia. They wanted to stop Labor stopping the boats. Their political intentions were revealed by WikiLeaks that reported that ‘a key Liberal Party strategist told the US embassy in 2009 that the more boats that come the better’. (SMH 10 December 2010). Scott Morrison became Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship in December 2009.
In association with the Greens? When? The Greens have ALWAYS been against offshore solutions, and for quite some time have wanted a more humane solution.
Malaysia has not signed the Refugee Convention. It’s the reason why refugees travel from conflicted areas, through Malaysia and down to Indonesia (also not a state that has signed the Refugee Convention). This leaves the only real alternative being Australia. The Malaysia solution was never a solution in the first place, which is why it should have been rejected.
If people in this country realised that it’s not a bad thing for a large country full of immigrants to accept other immigrants no matter how they get here, we wouldn’t have so many boats leaving Indonesia for Australia, nor would we have such a major problem with racism. All we need is education. What a shame we aren’t getting it.
Good on you, Tracie. The Greens are the only major party who have any proper credentials on the question and policy of asylum seekers.
Labor devotees better wake up that they are exposed for compliance with the ugly LNP in their reprehensible treatment of people seeking legitimate asylum from endangerment of their lives and/or the fear of persecution.