2007 Australian Federal Election

[Will]

...The reason why i bought Israel into this, because I feel that it is shameful for Australia that every time the UN attempts to pass something even remotely critical of Israel, it is voted against by the US, Palau, Kiribati and Australia! Australia should have an independent policy relating to Israel, similar to the one we had under Gareth Evans as foreign minister.

So you would rather see Australia abstain or vote against. Are there any other reasons why Australia shouldn't ally itself or support Israel?

Cheers

Yes I would rather Australia abstain or vote against, just like the European Nations. And I would like to point out that because I do not support the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Israeli government does not make me anti-Semitic. It is important to highlight this, because recently there is an unfortunate trend to lable critics of Israel as anti-Semitic, neo-Nazis or racists.

[Ho Really]

Yes I would rather Australia abstain or vote against, just like the European Nations. And I would like to point out that because I do not support the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Israeli government does not make me anti-Semitic. It is important to highlight this, because recently there is an unfortunate trend to lable critics of Israel as anti-Semitic, neo-Nazis or racists.

Europe has been anti-Jewish for a long time so there is no surprise there. As for human rights abuses what about those from the other side(s)? Anti-Semitism all depends on your actions and what you say. What you've said is not anti-Semitic.

Cheers

[cruel_world00]

oh lol...I was at an event and was dared to get mia hanshins sig...I got it...but I also told pat conlon that my train was to dirty but i liked the trams lololol!

[sam]

John Howard is in Adelaide right now - so it will be interesting to see where abouts his campaign takes him tomorrow.

[crawf]

Did anyone watch the dreaded worm?

I think after watching the debate which was the first time I watched it and found it interesting. It will be very likely I'll be voting Rudd in the election, Rudd sounded more of a leader than Howard.

[aussie2000]

yer Rudd did much better than Howard in the debate, although so did Beasley and Lathem (what ever happened to him lol)

[crawf]

yer Rudd did much better than Howard in the debate, although so did Beasley and Lathem (what ever happened to him lol)

Probably some mental institution lol

[Bulldozer]

Rudd sounded more of a leader than Howard.

You reckon? I thought he was a carbon copy of Howard, just more of a whiney pussy. One of the journalists raised an excellent question about all of the policies of the current government that he's pretty much copied outright. I also noted the careful wording of his stance on Iraq... gives the impression that he'll withdraw the troops, but in reality it's another one of his "we'll look into it" shenanigans.

Not that I think Howard and the Liberals are that good either, truth be told I think both are pissing away the future. I'd much rather see those tens of billions of tax cuts thrown at massive infrastructure projects - high-speed interstate rail; desalination, pipelines, new irrigation schemes; fibre-optic communications network; nuclear energy. That's the sort of stuff Rudd should be talking about when he says he wants to set the country up for the future.

What I can't understand is that at the last election all the pundits in the media were saying that people don't want to risk change when they're on a good thing. Now they're saying everyone is screaming out for change. WTF!? Analysts... :wank:

[Will]

Rudd sounded more of a leader than Howard.

You reckon? I thought he was a carbon copy of Howard, just more of a whiney pussy. One of the journalists raised an excellent question about all of the policies of the current government that he's pretty much copied outright. I also noted the careful wording of his stance on Iraq... gives the impression that he'll withdraw the troops, but in reality it's another one of his "we'll look into it" shenanigans.

Not that I think Howard and the Liberals are that good either, truth be told I think both are pissing away the future. I'd much rather see those tens of billions of tax cuts thrown at massive infrastructure projects - high-speed interstate rail; desalination, pipelines, new irrigation schemes; fibre-optic communications network; nuclear energy. That's the sort of stuff Rudd should be talking about when he says he wants to set the country up for the future.

What I can't understand is that at the last election all the pundits in the media were saying that people don't want to risk change when they're on a good thing. Now they're saying everyone is screaming out for change. WTF!? Analysts... :wank:

Although regulars on this forum know that i am a Labor voter, I agree with what you have said Bulldozer. Kevin07 has shifted the ALP to far to the right. In fact after having analyzed their policies, their is very little social democratic ideology left. This is sad, because I always think that people will always prefer the real thing as oppossed to the cheap imitation. Additionaly I am dismayed at the greed displayed by the Australian public. I would rather not have my extra $10 a week, and rather would prefer this money invested in buildings better schools, hospitals, reducing HECS, increasing pensioner pensions, but also investing in building better port facilities, highways, railway lines, public transport etc...

[Cruise]

Kevin07 has shifted the ALP to far to the right.

That would make this election left vs right then

[Will]

If you are an ordinary worker and thinking about voting Liberal, then I strongly recommend you have a read of some of the articles and views expressed in this website. If the Coalition is returned, Peter Costello will be Prime Minister. Peter Costello is a member of this society, and has in the past apologized for Workchoices not going far enough. Scary stuff.

http://www.hrnicholls.com.au/

[frank1]

I don't really like Labour of Liberal, but i am voting for Rudd as i have seen Howard and the Liberal party in power for most of my life and want a change. Even if Rudd copies Howards policies, i just want a new face representing this country.

[Will]

One of my friends recommended the following website: http://www.politicalcompass.org/

It's really interesting to find out how you lie in the political spectrum. Additionally it can be of use, if you are still undecided on who to vote for.

[Diamond]

Interesting site

Not sure if you would've seen this, but here it is anyway.

Australian Election 2007

We've scrutinised speeches, manifestos and voting records to produce this chart. We then ran our projection past several academics with a special interest in Australian politics and, as a result, were persuaded to make a couple of tiny adjustments. We then contacted some of the correspondents from Australia who had been urging us to produce something. We invited them to position the parties as they saw them, without viewing our chart. Those projections could hardly have been more diverse, so, inevitably, some of our visitors will have disagreements. Our apologies that we simply don't have the resources to deal individually with all the emails we receive.

While the 2007 Australian election reflects a wider political landscape than that of the US, Labor, under its present leadership, has edged closer to the Liberals than in any previous election. The Democrats and the Greens are now economically closer to traditional Labor, while Labor occupies territory closer to the Liberals of the 1980s. However, the rightward and upward drift of the Liberals allows Labor to still claim considerable distance from them. Within Labor, of course, there are right-left tensions, as most of its members accept the neoliberal agenda with either resignation or enthusiasm. The Political Compassâ„¢ demonstrates that the One Nation party, popularly termed "extreme right", owes its extremity more to its social policies than to its economic position.

[Shuz]

I saw that somewhere. Apparently i'm a communist libertarian, well just a bit. I took the test and my position is very close to the Greens. Seeing as I don't want to vote for either major parties - My vote is solved. Lol, I'm not really a greenie - I have 20 minute showers everyday.