It's still not over

We've survived a 5 week election campaign and the election itself only to find ourselves straight into a new campaign to seize government from a hung parliament by winning over the independents. Ironically, my electorate of Denison may turn out to be the one that determines the final result.  We were considered too safe a seat for the leaders to even visit during the campaign and there was so much emphasis on western Sydney that it seemed that our votes counted for nothing. As it's turned out we are very likely to elect an independent.  It will go down to the last few votes and reflects the general disdain felt by many Hobartians for the major parties and their fatuous campaign.

Return of the whales.

Electioneering is almost over and put into perspective by some real news from Hobart.  For the first time in 189 years a whale has given birth to a calf in waters off a Taroona beach close to my sister's home. So much more exciting than Julia's 6 radio interviews before 8am today, or Tony's vow to keep talking to voters all through the night.

Are we there yet?

No, but we've passed the halfway mark in this election.  Just as well, as we're in danger of being swamped by the number of Prime Ministers (current PM, very nearly current PM, immediate past PM and at least three even- more-past PMs) who have now entered the ring.

From whoa to go in a week

At the beginning of the week, in this election, It was:

        game on, or a race, a play or an act,

        a lurch to the right and the right,

        the pollies perform in a make-believe world, 

        where  there's nary a voter in sight.

Now we're to have a People's Assembly!

Moving forward without taking any action

This election is bordering on farce.  The leaders shadow box the ghosts of Rudd and Howard, while mouthing the puerile slogans of "moving forward" or "taking real action".  The media treats it as a blood sport: own goals, fouls, tactics, quarter-time scores and the visceral reactions of the crowd.  Where are the policies and where is reasoned analysis?  Thank God for Possum Comitatus and The Piping Shrike, among other informative blogs.

Election Quip

One day a rooster, the next a feather duster