Victorian state election Nov 29 2014

Jay84 · 29th Nov, 2014

What are everyone's thoughts?

Both sides have ran fairly negative campaigns, the liberals focusing on the CFMEU links to Dan Andrews, the return of cage fighting etc etc, and Labors ads with the gloomy music - the GP tax, cuts to Tafe, ambulance waiting times with the Liberals you are on your own ads.

Sportsbet have Labor at 1.19 vs 4.50 for the liberals, I also suspect Labor will win in a tight race. However, where I live and work are Labor strongholds so my views could be tainted by people I speak to every day.
The reason being a lot of people don't differentiate between state and federal, and I feel there is a bit of anger out there at Tony Abbott.

Mr. Fabulous · 29th Nov, 2014

I'm actually voting in this election. I usually just turn up, get my name ticked off and leave. But today I am vo-diddly-oting for Tex Perkins.

Tranquilo · 29th Nov, 2014

I used to just get my ticked too. But the last Fed election I thought WTF am I doing people die in this world to have the right to vote. So I voted for the first time and I'm 43 yrs old.

Mr. Fabulous · 29th Nov, 2014

Cjay put me on to the LDP. Seem pretty damn good.

Pro-Guns, Anti-Feminist. Now that's a party I am willing to support.

From their website:

Freedom of speech is one of our most fundamental rights and central to a free, democratic society.

The importance of free speech is not diminished by the fact that some speech is wrong, mean or causes some to take offence. The best response to bad ideas is to expose them to the scrutiny that can only exist in a free and open battle of ideas. Truth has nothing to fear from free speech, and neither does Australia.

Beanie Girl · 29th Nov, 2014

Mr. Fabulous said:
Cjay put me on to the LDP. Seem pretty damn good.

Pro-Guns, Anti-Feminist. Now that's a party I am willing to support.

Where does the Liberal Democrats Party (LDP) preferences flow to?

Corey Batt · 29th Nov, 2014

Beanie Girl said:
Where does the Liberal Democrats Party (LDP) preferences flow to?

This list seems to cover all the preference flows for the assorted parties.

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2014/11/16/victorian-upper-house-preference-tickets/

The overall pattern is placing 'big government' socialist/heavily left leaning parties last - the rest is just a lot of horse trading in my opinion.

property_girl · 29th Nov, 2014

The LDP--a party that believes in not governing. What's the point?

hobo-jo · 29th Nov, 2014

Mr. Fabulous said:
Cjay put me on to the LDP. Seem pretty damn good.

Pro-Guns, Anti-Feminist. Now that's a party I am willing to support.

In what way are the LDP "Anti-Feminist"?

property_girl said:
The LDP--a party that believes in not governing. What's the point?

I think that's an unfair characterisation of what they stand for. "Limited government" would be a closer representation. The ability for everyone to live their lives as they choose without one group being able to force their ideals on others.

property_girl · 29th Nov, 2014

Hobo Jo, yes, I've read their page, but it's semantics really. The Libs have a laissez faire, hands off style of governing, but at least they accept we are part of a global community and that if want to be taken seriously on the world stage we have to live up to our responsibilities. God help Australia if LDP gets up; we'll be an international joke.

Scott No Mates · 29th Nov, 2014

Having been to a big pow-wow yesterday in Sydney & seeing all of the major infrastructure projects which are due to be completed between now and 2019 (North Connex, West Connex, North-West Rail, Sydney Light Rail, plus Barranagaroo etc), they're hoping the Libs don't get back in so all the planned work in Victoria doesn't go ahead and cause tight labour market up here for the skilled construction force required for the next five years. (I think that was pretty much tongue in cheek somehow).

Arnoldus · 29th Nov, 2014

Scott No Mates said:
Having been to a big pow-wow yesterday in Sydney & seeing all of the major infrastructure projects which are due to be completed between now and 2019 (North Connex, West Connex, North-West Rail, Sydney Light Rail, plus Barranagaroo etc), they're hoping the Libs don't get back in so all the planned work in Victoria doesn't go ahead and cause tight labour market up here for the skilled construction force required for the next five years. (I think that was pretty much tongue in cheek somehow).

Will be interesting to see how they try and back out of the east-west link and the wrangling over the federal money committed.

NSW wont struggle to find civil engineers and construction workers for infrastructure projects, there's a bucketload of skilled workers that have just finished up or are about to finish flood reconstruction work in Qld, but they might have to accept working for slightly less than what they got off the back of government disaster recovery money

Deltaberry · 30th Nov, 2014

Sex Party got in with 2.4% vote. Another Ricky Muir. Someone needs to overhaul the Constitution and fix this mess up. Anyone under 5% primary vote should be automatically disqualified from winning.

Arnoldus · 30th Nov, 2014

Deltaberry said:
Sex Party got in with 2.4% vote. Another Ricky Muir. Someone needs to overhaul the Constitution and fix this mess up. Anyone under 5% primary vote should be automatically disqualified from winning.

Is 2.4% the statewide vote for the legislative council? If that's the case, it's pretty close to 1/40th of the vote, and given there's 40 seats in the legislative council, it's hard to begrudge them a place in it.

Corey Batt · 30th Nov, 2014

Deltaberry said:
Sex Party got in with 2.4% vote. Another Ricky Muir. Someone needs to overhaul the Constitution and fix this mess up. Anyone under 5% primary vote should be automatically disqualified from winning.

Considering the senator to voter % is only 2.5% per senator, I don't understand why you think that 2x the people should be required one senator in? They clearly represent the views of a large enough segment of society that they can become an elected member.

Mr. Fabulous · 30th Nov, 2014

hobo-jo said:
In what way are the LDP "Anti-Feminist"?

Mr. Fabulous said:
From their website:

Freedom of speech is one of our most fundamental rights and central to a free, democratic society.

The importance of free speech is not diminished by the fact that some speech is wrong, mean or causes some to take offence. The best response to bad ideas is to expose them to the scrutiny that can only exist in a free and open battle of ideas. Truth has nothing to fear from free speech, and neither does Australia.

Feminists have a long history of suppressing or attempting to suppress anyone who doesn't conform to their very narrow views.

As such, anyone (or any party) that supports the free expression of ideas is anti-feminist,

Ed Barton · 30th Nov, 2014

CJay said:
Considering the senator to voter % is only 2.5% per senator, I don't understand why you think that 2x the people should be required one senator in? They clearly represent the views of a large enough segment of society that they can become an elected member.

Nit picking...

The Victorian state legislator doesn't have a senate, it has an upper house, the legislative council.

Scott No Mates · 30th Nov, 2014

Deltaberry said:
Sex Party got in with 2.4% vote. Another Ricky Muir. .

Just what we need. .... a standing member in the sex party

Scott No Mates · 30th Nov, 2014

Arnoldus said:
NSW wont struggle to find civil engineers and construction workers for infrastructure projects, there's a bucketload of skilled workers that have just finished up or are about to finish flood reconstruction work in Qld, but they might have to accept working for slightly less than what they got off the back of government disaster recovery money

It was very tongue in cheek A. There's been several mining projects finish up in the west and a general slow down elsewhere so there's plenty of labour available and being in Sydney you won't have to deal with fifo workers, a lack of housing/facilities and ridiculous pay rates to attract them.

Arnoldus · 30th Nov, 2014

Scott No Mates said:
It was very tongue in cheek A. There's been several mining projects finish up in the west and a general slow down elsewhere so there's plenty of labour available and being in Sydney you won't have to deal with fifo workers, a lack of housing/facilities and ridiculous pay rates to attract them.

Fair enough, glossed over that bit. Hopefully the local companies get a reasonable share of the contracts.

I'm still wondering how the Vics could toss out what appears to be a fairly innocuous first term government compared to some other 1st termers that managed to get returned. It's hard to get a feel for it not being a local though I guess.

property_girl · 30th Nov, 2014

Deltaberry said:
Sex Party got in with 2.4% vote. Another Ricky Muir. Someone needs to overhaul the Constitution and fix this mess up. Anyone under 5% primary vote should be automatically disqualified from winning.

Deltaberry has a good point. Let's face it: what can the Sex Party achieve? What are it's policies on anything other than the sex industry? They would have absolutely no idea when it came to governing. Not to be taken seriously and only got in with either the donkey vote or people doing it for lols.