Who will you vote for if a federal election was held tomorrow

[MadMax2]

I see why you guys so concerned about interest rates. Because there is no pillow left after crazy house boom, and tax brakets. Never a fear of interest rates was so scary, as lots of people may go broke. yes it's inevitable. soon or later it must happen, 'cause it's a nature of worlds economy.

now ask yourself why we got to this edge so unprepared?

 

[handyandy]

We were paying 22% at the peak! This was a lot more than anyone else. Not sure why farmers paid more. Might have been to do with higher risk, or maybe due to at one stage residential interest rates were capped at 14% or so. The extra had to come from somewhere.

18% would stuff a lot of farmers, but then, it would stuff a similar percentage of home owners.

See ya's.

I went to 24%. This was a commercial loan as at the time I started the loan it was 2% lower then ordinary home loans. Luckily I was able to move loans quickly (ones I found out about it - 6 months cycle) I wouldn't have thought that this option was available to the farmers.

Cheers

 

[urban cowboy]

I am thankful that i'm too young to have paid those high interest rates - saying that, i am old enough to vividly remember my parents pulling their hair out at the time...its part of the reason we left sydney in the late 80's and moved to mid north coast of NSW - then QLD...

i guess that's a large part of why i'm here - to learn as much as i can from like minded investors so that i can be financially independant and secure for the future no matter who governs and no matter what happens with interest rates and the like...saying that, i would like to be completely debt free and have plenty of cash invested if rates do go that high again!!

I've met Kevin Rudd a couple off times oer the years, and i am genuinely impressed with the guy personally - i just don't know if he can do as good a job as the current mob - as much as they've stuffed a lot of things up - the economy is going very well too...

guess we'll just have to wait and see!!

 

[our obsession]

I will be voting Labor.

I have voted Labor ever since eligible to vote, was a member of the Labor Party, adore Gough Whitlam, Paul Keating, Bill Hayden, Julia Gillard! (Go Girl)...Bob Hawke...Kim, Kevin Rudd; love 'em all. (No; not Mark Latham).

I was a passionate Shop Steward in several Nurses Unions/Federations; at a personal level I am a *lonely* but proud Laborite? in a sea of Nationals... (the bush)...and yet it was the Labor Party Health team (both Commonwealth and State), that kept our local Health and Aged Care Services open...(long story, but they were fantastic).

Unions have helped achieve and gain a lot of ground and rights for many Australian Workers...I am a great supporter of Workers Rights (and Unions)... and very proud of the (small) role I have had to play.

I love Politics, I love the Labor Party (scary isn't it.. ).
I will never ever support the Liberals or Nationals...I respect them, especially John Howard, but my heart belongs to Labor.

All the best to Kevin, Julia and the Labor Party in the forthcoming election..

 

[MadMax2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhtzFMrpSvI



this is a joke of course... but in every joke there is a piece of truth

 

[Spectre]

I've already noted my response on the survey, but when I had an employer, my entire banking career I was on an AWA/contract.

In some respects they do have advantages such as being able to negotiate pay, and they do have perks like stated parental leave, holiday leave, and defined bonuses.

But at the same time, they can really be held over your head and used as something of a 'stick' to try to keep you in line (per se) in your employers eyes.

Now that I'm working for myself, I think this is best option as I've seen the other sides.

Personally I think there are a LOT of big issues that need to get figured out for this election, and the reality of things is that with the majority libs have had over the last few years has been more of a dictatorship than a democracy. Same as Beattie in Qld. I dont think labour/labor has all the answers but sometimes I just wonder if its a question of restoring some balance which is sorely missing.

 

[stargazer]

labor

its Time

 

[quintets]

Having immigrated to Australia, I still will never really understand why the right of centre is called the "Liberal" party. Oh well. Deep down, I'm a conservative and will probably always put fiscal responsibility at a national level as a priority.

But I get the feeling the Libs have swung the pendulum a bit too far. They're running out of conservative fiscal changes remaining. Maybe it's because I've got kids now I want to see a bit more social spending on education, training and the environment.

I wasn't here when the rates went up to 18%, but I don't think the Labour party is so stupid to make it happen. There are too many moms and pops with either one IP, or maxed out mortgages that would flinch if that started happening. It would be political suicide.

I must say, I love the colour. The first month I arrived is when the MP, John Newman (sp?) was shot. I thought "Wow, if they don't like the MP in this country, they kill them". Black humour at best, but it was a heck of an impression.

Put Labour in for one term is probably a good idea. However, if they do the same things as Debnam did in NSW recently and have few policies and just hoped that people would be sick of the current crap, I'd be reluctant to give them a tick.

 

[Miss V]

why is it that John Howard can get away with breaking promises about not putting up interest rates with people saying that the government does not have any direct influence on rates, but everyone blames the labour government decades ago for the same thing? You can't have it both ways.

Though our rates are quite low at the moment is it just a coincedence that for the last 5 years income tax has gone down, interest rates have gone up.

I would rather have my government spend our budget surplus on Education, Hospitals, a decent medicare system, long term infrastructure etc than get an extra $14 in my pay packet.

I am worried that most people aren't going to use the extra cash for any good but to buy extra plasma tv's etc. Surely this will have an influence on inflation and interest rates will continue to go up?

 

[buzzlightyear]

Having immigrated to Australia, I still will never really understand why the right of centre is called the "Liberal" party.

Quintets, pre-WWII there were a number of right of centre political parties, with varying degrees of success electorally. Their philosophies were from centre right to far right. They were brought together by Robert Menzies as a unified opposition to the Labor Party & union movement.

The Liberal name was chosen to reflect the diverse nature of the "right of centre" philosophies that were brought together and the philosophical underpinnings of 19th century free enterprise and social equality...

 

[MarkB]

Either liberal / national or other alternative where my vote wouldn't be handed to the ALP because of preferences (if any such alternative exists).

I don't like Kevin Rudd. I'd just never-ever vote for that man. I have a bad feeling about him.

And I don't like the ACTU. But sadly, the ACTU still has the ALP by the short and curlys when it comes to internal party voting.

If the ALP can do what Tony Blair did and tell the unions to get stuffed then I might give them a go. But I would ever trust the running of Australia Inc. to a political party controlled by an organisation like the ACTU.

M

 

[urban cowboy]

nicely put buzz...

i've always really wanted to know that myself but have been a bit too embarrassed to ask...a bit like why is the ABC always referred to as "aunty"??

I still struggle with the concept of left and right in general - it seems that both sides of politics play on both sides these days...there is no real black and white anymore (except for perhaps the true unionist side of things).

 

[buzzlightyear]

I still struggle with the concept of left and right in general - it seems that both sides of politics play on both sides these days...there is no real black and white anymore (except for perhaps the true unionist side of things).

The Labor Party have blurred those lines further now by proclaiming they are fiscally conservative if you believe Kevin Rudd!

 

[Barracuda]

The Labor Party have blurred those lines further now by proclaiming they are fiscally conservative if you believe Kevin Rudd!

I read their claims to fiscal conservatism thus:

"We objected vehemently to all of the policy changes and hard decisions that were made to get Australia to this position, but we really love the result. Now, if you'd be so kind to hand over the reins, we'll try to keep things moving forward by doing nothing except retracting some policy because of promises we've made to our advertising partners (the ACTU). We'd pray, but we don't really admit to doing that."

I'm concerened that their approach to managing the country would be like the first time you sat in Dad's car as a kid and he let you steer. Too scared to move anything, just incase it went flying off the road, instead you slowly approach the end of the car park with no idea how to reach and apply the clutch and brakes.

Cheers,

 

[fernfurn]

Exactly Bracks approach after he won power from Kennett who did the hard yards and got our triple A rating back, now Bracks he is swimming in money from pokies, fines, stamp duty and he cant even get the hospitals right. My partner was bumped from a quadriple bypass, after he had tubes inserted and first anaesetic because there were no beds in intensive care because two accidents came in.
Howards new labour laws have given employers confidence to hire more people without getting stuck with the ones who won't work. There has been 250,000 new jobs created since these laws came in and the lowest unemployment levels. Watch Labor get in bed with the builders unions (and all other unions) and create havoc in the building industry and elsewhere as per their usual shortsighted approach, then watch your stable economy dribble out the door over the next few years as they work their usual Labor magic. Happens every time.

 

[urban cowboy]

The Labor Party have blurred those lines further now by proclaiming they are fiscally conservative if you believe Kevin Rudd!

hmmmmmmmmm - Make a good Liberal wouldn't he... can imagine him pairing up with peter costello as a leadership team. would that mean that he and Joe hockey could get back on sunrise then?? gee i miss their banter

white collar large business focused ALP of the new era here we come...trade union?? what trade union...

 

[see_change]

As a blue collar worker i dont beleive all this Union, media BS about AWAs im on one earning 16k more than a union EBA, if Rudd gets in i loose 16k straight away, also the ALP want to increase taxes on by 25% on petrol and power, introduce capital gains tax on PPOR, abolish negative gearing, abolish recent good changes to super. Cant beleive anyone on this forum would vote ALP, How silly are you!

Looks as if the ALP will be running the country before the years end, if so im moving to Alaska or NZ.

As a blue collar worker for .......................the liberal Party ??

Why both posting such a load of blatant lies? People around here ain't numb.

My vote only counts in the senate as I'm in about the safest liberal seat in the country , home for Brendan Nelson, possibly the next PM after Rudd.


Cliff

 

[fisherman]

Sure I look at the promises, but I vote for the candidate not the party and his/her behaviour is what I judge.

My electorate is a safe liberal seat but the present incumbent is a phantom. The liberal member prior to him was even more of a phantom, he roamed far and wide and especially abroad but rarely set foot in his electorate, or if he did he was never seen outside of his club.

Again, whilst my preference is along liberal lines, the front bench of the federal government seems to have moved well away from that creed long ago.

At this stage all I will say is that I will not waste my vote on an arrogant phantom.

I have never been able to understand why people think party first and dutifully number the boxes as instructed.

 

[bobby]

Labor

Yep, believe it was Paul Keating (but I could be wrong).

No you are right. It was Labor who took out Neg. Gearing (and reinstated it), you can thank them also for HECS fees and Capital Gains tax. Hmmmm.
Although the Libs have released David Hicks from the "inhuman" conditions he was serving in,to a cell the same size in Adelaide, with the same conditions being locked up for 23 hours per day. They should have saved the taxpayers some money and let him rot. He is on record as saying Sept 11was a good thing...

Bobby

 

[buzzlightyear]

Would be interested to hear people's thoughts.. If we assume the polls are reflective of people's voting intentions today, with the ALP well ahead, how do people reconcile this with a strong economy, record employment, 4 years of consecutive tax cuts?

Traditionally voters look at matters of economic management & their own personal finances first.

Is this going to be the first election where economic management will no longer be a front and centre issue?

Have people become accustomed to the good times and now expect this from all governments and look at other poilcy matters first eg climate change, education, health, international affairs....