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February 20, 2007
More Aussie Politics
[Aside for US Readers: Yesterday and today we have posts about the NSW state election. There are two main parties and a host of minor after-work-drinks (too small to be a party): Labor (socialist, left-wing, like Democrats), Liberal/National (business, right-wing, like Republicans). Currently the state is run by Labor (12 years) and the federal government is Liberal/National. It is extremely unlikely that Labor will loose this election due to their majority in the parliament.]
The more I read It's more time: a jingle that jangles, the more I like it. In particular the comment:
Labor's focus groups are telling the party that people in NSW are still very angry at the 10 years of inaction during the Carr regime, when the key measures on services such as public transport and health went backwards and not forwards.
The trains ran later and later until they reached crisis point. The hospital waiting lists remained entrenched and emergency wards were often full, prompting ambulances to be sent between hospitals in search of beds on the weekends.
...
But, at the same time, it's now clear the Government took its eye off the ball when it came to ensuring that the public's other major interfaces with state government - transport, utilities and hospitals - were up to scratch.
So Iemma's big challenge is to convince you, the voter, that he has the recipe to fix the problems left by the other bloke. (It must have been another Iemma in cabinet.)
The first message is to tell you that Iemma is new and different and he's only been in the job for 18 months. Step two is to tell you he's a hard worker with a plan, and step three is to tell you that he needs more time.
The bottom line is that things are worse now, not better and Iemma has been part of the problem (i.e. he has been there during the decline - even if he was only the leader for the last little while). Given that, what can the average voter do? Is there any alternative waiting in the wings? Nope. There are the minor parties (after-work-drinks) who are a best a nuisance and at worst a complete hinderance to reasonable governance. What about the main opposition party? Headed by whats-his-name. You know the fellow. Wasn't he on tele last week? What IS his name?
Tune in on the 3rd weekend in March to see if the voters prefer the incompetant or the unknown.
Posted by Ozguru at February 20, 2007 07:00 AM
