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Showing posts with label 2010 Federal Election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010 Federal Election. Show all posts
The Communist Alliance, a party which formed in March 2009, is set to change its name to something simpler.
According to an article in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (No. GN 28, 20 July 2011), the party is seeking to change its name to “The Communists.”
The party’s official abbreviation will remain the same.
The Alliance formed in 2009 and consists of several communist political parties and groups, including the Communist Party of Australia.
The Communist Party was founded in 1971 as the Socialist Party of Australia.
The Communist Alliance contested the seat of Sydney in the 2010 Federal Election.
In case you have managed to miss… or throw out… all of your AEC documents explaining how the Australian Federal voting system works, here is your replacement guide on how to go about voting tomorrow.
Firstly, you need to find a polling station in your electorate. You can do this by going to www.aec.gov.au and using the online polling booth search.
This next bit is a no-brainer: once you have found where your local polling station is you must go there. When you get there you will join a line (if there is one) at the registration desk. There the AEC (Australian Electoral Commission) workers will cross off your name and give you two pieces of paper – a small green sheet for the House of Representatives, and a large white sheet for the Senate.
You will be directed to a cardboard booth where you are to fill out your ballot papers.
Voting for the House of Representatives is really simple – simply number every box in your order of preference. You do not have to follow any of the parties’ “how to vote” cards, as where your preferences go is entirely up to you.
The Senate voting sheet may look daunting, however it is just as simple as the House of Representatives. On the Senate sheet you have the option of voting above or below the line. You can simply put a “1” in the box next to the party you wish to support as first preference above the line, with your preferences being distributed according to that party’s set preferences, or you can number every box below the line in your order of preference and choose where your preferences go. This only takes a couple of minutes.
If you make a mistake you are allowed to ask for another ballot sheet.
Fold your ballot papers and place them in the appropriate boxes on your way out. You are now free!
IMPORTANT NOTE: You are not allowed to wear any clothing, badges etc. with a political party mentioned on it within six metres of a polling station. So unless you’re taking something to cover it up, don’t bother ironing your Australian Sex Party shirt tonight!
Cast you mind back to the start of November 2007. John Howard was Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd was trying to depose the 11-year-old Liberal National Coalition Government and Peter Garrett made himself known for his “short and jocular” conversations.
Three years, three Opposition Leaders and two Prime Ministers later we have the 2010 Election Campaign. We have had the apology to the Stolen Generations, the Global Financial Crisis, the lowest Newspoll “Preferred Prime Minister” rating in history for former Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson and the “death” of WorkChoices.
We have borne witness to the defeat of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, the Resource Super Profits Tax that finally toppled Kevin Rudd from the Prime Minister’s podium, the beginnings of the National Broadband Network and a notable rise in the popularity of The Australian Greens.
Federal Parliament has waved goodbye to John Howard, Peter Costello, Brendan Nelson, Kim Beazley and Mark Vaile, and Lindsay Tanner announcing his imminent departure.
My, how Australia’s political landscape has changed! So, to kick off One Cuckoo Short of a Nest’s planned commentary of the 2010 federal election, we will be stepping through an amusing musical time warp.
This video by Australian musical comedy trio the Axis of Awesome dates back to the last federal election campaign. Yes, it’s the Election 07 Rap Battle! So voters, throw on your “bling”, get down to “da hood” and break the election down “old school”! Or just press play.
Wasn’t that a wonderful walk down memory lane!
Maybe it’s not quite right to say that this video is outdated. This campaign Kevin Rudd, John Howard and Peter Costello have all come back in to the spotlight, although arguably Kevin Rudd never really left centre stage in the first place. Joining them there has been Andrew Peacock, John Hewson, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, Malcolm Fraser and Mark Latham. This election has turned out to be an all-stars event!
Twelve days out from the election – a lot could still happen on the campaign trail. Don’t forget though, base your vote off policy as well as publicity. Check out party websites and even Wikipedia for more information on each of the parties contesting this election.
In what Greens leader senator Bob Brown has dubbed as being “breakthrough politics”, the Greens have put forward a five point plan to Prime Minister Julia Gillard that could end the deadlock on an emissions trading scheme before the next election.
Yesterday Senator Brown wrote a letter to Prime Minister Gillard that restated “the Greens’ commitment to… find a way forward to climate change action before an election.” The letter focused on the Greens’ willingness to adopt a “Garnaut-style carbon price which could open the way later, to emissions trading.”
The proposed program outlined in the letter by Senator Brown is not a direct alternative to the emissions trading scheme supported by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The Greens’ proposal is an interim plan to establish a carbon price prior to setting up an emissions trading scheme at a later date.
In his letter, Brown listed five “key elements” which he said are to “serve as the basis for open and constructive negotiation”. The most specific point made was that the scheme should include a price of $23 per tonne on carbon which should be put in place by July 1 2011, with an increase of 4% + CPI per annum. Brown also said that the scheme should remain in action until a new global treaty establishes “longer-term emission targets”.
The other key points outlined by the senator were that “no targets would be included in the initial legislation”, that “full trading would commence once targets are legislated” and “international permits would only be allowed once trading commences.”
Brown also suggested that the construction of new ‘dirty’ coal power stations should, in line with a 2007 Labor election promise, be prevented; that an national energy efficiency target should be introduced and that “native forest; and woodland clearance – which accounts for 15-20% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions” should be ended.
In the letter, Brown told Gillard that through negotiation with the Greens a price on carbon could be set within three months – potentially prior to the next election.
In a Greens media release last Saturday, Brown criticised “Labor's right-wing ascendency”. This was after a recent decline in the Greens’ opinion poll standing, which occurred after Gillard took over from Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister. Brown argued that "the Green vote "parked" with… Julia Gillard, won't stay there long" as Labor’s positions on environmental, humanitarian and business will once again become apparent to voters.
Brown did however mention that he “[looks] forward to talking to Prime Minister Gillard about a carbon price and real action to tackle climate change”.
In a media release yesterday which announced the letter to the Prime Minister, Brown also acknowledged that “the government is set to announce new solar and wind projects”. Labor’s position on climate change was asserted in Gillard’s first speech as Prime Minister, in which she announced that she “[believes] human beings contribute to climate change”. Gillard also commented that she finds it “disappointing” that Australia has no price on carbon. --- How does emissions trading work? Click here for a video explaining the process!
A new Labor party election campaign was launched this morning, focusing on the words and actions of Liberal leader Tony Abbott.
The campaign takes the form of a website, www.abbottfacts.com.au. The website takes articles from Australia’s major papers and the words of Tony Abbott himself and presents them as evidence for statements against Mr. Abbott.
These statements cover topics including Mr. Abbott being “out of touch with Australian families” and supporting the return of “the worst elements of WorkChoices”.There is also a section which looks at the “divided” Liberal party that Mr. Abbott leads.
Subscribers to the Labor Party mailing list were today sent a email from Labor National Secretary Karl Bitar, who authorised the website. In the email Mr. Bitar described the project as “a website where you can see all the facts about Tony Abbott for yourself.” Bitar also publicised the website in an article on the Australian Labor Blog.
The website has been met with some opposition by Labor supporters, with no positive comments being left on Mr. Bitar’s blog post. One commenter goes as far as to say that Labor has “nothing new to offer because [the party is]starting to attack the opposition” and that the approach is “how the last election was LOST”.
As at time of publication, there has been no formal reply regarding the website on the Liberal Party website.
Former Liberal Party leader and Howard Government Minister Malcolm Turnbull has today announced that he will not be contesting the seat of Wentworth in this year’s federal election.
In an email to subscribers to his website today Mr. Turnbull thanked his constituents, family, personal staff and supportive party colleagues for their support during his five and a half years in parliament.
The decision was not taken lightly by Mr. Turnbull, who had been considering his future in parliament since he lost the leadership of the Liberal party in a spill to present leader Tony Abbott last year. In the email Turnbull said that after he lost the leadership he had resolved to not cause a by-election by resigning from parliament. Turnbull will continue to represent Wentworth until parliament is dissolved for the next election.
Mr. Turnbull mentioned that a highlight of his two terms in parliament was during his time as Environment and Water Minister in the Howard Government. In this position he brought about the federalisation of the Murray Darling System’s water management. He also expressed his disappointment in the Liberal Party’s opposition to a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme which had been a policy whilst he was Environment minister.
Mr. Turnbull said that he is “looking forward” to “pursuing new opportunities in the private sector” with his wife, Lucy, and wishes Liberal Party leaders Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop “every success in this election year.”
--- An apology to readers: technical issues delayed the publication of this article by two hours.
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In what Greens leader senator Bob Brown has dubbed as being “breakthrough politics”, the Greens have put forward a five point plan to Prime Minister Julia Gillard that could end the deadlock on an emissions trading scheme before the next election.
