Election spin
I’m an election junky. The Internet has made it possible for me to follow election results around the world as they happen.
My main interest is still within Australia, but in recent months I’ve also followed the Democrat primaries in the US and the Northern Ireland Assembly elections.
Last night I listened to ABC Radio’s coverage of the Queensland election, via the Internet, while browsing the web site with seat-by-seat results.
It’s fascinating that Labor is currently so dominant across all states, but not in the federal sphere.
The Labor Premiers are all much alike in that they’ve worked hard to mould a centre party that isn’t perceived as being union dominated or loony left.
I think Bracks is starting to look shaky, but his huge majority will probably ensure one more term.
Peter Beattie is a smooth operator. It was funny to hear him on AM last week saying he feared that Labor might lose. He obviously wanted to avoid complacency, but nobody seriously thought the Coalition could win Queensland.
The radio coverage last night included heaps of spin from all the parties and candidates. The One Nation leader refused to concede even though the numbers made it impossible for him to win.
The Nats claimed they had set things up for victory next time despite only winning a couple of seats.
I think it was a good result for the National Party. They’ve shaken the One Nation bogey and shored up support in heartland seats.
All analysts agree that Brisbane needs to swing towards the Liberals before there will be a change of government in Queensland. The Libs hold five seats and I think they’re all on the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast except for one or maybe two.
It’s extraordinary that Labor is so dominant in Brisbane.
A few ex-One Nation MPs are hanging on as Independents. The Independents in Nambour and Gladstone also increased their support.
Sugar industry politics are an interesting sideshow in Queensland. The National Party won most of the sugar seats, but it’s easier to be in Opposition when radical change is proposed.
The state results in those seats won’t necessarily be repeated in the federal election, especially if sugar is excluded from the United States Free Trade Agreement.
It’s hard to say what the Queensland result means for John Howard and Mark Latham. I’ve been surprised at the fierceness of the personal attacks against Latham.
Howard and Costello rarely laid a glove on Beazley or Crean, as though they wanted to protect them in the top job!
They’re seriously worried about Latham and his past is being dug over and juicy snippets leaked to friendly media.
It’s nasty stuff and I can only see it intensifying as the election draws closer.
I'm a 41-year-old father of four working as a newspaper editor at Mount Gambier in South Australia.
