tomorrow's election

[Ken Gargett]

not to in any way attempt to influence anyone, as i figure that there cannot be too many people still needing to make up their minds, but i thought i'd just relate some fun.

i once swore blind i'd never vote for abbott but krudd/gillard/the alp have been so utterly appalling that i have been forced to reconsider and retract that.

but then one thinks of the various smaller parties etc. i'd be happy to consider the greens if they stuck to their area of expertise. sadly, i don't think they have one any longer.

i even considered clive. well, if nothing else, at least it would be entertaining.

and then this morning i was contacted by clive's party (simply a cold call).

may i implore anyone who harboured such monumentally insane thoughts as once flickered in the dark recesses of what apparently passes for my brain, DON'T.

remembering that the intention of the call was presumably to convince me to vote for clive, how incomparably stupid must they be to irreversibly achieve the complete opposite in nano-seconds. and then when i pointed out that i would perhaps rather not hear from them again, we have a slanging match, still going on - we have moved to emails. needless to say, the little **** at the end of it won't give his name. such courage!

given the election is tomorrow, would you not think if you have come across a voter who is clearly going to put you as low as possible on the card, you'd move on and try someone else. nope! this dill would rather waste his time with what apparently passes for clever comebacks in palmer-land.

i honestly thought politics in this country could not sink lower. i was wrong. it almost makes you long for the days of kernot and the fairies at the bottom of the garden party.

i am seriously confused as to whether this mob of idiots goes below one nation - hard to imagine. even harder to imagine is that i would rather have the despicable krudd than this lot.

you want evidence there is no god. just look at australian politics.

[Dimmers]

pure gold .... perhaps "Chive" can come over and give you a twerking demonstration to get your vote..

http://www.2dayfm.com.au/shows/kyleandjackieo/video/clive-palmer-kyle-twerk/

[El Presidente]

Ken, Clive Palmer of the Palmer United Party is a nut.

Have you seen this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9psfWnGinU

[Ken Gargett]

yes, had seen both of those.

i cannot get rid off this idiot. michael from the palmer party. he has accused me of seeking 15 seconds of fame by rejecting clive. seriously, you would vote for kim kardashian before that moron.

i even went to the garage to shift wines but saw the last six foot of snake disappearing into the bottles so gave that up. no idea how long the rest of it is.

unfortunately, my system won't let me access this but i can't imagine it helps clive.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/clive-palmer8217s-candidates-struggle-to-answer-basic-political-questions/story-fnihsrk2-1226713305507#mm-breached

[Coolio]

Ken how about posting a copy of the email exchange to brighten up my arvo (it's my Monday unfortunately, not Friday like everyone else!)

[Ken Gargett]

Ken how about posting a copy of the email exchange to brighten up my arvo (it's my Monday unfortunately, not Friday like everyone else!)

sadly, or not, i completely deleted every trace of them.

what if i was to die and someone checked my computer and found emails from these idiots. whatever remaining tatters of a reputation i might have would be made far worse.

[Trevor2118]

I had a drop in.....

Hi...my name is ###### (didn't bother to catch it).

I'm from the ####### party (as before)

Do you know about us?

No.

Can I tell you about us?

No.

Why not?

I said no.

Aren't you interested in the election?

No.

There's no point in me talking to you is there?

No.

Okay, have a nice day.

Okay.

And off they went.....just in time!

[Ken Gargett]

Okay, have a nice day.

Okay.

And off they went....

so clearly not one of clive's morons.

[MIKA27]

i even went to the garage to shift wines but saw the last six foot of snake disappearing into the bottles so gave that up. no idea how long the rest of it is.

...So Clive is amongst your wine!?

[Coolio]

yes, had seen both of those.

i cannot get rid off this idiot. michael from the palmer party. he has accused me of seeking 15 seconds of fame by rejecting clive. seriously, you would vote for kim kardashian before that moron.

i even went to the garage to shift wines but saw the last six foot of snake disappearing into the bottles so gave that up. no idea how long the rest of it is.

unfortunately, my system won't let me access this but i can't imagine it helps clive.

http://www.courierma...507#mm-breached

This is funny. We're sitting here at work trying to do flight plans but me and my workmates are cacking ourselves over this story. Thankfully i've postal voted as I'm working 6am-6pm tomorrow. I won't have to suffer the indignity of having one of Palmers morons shove a 'how to vote' card in my face!

[Trevor2118]

so clearly not one of clive's morons.

Like Cane Toads......not this far South.

[MIKA27]

[Ken Gargett]

This is funny. We're sitting here at work trying to do flight plans but me and my workmates are cacking ourselves over this story. Thankfully i've postal voted as I'm working 6am-6pm tomorrow. I won't have to suffer the indignity of having one of Palmers morons shove a 'how to vote' card in my face!

if it is worth cutting and pasting, please do.

trev, cane toads have found victoria - clearly not taste - so you are not safe.

and i take great offence to the comparison of my pythons to clive. this one might be large but no chance to take on clive. shame. i'd certainly trust the snake long before clive. i'm calling it michael after the dill who was hassling me today.

[Coolio]

Here it is:

Clive Palmer's candidates struggle to answer basic political questions

ANTHONY SHARWOOD NEWS.COM.AU SEPTEMBER 06, 2013 12:20PM

OH dear. Fear for your democracy, Australia. Fear for your democracy.

You might think the two major parties are hopeless, but the Labor party and the Liberals have got nothing on Clive Palmer's Palmer United Party.

We've just spent the morning quizzing a random selection of Palmer candidates on some pretty basic political stuff. The sort of stuff you learn on a Year 6 excursion to Canberra. The sort of stuff you'd really need to know if you found yourself representing the people of Australia.

Knowledge fail.

The first two Palmer United Party candidates we rang couldn't name the year Australia became federated. (For the record, it was 1901.)

Not one of the five could define the key term "the separation of powers". (In essence, it refers to the independence of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary in the Australian constitution. Boiled right down, it's what keeps judges independent.)

And only two of the five Palmer candidates could name our head of state. (That'd be Queen Elizabeth)

Sigh.

Clive Palmer has installed candidates in each of the 150 lower house seats in Australia, as well as the senate in each state.

The candidates we spoke to were all unfailingly polite, enthusiastic and were great sports to participate in our survey on the last day of a hectic campaign. We thank them for their time.

All the same, we can't help thinking that if we were going for a job as a miner, we'd learn a little about where to dig first.

Just sayin'.

WE SPOKE TO:

Chandy Huynh: A small business owner running for the seat of Port Adelaide, Chandy pulled over while driving and called us back, which we thought was very nice

Barry Michael: the former world champion boxer who is top of the PUP senate ticket, but who didn't box clever when talking to us. In fact. He opted out after one question.

Wayne Slattery: A former farrier (horse-shoer), the number one PUP candidate on the ACT senate ticket is currently the CEO of a charitable organisation, The Good Samaritans.

Marti Zucco: A restaurateur and the longest-serving alderman on Hobart council, Marti is the PUP candidate for the Tassie seat of Franklin

Jodie Wootton: The owner of a virtual bookkeeping business, Jodie's running for the high-profile western Sydney seat of Greenway (home of Jaymes Diaz)

OUR Q&A

What year did Australia become federated?

CHANDY: I wouldn't know.

BARRY: Oh mate, y'know, Christ, can we talk about current politics? Let me think now, I don't know the actual year to be honest [AND THAT'S THE ONLY ONE HE ANSWERED BEFORE HANGING UP.]

WAYNE: 1901

MARTI: 1901

JODIE: 1901

What is the separation of powers?

CHANDY: OK well I did learn that as a subject but I couldn't give you a definition.

WAYNE: The upper house and lower house.

MARTI: Got me on that one, sorry

JODIE: The separation between the Senate and the House Of Reps

Who is Australia's head of state?

CHANDY: Queen Elizabeth

WAYNE: The Queen

MARTI: What's her name… ummmm… Quentin Bryce!

JODIE: The Governor General

How many seats are there in the House of Reps?

CHANDY: 150

WAYNE: 150

MARTI: There are five in Tasmania but I couldn't tell you nationally.

JODIE: 150

Coat of arms question: Who would win a fight between an emu and a kangaroo?

Never underestimate an emu. That's our advice.

CHANDY: Well I don't think that's a valid question. I don't see they can fight cos one is high and the other is low so how are they going to fight each other?

WAYNE: Well that depends entirely on whether they both stand up or one nicks off. If they both fight the kangaroo would win, but if the emu nicked off it would win.

MARTI: I'd give it to the kangaroo, it's more of a symbol of Australia than an emu is.

JODIE: I reckon the emu might win because their talons are really strong and they could peck down on a kangaroo.

If elected, what's the first thing you'd do?

CHANDY: Like everybody else I believe I'll be celebrating with a bottle of wine and with everybody who's supported me

WAYNE: We'd fight for the policies of the Palmer party that have been released. We'd fight to slash red tape in business, for the $70bn worth of stimulus into the country's economy, for the pension increase, to reduce income taxes.

MARTI: I would endeavour to put legislation through parliament to get politicians to be more honest and upfront.

JODIE: More police for Greenway

Sum up Clive Palmer in one word, please

CHANDY: Inspirational

WAYNE: Genius

MARTI: Passionate

JODIE: Charismatic

[sharks]

Pre voted last week due to the fact I'm working tomorrow.

At the end of the day the biggest loser will be the Australian public.

Worst election I have seen in my life time

[Ken Gargett]

thanks.

so marti would legislate for honesty. that always works.

and one assumes that jodie can only be talking about more federal police for greenway (which, i am mortified to say, was named after a distant ancestor of mine) as otherwise, that would be a state matter.

and four politicians who actually discussed a fight amongst the coat of arms? god spare us. i do have to ask, chandy, which one is high and which is low? i have no idea.

only two of them actually could name our head of state. no wonder we'll never have a republic. they are too dim to know what we do have. i wonder if there is any other nation on earth where candidates for an election could not even name the head of state? doubt it.

seriously, that we are lumbered with these morons, is compelling evidence there is no god.

[Duxnutz]

And here I was so disillusioned from everyone else I was gonna vote for Clive.

[bolivr]

Lol, even worse here in Corangamite, the Palmer candidate has managed to get himself disendorsed. His name is Buddy. How bad do you have to be to be disendorsed by Palmer? Nothing if not entertaining indeed

[srbbones]

Ken, Clive Palmer of the Palmer United Party is a nut.

Have you seen this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9psfWnGinU

I am sorry to see some in your politics emulate our gems here in the US. I am sorry for you all down under

[CaptainQuintero]

If elected, what's the first thing you'd do?

CHANDY: Like everybody else I believe I'll be celebrating with a bottle of wine and with everybody who's supported me

WAYNE: We'd fight for the policies of the Palmer party that have been released. We'd fight to slash red tape in business, for the $70bn worth of stimulus into the country's economy, for the pension increase, to reduce income taxes.

MARTI: I would endeavour to put legislation through parliament to get politicians to be more honest and upfront.

This sums up the state of being of a politician better than anything I have seen. Utterly out of touch and happy to wallow in their own greed at everyone else's expense before even contemplating doing their job.

[Fuzz]

I've left the country to get away from all this claptrap!

Will be dreading coming back to a Coalition parliament. Gonna have to spend more time o/s while Abbott is in power.

[OZCUBAN]

Voted on Monday just gone ,I never vote on polling day ,even though I have to work today (sat) "I am leaving early as to vote )LOL

As far as I can tell it should be a landslide for the Lib/nat

Happy polling

[westg]

Pre voted last week due to the fact I'm working tomorrow.

At the end of the day the biggest loser will be the Australian public.

Worst election I have seen in my life time

Cast your mind back to the last one. This will be nothing like that. We will have a decision tonight and we won't be waiting weeks as we did in the last election for a handful of single minded independents.. Rudd is a national disgrace and Abott is just a horrible horrible human being. Pity most people I know, don't want to vote for one or the other either.

[winelover]

For us non-Aussies, am I right in thinking that it is illegal not to vote?

[TheBaron]

For us non-Aussies, am I right in thinking that it is illegal not to vote?

Yeah, we have compulsory voting. Has its pros and cons.