Senator Andrew Bartlett
Sunday, September 12, 2004
 
OUR GREAT VICTORIAN CANDIDATE & OUR NOT SO GREAT PRIME MINISTER.
The formal launch of our Victorian candidate, Jess Healy, in Melbourne today was a reminder of how much difference it makes when you can actually get highly capable and committed people into the Parliament.

Jess is having to run a campaign with little resources and a largely indifferent media, but is holding up well. Then again, that doesn't surprise me, as she is extremely capable. A columnist in The Australian slagged her off yesterday for being young and disabled, as though this somehow meant her candidacy had no validity!

One day it will be the norm for issues and candidates to be treated on their merits, rather than for their entertainment value or ease of pigeonholing – probably not long after peace descends on the Earth.

Jess also engages in the occasional bit of blogging – see http://aussieanklebiter.blogspot.com

The one debate between the Prime Ministerial candidates occurs tonight. I'm tossing up whether to watch it, or whether to try to be connected with the public and watch Australian Idol instead, which I imagine will rate better. Actually, I suppose the largest number of people won't be watching television at all. It has never occurred to me before, but now that I think of it, we get told all the time how many people are watching various shows, but we rarely get told how many people are not watching TV at all, which (I hope) would be larger than the combined number watching all the shows.

I've never been much of a fan of the Crikey.com.au website. It has often had some useful political insights and information, but they've had far too much focus on gossip, prurient innuendo and being nasty to people just for the sake of it. However, it does seem to have matured a bit in recent times. One point they've made a number of times which I do agree with is why the TV networks don't decide a format for a series of debates and tell the politicians that's what they are doing, rather than meekly follow the timing and format that the major parties foist on them (which in reality is what the Govt foists on them, as the Opposition is not really in a strong negotiating position.) If one side refused to turn up, if would leave the other with lots of free airtime to show how they compare better than an empty chair.

Of course, there is as always no interest in focusing on the Senate contest, despite the obvious fact that this will have just as much impact on determining the future on many issues.

posted by Andrew Bartlett @ Sunday, September 12, 2004
|


<< Home