On the campaign trail: Elections 2016

Australian Politics
On the campaign trail by GDL

It is now two weeks since the electoral campaign has started and there are another six weeks to go.
The campaign looks more presidential as the media is focused on the two leaders Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten, as we do not see much of the candidates.
The first debate between the two leaders, in front of 100 undecided,was won by the opposition leader by 42 and 29 to the Prime Minister. The next debate has not been scheduled yet and maybe next week we will see the Treasurer and the shadow Treasurer debating.
Here is a few points noted till now:
The gaffes of the ALP
While I mentioned in my previous blog that the ALP is projecting a united party that was not the case. During the campaign there are noted divisions within the party on the issue of boat people and refugees. At the last party convention, it was voted that the ALP will be strong on border protection, people smuggles, and maintain offshore processing, but some 17 candidates are now expressing opposing views. This division and being soft on border protection are causing much damage to the party and the government is exploiting the division as the inability of the leader to control his troops. The issue of refugees and boat people is a a very sensitive one which divides the nation. Most Australians were enraged to see so many boats with illegals arriving on our shores during the time the ALP was in power so much that the campaign of the then opposition to stop the boats were overwhelmingly endorsed by the voters. Refugees and illegal immigrants are a big concern to Australians as they are using the backdoor, are mostly illiterate, unskilled and cost taxpayers billions of dollars. It looks like the ALP has not learned their lessons from the last elections and may face the same backlash again on that issue.
The other gaffe of the ALP is that one of its candidates,  David Feeney, is now a considered as a cheat and a fraud for not declaring to the tax office that he has an investment property worth $2.3m, which he negatively geared and was also claiming accommodation fees while living a house belonging to his wife. Voters were expecting that he be dis-endorsed as he has caused damage to the party and he is now sure not to be elected.

The shortcomings of the Government:
According to the recent polls, it looks like the change of leader is no biting as expected. For his first campaigning  as PM, Malcolm Turnbull lost the debate and according to commentators, he was not impressive. Furthermore, it is now revealed that the cost of the National Broadband Network while Malcolm was Minister of Communication has blown out.

The Greens for their part are the same lunatics  as they have always been with their idiosyncratic policies. They want the boats of illegals to the welcomed and want to increase the intake of refugees to 50,000 !! If this is not crazy then i don't know what it is.

The polls of today (21/5/2016) shows that the popularity of the PM has gone down and that the two parties are neck to neck on 50%. Many analysts are talking about a hug parliament which is not good for the country as there will be bargaining, if not back mailing, from independents or the greens. We have had that bad experience when Julia Gillard was Prime Minister.

To be continued....