Seems that a little stunt by the Liberal Party to cast doubt over the eligibility of a number of ALP candidates in this week’s election was based on some dodgy googling. With just three days to go, Liberal frontbencher Andrew Robb yesterday produced a list of Labor candidates he said appeared to have retained positions on government boards, agencies and offices while attempting to run for Parliament – which is prohibited under the Constitution.
However the allegations seem to have been based on searches of the websites of the various authorites, departments and boards that the ALP candidates were on, without any fact checking with the organisations. Turns out that the websites were not exactly current.
The whole idea of the government already flagging the possibility of legal challenges even before the election is just another sign of their desperation to do anything, say anything to cast doubt in voters’ minds, and hopefully win the election. Not going to happen, Andrew, John and co. Such desperation just smells of telling people “we’re not going to accept your decision if we can find a way to weasel out of it”. Talk about taking your bat and ball and running off home.
It would be amazing if Labor didn’t take the care to ensure all their candidates were properly nominated (and eligible). If that was the case it would be staggering incompetence by the party administration ….and if so Kevin Rudd and co need to be looking for some new help. I just find it difficult to believe a political party thats been around for 100 years or so could be so stupid as to get its core business – standing people for elections – wrong. Just don’t believe it, its bullshit.
Talking of the government’s preparedness to do or say anything in the election campaign, I was thinking of the advertisements that tell us not to risk the unions “stuff our economy”. What about letting a bunch of lawyers, and the parasites of the National Party lose on the economy?
Finally, I liked Penny Wong’s words on the candidate eligibility issue (she’s quite impressive). She said this:
“These claims are completely untrue and clearly the Liberal Party is desperate.
“They have nothing left to say to the Australian people.”
I am astonished at the shambolic election campaign that our friends at the fascist end of politics have run. I am even more amazed that some of the punditry still think that they have a chance. With all the free hits that Labor have had you wonder how the coalition are not even further behind.