Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

The Federal seat of Leichhardt is in Far North Queensland. It is one of the seats Labor will need to win to gain government. This is Webdiarist John Pratt's election diary for this crucial seat.

"Why do some posters and print and distribute them with our own money? Because I am angry." Jonathan Nolan on citizen campaigning in Wentworth

Here's the aftermath of that incident ... An obvious subject for a CAPTION COMPETITION
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At a 30th birthday party in Melbourne recently, a Labor man reckoned Howard would implode in week 3 of the campaign. Being superstitious, and respectful of Howard's political skills, I replied that I didn't think so, but that if he did, it would be in week 6. If the polls hadn't given him a shot by then, he'd be staring at the fact that he'd trashed his own legacy. So we had a bet that if he lost it in week 6 or week 3, the loser would shout lunch. I reckon he came close yesterday. Real close.

During discussions about peak oil with the uninitiated I am often asked why there is no political will to tackle the issue proactively. Most seem to be disappointed with replies that don’t include Iraq War conspiracy theories or appalling tales of political and corporate corruption. The reality is less sinister but more insidious – ignorance, stupidity and bumbling bureaucratic ineptitude.

Current estimates are that the value of money being laundered through Australian banks by criminal enterprises approaches $12 billion per year. This amount is equivalent to about 1% of Australia’s GDP - except that it adds nothing to it. In the roughest of terms, it suggests that as many as 1 out of 100 Australian adults may be involved in criminal activity.

"What sort of morals does a government have, who are willing to invade a nation and kill countless people in order to control its resources? More importantly, are you willing to vote for them, even if you think their policies benefit you more than those of some other parties?" Yasir Assam

Below the surface of political debate and commentary, and the commentary on the commentary, there are the actual techniques and systems of Australian government administration.  Those interested in the systemic and cultural changes that lie behind recent Australian public policy practice could do worse than check out a resource from a possibly surprising source - the OECD

OK, they're up. Howard started the election saying he'd "Go for growth" and get unemployment below 4 percent. Now, we're at risk of a world downturn, and only he can keep rates down. Meanwhile, Rudd says he'll razor gang the Public Service to cut costs. I reckon he's got a surprise in store for Howard. While Howard spends like a drunken sailor, as if tomorrow will never come, Rudd will come up with savings by the end of the campaign which will make Labor look responsible in these challenging times.

Family First has given the green light to the LDP's deadly policies to legalise 'soft' drugs and late term abortion, which shows Senator Fielding cannot be trusted to represent everyday families, and proves that his claims to be pro-family are an absolute joke.

Hello. Does being a Christian determine how you vote? Yep, but it depends on which Christian values you prioritise.

"We will do our utmost to hold back the physical threat of attacks, but alone, this is merely containment. Long-term resolution requires identifying and addressing the root causes of the problem. This is not a job only for the intelligence agencies and police. It requires a collective effort in which Government, faith communities and wider civil society have an important part to play. And it starts with rejection of the violent extremist ideology across society - although issues of identity, relative deprivation and social integration also form important parts of the backdrop." Jonathan Evans, head of MI5

With only weeks to go until the election, I thought I'd better pull my finger out and try to learn something about Kevin Rudd. I must admit, Rudd’s winning the Labor leadership for me was a bit of a bummer. His fastidious personality and love of detail seemed perfect for some high brow portfolio, but I couldn’t imagine the public flocking to him as leader. (Boy was I wrong.)

There are some interesting things in play in this Election, and while anything can happen in an election campaign, let me stick my neck out and do a Malcolm McKerras, only unlike the former (who has never ever predicted an election outcome correctly in living memory despite being a self-confessed psephologist and making a living out of it) I hope to get the result roughly correct.   I still believe at this stage that the Coalition will be returned in the House of Representatives with a drastically reduced majority and will maintain its majority in the Senate.