http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24483447-29277,00.html



A NEW poll predicts a huge swing against Labor in the most important NSW state seat facing a by-election next Saturday.
In a stunning result for the Liberals and their candidate, Victor Dominello, The Sun-Herald/Taverner poll of 500 voters in the seat of Ryde tips a swing of more than 20 per cent against Labor.

The Sun-Herald newspaper says translated statewide, such a result would decimate Labor at the March 2011 election. A swing of even half that size would mean a loss of 20 seats, while the Coalition - which needs to win 12 seats to govern in its own right - would romp to victory.

Pollster Philip Mitchell-Taverner said the shift in sentiment away from Labor and towards the Liberals was "extraordinary".

"The poll shows that an enormous 41 per cent of those who say they preferred Labor in March 2007 now prefer Liberal," he said.

"I suspect such rejection of a political party is virtually unheard of in a democratic community.

"The shift in preference from Labor to Liberal is dramatic and suggests that Labor has absolutely no chance of remaining in power at the next election without some extraordinary event occurring."

Ryde is one of four state seats facing a byelection on Saturday - dubbed Super Saturday.

Labor expects to be scarred but still standing in Lakemba and Cabramatta, while Nationals candidate Leslie Williams and independent Peter Besseling are slugging it out in Port Macquarie.

Ryde - vacated by former deputy premier John Watkins last month - was won by Labor with almost 45 per cent of the primary vote at the March 2007 general election. After preferences, the Labor-Liberal split was 60:40.

Those numbers seem set to be turned upside down on Saturday. The poll predicted a final result of 64 per cent (after preferences) to the Liberals, with Labor on 36 per cent.

It predicts Labor's primary vote will plummet to just 24 per cent. That's even lower than internal ALP polling of a month ago, which put Labor's primary vote at 29 per cent and gave the Liberals 43 per cent.

I don't believe the hype....yet

Sure, Labor is on the nose.

But what are the Libs offering as an alternative? Anything? If they didn't have Debnam at the last election, they could have won it.

^^

Vote for change.

i would love to see an extraordinary event where labor gets smashed in the "safe" seats of cabramatta and lakemba losing them both. i'd bring out the moet for that one! (and i've always been a labor leaning voter but know when to shaft the bastards when it's needed). i've never hated a political party so much, i hate them!!!!!! (shines pistol and puts back in the hiding spot with the long barrel rifles)

It would be funny if labor lost ALL their seats and were completely out of parliament!! (aka no longer exist in NSW)

^ that will never happen, and i want to be able to vote for them again one day, if they offer anything good as an alternative to whoever else is in at the time who may be shitting me off.

What would be best for Sydney now ? Is it possible to have a early election ?

Well WA had what was probably the best state government in the country and they lost to a retarded Liberal party (literally retarded).

Anything can happen in politics.

^^ Yea, no one saw that comming...........

Sure, Labor is on the nose.

But what are the Libs offering as an alternative? Anything? If they didn't have Debnam at the last election, they could have won it.

:lol: this is exactly like the WA ALP and the WA Libs... both were smelling like shyte but the pathetic libs got in... expect the same shyte smell but under a new colour of blue instead of red

Well WA had what was probably the best state government in the country and they lost to a retarded Liberal party (literally retarded).

Anything can happen in politics.

We think Anna Bligh is a pretty useful Premier up here :wink2: Massive money is being put into infrastructure in SEQ - $10 billion water grid; $16 billion public transport + ports, roads, health (including a $1 billion new stand alone Brisbane childrens university hospital, a $750 million new Gold Coast University Hospital) etc. In fact she has really got off her arse - I'm quite impressed with her.

However even she has had a hit in the polls from the newly formed Pineapple Party (LNP)- but I can't see her getting beaten in next year's polls.

Thats why I said probably.

Still Labor here are miles better than the Libs but they snuck in still. The media plays a big part being so anti-Labor and so pro-Liberal.

There was a "scandal" every second day here with Labor but now Liberal is in the only "scandal" has been that the government want to change the logo on stationary etc.

Learn from our mistakes here in WA. As soon as they got in, major projects that we SSC nerds all love where thrown out the window by the conservatives.

See what the Liberals have to offer before voting for them and most importantly, look into thier PT solutions.

The Courier Mail also has a pathetic anti Labor agenda up here. It is such a pile of puss - but that pretty much sums up any Murdoch shit rag.

Learn from our mistakes here in WA. As soon as they got in, major projects that we SSC nerds all love where thrown out the window by the conservatives.

See what the Liberals have to offer before voting for them and most importantly, look into thier PT solutions.

If you had lived here for the last 13 years your attitude would be a little different ;)

What would be best for Sydney now ?
Sorry to break it to you, there's more to NSW than Sydney.

Is it possible to have a early election ?
How many seats are they in government by? If a significant number of Labor MPs were to quit and the seats were won by the Libs at by-elections, then you could have an early change of government (not going to happen)

and they lost to a retarded Liberal party (literally retarded).
I was happy to see the Libs finally get government in one state.

Learn from our mistakes here in WA.
The state Labor (no 'u' in that CKF ;)) government in NSW is not even comparable to the former government in WA.

As soon as they got in, major projects that we SSC nerds all love where thrown out the window by the conservatives.
Oh noes

and most importantly, look into thier PT solutions.
Not like Rees is offering anything better in that regard.

I was happy to see the Libs finally get government in one state.


I couldn't give a shit if Liberal or Labor or anyone got power but to have the retarded opposition beat out a much better government?

Thats a hard pill to swallow.

I dont care.

In terms of Social policy the liberals seemed like dangerous muppets out of power, now it's not so bad.

The Waterfront proposal is up the air, however i can live with that being delayed if they forge ahead and build the northbridge link. Amen for the low aus dollar!

Labor warned of election wipeout
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/labor-warned-of-election-wipeout/2008/10/17/1223750333609.html

LABOR'S outgoing general secretary in NSW, Karl Bitar, has warned his party's executive body that the Rees Government would face annihilation at any general election, to the extent it would struggle to retain "party status" in the lower house of Parliament.

A party must win 10 seats in the lower house to be classed as a party and Labor presently has 52, an indication of the extent to which internal party polling has Labor in trouble.

The party expects a 20 per cent swing against it in Ryde which, if mirrored across the state, would wipe out all but 14 seats.

The warning, to the party's administrative committee last month, came after Mr Bitar helped tip former premier Morris Iemma out of the top job.

He had earlier met individual MPs and warned of a doomsday scenario if there was not a change of leadership.

The Herald has been told that swings of 15 to 20 per cent are also expected today in the seats of Cabramatta and Lakemba.

In Port Macquarie today, the National Party's Leslie Williams is hoping to achieve a narrow victory over independent Peter Besseling.

Mr Besseling is backed by the former independent member, Rob Oakeshott, who quit Parliament to run for the federal seat of Lyne.

But the Port Macquarie byelection is set to be shrouded in controversy after a complaint was made to the Speaker, Richard Torbay, about an offer from National Party MP Melinda Pavey to Greens MP Sylvia Hale for the Nationals to pay for the printing of how-to-vote cards for the Greens.

Mr Torbay said he had received a complaint from a "citizen" about the alleged offer and had told that person to contact the NSW Electoral Commission if they were alleging a breach of the Electoral Act.

Both Ms Pavey and Ms Hale have confirmed the remark, which became known after Ms Hale reported it to others, but both claim it was a "joke".

Ms Hale told the Herald that Ms Pavey made the remark last Friday, when she saw her at Parliament. Ms Pavey had complained that Mr Besseling was a Liberal stooge and asked why the Greens had placed him above the National Party candidate on how-to-vote cards.

When Ms Hale said it was too late to do anything about the how-to-vote cards, Ms Pavey suggested reprinting them and that the National Party could reprint them for Ms Hale.

"I treated this as a joke," Ms Hale said.

"I thought it was an ill-considered, spur of the moment, off-the-top [remark]."

Ms Pavey said that "it wasn't a serious offer" and that she would have no power to promise such a thing.

The National Party's state director, Ben Franklin, said yesterday he would not have ever considered such a thing.

An electoral commission spokesman said anyone was free to make a complaint to the commission of alleged illegality but that it was not clear if an offer to print another party's how-to-vote cards would breach the act.

Facing a byelection rout, the Premier, Nathan Rees, was not out campaigning yesterday. Instead he was in Bathurst, announcing Ben Chifley scholarships for TAFE students.

What would be best for Sydney now ? Is it possible to have a early election ?

no because the state election day is fixed (as opposed to the federal election where the PM decides when to 'call' it

personally im going to go for independents or greens... having looked on the NSW libs website and found no policies, and then on the greens website and finding tons of sensible policies i know who i prefer

+the state economy seems more and more insignificant as time goes on so i dont think the often used arguments that the greens will destroy it really holds any merit at all

Bad performance for NSW Labor in the by-elections. Huge swings of over 20% in some electorates against them. If half those swings were carried out on election day (two years away) Labor would be routed.

The other election today, the 17 seat ACT Legislative Assembly (or as I like to call it, Canberra City Council). 9% swing against the incumbent ALP government (7 seats), 4% swing against the Liberal opposition (7 seats) and a 7% swing towards the Greens (3 seats). The ALP will form a minority government with the Greens holding the balance of power. No seats to any independents.

If you are considering voting greens - have a long hard think about whether the Greens will actually win your seat. If not, vote Liberal in order to make a change. The last thing anyone should want is Labor to win another election.

Is the NSW voting system is the same as the federal one? If so, you could vote 1 Greens, and 2 Liberal, etc. Federally, the preference deals of the party only come into play if you vote above the line for the senate.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/landslide-win-gives-libs-hope-for-2011/2008/10/18/1223750399508.html

Landslide win gives Libs hope for 2011
By LISA CARTY and HELEN GREGORY
October 19, 2008

THE Dominello Effect has devastated the NSW Labor Party, with a relatively unknown Liberal rocketing into Parliament in a huge byelection swing last night.

As predicted in last week's Sun-Herald/Taverner poll, lawyer Victor Dominello, 41, romped home with a swing of more than 20 per cent in John Watkins's old seat of Ryde.

Prior to yesterday's poll, Labor held the seat with a 10 per cent margin - that comfortable buffer now belongs to the Liberal Party.

The Ryde result points to annihilation for Labor in 2011, with up to 40 of its 52 lower house seats lost if the swing were replicated statewide.

The Sydney swings were expected by Labor but many in the party were stunned by the extent of the voter backlash. Apart from a 23 per cent swing in Ryde, Labor suffered swings against it of 23 per cent in Cabramatta and 13 per cent in Lakemba.

A resolute Premier Nathan Rees spent last night visiting the candidates and their supporters, declaring the message had been heard. He said the results were "pretty sobering but not unexpected".

"The mini-budget will be the first opportunity to demonstrate the new leadership team will do things fundamentally differently and provide a new beginning," he said.

"We won't turn this around with fancy words or advertising.

"We will do it with honesty, work and ultimately better services for the people of NSW."

Triumphant Liberal leader Barry O'Farrell could not contain his glee.

"We started the campaign for better government in Ryde today," he told supporters at the Dominello victory party.

"The people of Ryde have made history. It is the first time, in 20 years, the Liberals have won back a seat from the Labor Party in the metropolitan area.

"This result is history making for the past, present and future. The way we have campaigned in Ryde, Lakemba and Cabramatta is the way we will campaign now and in March 26, 2011.

"In 2011 we won't be celebrating one victory but victory in NSW.

"The community has had enough from a Government that pretends all is well and doesn't pay enough attention to the public.

"Mr Rees can't run from today's results, Mr Rees can't hide from today's results."

Mr Dominello said he was "extremely grateful" for the trust placed in him by the people of Ryde.

"I am going to get to work to promote issues of better public transport and improve and maintain Ryde Hospital," he said. "I want to make sure that no one suffers further from the incompetence and the neglect of the Labor Government."

In Reba Meagher's old seat of Cabramatta - until yesterday, Labor's second-safest - Fairfield Mayor Nick Lalich was belted but not beaten in his quest to retain the seat for Labor. Star Liberal recruit Dai Le, 40, a radio journalist, resonated with many voters looking for an alternative to Labor.

Her history as a Vietnamese refugee, her political freshness and her frank talking appealed to Cabramatta voters still smarting from the fact their former MP lived 40 kilometres away in Coogee.

Ms Le said last night she had not given up hope of winning - 12,000 postal votes are yet to be counted - but said she would definitely be a contender in 2011.

"I'll be standing," she said.

She said she would move back to Cabramatta from Dulwich Hill and start working immediately for victory in 2011.

About 180,000 voters went to the polls at yesterday's byelections to replace Morris Iemma, Mr Watkins, Ms Meagher and Rob Oakeshott, in Port Macquarie.

They said on Insiders on the ABC this morning that if you were a Labor politician you'd be looking now for a job outside politics because in two and a bit years time you'd be thrown out.

Does Rees have the ability and leadership qualities to turn this around or is it going to be something even worse than a landslide?

Will an incoming Liberal government be able to do anything about the railway and other transport unions that hold the state to ransom? Will the Liberals be able to do what labor couldn't or wouldn't do?

It can get much worse for NSW if the Liberals step in as government.

The best thing those Christian fundamentalists can do is sing and clap in the parliament and use passage from the bible as policy.

It can get much worse for NSW if the Liberals step in as government.

The best thing those Christian fundamentalists can do is sing and clap in the parliament and use passage from the bible as policy.

Well, you had better get used to the idea, Miliux, because the voters are out there with their baseball bats and they'll be voting Liberal/National.

It will be goodbye and good riddance to one of the most inept and corrupt Labor governments ever seen in this country. Actually, maybe not - perhaps Bannon (SA), Cain/Kirner (Vic), Burke/Lawrence (WA) or Lennon (Tas) and maybe even Bracks/Brumby (Vic) are/were worse.

^ no, they won't vote for wanking christian fundamentalism. if the libs want to win they better keep those nut jobs far away.

Well, you had better get used to the idea, Miliux, because the voters are out there with their baseball bats and they'll be voting Liberal/National.

It will be goodbye and good riddance to one of the most inept and corrupt Labor governments ever seen in this country. Actually, maybe not - perhaps Bannon (SA), Cain/Kirner (Vic), Burke/Lawrence (WA) or Lennon (Tas) and maybe even Bracks/Brumby (Vic) are/were worse.

Seriously, show some credibility...why name just previous LABOR governments?

^ no, they won't vote for wanking christian fundamentalism. if the libs want to win they better keep those nut jobs far away.

They can't keep the nutjobs away because the vast majority belongs to these illegitimate corporations called pentecostal. Soon, they'll reform the national curriculum and force everyone to learn creationism in primary schools.

What is wrong with the people of NSW?

Are they voting for an opposition simply because of the constant berating the state labor government has received from the media?

Let's face facts, the NSW encumbants are stuck with a legacy of the previous premiers who have delivered nothing more than *spin* on certain issues, however they have delivered in spades in other areas that most people simply take for granted.

They have delivered on major transport upgrades the spending of which every major capital city in Australia would be envious of. The hospital system and public education and general facilities are far better than other cities.

Yet something as simple as a train stuck on the harbour bridge is considered *a major event* that the tabloids latch onto and go on to describe cityrail as a festering pit of wasted money, the roads as crap and other amenities as being sub standard.

Since I moved to mexico, I can safely tell any of you that NSW leads Australia in so many things it's not funny, but the problem with the labor government is that it is so used to *spin* it get's itself in trouble when it doesn't deliver on something minor.

I hear people from interstate cry *Sydney is gone to the dogs*.. Well I hate to tell you all Sydney hasn't gone to the dogs, it's the media that has portrayed that one.

And what about the opposition? I am always in favour of a change of government to do something different than the current and rectify certain things that should be addressed. But would the current Lib's & Nats in NSW actually be able to deliver something different to the people of NSW with the exception of their standard *Thatcherite* ambitions?

The NSW Lib/Nats are a wast of space, the same in Mexico here as well.

And how about giving Rees some time to actually make a change?
Current financial circumstances around the world dictate that the Bush / Thatcherism ideology is ancient and only caused the rampant financial problems that we now face.

How about some old staltwart Labor ideals coming into play? Using some money to expand the public service to do what it should do, serve the public?

It will be interesting to see what Rees does with the mini budget.. Do we keep a surplus and AAA rating? Or do we spend money on infrastructure that is going to be needed in the future?

As I have said in another thread, it bothers me that the world's governments are plunging trillions of dollars into shoring up overloaded financial markets when they should have been left to the free market legacy of *boom and bust*.

That 10billion that Rudd has thrown at the peasants is a complete waste of money when we have people sleeping in the streets and a fading economy that will need a huge amount of support when the shit really hits the fan.

Lets give rees a go at least and see if he can deliver. Tightening belts is one thing, expanding infrastructure is another.

mx

Seriously, show some credibility...why name just previous LABOR governments?

O.K., I'll name a few conservative governments that come to mind:

1. Kennet - pulled Victoria together after the Cain/Kerner debacle.
2. Brown/Olson (SA) elected in a landslide after Banno/Arnold landslide - had to find $7 billion to pay off the State bank debt but generally wasted their opportunities. Not having the numbers in the upper house (as Kennet did) didn't help.
3. Greiner/Fahey (NSW) - not all that impressive
4. Court Senior (WA) can't think of too much he did wrong - he was there a long time and the state was prospering so he ran things in a businesslike way.
5. Bjielke Peterson (Qld) -he profited under a gerrymander which was electorally unfair - he removed death duties which encouraged a mass migration from the southern states. QLD boomed, but his administration was tainted.

^ no, they won't vote for wanking christian fundamentalism. if the libs want to win they better keep those nut jobs far away.

Name a Christian in the NSW Liberals?

Seriously, show some credibility...why name just previous LABOR governments?

He said Labor. Not any government:


It will be goodbye and good riddance to one of the most inept and corrupt Labor governments ever seen in this country. Actually, maybe not - perhaps Bannon (SA), Cain/Kirner (Vic), Burke/Lawrence (WA) or Lennon (Tas) and maybe even Bracks/Brumby (Vic) are/were worse.

What was wrong with the bracks government?

What is wrong with Brumby?

Name a Christian in the NSW Liberals?

David Clarke. Instrumental in upbringing of another Christian fundamentalist, Alex Hawke. He is a member of Opus Dei. Leader of the extreme right wing faction in NSW Liberal.

Then there are other notable Liberal Party NSW Division such as Cadman, Cameron, Bishop, Abbott, Kevin Andrews, Nelson and Danna Vale.

Abbott is a classic. He fucked a woman while training to be a priest. Her chick pops a baby, got kicked out of priesthood and never saw his child again just to get some credibility while campaigning to become a politician.

Watch out for Pentecostal / evangelical christians siezing the opportunity to get into government via the liberal party. Here in WA, we now have 3 fundies in parliament.

They have been doing since the 1980s. The former moderate NSW Liberal Party leader, John Brogden got screwed because of David Clarke and his mobs. Same goes for Alex Hawke. One by one they backstab moderates and replace them with radicals.

It's the most radical NSW mob since the New Guards in the 1930s

They have delivered on major transport upgrades the spending of which every major capital city in Australia would be envious of. The hospital system and public education and general facilities are far better than other cities.


You cannot be serious. Almost every major public hospital in Melbourne has, or is in the process of being rebuilt. Sydney's are litterally falling apart.

Victorian students perform better than those in NSW in the majority of benchmarked areas, accross all year levels AND we spend less $$s per student to do it. Plus every public school is in the process of being rebuilt.

Hospital benchmarks in Victoria, while shit, are still way in front AND we spend less $$s per patient to do it....

Almost every new road project in NSW is a toll road that is past capacity by the time it is opened, or a tunnel that goes bankrupt in a few months....

NSW is NOT doing well, not matter how you look at it....

For god's sake open your eyes!

For god's sake open your eyes!

Me agree.

The most worrying thing in NSW is the lack of funds it has invest in infrastructure and maintainence.

Both major parties wont be able to fix this without selling assets such as power.

What was wrong with the bracks government?

What is wrong with Brumby?

Bracks - do nothing, hire consultants, lie about the "no tolls" Eastlink and renege after the election, world swimming championships in a tennis stadium that was a financial disaster, Commonwealth Games that was a financial disaster, Formula 1 Grand Prix that continues to cost taxpayers over $30 million per annum.

Brumby - overcrowding on public transport, no new rail lines into the outer suburbs, doing nothing about the exhorbitant costs of land on Melbourne's outskirts, rental shortages, long public hospital waiting lists, the usual things, etc.

The most worrying thing in NSW is the lack of funds it has invest in infrastructure and maintainence.

Both major parties wont be able to fix this without selling assets such as power.

With the unions controlling the power industries, is that going to happen? I'd like to see the Liberals when they are elected hopefully have the numbers in the upper house where they can pass some necessary reform in this area.

Seriously, show some credibility...why name just previous LABOR governments?

Because most Labor governments are incompetent, Zach. History has proven that to be the case.

Sorry, didn't mean to be rude.

Well, anyway.... the recessionary times have begun - no fault of any Aussie Government really - but expect to see big changes in unemployment in the next year. Already the manufacturing and finance industry are being savaged.

With the unions controlling the power industries, is that going to happen? I'd like to see the Liberals when they are elected hopefully have the numbers in the upper house where they can pass some necessary reform in this area.

The liberals could have shown some leadership (not a word in thier vocabulary) and supported Iemma on power reform.

I feel so sorry for you folk in NSW. You only get a choice between a douche and a turd.

The liberals could have shown some leadership (not a word in thier vocabulary) and supported Iemma on power reform.

I feel so sorry for you folk in NSW. You only get a choice between a douche and a turd.

I agree with you, Dilaz. They couldn't resist the opportunity to get Iemma's scalp. They played politics at the expense of the good of NSW. If he had played his cards differently he could have seen Labor sell the power industries which would make his job easier if/when the Liberals got elected and he would probably have senn the demise of Iemma and his government anyway.

Because most Labor governments are incompetent, Zach. History has proven that to be the case.

History does not give you the right to make such a supposition; i commend every state government for dealing with limited resources and for being far more compitent than still pathetically weak liberal oppositions.

Yes perhaps if they ran leaner departments; then NSW would have some money to spend. But i think the issues go deeper than the party that is in power. It's the state/federal system that is the root of the issue.

It's not a very effective campaign tactic. Being beaten the shit out of for over a decade and only scrape into government on sentiment of distain at a old and rotten parliment.

How about some old staltwart Labor ideals coming into play? Using some money to expand the public service to do what it should do, serve the public?
mx

I thought this was the main problem with the NSW Government - their public service - especially the non-productive admin part was bloated.

They are in the thrall of unions (Iemma was booted more or less for trying to privatise electricity and balance the budget)

They keep announcing projects which eventually are stalled or shelved.

Back in the early 90's Victoria was the state hardest hit by the recession, the recession, such as it was, barely affected NSW, Qld or WA at all (in growth terms anyway) but this time around I can tell you, even if Australia dodges a bullet - NSW will not, Sydney has the most unsustainable housing debt in the nation making it the target for the most amount of pain.

Whether you think Rees, Iemma, Carr et al are competent or not - they are on a hiding to nothing.

The most worrying thing in NSW is the lack of funds it has invest in infrastructure and maintainence.

Both major parties wont be able to fix this without selling assets such as power.

This is the shit side about having states. I don't understand why the federal government can't also assist in these nation building exercises. The Rudd government has some infrastructure fund but it means nothing to me right now until I see it in full action. This country doesn't have a high-speed rail network, we don't have metros, and the NSW government is total shithouse, the opposition is just as bad, they are only two options which makes things worse. The only chance we'll get to see the current government gone is in fucking three years. By the time any real infrastructure proposal gets under way like a high-speed rail network or a metro, we'll all be 100 years old in a nursing home and won't give a shit.

As for other issues like civil unions or gay marriage, it will never come to this country because our politicians are bigots and if by chance it does come, it again will be shit all for me since I'll be fucking 90 years old by then and my lover will probably be dead.

The world is fucking depressing. The state of politics is dead in this country. It's kind of like the UK with their current bad government too. It seems like no one is immune but at least the UK have civil unions, a high speed rail network and a great metro in London so they can afford to have a shit government. We can't.

Bracks - do nothing, hire consultants, lie about the "no tolls" Eastlink and renege after the election, world swimming championships in a tennis stadium that was a financial disaster, Commonwealth Games that was a financial disaster, Formula 1 Grand Prix that continues to cost taxpayers over $30 million per annum.

Brumby - overcrowding on public transport, no new rail lines into the outer suburbs, doing nothing about the exhorbitant costs of land on Melbourne's outskirts, rental shortages, long public hospital waiting lists, the usual things, etc.

You will have to stop reading the HUN to get your information about Victoria or you will believe anything!
Victoria under both Bracks and Brumby is going along quite nicely.

Have a look at the new road infrastructure being built(BTW Not tolled) and some of the other major projects like the MCC,the new Rec stadium,Recital/MTC centre,hundreds of millions spent on new Trains and the North South pipeline and you will see the Government is not sitting on its hands.

Plus it has a surplus of 1.5 billion dollars and an AAA credit rating.

Brumby is completely out of touch - where's the PT investment? Being spent of freeways to nowhere

Brumby is completely out of touch - where's the PT investment? Being spent of freeways to nowhere
I knew you were gonna say that ;)
Thing is I dont see any other party bar the greens making any real noise about PT, and voting for the greens........ Not me.

Well a vote for the current Government sends the message that you are happy with the way things are or, more correctly, there is no message that change is needed.

Yes, I'm a swinging voter.

well the most important thing a government can do for us is tax cuts now isn't it? far more important than some choo choo train (or health and education even) yeah?

Bracks - do nothing, hire consultants, lie about the "no tolls" Eastlink and renege after the election, world swimming championships in a tennis stadium that was a financial disaster, Commonwealth Games that was a financial disaster, Formula 1 Grand Prix that continues to cost taxpayers over $30 million per annum.

Brumby - overcrowding on public transport, no new rail lines into the outer suburbs, doing nothing about the exhorbitant costs of land on Melbourne's outskirts, rental shortages, long public hospital waiting lists, the usual things, etc.
Eastlink - big whoop liberals would have done it anyway.
WSC - big whoop how much over budget was it? something pitifully insignificant Im sure.
Commonwealth games - Yes Commonwealth games are gay but queen loving conservatives and deranged sports addicts seem to like them, so Australian governments continue so spend money on them...
Grand Priz - WOOOOOOO 30 mil a year. Small change again my friend. Theres enough motorsport fans in this city that are happy that the F1 is here. Besides, would the liberals get rid of it??? Fat chance.

Not a great list there...
How about mentioning rehiring thousands of police Kennett laid off, reopening hundreds of schools Kennet closed down, and pouring more money into the hospital system that Kennet siphoned off.


Brumby:
PT overcrowding - Libs wouldn't do shit different.
New Rail lines - Not even on libs agenda under kennet.
Land costs - thank god theyr not releasing more land!!!!
Rental shortages - Ok, you got me. The liberals are champions of public housing and new inventive ideas about providing rental accomodation to the middle class masses. not.
waiting lists - look at past victorian liberal governments history on hospital funding.



If you gonna bag labor governments, dont choose Victoria which has been doing relatively well since bracks came in.

Well a vote for the current Government sends the message that you are happy with the way things are or, more correctly, there is no message that change is needed.

Yes, I'm a swinging voter.

I havent yet been swayed to vote for anyone else bar labor. If that happens i would be happy to swing also.


Bracks promised to extend epping line to south morang before he got elected. Didnt do shit. I now refuse to believe either party on PT issues.

where's the PT investment? Being spent of freeways to nowhere

To be fair, if the freeway went somewhere you'd be complaining about induced traffic. If the freeway goes nowhere, then this isn't really a problem... :runaway:

100 points for trolling attempt, Mr Hornetfig ;)

Well a vote for the current Government sends the message that you are happy with the way things are or, more correctly, there is no message that change is needed.

And remember kids - a vote for The Greens in any state or territory except WA is a vote for the current government ;)

This has been a public safety message from the L2 Corporation.

Why would anyone vote for the greens? Ewww

What is wrong with the people of NSW?

Are they voting for an opposition simply because of the constant berating the state labor government has received from the media?

Let's face facts, the NSW encumbants are stuck with a legacy of the previous premiers who have delivered nothing more than *spin* on certain issues, however they have delivered in spades in other areas that most people simply take for granted.

The spin you refer to was mastered by his emminence Premier Carr between 1995 and 2005 and then continued by Iemma. Spin above integrity was the catchcry of the NSW Labor government over the last 13 years and to hell with the electorate. NSW Labor is hellbent on retaining power by "pretending" there has been a change of government every mid-term so that each time a general election is called it seems as though a change of government has already recently happened when in reality the powerbrokers of the NSW Labor Factions have been the same people pulling the strings and misleading the voting taxpaying NSW public over these last 13 years. Thats why we find ourselves in this mess now. And you expect people to NOT be cynical in such an environment and continue voting Labor?

They have delivered on major transport upgrades the spending of which every major capital city in Australia would be envious of.

Come again? Major transport upgrades? Where? How?

In the realm of Public Transport the last 13 years have seen the voters of NSW being dazzled by the spin of the following proposals 1. Parramatta to Chatswood Rail link, 2. HarbourLink Rail Line 3. MetroWest Rail Link (to ease congestion of Wynyard and Town Hall) 4. Southwest Rail Link 5. North West Rail Link, 6. NorthWest Metro Link, 7. Fast Train to Central Coast, 8. Strathfield to Hurstville rail link, 9. Bondi Beach Rail link, 10. Eastern Suburbs Metro Link, 11. Busways from Liverpool to Parramatta to North West. 12. Light Rail extensions for the CBD.

Of those 12 proposals only 1.5 have come to fruition and that half of one (being the Parramatta to Chatswood rail link) is yet to be opened more than 10 years after first being promised to us by this same government. Thats a 12% deliverable rate. In the business I work for if I delievered 12% of what was expected I would have been sacked very early on.

As for roads : Apart from new tollroads in Sydney there has been no new major roads opened in Sydney to ease congestion. The NSW Labor government was voted in by 70 votes in 1995 with the deciding seat of Badgerys Creek falling to Diane Beamer (wasn't she a great politician for NSW) based on the LIE that Labor would abolish the Tolls on the M4 and the M5. 13 years later not only are the M4 and M5 tolls still there but they have introduced a whole raft of new toll roads including the Eastern Distributor, Lane Cove Tunnel, M7, Cross City Tunnel.

I hear people from interstate cry *Sydney is gone to the dogs*.. Well I hate to tell you all Sydney hasn't gone to the dogs, it's the media that has portrayed that one.

I agree with you that Sydney has NOT gone to the dogs but media reports about its "demise" are more an indication of the Australian obsession with the cutting down of the Tall Poppys. Sydney and NSW has a lot going for it. Its a shame the NSW Government is not a reflection of this.

For a NSW Labor Government transport report - see this thread:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=731952