Thursday 1 November 2007

Intelligent design a vote winner? Pull the other one

It seems that the Federal Liberal candidate for the seat of Lalor, Pastor Peter Curtis is swimming against the tide in a big way.
 
In The Age last Sunday he was quoted: "He said that, if elected, he would be urging the Liberal Party to introduce intelligent design to state school science classes. Intelligent design is an assertion that certain features of the universe and living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, and not by natural selection. "I would be very much in favour of intelligent design being taught in public schools," Mr Curtis said. "Just as the theory of evolution is taught as well — in my view regrettably taught in science classes, because I think it's a theory and not a science."
 
In a country which has a universal nickname for God and takes its religions with a grain of salt, the good pastor expects that the prospect of having ID taught in schools will attract voters to the Liberal Party. Good one, Prime Minister.

Federal Election 2007 close of roll figures

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has released Newsfile, No. 134: Federal Election 2007 - Close of Rolls. This includes close of roll figures for each division.
 
North Coast enrolled voters:
Cowper electorate - 92,767
Page electorate - 93,426
Richmond electorate - 90,018
 
See Australia-wide details at:

http://www.aec.gov.au/pdf/publications/newsfiles/134/Newsfile_No134.pdf

 

The AEC will formally declare all candidates at 12 noon tomorrow.

A rather dispiriting view of Australian voters

I wonder just how many of these 'I don't know, I don't really care, just let me vote so I can get on with my weekend' people live on the NSW North Coast?
 

Tony Abbott caught swearing at Nicola Roxon and other related Liberal Party silliness

Yesterday was a day when Federal Labor's Nicola Roxon was shown to be the better politician, showing up on time and on message.
It was nice to see Ms. Roxon demonstrate a measure of respect for both the National Press Club who sponsored the debate and Australian voters who had tuned in to see this event.
As for Liberal's Tony Abbott.....
 
Lateline on Abbott-Roxon exchange:
Lateline talking to Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard:
 http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2078035.htm

Campaign Day 18

Saw on the news last night that Tony Abbot failed to arrive until almost halfway through allotted time for the nationally televised Health Debate with his Opposition counterpart.
Discourteous? Rude? Arrogant? You bet!
But what can we expect from a Minister for Health who also took the opportunity this week to publicly insult a dying man.
It's almost as though the Libs have a death wish.