From: phs265y@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au
Newsgroups: soc.culture.australian
Subject: Re: What's happening in Victorian and Federal politics 
Date: 28 Aug 92 10:36:06 +1000
Organization: Computer Centre, Monash University, Australia

In article <1992Aug27.182846.26601@monu1.cc.monash.edu.au>, jak@monu1.cc.monash.edu.au (Mr J Grimm) writes:
> I am a little isolated up here in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. What is the
> current state of Victorian and Federal politics ? When is the Vic.
> election? What is Joan promising? Who will be her Labour-party replacement ?
> Are the Liberals promising anything better ? What are the TV adverts like ?


     Well, first the Victorian election is on October 3rd, designed I think to
capture us all in the throes of post grand final euphoria. There are no TV ads;
federal government passed legislation banning election ads in the electronic
media, the rationale being that rich parties or individuals don't gain an
advantage by their ability to buy more prime time advertising space.

     Basically the Liberals have been running a "guilty party" campaign,
blaming the Labor Party for the recession and various deficits in Victoria.
The Labor Party have been running a campaign based on comparing the effect that
New Right economic rationalisation has had on the working class in New Zealand,
which prompted the New Zealand prime minister Bolger to respond by making
sexist remarks about Joan Kirner, which he was forced to apologise for a few
days later.

      The whole election campaign seems to be based on a "look how terrible the
other side is" mentality. I think Labor's secret weapon has been
revealed: Jeff Kennett has just started enlightening us with his intellect
again. Just the other day he threatened to sack 300,000 public servants in a
carefully conceived plan to lower unemployment. Of course the public service
unions threatened a general strike. Some of his other policies include smashing
all unions and privatising everything, including the adoption agency (I'm sure
they would privatise oxygen if they new how to).

       Something else that has become an issue is that the Liberals refuse to
release any details of their policies until after the election. It's a bit like
selling your house to someone and then telling them what the price is, as
someone wrote to "The Age" today.

       Of course Labor doesn't have much to offer, most people are sick to
death of them, but I think Jeff Kennett and the Liberals make them not seem so
bad in comparison.

> How is the Federal scene ? Are the Libs still pushing GST or are they
> calling it something else and focussing on slagging Labour ?

       Yes they are still pushing the GST among other things. Hewson has made
it clear that he supports everything the Kennett wants to do. John Howard
opened the immigration debate again the other day by calling for (another)
reduction in immigration levels, despite studies that show that immigration 
creates jobs. Pure racism if you ask me. The Liberals are also talking about
removing tariffs in another carefully conceived plan to lower unemployment. 

       Oh, and I just remembered, Hewson's grand plan to solve youth
unemployment: lower the minimum wage to $3 an hour and abolish unemployment
benefits.

                                 Tony Hartin
                                 International Socialist Organisation
                                 Melbourne
Newsgroups: soc.culture.australian