Australian Politics Forum - When Will The Election Debates Start.

imcrookonit

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When Will The Election Debates Start.
Mar 17^th, 2013 at 10:50am

PM reminded of promise on debates.

Date
March 17, 2013

The Gillard's government's pledge to set up an independent body to organise federal election debates seems to have fallen into the ''black hole of good intentions'', independent MP Rob Oakeshott says.

Both Mr Oakeshott and the Greens are pushing for Labor to deliver on its commitment to establish a ''leaders' debates commission'', saying time is running out with just five months until the official federal election campaign starts on August 12.

The establishment of the commission was part of the agreements Labor made with the Greens, Mr Oakeshott and independent Tony Windsor in 2010, in order to form government.

The commission would be an independent body charged with setting the dates and structure of debates during federal elections - taking the issue away from party politicking - and similar to the Commission on Presidential Debates in the United States.

Fairfax Media believes that at the end of last year, the government was considering a model in which the National Press Club would host debates, with questioning from Canberra press gallery journalists.

Ms Gillard said in January it was a ''good idea'' to sort out the issue, but there has been little detail about progress or the proposed model. Asked for an update on the commission, a spokesman for Special Minister of State Gary Gray said: ''The issue is under active consideration.''

Mr Oakeshott said he asked the government about the matter last week but had not seen anything in detail. He said that without the commission, there was ''every chance'' there would only be one debate at the next election or none at all.

Frustrated with the rate of progress, the Greens are launching an online petition to pressure Labor to fast-track the idea, while calling on the government to ensure the Greens are included in at least one of three debates. Greens leader Christine Milne has also written to the Prime Minister to ask her if she is going to honour the spirit of the agreement. Smiley

Visiting research fellow at Sydney University's Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, Nick Rowley, said it was critical that an independent process be established, so the decision about when debates were held and how they were conducted was taken out of the hands of the major parties.

Mr Rowley - who has also been adviser to Bob Carr and former British prime minister Tony Blair - said Australia needed a body that would make sure the debates were thoroughly researched and went beyond the ''usual suspects''.

Pointing to the US approach, Mr Rowley said debates should be at least 1½ hours long and each built around a different theme. He also said Australia could make use of live online fact checking, as was done in the Obama-Romney debates last year.

''It's about keeping the bastards honest,'' he said.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/pm-reminded-of-promise-on-debates-20130316-2g7hz.html#ixzz2NklTGwXN

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Maqqa Gold Member Offline 14% - that low?! Posts: 16000	Re: When Will The Election Debates Start. Reply #1 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:03am Jokes aside - Gillard will play the helpless woman being assaulted by Abbott role to a tea and her fat arse will appeal to Biggest Loser watchers Abbott has nothing to gain from this
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MOTR

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Re: When Will The Election Debates Start.
Reply #2 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:07am

Maqqa wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:03am:

Jokes aside - Gillard will play the helpless woman being assaulted by Abbott role to a tea

and her fat arse will appeal to Biggest Loser watchers

Abbott has nothing to gain from this

I agree with you, Maqqa. Tony has nothing to gain from exposing his policies to scrutiny. Plenty to lose, nothing to gain.

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Hunt says Coalition accepts IPCC findings

"What does this mean? It means that we need to do practical things that actually reduce emissions."

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Maqqa

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Re: When Will The Election Debates Start.
Reply #3 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:10am

MOTR wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:07am:

Maqqa wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:03am:

Jokes aside - Gillard will play the helpless woman being assaulted by Abbott role to a tea

and her fat arse will appeal to Biggest Loser watchers

Abbott has nothing to gain from this

I agree with you, Maqqa. Tony has nothing to gain from exposing his policies to scrutiny. Plenty to lose, nothing to gain.

Assuming what you say is true - why should he when he's ahead in the polls

We have seen Gillard through several billions in rubbery election promises last week to engage him in a smear campaign but it backfired

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Bill 14% is not the alcohol content of that wine. It's your poll number

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MOTR Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 6646	Re: When Will The Election Debates Start. Reply #4 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:26am What you forget, Maqqa, is it's all about us. We expect our leaders to be scrutinised.
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adelcrow Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 20133 everywhere Gender:	Re: When Will The Election Debates Start. Reply #5 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:35am You'll find out the details of Abbott policies the day after the election and not a minute sooner
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Andrei.Hicks Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 23818 Carlsbad, CA Gender:	Re: When Will The Election Debates Start. Reply #6 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:37am Given the Labor Party's history of waiting to see what the Coalition do and copying it, it's probably not a bad idea. Face it, the ALP are worried now. The election is getting closer and they are still miles behind.
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Merlin

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Re: When Will The Election Debates Start.
Reply #7 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:46am

It doesnt matter if their is a special debates "comittee" while ever the Australian media is involve the debate will always favour the left.

Can I make a bold prediction and say the debates will be won by the leftist candiate if not all then the majority.
Because once again the scum leftist Australian media have the hands all over it!

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adelcrow

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Re: When Will The Election Debates Start.
Reply #8 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:47am

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:37am:

Given the Labor Party's history of waiting to see what the Coalition do and copying it, it's probably not a bad idea.

Face it, the ALP are worried now. The election is getting closer and they are still miles behind.

Or perhaps they are worried that if they release detailed and fully costed policies that Labor wont have to do anything to fly past them in the polls.
We do know that if the Libs had been honest and released all their policies in Queensland, Victoria and the NT they would never have won those elections.
Lets face it..this countries economic well being has more to do with the strength of our trading partners than it has to do with whose in power.

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Go the Bunnies

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Maqqa

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Re: When Will The Election Debates Start.
Reply #9 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:56am

adelcrow wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:47am:

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:37am:

Given the Labor Party's history of waiting to see what the Coalition do and copying it, it's probably not a bad idea.

Face it, the ALP are worried now. The election is getting closer and they are still miles behind.

Or perhaps they are worried that if they release detailed and fully costed policies that Labor wont have to do anything to fly past them in the polls.
We do know that if the Libs had been honest and released all their policies in Queensland, Victoria and the NT they would never have won those elections.
Lets face it..this countries economic well being has more to do with the strength of our trading partners than it has to do with whose in power.

(1) The LIBs hold the cards - and they don't have to do anything by the ALP's calendar.
(2) Releasing anything now would be to the ALP's advantage
(3) Releasing the data later means the LIBs have had more time to be in sync and less time for Labor to create spin
(4) Labor will have to balance between discrediting the LIBs and getting it's own message out
(5) Discrediting the LIBs - is actually giving the LIBs more air time for their policies

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Bill 14% is not the alcohol content of that wine. It's your poll number

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Maqqa Gold Member Offline 14% - that low?! Posts: 16000	Re: When Will The Election Debates Start. Reply #10 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:58am MOTR wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:26am: What you forget, Maqqq, is it's all about us. We expect our leaders to be scrutinised. if it's all about "us" then individually we should have scrutinise Gillard - so where are your threads scrutinising Gillard's "There will be no carbon tax...."
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Andrei.Hicks Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 23818 Carlsbad, CA Gender:	Re: When Will The Election Debates Start. Reply #11 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:59am I don't disagree with Adel that Australia's economic well being is just as much influenced by Beijings policies than Canberra. However it's a valid question that if Abbott is so bad and Liberal policy so unknown, how is his party belting Gillards out of sight in an election year?
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Maqqa

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Re: When Will The Election Debates Start.
Reply #12 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 12:07pm

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:59am:

I don't disagree with Adel that Australia's economic well being is just as much influenced by Beijings policies than Canberra.

However it's a valid question that if Abbott is so bad and Liberal policy so unknown, how is his party belting Gillards out of sight in an election year?

it's one big rogue poll

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Bill 14% is not the alcohol content of that wine. It's your poll number

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MOTR

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Re: When Will The Election Debates Start.
Reply #13 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 2:00pm

Maqqa wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:58am:

MOTR wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:26am:

What you forget, Maqqq, is it's all about us. We expect our leaders to be scrutinised.

if it's all about "us"

then individually we should have scrutinise Gillard - so where are your threads scrutinising Gillard's "There will be no carbon tax...."

She made it clear she was committed to delivering a price on carbon. It was Labor Party policy going into both the 2007 and 2010 elections. The carbon tax is a temporary stop gap measure because they did not gain absolute control of the lower house. Gillard is delivering what she promised.

If Gillard had taken the easy option and delayed on this important reform, she would have betrayed us and future generations.

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Hunt says Coalition accepts IPCC findings

"What does this mean? It means that we need to do practical things that actually reduce emissions."

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Maqqa

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Re: When Will The Election Debates Start.
Reply #14 - Mar 17^th, 2013 at 2:01pm

MOTR wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 2:00pm:

Maqqa wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:58am:

MOTR wrote on Mar 17^th, 2013 at 11:26am:

What you forget, Maqqq, is it's all about us. We expect our leaders to be scrutinised.

if it's all about "us"

then individually we should have scrutinise Gillard - so where are your threads scrutinising Gillard's "There will be no carbon tax...."

She made it clear she was committed to delivering a price on carbon. It was Labor Party policy going into both the 2007 and 2010 elections. The carbon tax is a temporary stop gap measure because they did not gain absolute control of the lower house. Gillard is delivering what she promised.

And she also made clear there would be no carbon tax

So did she lied she she said there would be no carbon tax

And she also made it clear that there would be a surplus no ifs no buts

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Bill 14% is not the alcohol content of that wine. It's your poll number

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