22 November, 2006

LETTER: Roll out the barrel

Alex Schlotzer, Sunshine North
The Age, 22/11/06

IT'S a sad fact that the ALP and the Liberals have not much to offer except the usual pork barrelling. More empty promises, more huge excesses of money pledged and not much else.

But let's look at what the ALP supports: "clean coal" (a dangerous oxymoron), logging of old-growth forests and water catchments, extending the life of the Hazelwood power station, dredging Port Phillip Bay, 4WDs tearing up sensitive areas, and shooting ducks. It wouldn't be "balanced"' if we didn't consider the Liberals: they support "clean coal", nuclear power stations and nuclear waste, logging of old-growth forests and water catchments, 4WDs tearing up sensitive areas, shooting ducks, Howard's IR reforms, and destroying the Maribyrnong.

But let's dig a little deeper into that shady part of elections, the preferences. The ALP is supporting Country Alliance with preferences. Country Alliance stands for apparently nothing else except being anti-Greens and wanting to hunt, shoot and 4WD in sensitive parts of state and national parks. And the Liberal Party is supporting Family First with preferences. Family First stands for nothing with no policies and nothing to say except they're for families and reducing petrol prices.

Interesting how when it matters for getting Victoria moving again, the Greens' policies for a renewable energy industry and water-saving and emissions reduction targets are being adopted by the ALP and Liberals.

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