Changes
The election campaign is going strong, with announcements seemingly every day from every side. The Liberals promise one thing, Labor promises the same thing, the Democrats or Greens promise something else. Labor promises something, the Liberals promise the same thing, and the Democrats or Greens promise something entirely different. Mostly what it amounts to is promises of billions and billions of dollars spent on things that the present government, over the last 11 years, hadn’t been spending on, but with the Reserve Bank tipped to raise interest rates yet again tomorrow, you’ve got to wonder about the economic credentials of any of these people. The Liberals have managed the government mainly by not spending up big, except at elections or on advertising for policies the public generally despise, so hearing that Labor is going to spend similarly would seem to be one of the big influencers in the Reserve Bank’s decision-making process.

Meanwhile, at least there’s some entertainment to be had. Over the weekend, we had Peter Garrett making an ill-advised joke to one reporter in front of another, the latter of whom, a notorious shock-jock (whose wife is a Liberal Party staffer), duly reported the remark as a serious statement regarding all Labor’s policy announcements. Way to shoot your boss in the foot, Pete.

Previously, however, we had the always entertaining Tony Abbott turning up late for his own debate, by half an hour, without so much as a phone call to warn the National Press Club, let alone his Labor opponent. When called on his bad behavior, Tone had the class to swear at his interlocutor. Lovely guy. And all this on the heals of questioning the motivations of an asbestiosis sufferer regarding his campaign to get necessary drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Classy.

Three weeks to go.