OZ election .com

Yikes!

With opinion polls already swinging widely in Labor’s favour at this weekend’s election, the last thing John Howard, Costello and co needed today was a scandal - unless it was aimed in the other direction. A scathing scandal is what they received, however, and all on the most significant of Howard’s final days of campaigning.

The new Kelly Gang may just have pounded a final nail in Howard’s political coffin, through the distribution of an ignorant and hateful piece of political propaganda into mailboxes of residences within a hard-fought western Sydney seat. Jackie Kelly currently holds the seat of Lindsay on behalf of the Liberal Party. Her husband was one of a small group of Liberal campaigners who are believed to have hand delivered a pamphlet portaining to link the district’s Labor candidate with Muslim terrorists, in a desperate attemp to swing undecided voters in the region towards supporting Liberal newcomer Karen Chijoff.

Only time will tell as to whether their expression of ignorance will tap into an undercurrent of suspicion and fear and therefore work in the Liberal Party’s favour, or whether this action - publicly denouced in strong terms by both Rudd and Howard - will serve to create a backlash against the ultra-conservatism projected by Liberal Party supporters in Lindsay.

What do you think? Has this tipped the scales irreversibly in Labor’s favour, or could this flyer serve to stir up enough fearful sentiment as to anti-intuitively work to assist Karen Chijoff?

In an election that, more than ever, seems to have been marketed towards Australia’s younger generations; given the importance played by policies on climate change, broadband penetration and education and on marketing through Web 2.0 online channels, it’s unusual that only one leader has been visible on youth-oriented media avenues this week.

Howard’s absence from national youth-oriented radio was conspicuous, as was his decision not to acknowledge invitations to appear on Network 10’s popular variety show, Rove. Part of the reason may have been his anticipation of Rove’s famous “20 Dollars in 20 Seconds” interview set, which traditionally ends with the question, “Who would you turn gay for?”

Kevin Rudd did make an appearance on the show, and clearly planned his response well in advance. The Rudd man considered Dame Edna for a moment - perhaps not realising she’s a classy country housewife and far too modest for such shenanigans. He then pondered the possibility of coupling with Kath & Kim’s Kjell Knight, for his “style, sophistication and unique power walk.” I’m not sure whether or not that was Fraud’s way of alluding to Rudd’s secret attraction to his power-walking nemesis, John Howard.

In the end, it appeared that Kjell Knight was already taken by fellow Rove guest, Jason Donovan. Given that, Rudd resigned to the safe answer by claiming that his wife, Terese, was the only one for him. Of course, Rove latched on to the awkward mystery created by that statement, by asking Kevin if that meant his wife was a man. In typically embarrassed fashion, Rudd only chuckled his non-response to that dig.

To even out the political balance, Rove compensated for Howard’s absence by subjecting Greens leader Bob Brown to the same set of questions. They weren’t such a political minefield for Brown, who is proudly gay, but Rove did his best by checking for whom Bob would turn straight. Fortunately, he had the sense not to give the same response as Kevin. Otherwise, they’d be battling for Terese’s affections, as well as the Prime Ministership this weekend.

Everyone’s favourite croning crusader, Peter Garrett, did his best to add some spice to an otherwise dreary election campaign last week. Not content to let radio 2UE’s Steve Price think that this campaign is shaping up to be a “me too” effort; with Labor and Liberal leaders each snagging popular policy choices from the other, he boldly (or should that be ‘baldly’) let the nation know just how different the two parties really are at heart.

As it turns out, one party has a sense of humour. The other, desperate to claw back some popularity points, would rather take things a little too seriously…and you know how much we dislike serious politics around the Oz Election office.

When Price approached him with the “me too” proposition, Garrett responded by claiming that none of that matters because “once we get in, we’ll just change it all.” With that one ambiguous, tongue-in-cheek statement on record, it seems as though Mr Price and the Liberal Party could not have received a greater blessing. Showing that they are, too, capable of some creative thought, Garrett’s opposition decided to beat up their interpretation of the incident until it became a shuddering, election-changing media magnet. It was as though Rudd himself had claimed that the country would go commie after a Labor victory.

 Those of you who are based in Australia would no doubt have found this issue impossible to dodge in the mainstream media. For those who have been living overseas, or under a rock, during the past week, here’s a link to Price’s take on the encounter:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22696103-5007146,00.html

So what do you all think? Did Garrett just pick the wrong audience for his attempt at making light of the “me too” suggestion, or could it be that “the Price is right”?

John howard was recently caught using the following gesture towards Kevin Rudd. He may claim that he was rubbing his nose or even pushing his glasses up, we however know the truth.