Ken Smith vs Greg Hunt

I often read, and I'm amazed at the difference of opinion between Ken Smith State government representative currently in power and the speaker of the house and Greg Hunt Federal representative in opposition; in matters regarding Bass. Amazed because they are both in the liberal party!

The environment::

Ken Smith:: Climate change "agnostic"

Greg Smtih:: "Convinced" of the science.

Development Ventnor::

Ken Smith:: Happy for it to go ahead (ignoring locals)

Greg Hunt:: Actively lobbied against it.

24 Medical clinic::

Ken Smith:: From this weeks Phillip Island advertiser didn't think Phillip island needed it.

Greg Hunt:: From this weeks Phillip Island advertiser, actively meeting with locals and is fighting for a 24hr medical clinic.

It is confusing to say the least. All I can hope for is Ken Smith to retire; It would probably be best for the Liberal Party. Then maybe we can get a representative who "represents" people on Phillip Island.

Phillip Island hospital

I read in the Phillip Island and San Remo Advertiser December 15th, 2010 our local state MP say

"As far as Warley hospital 'we are not going back'"

Interesting considering I never heard him say this as explicitly during the state election campaign!

It is even stranger just prior to the federal campaign our local federal representative was in front of 'Warley' pledging money to reopen it! This was in his 'Flinders News'

My conclusion is that the liberals have to start working together and getting policy consensus.
The good news is that Mr Smith in the Advertiser is pushing for a 24 hr emergency medical facility on the island. This is a good step. My only concern is that it will be attached to Phillip Island Medical Group. PIMG the  only real option on the island, where even if you are a local, during holiday seasons you can't make an appointment, you have to ring up that morning and there is no bulk billing.

Bass, Ken Smith, Victorian Election 2010

Image via Wikipedia

It was a bit of a surprise to me that our local liberal Ken Smith is going to be the speaker of the next parliament in Victoria.

Although it was a bit a disappointment that he is rather phobic to technology.  From the ABC::

Mr Smith was firm when asked if he would like to see a crackdown on MPs using Facebook and Twitter while in the Parliament.
"Yeah I would," he said.

Com'on Ken, get with it, like you colleagues Greg Hunt who also represents us federally, dripping us with his pearls of wisdom and government stuff ups (A bit predictable really). Occasionaly revealing that he is a human ::

Thank you @latikabourke and others for birthday wishes. Big thank you to my wife for the chocolate cake delivered here. Staff v. happy too!

So Ken, let a few tweets through, just to see that you lot are working and are human....

Victoiran Election:: Bass a political backwater

I've never lived in an area where services and infrastructure are so poor. I've written about the health issues on Phillip Island before::

It would be the largest town in the state without a proper medial coverage.
(Phillip Island has a population 7000,  in 2001, Wanthaggi has a hospital 6500 in 2001, Koorumbura a population 4500 has a hospital. In summer the population can be 50000 with all the tourists).

It makes me wonder why this is the case and one of the answers that seems to come up is that we live in a liberal strong hold. The liberals are the only one who make any promises of any infrastructure because labour has given up on these sort of seats.  I don't blame labour either. Why would you set aside any money for a region if you don't get any return.
When I lived in Bendigo,  a swinging seat, there where always new things on the go. A new police station, a new hospital. Money was promised everywhere from both sides of politics.

The other odd thing about Phillip Island is that the population estimates are 40,000 to 60,000 in Summer. Been conservative the council rates would be for 30,000 people. Yet the infrastructure is on barely for 10,000 people.

So In many ways I see the only way to get out of the rut that the electorates of Bass and Flinders is in is to get an independent or at least for the Labour vote to get to a whisker of winning.

Here is my short list of infurstucture which needs to take place::

Better medical system::
Hospital with at least a medical/surgical emergency ward
A bulk billing GP clinic that is opened at least 5 days a week
Secondary College
Gass on the island
Swimming pool. (We have the Ocean but no where to teach kids to swim)

Related articles

• Vic opposition outbids govt on hospital (news.theage.com.au)

Victorian Election 2010 :: Where do you live?

I've got to say this is a big one for me. I totally believe if a candidate is to represent you properly they need to live in the electorate. From the ABC::

An ABC survey has found Victorian Premier John Brumby and more than half of his Cabinet do not live in the electorates which they will be contesting on November 27.

Fourteen other Labor MPs also live outside their electorates - some of whom live on the opposite side of Melbourne to their seats.

About the Greens and the Coalition ::

All but two Coalition and all Green MPs live in their electorates.

How does the candidate know how public transport is running? What is the local driving conditions? The state of health care, could they get care quickly? Crime in the area?
They wouldn't it would be just told to them second hand.
I feel Labour is getting a bit complacent on this, it happened to us in the Federal Election in our electorate in Flinders as well...

Related articles

• Labor is getting desperate: Bob Brown (news.theage.com.au)
• Late Lib scratching in race to govern Vic (news.theage.com.au)

politics and compromise

The government started the ball rolling with starting a committee on Climate change. The coalition where given a spot and the the shadow environment minisiter, my representative in Flinders Greg Hunt ruled it out:: From the SMH

The federal opposition has ruled out joining Prime Minister Julia Gillard's climate change committee, calling the idea "repugnant" and possibly in breach of the parliamentary committee act.
Coalition climate action spokesman Greg Hunt rejected yesterday's offer by Ms Gillard to join the multi-party committee because, he said, it required a preordained belief in carbon trading and would cause electricity prices to rise.
"The Australian Labor Party went to this election with the bedrock, fundamental pledge to the Australian people that they would not have a carbon tax," Mr Hunt told reporters yesterday.
"This committee is repugnant because it has a test that someone must sign up to a preordained outcome.
"I am not aware, and we are not aware, of any such belief-test on a parliamentary committee in the past 110 years.
"That appears to be in breach of the Parliamentary Committee Act."
One of the committee's terms of reference is to consider mechanisms for introducing a carbon price, either through a broadly based emissions trading scheme, a carbon levy or a mixture of both.

What I find frustrating in politics is opposition for oppositions sake. Hunt just seems to be toeing Tony Abbotts line.


The ABC 's"The Drum" pointed this about Hunt::

Hunt himself has bitten the bullet. His intellectual position is in favour of a carbon tax. We know this because he was one of the fiercest advocates of Turnbull's position when Malcolm was Liberal leader.

What I find frustrating about Hunt is that he is a smart. I actually think out of all the heads in government he probably is the best environmental minister there could be. My issues is he is going to play the Tony Abbott line.
So what is the best for Australia? Putting the best man for the job into power only to be muzzeled by Tony Abbott?
Politics and compromises. Maybe ever moral compromises...

Election 2010:: leaflets

It seems that labor has forgoten us in Flinders::

no leaflets at all from labor in Cowes
1 leaflets from 'The other' Bob Brown, Greens
4 leaflets from Liberal Greg Hunt

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Election 2010:: Broadband policy

Steven Conroy and Tony Smith both debated the broadband policy yesterday. The Transcript can be seen on the ABC.

After reading it all I can write is that I feel sorry for Tony Smith. He's trying to sell a lemon why Conroy has got the juicy juicy mango. Obviously the only thing Smith can say is that it is cheaper.

I got my hands on the Coalitions broadband policy (Thanks to Greg Hunt who got back me, three cheers!) 
My main concern is that I don't actually know how this Coalition policy will affect me.
While in the Labours policy Bass has already been identified and will be one of the first to get in Victoria to get the NBN.

I'm actually not all that concerned by the money. Sometimes I believe the government needs to invest where the private sector wont. I also believe that the government when it get around to selling it will make a handsome profit.

The other thing is that I actually believe that it will benefit Australia having this infrastructure.

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• Abbott struggles with broadband basics (news.theage.com.au)
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Election 2010 :: Greg Hunt, down....

I took this picture on the corner of Church St and Thompson Avenue in Cowes. The sign is a picture of Greg Hunt the local liberal representative, fallen down with a bit of excrement on it (Bottom left).

It now blends in well with the empty block of land, fallen, wrecked: that block has been an eye sore for years.

When I first saw it I wondered how long it would be standing, considering it's prominence.

Not that long.

By the way no reply to my email from Greg...

Election 2010:: An email to Mr Hunt

I sent off an email to Mr Greg Hunt our sitting member for Flinders. Its pretty self explanatory::

Hey Greg,

I don't know if you have read this but this, came from the "Bass Coast", "Coastal winter/spring" from our Council. Page 10.

There has been much talk lately about the Federal Governments National Broadband Network rollout.
Bass Coast was identified as one of six locations Australia wide to receive the first installation of fibre-optic cable under the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program.
A company called Nextgen won the national tender and in conjunction with Visonstream plan to lay the cable in the South-West Gippsland section in the second half of 2010. Most of the cable will be attached to the existing power pole infrastructure.
Cable is currently being laid by a different company along the desalination pipeline route. When joined with the Nextgen cable, this will create a loop throughout south-west Gippsland
A host of other companies called third-party providers, mainly internet service providers (ISPs) and telcos, will sign up individual residential and commercial customers....

Just wondering will these plans be scrapped with the a Coalition government?
Sorry to be a pain on this but I couldn't actually understand how with the Coalitions Communications policy release how it would affect us in Cowes.

All the best

Scott

I'm struggling to believe that the Coalitions Broadband policy is going to work in the country. The main reason is because I really don't see telco's investing in fixed line in the country. Telstra is not making money from it and I doubt they will want to invest in this area. 
The other reason is I dont think the Coalition have explained how in the country area's it will be bring us up to par with our city counter parts. Price, speed and data limits for any population greater than 5000 people in the regionals  should be competitive as it is in the City. (I just want to be on an equal par with our City counterparts. I don't care about who's policy is the fastest etc etc)

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Election 2010:: Family First's candidate in Flinders

Antony Greens blog from on the ABC has a bit more information about candidates from the electorate in Flinders.

Its good to see that Family First's candidate is a local, with experience in local government as well as environmental issues in the community.

Smith was raised on the Mornington Peninsula and joined the Victoria Police Force in 1989. During his ten years of service he was stationed in the local area and achieved the rank of Senior Constable. A Tyabb resident, Smith has served as a Counciloor on Mornington Peninsula Shire for the past eight years and works as supervisor in the Security Industry and as a Project Manager for Community Development Projects. He also works casually in the Film and Television Industry and is involved in local environment groups.

After a bit of snooping around I also found that Mr Smith attended an opening of a Buddist centre in the capacity of a councillor.

We were also very happy to be joined by Councillor Reade Smith (Mt Eliza Shire) 

A bit of a suprise considering family first is associated with been a 'Christian Party' whose roots are Pentecostal/Fundementalist.
Good on him. My respect for him has gone up a notch. 

Election 2010 :: Labor in Flinders; Oh dear....

From the Frankston Independent::

Mr Gagliano-Ventura, 21, who lists his address as Southbank, appeared to struggle when asked what he thought were the important issues for Flinders electorate.
He said the Hastings pier obviously needed some work, at which point Cr Reade Smith, who is running for Family First, pointed out the pier was being renovated by Parks Victoria.
Mr Gagliano-Ventura said there was "a footpath in Rye" that he would lobby to have built, although he could not say where in Rye it was. He said he had been involved in politics since he was a toddler, going to meetings with his mother, a single parent.

I can't help but think 'Francis' our Labor candidate has been set up. Not living in the electorate, not knowing local issues. Its a real shame. You can't help think that the Labor party couldn't give a stuff in Flinders.   

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Election 2010 :: electionleaflet

Great tip for the upcoming election from Antony Green on the ABC::

Electionleaflets.org.au

Leaflets from electorates are uploaded so you can get a bit of a glimps at what the candidates and parties are up to, as well for a historical record.

For my electorate of Flinders ::

Greg Hunt is the only person with any material

"Working hard for our coasts"
and
"Greg Hunt MP"

Good to see local issues are addressed :: Hospital at Phillip Island, aquatic center at Phillip Island, and the Car Ferry at Cowes front beach.

Now where are the Greens or Labor's local policies???

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Election 2010 :: Flinders Labor's Candidate

The Labor party now has some information on its site about its Candidate for Flinders Francis Ventnor.

 Francis Ventura is part of Julia Gillard’s team.
 

• Funding 1,000 new nurse training positions every year
• Providing 1,300 new GPs qualified or in training by 2013
• Delivering over 700 new Trade Training Centres for schools
• Increasing hospital funding by 50%.

For me this is no incentive to vote for this guy.
What does he think of local issues!

Election 2010: What is happening in Flinders

After been in other electorates which are marginal I'm amazed at the lack lustre performance by candidates in Flinders . I've not received any information from any of the candidates regarding how if their government would affect local issues!

What is alarming is the Labor candidate. All that I can gather is from Anthony Green's site on the ABC 

Mr Ventura is a Youth Ambassador with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and was previously a Youth Reference Group Member on the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVIC).

There's not much information on Mr Venturas blog. Any content has mysteriously disappeared including his opinion on the Australian Flag, I actually thought his stuff on the Human Rights was really good. Its a pity to see it down.

As a voter there are numerous questions which I think are important for the Mr Ventura the local Labour candidate.

Does he live here or at Melbourne University?
Dose he know local issues? The car ferry at Cowes for example?

At this stage I'm highly sceptical.

Lets see what the next few weeks brings....

Election 2010 :: Flinders Crash!

I was suprised to read that Adrian Schonfelder the Labour Candidate for Flinders was involved in a car crash and now the party has endorsed Francis Ventura!

From the ABC::

Earlier this week Mr Schonfelder was forced to withdraw comments he made linking Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's policies to people committing suicide.
He apologised for saying Mr Abbott's conservative religious views were "influencing people to take their own lives".
Prime Minister Julia Gillard was then urged to disendorse the candidate.

The Car crash unfortunately has made it easier for Juila...

election 2010:: Things that matter

Living in Phillip Island their are certain things which I belive the are important and should be addressed by the political powers that be.

Greg Hunt sitting liberal member is off and running. He has sent through some stuff in the mail
Adrian Schonfelder for Labour, heard nothing
Robert Brown for the Greens, heard nothing

Here is my selfish list for the election

Health:: Phillip Island. A population that fluctuate between 7-60k people. It needs some sort of 24hr medical emergency centre. Good health care for all.
Telecomunication:: Only one way to get fixed broad band, Telstra. This is not good enough.
Education:: Closest public secondary school is Wonthagi rumours of somthing at Anderson.
Environment:: As a person who is interested in getting Solar it will be interesting what the policys will be. It ranks pretty highly for me. Protecting our environment for generations to come. I also believe that Australian reliance on foreign domestic oil should be curbed for of a more green alternative.
Roads:: The Car ferry is a big issue here. I don't think the majority object to the idea. Just the current location it is planned for.
Foreign affairs :: Need to get out of Afghanistan.
Good financial management:: enough said, keep interest rates low, I've got a mortgage.

Closer to the election I'll see how the candidates line up with me election wish list.

Election 2010 :: Labours Enviromental policy

Rumours today of Labours environmental policy,  as reported by the ABC

A re-elected Labor government would ask a new "citizens' assembly" for climate change advice, under a key part of the ALP's new climate change policy set to be launched by Prime Minister Julia Gillard today.

I cannot but agree with Mr Greg Hunt our local man at Flinders who said

 Julia Gillard's proposed "citizens assembly" will fail to produce action.

The problem I see with it is that their is no actual leadership in a citizens assembly. I would rather vote for an environmental plan than somthing that 'might' happen. It's just to wishy washy for me.

The only person talking any sence in Malcolm Turnbull

"The Coalition's policy is not the ideal from my point of view I grant you that, I'd like to see a market-based solution, but I'll tell you this, it does have the potential to meet the emissions reductions targets by 2020," he said.
"The real question is the policy. Everyone knows where I stand, I've stuck to my principles on it. But the fact is, we have got a policy, Labor has nothing."

I think he is right. Labor has nothing!

Flinders Labour Candidate makes the news...

One of our local candidates in Flinders made the National News! 

Adrian Schonfelder is running for Labor in the safe Liberal-held Victorian seat of Flinders.
He has told a local newspaper that Mr Abbott's conservative religious views are "influencing people to take their own lives".
He singled out the Opposition Leader's religious views on sex before marriage and abortion.
Mr Schonfelder has since been forced to issue a retraction, saying he regrets any offence caused by the remarks.

Bit of a worry really...

Election 2010

"Game On", as Julia whispered to Tony Abbot, in the last sitting parliament

Well I'll go with the polls and predict this one early and give it to Julia. There have been few good political poles which have not predicted the outcome of elections in the last decade.

But I'll follow along closely. My source like '07 Antony Green on the ABC::

Now what I've found interesting is the electorate which I'm in Flinders and the canditidates. Again from the ABC

The sitting member is Liberal, Mr Greg Hunt

He has been the Opposition spokesman on Climate Change since 2007, a position he is well qualified for, having completed a thesis on whether greenhouse gases are best reduced by taxes, trading rights or regulation.

It would be interesting what he really thought about the 'Carbon Tax' would he have voted for the the tax under the liberal last leader Mr Turnbull.... At this stage I think he would just say the party line. Politician talk.

Adrian Schonfelder for Labour

He was a member of the Liberal Party before joining Labor in 2003.

Interesting!

And the Greens, Robert Brown

...his credits include co-writing 'Give Me a Home Among the Gumtrees' with John Williamson.

 What more credentials do you need, perfect.