Comments on: Day 15: Candidates announced

By: Judy

Judy — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:01:04 +0000

Hi
Where can i find information about preference votes?

By: John Humphreys

John Humphreys — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 02:39:03 +0000

The only way you could call LDP “severe” libertarian is if are new to the word “libertarian”.

By severe I assume you mean radical. A radical libertarian party would be like the US Libertarian Party or the NZ Libertarianz party, which both believe in basically getting rid of all government except military and police. In contrast, the LDP is actually “moderate” libertarian in simply calling for the slow reduction in some areas of government intervention.

An easier way to explain the LDP might be “Hong Kong economic policies with Dutch social policies”.

By: David Leyonhjelm

David Leyonhjelm — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:50:14 +0000

The LDP has been around for the last few years, standing on a platform of severe libertarianism, combining very liberal social policies with neoliberal economics, opposition to environmental protection and support for gun rights.

This sentence betrays serious ignorance. There is no such thing as “severe” libertarianism, while “neoliberalism” is primarily a pigment of Kevin Rudd’s fevered imagination.

The Liberal Democratic Party is based on classical liberal principles, known as libertarian in the US. It is neither left wing nor right wing, but supports low taxes, free enterprise and civil rights. Civil rights include the right to own a gun. And it is not opposed to environmental protection, it just believes this does not require government ownership and lots of rules and public servants.

By: Kay

Kay — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:14:44 +0000

I think the state of the economy and fall in employment for higher-paid workers has something to do with the smaller number of candidates fielded. On the other hand- you would think the Liberals might have been saturating the hustings with people because they are perceived as having a chance of actually ousting Labour after only one term. What’s wrong with them? It’s almost as though Liberal are not EXPECTING to quite get over the line with Abbott leading…

By: Sam Bauers

Sam Bauers — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 03:09:09 +0000

I think that may say more about Dani Ecuyer’s profile than it does about the donkey vote.

By: Nick C

Nick C — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:36:40 +0000

Yeah, there is some research. I think it varies depending on the electorate, usually in the 0.5 – 1% range.

It doesn’t always have much impact, Dani Ecuyer in Wentworth in 2007 only got 0.88% despite her profile and the benefit of the donkey vote.

By: Sam Bauers

Sam Bauers — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:31:26 +0000

Adam Bandt is going to get the benefit of the donkey vote in Melbourne. What is the value of the donkey anyway? There is some research into it I’m sure. Worth maybe half a percentage point?