It’s now precisely three years since John Howard called the 2004 election. The 2007 election hasn’t been called yet, but you could be forgiven for thinking that we’re hitting the polling booths in days given the enormous campaigning efforts of our pollies.
It’s been a tiresome year of big spending, small targeting, public schmoozing, marginal pandering and party propaganda. Here’s a Crikey rundown of the non-election election campaign so far:
Baby kissing:
(photos courtesy of The Age)
TV Advertising:
Labor
- Kevin Rudd Australia Day advertisement– 24 January, 2007
- Asleep on Climate Change– 16 July, 2007
- Kevin Rudd: economic conservative– 26 July, 2007
- Who will Howard blame for the next interest rate rise?– 9 August, 2007
- What do you think about nuclear power?– 24 August, 2007
- Watch all Labor’s YouTube addresses here.
Coalition
- Workplace reform myths – 15 July, 2007
- Labor can’t manage money– 5 August, 2007
- Watch all Howard’s YouTube addresses here.
- John Howard has also released weekly podcasts since 17 September, 2006.
Policy Releases:
There has been no shortage of policy announcements from both camps (though there is perhaps a shortage of difference between the policies)
- Climate Change
- Health Care
- Indigenous affairs
- Federal-state relations
- Housing affordability
- Uranium
- Broadband
- Schools
- Forests
Pork Barrelling:
The Coalition has been out promising all sorts of swinging-vote sweeteners in recent months, and Crikey’s Richard Farmer has tracked them all in the ” Grass roots gravy train“.
Combined, current proposals amount to more than $7 billion.
See the full rundown here.
Check your letterbox for literature:
Both parties have commissioned their own workplace reforms pamphlets. And Labor Candidates have started distributing fliers that outline the “10 things Labor will do in Government” for climate change. Michael Danby, ALP member for Melbourne Ports has been leaving envelopes in letterboxes with the words ‘Kevin Rudd’ plastered across them, and Treasurer Peter Costello has been ignoring the No Junk Mail sign for months by sending out all sorts of announcements.
Email us the stuff that’s landed in your mailbox, or any other tell tale signs of the great non-election to boss@crikey.com.au or submit them anonymously here.
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