The campaign for the Federal seat of Gippsland is off and running at a funereal pace, which is apt considering the photo of the Nationals’ candidate, Darren Chester, on the roadside billboards along the Princes Highway makes him look like a humourless undertaker. Actually, the more one thinks about it, his image looks like a mug shot on a Wanted Poster.
Like him or not, Chester is a “hottie” — the favourite, that is, not a s-x symbol. He could continually put his foot in his mouth and still win thanks to the rural rump. Many in the Nationals believe if he is the best they have to offer, the future is not in safe hands.
The Liberal Party’s candidate, the photogenic Rowan Fitzgerald, oozes what he or his minders think is charm, but a voter could find more engagement reading headstones at the local cemetery than watching his television advertisements. The lad hasn’t been helped by Dr Brendan Nelson’s gushing forays into the electorate which have left some male Liberal Party diehards shaking their heads in disbelief despite their women’s interest in his coiffure.
That leaves the other Darren — Darren McCubbin, the ALP candidate. In terms of ability arguably the best political brain and public speaker. Darren’s brainiac minders believe attack is the best form of defence and the ALP’s initial advertisements were appallingly inane and irrelevant, citing the Nationals’ complicity in gutting the electrical generation industry and education under the long-departed Kennett state government. The local ABC Regional Radio presenter, Gerard Callinan, interviewed the state ALP secretary about this strategy and tellingly revealed how mind-numbingly stupid this approach was, and its devisers were.
At least with his theatrical background McCubbin will be entertaining compared to the dour earnestness of Chester and Fitzgerald at candidates’ public forums. The only consistency in the whole charade is the emphasis on cheesy family photos of the candidates with their partners and children. At least they are fecund.
Everyone is playing happy families, talking families, loving families, believing in family values, acknowledging working families’ difficulties.
But Darren Chester knows the Nationals’ faithful from Tubbut to Toongabbie will hop into the ute, throw the kelpie in the back, rock up to the local hall/primary school and do what they have always done — vote National.
It’s a lay down misere for former journalist and soon to be backbencher, Darren Chester.
EAST GIPPSLAND OPINION POLL April 2002 ON ATTITUDES TOWARDS LOGGING, OF GENERAL IMPORTANCE.
Poll commissioned by CROEG [Concerned Residents of East Gippsland, now known as Environment East Gippsland] on 21st April 2002. Conducted by NCS Pearson, Market Research company. Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) conducted evenings 24th and 26th April. Results returned – 6th May. Total number polled – 400.
Error margin – 5%, or 95% confidence level.
Sampling method – random from East Gippsland post code areas.
Demographics – interviewees reflected population distribution, age and gender as close as possible (to within 3%) from the East Gippsland Shire statistical local area. 24% of interviewees were over 65 (in Orbost it was 29%) 7% of respondents worked in the logging industry
Questions
1. Do you think the RFA [Federal/State Government forest logging agreement] for East Gippsland has worked?
Yes -15%
No – 50%
2. Which do you think has greater potential for providing secure, long term jobs in East Gippsland?
Logging 29%
Tourism 59%
3. Do you think old growth native forests should be clearfell logged?
Yes 23%
No 67%
4. If there was an alternative for providing sawn timber – such as plantations, would you agree with phasing logging out of native forests?
Yes 70%
No 24%
5. Is there too much woodchipping, too little, just enough?
Too much 46%
Too little 6%
Just right 23%
On NCS Pearson
This company is an international media company with almost $11 billion in revenue. Among its customers – Department of Defence, Department of Employment, Education and Training, KPMG, McDonalds, Nestles, Red Cross and others.
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The poll was commissioned by a small East Gippsland environment group who have been campaigning for forests for the past 20 years. This shows significant support for their work.
Comments
This region is seen as a stronghold of the conservative voter – having been National Party throughout Australia’s political history.
This means there is would be no region of Victoria that wants to see logging of old growth, or that thinks logging is the main industry in their region.
Conservationist attitudes are no longer marginal or fringe, they are mainstream.
Politicians will find it difficult to sell the logging industry by saying the regions expect/need to log forests.
political history.
This means there is would be no region of Victoria that wants to see logging of old growth, or that thinks logging is the main industry in their region.
Conservationist attitudes are no longer marginal or fringe, they are mainstream.
Politicians will find it difficult to sell the logging industry by saying the regions expect/need to log forests.