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Felix MacNeill's avatar

I've been actively engaged in Australian politics for fifty years, and I've seen some pretty low things in that time (very predominantly from the Coalition) but I can remember nothing as contemptible, cynical and cruel as the Voice campaign.

Up until then, I accepted it was a case of all being fair in love and war (so to speak) but this was so far beyond the moral pale that I hope the Coalition collapses and their members rot.

Time to turn their own idiotic slogan back on their own idiocy: "If you don't know, vote No".

And I must say I also take pride in the fact that the Atlas-network-aligned AD Vance (they misspell it as Advance) is especially targeting The Greens - a badge of honour and an endorsement if ever I saw one!

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Sue Barrett's avatar

Felix, I couldn't agree more.

I ran and lead the 16 week ground game for the Goldstein for Yes campaign here in Melbourne in 2023 with a non partisan group formed of Team Zoe, Greens, Labor and others; a great team of about 500 volunteers.

We managed to get Goldstein to Vote YES because of this ground game and it would have been a NO if we hadn't engaged human to human.

Most of the people we met were good natured and grateful for our work. However, some of the dreadful people we encountered - few in number - were an example of where the coalition has gone - uncaring, mean, entitled and lacking in imagination and vision...

Thank you for your note and yes the Atlas Network has a lot to answer for which is why we have to show up and keep doing the work of participative democracy.

Here's to a better future where we outnumber and out vote those morally disengaged people we refer to.

Onward we press.

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Felix MacNeill's avatar

Indeed! At least now they are visible and we can and must turn visible into exposed!

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Sue Barrett's avatar

Indeed. A lot of people are completely oblivious to the dark forces who are tricking them

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Andrew Whalan's avatar

The Voice referendum would stand as the most lies I’ve ever encountered in watching politics.

The opposition claims were outrageous. The fringe parties even more so : “we’ll be take over by the United Nations”, etc.

And the opposition promised : in their arguments against the Voice that there must be a better way forward, Voices for the states, another referendum, which were set aside in absolute silence by them after the No victory.

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GAIL.BRADLEY228@GMAIL.COM's avatar

Yeah, just yeah. You want to believe most Australians are seeing through this.

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Julian Keil's avatar

Nailed it Sue!

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Sue Barrett's avatar

Thanks Julian. It just had to be called out for what it is. Onward we press.

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John Laurie's avatar

I think you have got it in part. Many people know they were sucked in by the negative Voice campaign. However, Dutton’s stuffups with policy: WFH; 40,000 sackings; deporting criminals etc. haven’t helped. But the pachyderm in the room is Trump. Some of Dutton’s policies are so redolent of those of Trump, that the chaos and bastardry in the US is making many people here think: Strewth! No way!

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Elizabeth Chandler's avatar

Spot on 🎯 We have heard it ALL before . The emptiness is a vile insult to this nation. It calls to mind the famous image of the hot air balloon that crashed and burned . As if the Liberal Party isn’t insulting enough , the Nats are worse. Public Interest ZERO. I suspect there could well be record numbers of prepoll voting. Anyone who has been paying attention has had enough of their rubbish.

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Michael Charles Auty's avatar

Unfortunately the electorate in this country votes people Out, not In, if Dutton gets In it will only be on the back of our voting against ALP .... and still, no mention in the mainstream press about the LNP and their 'commitment' to Christian nationalist credo....

*crickets*

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James Wilkes's avatar

As an expat looking to return….what a relief. 😁👍

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Andrew Whalan's avatar

With respect this strategy is as old as the reds under the bed one. The conservatives do favour the insult-a-torn model of politics. But at least they had policies. Under Morrison (twice), and now Dutton they expect to be elected by bagging the ALP and offering nothing substantive in return. And yes it worked under Trump, until of course it didn’t.

Although in Dutton’s defence he has been outed as policy less before.

Before he became Health Minister and introduced the co payment, he did what was styled as headline speeches about Health.

Why? Because he had no policy previously. And sadly the media haven’t called it out before.

Why? Because they treat politics as a horse race. And if one side is grey rocking the other, the other side is inevitably scrutinised.

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