Victoria State Election - 2014

[ozbob]

Twitter

Aust Railway Assoc ‏@AustRail

Rail releases its public transport priorities for Victoria. http://tinyurl.com/lsobc24

[ozbob]

The Guardian -->  State politics is in trouble: five things that matter from the Victorian election

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Victorian election 2014: result likely to come down to the wire

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The pre-poll votes have been very significant, around 25%.  I suspect that those probably favour the Opposition.  The Government has certainly made ground,  achieved by aggressive high cost ' attack ' ad campaigns.

It has ' rained rail ' during the campaign.  My guess is much of will not be done for some time if ever ... (sound familiar Queensland?).

EWLink will probably stand or fall on the Council legal challenges to come. 

It is rather extraordinary that the Govt is on the wire.   I think the pre-poll votes might push the ALP/Greens over the line.

[#Metro]

Rising costs/km probably mean most of what is promised will be pushed out into the year 2090.
I expect a similar dynamic in Queensland. There's not that much the current lot seem to have done, apart from the train upgrade in January. The rest was just messing around/messing things up.

Hopefully it will rain buses here, much more likely to be delivered.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Herald Sun ‏@theheraldsun 5 hours ago

Tomorrow's front page

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Election promise: New train a month won't meet needs of growing population

[#Metro]

My bets are on Daniel Andrews winning outright. A surprise really because I wouldn't have thought he'd be able to pull it off and his public profile is not that big. HOWEVER the  laziness disease really has struck Victoria badly, same thing is happening in Queensland, the MPs can't solve anything really, silly expensive pie in the sky promises that are too expensive to keep and cost so much nobody really believes them to deliver anymore, lost in the blame the former lot (I randomly stumbled on a Vic Gov't press release while on a tour of a wholesale fruit and veg market and it had EXACTLY the same Red team this, red team that nonsense in it as QLD ones do).

Hopefully if my prediction comes true a 'lightbulb' moment will hit the current lot on the head.

Rushing to sign contracts for a superexpensive almost $20BN road project on election eve is also reckless, disrespectful and plain stupid.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow @Robert_Dow  34 minutes ago

Send ' roads only Tony ' a message. Stand firm Victoria .. STOP #EWLink #vicvotes #springst

[ozbob]

All over red rover ... ALP has won.

[#Metro]

Victoria votes 2014 live: Labor wins election
http://www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/

Lessons for the QGov here, will write something about this... they blamed the previous lot and promised lots of things they couldn't fund. Well, ultimately you will get found out!!

[red dragin]

Wow. News tonight said it might take a week for a winner.

Now that's a mandate!

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Victoria election 2014: Labor wins power as Coalition dumped after one term

[ozbob]

Hey Premier Newman, you watching this?

[pandmaster]

Wow. News tonight said it might take a week for a winner.

Now that's a mandate!

Sounds like LNP media bias to me. It did not take Antony Green too long to call it and yet the Coalition candidates interviewed would still not admit defeat.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Victoria state election 2014: Denis Napthine concedes defeat

[red dragin]

Wow. News tonight said it might take a week for a winner.

Now that's a mandate!

Sounds like LNP media bias to me. It did not take Antony Green too long to call it and yet the Coalition candidates interviewed would still not admit defeat.

Statement was from an electoral commission representative I believe. Wasn't paying 100% attention.

[ozbob]

I have been somewhat engaged with the lead up to the Vic election.   There is no doubt that Abbott has had a very negative effect in Victoria.

The indications by Abbott that any monies for road projects would be recovered if not proceeded with was seen as 'political blackmail' even if justifiable from the Feds perspective.  From that point on there was no hope for Napthine.

The Libs 'back of a coaster rail tunnel solution' was seen as a fraud as well.   

I think the Victorian result will lift the opposition parties here in Queensland.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Aust Railway Assoc ‏@AustRail

Congratulations to @DanielAndrewsMP and VIC ALP on their election win. View ARA statement here - http://www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Media%20Releases/14-11-30_Rail-congratulates-Victorian-Labor-on-election-win.pdf ...

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Victoria election 2014: Labor win a mandate to scrap East West Link project, Premier-elect says

[ozbob]

Media release 30th November 2014

Australia: Victoria election outcome confirms failure of Federal Government Infrastructure policy

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said the Abbott Government must now reverse its policy of not funding public transport.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The Prime Minister Tony Abbott called the Victoria Election a referendum on the East West Link road tunnel project (1). Well the people have spoken, they have rejected the road tunnel project."

"The Prime Minister should reflect on the election outcome and note that people want better public transport too.  We of course need roads, but not at the exclusion of public transport."

"The Andrew's Victorian Government must now get on with building better public transport for Victoria. The Abbott Government needs to respect the election outcome."

Reference:

1. Vic election referendum on EW Link: PM   http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/vic-election-referendum-on-ew-link-pm/story-fni0xqi4-1227116976197

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Twitter

Neil McMahon ‏@NeilMcMahon 2 hours ago

Tone tells Victorians he wants to push on with that big tunnel they just voted against. This media strategy is a kind of performance art.

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[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Nationals could lose party status after disastrous showing

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Victoria's vote 'a clear message to Tony Abbott'

[ozbob]

The Guardian --> How will the Victorian election result affect Tony Abbott?

Coalition's defeat has potential to frustrate Abbott's agenda to reshape federation and the tax system, while reigniting debate on transport funding  ...

... But, in a sign of an imminent battle between the two leaders over transport priorities, Abbott said the East West Link was "a vital national infrastructure project" and he was determined to do what he could to ensure it was completed.

The road project, designed to connect the city's Eastern Freeway to the Western Ring Road, was one of the major points of difference during the Victorian election campaign.

Andrews described East West Link as "a secretive, rushed and botched project" and has placed a higher priority on the Melbourne metro link.

During the campaign, Abbott cast the election as "a referendum on the East West Link" and he later wrote to Andrews warning the $3bn the federal government had committed was "only available to build the East West Link" and would not be reallocated to another project.

This reflected Abbott's position that the federal government should not fund urban public transport projects ...

[ozbob]

Twitter

James Raynes ‏@jimmyraynes 7 minutes ago

ping @J_C_Campbell #springst #vicvotes



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[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Victoria election 2014: Daniel Andrews to release East West Link documents

[STB]

Wow. News tonight said it might take a week for a winner.

Now that's a mandate!

Sounds like LNP media bias to me. It did not take Antony Green too long to call it and yet the Coalition candidates interviewed would still not admit defeat.

Statement was from an electoral commission representative I believe. Wasn't paying 100% attention.

Its easier to claim victory from opposition than it is for a seated member to claim defeat, what if there is a late change in the counting?

My prediction.
Abbott will lead to next election and the Fed LNP will win (yes, PT is not a national issue that will impact on enough votes). After 1 year, Abbott will stand aside in a deal brokered behind the scenes giving him a plum job somewhere like Ambassador to USA, UK or UN. Bishop and Hockey running the show and a more favourable PT friendly policies to follow.

As Qld election is first, Abbott will throw money at Qld in non PT direction, thus freeing the Qld budget to fund UBAT and other projects, thus avoiding the back flip.

NSW also has its 4 year fixed term election next year, but as the state LNP has previously told the feds to Fook off on infrastructure spending when it comes to rail projects, nothing will change. Maybe something again to help NSW fund the 2nd harbour rail crossing through off-set funding.

I very much doubt that Abbott will win the next election at this stage (although 2 years is a LONG time politics wise), namely at this stage he's unpopular moreso for the policies that the public in general disagree with, namely of targeting things like Medicare, Welfare and Education.  Sure Transport may not be high on the agenda of the general public, and hence won't really influence them (except perhaps in parts of Melbourne), but certainly on those other items where a lot of people are upset and in general feel that the Abbott Government is targeting the wrong people. 

And I know within my own friend base who are traditional Liberal voters, a few of them have gone off Abbott and are not impressed by those policy positions that he's trying to push through the Senate, of which I think a lot of them won't get through, especially now Lambie has gone independent of the PUP which will make it a lot harder to get really anything through the Senate that is considered detrimental to what the Senate seems to be feeling, an attack on vunerable people (particularly from the Greens, ALP and for some issues Lambie, plus depending on what PUP gets out of the negotiations, they will probably flip flop right until the next election).

NSW is a bit different, the Liberal Leader down there does seem to have his head screwed on from what I've seen and I think the only real thing that I can see going against him was the results of the ICAC inquiry.

Qld I think will either be an LNP win with a much stronger opposition with the ALP gaining quite a few Seats back, or a hung parliament.  I'm thinking the former at this stage, unless the Newman factor is enough to sway enough voters to put the LNP back onto the opposition side of the benches, which at this stage I don't think it is.  One thing is for sure, I'm quite certain that Campbell Newman will not be re-elected in his Seat of Ashgrove.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Victorian state election 2014: Tony Abbott's spinners deluding themselves

[ozbob]

Twitter

PTUA ‏@ptua 11 seconds ago

Open Letter to Tony Abbott: Your referendum is lost. Please put the $3 billion back (to rail)

http://www.ptua.org.au/2014/12/01/open-letter-to-tony-abbott/ ...

[ozbob]

http://www.ptua.org.au/2014/12/01/open-letter-to-tony-abbott/

An Open Letter to the Hon Tony Abbott MP, Prime Minister of Australia

1st December 2014

Dear Mr Abbott,

On 8 November when you visited Victoria, you declared our State election a referendum on the East West Link.

This was a statement of political reality. The East West Link was the most obvious point of difference between the two major parties contesting this election and, as you rightly stated, Victorians were aware they had a clear choice.

The Victorian public has now rendered its verdict. By a decisive majority they have elected the party that promised to cancel the East West Link contracts and not to proceed with any part of the East West Link project.

The result recognises that the East West Link will in time only add to traffic congestion. It recognises that by draining the State of funds for other transport improvements it will lead to time wasted rather than time saved. It recognises that other more worthwhile projects will create more jobs and prosperity for Victorians.

It is now incumbent on you, Mr Abbott, to honour the referendum result and return the $3 billion of Commonwealth Government funding to its original purpose.

In May 2013 the Commonwealth Government committed these funds for urgent rail capacity projects in Melbourne. Your government withdrew this commitment in order to reallocate the funds to the East West Link project, despite the Link having a conventional benefit-cost ratio of at most 80 cents in the dollar, and despite Infrastructure Australia stating the project required further assessment.

The $3 billion of Commonwealth Government funding must now be returned to support better public transport in Victoria, honouring Infrastructure Australia's recommendation in 2011 when it said the Melbourne Metro rail tunnel was 'Ready to Proceed'.

Mr Abbott, that $3 billion does not belong to you. It belongs to the people of Australia, who when asked directly at any time in the past decade, state by a clear majority that they want funding priority for public transport over new roads.

Your defunding of urban public transport, including many well-advanced projects across the country, in favour of a discredited 1960s road-building agenda is harming the health and prosperity of Australia's cities. It is making Australia a laughing stock in the eyes of the world and damaging your government's standing domestically.

The result of your 'East West Link referendum' provides you with an opportunity for honourable change.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Morton
President, Public Transport Users Association

[ozbob]

FB https://www.facebook.com/AMacTiernan/posts/10152918702717700

Alannah MacTiernan

Great result in Victoria - really tells us that in the 21st century the punters understand the need in a city to give priority to public transport projects.

Tony Abbott should now lift his fatwa on federal funding of public transport and restore the $500 million he stripped from Perth rail projects at the last budget in pursuit of his ideology.

Federal policy is being driven by his view idiosyncratic view of trains and cars. Tony Abbott: "Public transport is generally slow, expensive, not especially reliable" -the dude hasn't been to Perth!

[#Metro]

I think states need their tax powers reorganised. Federal Gov't to fund things of national importance - national rail, national roads, airports.
States to fund things within their borders
etc.

The people who know the needs best - the states - shouldn't have to go to Canberra, who knows nothing about the local need - to get money.

[ozbob]

Infrastructure Australia was working fine, till Abbott turned it into ' Roads Australia ' ...

Under the present tax set up the IA approach is one to roll with.  Until the tax set up changed not much alternative.  Abbott is going to find it a lot more difficult to change the tax setup, another state has fallen.

Abbott's days are numbered now.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Analysis: Abbott rips $3b from Victoria at his own peril

As if Tony Abbott isn't backing enough hopeless causes, he may now have added another one to his list.

Abbott declared last week that the weekend's election would be a referendum on the East West Link.

Now, in the wake of a disastrous result for the Coalition at least in part because of the road, he maintains he is determined to see the East West Link finished - no matter what.

The incoming Labor government is adamant it doesn't want the road ...

More --> http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/analysis-abbott-rips-3b-from-victoria-at-his-own-peril-20141130-11x6qk.html

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Labor campaign tweaks won over undecided Victorian voters