Fair enough mate, I didn't know the difference, no offence.

I love Aussie-made - I agree with you, the quality is amazing but sadly most of it is in the past now. I've been derided on this board for driving a Falcon ute but it's tough as nails and very cheap to fix. I have a pair of Rossi boots that cost more than foreign made but they're still going strong years after I bought them. The very best woollen blankets are still Onkaparainga, we have a few sets of those that are still in great condition keeping us warm each winter decades after the mills here in South Australia closed - not disposable rubbish, made to last a lifetime (and more).

The problem is our own government stabbed Aussie manufacturing in the back because there was a quick buck to be made - I remember years ago when we still had a car industry the ACCC directed governments at all levels NOT to discriminate in favour of Australian made cars when doing fleet purchases because it was against competition policy. I mean - for God's sake, can you imagine any other country directing government purchasing AWAY from local manufacturing?

The level playing field was a total fallacy - Aussie workers were sold out. These politicians on both sides don't give a damn - it's not their kids who are left with rubbish 'service industry' jobs.

Fair enough mate, I didn't know the difference, no offence.

I love Aussie-made - I agree with you, the quality is amazing but sadly most of it is in the past now. I've been derided on this board for driving a Falcon ute but it's tough as nails and very cheap to fix. I have a pair of Rossi boots that cost more than foreign made but they're still going strong years after I bought them. The very best woollen blankets are still Onkaparainga, we have a few sets of those that are still in great condition keeping us warm each winter decades after the mills here in South Australia closed - not disposable rubbish, made to last a lifetime (and more).

The problem is our own government stabbed Aussie manufacturing in the back because there was a quick buck to be made - I remember years ago when we still had a car industry the ACCC directed governments at all levels NOT to discriminate in favour of Australian made cars when doing fleet purchases because it was against competition policy. I mean - for God's sake, can you imagine any other country directing government purchasing AWAY from local manufacturing?

The level playing field was a total fallacy - Aussie workers were sold out. These politicians on both sides don't give a damn - it's not their kids who are left with rubbish 'service industry' jobs.

This point we agree firmly on, yep, Govts have sold us up the river on having things made overseas, no wonder the cost seems to blow out when things come here and they are not made properly, however, I would love to see more things made and built out here, it would be a lot cheaper in the long run, I think so anyway.

With a week to go, I’m prepared to call a labor majority victory. Here’s why.
The polls.
A continuing shortening of odds, indicating a labor win.
A sheer desperate attempt from Morrison admitting he needs to change. He won’t.
Speers not interrupting the opposition leader during an interview on Insiders. Conversely speaking over the treasurer.

Will revisit on Saturday night/Sunday morning. And begrudgingly eat humble pie if necessary.

Fair enough mate, I didn't know the difference, no offence.

I love Aussie-made - I agree with you, the quality is amazing but sadly most of it is in the past now. I've been derided on this board for driving a Falcon ute but it's tough as nails and very cheap to fix. I have a pair of Rossi boots that cost more than foreign made but they're still going strong years after I bought them. The very best woollen blankets are still Onkaparainga, we have a few sets of those that are still in great condition keeping us warm each winter decades after the mills here in South Australia closed - not disposable rubbish, made to last a lifetime (and more).

The problem is our own government stabbed Aussie manufacturing in the back because there was a quick buck to be made - I remember years ago when we still had a car industry the ACCC directed governments at all levels NOT to discriminate in favour of Australian made cars when doing fleet purchases because it was against competition policy. I mean - for God's sake, can you imagine any other country directing government purchasing AWAY from local manufacturing?

The level playing field was a total fallacy - Aussie workers were sold out. These politicians on both sides don't give a damn - it's not their kids who are left with rubbish 'service industry' jobs.

This point we agree firmly on, yep, Govts have sold us up the river on having things made overseas, no wonder the cost seems to blow out when things come here and they are not made properly, however, I would love to see more things made and built out here, it would be a lot cheaper in the long run, I think so anyway.

IIRC, Gladys stated we can’t build trains here.

The state of the election in the Melbourne seat of Kooyong.

This point we agree firmly on, yep, Govts have sold us up the river on having things made overseas, no wonder the cost seems to blow out when things come here and they are not made properly, however, I would love to see more things made and built out here, it would be a lot cheaper in the long run, I think so anyway.

It was done on purpose with the so-called Labor Party leading the charge - that's why it makes me want to puke every time I hear Albo lie on those adverts saying he wants to "make more things here". There's no substance whatsoever behind that statement, they know full well it's a lie designed to appease the under-employed working class but they don't care. Event the most basic things like building materials have gone off-shore in the last ten to fifteen years, we even import house-bricks from the United States or Asia now because it's cheaper than making them here.

Believe it or not it was the LNP that built and kept the tariff wall keeping manufacturing here for all those decades up until Whitlam's unilateral scaling back - in fact long time National Party leader Jack McEwan repeatedly railed against any dismantling of protection saying that Australia had been hopelessly prepared for the Japanese onslaught in WWII and that keeping Australia independent of imported goods (especially heavy manufacturing) was a critical security issue.

His greatest fear has come to pass, we couldn't last a month without access to refineries in Singapore and Indonesia, let alone make consumer goods or heavy machinery.

The state of the election in the Melbourne seat of Kooyong.

(pic)

Looks like that seat is turning into a nice little earner for Railpage as well:

I'm a bit concerned that our incoming Deputy PM Richard Marles is a Chinese operative.

He delivered a speech while visiting Beijing in 2019 that praised China's human rights record (?) and he's been to the Chinese Embassy more times than the Shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong. On one of those visits he gave a copy of a speech that he made to the Chinese to make sure there was nothing that would offend them in it BEFORE he gave it.

The ALP is just too soft on the Chinese Communist Party. What's the bet we have a federal Belt and Road agreement with Chinese money flowing into this country under an Albanese government? I also wonder if the defence pact AUKUS will be scrapped when Labor gets into office.

I also wonder if the defence pact AUKUS will be scrapped when Labor gets into office.

Nah, he will do the diplomatic thing to repair the French friendship and invite them to join.

It will be FAUKUS

The election may not be over just yet, polls are saying a huge Labor win,  jaddda jaddda blah blah blah...., they said that last time, what happened??

Polling done by the Laidaw Group says that Kristina Keneally isn't going to come anywhere near winning the western Sydney seat of Fowler because she isn't liked by the electorate. It points to the popularity of independent Dai Le as a factor that's holding Keneally back.

Personally I always thought it was a risk to put a failed former NSW Premier into a seat she lived nowhere near and didn't have the least bit of interest in - there's a stark divide between the western suburbs and the rest of Sydney and the Westies just didn't warm to her. We'll get to find out on the weekend whether that's true or not anyway...

Reminiscent of when Labor tried to parachute Cheryl Kernot into Dickson QLD and it didn't really work.

Polling done by the Laidaw Group says that Kristina Keneally isn't going to come anywhere near winning the western Sydney seat of Fowler because she isn't liked by the electorate. It points to the popularity of independent Dai Le as a factor that's holding Keneally back.

Personally I always thought it was a risk to put a failed former NSW Premier into a seat she lived nowhere near and didn't have the least bit of interest in - there's a stark divide between the western suburbs and the rest of Sydney and the Westies just didn't warm to her. We'll get to find out on the weekend whether that's true or not anyway...

Reminiscent of when Labor tried to parachute Cheryl Kernot into Dickson QLD and it didn't really work.

Some of the Teal Independents aren't doing well in some of the electorate specific polls either.  People are slowly waking up to the fact they are Greens Candidates with similar radical social policies, and are hypocrites when it comes to climate change...

A lot can happen in 4 days.

Please NOOOOOOOO

https://t.co/VineXNQzF5 https://t.co/4ulkGKstiS" / Twitter

Some of the Teal Independents aren't doing well in some of the electorate specific polls either.  People are slowly waking up to the fact they are Greens Candidates with similar radical social policies, and are hypocrites when it comes to climate change...

A lot can happen in 4 days.

I'm going to be really interested to see what happens to the Green vote on the weekend, will the Holmes a'Court Teals take a lot of votes off them? Seems likely given they appear to be competing for the same voters. Also the Teals have refused to answer questions about foreign policy, taxation etc. because they simply don't have an answer, they don't have anything formulated not being officially centrally organised. Not a good look for a 'party' that aspires to hold the balance of power.

Also Albo refused to answer a direct question about signing on to the WHO treaty giving them powers of vaccination mandates and lock-downs over Australia. At least Morrison was honest enough to say 'yes' - even though I think that's the wrong answer at least he gave one. The media apparently wouldn't let go of Albo and he walked out on them with them chasing after - honestly, I don't think Albo has the right sort of temperament for the job. If he gets that easily spooked on the campaign trail imagine what he'll be like when has to make tough decisions?

Please NOOOOOOOO

https://t.co/VineXNQzF5 https://t.co/4ulkGKstiS" / Twitter

The Herald Sun remain obsessed in their desire to build the stupid EW-link, even to the point of using 'suggestion' to goad politicians.

Really quite pathetic tbh., especially given the project was one of the reasons behind Denis Napthine's election loss in 2014.

John Howard has been dropped into Kooyong for a visit to help Josh things but be very serious now.

The libs could now depart from Goldstien, Chisholm, Kooyong and Higgins.

John Howard has been dropped into Kooyong for a visit to help Josh things but be very serious now.

The libs could now depart from Goldstien, Chisholm, Kooyong and Higgins.

Desperation is front and centre. This bloke lost government and his seat.

The Herald Sun remain obsessed in their desire to build the stupid EW-link, even to the point of using 'suggestion' to goad politicians.

Really quite pathetic tbh., especially given the project was one of the reasons behind Denis Napthine's election loss in 2014.

I was living in Melbourne in the lead-up to the 2014 election and the Herald-Sun's shameless barracking for that dud project was nauseating. Why anyone thinks that thing is either needed or necessary is beyond me.

Desperation is front and centre. This bloke lost government and his seat.

I doubt that Higgins is at risk, I used to live in Higgins and its Liberal through and through.

Labor shadow ministers have been eulogising the death of Hawkie who died three years ago this week - needless to say I've been trolling them about his attitude to women, his own family and the working class.

Labor is poised to win three South Australian Senate seats for the first time in nearly two decades, putting the Coalition in major peril in the upper house, new polling shows.

Internal party polling obtained by The Advertiser predicts Labor will easily sweep two Senate spots with 34 per cent of the primary vote, and would be a strong chance to secure a third after preferences are divided.

With 23 per cent of the vote, the Liberals will retain Finance Minister Simon Birmingham’s spot, but Senator Andrew McLachlan is at risk of losing his seat to Labor riding the wave of Premier Peter Malinauskas’s emphatic state election victory in March.

The poll predicts Senator McLachlan would be at the mercy of at least 18 rounds of preferences.

In the Liberals’ worst case scenario, it would be left with four SA senators to Labor’s five, which would include Spark International College boss Trimann Gill.

Labor Senate leader Penny Wong said she didn’t “pay too much heed” to the polls.

“But travelling around, you get the clear sense that South Australians have figured this bloke (Scott Morrison) out,” she said.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said voters had “a lot of cynicism” about polls, and attacked Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s “fumbles and stumbles” on economic figures.

Some of the Teal Independents aren't doing well in some of the electorate specific polls either.  People are slowly waking up to the fact they are Greens Candidates with similar radical social policies, and are hypocrites when it comes to climate change...

A lot can happen in 4 days.

I'm going to be really interested to see what happens to the Green vote on the weekend, will the Holmes a'Court Teals take a lot of votes off them? Seems likely given they appear to be competing for the same voters. Also the Teals have refused to answer questions about foreign policy, taxation etc. because they simply don't have an answer, they don't have anything formulated not being officially centrally organised. Not a good look for a 'party' that aspires to hold the balance of power.

Also Albo refused to answer a direct question about signing on to the WHO treaty giving them powers of vaccination mandates and lock-downs over Australia. At least Morrison was honest enough to say 'yes' - even though I think that's the wrong answer at least he gave one. The media apparently wouldn't let go of Albo and he walked out on them with them chasing after - honestly, I don't think Albo has the right sort of temperament for the job. If he gets that easily spooked on the campaign trail imagine what he'll be like when has to make tough decisions?

If Morrison did a preference deal with UAP in coalition marginal seats or wherever else, would Morrison still sign the WHO treaty?

Call me crazy- but I really am looking forward to the election coverage this Saturday night, I will be tuning into ABC'S Coverage, (mainly because of Antony Greene, that guy is amazing!!), + I love to hear all the excuses from the panel as to why their side has not done so well.....

*Edit*, also, there are a number of possibilities that are still at play.

Your crazy, and i agree im totally looking forward to the ABC' coverage, for a Labor win and a few upsets along the way.

Some of the Teal Independents aren't doing well in some of the electorate specific polls either.  People are slowly waking up to the fact they are Greens Candidates with similar radical social policies, and are hypocrites when it comes to climate change...

A lot can happen in 4 days.

I'm going to be really interested to see what happens to the Green vote on the weekend, will the Holmes a'Court Teals take a lot of votes off them? Seems likely given they appear to be competing for the same voters. Also the Teals have refused to answer questions about foreign policy, taxation etc. because they simply don't have an answer, they don't have anything formulated not being officially centrally organised. Not a good look for a 'party' that aspires to hold the balance of power.

Also Albo refused to answer a direct question about signing on to the WHO treaty giving them powers of vaccination mandates and lock-downs over Australia. At least Morrison was honest enough to say 'yes' - even though I think that's the wrong answer at least he gave one. The media apparently wouldn't let go of Albo and he walked out on them with them chasing after - honestly, I don't think Albo has the right sort of temperament for the job. If he gets that easily spooked on the campaign trail imagine what he'll be like when has to make tough decisions?

If Morrison did a preference deal with UAP in coalition marginal seats or wherever else, would Morrison still sign the WHO treaty?

Interesting question - a minority government would throw up all sorts of possibilities. Who would do deals with who to get government? Abbott proved himself incapable of negotiating with the cross-benchers for government whereas Gillard promised them the world - I wonder if ScoMo might prove himself the better negotiator?

One of the most exciting elections for many years if I do say so myself.

After yesterday's disaster in Perth where Albo ran away from journalists asking questions about Labor's spending program and their costs, they've decided to send Shorten out today to break down the figures for the media.

Labor have somehow managed to turn this into a question about Albo's capacity to be Prime Minister - Shorten might have failed in 2019 but he didn't squib hard questions with the media, he tried to answer. Albo runs away... not a good sign.

Some of the Teal Independents aren't doing well in some of the electorate specific polls either.  People are slowly waking up to the fact they are Greens Candidates with similar radical social policies, and are hypocrites when it comes to climate change...

A lot can happen in 4 days.

I'm going to be really interested to see what happens to the Green vote on the weekend, will the Holmes a'Court Teals take a lot of votes off them? Seems likely given they appear to be competing for the same voters. Also the Teals have refused to answer questions about foreign policy, taxation etc. because they simply don't have an answer, they don't have anything formulated not being officially centrally organised. Not a good look for a 'party' that aspires to hold the balance of power.

Also Albo refused to answer a direct question about signing on to the WHO treaty giving them powers of vaccination mandates and lock-downs over Australia. At least Morrison was honest enough to say 'yes' - even though I think that's the wrong answer at least he gave one. The media apparently wouldn't let go of Albo and he walked out on them with them chasing after - honestly, I don't think Albo has the right sort of temperament for the job. If he gets that easily spooked on the campaign trail imagine what he'll be like when has to make tough decisions?

If Morrison did a preference deal with UAP in coalition marginal seats or wherever else, would Morrison still sign the WHO treaty?

Morrison would do a deal with Adam Banyt, if it meant retaining the big chair.