The Final Week Approaches

The final week of this 2010 election is almost upon us.  What will it bring?  More lack of vision, or perhaps........?

So, here we are, just a week to go,

Not a time for leaders to slacken or slow.

Its onward, upward, charge for the guns,

This week the winner must score all the runs!

The people shudder and squirm about,

Their voice unheard midst the tumult and shout.

Hopes for a future of visionary style

All fallen victim to political guile!

Yet, perhaps one ray of hope, moving forward, that fits,

Could it be fibre optics, the NBN and a hundred megabits?

Oh Sweet Ecstasy - A Double Dose of Delicious Policy!

At long, long last both the Opposition and Government put forward a couple of policies that touched on areas slightly more important than the usual pork barrelling.  I have become so excited with this strange duel development, that I may need to present two offerings for your edification and enjoyment.

Prime Minister Gillard offered a commitment to fully implement the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's water plan to assist in restoring the health of that ailing river system.

Like a long brown snake it wanders,
From the mountains to the sea;
Slowly now, without much zest,
Not the beast it used to be.

Mighty red-gums stand in fearsome struggle
So desperate to survive,
While wetlands wither and recede
Perhaps too shattered to survive.

So now we'll buy the water back, the river to restore
And keep our fingers crossed, in hope, the people they'll not ignore!

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Meanwhile, the Opposition, having previously stated their distaste for the Government's National Broadband Network, offered their alternative plan.  This was announced as "...more than $6b....".  In actual fact, it adds up to almost double at $11.8b.

Sadly for the Opposition, their Andrew Robb had a conversation on ABC's "AM" program (transcript here) many hours before their broadband policy announcement.  In part, it went like this...

"ANDREW ROBB: There is no confusion on our side of politics on this issue. We have got savings, fully costed and presented, at $28.5 billion and we have got expenditure of $25.5 billion fully costed and fully presented. 

That is a difference, over and above the costs and expenditure, of $3 billion.

LYNDAL CURTIS: And will that gap stay or are you going to commit to spending some more money during the remainder of the campaign?

ANDREW ROBB: We're committing to both spending some more- a little amount more money and also to identify more savings. So we'll give you the final figure long before the election."


That looks to me like a total spend on promises of $37.3b, which leaves a deficiency of a mere $8.8b above their stated savings.  Oh well, its only an election after all, and I wasn't very good at maths.


While I wasn't very good at maths
I could multiply and add,
Because of which I could "take away"
And at division I was quite dab.


Now,  Andrew made it very clear he had $3b left,
After adding in their savings and deducting what they spent.
This afternoon the bill went higher, for Internet you know,
Which leaves his promised surplus battered and badly dent.


So now twelve thousand workers are heading for the sack
And we get basic broadband, with the budget deficit back!

Back To The Past, Perhaps?

     There has been much discussion during today's electioneering regarding the National Broadband Network.  The government released details of enhanced plans for the roll out of the fibre optic infrastructure, together with updated maps relating to the project.  There was also repeated reminders of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's promise to dismantle the project , should he win the forthcoming election.

     Although this subject has been mentioned in these pages already, the issue is of such national importance that it is worthy of further comment.  This will probably not be the last time!

     During today's reporting, I was reminded (somehow??) of a much earlier telecommunication service.  During the 1950's, I lived with my parents and siblings in the Sydney suburb of Brighton le Sands.  We were blessed with a telephone, the number of which I have never forgotten.....

Sydney 'phone number, 1950's, LX6180;
Black baker-lite handset, pretty flash, LX6180.
"Long distance, please," calling out of town, "This is LX6180."
"What's that? Speak up!" Calling Brissie, long distance, you know.

Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter,
Google, Yahoo, Blogspot, Flikr,
Gmail, Hotmail - its email and quicker,
Phone the world - no cost - what a ripper!

Copper lines gone, fibre on the go,
Tony gets in, we're back to LX6180!

The 2010 Election - Week 1

This is the week that was!

A discourse on population became an immigration hoax,
While adding to the fear campaign over desperate folk in boats!
We heard about a deficit and the chance of growing debt,
Yet not too much of the GFC, or that it hasn't hit us, yet.
One Leader wants the NBN with web speed rated tops,
And the other will have a telephone, with calls through dear old POTS.

So, the first week ends without much ticker;
We're looking forward, but the fog is thicker.
Perhaps I'll go and just follow twitter!
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GFC - Global Financial Crises
NBN - National Broadband Network
POTS - Plain Old Telephone Service