Voters in Wentworth Electorate (Bondi Junction) have their say
By Gemma Valpiani and Annette Lin
Joseph Kosutek - Elderly citizen from the Czech Republic, lives in Centennial Park
Well frankly, I’ve always been a Liberal voter. Rudd is a nice guy but I don’t like his team, they don’t have experience. But the bookies have think that Labor is going to win and the bookies are never wrong. - GV
Chantelle Davis - 25, Castle Hill
I don’t vote, I just draw smiley faces. Politics don’t interest me but I have to turn up to vote. So I just do smiley faces in all the boxes.
Marion (Refused Surname)- Registered Nurse from Glebe
I am going to vote for Liberal because of their money management skills. I think Kevin Rudd is always in agreement with John Howard, he doesn’t seem to have any ideas of his own. I have a few misgivings about Peter Costello, there’s something about his eyes that unsettle me, but in the end, I’d support him. I’ve voted Liberal on every occasion. - GV
James Smith - 22, Liverpool (Not his real name)
I don’t care about the election as long as John Howard doesn’t get in. Yeah, don’t care, maybe I’ll vote for the Shooters or something. Howard just talks a lot of shit. He just follows America, like we didn’t need to go to Iraq and all that. - GV
Philip Patterson - Elderly citizen from Surry Hills
I’ve met Rudd once before but I don’t like what the Labor Party is these days. It’s not like back in the good old days with Chifley and them. I’m actually going to a Labor Party conference tonight, at the Surrey Hills Branch. I don’t really like what the Labor Party stands for at the moment but it’s better than the mob we’ve got in now.
On Peter Garret: I don’t like the man; I think he’s a traitor.
On Uranium: If they didn’t buy it from us then they’d buy it from Canada anyway. That’s not official Labor policy but it’s my policy.
Issues of concern: I think the health system and aged care is really shocking. Something has to be done about that before it’s too late. - GV
Ana Ringma- 18, Tamarama
I’m going to vote for the Greens because I don’t like the way the country is being run and their environmental policy. Most of my friends go for Liberal because that’s the way they’ve been bought up but my parents are hippies. This is my first election and I’m all ready and enrolled to vote. - GV
Ned Kobeissi - 19, Glebe
I don’t know who I’m going to vote for yet. To tell you the truth I’m probably going to vote Labor because my family is but I’d never let my friends influence my decision. - GV
Art Stolz - Middle aged man from Randwick (been moved out of Wentworth because of redistribution).
I’m very biased you see. I’m sick of the bastard. For starters, I just don’t trust him anymore. It’s really time for a change. I’m worried about how Labor is going to handle the economy but I think the others deserve a chance. I’m a little upset about Peter Garret’s decision on the pulp mill but Malcolm Turnbull has definitely been given the wrong portfolio. - GV
Kelvin (Refused to give last name or address)
I think that everybody has been duped. I’m not going to give the politicians the time of day by giving them a vote. See it’s all a joke, the Government is just one big corporation, the Australian Government is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. See I’m not sure if I’m going to vote for the Greens or something like that. It depends on the day and if I can be fucked or not. - GV
Bella - 63, from Rose Bay
I’d be voting Liberal – the economy’s fantastic. I think they have the strength to run the country. The unions would worry me. And if you went right down to it, Labor’s policies are not thought through, and aren’t necessarily workable. He’s not sincere.
Issues: Well, I mean hospitals. The State and Federal governments are equally to blame. Crime is on the increase, sentences are too lenient. What about the tax cuts that were recently announced? The tax cuts are fine, they’ve been having surplus for the last few years. Unemployment’s never been better.
John Howard also cuts a good figure with international ministers. He really believes in what he’s saying, and he’s willing to stick his neck out. I mean, I know it was a bit controversial about going into Afghanistan but at least he’s doing something, somebody needs to put effort into stopping it. - AL
Emmanuel Adjei - 26
There are two nerds – one young, one old. Who do you think I’m going to vote for? The young one! We need change. Change brings difference. Difference is very important. We don’t know what is going to happen, but we won’t know till we get there. We need John Howard to retire. Need some young blood. We get the young one in, he’ll be elected for eight years, then we’ll dump him. - AL
Richard Lawrence - 25
Labor will bring about change. The Labor government is more influenced by the people. The government is you and me and everybody else. I don’t like the approach John Howard has taken, it’s too economic, we need to look at deeper issues.
Which government is going to instil a sense of community back into us?
What about the environment, and Peter Garrett’s support of the Gunn mill?
He used to be president of the Australian Conservation Foundation, but now I think he’s just doing it (changing his stance on the Gunn mill issue) to get elected. It’ll be interesting. - AL
George Mellas -41, owner of a florist on Oxford Street
Issues: There’s a little bit of disappointment over that Tasmanian (mill) issue. I know what they’re doing, but yeah. To me, what’s going on is up to the people there. It doesn’t affect me.
What are you looking for?: Honesty more than anything. You need to stick to your guns. Why promise if you won’t do anything?
How about the announcement to include Aborigines in the constitution?: Personally, I think we should’ve done it years ago. Why now, I don’t know. - AL
Ken Tadakano - 28
I wish Kevin Rudd would win. John Howard’s been around a long time. If John Howard stayed, it won’t be changed, but who knows?
Issues: John Howard is homophobic. I don’t think gay marriage should be legal, it isn’t in so many countries, but maybe it should be a bit better. HIV as well. People who try to apply for permanent residency – it’s very strict but it’s getting better.
What about the Australian values test for citizenship?: I’m not sure. First, let those who are already Australian citizens, let them do the test. If many people fail, they have to stop. If it’s a really hard test, it’s not a good idea. Why do they expect migrants to do it? It hurts people who are trying to become citizens. It’s like they don’t want people to come here, it’s racist. It’s not welcoming. - AL
Vlaudin Vega - Darlinghurst
One of the things I’m really concerned about is Labor’s attitude towards the trade union movement. There is no question that the Labor party was created by the trade union movement, and to aid and support the condition of the working class. It’s very sad to see Rudd’s attitude towards them. Our standards of living condition, all the conditions we fought for, none of them were handed out by the ruling class or employees. The majority of people ought to vote for the Greens. Even though their preferences are going to the Labor party, it’s a message to the Labor party, a wake-up call. As Bob Brown said, ‘no environment, no economy’. In my personal opinion – everyone’s talking about the economy, economy, blah blah blah. Nobody talks about the condition of the workers. How the Australian people are suffering - houses are being repossessed, we live in a society that always talks about the economy. The government ought to be pro-human. It’s so sad. The Australian idea of a ‘fair go’ and ‘he’ll be right’ – those attitudes have gone. They’re still held very dear to their heart though. - AL
Peter Balding
For me it depends on the result of a survey we’re sending out. We’ve sent surveys on Gay and Lesbian rights to each member of the Senate. The results will be published on our website, we’re trying to get the attention of the community. We’re giving all the candidates the opportunity to have a say, which might be against what their party says. As you know there was a campaign to get people to enrol by last night, and I think the politicians, particularly Labor, have realised that every single vote is expected to count. Our website is www.glrl.org.au - AL |
