By GREG CHAMBERLAIN
VETERAN political analyst Malcolm Mackerras predicts a Coalition victory and says he is not surpised that there has been a large swing against Labor.
“I think that it’s slightly more likely that there’ll be a Coalition government than a Labor government,” Mr Mackerras said.
Mr Mackerras believes voter anger towards the New South Wales and Queensland Governments has contributed to the swing against Labor.
“In NSW there’s a dreadful Labor state Government and the state Labor Government is being punished in the federal election before they punish it in the state election,” he said.
“Queenslanders seem to have the idea that, ‘we’ll vote the Labor Government in provided there’s a Queensland Prime Minister. We wanted to kick that man out but these bastards have done it for us. We’ll teach them a lesson and we will punish the Labor party for taking away from us our right to kick Kevin Rudd out.’
“So when you add all that up you find that the Labor Government can only survive by making gains in Victoria and South Australia, and the do seem to be making gains there.”
BRIEFING on main issues
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Cancer of the soul: post-traumatic stress disorder
9 Nov 2011
MORE THAN a million Australians at any given time have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, making it at least as widespread as depression. Yet the disorder rarely rates a public mention, even during National Mental Health Week last month, and a strong stigma persists, HANNAH ROSE STONE reports.
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Crime shows harmful and unrealistic: forensic experts
8 Nov 2011
AT THE 2011 Sexual Health Conference, held recently in Canberra, leading forensic experts discussed the negative effects fictional crime shows have on real life crime investigations and forensic operations, ALYSON VARDOS reports.
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Sexist attitudes remain entrenched in modern football
29 Oct 2011
THE arrest of Robert Lui during the NRL finals has reignited claims that the football culture is to blame for sexual assault and violence. SIAN McGROUTHER looks at the issue.
What sparked the debate?
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The horror of Hendra
28 Oct 2011
Horse owners have been advised to stay vigilant despite the lifting of Hendra quarantine restrictions. SAMANTHA TAYLOR looks at the virus in Australia.
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Uncertainty and fear around UC-CIT merger
27 Oct 2011
THE UNIVERSITY of Canberra (UC) and Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) amalgamation proposed by Professor Denise Bradley in July this year is surrounded by a lot of uncertainty and questions, NATALYA YESKINA reports.