Saturday, November 17, 2007

The Undertaker visits Vaile

The failed, or not quite candidate, Robin, hasn’t given up his soapbox just yet. With an election just seven days away he’s going for one last media punch. See picture.

Why a period undertaker? Well we do have an historic graveyard in Port Macquarie, but if Vaile has his way we’ll also have a nuclear power station. That was the first inspiration.

Then (see my previous post) there has been a late revelation of pork barrelling on a scale never before seen in this country, and dear Mark Vaile is in the middle of it. He escaped the Food for Oil scandal, but with Labour now odds on favourite to take over government he’s not going to escape this one.

Still, he tries:

Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile has launched an extraordinary attack on the office of the Auditor-General following the release of a damning report exposing the Government's abuse of a $328million grants program for regional Australia.

That was in the Howard friendly, Murdoch rag, the Australian. The SMH had a different take:

THE Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile, has announced two unapproved grants worth $900,000 for his own electorate since the election campaign started, under a funding program that has funnelled millions of dollars into rural Coalition seats.

Just for now I’m hoping Vaile can hang on in Lyne, and frankly I don’t see any great threat to his numbers yet. Cut back his lead by all means, but leave him to face a new government which is not so inclined to cover his indiscretions.

Robin has long felt that there will be a by election for this electorate within six months, I can agree with him now. Vaile might exist as a humble opposition member, picking up what perks he can. There is no way he will survive an onslaught from a government looking for heads.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, at least he kept his pants on this time.

D.K. Raed said...

Robin looks fittingly attired, but I hope he wasn't going to bury the very cute, very alive, doggie. So ... a nuke power plant ... well, hope the graveyard is expandable. I have some nuke issues/questions over at my place, too. Maybe Australia has come up with viable waste storage that will endure 24,000 yrs of whatever we & the planet can throw down? If so, you will be Kings on Earth soon. Aaah, but maybe you will be kings anyway since I recall reading some science article yrs ago about how the prevailing air currents & other atmosphere factors make Australia a good place to ride out a global nuclear shitstorm.

Cartledge said...

Abi, lol, it is a battle keeping him dressed.

d.k. Jazmine, the doggie, is sort of campaign manager. She gets edgy unless there is a reasonable show of support for his antics.
On nukes, and I'm not sure I want to take the chance of missing the fallout; the real fear is that the question will never be put to the people.
It is easier to use 'external powers' - treaties which have never even passed parliament. Those 'obligations' have been used in the past for political hot potatoes.