THE ECONOMY has become the dominant topic as Australians prepare to vote in a federal election on Saturday.
At a community forum in Brisbane last night both the Labor prime minister Julia Gillard and opposition Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott said they would be the best choice for the economy.
For three days beforehand there was a debate about a debate. Ms Gillard wanted to have a straight debate on the economy but Mr Abbott was only prepared to allow 30 minutes to do so. No compromise was reached so the leaders took questions separately from the gathering of 200 undecided voters.
Earlier, a group of more than 50 Australian economists issued an open letter saying they are “convinced by the evidence that the co-ordinated policies of the Labor government have prevented the Australian economy from a deep recession and prevented a massive increase in unemployment”.
Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, in Australia on a lecture tour, also backed Labor’s handling of the economy, leaving it the only developed economy not to slide into recession during the global financial crisis.
“You were lucky to have, probably, the best-designed stimulus package of any of the countries, advanced industrial countries, both in size and in design, timing and how it was spent, and I think it served Australia well,” said Prof Stiglitz.
Before a “black-out” on electronic political advertising came into effect at midnight Australian time last night, both sides blitzed commercial television and radio stations with the most negative ads yet seen. The main message from the Liberals was that they would “end Labor’s debt” and “turn back the [asylum seeker] boats”. Labor’s message was “don’t trust Abbott”.
The issue of Australia becoming a republic also made a belated entrance into the campaign with Ms Gillard’s announcement that she favoured a republic after Queen Elizabeth dies or abdicates. “What I would like to see as prime minister is that we can work our way through to an agreement for the model of a republic,” she said. “But I would think the appropriate time for this nation to move to being a republic is when we see the monarch change.”
Mr Abbott, who was a leader of the anti-republican cause in a 1999 referendum on the issue, said he saw no reason for change. “This republican cause has been with us for a long time, but the Australian people have demonstrated themselves to be remarkably attached to institutions that work,” he said.
Michael Keating, chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, said he would like planning for a future republic to begin now. “When the queen passes, it makes sense to move straight into any decision rather than mourning for 18 or so months and then getting round to it,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Dublin, members of the Irish Labour Party have been helping their Australian counterparts by placing posters around the city and handing out leaflets to Australian backpackers. Australians abroad remain on the register for three years and can vote in embassies around the world.
HOW AND WHERE TO VOTE GUIDELINES FOR AUSTRALIANS IN IRELAND
HUNDREDS OF Australian citizens in Ireland have been making their way to their embassy in Dublin to vote, says the embassy's Paul Caball.
"They have been coming in all throughout this week and last week too," says Mr Caball. "There was even a group which came in from a cruise ship which had stopped off in Dublin Port."
Australian citizens in Ireland wishing to vote can do so in two ways. They can either vote in person at the Australian embassy, 7th Floor, Fitzwilton House, Wilton Terrace, Dublin 2 between 9am and 5pm up to and including Friday, August 20th; alternatively, they can apply for a postal vote by going to aec.gov.au.
Completed ballot papers returned to the embassy in Dublin must be postmarked no later than Friday, August 20th.
If voters miss this deadline, an application can be made to the divisional returning officer for their division in Australia, who can receive postal votes up to 13 days after the election, as long as these are postmarked no later than Friday, August 20th.
For more information on voting in Dublin, contact the Australian embassy on 01-6645300 or fax 01-6785185.
CONOR GANNON