Western Australia Confirms That It Is A Backward State

Yesterday Western Australia had a referendum on whether we wished to have daylight savings or not. For the last three years we took part in a daylight savings trial as the government imposed this upon us, as a responsible government elected to look after our wellbeing should do. The results are 55.5% "No" and 44% "Yes". It will be the biggest no vote in the four referenda held on the issue.

Talk about confirming your backwardness as a state. Much of my business dealings are on the east coast and instead of being two hours behind I'll be three. It'll be nearly lunchtime there before I get to speak to somebody. On the other hand, if I email them something after they finish work they'll have three hours to work on it before I start work.

Maybe I will be able to have my morning walk before starting work but say goodbye to an evening ride with The Boy after tea.

Vote For The Incumbent Or Incompetent?

There's a state election in Western Australia today. I think that they can be called six weeks beforehand and it was only two weeks ago that I found out on which date we would be voting. It must be the shortest electioneering period I've ever seen.

Now, who to vote for? The incumbent or the incompetent? Oh, they are one and the same. Perhaps it's a choice of the incumbent and incompetent versus the inept. Yes, that's a bit closer to the mark.

First - the incumbent. The Labor Party has been in office for eight years. An ad by the Liberals just stated, "Can you think of three things that the Labor Party has done in the last eight years?" And bugger me, I scratch my head and I'm unable to. We've had the Minister for Drink Driving, Alannah MacTiernan, who is the current minister for Planning and Infrastructure and John D'Orazio's legal issues. The police have been underfunded, the major ministries have been run by too few people, the health department is pretty much a mess and teachers have been almost militant n their efforts to obtain wage reform. More bad marks than good ones.

Second - the inept. The Liberals have had five leaders in the last three years and the current chief, Colin Barnett, only decided to run six weeks ago when Troy "Chair Sniffer, Bra Tweaker" Buswell stepped down from the job. Mr Barnett is a bit of a fogey but he's not old and he was about to retire. Not too many people have much respect for him. And the Liberals have had nothing but infighting over the last eight years. As incompetent as the government has been the Liberals haven't won too many political points.

It could be a close thing. I like the Premier, Alan Carpenter, but I don't like his colleagues.