WACKY WEDNESDAY

We’re half way through the final week of the election. I’m busily organising volunteers for polling booths and distributing How To Vote cards. I gotta say – they look good!

A lot of Democrats media has been released today. The first one in my inbox speaks about our success in the Senate and our balanced approach to IR. We are the best party to deliver outcomes for ALL Australians when it comes to workplace relations.

I was then greeted with another pearler highlighting the need for a greater focus on Research and Development. The Australian Democrats have led the way on calls for increased attention to R&D. Innovation can bring us answers to future challenges, it stimulates new economic opportunities and it assists our education sector.

Lyn Allison raised the issue of abortion clinics and the abuse women face when visiting these clinics. She has called for buffer zones to be provided outside abortion clinics so that women can avoid further anguish at what is by definition a difficult moment for them.

Finally, Andrew Bartlett re-iterated the Australian Democrats call to end the Pacific Solution for asylum seekers. The unacceptable time and conditions asylum seekers have to endure is inhumane, deprives people of the presumption of innocence and tortures people long after the leave the priosn like properties. The overwhelming majority of these people are found to be genuine refugees.

It just goes to show that the Australian Democrats have the policy depth and the common sense approach that Parliament needs to curb the whims of whoever is in Government. We offer real ideas for the future.

More letter-boxing tonight. My feet hurt but I wouldn’t have it any other way!