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It's time to ring the bell
The final week is upon us - Missy Higgins is not straight, the Idol finalists don’t like their new single, and Kevin Rudd won’t turn gay for anyone.
As a young voter, I’d just like to say good decision Kevin for agreeing to go on Rove. Kevin Rudd participated in a 10 minute light hearted interview with Rove McMannus on Sunday night, in the final episode of the show for the year. The ratings would have been up, and the young target audience for Channel Ten would have been watching.
Whilst Rudd showed he was anything from young and hip, he did show he is committed to communicating with the youth of Australia.
I think Kevin Rudd has made three important media appearances, which will win him the majority of youth’s votes. Firstly for agreeing to be interviewed on Triple J’s news and current affairs program Hack. This interview showed Rudd’s willingness to participate in the government funded national youth broadcaster, which was refreshing considering Howard has refused to appear on the station for several years.
Secondly was Rudd’s ability to laugh off, and find humour in the chaser’s skit where he returned home to find several of his ‘Facebook’ friends ready to party.
Thirdly was appearing on Rove, and showing his more human side, and being able to joke and discuss popular culture.
As a journalism student who has never really excelled at spelling, I struggled to work out why my electorate of Eden-Monaro was a Bell ‘weather’ seat. Don’t get me wrong. I knew it meant that the seat has gone with the government for a bloody long time but I still couldn’t work out why a bell and the weather came into the equation. Today I did some research. The term bellwether is actually used to describe “the leading sheep of a flock often with a bell on its neck”, according to the Oxford Dictionary.
I think it is quite fitting Eden-Monaro, which is filled by so many farming country towns, has assumed this title. The question now is: if I am the sheep with the bell where will my vote lead the rest of the sheep? To the slaughterhouse? Or to greener pastures?
I suspect Saturday night is going to be a nervous time for many voters; I don’t think this election is going to be won by many votes. I hope, with climate change taking centre stage as a key election issue, senators running for the Greens and the Climate Change Coalition find success.
So here I am ready to drive home to vote on Saturday, ring the bell, and bring on the weather, because my vote could just be the one that determines the political future of this country. The Eden-Monaro electorate is one of the must win seats for both parties this electorate.
I think after 11 years as Prime Minister John Howard has had ample time to act on climate change, amongst other things. Gary Nairn appears to have done little in his time in office, apart from being the well groomed man positioned behind Howard in question time. I think this country needs change and I hope Rudd, if elected, abandons some of his ‘me-too’ policies and lets some of his individual ministers implement some change.
Alternatively, I’d like to see the smaller parties to hold the balance of power in the Senate.
Jessie Parry is a first-time voter from Eden-Monaro.
