Crikey

As the PM and the alternative PM troop around the nation with open cheque books and an entourage of snappers and minders and hecklers, the reports keep filing in from Crikey’s key electorate bloggers.

To read more reports from Crikey’s bloggers, click here for the Citizen Crikey homepage. If you live in any of these seats and would like to have your say on the campaign, send your stories, sightings and assorted observations to citizencrikey@crikey.com.au.

Adelaide. Nicholas DP writes: I confess I have missed the leap of logic that takes you from “union official” to “anti-business”. But how did it come to this? Is this the level of debate? Are we this stupid or do the major parties just think we are this stupid? Where are the proper campaign leaflets? Where are the proper policies? … On last week’s Insiders, the reporters went to Eden-Monaro to speak to electors on the streets there. One of them, a women dressed in pink dungarees as if she were presenting playschool, said she would vote for the party that threw the most money her way. Simple as that. Perhaps there speaks the voice of the nation. — Click here for more

Braddon. Mike Walker writes: First Mark Baker, the Liberal Member was beheaded, now Sid Sidebottom, the ALP hopeful, has disappeared without trace - someone has nicked all his posters along the highway from Burnie to Smithton, 100 km away. They’re taking it seriously. The police are now involved. “It’s a professional level of vandalism - they would have needed a ute or a small van”. And the beheadings are being done neatly with an electric saw. Maybe a disgruntled contract tradesperson on an AWA. — Click here for more

Solomon. Kirsty Gowans writes: Are we really having an election? It doesn’t really feel like it up here in Darwin. Nothing that has occurred to date has warranted front page coverage in the NT News. In fact, the election has not yet made it into the “news” pages where the staples remain: crimes, car accidents and crocodiles. Each day, the election stays stubbornly in the national news section. Other people’s problem. The local candidates are rarely mentioned. I was discussing the lack of coverage with some people in the queue at Woolworths today and the lady behind the checkout said “Well, it’s not really news is it.” I must have looked a bit nonplussed because she quickly added, “I mean, they called the election ages ago.” — Click here for more

Meanwhile, in the safe seat of Hotham …

Crikey reader Paul Custance filed this report from Southland Shopping Centre south east of Melbourne. For more reports from the campaign trail, visit the Crikey Election Tracker.

While enjoying a cappuccino at my local shopping centre south of Melbourne, a woman arrived and told the owner that Kevin Rudd is coming and can he clear a large table and start making many cappuccinos. Within five minutes the Kevin07 circus arrived with media entourage and proceeded to the coffee shop next door. After the photo opp of Kevin attempting to make a coffee [Gloria Jeans] he and Mrs07 were off. I listening to Jon Faine on 774 all morning, moaning that Kevin isn’t interested in Victoria and won’t come on his show, I called out as he walked passed, “Kevin can you call Jon Faine?” To this he replied “Yes, I think I’m talking to him this week.” That was my only question to the PM in waiting and he said yes, what more could I ask for? I’m happy, Jon Faine will be happy, but I bet the coffee shop owner won’t be voting Labor — the only business he got was from a couple of hacks.

PIC CREDIT: AAP Image/Alan Porritt

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