Higgins is regarded as a conservative area.  It has always voted that way.  Its settled affluence, extremely high education levels and orderly dignity suggests Tory.

In moving around the electorate campaigning over the last few weeks, the error of such assumptions has been dramatically proven.

On climate change – seemingly, the cause of the Left – Higgins citizens have been highly outspoken, expressing to me their horror at the Liberal Party’s denial/sceptic line.

If I can synthesize the comments of many, they say such slogans might play well to the self-interest of blue collar conservatives, but here, where people know how to think for themselves, it is seen as the politics of shallow cads.

They welcome the prospect of a low-carbon and low-pollution future.  They always viewed air pollution as a wasteful and dangerous abuse, but never had the science to support their observations.

Electric cars?  Bring it on!

A number said they hold shares in major companies but saw no difficulty in sacrificing earnings and dividends for a few years to migrate to an environmentally sound economy.

Voters made it very clear to me they accept the need to alter course on climate change and expect government to act quickly and decisively.

The real eye-opener came on Monday, with the election of Tony Abbott as Liberal leader.

The genteel voters of Higgins do not like this man, and while maintaining their decorum, were very rude about him.

They regard him as an interloper from the DLP, with his intrusive moralizing about what other people should and shouldn’t do.

Higgins voters reject his reactionary opinions: the free and open society in which we live has been hard fought for; we do not want to go backward.

The women in particular loathe his anti-abortion views.  All seemed to have a niece – always a niece – whose life would have been ruined but for the help of an understanding surgeon.

I wonder whether their evident dissatisfaction will change their votes?  We shall see on Saturday.

To the many Higgins voters who were kind enough to spare a moment for the Australian Democrats candidate, many thanks for your frankness and patience.

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• Australia is drowning in debt – not Government borrowings – the private hellish sort that drives misery, paralysis even suicide.
• ETS Lynchin? Better Ask Minchin!
• Dont take my word for it: Climate Change Debated in Higgins, Collyer led.

Liberal senators Sue Boyce and Judith Troeth voted with the government,  but this support was far short of a Senate majority.  The Mad Monk Tony Abbott, practicing as he does the “withdrawal method” when it comes to all things not conservative, forced the rest of the Liberals to vote NO despite minister Wong’s previous efforts to negotiate the bill’s passage.

The Greens voted NO – as is their custom on every piece of legislation before the house and the rest on the cross benches followed suit. Their eternal purity makes them politically irrelevant and a parliamentary menace.  But politics isn’t about holiness, it is about securing the best possible outcomes, something the Democrats never, never forgot.

But what would the Democrats have done?

The ETS is not an ideal piece of legislation.  The Democrats would have negotiated for improvements in line with our own policies.  Fairer more equitable solutions, while not appealing to major polluters,  would reduce the impact any climate change mitigation legislation would have on the overall economy and on the poor.  Our view differs from The Greens’ “Put the oxy torch to all industries emitting a kilogram of CO2, dude!” economic vandalism.

We would have worked, as we always have, with the elected government to secure the best deal possible for the Australian people with a bill that, while limited, is  a step forward.  A step the Rudd government, despite having a fresh and clear mandate for it, will not now take.

That was role of the  Democrat for 30 years in the Senate – negotiating.   Ensuring the elected government functions, keeps its word and doesn’t cave in to sectional interests.  That we are needed to do this line-by-line work is demonstrated by the failure of the ETS.  A serious piece of legislation about a serious subject, one that ensures Australia’s future – from economy to environment –  has been flagrantly reduced to petty party-based squabbling.  John Howard must be laughing behind his hand as he eggs on the newly-anointed High Priest of Climate Denial – Tony Abbott.

Bob Brown is likewise congratulating the troops on a job well screwed with the rest of the cross benches looking for a pat on the head – from somebody or anybody!

Well done all!  You’ve succeeded in reducing our federal Parliament to a circus.  A national joke; a joke on the heads of the Australian people.  Thanks a bunch!

I urge those entitled to vote in the Higgins by-election to send a message to Canberra.  Use your ballot paper and the preferential system to its fullest.  Vote 1 Australian Democrats – David Collyer, and if you’re a Liberal voter and feel so compelled then (and only then) send your second preference to those who have failed you: the Liberal Party of Australia.

Scott Kane

Other Readers Also Enjoyed

• Media Release – Exempt Left-Handed From Climate Change
• Abbott writes ‘Kick Here’ on the Liberal rump. The ALP and Voters will take him at his word
• Warning Graphic Images. Australian Liberal Party’s Nuclear Agenda; dirty politics = radioactive environment
• Australia is drowning in debt – not Government borrowings – the private hellish sort that drives misery, paralysis even suicide.
• The Economics of the Deep Centre Outrun the Ranting, Canting Fools of Left and Right – Raspberries to You!
• Dont take my word for it: Climate Change Debated in Higgins, Collyer led.

Last week the Familes against Climate Change hosted The “Climate Change Candidate Debates” for the Higgins by-election candidates, a highlight of  recent elections.  Unsurprisingly, Liberal Party candidate Kelly O’Dwyer was a no-show, despite repeated offers to set a date that suited her.

Rather than give a blow by blow account of the evening, read this by Paul Kavanagh, lifted directly from The Tally Room, an authoritative high-level psephology site:

“Extraordinary scene at the Climate Change candidates forum in Glen Iris last night (Nov 18).

Dr Hamilton was unimpressive. His disconnection with the audience and, it seemed, with the nitty-gritty of climate change politics itself, reached its low point when he insisted that he had never heared of the Climate Change Coalition, much less why they favoured the Democrats in 2007.

At least he attended this rare candidates event, unlike the Liberal candidate who wasn’t available, even though organisers offered to schedule the event to suit her.

David Collyer of the Democrats was the outstanding candidate on the platform. His talk and response to audience questioning showed concern about climate change and he presented the Democrats practical measures to address it. He was annimated when condemning the negotiated exemption for the agriculture industry.

The Sex Party’s Fiona Patten continued to impress, acknowledging her limitations of policy details.

While the DLP did not attend, One Nation participated with humour. Dr Toscano was entertaining and suitably radical for an anarchist.

Independents took policy positions ranging from climate change sceptics to … I was not really sure what.

Paul Kavanagh”

Thanks Paul!

And the Monash Journal agreed:

Heat on candidates to tackle some big issues

A review of the evening by the Higgins local press can be read here:

“David Collyer is currently contesting the Higgins by election for the Australian Democrats against Clive Hamilton for The Greens and Kelly O’Dwyer for the Liberal Party,”

Other Readers Also Enjoyed

• Warning Graphic Images. Australian Liberal Party’s Nuclear Agenda; dirty politics = radioactive environment
• Media Release – Exempt Left-Handed From Climate Change
• Abbott writes ‘Kick Here’ on the Liberal rump. The ALP and Voters will take him at his word
• Australia is drowning in debt – not Government borrowings – the private hellish sort that drives misery, paralysis even suicide.
• The Economics of the Deep Centre Outrun the Ranting, Canting Fools of Left and Right – Raspberries to You!
• ETS Lynchin? Better Ask Minchin!