Leave ballot blank, Latham tells voters

16 Aug 2010, 7:43 am   -   Source: SBS and other sources
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Mark Latham has revealed that he will be lodging a 'donkey vote' at this Saturday's election and has urged others to do the same.

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Mark Latham has revealed that he will be lodging a 'donkey vote' at this Saturday's election and has urged others to do the same.

The former Labor leader said that he intended to place a "totally blank" ballot in the box, in a 'journalistic' television appearance on the Channel Nine program, 60 Minutes, last night.

According to The Australian newspaper, Latham has reportedly been paid between $10,000 and $15,000 to work as a guest reporter for the program.

But thus far his journalistic career has been fraught with controversy after he 'ambushed' Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Brisbane Ekka without warning, and asked her if she knew anything about a complaint that had been made about his working for Channel Nine.

Channel Nine later apologised to Ms Gillard for Latham's conduct.

"Mostly, I've been portrayed as the villain," Latham told the audience last night.

"There's one important thing missing from this election campaign, and that's substance," he went on to say.

"The problem is, politics is no longer about policy, no longer about making Australia a better place.

"It's about power, gaining it and then keeping it at all costs."

He deplored the campaign's 'empty slogans' and accused the major parties of "dumbing down politics"

Latham also conducted an interview with former One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who accused Tony Abbott of oganising a slush fund, "which saw my imprisonment" and said of Ms Gillard, "I don't like her and I don't trust her."

Latham also interviewed Greens leader Bob Brown who calmly told him that both political parties had lost their way.

 

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Nathalie - from Durack, 2 years ago

More power to Mark Latham. While not agreeing with his recommendation to cast a "donkey vote", I think that many people will agree with his comments on the farcical lead up to the federal election. It is Americanised spin, cynical, and appeals to the basest human instincts. Mark Latham's basic honesty is outraged, and so it should be. Good on you Mark. Someone real and gritty for a change.

Brisbaner - from Maribyrnong, 2 years ago

A blank vote is the like putting 1 in "Let's have what everybody else is having", making it useless. If you're disillusioned with the major parties, what's wrong with voting for one of the other 57 political parties or one of the independents? This is not the US where a vote not for one major party means one more vote for the other major party. Do a bit more research and choose the parties closes to what your political believes are, and put the parties you dislike last.

DocStrange - from Brisbane, 2 years ago

Seems to me that he forgot to mention one very active and democratic alternative to make your disappointment with the two major parties heard: vote for another party.

D Rant - from Brisbane, 2 years ago

Just vote for the party you want to vote for, but please please please don't add a second vote or preferecne! If you're a Green voter, than by all means vote for the Green party, but don't be a fool and place Labor as a second choice. If you do that, you're just voting for Labor. So instead, I suggest just voting for Labor. You're only fooling yourself if you vote Green and then give the ballot a second choice. What's really happening is, another party is stealing your vote. Don't be a fool.

D Rant - from undefined, 2 years ago

You can vote for one party and not add a second preference. that's as good as voting and not having your vote stolen by a third party. Of course, those voting Green are probably too stupid to realize this. They'll probably vote green, and give labor the second choice, which is effectively voting for labor. Then they'll tell their tree hugging friends they voted Green, when in reality they voted for Labor.

disgrace

ben - from parkside, 2 years ago

this man is a disgrace to australian public life

David-L - from Adelaide, 2 years ago

I am a self described Laborite. I believe in the power of government to do good without infringing of individual rights. I believe in protecting our environment, regulating the market and defending a woman's right to choose. I believe in equal opportunity for all and believe our public schools should be like cathedrals and our teachers should make six figure salaries. When you look back through Australian history, Labor have been at the forefront of change in Australia. Sure, they weren't all perfect, but their ideals were Labor and the Labor values that formed Australia changed our world. Need more evidence, Labor was the first political environmentalist party and is the reason why so much of Australia's natural resources are well preserved today. Labor's policies lifted millions of the elderly out of poverty, brought in compulsory superannuation and provided healthcare to millions as well. Throught Australian History, it has been Labor that have brought real change to Australia. Labor founded this Country, fought for equality, fought for civil rights, fought for woman's rights, protected the environment and fought for the common man. It was Labor that created the middle class and it is Labor who defend the middle class today. The Liberal Party has spent the better part of the last thirty years branding the term "Labor" as weak, anti-Australian and untrustworthy. We need Labor to stand up once again and fight for true Australian values. We need to protect the environment. We need to bring real change to race relations in this Country. We need real and more changes in the Healthcare system. We need more infrastructure. We need to fix entitlements so that they work for all Australians. Only true Labor can bring these changes because the Liberals genuinely do not believe in these policies and the "Greens" are too busy trying not to upset anyone.

petero - from McMahon, 2 years ago

my attitude changed slightly when i watched 60mins. The only reason was the way that Gillard stroked Lathams arms several times - like she was saying "calm down son - it'll be alright". Mother Julie - based on what I have seen is orchestrated theatre. Abbott recognised the approach and faced off. It was pretty anti-climactic stuff and as for Pauline - I think the song that was pulled was probably her most fitting epitaph to a sanguine political career. As for Latham the back blocks look good.

Greybeard - from Canberra, 2 years ago

Latham lodging a donkey vote? Exactly what a donkey would do.

No Donkey - from Batman, 2 years ago

What a great message to send, particularly to young Australians. No argument, neither party has been at all impressive in this campaign, but please Mark, connect your brain to your mouth.

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