Strongest odds yet

Howard $1.28
Latham $3.30

Bush $1.33
Kerry $3.00

The smart money's on the incumbents.


Let's rate the parties:

-Industrial Relations: Coalition (No-one could argue for Labor on this)

-Schools: Coalition

-Childcare: Labor

-Family Tax Benefits: Can't tell. Labor's policy document sucks, I read it numerous times and they went out of their way to make it unclear and leave out key bits of information.

-Health: Coalition (Labor only increasing the rebate on bulk billing consults is a mistake, the GP rebate is ridiculously low as it is, people that can't get bulk billed receive no benefit)

-Universities: Coalition (would be a disaster if Labor got in for the Unis)

-Economy: I'm tempted to say much of a muchness. Unfortunately for Labor they have a Creanite, and the Libs have Costello. No contest here. Crean is a Creanite. Drop Crean and I'll call it a wash.

-Foreign Policy: Coalition (Latham is a popularist)

Hmmm. I'm trying to think of something other than Child-care that I think Labor is better at. There must be something.

-Taxation: Labor (I like Labor's idea of raising the top rate, and allowing sole income earners to split their tax free threshhold. Both are needed) What I really want though is an increase in the GST rate.

Overally I'm afraid I have to give the win to the Coalition so far. Labor has 10 days to go, let's see if they can announce something that could help them get my vote.