THE fishing vote is set

[Gary Fooks]

Peter Michael
October 04, 2007 12:00am
THE fishing vote is set to propel the Nationals closer to a Senate berth after one of the federal election's most intriguing preference races.
The Australian Fishing and Lifestyle Party, which played a decisive role in Barnaby Joyce's election to the Senate, has indicated that it will again preference the Nationals, although last night it softened its support.
The party certainly won't preference Labor, which didn't impress the FLP's No.1 Senate candidate Kevin Collins during the lobbying process.
"The Labor Party has no hope. They hung up (the phone) on us with a 'see you later idiot'," Mr Collins said.
"It is highly unlikely anyone will win a seat in the Senate without our support. We got Barnaby Joyce over the line last time and were going to shock a lot of people this election."
"The Nationals deserve our support through a negotiated preference arrangement because they helped us fight this great injustice."
The "injustice" was the decision to issue criminal convictions against 324 recreational fishermen busted operating inside the Great Barrier Reef's green zones.
The fledgling fishing party, which polled 28,000 votes at the last federal election, has been desperate to secure a pardon for the fishermen in return for preferences.
Nationals Senator Ron Boswell has helped bring the convicted fishers to the brink of a pardon, although Government justice officials admit the pardons may not be granted before the election.
"It is a complete overkill. Someone goes out in his tinny, drops a line, and finds himself with a criminal conviction," Senator Boswell said. "We're trying to fix it up now."
Senator Boswell will be third on the first joint ticket held by the Liberals and Nationals in 30 years. The Liberals hold the first two places, making the fishing preferences vital for Senator Boswell in a desperate race including the Greens and Pauline Hanson's United Australia Party.
But after a day of media training, Mr Collins has clarified his promise on the joint Liberal-National ticket, insisting the Fishing Party is yet to make a formal decision.
"We are speaking with Family First, Pauline Hanson, the Labor party and the Nationals," he said. "There will be a lot of horse trading right up until last minute."

[kc]

This is a bit out of context in that it mixes history with future.

At the last election Labor did not want to know us. This time around we have met and are getting on just fine thank-you. Milton Dick is not a bad sort of bloke!

No arrangements have been made in terms of preferences this time around. This is for the party executive to decide at some stage in the future after all the cards have been laid on the table.

We have met with Family First, Nationals, Pauline Hanson, Labor, Sporting Shooters and....wait for it.....even...The Greens

All good clean political arge barge.

We will ultimately make preference arrangments based on the following principles.

1.What can we do to best enhance our chance of getting a Senator elected.
2. Who will best take forward policies which will impact most positively on recreational fishing and outdoor recreational activities.
3.Who can have the most impact and political bargaining power.
4. How do we make sure the Greens don't win the seat.

After all that, we will make a decision and then any member, supporter or voter can choose to follow the preference trail and vote 1 above the line, or, pick his/her own flow and fill every square below the line, any way they see fit.

As things "hot up" I will fill in the blanks on the entire mathematics of the preference "game". It is pretty complex but for those interested, it is also a facinating insight into the world of politics and the reasons things happen the way they do...bugger all to do with fairness and everything to do with votes.

Regards

KC

[Matt_Campbell]

Pauline Hanson??