Election 2013

I'm not going to give up any of my specific opinions on the policies of the parties, or where people should vote in the coming election. That's not my place. Each of us needs to consider the policies and practices of the parties for ourselves and then decide on who would be a) the best representative for our electorate, and b) who will best lead the country if they form government.

To assist people in this decision, two helpful tools/ resources have been released that I commend to your consideration.

Firstly, The Salvation Army have made a series of statements available, on a range of issues. Check them out at:

http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/en/Who-We-Are/Publications-reports-submissions/Reports--Submissions/Statements-for-the-Federal-Election-2013/

Also, the ABC have compiled a "Vote Compass" which allows you to compare your personal views with the views of the major parties. You can undertake a survey that will show you which of the three major parties are closest (on the whole, as a generalisation) to your personal views. It also gathers reliable data (the current survey sample is over 850,000 people - much bigger than the landline polls that are published in the press) that shows the views of the general population. Check it out at:

http://www.abc.net.au/votecompass/

For the record, the vote compass also told me that I was a social liberal and from the economic left... but that wouldn't surprise any of you!