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Seven weeks till a 0-0 draw

Seven Saturdays from today, March 24, is the NSW State Election. It's a rather depressing occasion this time around. On one side, a Labor government whose record is so bad in some areas that it deserves, not to be thrown out of office, but to be hurled out of the highest window. On the other hand, a Liberal/Nationals opposition led by one of the most disturbing excuses for a party leader that I have ever seen.

Morris Iemma may well be a nice guy, a sincere bloke and have been thrown in the deep end when Bob Carr bailed out. But he's behaving like a frightened animal desparately trying to avoid becoming roadkill. Kneejerk reactionary is not the word. You can almost see the strings dangling from Sussex Street moving his head around to his customary left side as his jaws move as his soundbite du jour is delivered.

Peter Debnam (or Manbed if spelt backwards) is mounting an aggressive campaign, but that seems to be his nature. But some of his policy development over the past month or so has been hilarious. I'll try to get to some examples shortly. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the Liberal Party's biggest liability in this campaign. A belated coup to hoist Barry O'Farrell into the leader's spot might achieve something.

The Labor Party will be returned with a reduced majority, partly because they had such a huge landslide in 2003. But this really is one case when neither major party deserves to be in government. My endorsements as at today lie pretty firmly with The Greens - Fiona Byrne for the Lower House in Marrickville, the ticket led by Lee Rhiannon and John Kaye in the Upper House.

As I said a couple of weeks ago, watch these links.