The History Boy

While Mr Howard is busy extolling the virtues of teaching the kids Australian history, his opposite number has demonstrated ample understanding of Australian electoral history. At the risk of sounding like Rove McManus, here's some of the lessons young Kevin has learnt while his classmates seem intent on throwing the chalk duster at him.

2004: don't stand up for trees in Tasmania, don't wait until the election campaign to deal with the economy, define your own image by meeting the people before the government gets to dredge up your past, don't get Iraq linked to the US alliance, don't suggest anyone could lose out if you get elected. don't propose anything you haven't costed yet (Medicare Gold), don't suggest Julia Gillard is in charge of anything that will involve spending money (see above);

2001: small target good, no target bad - don't vacate the field for the government, don't just promise to rollback unpopular reforms (remember the GST?), announce some policies before the campaign. people care about health. keep it simple;

1998: you can get a lot of traction by protest votes, but you can't win without your own ideas. you have to win the marginals to win government, Howard can annoy small business just as much as big scary unions;

1996: just because they haven't voted for your party before, doesn't mean they can't start now. get yourself a lead and stay in front;

1990: environmental voters will back Labor most of the time, so you can afford to annoy a few of them to win back marginal seats;

1983: yes Virginia, the Labor vote can actually get into the high 40s, droughts don't tend to help the Libs very much;

1961: even Menzies nearly lost once;

... and a bit of ancient history

1949: the people don't like extreme policies. they are quite willing to throw out a government if the economy's doing well and they're not getting anything out of it.