There is little doubt that Clive Palmer has the capacity to be as entertaining a member of parliament as stream of other Queensland Politicians, Joh Bjelke Petersen, Pauline Hansen, Barnaby Joyce and Bob Katter have strutted their stuff on the political stage and provided a stamp and a style which leave the rest of Australia quietly smiling and saying under our breath ‘Queensland!’.
Clive Palmer has stood for the electorate of Fairfax in the recent federal election and whilst at the moment he is marginally ahead, his lead is being whittled away and it is likely that the LNP Candidate will retain the seat.
Clive has raised a number of questions about the electoral process, and on Q&A this week through a staged question he raised the possibility of electronic voting,, noting that the current practice enabled people to ‘vote early and vote often’, noting that there was now identity check at voting, though to get o a plane, enter a licensed club and a number of other things quite often need you to provide some proof of identity. And of course here we are in the 21st century marking our mark in pencil.
Whilst I think that many of us think the Clive often puts his mouth into gear before engaging his brain, I do think we should remember that just because someone is sometime wrong, does not make them always wrong, and indeed there may be some very good reasons to look at the technology we use for the electoral process.
Clive also makes case for Ethanol, and shares much of those thoughts with Bob Katter. I suspect we should look at these ideas and evaluate it on its merits not on the basis who was promoting it.
No doubt Clive will demand a recount of the poll for Fairfax. Part of me thinks here could add some interest to the Parliament, however I wonder if he would find it very limiting. Whatever you think, he is not your average punter.
Philip Barrington 