Another early start for Andrew (and once again delayed by 3-year old games...). This morning Andrew is taking down a large banner from one location and preparing its erection in another. The second spot requires a rigid timber frame and stays, to prevent the banner catching the wind and taking off. Andrew will do all of this on his own, and squeezed between other commitments.
Then it's home for a shower before heading to the university, home of Edge Radio, where Andrew will be interviewed. After that he races to our shop to try to keep the business going.
After work he'll come home to prepare a speech for tomorrow's rally in support of teachers in Tasmania. Then, before he collapses into bed, exhausted, he'll make a start on answering the 150 or so emails waiting in his inbox... Fortunately it's only 7 days to go to the election because I'm not sure he can keep this pace up!

Today Andrew launched the flagship of his campaign - his Poker Machine Harm Minimisation Plan, which he argues should be implemented during the next term of Parliament. This plan is designed to bridge the gap between the current situation and the removal of all pokies when the monopoly contract expires in 2018.
The need for such a plan was brought home at a media conference today when Steve told his story. A poker machine user for 30 years, and an addict for much of that time, Steve estimates he has lost around $500,000 on the pokies. Because of the pokies he has also lost a son, has been to jail, has missed opportunities for employment and compounding it all has other addictions that he continues to fight.
Steve is quick to state that he is no victim. He is reflective about his behaviour and knows it is ultimately he who must take responsibility for his life. However he knows enough about pokies and the way they work to know that, for addicts at least, the only solution is to rid society of them. Like an alcoholic who will always sniff out that hidden drink, 'band aid' solutions like self-exclusion policies, reduced operating hours and lower bet limits will not help a pokies addict.
That's why Andrew's ultimate policy is to eliminate all poker machines from Tasmania. Steve stands by this policy and urges all politicians and candidates to embrace it too, to save the lives - figuratively and literally - of hundreds of Tasmanian addicts and the thousands more whose lives are also harmed by people addicted to the pokies.

Well, there are 9 days to go to the election and things are certainly getting very busy. After a fast shave, Andrew has back-to-back engagements for a good chunk of today, including addressing a class at Princes Street Primary School and introducing them to the Van of Numbers. (Another generation converted?) Andrew's managing all of this exceptionally well, though his daily departures from the house are often delayed by 3-year old cries of "Daddy, I'm not going to let you go EVER!"

On Friday 5 March the Tasmanian Electoral Commission conducted a draw to determine in which order candidates appear on the ballot paper on 20 March.
We had all worked hard to ensure that, with 100 nominators, Andrew was included as a 'Grouped Independent' which means he was in the draw to be listed in the first section of the ballot paper, alongside the parties. This gives a tremendous advantage to an Independent. And all parties hope to be drawn for the coveted first column on the ballot, a position which is believed to be advantageous for picking up the 'donkey vote' - people who simply number the boxes left to right across the paper.
After an impressive and fairly elaborate set-up, little blue balls containing the names of those eligible were rattled around the ballot box and then drawn, one by one. The first name to be drawn - and so the first name to appear on the ballot paper - was Andrew Wilkie! The local newspaper journalist standing behind let out a whistle. "Hm, that'll have an impact," was clearly the meaning.
So. We have all of the ducks lined up. First position on the ballot. A 12-year old Labor Government truly on the nose with even hard-core Labor voters. A Liberal alternative which is not a real alternative in the minds of many. The Greens who cannot win a majority of seats and so form government. And nearly a quarter of the electorate still undecided about how they will vote.
Andrew's chances are still a long shot. It has been a long time since an independent was elected to the lower house in Tasmania - since they reduced the size of the Parliament from 35 to 25 in 1998. But if ever there was a chance it is now. Good luck Andrew! We are doing our best to support you.

On Sunday 22 November the first fundraiser for Andrew's campaign was held at Smolt in Salamanca.
Mercury columnist and barrister Greg Barns introduced the event and Andrew to those who hadn't met him. Andrew also spoke. Both made the point that politics will only change for the better in Tasmania when the three-party stranglehold is broken. A genuine Independent in the lower house would go some way to achieving that.

Their message was well-received, and over drinks and nibbles Andrew was able to talk in more detail to supporters. More fundraisers will be held between now and the election. Thanks to everyone who donated their time and money to make a successful event!

Campaign Update November 2009

Welcome to the November report on Andrew Wilkie's independent candidature for the seat of Denison at the State election expected in March 2010. You've received this email because you're either a supporter of Andrew's campaign or might have a particular interest in it. I'm sending these bulletins out every month, but if you don't want to receive them please reply to me (Kate Burton, Andrew's wife).

Policy
During the last month some important public policy issues have been on the boil. Andrew's position is as follows.

Water and sewerage reform
"The Tasmanian Labor Government has bungled the implementation of water and sewerage reform. The anomalies and inequities in the reform need to be addressed. The 10% cap on price increases must be enforced. And subsidies for people on low incomes need to be increased to offset any price rises."

Voluntary euthanasia
"I would have voted in favour of the 'Dying with Dignity' Bill last week because I believe strongly in voluntary euthanasia so long as it is strictly regulated. Any fine tuning of the proposed legislation would have been done during the committee process if the bill had received majority support in Parliament, which unfortunately it didn't."

Publicity
Since the October newsletter Andrew has had some good media coverage. He was a guest on ABC Radio Tim Cox's Friday Forum on 23 October.

A Letter to the Editor of the Mercury from Andrew regarding poker machines was published on 31 October. The unedited content was:

"The Mercury has again highlighted the terrible harm done by poker machines in Tasmania and raised the issue of whether or not governments have the right to ban them ('The liberty of losers', Mercury, October 30).

But the newspaper gives too much credit when it says our politicians are starting to listen. This week's much hyped draft pokies legislation is a tinkering around the edges of the problem, aimed simply at neutralising the issue politically in the run-up to the election.

Look at the facts. The Government did virtually nothing about the Productivity Commission's report into problem gambling in 1999 or the Social and Economic Impact Study into Gambling in Tasmania prepared in 2008. Nor does it intend to implement most of the Tasmanian Gaming Commission's 2008 recommendations aimed at reducing problem gambling. Meanwhile, Budget Estimates show increasing State revenue from the pokies in future years.

For the record, Labor, Liberal and Greens all support the continued operation of poker machines in Tasmania. All are letting us down on this issue."

Another Letter to the Editor of the Mercury, this time on the pulp mill, was published on 5 November. The unedited content was:

"The State Labor Government continues to bend over backwards to support Gunns' Tamar River pulp mill and the Liberal Opposition is no better. Mark my words, if I'm elected to the Parliament I will be the next Government's worst nightmare on this issue."

Events
On Sunday 15 November Andrew participated in the commemoration of the 8th anniversary of the tragic sinking of SIEV-X with the loss of all of those on board - 353 asylum seekers en route to Australia.

51,000 leaflets were distributed to letterboxes in Denison during the week of 9-13 November. These have stimulated very positive feedback on Andrew's campaign.

With the election coming closer there are more opportunities for Andrew to attend policy forums to listen to people's ideas and concerns and to present his views. Recently he attended the TASCOSS-sponsored public transport forum in Glenorchy on 3 November. And on 26 November Andrew will attend another TASCOSS event on multicultural issues in Tasmania.

The SBS documentary about Andrew's 2003 controversial resignation from the Office of National Assessments about the war in Iraq will screen at 8.30pm on Wednesday 18 November. The program is called "The Perfect Whistleblower" and is being rated by the newspapers as a "must-see".

Please don't forget the fundraiser for Andrew's campaign at Smolt, in Salamanca, on Sunday 22 November. The event starts at 2.30pm and will be introduced by Greg Barns. Cost is $30 a head which includes drinks, nibbles and a small donation to Andrew's campaign. Additional donations will of course be very welcome!

If you have been forwarded this bulletin from a friend and would like to receive it directly, email us and we'll add you to the list.

If you need to contact Andrew or me email
wilkie.andrew@bigpond.com
burtonkm@bigpond.com
or phone 0400 818 625.