Ang Kalatas Volume III September 2013 Issue | 页面 7

THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA. September 2013 | Vol. 3 No. 12 | Ang Kalatas Australia | www.kalatas.com.au

Community | 07

Decision time

AUSTRALIA, Brisbane : Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (L) speaks as oppostion leader Tony Abbott (R) listens during a people’s forum in Brisbane on August 21. Rudd and Abbott faced off for their second debate of the election campaign ahead of the country’s election on September 7. AFP PHOTO / POOL / LUKAS COCH

TITUS FILIO
COVER STORY

AFTER that winter of discontent comes the great spring decision: who will, who should, lead Australia?
voters Elsa Labuson and her husband. The couple are among thousands of new citizens who will vote for the ?rst time in an Australian election. “It should be an exciting exercise,” Elsa told AK. “But honestly we’re still confused on who we should be voting for,” said Elsa, a resident of Rooty Hill, the suburb where Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Coalition leader Tony Abbott battled in their third debate. “Parang pareho lang kasi, walang mapagpilian,” another FilAussie voter said. On the other hand, this is the political campaign where many Filipinos have also joined the parties to back their choices. Two Filipino-Australians are contesting seats including Jayme Diaz, Liberal, for Greenway and Ronaldo Villaver, senate candidate under the Australian Democrats. Even just days before election day on September 7, there is still a signi?cant number of people who are ‘undecided’. But many have made up their minds. According to 7News/ ReachTel, polls show that voters’ preference for leaders, at end of August, give Liberal-Coalition leader Tony Abbott is ahead with 53.6 per cent while PM Kevin Rudd is at 46.4 per cent. Still the numbers can change. Voting has started late last month for Australians overseas and for thousands who have signed up as early voters. According to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), over 275,000 electors have voted at early voting centres (as at close of polling on August 26) since early voting started on August 20. The AEC reported that some 14.7million Australians have enrolled to cast their votes. NSW has the most number of voters at 4.7million followed by Victoria with 3.6million.

Who should we vote to the government? The campaign season has its highs and lows heating up in the last few days that many just hoped to get over with it. Yes, it will be over soon. The majority parties sounded either both too good – or just both too bad – that many people are still undecided whom to vote for. This would include some Filipino-Australians like new