Open letter to Mark Latham: You cannot win without my vote!

The forests policy threatened the job of each and every skilled worker in the country, because it showed us that job security is not a core feature of Labor's vision. Under a Labor government we would have always been threatened by the insidious influence of the Greens and the left of your party. This is one skilled worker who felt particularly sympathetic to the timber workers, having once lost a job as a direct consequence of a Keating budgetary decision. The forests policy announcement picked up those few of us who were still wavering after Medicare Gold and sent us scurrying back to the safe arms of the coalition.

Mark, tap this mantra into your skull until your nose bleeds: LABOR CANNOT WIN WITHOUT OUR VOTES!

Who decides what policy will fly with the electorate? The union hacks? What would they know - they represent barely a fifth of the private sector workforce, and probably less than one in ten tradespeople. And they are historically proficient at looking after themselves, not their members.

The bleeding hearts? Sorry, Carmen, but preferential voting will always ensure that Labor captures votes on the left. Despite all of Bob Brown's threats, what self-respecting watermelon or avocado would ever seriously preference the Coalition? It is “middle Australia” who will win you government, not the Greens. Pandering to them will doom you to opposition.

The shiny-bums and pointy-heads? Have Tim Gartrell, Mike Kaiser or Hawker-Britten ever raised a sweat or got dirt under their nails? How would they have a clue as to what we are thinking - they would be flat out changing a tap washer in the parliamentary bathroom.

My point is that you don't seem to have anyone real advising you on policy, and it shows. I'm sure you will try to tell me that you focus-grouped everything and it flew with them. Well clearly that doesn't work, because your policies were low-grade toxic political waste, and 62 per cent of the electorate agree with me that they should be dumped in South Australia. Here 's a clue - next time a policy “wonk” has a brain flash, hire a dozen “tradies” from a labour hire company for the day to tear it to pieces. Run policy past real people, not vested interests or political “wannabees”.

Let me make it abundantly clear to you, Mark, in terms that even Bill Ludwig would understand. LABOR CANNOT WIN WITHOUT OUR VOTES!

Politics is about policy, not personality. Elections are not Australian Idol. If they were, Kim Beazley would be Prime Minister. He's the Guy Sebastian of Aussie politics, compared to your Shannon Noll and Simon Crean' s Willie Hung. You will only win by formulating better policy than the government, and then actively selling it. When we first heard about your "Ladder of Opportunity" we were hoping for a courageous and comprehensive policy initiative - a Labor version of John Hewson's Fightback!, which was brilliantly crafted and poorly sold. Don't try to sell us cheap, poorly crafted policy. There is a reason good tradesmen never blame their tools - because they are of superlative quality. Likewise, if the policy Labor offers us is not up to the job, we won't buy it. Think Snap-On, not Supa-Tool.

While on personality, drop the anti-Costello scare campaign that just insults our intelligence. Many of us voted for Keating in '93, so we would have no problem voting for Costello in 2007.

Two rules for you to observe. ITES and KISS. Slick Willy said it best, "It' s The Economy, Stupid!" You can have all the touchy-feely policy you want - free double latte's for gay childcare workers on national tree-cuddling day - but if you cannot sell economic policy, you will not win. Taxes must be simple, employment must be strong, and interest rates MUST remain low. You have to convince us that you are up to the task. And of course "Keep It Simple Stupid!"

I'm not interested in delving through the excruciating minutiae of your Family Tax Benefit C policy to find I can claim the possum in my tree as a dependant on alternate Wednesdays. I should not need a slide rule, a piece of string and some tealeaves to work out if I am better off. And the scattergun approach to policy used at this election failed to score a single hit - look at the polls.

Try simple policies that all Aussies can understand and relate to or benefit from. A $10,000 tax-free threshold. Paid maternity leave. Income splitting between working couples. Reduction in fuel excise. More apprenticeships and traineeships. Taxation simplification. Superannuation reform. There you go - a comprehensive reform for working Australians in 25 words. If you cannot sell policy in 25 words or less, then as Tony Soprano would say, “fugghedaboudit”!

Once more time for the road, Mark. YOU CANNOT WIN WITHOUT MY VOTE. If you are fair dinkum about winning in 2007, hop in your comcar and take the three-hour drive to Parkes, and we can discuss this further over a beer at the Railway Hotel. You have everything to win, and nothing to lose.

Cheers

Nige (Nudge) Edwards