Labor Vs. Liberal, Ace Tells Abbott: “Stick To The Flags”

With the Australian federal election tomorrow and the Chopes contest about to begin, Aussie surfers need to be top of their game, lest they bear the wrath of the electoral commission’s fines department. One Central Coast surfer with good organisational skills and an interest in politics is Avoca’s Adrian Buchan. When Stab called, Ace he had just come in from his first surf at Chopes, having freshly landed in Tahiti.

Stab: Who are you going to vote for in the coming federal election?

Ace Buchan: I did a postal vote. I voted for Labor. Our seat (Ace is from the Central Coast, the seat being Terrigal) is actually an interesting seat. It’s one of those swinging seats that change all the time. I think it’s one of the most marginal seats in the country. In the last election it only just went to Labor. I don’t know if you remember that lady Belinda Neal? She was the candidate, and she got involved in that whole thing that went down at one of the Central Coast bars where she was apparently aggressive towards a patron or something, so Kevin Rudd stood her down. So I kinda don’t hold high hopes for Labor in that regard, they’ve had a lot of bad press since the last election. Everything I’ve read points towards the Liberal guy getting re-elected. Last week, these kids from the (Central) coast egged the Terrigal’s Liberal candidate’s car. He got out of the car and grabbed one of the kids. He was in a bit of trouble over that, so maybe that might change people’s minds a bit. I was going to vote Green actually. From what I understand their preferences go Labor. But the Green’s candidate from the (Central) coast is in favour of the dumping of this warship at Avoca, which has been going on for the last six months, and I’m against that for environmental reasons. So that stopped me (voting Green). I’m pretty scared that Tony Abbott is going to get elected.

You don’t dig Abbott? I don’t dig Tony Abbott at all. I don’t dig a man that doesn’t approve of pre-marital sex, someone who wants more religion in our day-to-day lives, and wants to stop the boats (of immigrants coming to Australia). I think his whole campaign is based on ignorance and scaring people. I don’t identify with him whatsoever. I don’t identify with the Liberal party to start with, and I just find Tony Abbott abrasive.

Do you find that you vote based more on the personality of the leader of a party or on the parties’ policies? I guess a bit of both, but I’m definitely inclined to go more left rather than right, not that politics in Australia is too far either way. But I’m definitely more inclined to vote Labor.

Did you hear about that refugee kid that won a charity and the prize was a surfing lesson with Abbott, but he’s flagged him until after the election? Nah, I didn’t actually!

Does his surfing shtick add to his credibility? Nah, I think he’s one of those guys that prances around in his dickies and maybe can paddle a clubby mal, but that’s about it. I think he should stay in the flags. – Elliot Struck