Here begins my bloggage of the 2007 Australian federal election.

We don't know yet when it will be held. As of today, it could in theory be held any time from five weeks away (ie, September 22) up till January 19, 2008. I'm predicting it will be October 27.

The pseudo-campaigning has been on for ages, of course, and with the Howard government behind in the opinion polls, seemingly terminally, things are getting nasty.

I'll be writing on the issues as I see them, as well as focussing on the polls that I will be voting in, namely the electorate of Grayndler and the senate representatives for New South Wales.

In brief, I am endorsing the election of a Labor government led by Kevin Rudd, but with the balance of power in the Senate held by progressive parties, in particular the Greens.

Let me repeat what I said on September 22, 2004, about two weeks prior to the last election. Not only does it hold true today, but events over the past three weeks have only reinforced the situation emphatically:

"Let's not lose sight of the fact that the Howard administration has proved, time after time, that it is manifestly unfit to govern, has a very cynical disregard for the truth, and has turned Australia into a humanitarian disgrace."

(source: Mr Latham Goes To Townsville, 22.9.04)