From the Wodonga party...

Spot's amanuensis has had a very busy week, for reasons entirely unrelated to the election.  This is the reason it's taken until now for any more posts to be made.

Spot went to Cathy McGowan's Wodonga party on Saturday night.

Spot with amaneuensis

Cathy thanked Spot for his tireless work on her campaign.

As we all know, the count on the evening of Election Day has kept on going.  The seat of Indi is close, closer than it has been it it's history (and that goes back to 1901 and Federation.  People are writing articles, following Twitter, making comments.

Finding extra votes.

We wait, with patience.

Only YOU can elect Cathy McGowan

Basking in the moniker of "cutest political pundit in NE Victoria" (thanks, Cambell Klose), Spot has a message for all the electors of Indi.

One of Spot's greatest role models - and also a colleague in the area of fire management - is Smokey the Bear.  Smokey's catchphrase is that "only you can prevent wildfires".

Spot wants to tell all his friends that only YOU can elect Cathy McGowan.

You can talk to your friends and family.

You can wear your bright orange t shirt everywhere - even at the gym.

And most importantly of all, you can mark a great big number "1" in the box next to Cathy McGowan's name on your Indi House of Reps ballot paper.  Don't forget to fill in all the other boxes with consecutive numbers from 2 - 11, as well.

After all:

Spot smells a rat...

Spot can read (he's a very clever dog).

In yesterday's Border Mail, Spot read that Warren Truss announced that lots of current Government funding under the Regional Development Project would be scrapped if the Liberal/National Party coalition become the government.  This includes funding for Wodonga, Wangaratta, Rutherglen and Mount Beauty.

Spot smells a rat.

Spot suspects that this might be a very sneaky way of trying to get more votes for Sophie.

Spot wonders whether people will think "Oh, but with a Cabinet Minister as a local representative, we'll get our money after all."

Here is what Spot thinks:  Sophie has been our representative in Indi for a long time (twelve years for humans - eighty four in dog years).  For a lot of that time - from 2001 right up to 2007 - she was a member of the party in government, just like she might be after next week.

Spot wants Indi voters to think about how much benefit they got from having a member of the government as a local member then.  Spot wants Indi voters to read what Sophie said today: that she doesn't think these are important projects.

Spot thinks that these Nationals and Liberals are being a bit sneaky.

But Spot has faith in the voters of Indi.  He knows that the voters of Indi are clever, like he is.

Spot wants you to prove him right!

Should Spot join Twitter?

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Indi Forum in Wodonga

Spot has to do most of his campaigning outdoors. Sadly he is rarely invited to indoor events, and has to
send spies along in his place.

On Monday 24th August, Spot has heard that there was a large public candidate's Forum at The Cube, Wodonga. The forum was "streamed" live over something called the "internet" - Spot assumes that fish are involved in anything that mentions "streams".

Clicking on the following link will take the reader to said fish-related "stream".

(By the way - as a dog concerned with the preservation of the environment, Spot is not entirely convinced that parties running for the Senate that include "Fishing" in their names are entirely trustworthy.  They don't appear to have consulted any actual fish.)

Spot's service to the community

Here is Spot with his friend and mentor, Big Ted.

They are all prepared to fight a Big Bushfire.

Spot has a hard hat and a specially-modified pair of green overalls.

Did you know that the green overalls often get called a Kermit Suit?  Spot thinks Kermit the Frog is very talented.  For a Frog.

Spot has been helping in fire management for many years.  He has been known to visit The Troops at their staging posts to boost morale among the tired fire fighters.

He is not very good at making sandwiches for the fire fighters, but he thinks that this is a very important job, whether the sandwiches will be eaten by DSE firefighters in Kermit Suits, or CFA firefighters.

Spot knows how important land management and fire safety are.  He knows that Cathy McGowan knows how to protect her farm from bushfires, and how to help the local community in times of crisis.  Spot knows that Cathy McGowan is worth voting for.

For Immediate Release: Spot supports Community Candidate

This is Spot. Spot can run. Spot can jump. (That sounds familiar...)

Being a well-behaved dog with a good understanding of OH&S legislation, Spot is wearing a new high-visibility vest.

But wait…. It seems to have a maker’s logo on it. No, it says, ‘Vote 1 Cathy McGowan’.

 What a naughty dog!
Spot is a political animal. He is trying to influence the way we vote.

Spot does not think that the inhabitants of Indi are getting value from their federal representative.

Spot does not think that the major political parties are seeking to do what is best for the nation. They are too busy seeing who can be meaner to refugees. And the local member is certainly too busy nodding in the background of all the news-grabs of Tony Abbott to be representing her safe electorate.

Spot sent a spy to a “Meet the candidates” gathering, and was very disappointed in most of the aspiring and sitting MPs. Spot even considered drawing horns and a bifurcated tail on the Vote For Sophie placards.

Spot has a dream.

Lots of people vote for Cathy. Cathy goes to Parliament as our representative. Things get better.

Cathy cares about Indi. Cathy expects the community and the politicians to solve problems together, and they do.

But the big question is whether most people will be tempted by the promise of a tax cut and wealth trickling down from Gina Reinhart’s mines to the poor people, or whether they will use their brain. 


Spoken and authorised by Spot, in Wodonga, not that far from the Indigo Valley.

Especially not as the dog runs.

Fast facts about Spot

Spot is a very well-behaved dog. 

He works primarily in the fields of community education, staff morale and fire management.

Spot resides in the electorate of Indi. Spot is highly involved in his local community. 

Spot cannot vote - but Spot wants YOU to vote. 

Spot has recently been observed wearing a brand new hi-vis outfit, emblazoned with the name of his preferred candidate for the seat of Indi. 

You will be hearing more about the adventure of Spot very soon.