Election? What election?

Apologies for my absence over the last week and a half. I've been travelling, campaigning, electioning, and finally, cleaning up.

I'm still all over the place with election washup, trying to tidy up all the post-election loose ends.

I will post a "washup report" later today or tonight.

But right now I can fairly confidently predict that I will not be elected to the Senate on this occasion.

And yes, I have a sense of humour about it. I hgave myself between 0900 and 1100 Sunday to have no sense of humour. But now it's back.

James

I'm travelling for the next week.

If anyone needs me I'm on mobile 0408 526 371

Will try to post while I'm travelling but it depends on access to the internet.

Have a great week.

I'm off to do Stateline this morning; pre-recorded for tonight's program.

You can see it on ABC TV tonight at 7.30pm in Queensland.

James Baker

UPDATE 1
Stateline all put to bed and aired. Went okay I feel. If you missed it I will be putting highlights up on YouTube over the course of the next 24 hours. My technical guru has edited out the boring bits (i.e. everyone else!) and you should be able to see highlights on YouTube.

It's also repeated at some point on ABC2... if only I knew how that worked.

UPDATE 2
See the Stateline appearance here.

Only the edited highlights though.

Much anticipated: here it is.

The man who lost the unlosable election and gave the world another three years of Paul Keating now seems to be an expert on what it takes to lose:

THE major tactical error of the Liberal election campaign has been to highlight Treasurer Peter Costello, former party leader John Hewson says.

Dr Hewson, who lost the so-called "unloseable election" to Labor's Paul Keating in 1993, says Mr Costello is unelectable and should not have been included in major campaign announcements and advertising.

If only he had been that smart when he was leader.

Let's not think that only the people who die on operations are heroes. We must never forget them, but neither must we ever forget those who serve, and especially those who are injured in the service of their nation.

COMBAT engineer Sergeant Michael Lyddiard has lost most of one arm and an eye and received serious blast injuries after a roadside bomb blew up in his face in Afghanistan.

The Townsville-based bomb disposal expert was a metre from the device and was about to examine it when it detonated on Saturday.

It is understood he almost died at the scene because of blood loss and massive trauma, but was saved by the high standard of first aid he received from comrades and medics.

Hi folks, some quick notes from the X-Files


# I collect 700 corflutes today so your help in displaying them would be really appreciated

# Thanks to those who are displaying 'James Baker' car bumper stickers and letterboxing my leaflets

# Thanks to a team of talented young guys and Charles for helping film and edit my latest You Tube videos.

# I travelled to Yarraman last night and met a great bunch at the RSL Branch Meeting, I appreciated the great ideas and strong commitment to the nation

Service to the Nation and training opportunities for young people are high on my agenda.

# 11 Independent Candidates launched "Make Election Day Independents Day" on Sunday at Carindale

Thanks to Sam Strutt and photographer Peter Wallis from the Courier Mail for covering the event in the Courier Mail on Monday

Thanks to AAP for two reports about Independents Day and on some of the issues raised .

Thanks also to Phil Young for invaluable help along the way.

I've lodged my preference allocation with the Australian Electoral Commission.

The order of the major contenders is:
- Family First
- Pauline
- Liberals/Nationals
- Labor
- Democrats
- Greens

One of the minors may get up, but the interest at this point is on the majors. So there it is.

Anyone interested in the reasoning, feel free to ask.

Inspirational federal independent Peter Andren has died.

Former federal MP Peter Andren has died after a battle with inoperable cancer.

Mr Andren died this morning, ABC radio is reporting.

The independent member for the central NSW seat of Calare left parliament last month.

Mr Andren was planning to step down from the lower house seat he had held since 1996 and contest a spot in the Senate, but withdrew after being diagnosed with inoperable cancer earlier this year.

Farewell. You were an inspiration to thousands.

Here's the text of my media release from today.

JAMES BAKER WINS THE “X BOX”

Independent Senate candidate James Baker must be the happiest candidate to come out of the Queensland Senate ballot paper draw today, after he drew the ‘X box’ on the ballot paper.

“At 40 years of age, I now have my first X Box,” Mr Baker said.
It is now official - James Baker has the X factor in this election campaign.

The Australian Electoral Commission conducted the ballot today to decide which alphabetical ‘group’ is allocated to each party or candidate.

Mr Baker’s name was drawn out last, which makes the James Baker group ‘Group X’ in the ballot paper.

“I’m eXcited,” Mr Baker said, quoting the late Big Kev.

“Now it’s a case of ‘X marks the spot’ for those wanting to vote for the James Baker Group.”

“It’s uncanny, now I really am the X-man.”

Mr Baker is one of 65 candidates standing for six Senate positions available at this election.