The Worm – Decides the next PM of Australia ?

A federal election has been called and last night the first and most likely only debate between the 2 leaders took place.

What made it interesting to watch was the “worm” that was displayed under each leader as they talked. The worm is a computer generated graph that shows a positive or negative reaction based on a group of 90 “un-committed voters” who were watching and registering their responses. Because the line moves up and down based on positive or negative reaction it looks like a worm moving, hence the name.

There has been some controversy over the worm. The incumbent Prime Minister, Liberal leader John Howard did not want the worm. While the opposing Labour leader Kevin Rudd was in favour of it.

The channel that uses the worm, Channel 9 had its feed pulled half-way through the 90-minute live coverage and had to switch to two back up feeds. Channel 9 has accused the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC is the equivalent of CBC) and National Press Club of pulling the feed on behalf of the Liberal party because the network was using “the worm” in its coverage.

After the debate, the results of the worm were 65 % in favour of Kevin Rudd, 29 % for John Howard and 6 % undecided.

The worm did not favour the Prime Minister and it has not done so in the past 2 elections. I can see why the Prime Minister is not in favour of it.

But he has won both the previous elections. The worm is not a telling indicator. It is only based on 90 people’s reactions. With 5 weeks to go a lot can change.

I hope it doesn’t, although only a visitor to this country I want Kevin Rudd to win. Although the polls are favouring Kevin Rudd at the moment, it could easily swing to Howard’s side on election day. What’s the saying go with the devil you know than the devil you don’t.

Note for Canadian readers:
Liberal party in Australia is right-winged (some say far-right party). Where as Labour is a left-winged/centrist party.