A hospital on the north-west coast of Tasmania became the centre of one of John Howard's more audacious - and perhaps most effective - pre-election manoeuvres so far. He has bypassed the states and given $45 million a year to the Mersey Community Hospital in Devonport, in the marginal seat of Braddon. This single action has set off a giant lolly scramble around the country involving every city and town with rundown services. But John Howard has done this for the same reason that Kevin Rudd promised massive infrastructure projects in Western Australia - the election is almost upon us.