Australian elections

[Maggot]

It looks as if Tony Abbot will win. Has anyone been following this? It looks like the implementation of a Carbon tax was part of Labors downfall. There is much to be said for the will of the people come election time.

[HairOfTheDog]

I've only followed it on the surface. Hoping crash and aussie weigh in.

Abbott won the election.



From what I've read, his campaign centered around promises to rein in government spending, do away with tax on carbon emissions, and stop the influx of refugees. (Rudd took some drastic measures to curb the refugee influx to Australia, as covered in the "Smugglers" thread; maybe it was too late to make a big impact on undecided and possible swing voters?)

The Labor party lost their shirts in this election after having tried to regroup with leadership turn-overs. They booted Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2010, put Julia Gillard in place as Australia's first female prime minister, and then put Mr. Rudd back in charge a few months ago.

Will be interesting to learn the Senate election results next week. Abbott could be facing similar challenges as Obama if the Greens and Independents retain power there.

[crash]

Ok, finally have some time and a keyboard to type a decent reply..

The biggest problem in Australian politics is that both of the major parties (Labor and Liberal/Nationals) have shifted away from campaigning on policy and concentrated on winning votes with popularity. This wasn't an overnight shift, it's been slowly happening for the past twenty years. Personally I think it's a terrible shame and to the detriment of the country, but somewhere the party campaign managers picked up that there were more votes to be won with an image than a solid portfolio of policies, and we the voters only have ourselves to blame for that. As Loosey Loo mentioned here before; some of the previous prime minister, Julia Gillard, policies were very good and for the good of the country, but others weren't that popular which tended to polarise the voters and her popularity began to fade. That kind of snowballed until the Labor party was in disarray and Gillard was replaced by the previous prime minister, Kevin Rudd, that the Labor party threw out once before because he was so unpopular...go figure.

At the end of the day, the LNP won on the back of Labor's mistakes. And also on a very big spend on their advertising. The carbon tax was an issue, as was the mining tax and also a few other initiatives that Labor had massive failures with in the past six years. Labor squandered a very hefty surplus that was left by the previous coalition government. The stimulus payments at the height of the GFC was not a very popular scheme unless you were on the bottom of the socioeconomic foodchain and got a quick couple of grand. The majority of us are left with a debt that our kids will be paying off for a scheme that was put in place to protect us from a crisis that was predominantly focused on the Northern Hemisphere and that we were very heavily insulated from in the Asian market with our strength in mining at the time. I still believe if the Liberals (LNP) were in power, they wouldn't have spent a penny, nothing would have changed and we would still have our shiny AAA credit rating to wave around. The schools bonus was another fucking disaster rorted by dodgy contactors and the like. The insulation scheme was another debacle designed to appease the greens that wasted not only money but lives too.

The other major issue for a lot of traditional blue collar Labor voters was the fundamental shift by Labor from the protection and creation of blue collar manufacturing and mining jobs with the creation of the two earlier mentioned taxes. These taxes directly impacted a lot of job losses and as much as the government insisted it couldn't be directly attributed to the taxes (stating it was more to do with the global economy), the peoples perception was heard come election day.

All of that and the fact that Kevin Rudd was a micro managing, egotistical, self centred 'be everything to everyone' type of leader. The people had had enough of his showmanship. Even his concession speech was 24 minutes long ffs and read more like an Oscars acceptance speech and focused more on Kevin the Kevin (I would of typed Kevin the great, but he wasn't) than anything else. I guess in the end, the people couldn't swallow anymore..

Now we have Abbott. The country still seems significantly polarised. I'm happy we have a change, because we needed it. Sure, I don't know where exactly we're headed, but glad it happened. Labor need some time on the side to get back to their roots and form some solid policy. They also need to sort out their shit and quit their in fighting. Liberal will tighten the purse string which won't hurt us for a while either. Labor are spruiking that the libs will cut public sector jobs and education, but I think a fair dose of that is propaganda. A lot of the public sector jobs are more than likely assholes with a 'job for life' mentality sucking off the government tit, protected by the union. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

I could write more, but blah blah, it's probably already tl;dr territory

[HairOfTheDog]

Ok, finally have some time and a keyboard to type a decent reply..

The biggest problem in Australian politics is that both of the major parties (Labor and Liberal/Nationals) have shifted away from campaigning on policy and concentrated on winning votes with popularity. This wasn't an overnight shift, it's been slowly happening for the past twenty years. Personally I think it's a terrible shame and to the detriment of the country, but somewhere the party campaign managers picked up that there were more votes to be won with an image than a solid portfolio of policies, and we the voters only have ourselves to blame for that.

I feel the same about American politics, in most instances.

Image over substance is the name of the game here these days, IMO.

I don't run my life like that, nor my business - never have.

So, it's a jagged pill to swallow when it seems the country is being run under such an ideology. Feel ya.

That may be why it seems that some of us Americans are less patriotic than we used to be. Maybe you're seeing the same in Australia?

Personally, I love my country as much as always and I'm actually more aware of how lucky that I am to be here as I grow older and wiser (and would probably feel the same were I an Australian).

BUT, I trust my leaders less with experience and wisdom (due to their, IMO, increased focus on image over substance - which, to be fair, I think is largely an issue globally, not just an American or Western one). As a result, I consider it my responsibility to stay more engaged. We vote these clowns in; we the people have the power - we just have to use our votes and voices to try to keep it in check.

So many US citizens have it so good though (including, but not limited to, the portion who are literally "entitled" to get something for nothing) that it promotes complacency and a contentment to just remain on the sidelines watching the show. That's the real danger to a healthy democracy as it ages. JMO.

I could write more...

I wish you would, but appreciate what you've taken the time to share. Interesting.

If/when you or aussie have time, I am curious about your views on a couple of issues related to Australian politics.

1. Do you see the same sort of reluctance in Australia towards bi-partisanship that we've been seeing here in the US?

Some things that make good sense or are virtual no-brainers, for example, getting voted down because one political party is more concerned with stalling the other than with instituting something that benefits the vast majority of the citizens.

2. Will Abbott be strangle-held to a good degree if the Senate majority parties don't change?

3. Will you marry me? (that one is not for you, Loosey).

[crash]

I think the trend is on the increase globally, tbh. The increased apathy of voters is driven by frustration; as in the people are not happy with the results they have seen and thrown their hands in the air and said "You're all the fucking same, a waste of time". This has in turn lead to image and popularity prevailing over policy.

That and also that the world (in general terms) had been in a pretty good purple patch up until recently, and less tolerant for things they don't like and don't agree with, making tough policy a very bitter pill to swallow and politicians avoiding it like the plague.

1. Do you see the same sort of reluctance in Australia towards bi-partisanship that we've been seeing here in the US?

Some things that makes good sense or are virtual no-brainers, for example, getting voted down because one political party is more concerned with stalling the other than with instituting something that benefits the vast majority of the citizens?

I don't think we see this in the same extent as the US, although it does occur. There have been recent instances where the opposite has been the case, but I'm sceptical that it was more for a popularity gain than a policy merited decision.

2. Will Abbott be strangle-held to a good degree if the Senate majority parties don't change?

I see this as actually being a positive for the next term of government. I think Labor will be wanting to rebuild and I don't see them blocking everything they can in the senate. It will only continue to give the LNP a free kick in tarnishing their already suffering image. If they are smart, they will regroup and try to be seen as a party that is keen to rebuild on a positive note and smart policy, whether that be bi-partisan or not. The other good side is that the LNP are still a bit of an unknown quantity, so free reign of parliament and the senate is probably not in anyone's best interest at the moment, we need them to work for their keep in the first term and prove they deserve a second.

3. Will you marry me? (that one is not for you, Loosey).

Haha! In my dreams..

[HairOfTheDog]

Crash wrote: I see this as actually being a positive for the next term of government. I think Labor will be wanting to rebuild and I don't see them blocking everything they can in the senate. It will only continue to give the LNP a free kick in tarnishing their already suffering image. If they are smart, they will regroup and try to be seen as a party that is keen to rebuild on a positive note and smart policy, whether that be bi-partisan or not. The other good side is that the LNP are still a bit of an unknown quantity, so free reign of parliament and the senate is probably not in anyone's best interest at the moment, we need them to work for their keep in the first term and prove they deserve a second.

That's the ideal situation, if it pans out the way you wish. Hope it does.

I miss having a multi-party (or even dual party) political system that allows itself and the country to benefit from the diversity.

Hoping that we can get back to that in the near future here in the US; a Capitol Hill that isn't rife with representatives consumed with one-upping their political opponents at the expense of working towards the good of the people (even though many of them are driven by their perceptions of how their decisions will affect their public images in any case).

So, Prime Ministers Cameron and Key seem overjoyed by Abbott's win.

I'm seeing lots of press comparing Abbott to George W. Bush (in a positive way, which I find interesting).

Some of the comments by Australian Labor Party members make me laugh. Like this one.

"Oz has elected a bigoted air-head to drag them backwards into mean prejudice and vainglorious chauvinism," wrote MP Paul Flynn.

Hey, tell us how you really feel, Mr. Flynn.

[crash]

My wish may well be a pipe dream though. With the people still divided relatively down the middle (around 60/40), any policy that is seen to be questionable will be argued and Abbott will have his work cut out. The independants and the greens will also play a big part in the dynamics of the senate. Abbott may have to sweeten a few deals with the greens to keep Labor from thwarting some of his change policy, the biggest being paid parental leave.

The constituents of the independant's seats should expect to get some political attention as well if their member has any salt.

[Duchess]

I don't know anything about Australia let alone their politics. I can remember being very surprised to discover it got cold there. I picture it as being hotter than hell, desert like and with nearly naked, wild, painted people running around with spears & bones through their noses.

[crash]

Yeah... well I guess I once watched Deliverance and thought all Americans liked it in the ass and squealed like a pig....

[Duchess]

I'm not poking you any more! You're no fun.

[crash]

[Duchess]

I can't see the image. Is it one of your hideous spiders?

[crash]

[Duchess]

[Maggot]

I would build a freakin house right there and have 10 dogs if that fire from the sky fell everyday! I would probably plant watermelon though and spend all day messing with plumbing.

[HairOfTheDog]

Autralia Gets Its 6^th Prime Minister in 8 Years


I was kinda surprised to read that Duchess' crush, ^ Tony Abbott, is out as Prime Minister, after only two years.



So, ^ Maclom Turnbull is in -- same Liberal party, different representative (if I understand correctly).

A “humbled” Malcolm Turnbull will be sworn in on Tuesday as Australia’s 29^th Prime Minister and has promised a “thoroughly Liberal” and consultative government "committed to freedom, the individual and the market".

The former Communications Minister stunned the nation late on Monday by ousting Tony Abbott in a Liberal party room ballot, 54 to 44, with one informal vote. Turnbull promised the Government’s leadership and messaging is about to change.

“The culture of our leadership is going to be one that is thoroughly consultative, a traditional thoroughly traditional Cabinet government that ensures that we make decisions in a collaborative manner,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“The Prime Minister of Australia is not a president.”

Turnbull has made several concessions to the party’s right, including keeping the current climate targets of 26-28 percent of 2005 greenhouse gas emissions levels by 2030, committing to a plebiscite (referendum vote) on same-sex marriage and agreeing not to go to an early election.

[HairOfTheDog]

Foreign Minister ^ Julie Bishop easily retained her role as deputy leader after a late challenge from veteran Defence Minister Kevin Andrews failed 70 to 30.




A disgruntled citizen and Labor party advocate, Ms. Aussie Friend (pictured above), was arrested for streaking across this morning's live-broadcast press conference whilst carrying a sign reading, "De-sexify the Breast!" and singing The Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da". Friend was bailed out early this afternoon by her mate, former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Ref: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/aust...ecbfa4c290

[Maggot]

I don't know anything about her except that she likes to cake the make.

[Duchess]

I die.

Aussie is going to love that.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't know anything about her except that she likes to cake the make.

You mean Bishop, Gillard, or Friend?