Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi #7

[Kieran McConville]

The whole thing is becoming rather farcical. Possibly if it becomes farcical enough, steps might be taken, although what those steps might be is beyond me, as an amendment to the constitution is vanishingly unlikely.

 

[Kieran McConville]

So what teh fuck, New Zealand's having another election? I mean, I assume that was why they were going on about the Labor leader there quitting.

 

[Axver]

So what teh fuck, New Zealand's having another election? I mean, I assume that was why they were going on about the Labor leader there quitting.

*Labour

And yes, we have one in September. It's been three years, after all. I'm hoping this late change will be more Hawke-for-Hayden than Moore-for-Palmer.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Eh, feels like only two. Hence my surprise. I remember you posting at some length at the time of the last Key win.

I'm tempted to ask why New Zealand Labour - my bad - are travelling so poorly, but that would be to skim a surface I know only a very little about. A little knowledge is a dangerous idea!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

What's the deal with National having such a mammoth (relative) share of the vote? Seems pretty damn depressing. There's an awful lot I don't know about NZ politics.

 

[Axver]

Honestly, I struggle to fathom it myself. National had a high vote in the Key years because Key was teflon. People loved him, for whatever reason; even my father, originally a Key voter, disavowed him in the end.

This is Labour/Green's election to lose. And I think that's part of why the Nats have a high vote: the Kiwi left is split between Labour and the Greens. But with MMP that should be of little consequence. The Greens can't win any local seats, so Green voters - like me - will vote Labour for their local seat and Green for list. In 2014 there was no realistic prospect of anybody but Key winning, and Labour lacked a popular leader, so of course the Nats have almost a majority despite MMP.

Now? Jacinda Ardern is popular, and Kelvin Davis brings the Māori vote. Our largest opposition party is led by a woman and a Māori man. That's got to mean something. The Greens will run well - Metiria Turei's admission that she lied to WINZ (the equivalent of Centrelink) can only help her with marginalised or disillusioned voters. The people angry with her would never have voted for her anyway. And nobody likes Bill English. The last time he led the Nats, they got flogged.

I'm still worried, because the left are working at a serious electoral disadvantage. But with the help of the Māori Party or - shudder - NZ First, I hope a Labour/Green government will get over the line rather than some Nat scumlords.

I'm so close to going home and joining the fight, you have no idea. Fuck Australian politics, I don't care about anywhere but Melbourne. I'll fight for New Zealand though.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

There does seem to be the implication that positive change is much more realistic in NZ than it is in Australia, I've always been interested in how the political culture differs between the countries - and in the past I fell into the trap of assuming it was pretty much the same, but surely there'd have to be nuances there.

 

[cobl04]

Laurie Oakes has called time.

 

[Axver]

There does seem to be the implication that positive change is much more realistic in NZ than it is in Australia, I've always been interested in how the political culture differs between the countries - and in the past I fell into the trap of assuming it was pretty much the same, but surely there'd have to be nuances there.

Yeah, it's curious. I think New Zealand has become more different over the last few decades; up until that point I'd say the political cultures were very similar. Now I feel that Australia has turned inwards and become more exclusionary and nasty, while New Zealand looks outwards to the Pacific, embraces a bicultural nationalism, and even when there's a conservative government it's not as brutally right-wing as Australia's has become, at least in some senses. The deep religiosity and social conservatism of the Liberal lunar right doesn't exist in a viable electoral sense (people keep trying and failing, e.g. Colin Craig), and although there's obvious racism flowing through some sides of Kiwi politics, you simply can't advance it as brazenly as One Nation.

Laurie Oakes has called time.

I know he's getting on in years, but I must admit I'm surprised he decided to go now rather than wrap up his career with next year's election.

 

[cobl04]

it would probably kill him. it's going to be a fucking shitshow.

 

[cobl04]

on the back of the leaked phone call.

[tweet]893225125159424000[/tweet]

sadly accurate.

Malcolm Turnbull is the most disappointing politician I have ever known. For so long I really thought he was respectable. He is a pathetic piece of shit. Five minutes into this phone call and he's proudly sprouting the fact that he will lock up Nobel Prize winners.

Abbott might be the most conservative PM we've had in the modern era but at least he had the strength of his own fucking convictions. I respect Abbott a million times more than I do Turnbull and honestly at this point I'd prefer he'd stayed in power. Malcolm is an utter piece of shit.

 

[Kieran McConville]

He is the proverbial hollow man. A lawyer with a brief, nothing more.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I just read that transcript, and all I have to say is ... wow. Turnbull comes off as a snivelling sycophant and comes out of that exchange arguably looking worse than Trump himself.

Most telling part was when Trump chastised Turnbull for having a particular prejudice against boats. Fucking hell, this country's really in the shitter.

 

[cobl04]

And there's actually conservatives out there PRAISING HIM for "standing up for Australia's interests" or some bullshit.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I don't think our Overton window (ie. position of political mainstream) differs from the US' much at all, to be honest.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I don't think our Overton window (ie. position of political mainstream) differs from the US' much at all, to be honest.

I think it does a bit, but it's a legacy thing. The long Howard years (and in different ways, the long Hawke-Keating years) did a number on this country, whatever you think of the less admirable aspects of the past.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I also wish Tony Abbott were still at the helm, if only so he could be demolished and repudiated at a general election.

 

[Axver]

It really is quite breathtaking that in a phone call with Trump calling himself the greatest person in the world, Turnbull still comes out looking worse.

 

[Axver]

Have any of you folks listened to Kardajala Kirridarra?

They sing in both Mudburra and English (more the former than the latter) and blend the traditional music of their people with a very contemporary electronic aesthetic. This is the sort of thing we really need to champion in the Aussie music scene.

 

[cobl04]

hit us up with a link!

 

[Axver]

It's called Spotify, friggin'.

This is the only thing I could find on YouTube, a live performance of Ngabaju (Grandmother's Song):

 

[Axver]

Ahahaha Barnaby Joyce might be a dual citizen because of his Kiwi father, oh my god.

Oh and guess what his dad's name is? James Joyce.

 

[cobl04]

Fuck Kevin Andrews is a piece of shit

 

[cobl04]

NZ have confirmed he is. lolololol

 

[Axver]

I'm seriously honking with laughter in my office, people in the corridor outside must be wondering what's so funny.

But this really is so, so funny. Oh my god, Section 44. It's all you can now, laugh.

Oh, and Turnbull has told the House that the "courts will hold" that Barnaby is eligible to sit in parliament. That's not only premature, but also possibly contempt of court.

 

[Kieran McConville]

The whole thing is... schadenfreude is the word that springs to mind. Nobody has a leg to stand on which helpfully prevents it from being as damaging to say, The Greens, as it could have been.

 

[Kieran McConville]

PS belatedly catching up on other assorted shit... that's a good song you posted there Axver, maybe not entirely my cup of tea, but i'd definitely agree it's something the J's could stand to push a bit more. I also don't use Spotify so I guess I'm shit out of luck (ie. I'm not asserting that Kardajala Kirradarra aren't my cup of tea, just that song).

 

[Kieran McConville]

Wouldn't it be hilarious if Malcolm Turnbull was sent to prison for contempt of court? I mean, wouldn't it just be the cherry on the turd cake that is this interlude in history. Thus leaving the way open for, I dunno, Blockhead Dutton maybe, a man who makes Mike Pence look like George Washington.

 

[Axver]

The whole thing is... schadenfreude is the word that springs to mind. Nobody has a leg to stand on which helpfully prevents it from being as damaging to say, The Greens, as it could have been.

It's funny, the Greens now come out of this not looking too shabby, since the government is looking intransigent. The failure of Canavan to resign from parliament, rather than just from cabinet, and his "my mum did it" excuse, already cast Ludlam and Waters in a better light for owning up to it and taking responsibility. And now Barnaby straight-up not even resigning the Deputy PM role, or his other portfolios (including one he inherited from Canavan!), looks like very poor form indeed. The government is desperate to cling to power.

I love that Tony Windsor hasn't ruled out running again for New England. And gee I wonder which party he'd support in a minority parliament...

PS belatedly catching up on other assorted shit... that's a good song you posted there Axver, maybe not entirely my cup of tea, but i'd definitely agree it's something the J's could stand to push a bit more. I also don't use Spotify so I guess I'm shit out of luck.

Except to the Spotify bit. Out of that cave, Kieran!

 

[Kieran McConville]

I actually do live in a cave you know, so, thanks man.