Australian Election

[mandy1973]

Hey blueeyedgirl - good to see another south aussie on here
Yeah, great results all around I think. My electorate (Makin) swung to Labor by a fair majority, which was satisfying!
Must say I too was pretty surprised by Costello's announcement - there is certainly going to be some major upheavel in the Liberal Party now, that's for sure.
I agree, it should be interesting to see how Nick Xenophon goes in canberra - i don't necessarily agree with all his opinions, but it's always good to see someone willing to stick their neck out for what they believe in.
What a good day to be an Aussie

 

[Earnie Shavers]

You reap what you sow. Howard has gained his power entirely through divide & conquer policies and hate & fear campaigns. Eventually he was going to have too few friends left, it was bound to happen, and personally, I think it was always going to happen the minute Labor put forward even a remotely competent candidate. The previous two elections before this one could easily have gone Labor's way as well if only their candidates just had half a brain and/or just a sprinkling of charisma. It's no surprise that as soon as they put someone personable like Rudd forward, it was over for the Liberals. They never seemed to get that either.

As for leadership - you wouldn't want to be the opposition leader for the next year or so. They're going to be run through the shit like you wouldn't believe. An arrogant Labor with a mandate and 11 years of revenge to unleash, a party in disarray (did you know that the singular highest office the Liberal party holds now in this entire country is Mayor of Brisbane?) etc. The next one is the whipping boy, fall guy, will be gone in a year. The next opposition leader won't contest the next election. Costello would be looking at that vs a mega-job in the private sector and thinking "Fuck it" and fair enough. Costello isn't that bad - he's got all the charm of a hand grenade, but he's nowhere near as conservative as the rest of them. A Costello led party would have been waaaay left of a Howard led party and I think he would have also seen a fight on his hands if he were leader, but in opposition, so no 'real' power, and trying to pull this group in his direction. Anyway, personally, I'd like to see Abbott in there now. I hate that right-wing one man freak show with a passion - watching him get bashed around will be great. Then, I reckon it will be Turnbull contesting the next election.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Two things on Kevin Rudd:

1) Just because he's from Queensland, it doesn't mean his wife can get away with dressing like she's from Queensland.

2) The music they played when he was heading up to, and leaving, the stage was a real worry. If that's the best they can do...

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

He seems a bit weak, his party is a fucking mess, his views on certain things (like gay marriage) are wrong, and he's not as "cool" and "progressive" as his party tried to make him out to be.
He's still for logging in Tassie, not getting rid of work choices (well some of it, but still keeping some really hardcore rules in place)

I just want some stuff to change. You want to bring the troops home, do it. You want to cool the relationship with America, please DO IT. Don't make these stupid promises and then back out of them like johnny did.

i still hate the fact our two parties are still so similar.

...wow, change the place and leader names and that pretty much sums up American politics right now! Nice to know our country isn't alone in having those problems.

Anywho, while I'm not overly well-versed in the candidates in Australian politics, I've talked to many a friend from that country who's vented about Howard and whatnot, so I'm glad that your country is getting some change in its leadership at last. Here's hoping for better days .

Also, Angela Harlem and Axver, ya know, you guys really should say what's on your minds more often. Don't hold back .

Angela

 

[blueeyedgirl]

2) The music they played when he was heading up to, and leaving, the stage was a real worry. If that's the best they can do...

Yep, I thought that was the bum note of the night. for a minute I thought they were gonna drag out Eye of the Tiger as well....

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Also can I mention how shocked I was to hear Matt Price has passed away. I had no idea he was ill. I loved reading his columns in the Australian, he had a wicked sense of humour. And a sad love of the Dockers. RIP.

 

[dazzlingamy]

Wow Clare Martin Chief Minister of the NT resigned today as well as Sal Stirling the deputy. She's labor too.... there are a lot of confused head scratching going on right now
is she bailing because she wants a cosy position in Canberra?
is she freaking out because she's going to get her arse kicked over the absolute SHIT job she's been doing with the indidgenous population.
Do she and Rudd hate each other and she knows shes gonna get the stick anyway?
veeeeeeeeeery interesting.

And i agree Earnie. I want Tony Abbott to become opposition leader because i can't wait till he's fucking taaken down in a barrage of shit that he has to take the fall for. Please take your right wing bullshit views, your family first freakos and your citizens countil fuckheads and piss off!!

which im not all hoooraaaaaaaah for Rudd - we'll see how he goes over the next few months, im looking forward to the liberals to go quietly away and lick their wounds.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Big Government Conservatives versus Big Government Conservatives - who won exactly?

 

[catehope]

Personally I think the satisfaction comes from the fact that John Howard got his arse kicked in the most spectacular fashion.

My parents, brothers and I aren't going to necessarily be better off...but it's almost better to be screwed over by the center faction than the right.

That's how I see it anyway.

 

[Cin]

Big Government Conservatives versus Big Government Conservatives - who won exactly?

the guy with more hair and the younger wife won. That's the only difference that I can see

 

[Angela Harlem]

Mark Vaile has gone, too! There's a God!

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I think it's most likely the Liberal leadership will go to Turnbull, with Nelson a shot with apparently strong back bench support, but, Chris Pyne has put his hand up for deputy. Please God PLEASE let them fuck up so badly that it's an Abbott/Pyne double act for the next year or so. Would be so, so funny.

 

[beli]

Labor flirts with first broken promise...........

It's not going to happen," said one Labor frontbencher, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another Labor source said: "I suppose you could put it in the non-core promise category. No one thinks it's a particularly good idea."

Non core promise

 

[Angela Harlem]

I think it's most likely the Liberal leadership will go to Turnbull, with Nelson a shot with apparently strong back bench support, but, Chris Pyne has put his hand up for deputy. Please God PLEASE let them fuck up so badly that it's an Abbott/Pyne double act for the next year or so. Would be so, so funny.

Abbott, funny? Yeah, I guess in a 'I want to shoot myself between the eyes' kind of way.


I want to know who's supprting Nelson. Even the Liberalites I've talked with can't stand him. I can agree with you on Turnbull, though. He'd make a great whipping boy while the party recovers from this, gets back its bad attitude, and blames ignorant Australia for making a great mistake all the while hovering like flies on shit for Rudd and Gillard to fuck it up so they can gloat.

... Actually, with all this said, are we really finally headed in the right direction? New Zealand just gets more attractive every day.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

New Zealand just gets more attractive every day.

I think everyone should flock there .

Angela

 

[Axver]

... Actually, with all this said, are we really finally headed in the right direction? New Zealand just gets more attractive every day.

To be perfectly honest, I'm worried about New Zealand. Helen Clark and Labour only just won the last election and as long as National doesn't implode and can field a half-decent candidate, I expect them to win the next election. I'm genuinely concerned about what might happen if the Nationals win - specifically, that they may come good on what they've said they'd like to do and apologise to the US over the mid-1980s ANZUS spat in order to restore New Zealand's alliance with the US. We have nothing to apologise for. The US should be grovelling at our feet, begging forgiveness for being such a juvenile and immature bully. And frankly, the last two decades have shown vividly that we don't need the US. New Zealand doesn't need the US and it doesn't need the UK either like it once did. We've been leaders in engaging Asia and it's working a charm.

Back to Australia, I'd love to see Abbott lead the Liberals. He's so gaffe-prone and so completely incompetent that it would tarnish the Liberals and ruin their election chances for years to come. It would be a gift to the Greens especially; they're already outpolling the Liberals in a few parts of the country.

 

[fly so high!]

To be perfectly honest, I'm worried about New Zealand. Helen Clark and Labour only just won the last election and as long as National doesn't implode and can field a half-decent candidate, I expect them to win the next election. I'm genuinely concerned about what might happen if the Nationals win - specifically, that they may come good on what they've said they'd like to do and apologise to the US over the mid-1980s ANZUS spat in order to restore New Zealand's alliance with the US. We have nothing to apologise for. The US should be grovelling at our feet, begging forgiveness for being such a juvenile and immature bully. And frankly, the last two decades have shown vividly that we don't need the US. New Zealand doesn't need the US and it doesn't need the UK either like it once did. We've been leaders in engaging Asia and it's working a charm.

Back to Australia, I'd love to see Abbott lead the Liberals. He's so gaffe-prone and so completely incompetent that it would tarnish the Liberals and ruin their election chances for years to come. It would be a gift to the Greens especially; they're already outpolling the Liberals in a few parts of the country.

To be honest that's one of the reasons i voted Labor....I really liked the way how the Prime-Minister Elect had stood against Bush. I really hate brown-nosers!

Downer, Nelson, Bishop and Hockey are being whispered to also lead the liberal party....Thank Lord Abbott has woken up and pulled out ......I mean with a statement like "I believe i have REASONABLE people skills" in response to being asked why he should be the leader of the now opposition........He stuffed it before he even started

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

The US should be grovelling at our feet, begging forgiveness for being such a juvenile and immature bully.

Ha, good luck getting that to happen anytime soon .

Angela

 

[Kieran McConville]

This is a little trivial of me (don't worry, I follow the big issues too), but that line from Abbott about people skills, reminded me of the guy in 'Office Space':

'I deal with the customers, don't you get it?! I HAVE PEOPLE SKILLS! WHAT"S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?'

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Brendan Nelson is the new Libs leader

(seriously, we should all be putting bets on....)

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Brendan bet Malcolm Turnbull? Shit. Malcolm should just buy the leadership. He is rich enough.

Brendan Nelson - leader of the opposition. This smacks of the Libs in Vic after Jeff Kennett. Hello minimum three term labour government!

 

[Axver]

Brendan Nelson is the new Libs leader

Holy shit, I didn't see that coming. And Julie Bishop is indeed the deputy. The Liberals jump on the "have a woman as deputy" bandwagon. Of course, one suspects that Gillard is deputy PM because she actually deserves the position, while Bishop is just there because the Libs were desperate and didn't want another New South Welshman.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Julie Bishop is there because of the relatively strong showing in WA. One reason among many, anyhow.

I guess Brendan Nelson is there because they need a whipping boy right now. The line doing the rounds is that Tony Abbott stands for too much and Brendan Nelson stands for nothing.

And Malcom Turnbull, well who knows what he stands for. Superficially 'liberal', maybe not so much in reality, a little like the former Treasurer. He's probably awaiting his moment.

Blah. who gives a shit. They can fight it out for a decade and I hope they do because for all the talk of 'they're all the same', I do NOT want a capital C Liberal government in power next time we have a depression. Which if it happens will almost certainly originate in the wider world. Just like that other recession we had to have. We are not an island.

 

[dazzlingamy]

All i wanna say is 'who the eff is julie bishop??'

imploooooooooooooode!

 

[beli]

Julie Bishop is from WA. Not all pollies have to come from Sydney/Melbourne/Canberra.

 

[deep]

This is cool.

Someone appointed to be Environment Minister that actually cares about the environment.

 

[Tania]

Brendan Nelson used to be a trade unionist.

Julie Bishop - hmmm, not too sure about her.

Being the shallow person that I am, looking at Kevin Rudd makes me think "smarmey Mummy's boy who has just had a mark wiped off his face with spit on a hanky" (you know what I mean ) BUT I am impressed with his decision to pick the labor ministers himself and the his statements yesterday about each one. I just hope that Julia Gillard is not going to fall in a heap with the workload he has given her, it is a huge portfolio. It feels like there is going to be some massive changes in Australia with the environment and education big winners. I just hope they follow through with what they said they were going to do. Fingers crossed.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

You mothers!!!!

Maybe Julia's been dumped with the huge workload so she wont' have any time to mount any leadership coups. Gee, I'd make a great conspiracy theorist.....

 

[Axver]

I guess Brendan Nelson is there because they need a whipping boy right now. The line doing the rounds is that Tony Abbott stands for too much and Brendan Nelson stands for nothing.

What I can't fathom is why they chose Nelson given he was previously Defence Minister. He's got more than enough baggage to weigh him down there.

And he's enough of a dipshit that he's offered at least a measure of support to the teaching of intelligent design. I suppose the Fundies First crowd are happy.

Blah. who gives a shit. They can fight it out for a decade and I hope they do because for all the talk of 'they're all the same', I do NOT want a capital C Liberal government in power next time we have a depression. Which if it happens will almost certainly originate in the wider world. Just like that other recession we had to have. We are not an island.

No, no, get it right. If there's a recession under Labour, it's all their fault and has nothing to do with the wider world, and we urgently need the Liberals to save us all from the trade unionists who want to destroy the economy. If there's a recession under the Liberals, it's all due to the wider world, and if Labour were in charge, we'd be poorer than Swaziland within a day. All hail the mighty Liberals! Now let's just pass laws to allow wealthy CEOs and Malcolm Turnbull to rape Australia in the name of economic rationalism and then enjoy some champagne.

 

[Axver]

Maybe Julia's been dumped with the huge workload so she wont' have any time to mount any leadership coups. Gee, I'd make a great conspiracy theorist.....

From the news reports I've heard, as deputy leader, she got to pick the portfolios she wanted, so she's willingly taking on the huge workload.