Australian Election

[Aussie Willy]

This coming weekend will be the Australian Federal Election. Battle between Liberals and Labor. Plus throw in a bunch of independents who could threaten some Liberal strongholds.

For educational purposes:

• The Liberal party here in Australia are actually the conservatives. Prime Minister is Scott Morrison, commonly known as ScoMo. An insensitive prat who constantly says the wrong thing on women's issues and those less fortunate than himself. Quite out of touch with the reality for most Australians.
• The Labor party are not the conservatives and grew out of the union movement but there has been a shift over the years. The potential Prime Minister is Anthony Albanese, commonly known as Albo. For me Albo seems to be a pretty okay guy who grew up more working class and is probably more relatable

And to add to the mix we have:

• The Greens - the environmental ones. Treated by mainstream media as the "woke liberals" but are big on climate change issues and I also think have some strong social values. That is just my opinion.
• Teal independents - Independent candidates who are running under the same colour in their campaigns but are still independent. Most believe in Climate Change, an independent commission on political corruption and are more progressive in their outlook. These independents are posing a strong challenge to some of the more moderate Liberals.
• Other independents - some who are currently in parliament and have strong local support on a range of issues. They do their job.
• Right wing Liberals who can't help but mix their religious beliefs in trying to impose them on the rest of society.
• Minor parties - a mixed bunch. They include the nutjobs like Clive Palmer (United Australian Party - anti-vaxers), One Nation (the racist bunch) and various others. For me locally the Jacqui Lambie network is a Tasmanian party who seems to be amongst the nutjobs. She is rough around the edges but she actually votes on the wishes of the people she represents by asking them what they think and majority rules. There have been some surprises in where she sits on issues. Could impact the Senate by her candidate Tammy Tyrell who is could be a dark horse.

For many years there has been very little difference, except you could say on moral issues (same sex marriage, transgender). This time there does seem to some differences, particularly by Labor on minimum wage rises (which is a good thing) and more support for workers which seems to be going back to the Labor roots.

Other Aussies - your thoughts?

 

[Immortelle]

Bob Katter???

 

[Aussie Willy]

Bob Katter???

Damn forgot about him. I have just changed my post. He was concerned about crocodiles.

Australian MP Bob Katter Segues from Gay Marriage to Croc Attacks

Australian MP Bob Katter segues from the 'yes' result in Australia's postal survey on same sex marriage, to crocodile attacks in Far North Queensland. Clip f...

www.youtube.com

Barnaby Joyce went after Pistol and Boo (wait until the end)

Johnny Depp: Pistol and Boo 'can bugger off back to the United States'

Senator Barnaby Joyce isn't happy Johnny Depp snuck his dogs, Pistol and Boo, into the country and says they may have to be killed for failing to follow quar...

www.youtube.com

 

[leilaofpaper]

I think an interesting factor this time is there is a good chance of a hung parliament

 

[misskarne]

I don't think it will be hung, but I do think the Independents are going to have way more power than first thought.

In my seat the Liberals are absolutely in panic mode, and even Labor are not overly happy, because we have at least two quite impressive independent candidates who are worth voting for. My area has always skewed fairly progressive, but this is the first time in my memory that the Liberals could really lose the other Senate seat.

I want to believe that Labor will win quite handily on Saturday - especially with Scumbag McFcukface continuing to shoot himself in the foot regularly, yesterday's disaster superannuation-as-a-house-deposit announcement being a notable one. But with Murdoch's media control still in play, and the too-large boomer bloc still a bigger voting demographic, I won't be secure yet.

However, if you like to believe in omens, Scumbag's proclaimed rugby league team, Cronulla, were beaten yesterday by...

...Canberra.

(Albo being a Souths fan counts against him, but nobody's perfect, I guess.)

 

[Louis]

I was surprised to see Aussies referring to Labor (v. Labour) Party, so I looked it up:

Labor vs. labour

labor in the U.S.; labour everywhere else.

grammarist.com

In case anyone else cares:

Labor is the preferred spelling in American English, and labour is preferred throughout the rest of the English-speaking world. One exception: In Australia, the American spelling is used in reference to the Australian Labor Party. In all other contexts, Australians use labour. This idiosyncrasy results from the influence of the American labor movement on the founders of the Australian Labor Party. The British Labour Party has the u.

 

[Aussie Willy]

The US spelling was adopted according to (quoted from Wikipedia which is the version I am familiar with)

Some sources have attributed the official choice of "Labor" to influence from King O'Malley, who was born in the United States and was reputedly an advocate of spelling reform; the spelling without a u is the standard form in American English.

 

[leilaofpaper]

The independents will only have any real power in the senate or if there’s a hung parliament. However, I guess there will be lessons for all of us for what direction the country wants to be moving in. If it’s a lot of these “teal independents” or the Greens, then perhaps our government has gotten too right wing. If it’s more of One Nation, UAP and other populist right-wing groups, then unfortunately I think the Overton window will keep sliding to the right.

Personally, I’m hoping for a Liberal defeat. I want someone competent in charge that doesn’t have to rely on his wife to be compassionate to issues not directly affecting him.

 

[misskarne]

Well, I went and did my civic duty tonight since I will be otherwise engaged on Saturday.

Jeez, it's a real race to the bottom for some. Stood there for some minutes pondering whether to place the UAP, One Nation, or the anti-vaxxers last.

On the plus side, voting 1-6 on the Reps paper is really easy when you only have six candidates, though the above race-to-the-bottom comment still applies.

 

[leilaofpaper]

Well, I went and did my civic duty tonight since I will be otherwise engaged on Saturday.

Jeez, it's a real race to the bottom for some. Stood there for some minutes pondering whether to place the UAP, One Nation, or the anti-vaxxers last.

On the plus side, voting 1-6 on the Reps paper is really easy when you only have six candidates, though the above race-to-the-bottom comment still applies.

Yeah I had to look up some of the minor parties and most of them are in the same group as those other ones. For me One Nation is always dead last though. Can’t tolerate any racism of that magnitude, and unfortunately they’re the minor party on that side of the scale with the most traction.

 

[misskarne]

Well, today's the day...

There's been a last minute change - originally, you could only vote by phone if you tested positive after 6pm on Tuesday (before that, you were supposed to get a postal vote if you had the plague). Well, the problem is, a lot of people who tested positive on the weekend and on Monday/Tuesday weren't going to be able to get postal votes in time, so they were looking at 100,000 - 200,000 voters possibly not being allowed to vote on election day because they would still be in isolation.

The AEC can only work with the legislation they have, which is of course, set by...the government. But perhaps even Scumbag McFcukface realised that it would be a dreadful look to not fix this problem where he is already the most reviled prime minister going into an election, so yesterday morning they changed it that if you tested positive since last Friday you can phone vote. Of course, Scumbag couldn't resist trying to pot-shot at the AEC, claiming he was waiting for them to ask...

The other issue is that we may have as many as 50% of eligible voters pre-voting, and with the plague striking AEC workers...we may not know today.

 

[Aussie Willy]

I couldn't work on the election today because of a skating competition. Damn. It is pretty good money.

I am surprised most people didn't apply for a postal vote beforehand. The process was really simple and whilst they have a list of reasons why you cannot vote on the day, you don't have to do anything more than tick the box. You can always use the option "Because I feel for my safety" to justify Covid. No further explanation required.

Will be interested to see the outcome today. Not going to make any predictions. But I sure as hell do not want the Liberals back in. They have had their time and this time there is a point of difference between the parties.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Not Australian.......but I wish y'all the best result with the least amount of problems

 

[misskarne]

I expect a lot of people, like my brother who tested positive on Monday, were expecting to be able to pre-poll in the week beforehand. I myself only voted at around 6pm on Tuesday, so had I somehow come up positive on Tuesday, I would also have SOL.

I am expecting the independents to have a lot more of a say than usual this time, but hopefully it will be enough to topple the Liberals. I am also hoping it is not true, that there are more UAP voters than we think but they are too embarrassed to admit it to pollsters.

 

[Vagabond]

It looks like Labor will be able to form a government, though it will most likely need the support of independents and/or minor parties to do so. I am gifting this:

Australia Election Live Updates: Scott Morrison’s Coalition Headed for Defeat

With polls closed, the opposition Labor Party was projected to win. During the campaign, Australians voiced concern about inflation and climate change, but the race turned into more of a personality contest.

www.nytimes.com

 

[misskarne]

Antony Green says that the Coalition (ie Liberal/Nationals - Scummo) - now cannot form a government, but that Labor is projected to be able to - either by themselves or otherwise. We should know for sure which it is in coming days.

And if Antony Green says so, it is true. He is never, ever wrong.

Happily, in my area it looks like the long-sitting Liberal has been forcefully booted from his senate seat and replaced with a rather competent-seeming independent. Woo! Labor will retain the other senate seat.

 

[misskarne]

And it's over! Scumbag McFcukface has called Albo to concede! Suck it, Scummo, you got thoroughly rejected!

I guess being Prime Minister "isn't your job" either!

 

[Orm Irian]

It's such a relief! Bye ScoMo, nice to know you're continuing your tradition of being sacked from every job you've ever held!

And my electorate has swung from Liberal to Labor for the first time in history, so my vote made a difference, and I'm very proud.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Excellent result. And Craig Kelly and possibly Pauline Hanson have lost their seats. And Eric Abetz may also be tossed out on the scrap heap.

Thankfully LGTBQI people may no longer be used as political punching bags.

And Sky News is going to be so which makes me

 

[leilaofpaper]

I already saw Sky News complaining that the first thing Albanese talked about was, in their words, "race politics and political division". Like mates, reconciliation is literally the opposite of division, you just don't like anything that's not about you.

Thank goodness that UAP and One Nation did terribly though. If I never hear from either of them again it'll be too soon.

 

[misskarne]

I already saw Sky News complaining that the first thing Albanese talked about was, in their words, "race politics and political division". Like mates, reconciliation is literally the opposite of division, you just don't like anything that's not about you.

Also, even Scummo started his concession speech with Acknowledgement of Country. Like...the fcuk.

Thank goodness that UAP and One Nation did terribly though. If I never hear from either of them again it'll be too soon.

The stupid cookers are still floating around Canberra, now talking about a stolen election.

 

[leilaofpaper]

The stupid cookers are still floating around Canberra, now talking about a stolen election.

Well if there were any doubts they’ve taken their cues from Trump…

 

[Aussie Willy]

I already saw Sky News complaining that the first thing Albanese talked about was, in their words, "race politics and political division". Like mates, reconciliation is literally the opposite of division, you just don't like anything that's not about you.

Thank goodness that UAP and One Nation did terribly though. If I never hear from either of them again it'll be too soon.

They are ones who make issues out of those things. People are sick of it. That is why the Libs got voted out.

 

[Meoima]

Sorry for asking... is the majority of Aussie people like the outcome in general? I have seen people talking on twitter like "Murdoch lost the election" so I guess this is good?

 

[Aussie Willy]

Sorry for asking... is the majority of Aussie people like the outcome in general? I have seen people talking on twitter like "Murdoch lost the election" so I guess this is good?

Absolutely. I think people are very relieved. They did not want another 3 years of the Morrison government. And during the election we actually had a point of difference. It also helps that Albo is much more likeable than Scomo. Sky News and Murdoch believe that if you shout the loudest think they are the majority. Most people decided to go the other way.

 

[barbk]

I read that the newly elected government was likely to support significant expansion of renewable energy. I hope that's true. It would be a lot healthier for everyone -- geopolitics aside -- if we didn't need to ship so much oil and gas around the world. It seems that Australia has some great possibilities on the solar and wind front.

 

[misskarne]

I read that the newly elected government was likely to support significant expansion of renewable energy. I hope that's true. It would be a lot healthier for everyone -- geopolitics aside -- if we didn't need to ship so much oil and gas around the world. It seems that Australia has some great possibilities on the solar and wind front.

Quite probable - and even if Labor have been less committal than we'd like about it, the Greens and Independents who hold the balance mostly ran on climate change action and will force them to it.

 

[Orm Irian]

I read that the newly elected government was likely to support significant expansion of renewable energy. I hope that's true. It would be a lot healthier for everyone -- geopolitics aside -- if we didn't need to ship so much oil and gas around the world. It seems that Australia has some great possibilities on the solar and wind front.

It's part of their policy platform and they have committed to doing it. We'll see how much of it they're able/ultimately to enact. But the Greens and independents, both on the crossbench in the lower house and holding the balance of power in the upper, will be able to keep pressure on them to meet their commitments and, if possible, exceed them.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Interesting article in Crickey. They report that the right-wing media are complaining that Morrison "apparently" went too far to the left which is why he lost. It wasn't because he was just a prat who demonstrated no empathy. And says the right need to go further right.

Australia's Big Lie (from the right): Morrison went too far left

No one who lost a seat on Saturday did so to a more right-wing candidate. But key conservatives are claiming it was because the party went too far left.

www.crikey.com.au

 

[misskarne]

It's extra wild because if anything, Morrison and co going too far right was why they lost.