Election 07: Australia flips a coin

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2007-11-24 09:31am

Should've included this in my previous post, but I also think that the election campaign coverage by the networks has been incredibly shoddy, unprofessional, and in the case of the ABC (and arguably 9 as well), overtly biased against the Liberal/National coalition.

Kerry O'Brian is the biggest culprit there. There's numerous examples of his clear bias over the couse of this campaign, but for one that should still be fairly fresh in everyone's minds...think back to his most recent interviews with Howard and Rudd, earlier this week. Howard was done first, with the interview conducted live, in the studio, and O'Brian constantly on the attack during the whole proceedings. With Rudd's interview the day after however, it was pre-recorded, in Rudd's own office, with no biting questions like those given to Howard asked, no repeated suggestions that he might lose the election, and Rudd seemingly reading all his answers from an auto-cue.

As for 9...well....painting the Liberals as trying to prevent them from covering the leaders debate and stifle free speech when they had their feed cut off due to their flagrant violation of the rules of the debate with their worm, rules which were agreed to by them, the other TV networks, and by both political parties...the only thing more dishonest than their claims there during this election campaign would be idiotic stunt pulled by that Liberal candidate's husband a couple of days ago (with the union's bullshit about Work Choices close behind both of those).

Battlehymn Republic · Post by **Battlehymn Republic** » 2007-11-24 01:38pm

Stark wrote:What does it say about Australians? A bunch of short-sighted, self-interested ignorant media-following whores, that's what.

And obese and anti-Kyoto Protocol, too. To be fair, that's probably true of the entire Anglosphere.

Teebs · Post by **Teebs** » 2007-11-24 03:03pm

Battlehymn Republic wrote:
Stark wrote:What does it say about Australians? A bunch of short-sighted, self-interested ignorant media-following whores, that's what.
And obese and anti-Kyoto Protocol, too. To be fair, that's probably true of the entire Anglosphere.

I think the British are pretty pro-Kyoto.

Ryan Thunder · Post by **Ryan Thunder** » 2007-11-24 03:08pm

Flagg wrote:Is Rudd the guy who was picking his ear and eating it in that one video?

Ah, indeed, a true sign of genius.

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2007-11-24 06:23pm

Well it looks like the democrats are a finished force. Can't say I am sad. They lost the plot when they turned against Stott Despoja (not that I supported her, but when they can't grasp the concept of unity it doesn't bode well).

Since the senate only elects half the house each time, the Coalition still holds the most seats, but they are no longer in the majority. The balance of power looks to be held by the minor groups - 4-5 green seats, one independent, and one Family first. The ALP has 32 while the coalition gets 37. Its going to get interesting, as Family first will tend to vote with the Coalition on social issues, except perhaps on climate change (I confess I don't know their views on this), while the Greens will more likely side with the ALP.

tim31 · Post by **tim31** » 2007-11-24 07:11pm

Well, I was heading back from Sydney at about the time they started counting, and landed to discover they'd pretty well called it. Watched the breakdown on ABC just before midnight.

Best of luck to the new ALP Government; hope Rudd gets down to work and figures out that looking gravely concerned/smiling like a gimp are going to fix perceived problems.

And here's the thing about proportional representation forming a majority government: even though I didn't want an ALP government(if Rudd has a heart attack, we've got Julia Gillard??), I voted for the incumbent ALP member for my division. No one to blame but myself

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2007-11-24 11:07pm

For some post election silliness

how to make a liberal scare campaign

Parody of Grim reaper adds of the 80s (note it starts at around 0:40)

The man with the golden Jaw guess what this is parodying with Kevin Rudd before clicking the link

Chinese propaganda video of Kevin Rudds rise up in the ALP

(note obviously the subtitles don't match what is actually said, for example the translation of Rudd speaking Chinese is wrong - he said I and my wife and my daughter has been to Beijing, and also you (to the Chinese officials) are guests and I hope you can rest here

go for growth

Gustav32Vasa · Post by **Gustav32Vasa** » 2007-11-25 03:38am

All I know about him is that he speaks Swedish.

And Mandarin.

Zablorg · Post by **Zablorg** » 2007-11-25 04:18am

I don't keep up with politics much (no point at this stage), can anyone tell me if Rudd's election will yield any changes to the Iraq war?

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2007-11-25 04:24am

He plans to reduce our committment to Iraq, although I don't know how much.

On another note, Costello doesn't seem to want the Liberal leadership anymore from opposition. Lets see who they elect. I would laugh if its Downer since he is a joke.

Lusankya · Post by **Lusankya** » 2007-11-25 07:39am

I'm quite pleased with the independent who's been elected in. You interstate folk probably know nothing about him, but Nick Xenophon is quite popular in South Australia (as you can probably tell, since he managed to get voted in). Last state election, he got 20.5% of the primary vote in the Legislative Council, which was only 5.5% below the Liberals. He runs on a "No Pokies" platform, but he's got a lot of good policies on other issues. He's likely to side with Labor on most issues, but he's likely to stick by his guns as well.

I certainly gave Xenophon my tick of approval.

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2007-11-25 08:05am

So work choices is likely to go once the new senate gets sworn in by the middle of next year? While the coalition still holds the most senate seats, with the greens voting against work choices along with the ALP and family first from what I remember and now with Xenophon, then its a goner.

Now lets see what will happen with what else the ALP plans to do.

Teebs · Post by **Teebs** » 2007-11-25 08:49am

Lusankya wrote: He runs on a "No Pokies" platform, but he's got a lot of good policies on other issues.

What on earth is a no pokies platform?

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2007-11-25 09:11am

Teebs wrote:
Lusankya wrote: He runs on a "No Pokies" platform, but he's got a lot of good policies on other issues.
What on earth is a no pokies platform?

Presumably he wants to ban or restrict the number of pokies (ie gambling machines).

Teebs · Post by **Teebs** » 2007-11-25 09:29am

Ah I'd never heard of gambling machines being called pokies before.

Lord Pounder · Post by **Lord Pounder** » 2007-11-25 03:15pm

thank god that that, for a moment I though he meant erect nipples under tight t-shirts.

Lusankya · Post by **Lusankya** » 2007-11-25 07:42pm

mr friendly guy wrote:
Teebs wrote:
What on earth is a no pokies platform?
Presumably he wants to ban or restrict the number of pokies (ie gambling machines).

Yeah. That's pretty much it. It makes him sound like a single issue MP, but as I said, he has pretty good policies on most things. You don't get as popular as he is by being a single-issue MP.

It was actually a bit of a risk for him to run in the Federal election. He hadn't mentioned it at all when he was running for the Legislative Council last year, so he put a few noses out of joint when he announced his candidancy (according to him, he only thought about it a few weeks before the election). As a result, he "only" got 14.5% of the primary vote in the senate. It doesn't bother me too much, since it pretty much means that he'll be forced to keep all of his promises if he wants to retain any semblance of a political career, so he should spend most of his term speaking loudly about his pet policies, especially water. I actually get the feeling that at the moment he views pokies as a secondary issue to the financial ruin of irrigators in the Riverland and the fact that we have to dredge the Murray's mouth in order for it to actually reach the sea. Also, expect him to perform random publicity stunts. He can't afford a well-oiled advertising machine, so he has to convince the media to give him publicity for free.

Teebs wrote:Ah I'd never heard of gambling machines being called pokies before.

Well, it makes sense: poker machines -> pokies

tim31 · Post by **tim31** » 2007-11-25 09:03pm

Yeah, except in the northern hemisphere they go for 'slots' or 'fruit machines', I think?

Malcolm Turnbull now saying he'd be happy with any of his colleagues as the new leader... Please let it be someone hilariously undignified like Latham was as ALP leader.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-11-25 09:57pm

Is Labor *really* going to play into the Liberal's hands by going the Peter Garret route? Surely they realise that all they have to do to be popular is *not* be hatchet-wielding union stoolies? They can do a lot fo things to be popular and different without pissing off business.

Shit sorry, I'm thinking rationally again. Get me away from government!

SilverWingedSeraph · Post by **SilverWingedSeraph** » 2007-11-25 10:06pm

No matter who is in control of the Government, things are going to get screwed up. Politicians never get things right, usually because they're more concerned with doing what's best for them, and making themselves look good, than actually doing what's best for the Country.

It's only a matter of who will fuck up less. Hopefully, that will be Rudd, in this instance...

The_Saint · Post by **The_Saint** » 2007-11-25 10:58pm

And now we have Labor for Federal government we can tell Labor to GTFO of state parliament (at least down here in Tas, not sure how many other states habitually have state parliament opposite to Federal parliament).

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2007-11-26 12:22am

Did any one see Mal Broughs concession speech?

It went something like whatever you may think of me Kevin (Rudd), please THINK OF THE CHILDREN.

Yes, the melodramatic hack actually said that. Maybe he has been watching too many episodes of the Simpsons.

Post by **weemadando** » 2007-11-26 12:55am

I heard a brilliant comment on Rudd's Labor party.

They're the Clayton's Liberal Gov't. The Liberal's you have when you don't want a Liberal Gov't.

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2007-11-26 01:09am

http://au.news.yahoo.com/071105/2/14ukc.html

And now Mark Vaile has quit the Nationals. We might be looking at new blood in the coalition upper eschelons. Or maybe we might just get more of the same. If thats the case, please, please, please select Downer, because he is just a big joke.

Lusankya · Post by **Lusankya** » 2007-11-26 01:21am

Well, Alexander Downer is now the senior politician in the Liberal Party. I wouldn't mind him being Opposition leader for a while. The Liberals need a joke leader before Malcom Turnbull takes control and becomes Prime Minister. Turnbull's star is rising, but I'm still not sure if he's been in politics long enough to become the party leader. How normal is it for someone to become leader after only 3 years in politics?