The Australian politics thread

[howardj]

Disappointing result last night. Still an exciting night though. Given the incredible consistency of the polls this year, the result wasn't that painful or, as I foreshadowed yesterday, unexpected. In the end, Kevin Rudd has played an absolute blinder this year, and has earnt the Prime Ministership. As they say, the Australian people, whatever their decision, always get it right. Anyway, I thought both of the speeches were very gracious and befitting of men who have reached the zenith in Australian politics.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by social

Dont the idiots who voted for Labor realise that it was these same imbeciles that gave us 20% interest rates last time?

Mark my words - Oz is ****ed for the foreseeable future

You could say the same thing about the Coalition. I don't know if you're old enough to remember Fraser or not, but it's a matter of record that your bread and butter economic statistics during his term were worse than in the Hawke/Keating years, and that was with Howard as treasurer. You could essentially take the exact sentence you wrote there and use it with reasonable accuracy 10 years ago, just with a different party name.

The reality is, there have only been two ALP governments in the last 50 years, so all this "every time the ALP get in things go to hell" stuff is pretty baseless. One of those governments was a relatively short-term one which utterly revolutionised Australia's domestic social policy and foreign relations in literally a matter of weeks after decades of stangation under conservative leadership, and the other was Hawke/Keating. There's certainly some valid arguments about Whitlam's mis-management of the economy, though I think his social policy still makes him one of Australia's greatest PMs, but Keating made changes to the economy which were more in line with the Coalition's policies than the ALPs, at least traditionally, and the economy was stronger under Keating's management than under the previous Coalition government. Even if you don't believe that Keating's reforms had a hand in the strong economic conditions of the Howard years, when Howard's government came in the Coalition history of economic management was no better.

[Mister Wright]

The sun is shining brighter this morning, and I actually heard birds singing (I haven't heard that for, let's say 10 years). It's no longer overcast and my breakfast beer tasted very sweet.

[Son Of Coco]

Originally Posted by social

One major difference - the latter knows how to make money and keep hold of it, the former comes from a party that pisses it up against the wall

No wonder the financial markets have crapped themselves!

Is pissing it up against the wall the equivalent of spending $4m a week for each week of the election campaign?

It's absolute rubbish to suggest that people who haven't been in the leadership position for 11 years and haven't had a chance to manage the country can't do it any better than those who were in power. And all this rubbish about the interest rates etc 11 years ago is absolutely meaningless. As someone pointed out, they were worse when Howard was treasurer, but apparently he managed to turn himself around (suggesting, perhaps, that there are numerous elements beyond the control of the ruling party...as much as they'd sometimes like to suggest otherwise and claim responsibility when things are good).

I wondered aloud a number of times who actually believed all this "11 years ago the interest rates were x% and they will be again if a Labor government with none of the people who were in charge back then get into power" rubbish...now I know.

The Libs wanted to access our hearts through our wallets again this time, and it didn't work. I'm hoping Labor work on Australia's social problems as well as maintaining a strong economy...but the latter will depend on a number of factors. The Libs were more concerned with waving the economy about and lacked substance in the end. I'm glad they're gone...

[Perm]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Yeah, quality name.

Let me guess, More?

[Burgey]

[LongHopCassidy]

Costello quits Parliament. That's set me for Christmas and my 18th.

EDIT: My mistake. He's only refusing the leadership.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by Burgey

Mate,

Been meaning to say this for a couple of wweks,but Alex Hawke (disgrace to that surname) looks like Andrew Strauss - what's his record like in Australia? Seriously right wing dude, but it's your prerogative.

Anyay, tjhank god it's over - IU;m so driunk right now i'm doing well to bve happy at all.

Rock on Kev.

Fair p;lay to howard ona good speech - first time he hasn'rt said "rthe people always get it right" though. hmmm.

Giod bless bernie banton. never inparliament but a labor herop anyways.

I'm ptoud of my party tongiht, but proud of aussies - i handed ot today and the lib guys/ gals were great - except one old bloke who was a pr*ck and wouldn't shake my hand. Hope he's had a heart attack - i asked him if he was nervous.

I have to give a special mention to HJ who has been a dead set legend through this. He's a good bloke and one for the trenches if I was ever in them . well donwe to you, and as I have thought over the past 11 years when we got beat time after time - mate,.the sky won't fall in - honest, it won't.

imo best thing for libs was turnbull getting in - h's charasmatic, has go in him, he's self made and he's moderate - will bring u back to the centre - Newhouse a dolt and Costello dead man walking.

anyway, seriously drubnk but glad its over. well done all - kept it civil, and thanks again to jackie kelly and her staffer standing inliundsay - you got no less than u deserved.

I think you have to give some credit for Howard and his government after knocking off a government debt of $96b and a $10b Budget deficit and an 8.2 jobless rate. I mean unless you are unable to work in any form, how can you not get a job in Australia? So I think some people are being a bit smug IMO. But anyway it had to end eventually.

Anyway I see that the Democrats Party no longer exists.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hahaha Costello.

[pasag]

WOW, wasn't expecting this.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Perm

Let me guess, More?

Nah, Sara.

[Mister Wright]

Originally Posted by LongHopCassidy

Costello quits Parliament. That's set me for Christmas and my 18th.

Really? Lol

[LongHopCassidy]

On that note, who left to lead the Libs? Would put the smart money on Turnbull.

[James90]

Tony Abbott still a chance.

[LongHopCassidy]

Originally Posted by James90

Tony Abbott still a chance.

Rather divisive, though. Can't envision a love-him-or-hate-him being rushed into the Opposition chair.

Media baying for Turnbull. Only thing stopping him would be his own party - there's been a spectacular shift to the right wing faction of the Libs between 2003 and 2007 (witness the meteoric rise of Alex Hawke, who boasts scant more than a Young Liberal presidency and an idolatry of Thatcher), and Malcolm himself is a moderate.