The Australian politics thread

[Burgey]

Pakistan has produced better fast bowlers though.

[Son Of Coco]

Originally Posted by stephen

Was distastefully negative.

Real underlying issue in QLD and WA was the mining tax. They were always killing themselves on that one though, especially when compounded with the ousting of Rudd (in QLD at least).

Think both sides ran very negative campaigns. Did you see Gruen Nation last week?

[howardj]

Do people think Rudd would have done any better? Personally, I think the guy was toxic, and would have delivered a victory to the Liberals. People make out that the only reason why Rudd was knifed was because caucus didn't like him. While that's part of it, I understand that Labor's internal polling in June had them losing 21 seats under Rudd. Furthermore, you could tell Rudd was the Liberals' best asset by how deflated the Libs were at their National Conference on the weekend after Rudd was deposed. They thought victory had escaped their grasp.

So while I think they made the right call in installing Gillard, the wrong call in hindsight was made by rushing to an election just two weeks after. It's clear that she needed time for people to see her in the job, to see her performing competently and to build up the air of an incumbent.

[Matt79]

Agree with Howie. Labor's other big problem was that they didn't run on their record. They got spooked everytime something they did drew fire and backed off. There would have had to be some good delivery to overcome the ETS failure and knifing Rudd but they could have done it IMO. The country avoided a global recession on their watch ffs! Now the Los would argue that was despite the ALP or due to Howard's work but the basic premise of "we were in charge when a crisis hit and we got the country through largely unscathed" is a pretty simple bloody line that should have been front and centre ad nauseum.

[howardj]

Katter: Australia is no longer a Coles/Woolworths democracy.

No, now it's a second-hand tin pot operation, and the storekeeper wears a Cowboy hat.

I'd prefer Woolies or Coles thanks.

[howardj]

Holy **** Brisbane is getting close.

Would be mortified if my home town handed Gillard the keys to the Lodge.

[howardj]

Anyone see the Press Club?

The best thing Abbott and Gillard can do is agree to go back to the polls. Neither will get anywhere near 76 seats in their own right (73 max, I reckon - that's a long way short. It would be different if you only needed the support of one of them). I just don't think these three are fit to hold the balance of power. Oak**** seems so naive and Katter is a complete nutter. The three of them seem so overwhelmed, and yet so full of self-importance. Memo to them: - the electorate didn't reward you with the balance of power, you hold that position by accident. The country didn't call you.

[Spark]

Hooray.

[benchmark00]

It's pretty humorous seeing the three amigos acting as a de-facto political party, despite their independent title.

[age_master]

Originally Posted by howardj

Do people think Rudd would have done any better? Personally, I think the guy was toxic, and would have delivered a victory to the Liberals. People make out that the only reason why Rudd was knifed was because caucus didn't like him. While that's part of it, I understand that Labor's internal polling in June had them losing 21 seats under Rudd. Furthermore, you could tell Rudd was the Liberals' best asset by how deflated the Libs were at their National Conference on the weekend after Rudd was deposed. They thought victory had escaped their grasp.

So while I think they made the right call in installing Gillard, the wrong call in hindsight was made by rushing to an election just two weeks after. It's clear that she needed time for people to see her in the job, to see her performing competently and to build up the air of an incumbent.

I dont know, I think Kevin probably would have won an election against Abbott. People were pissed off about the way Rudd was deposed, which cost votes in QLD. More so than they ended up gaining in Victoria and South Australia.

In NSW i think the thing that cost Labor the votes (which equally affected Gillard as it would have Rudd) was the backflip on the CPRS. NSW voters are connecting the crappy NSW Labor Govt with the backflip and assuming that a federal Labor Govt will be the same.

[Prince EWS]

The more I hear Oakeshott talk, the more I want him to help the ALP form government so he can get absolutely destroyed by his electorate in the next election for doing so. He's as nutty as Katter.

[age_master]

Originally Posted by howardj

Anyone see the Press Club?

The best thing Abbott and Gillard can do is agree to go back to the polls. Neither will get anywhere near 76 seats in their own right (73 max, I reckon - that's a long way short. It would be different if you only needed the support of one of them). I just don't think these three are fit to hold the balance of power. Oak**** seems so naive and Katter is a complete nutter. The three of them seem so overwhelmed, and yet so full of self-importance. Memo to them: - the electorate didn't reward you with the balance of power, you hold that position by accident. The country didn't call you.

Katter really fired up a couple of times!

There is nothing wrong with a bit of optimism on Oakeshott's part. It makes for a nice change imo.

Its not about being fit to hold the balance of power. The only power they have is if either the Coalition or ALP dont agree on something. By themselves they don't have much power at all. They only have power as part of a majority, just like any other member of parliament. Its just that they are not as partisan as the party members.

These guys also got more votes than alot of others in their own electorates - Tony Windsor got over 50,000 votes.

[howardj]

AEC moles report the following:

Hasluck - Libs lead by 734 (50.5%)
Brisbane - Libs lead by 490 (50.4%)
Corangimite - ALP lead by 571 (50.3%)

More worried about Brisbane than Hasluck at this point.

Long way to go though; will ebb and flow over the coming days.

[stephen]

If we do go back to the polls I could see a landslide against the independents TBH. I mean they get the keys to the country and then decide they don't want it? I just cannot see that happening TBH.

If only those stinking conservative electorates had have voted for a party instead of a bloody independent this would be all over. Should we go back to the polls I think those electorates would rethink their decision, particularly if that National in O'Conner decides to act like an independent like he is saying he will. Bloody useless prick.

[Matt79]

If only the National party had stood up for those agrarian electorates rather than betraying their natural base by joining with the Liberals in smashing them down for 12 years, they probably would have voted for the party rather than the independents. [/Mad Katter]