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AusPoliGAF Federal Election 2010 Thread of Fanta Pants and Budgie Smugglers

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M

markot

Banned
Salazar said:
Oh dear.

Murdoch should stick to the template of having one slightly restrained broadsheet and a squadron of lunatic tabloids.
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Im guessing Fox News makes alot more now that its completely off the wall partisan crap.
 
R

roosters93

Member
markot said:
The Australian announces that it wants to “destroy” the Greens
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepois...nnounces-that-it-wants-to-destroy-the-greens/


Also, looks like the ALP will win 2 party preferred, I guess Tony should be grateful that he didnt win, cause he was using that as the reason he should lead. Well, the moment his party was ahead, now we will never hear from it again, although I fear it may become one of those 'myth repeated often enough' things...

Not to mention Howard got like 48% in his first election as PM but nobody claimed he shouldnt be PM when he won most seats >.<
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Mediawatch is about to talk about this.
 
R

roosters93

Member
The Storyteller said:
Anyone watching Q&A? The mining dude is such a cliche fatcat. You can HEAR him breathing right now as Tanya is talking. :lol
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I wondered what the noise was. I didn't realise it was Darth Fatty until someone mentioned it on Twitter
 
C

ClivePwned

Member
I wish I'd seen this pic a few months ago

Julia "It's not you, it's me. Actually, well, it is you."

767233-kevin-rudd.jpg
 
S

Salazar

Member
i_am_ben said:
who was it?
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I didn't see it, but the reigning fat mining tycoon has to be Clive Palmer.

Decent, optimistic recap by John Quiggin, economics chap at UQ.

http://crookedtimber.org/2010/09/13/habemus-pm/

The Australian election three weeks ago turned out about as close as possible. The two main parties (Labour and the permanent Liberal-National-Liberal National coalition) each ended up with 72 seats (out of 150) and almost exactly 50 per cent of the two-party preferred vote, the relevant measure of support in our preferential (=IRV/AV) system. That left six remaining seats: one Green, one non-coalition National, one leftish independent and three country independents, all formerly associated with the conservative National party). Because the Parliament has a Speaker, 76 supporters are required for a stable government.

Unsurprisingly, things took a while to sort themselves out. Because of postal voting and the need for recounts, the final determination of seats took more than a week. Then there was another week of haggling and jockeying. The Green MP declared for Labor first, followed by the leftish independent (Labor) and the dissident National (Coalition). No surprises there. That left the three country independents. It was expected they would move as a bloc, but in the end, one announced support for the Coalition, and the other two for Labor (the last of them spending half an our of explanation before finally stating what had been obvious from the moment his ally went that way). So, after 17 days, it was 76-74, and Julia Gillard retained the office she had snatched from Kevin Rudd only weeks before the election.

Overall, it was a startlingly good outcome. Any democratic system is going to have trouble when the vote is as close as this, but compared to the US in 2000, or Belgium/Holland right now, things went relatively smoothly. And, startlingly, to get the independents on board, Labor actually had to promise better government, rather than pork-barreling for those electorates fortunate enough to have a pivotal vote. By contrast, the Liberal leader Tony Abbott, came with an open chequebook and was rebuffed. It's true that the effect will be to give much more favorable treatment to rural and regional areas in general, but the independents have a fair enough basis for the claim that these areas have been neglected (complex and competing calculations of the relative treatment of urban and rural areas are a staple of Australian policywonkery).

Even better, when the newly elected Senate takes its place (not until July 2011 thanks to the marvels of our electoral system) Labor's dependence on the Greens will be enhanced by the existence of a Labor-Green majority in the Upper House. Going into the election, Labor had dumped the commitment to action on climate change that gave it victory in 2007 (how this happened is too depressing to relate. I think George Monbiot covered it a while back). But now, with the government dependent on Greens and greenish independents, the issue is back on the agenda.

It's often said that a country gets the government it deserved. Going into the election, with two competing leaders who had seized power without any real popular support, and policy platforms derived entirely from particularly dimwitted focus groups, I wondered what we Australians had done to deserve this. Now, I wonder how we merited such good fortune. I only hope it will last.
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R

r1chard

Member
Could someone explain why Oakeshott is considering being Speaker? Given everything that's gone on it just makes no sense...

- he loses his vote on the floor
- that whole agreement about pairing the speaker and someone from the cross bench is moot


...?
 
F

Fredescu

Member
Yeah, the Greens are pretty retarded when it comes to nuclear energy. Their base comes from a long line of anti mining protestors, so that's unlikely to change. I used to think stuff like that would hold them back from being a mainstream party but I don't know anymore.
 
L

legend166

Member
Fredescu said:
Yeah, the Greens are pretty retarded when it comes to nuclear energy. Their base comes from a long line of anti mining protestors, so that's unlikely to change. I used to think stuff like that would hold them back from being a mainstream party but I don't know anymore.
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None of their arguments make any sense.

Countries with nuclear power plants have to get their uranium from somewhere. By not getting it from Australia, they are more likely to get it from a third world country where safety standards aren't up to snuff. And the idea that our uranium is going to end up in the hands of some terrorists or rogue state is so stupid.

That's on top of the fact that nuclear power is safe and clean and we should use it.

Also this is totally lol:

greenskillchildren2.jpg
 
V

Ventron

Member
Salazar said:
Co-signed.

And, no - I have no good answer as to why Oakeshott wants to be Speaker.
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He wants to be speaker because, boy, can that bloke speak.

I also agree with the stupidity of the Greens' policies, but it shouldn't be a surprise. They're so anti-mining that they'd ban picking your nose. I fully agree that we need nuclear power in this country, if only because it generates more power and we can then ship cheap coal to developing countries.
 
H

hirokazu

Member
legend166 said:
Countries with nuclear power plants have to get their uranium from somewhere.
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But aren't the Greens against nuclear power full stop? Because they follow that silly public perception that nuclear power is dangerous and bad for the environment?

No comment on that picture though. I hate when right wingers call them "Mad Greens," "Radical Greens," "Extreme Greens" or whatever other flavour when the right are just as extreme.
Also, fuck that evil child.
 
J

Jintor

Member
Message is fine, but hyperbolic statement is hyperbolic and also assigns a measure of malice or at least uncaringiness to the part of the green
 
D

Dead Man

Member
tri_willy said:
although not directly related to the title, Kevin Foley is a fucking cunt! hope someone runs him down one day!!!
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Yep. He is friends with the owner of a company I used to work for, so he would show up to a few work deals. Always a prick, and always his floozy with her bad clothes slutting off him. What has he done in particular this time?

legend166 said:
The Greens are retarded.

They want to completely shut down uranium mining.

Morons.
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Yeah, this too. I love the Greens social policies, but their environmental policies need a good deal of pragmatism. I miss the Democrats.

Ventron said:
He wants to be speaker because, boy, can that bloke speak.

I also agree with the stupidity of the Greens' policies, but it shouldn't be a surprise. They're so anti-mining that they'd ban picking your nose. I fully agree that we need nuclear power in this country, if only because it generates more power and we can then ship cheap coal to developing countries.
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That cracked me up! :lol

Salazar said:
Still too close for anything approaching comfort.

I want some expiatory sacrifices. Conroy for a start.
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If only the fervency of a wish was and indication of its coming to pass, he would already be embroiled in a gay prostitution scandal... with him being the rentboy.
 
i_am_ben

i_am_ben

running_here_and_there
Dead Man said:
If only the fervency of a wish was and indication of its coming to pass, he would already be embroiled in a gay prostitution scandal... with him being the rentboy.
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him being a rentboy wouldn't be that bad.... he's pretty handsome.
 
D

Dead Man

Member
i_am_ben said:
him being a rentboy wouldn't be that bad.... he's pretty handsome.
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That why it should be TRUE! :lol
Salazar said:
Ugly public service cuts.
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Ah. I've been trying to ignore all the news this week, trying to resume the positive frame of mind I had a while ago.
 
S

Salazar

Member
i_am_ben said:
him being a rentboy wouldn't be that bad.... he's pretty handsome.
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Really ? My experience with rentboys is minimal, but I would think that Foley lacks certain qualifications. Any qualifications at all, really.
 
i_am_ben

i_am_ben

running_here_and_there
Salazar said:
Really ? My experience with rentboys is minimal, but I would think that Foley lacks certain qualifications. Any qualifications at all, really.
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i was refering to Conroy. don't know who this foley person is.
 
S

Salazar

Member
i_am_ben said:
i was refering to Conroy. don't know who this foley person is.
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:lol

OK, but pretty much the same objection stands.

I will consider with appropriate solemnity and detail the attractiveness of male members of the Australian parliament and senate, and get back to you with a shortlist.
 
H

hirokazu

Member
An interesting turn of events...

On getting GAF into the blacklist, someone's gotta submit a complaint about this page to ACMA first. ;)
 
i_am_ben

i_am_ben

running_here_and_there
oh the election drama keeps on giving:


ABC said:
Liberal MP to back Labor on supply
Updated 34 minutes ago


Labor says it has secured the partial support of Liberal MP Alex Somlyay. (ABC News: Jeremy Thompson)
Labor says it has secured the partial support of Liberal MP Alex Somlyay in its bid to end the deadlock over the role of the speaker in the new parliament.

Federal Government sources say Mr Somlyay has agreed to back Labor in terms of supply and confidence if he is elected deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.

But Mr Somlyay has rejected the other element of Labor's proposal - a guarantee on pairing votes.

Earlier, a statement issued in Mr Somlyay's name indicated the Liberal MP had rejected the entire deal.

But Mr Somlyay's office now says the statement was issued by the office of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

The ABC has contacted Mr Somlyay to confirm the deal, but the Liberal MP is yet to return the calls.

If confirmed, Mr Somlyay's offer to support confidence and supply will bolster Labor's chances of stable government, giving it a two-vote buffer on those two issues.

Earlier, Mr Somlyay, who was dumped as the Opposition's whip in the post-election reshuffle, said he would contest the nomination for the deputy speaker position in the Coalition party room on Monday.

"I'm looking forward to playing a role. This is my last term in Parliament," he said.

"I'm looking forward to having a role in making these reforms for the betterment of future parliaments in Australia."


'Determined to be wrecker'

Leader of the House Anthony Albanese has confirmed Harry Jenkins will be renominated for the position of speaker when Parliament resumes on Tuesday.

Mr Albanese says a number of Opposition MPs have raised concerns about Mr Abbott's decision to break an agreement on changes to the speaker's role.

"It is fair to say there is a great deal of anger within Coalition ranks about the actions of Tony Abbott," he said.

"There are many people in the Coalition who are honourable people, who believe that when you give your word ... you should stick to it.

"He doesn't want to play a constructive role in the Parliament. Tony Abbott has shown he is determined to be a wrecker."

Before Labor secured support from crossbench MPs to form minority government, the major parties agreed to parliamentary reforms which included pairing the speaker with an Opposition MP.

But Mr Abbott yesterday walked away from the agreement, arguing it was unconstitutional.

The issue needs to be resolved in the coming days with the Parliament to sit on Tuesday.

Tags: government-and-politics, federal-government, parliament, federal-parliament, australia

First posted 1 hour 38 minutes ago
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T

The Storyteller

Member
Children to be released under changes to immigration detention
http://www.smh.com.au/national/chil...ion-detention-20101018-16q1p.html?autostart=1

* Children/families to be moved by June 2011
* Two new detention centres near Perth and Adelaide
* Temporary accommodation will be closed
* More detention facilities in Darwin and Melbourne
* 738 children, 319 women in detention today

More children and families will be moved out of immigration detention centres into community-based accommodation, such as centres run by churches and charities, under major changes to Australia's immigration detention system announced today.

The federal government will also open two new detention centres for up to 1900 people near Perth and Adelaide, as well as prepare a further two facilities in Darwin and Melbourne in case numbers swell further.
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Thank you Julia. I recently did an essay on the education of asylum seeker children in detention centres, it opened my eyes to our dire treatment of them. A lot more needs to be done, but this is definitely a start.

Maybe this will also end that "boat people" bullshit, and they'll be known as people instead.
 
S

Salazar

Member
Every so often I am staggered by the number of folks in detention. 738 children - I assume they mean under 18, but that still knocks me back.
 
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