Australia decides: 2016
March 21, 2016 4:18 AM Subscribe
War! The ruling Liberal-National coalition is under fire across multiple fronts: bullying, tax, negative gearing and superannuation, and the budget. And other things.
So Australia's is probably heading off to the ballot box on July 2, after what will be an exhausting two-month campaign.
This morning Australia's fifth PM in almost as many years, Malcolm Turnbull, paid a visit to the Queen's representative, Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, and asked him to prorouge the parliament, so he can threaten the lower house and the Senate with a double dissolution election, to no one's surprise, except Greens and Liberal treasurer Scott Morrison.
The move comes just days after a mammoth, some might say farcial, sitting in this the LNP, together with the Greens Party, voted to reform Senate voting in a move designed to ensure that minor parties will face greater obstacles in getting elected to the senate. The fractious 2013 election that saw former PM, the more socially conservative Tony Abbott to victory also saw half a dozen senators from parties such as Palmer United, The Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party, the Liberal Democrats and Family First, largely thanks to a complex web of preference swaps organised by the preference whisperer, Glenn Druery, a number of unwieldy voting papers and an electoral system that requires that people only turn up, but hands their preferences to the candidate of their choice, which means the bar to gettinge elected can be quite low.
The cross bench needs to back the government, on its Abbott-era industrial relations bills or face annihilation. (We have charts).
What is the ABCC? What's all the fuss about?
The government could have voted on the bill last week, but choose not not. The Greens also decided not to discuss same sex marriage, a key policy area.
Naturally, some of the minor parties are questioning the legality of the move, which will almost certainly see them obliterated.
Unions remain unhappy.
The move also blunts rumoured white anting by Abbott.
* How does proportional voting work?
* What is a double dissolution? (Video) What happened at the last one?
* What does Frank Underwood have to say about all this? How about First Dog On The Moon?
Promise tracker: How has the 2013 government gone?
Who is the alternative PM, Bill Shorten?
And, most importantly, what does Antony Green think?
This morning Australia's fifth PM in almost as many years, Malcolm Turnbull, paid a visit to the Queen's representative, Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, and asked him to prorouge the parliament, so he can threaten the lower house and the Senate with a double dissolution election, to no one's surprise, except Greens and Liberal treasurer Scott Morrison.
The move comes just days after a mammoth, some might say farcial, sitting in this the LNP, together with the Greens Party, voted to reform Senate voting in a move designed to ensure that minor parties will face greater obstacles in getting elected to the senate. The fractious 2013 election that saw former PM, the more socially conservative Tony Abbott to victory also saw half a dozen senators from parties such as Palmer United, The Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party, the Liberal Democrats and Family First, largely thanks to a complex web of preference swaps organised by the preference whisperer, Glenn Druery, a number of unwieldy voting papers and an electoral system that requires that people only turn up, but hands their preferences to the candidate of their choice, which means the bar to gettinge elected can be quite low.
The cross bench needs to back the government, on its Abbott-era industrial relations bills or face annihilation. (We have charts).
What is the ABCC? What's all the fuss about?
The government could have voted on the bill last week, but choose not not. The Greens also decided not to discuss same sex marriage, a key policy area.
Naturally, some of the minor parties are questioning the legality of the move, which will almost certainly see them obliterated.
Unions remain unhappy.
The move also blunts rumoured white anting by Abbott.
* How does proportional voting work?
* What is a double dissolution? (Video) What happened at the last one?
* What does Frank Underwood have to say about all this? How about First Dog On The Moon?
Promise tracker: How has the 2013 government gone?
Who is the alternative PM, Bill Shorten?
And, most importantly, what does Antony Green think?
I had started one at work during my downtime during the filibuster, but I got home and, well, decided we may as well have a place to share the fun.
I for one am still trying to fathom out how, exactly, the AEC is going to have time to explain the new senate voting rules to the Australian public. (And, I wonder how many people will just vote [1] above the line anyway.
And, damnit, I forgot to plug BelowTheLine.
posted by Mezentian at 4:35 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I for one am still trying to fathom out how, exactly, the AEC is going to have time to explain the new senate voting rules to the Australian public. (And, I wonder how many people will just vote [1] above the line anyway.
And, damnit, I forgot to plug BelowTheLine.
posted by Mezentian at 4:35 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
an exhausting two-month campaign.
I see what you did there.
posted by longdaysjourney at 4:44 AM on March 21, 2016 [26 favorites]
I see what you did there.
posted by longdaysjourney at 4:44 AM on March 21, 2016 [26 favorites]
I'll stake my position as a supporter of the voting reforms, though I do hope the savings provisions that will rescue votes with less preferences than that can be removed after a few elections. I am a bit disappointed with how Labor conducted themselves on this matter.
I think the electoral mood is volatile. I think Malcolm starts this on the back foot, having been sliding backwards in the polls for many weeks now. (The first poll of his leadership showing a Labor lead was released today, albeit by notoriously bouncy Roy Morgan.) I think a lot rests on Bill Shorten's campaigning ability. I also think the social and media landscape is radically different from 2013 and I think the Overton window is firmly on the left in Australia at present. Would the vicious sexist attacks on Julia Gillard four years ago get any play in today's political landscape? I like to think their proponents would be absolutely monstered in 2016. But I'm an optimist (and not a woman, crucially.) I think this will be an interesting year.
posted by Panthalassa at 4:49 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I think the electoral mood is volatile. I think Malcolm starts this on the back foot, having been sliding backwards in the polls for many weeks now. (The first poll of his leadership showing a Labor lead was released today, albeit by notoriously bouncy Roy Morgan.) I think a lot rests on Bill Shorten's campaigning ability. I also think the social and media landscape is radically different from 2013 and I think the Overton window is firmly on the left in Australia at present. Would the vicious sexist attacks on Julia Gillard four years ago get any play in today's political landscape? I like to think their proponents would be absolutely monstered in 2016. But I'm an optimist (and not a woman, crucially.) I think this will be an interesting year.
posted by Panthalassa at 4:49 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
after what will be an exhausting two-month campaign.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahsob.
posted by eriko at 4:55 AM on March 21, 2016 [11 favorites]
HAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahsob.
posted by eriko at 4:55 AM on March 21, 2016 [11 favorites]
I *think* "superannuation" means "pensions", but "negative gearing" is a bit murkier. Mortgages?
posted by indubitable at 5:05 AM on March 21, 2016
posted by indubitable at 5:05 AM on March 21, 2016
Superannuation is more akin (I believe) to the 401K system in the US. You put money in over your career, some fund somewhere charges you a lot and loses it on the stock market, and then you retire with not enough to live on, and then get forced on the pension anyway.
It has been a policy in Australia since the 1980s, but no one really understands it and the change the rules regularly anyway.
Negative gearing - using tax losses to offset property investments.
posted by Mezentian at 5:10 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
It has been a policy in Australia since the 1980s, but no one really understands it and the change the rules regularly anyway.
Negative gearing - using tax losses to offset property investments.
posted by Mezentian at 5:10 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Damn, I forgot my churlish bit:
TL:DR for Americans:
If Obama had a double dissolution option, and a good approval rating, the last eight years might have been very different.
posted by Mezentian at 5:11 AM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
TL:DR for Americans:
If Obama had a double dissolution option, and a good approval rating, the last eight years might have been very different.
posted by Mezentian at 5:11 AM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
... and if "supply" meant that Congress had to pass a full budget, not rely on continuing funding resolutions to stave off elections.
posted by metaquarry at 5:15 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by metaquarry at 5:15 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Another brilliant tactical move from Malcolm, just like his genius work on Utegate and the Republic.
posted by kithrater at 5:23 AM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by kithrater at 5:23 AM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
... and if "supply" meant that Congress had to pass a full budget, not rely on continuing funding resolutions to stave off elections.
I don't believe Australia has passed most of its 2013 budget. or that supply has much -- if anything -- to do with a Double D*:
Second, you cannot get a double dissolution from blocking a supply bill, though a government may choose to call a double dissolution on other grounds because supply is blocked..
Supply is, as far as I can recall, what you block with you want to go nuclear and call for a Dismissal.
(*Thanks, Senator Conroy).
posted by Mezentian at 5:39 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I don't believe Australia has passed most of its 2013 budget. or that supply has much -- if anything -- to do with a Double D*:
Second, you cannot get a double dissolution from blocking a supply bill, though a government may choose to call a double dissolution on other grounds because supply is blocked..
Supply is, as far as I can recall, what you block with you want to go nuclear and call for a Dismissal.
(*Thanks, Senator Conroy).
posted by Mezentian at 5:39 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
'exhausting 2 month campaign'
Bwhahahahhahahhahahhahahhahahhahahhahaha
posted by sfts2 at 5:47 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Bwhahahahhahahhahahhahahhahahhahahhahaha
posted by sfts2 at 5:47 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
TIL many people in Australia get full sedation for their colonoscopies instead of twilight sedation.
You have a Senator named Senator Xenophon. SENATOR XENOPHON. My delight is fucking unbounded. I would probably vote for that guy just out of delight with his name even if he is like the worst guy in all of Australia.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:47 AM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
You have a Senator named Senator Xenophon. SENATOR XENOPHON. My delight is fucking unbounded. I would probably vote for that guy just out of delight with his name even if he is like the worst guy in all of Australia.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:47 AM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
Between this and cricket I think Australia is just taking the piss.
posted by srboisvert at 5:47 AM on March 21, 2016
posted by srboisvert at 5:47 AM on March 21, 2016
I would probably vote for that guy just out of delight with his name even if he is like the worst guy in all of Australia.
Well, he's from the No Pokies camp, and he can be as slimy as all get out at times (I think people call that being a smooth political operator), but he's far from the worst (although GetUp! are not always fans)
Speaking of the worst:
Xenophon also taught legal practice at the University of South Australia where fellow politician Christopher Pyne was among his students
And:
Clive Palmer (who's like Australia's less successful Trump) once said: Nick Xenophon has "got the blackest hair, you'd think he was an Asian",
posted by Mezentian at 5:55 AM on March 21, 2016
Well, he's from the No Pokies camp, and he can be as slimy as all get out at times (I think people call that being a smooth political operator), but he's far from the worst (although GetUp! are not always fans)
Speaking of the worst:
Xenophon also taught legal practice at the University of South Australia where fellow politician Christopher Pyne was among his students
And:
Clive Palmer (who's like Australia's less successful Trump) once said: Nick Xenophon has "got the blackest hair, you'd think he was an Asian",
posted by Mezentian at 5:55 AM on March 21, 2016
You have a Senator named Senator Xenophon. SENATOR XENOPHON. My delight is fucking unbounded. I would probably vote for that guy just out of delight with his name even if he is like the worst guy in all of Australia.
Senator Xenophon's theme song.
posted by Talez at 5:57 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Senator Xenophon's theme song.
posted by Talez at 5:57 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
As a Canadian I sympathize, a two month campaign drags out forever.
posted by jeather at 6:05 AM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by jeather at 6:05 AM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
The Turnbull of old returns with a DD showdown by Annabel Crabb
Talks about the possibility of the senate doing nothing for the three weeks, which is interesting.
posted by Mezentian at 6:10 AM on March 21, 2016
Talks about the possibility of the senate doing nothing for the three weeks, which is interesting.
posted by Mezentian at 6:10 AM on March 21, 2016
It's going down as either a masterstroke or Turnbull's greatest fuckup to cap off a disastrous LNP chapter of Australia's history.
I can only hope that Labor drill into the electorate that he's a spineless cunt that gave in to his rabid Christian wing on Safe Schools, then gay marriage, and then he gave in to rich landlords dodging tax. He's so fucking proud that he can't reverse the complete fuckup he's turned the NBN into.
posted by Talez at 6:13 AM on March 21, 2016 [7 favorites]
I can only hope that Labor drill into the electorate that he's a spineless cunt that gave in to his rabid Christian wing on Safe Schools, then gay marriage, and then he gave in to rich landlords dodging tax. He's so fucking proud that he can't reverse the complete fuckup he's turned the NBN into.
posted by Talez at 6:13 AM on March 21, 2016 [7 favorites]
We like to think we have two parties plus the greens plus some battling independents. Really we have five parties: The Right Wing liberals, including the Country Party (Tone's tribe), the Left Wing Liberals (Malc's minions), the Right faction of Labor, the Left Faction of Labor, and the Greens.
The internal divisions in the parties ar far nastier and more vicious than any inter-party differences.
Malc seems like a reasonable sort of billionaire for a modern right-wing party. His nemesis is Tony, who will do anything he can to stab Malc in the back. Now he has seven weeks of snide whinging to go.
Labor is broken. Bill Shorten drew the short straw because he's insufficiently memorable for anyone to hate - even the Labor leadership.
The Greens can only do well in the Senate.
Prediction: Narrow Coalition win, with the Greens holding the balance in the Senate.
I'm in Queensland. We've just had a gruelling 3-week election campaign to elect the city councils and mayors. Really, I don't need another seven weeks of this stuff.
It looks like we'll also change the state constitution to bring in fixed four-year terms. Since we're the only unicameral state this is going to leave us with a bit if a democracy deficit. I'm somewhat miffed by that.
posted by Combat Wombat at 6:14 AM on March 21, 2016
The internal divisions in the parties ar far nastier and more vicious than any inter-party differences.
Malc seems like a reasonable sort of billionaire for a modern right-wing party. His nemesis is Tony, who will do anything he can to stab Malc in the back. Now he has seven weeks of snide whinging to go.
Labor is broken. Bill Shorten drew the short straw because he's insufficiently memorable for anyone to hate - even the Labor leadership.
The Greens can only do well in the Senate.
Prediction: Narrow Coalition win, with the Greens holding the balance in the Senate.
I'm in Queensland. We've just had a gruelling 3-week election campaign to elect the city councils and mayors. Really, I don't need another seven weeks of this stuff.
It looks like we'll also change the state constitution to bring in fixed four-year terms. Since we're the only unicameral state this is going to leave us with a bit if a democracy deficit. I'm somewhat miffed by that.
posted by Combat Wombat at 6:14 AM on March 21, 2016
The internal divisions in the parties ar far nastier and more vicious than any inter-party differences.
I dunno. I think the Labor-Greens spat of late could give even the worst party factionalism a run for its money.
posted by Panthalassa at 6:22 AM on March 21, 2016
I dunno. I think the Labor-Greens spat of late could give even the worst party factionalism a run for its money.
posted by Panthalassa at 6:22 AM on March 21, 2016
The laughter from the US is actually the laughter that arises from having been driven insane, along with a fervent wish that we could do anything to shorten our godawful trench-warfare "election year" slog from what is basically two years to two and a half months (or less). Not to mention that we wish we could have a political system a fraction as sane as Australia's.
posted by blucevalo at 6:44 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by blucevalo at 6:44 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Hard Chat with Richard Di Natale (Australian Greens leader)
posted by flabdablet at 6:47 AM on March 21, 2016
posted by flabdablet at 6:47 AM on March 21, 2016
Two of the three characters Palmer brought in to the senate in the last election have, in their own way, added a lot of value and I think both new and jaded enough that they will stick to their positions. Same with Ricky Muir. Basically, I hope they haven't reimagined themselves as lifelong politicians and thus secure another three years in office.
I'm not a fan of the CFMEU, at all. I live in Carlton close to their headquarters. The slogans on the tee shirts are offensive and arrogant. It's the worst visible aspect of unionism. They need reform and oversight. Still, I am against targeting an industry in legislation such as the ABCC and registered organisations while so much corporate malfeasance is left to fester.
I'm a moderate lefty, not a unionist. But what Turnbull has shown, collapsing to the right on Safe Schools, the idiotic plebiscite, stuffing up the NBN, the most important infrastructure project for a generation, letting any meaningful action on climate change waste away. Doing nothing to help first home buyers.
In short, I hope Shorten is a good campaigner and can manage to find a way to check the Stand Over man elements of the ugly union.
posted by michswiss at 6:56 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm not a fan of the CFMEU, at all. I live in Carlton close to their headquarters. The slogans on the tee shirts are offensive and arrogant. It's the worst visible aspect of unionism. They need reform and oversight. Still, I am against targeting an industry in legislation such as the ABCC and registered organisations while so much corporate malfeasance is left to fester.
I'm a moderate lefty, not a unionist. But what Turnbull has shown, collapsing to the right on Safe Schools, the idiotic plebiscite, stuffing up the NBN, the most important infrastructure project for a generation, letting any meaningful action on climate change waste away. Doing nothing to help first home buyers.
In short, I hope Shorten is a good campaigner and can manage to find a way to check the Stand Over man elements of the ugly union.
posted by michswiss at 6:56 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Greens can only do well in the Senate.
You forgot Adam Bandt?
Actually, I forgot Adam... but he's still in the house.
after what will be an exhausting two-month campaign.
Just want to add: that's two months of Tony Windsor, making speeches.
And also two months of, maybe, watching Barnaby Joyce implode.
I realise for city folk this election is all about gay marriage, negative and 'inner city issues' like that (so anyone really concerned about the unions), but out east pretty are pretty goddamn ropeable about Shenhua Watermark Coal on the Liverpool Plains, CSG in Qld and NSW, Greg Hunt's piss-poor environmental record (hey, we fucked up the reef more!) and Adani.
That's not to say Labor would do much (or anything) different (Peter "Midnight Oil" Garratt's fingerprints are all over Gorgon being built on an A-Class reserve), but people are legitimately angry.
posted by Mezentian at 7:13 AM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
You forgot Adam Bandt?
Actually, I forgot Adam... but he's still in the house.
after what will be an exhausting two-month campaign.
Just want to add: that's two months of Tony Windsor, making speeches.
And also two months of, maybe, watching Barnaby Joyce implode.
I realise for city folk this election is all about gay marriage, negative and 'inner city issues' like that (so anyone really concerned about the unions), but out east pretty are pretty goddamn ropeable about Shenhua Watermark Coal on the Liverpool Plains, CSG in Qld and NSW, Greg Hunt's piss-poor environmental record (hey, we fucked up the reef more!) and Adani.
That's not to say Labor would do much (or anything) different (Peter "Midnight Oil" Garratt's fingerprints are all over Gorgon being built on an A-Class reserve), but people are legitimately angry.
posted by Mezentian at 7:13 AM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
I'm no fan of the Tories (especially not the Australian ones, who are more atavistic than the British variety, who have at least come to terms with, for example, gays and cyclists being something other than a suspicious Other to scapegoat), and would like to see Labor win a well-deserved victory. However, a Labor victory now will not be well-deserved; it'll be the lesser evil winning by a finely arbitraged onion-skin's breadth. Led by Bill Shorten, the Man Without Qualities, who needs to consult a focus-group report to know what his convictions are, Labor stands for nothing, other than wanting the fruits of governing. More often than not, their value proposition is “we're just like the Liberal Party you know and love, only, umm, nicer. But not nicer to brown babies on boats, of course”. It's like Blairite triangulation only without the slick charisma.
The Labor Party may be terminally past its prime; its founding story is of a mass industrial proletariat, whose livelihood comes from wage labour, and of trade unions claiming a majority of this section of the population as their members and serving as a tier of democracy. When the proletariat has been exported to Shenzhen and unions' role has receded (and more often than not, they serve as unrepresentative power bases of the old men who rule them with an iron fist, which results in things like unions coming out opposing gay marriage because the guy who runs them is an elderly social conservative patriarch, not that far different from Abbott or Bernardi). And the ALP, as an old organisation with interlocking fiefdoms and power bases (i.e., its byzantine system of factions) has too much at stake to pivot into the age of the indebted precariat; even if there are people in the ALP who see the way the wind's blowing, any efforts they made would be sabotaged by comrades preserving the good thing they've got going. In short, the quicker the ALP declines and the Greens ascend to being Australia's progressive major party (and they're more suitable for that role with the likes of Ludlam and Bandt), the better.
posted by acb at 8:49 AM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
The Labor Party may be terminally past its prime; its founding story is of a mass industrial proletariat, whose livelihood comes from wage labour, and of trade unions claiming a majority of this section of the population as their members and serving as a tier of democracy. When the proletariat has been exported to Shenzhen and unions' role has receded (and more often than not, they serve as unrepresentative power bases of the old men who rule them with an iron fist, which results in things like unions coming out opposing gay marriage because the guy who runs them is an elderly social conservative patriarch, not that far different from Abbott or Bernardi). And the ALP, as an old organisation with interlocking fiefdoms and power bases (i.e., its byzantine system of factions) has too much at stake to pivot into the age of the indebted precariat; even if there are people in the ALP who see the way the wind's blowing, any efforts they made would be sabotaged by comrades preserving the good thing they've got going. In short, the quicker the ALP declines and the Greens ascend to being Australia's progressive major party (and they're more suitable for that role with the likes of Ludlam and Bandt), the better.
posted by acb at 8:49 AM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
The move comes just days after a mammoth, some might say farcial, sitting in this the LNP, together with the Greens Party, voted to reform Senate voting in a move designed to ensure that minor parties will face greater obstacles in getting elected to the senate.
Not quite; the reforms will just mean that the handful of people who vote for minor parties above the line (i.e., not filling in 100 candidate boxes) will get to decide their second/third/ongoing choices above the line, rather than leaving it to whoever did a deal with the We Love Beer And Footy Party to get their second preferences once they, inevitably, get eliminated.
It will reduce the sort of chaotic strange attractors of redirected preferences that ended up with Muir and co. coming to power, meaning that future Senate candidates are less likely to be selected by a pseudorandom mathematical function.If the ideal of having random members of the citizenry elected to the upper house, as a sort of Monte Carlo representative democracy, appeals, perhaps elected senators should be replaced by some kind of jury-duty-like system, where random citizens are conscripted to sit an vote on legislation for 6-12-month stretches. Though the previous preference-whispering system is (despite Ricky Muir having come good) a poor substitute for such a system, and making it into a more democratic (mostly) party-based representative system is a less drastic change than implementing a completely novel system.
posted by acb at 9:00 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Not quite; the reforms will just mean that the handful of people who vote for minor parties above the line (i.e., not filling in 100 candidate boxes) will get to decide their second/third/ongoing choices above the line, rather than leaving it to whoever did a deal with the We Love Beer And Footy Party to get their second preferences once they, inevitably, get eliminated.
It will reduce the sort of chaotic strange attractors of redirected preferences that ended up with Muir and co. coming to power, meaning that future Senate candidates are less likely to be selected by a pseudorandom mathematical function.If the ideal of having random members of the citizenry elected to the upper house, as a sort of Monte Carlo representative democracy, appeals, perhaps elected senators should be replaced by some kind of jury-duty-like system, where random citizens are conscripted to sit an vote on legislation for 6-12-month stretches. Though the previous preference-whispering system is (despite Ricky Muir having come good) a poor substitute for such a system, and making it into a more democratic (mostly) party-based representative system is a less drastic change than implementing a completely novel system.
posted by acb at 9:00 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've never understood why people vote above the line, thereby depriving themselves of their joyous democratic right to look over an array of various politicians and put some motherfucker in last place. And on that note, vote #324th quidnunc kid!
posted by the quidnunc kid at 10:56 AM on March 21, 2016 [13 favorites]
posted by the quidnunc kid at 10:56 AM on March 21, 2016 [13 favorites]
Led by Bill Shorten, the Man Without Qualities, who needs to consult a focus-group report to know what his convictions are
I dunno, when he gave Cory Bernardi the homophobe label he so rightfully deserved we saw the glimpse of what kind of leader he could be.
posted by Talez at 1:42 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
I dunno, when he gave Cory Bernardi the homophobe label he so rightfully deserved we saw the glimpse of what kind of leader he could be.
posted by Talez at 1:42 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
Shorten is at his best - and pretty good, really - when he's talking policy, not desperately wheeling out some florid Dad-joke zingers. Thankfully, Labor have - bar their temporary, and totally shitty brain fart around senate reforms and typical Green cannibalism - been talking about policy a lot more recently, and I think it's working for them, and for Bill.
He doesn't set me on fire, but I actually think he'd be a pretty great PM. I know someone who worked with him on the NDIS, and they said he was super consultative, knew his portfolio back to front, and was very professional. In addition, Labor has one of the strongest front benches they've had for a long time. They have the brains up front, mostly, and 1-1, could wipe the libs all over the floor.
Turnbull is a complete idiot. Libs campaigning on industrial relations is crazy; campaigning on industrial relations and a likely cut to the corporate tax rate is completely bananas. If he does manage to pull off a win, he'll scrap through by the skin of his teeth, and a majority in the senate is simply impossible, I reckon.
posted by smoke at 2:07 PM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
He doesn't set me on fire, but I actually think he'd be a pretty great PM. I know someone who worked with him on the NDIS, and they said he was super consultative, knew his portfolio back to front, and was very professional. In addition, Labor has one of the strongest front benches they've had for a long time. They have the brains up front, mostly, and 1-1, could wipe the libs all over the floor.
Turnbull is a complete idiot. Libs campaigning on industrial relations is crazy; campaigning on industrial relations and a likely cut to the corporate tax rate is completely bananas. If he does manage to pull off a win, he'll scrap through by the skin of his teeth, and a majority in the senate is simply impossible, I reckon.
posted by smoke at 2:07 PM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
While the old Senate voting system was far from ideal, and in obvious need of reform, the Greens in the last two weeks have certainly shown that they are, in essence, a political party, that like to talk ideals, but given a bit of naked opportunism, can't resist seizing with both hands.
posted by wilful at 2:12 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by wilful at 2:12 PM on March 21, 2016
Or, as was said in another context…:
“That is the most terrible thing I've ever heard. What do they call themselves?”
"The Democrats!"
posted by Pinback at 4:16 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
“That is the most terrible thing I've ever heard. What do they call themselves?”
"The Democrats!"
posted by Pinback at 4:16 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Can't wait to see what species of spineless drivel we elect this time around!
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:30 PM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:30 PM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
I dunno, when he gave Cory Bernardi the homophobe label he so rightfully deserved we saw the glimpse of what kind of leader he could be.
When the best we can hope for is a leader who calls a spade a spade, we are essentially grabbing that spade tightly and using it to dig right through the bottom of the barrel.
(Bernardi is a massive raving shithead, of course.)
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:42 PM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
When the best we can hope for is a leader who calls a spade a spade, we are essentially grabbing that spade tightly and using it to dig right through the bottom of the barrel.
(Bernardi is a massive raving shithead, of course.)
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:42 PM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
My number 1 vote in the Victorian senate list will definitely be Ricky Muir. I think he may surprise in a DD election, I don't think 4% is beyond him.
posted by wilful at 4:48 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by wilful at 4:48 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
With the Senate voting changes, at least that nutbar Leyonhjelm will be out in the cold.
I'd be sad to see Ricky Muir go. He may have only gotten in by accident, and he may be thoroughly unqualified, but he has honestly considered the issues, done his research, and voted his conscience. Which is far, far more than I can say for anyone else in the cesspit that is the Parliament at the moment. I would actually vote for him if I could.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:52 PM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
I'd be sad to see Ricky Muir go. He may have only gotten in by accident, and he may be thoroughly unqualified, but he has honestly considered the issues, done his research, and voted his conscience. Which is far, far more than I can say for anyone else in the cesspit that is the Parliament at the moment. I would actually vote for him if I could.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:52 PM on March 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
Quidnunc kid, I believe most of us below the line voters tend to start at the bottom, but it's really really tough to decide sometimes. Australian Christian Lobby or Fred Nile's Call to Australia or One Nation or Shooters and Fishers or...
posted by wilful at 4:52 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by wilful at 4:52 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
In the last election I got to vote in, I recall I put the High-Speed Train For Australia party close to first (below the line), with the rationale that they won't get in (so even if they're utter dickheads on things other than high-speed rail, it's not a huge risk), and after one or two other minors, the Greens. The ALP were near the top of the bottom half, and the Tories were just ahead of the religious authoritarians and neo-Nazis.
posted by acb at 5:47 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by acb at 5:47 PM on March 21, 2016
While the old Senate voting system was far from ideal, and in obvious need of reform, the Greens in the last two weeks have certainly shown that they are, in essence, a political party, that like to talk ideals, but given a bit of naked opportunism, can't resist seizing with both hands.
The Greens have wanted above the line preference voting for the senate since back when Bob Brown was their leader, it's the LNP who are johnny-come-lately. When offered what they wanted all along why would the Greens not support it? Their deportment last week in the senate wasn't great, but I don't think it's fair to call them opportunistic on this issue.
posted by adamt at 5:54 PM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
The Greens have wanted above the line preference voting for the senate since back when Bob Brown was their leader, it's the LNP who are johnny-come-lately. When offered what they wanted all along why would the Greens not support it? Their deportment last week in the senate wasn't great, but I don't think it's fair to call them opportunistic on this issue.
posted by adamt at 5:54 PM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
A couple of years ago I started voting again -- for a good 15 years before that I've been walking straight to the box and posting empty ballot papers.
Last couple of state and federal elections I've actually voted for someone and "not wasted my vote" (notwithstanding the fact that I believe it's utterly democratic to say "none of the available field gets my vote") and I've voted sex party and the like.
I was going to give Turnbull one chance and see what he did with it but I can't do it. Friends reckon he's just waiting for his mandate and the plebiscite will be off the cards if LNP win the election but too many people have been hurt whilst he's trying to get the mandate -- see last night's Q&A, starting at 52:10 for a nice summary.
All I can say is I hope the Sex Party are running in my electorate (although being in Gellibrand* that probably means nothing anyway) otherwise I'm going back to old habits. At least the local YMCA puts on a nice sausage sizzle!
*Been held by Labor since inception -- I have met our sitting MP and he seems a good bloke; we didn't talk politics though.
posted by prettypretty at 6:01 PM on March 21, 2016
Last couple of state and federal elections I've actually voted for someone and "not wasted my vote" (notwithstanding the fact that I believe it's utterly democratic to say "none of the available field gets my vote") and I've voted sex party and the like.
I was going to give Turnbull one chance and see what he did with it but I can't do it. Friends reckon he's just waiting for his mandate and the plebiscite will be off the cards if LNP win the election but too many people have been hurt whilst he's trying to get the mandate -- see last night's Q&A, starting at 52:10 for a nice summary.
All I can say is I hope the Sex Party are running in my electorate (although being in Gellibrand* that probably means nothing anyway) otherwise I'm going back to old habits. At least the local YMCA puts on a nice sausage sizzle!
*Been held by Labor since inception -- I have met our sitting MP and he seems a good bloke; we didn't talk politics though.
posted by prettypretty at 6:01 PM on March 21, 2016
Sadly I'm no longer Victorian, but I'm planning on gently suggesting to all of my many Melbournian friends and wellwishers that a Vote 1 for the Revheads is not a bad idea. Muir doesn't always do what I would have done, but he's thoughtful and consultative, and I'd like to see him stick around.
posted by misfish at 7:08 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by misfish at 7:08 PM on March 21, 2016
, I believe most of us below the line voters tend to start at the bottom, but it's really really tough to decide sometimes. Australian Christian Lobby or Fred Nile's Call to Australia or One Nation or Shooters and Fishers or...
What, you don't put Liberal/Labor/Whichever last?
I'm also with the people who have been pleasantly surprised by Muir. Hell, just yesterday I was even thinking that Lazarus and Lambie haven't been terrible (that said, Jackie's kept her mouth shut lately, which helps), not like that complete non-entity, Dio Wang.
Personally, the diverse cross-bench has been illuminating. It hasn't been one guy (like Harradine) with the casting vote, and the government has had to work hard for everything, which has been nice.
The crossbench, as terrible as the idea of them is, has definitely left me more open to, say, voting Knitting Nannas Against CSG above Greens.
posted by Mezentian at 7:14 PM on March 21, 2016
What, you don't put Liberal/Labor/Whichever last?
I'm also with the people who have been pleasantly surprised by Muir. Hell, just yesterday I was even thinking that Lazarus and Lambie haven't been terrible (that said, Jackie's kept her mouth shut lately, which helps), not like that complete non-entity, Dio Wang.
Personally, the diverse cross-bench has been illuminating. It hasn't been one guy (like Harradine) with the casting vote, and the government has had to work hard for everything, which has been nice.
The crossbench, as terrible as the idea of them is, has definitely left me more open to, say, voting Knitting Nannas Against CSG above Greens.
posted by Mezentian at 7:14 PM on March 21, 2016
I'm voting Vuvalini, as I strongly support their policies on seed-saving and medulla-shooting.
posted by um at 8:47 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by um at 8:47 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Ricky Muir lives close enough to me that I got to hear a fair bit of local opinion about him before he was elected. The general consensus was that he wasn't the sharpest knife in the Muir family drawer and that his candidacy was all a bit of a joke.
But I spend a lot of time listening to Parliament on the radio, and I have never heard Muir utter a single word that didn't seem measured, considered and thoughtful. As parliamentarians go, we could do with more Ricky Muirs and fewer Brandises and Bernardis and Abetzes.
posted by flabdablet at 9:39 PM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
But I spend a lot of time listening to Parliament on the radio, and I have never heard Muir utter a single word that didn't seem measured, considered and thoughtful. As parliamentarians go, we could do with more Ricky Muirs and fewer Brandises and Bernardis and Abetzes.
posted by flabdablet at 9:39 PM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
you don't put Liberal/Labor/Whichever last?
I don't.
I would rather see Eric Abetz in Parliament than, for example, Danny Nalliah.
posted by flabdablet at 9:45 PM on March 21, 2016 [5 favorites]
I don't.
I would rather see Eric Abetz in Parliament than, for example, Danny Nalliah.
posted by flabdablet at 9:45 PM on March 21, 2016 [5 favorites]
In short, the quicker the ALP declines and the Greens ascend to being Australia's progressive major party (and they're more suitable for that role with the likes of Ludlam and Bandt), the better.
Agreed.
posted by flabdablet at 10:08 PM on March 21, 2016
Agreed.
posted by flabdablet at 10:08 PM on March 21, 2016
I would rather see Eric Abetz in Parliament than, for example, Danny Nalliah.
Oh, damn.
Those guys.
How could I forget?
posted by Mezentian at 10:51 PM on March 21, 2016
Oh, damn.
Those guys.
How could I forget?
posted by Mezentian at 10:51 PM on March 21, 2016
How could I forget?
I don't know about you, but I use scotch.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:18 PM on March 21, 2016 [6 favorites]
I don't know about you, but I use scotch.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:18 PM on March 21, 2016 [6 favorites]
Turnbull isn't decisive, he's desperate.
This article contains a good list of Australia's most useless political commentators. After all, it worked so well the last time a Prime Minister got tricky with announcing the timing of the election in an attempt to force their party to unify behind them.
posted by kithrater at 2:37 AM on March 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
This article contains a good list of Australia's most useless political commentators. After all, it worked so well the last time a Prime Minister got tricky with announcing the timing of the election in an attempt to force their party to unify behind them.
posted by kithrater at 2:37 AM on March 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
After all, it worked so well the last time a Prime Minister got tricky with announcing the timing of the election in an attempt to force their party to unify behind them.
Wait, do you mean Rudd or Gillard?
posted by Mezentian at 3:49 AM on March 22, 2016
Wait, do you mean Rudd or Gillard?
posted by Mezentian at 3:49 AM on March 22, 2016
Okay, folks.
The battle for the soul of the Liberal Party *is on*.
Former WA Liberal Party director Ben Morton will try to topple sitting member "crazy" Dennis Jensen in Tangney, and sitting MP (Durack's) will battle against geologist David Archibald.
You have sitting MPs being challenged by their own party. I spend approximately not much time thinking about these things, but if you have MPs from the government of the day being challenged by the rank and file is not a good sign. Especially when they are endorsed by the Heartland Institute.
I believe the Worst Speaker Ever is also under assault.
posted by Mezentian at 4:30 AM on March 22, 2016
The battle for the soul of the Liberal Party *is on*.
Former WA Liberal Party director Ben Morton will try to topple sitting member "crazy" Dennis Jensen in Tangney, and sitting MP (Durack's) will battle against geologist David Archibald.
You have sitting MPs being challenged by their own party. I spend approximately not much time thinking about these things, but if you have MPs from the government of the day being challenged by the rank and file is not a good sign. Especially when they are endorsed by the Heartland Institute.
I believe the Worst Speaker Ever is also under assault.
posted by Mezentian at 4:30 AM on March 22, 2016
Gillard.
In my defence: it could have been either.
Meanwhile.
I'm not sure how to read that poll, but: huh. The omens are middling.
posted by Mezentian at 4:32 AM on March 22, 2016
In my defence: it could have been either.
Meanwhile.
I'm not sure how to read that poll, but: huh. The omens are middling.
posted by Mezentian at 4:32 AM on March 22, 2016
I'll join in the general chorus of approval for Muir. He mostly votes with the Coalition and I'm a lefty, but I still have faint memories (dreams?) of principled conservatives. Muir takes the job seriously and shows up on time and does his research. If even half the senators had his attitude, Australian politics wouldn't be such a circus.
I'd forgotten how stupid Malcolm Trufflepants can be. I knew he'd govern for the corporate leeches, I wasn't surprised by the capitulation to the hard right... but for some reason I thought he'd run a fairly organised process. Instead it's been opportunistic scrambling from day one. How soon I forgot about Godwin Grech! So now we have a probable double dissolution election over a stupid bit of legislation his own party doesn't take seriously. What a yoghurt.
posted by harriet vane at 4:32 AM on March 22, 2016 [4 favorites]
I'd forgotten how stupid Malcolm Trufflepants can be. I knew he'd govern for the corporate leeches, I wasn't surprised by the capitulation to the hard right... but for some reason I thought he'd run a fairly organised process. Instead it's been opportunistic scrambling from day one. How soon I forgot about Godwin Grech! So now we have a probable double dissolution election over a stupid bit of legislation his own party doesn't take seriously. What a yoghurt.
posted by harriet vane at 4:32 AM on March 22, 2016 [4 favorites]
re: sitting members being challenged. My MP, Steve Irons, is one of that group. I believe he's part of Turnbull's faction, and has been a relatively inoffensive backbencher. I stalked the challenger a little bit online, and apart from having just 1 degree of separation from me on Facebook he seems like any other businessman who would support the LNP. I do sincerely hope that this is his Twitter account though.
posted by harriet vane at 4:40 AM on March 22, 2016
posted by harriet vane at 4:40 AM on March 22, 2016
I do sincerely hope that this is his Twitter account though.
Based on the 'followed', it might well be.
@CarlGohard, though?
*sigh*
I'd prefer an MP who knows how to tweet, or, more, use the apostrophe. Or capitalisation. Or the question mar.
Yeah. He's still got a better online profile than many candidates.
posted by Mezentian at 8:44 AM on March 22, 2016
Based on the 'followed', it might well be.
@CarlGohard, though?
*sigh*
I'd prefer an MP who knows how to tweet, or, more, use the apostrophe. Or capitalisation. Or the question mar.
Yeah. He's still got a better online profile than many candidates.
posted by Mezentian at 8:44 AM on March 22, 2016
I'm another lefty inner city type who has been pleasantly surprised by Muir. The episode of Kitchen Cabinet with him was great for several reasons: he was clearly unsure about how to cook for a vegetarian but made the effort anyway (contrast Barnaby Joyce who just cooked a steak); he seems to be someone who takes fatherhood seriously; and his story about how he 'converted' to support same sex marriage is one of the best explanations I've ever heard of how someone can change their mind on an issue like that when pushed to consider it. Also, Ricky Road Cake.
posted by une_heure_pleine at 10:28 AM on March 22, 2016
posted by une_heure_pleine at 10:28 AM on March 22, 2016
Honestly, Turnbull was mad to pull a DD on anything when the polls were so close - you can always expect narrowing once a campaign is underway. Yes, Howard, 2001, yada yada. He would not have won if Sept 11 hadn't happened.
This election, if it does happen, will be a coin toss I recks. And if it doesn't Turnbull will look like an even greater fool.
posted by smoke at 1:41 PM on March 22, 2016
This election, if it does happen, will be a coin toss I recks. And if it doesn't Turnbull will look like an even greater fool.
posted by smoke at 1:41 PM on March 22, 2016
Two people I want to hear a lot from in this election campaign are Tony Abbott and Tony Windsor. The more they speak the better.
posted by wilful at 3:45 PM on March 22, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by wilful at 3:45 PM on March 22, 2016 [2 favorites]
Muir takes the job seriously and shows up on time and does his research.
He didn't do his research at all when Morrison blackmailed him with "Give me unlimited powers or the kids won't be released for Xmas".
He should have known that Prof Triggs' Children in Detention report had been sitting on Morrison's desk for a couple of months, and that he had a deadline to make it public in January.
I hate seeing an evil sociopath win, and that time Morrison pulled a dubious "victory" out of the hat when he was moments away from being hauled over the coals.
This enabled him and his cronies to crow in January how few children in detention there were under the LNP, when in reality he had used every stalling tactic known to mankind (one after the other ruled unlawful by the High Court) in order to keep the kids in detention for years, even when they & their families had been found to be legitimate refugees.
So no, Muir does not always do his homework.
posted by UbuRoivas at 12:36 AM on March 23, 2016 [3 favorites]
He didn't do his research at all when Morrison blackmailed him with "Give me unlimited powers or the kids won't be released for Xmas".
He should have known that Prof Triggs' Children in Detention report had been sitting on Morrison's desk for a couple of months, and that he had a deadline to make it public in January.
I hate seeing an evil sociopath win, and that time Morrison pulled a dubious "victory" out of the hat when he was moments away from being hauled over the coals.
This enabled him and his cronies to crow in January how few children in detention there were under the LNP, when in reality he had used every stalling tactic known to mankind (one after the other ruled unlawful by the High Court) in order to keep the kids in detention for years, even when they & their families had been found to be legitimate refugees.
So no, Muir does not always do his homework.
posted by UbuRoivas at 12:36 AM on March 23, 2016 [3 favorites]
Two people I want to hear a lot from in this election campaign are Tony Abbott and Tony Windsor. The more they speak the better.
Why do you hate us. I like Windsor enough, but... hearing him speak is terrible.
But we do need more #OneTermTony.
posted by Mezentian at 12:54 AM on March 23, 2016
Why do you hate us. I like Windsor enough, but... hearing him speak is terrible.
But we do need more #OneTermTony.
posted by Mezentian at 12:54 AM on March 23, 2016
Former immigration detainee speaks against Australia at UN rights council
~ ABC News 24:The World, 18th March
~ ABC News 24:The World, 18th March
"Australia has appeared before the United Nations Human Rights Council to discuss the country's response to the recommendations made as part of last year's Universal Periodic Review. Australia's asylum seeker policies were heavily criticised by the UN in November as part of that review. But in its response, the Australian Government said it had "no plans to cease its policies of mandatory immigration detention".posted by valetta at 12:40 AM on March 25, 2016
Yesterday, former child detainee Mohammad Ali Baqiri appeared before the council, speaking on behalf of three organisations against the mandatory detention of asylum seekers."
As an issue, I think that ship has sailed (no pun intended): Labor and Liberal stopped the boats, and the problem has become Europe's.
I'm surprised-not-surprised that the Libs want to cut the company tax rate (which seems to be an own goal), and I think Artful Arthur and the NSW Libs have managed to screw up any 'oooooh, spooky uinions!'.
Dio Wang (remember him?) was on the radio this afternoon talking about this election chances, and while I didn't hear the segment, I'm pretty sure he has none.
Aside from being wondering if his name was spoken as 'Wang' or 'Wong' he's been a non-entity as far as I can recall.
posted by Mezentian at 4:40 AM on March 25, 2016
I'm surprised-not-surprised that the Libs want to cut the company tax rate (which seems to be an own goal), and I think Artful Arthur and the NSW Libs have managed to screw up any 'oooooh, spooky uinions!'.
Dio Wang (remember him?) was on the radio this afternoon talking about this election chances, and while I didn't hear the segment, I'm pretty sure he has none.
Aside from being wondering if his name was spoken as 'Wang' or 'Wong' he's been a non-entity as far as I can recall.
posted by Mezentian at 4:40 AM on March 25, 2016
Our heinous detention policy not an issue? Of course it's an issue, and I sure hope the Greens keep pushing it: Close the Camps.
posted by valetta at 5:53 AM on March 25, 2016
posted by valetta at 5:53 AM on March 25, 2016
As an *election* issue: nope.
People don't care. It's a problem solved.
As a morality issue, sure, it's alive and on foot, but as a voting issue I suspect it's less front of mind since the pre-Tampa era.
People aren't arriving by boat, boats aren't getting smushed as sea, and the camps are barely worth a thought to the average voter.
I consume a LOT of media, and I just needed to check who the immigration minister is.
The issue just isn't as alive as it was in previous elections, and when P.Duddy had his press conference recently and announced two turnbacks, there was a collective yawn.
So far this election seems to be fought on fiscal issues. Hell, climate change and the NBN have barely had a peep.
posted by Mezentian at 6:57 AM on March 25, 2016
People don't care. It's a problem solved.
As a morality issue, sure, it's alive and on foot, but as a voting issue I suspect it's less front of mind since the pre-Tampa era.
People aren't arriving by boat, boats aren't getting smushed as sea, and the camps are barely worth a thought to the average voter.
I consume a LOT of media, and I just needed to check who the immigration minister is.
The issue just isn't as alive as it was in previous elections, and when P.Duddy had his press conference recently and announced two turnbacks, there was a collective yawn.
So far this election seems to be fought on fiscal issues. Hell, climate change and the NBN have barely had a peep.
posted by Mezentian at 6:57 AM on March 25, 2016
Newspoll has posted its first set of figures showing Labor ahead of the Coalition tonight: 51 to 49
posted by Panthalassa at 6:32 AM on April 4, 2016
posted by Panthalassa at 6:32 AM on April 4, 2016
I just hope Labor has learned something from the last few years. Pull your fucking socks up, Labor! If you can't do better than this bloody terrible show that the LNP has paraded before us then we're all doomed, doomed I say.
posted by h00py at 7:21 AM on April 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by h00py at 7:21 AM on April 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Queensland Labor has just granted a bunch of mining leases for Adani's obscene Carmichael coal mine. That will cost federal Labor a few votes because they won't have the balls to disagree publicly with the decision.
Coalition voters by and large don't care about it and will still try to tell you that Greg Drop Punt really is the world's best minister despite his having done everything possible to make sure this country remains stuck firmly in the Coal Age.
What a world. What a fucking world.
posted by flabdablet at 11:15 AM on April 4, 2016
Coalition voters by and large don't care about it and will still try to tell you that Greg Drop Punt really is the world's best minister despite his having done everything possible to make sure this country remains stuck firmly in the Coal Age.
What a world. What a fucking world.
posted by flabdablet at 11:15 AM on April 4, 2016
Queensland Labor has just granted a bunch of mining leases for Adani's obscene Carmichael coal mine. That will cost federal Labor a few votes because they won't have the balls to disagree publicly with the decision.
It is never going ahead, at least as things stand.
They could nuke it from orbit, just to be sure, and it wouldn't hurt them.
And I hear Watermark is also dead in the water.
posted by Mezentian at 5:06 AM on April 5, 2016
It is never going ahead, at least as things stand.
They could nuke it from orbit, just to be sure, and it wouldn't hurt them.
And I hear Watermark is also dead in the water.
posted by Mezentian at 5:06 AM on April 5, 2016
Josh Frydenberg was on the ABC this morning sprooking the old Abbott line of how the Adani mine was going to lift hundreds of millions of India's poor out of poverty. Just such utter contempt for the intelligence of the Australian public.
Then there's this little gem in the Guardian this morning backgrounding the cuts to the CSIRO.
These guys have to go.
posted by michswiss at 6:47 PM on April 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Then there's this little gem in the Guardian this morning backgrounding the cuts to the CSIRO.
These guys have to go.
posted by michswiss at 6:47 PM on April 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by Panthalassa at 4:29 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]