If you come to a fork in the road, take it

That is the sort of advice that cartoonists might offer to the independents that now seem to hold the future of the Federal parliament in their hands. The outlook for both major parties is uncertain, equally so.

So what can we deduce one day after the election? This is the first in a series. This piece addresses the exigencies of minority government. Later pieces will address what went wrong for Labor and the role of the media.

Labor has sustained a significant loss of seats, declining from 83 to somewhere between 70 and 74, as far as one can tell. If the ‘doubtfuls’ all fell Labor’s way and some seats previously assigned to the Coalition changed to Labor, it is very remotely possible that Labor might get to the magic 76 where it can form government.

The Coalition has gained seats – from 64 previously to between 72 and 74, and again if all the cards fell its way it might get to 76. It is better placed seat-wise than Labor, but is highly unlikely to get to that figure.

The proportion of votes flowing to the parties at present shows that Labor has suffered a swing against it of 5.5%, the Coalition a swing to it of 1.8% and the Greens a swing to them of 3.7%. Proportionately speaking, most of Labor’s bleeding was to the Greens, not the Coalition. But because those figures are applied against different absolute numbers, more votes actually flowed from Labor to the Coalition than to the Greens. The swings are uneven. At present the swings against Labor seem confined to Queensland, NSW, WA and NT, with swings to Labor in the other states. This has not translated into many extra seats in those states, but the contrast is striking and points to the underlying reasons..

So what has happened is that many of the seats that Labor won in 2007, especially in Queensland, have reverted to the Coalition, but not in sufficient numbers to enable it to form government. Remember that at the 2007 election there was a 5.4% swing against the Howard Government nationwide, with a much stronger swing in Queensland of 7.5%. John Howard, three of his ministers and 17 other Coalition MPs lost their seats, although the Liberals gained two marginal Labor seats in WA, a net loss of 19 seats, leaving it with 64 seats. This time the Coalition has regained only 8 of these if we take the current count as 72.

Although yesterday was clearly a great day for the Coalition, it was not in the same category as Labor’s win in 2007. On 24 November 2007 the Coalition slipped from 83 seats to 64, a loss of 19 seats, but on 21 August 2010 it moved from 64 to around 72, a gain of 8, and even with the very best case scenario of, say, 76, a gain of 12, well short of what Labor achieved in 2007.

While Tony Abbott and his Coalition team are justifiably delighted that what looked like a ‘saving the furniture’ exercise six months ago has turned out to be much better than that, their delight needs it be tempered with the reality that unless Julia Gillard is unable to form a minority government with the independents, and Tony Abbott is, he has gained seats but not power. He sensed this when he warned in his speech to the party faithful against triumphalism. His triumph is limited. Nick Minchin and George Brandis were arguing last night that if the Coalition obtained the most seats and the popular vote, it should be ‘entitled’ to attempt first to form a minority government. That is not the way it works. Julia Gillard is PM in caretaker mode and has first option to present a minority government arrangement to the Governor General. If she can’t, Tony Abbott gets his turn, something he seemed to understand when he spoke last night.

What then might we expect? If we accept that neither party will reach 76 and will probably reach only 74, minority government is only possible with the cooperation of the new Greens member for Melbourne, Adam Bandt, who has already said he will support Labor, effectively increasing its tally by one, possibly Andrew Wilkie, the whistleblower on the Iraq War whom the Coalition labelled as unbalanced, and who subsequently became an unsuccessful Greens candidate, but looks likely to take Dennison in Tasmania, and three ex-Nationals who left that party because they were dissatisfied and still seem upset with it. Bob Katter of Kennedy in far north Queensland is still angry about the reduction of milk prices for dairy farmers following the Coalition’s deregulation of the industry, the way in which he believes rural Australia is being neglected by government, and last night revealed he had had an abusive call from Warren Truss. Bob does not seem enamoured of the Coalition. Tony Windsor of New England sounds a very reasonable and sensible person who wants to contribute to stable government and support rural people, and Rob Oakeshott of Lyne on the northern NSW coast, who has had experience as an independent in the Greiner Coalition government in NSW, also sounds balanced, stating his decision about which party to support would revolve around which one could provide the most stable government. None of the independents indicated any alignment to the Coalition, but Adam Bandt would align with Labor and Andrew Wilkie might, while still retaining independence. In summary there is not much joy for Tony Abbott there in terms of ideological alignment.

Add to that the fact that there will be nine Greens in the Senate, and a DLP member. Stephen Fielding seems unlikely to retain his seat, but we will have to endure him until the end of next June.

What issues might sway their alignment?

Perhaps the most important might be the NBN which the Greens support and rural members strongly support, in fact complaining on ABC TV last night about poor communications in the bush, such that only a still image could be projected while they spoke to Kerry O’Brien on their mobiles. They say this would enable rural businesses to become more competitive on the world stage. Also contemplate how difficult it would be for Tony Abbott as PM to scuttle the NBN in the Senate, while it is already being rolled out? How would he handle that? Would he be forced to renege on his intention to trash the NBN?

What about global warming? Leaving aside the fact that Bob Katter is a sceptic, and that we don’t know what the other ex-Nationals independents think, we certainly know that Greens want action and are unlikely to go along with Tony Abbott’s ‘action plan’ without a price on carbon. How will Tony handle that?

What about the MRRT? The Greens want an even bigger tax. With them with the balance of power in the Senate, how will Tony cope with their insistence?

What about Abbott’s intention to scrap GP Super Clinics and reduce primary care funding? Would the rural independents support that? Would the Greens? They would applaud the Coalition’s mental health funding, but would want dental care supported.

How would Abbott manage the Greens’ push for same sex marriage?

Consider how the Greens might feel about Tony’s Boatphone, his threat to ‘turn the boats around’, and his reopening of Nauru. It is the Greens that have been the most outspoken about treating asylum-seekers humanely and they are opposed to off-shore processing. .

That’s enough now about what Tony Abbott would need to reflect on as he contemplates minority government with the independents and a Greens-dominated Senate. Running a majority government is difficult enough, accommodating the various views party members have, but party unity usually overcomes dissent, as we saw when he conjured up his PPL without consultation. But he cannot rely on that when he’s required to negotiate with those outside his party. How would he cope with the sort of unremitting obstructionism he had inflicted on Labor for the last three years?

Malcolm Fraser’s ‘Life wasn’t meant to be easy’ may take on a vivid new meaning if Abbott ever gets the chance to manage a minority government. Authoritarianism and any tendency towards autocratic behaviour would need to be replaced by painstaking negotiation and the accommodation of views alien to his own. Would he be capable of this? Perhaps he would; he has performed much better on the campaign trail than his colleagues, and even he expected, so anything is possible. But he would have to put away the aggressive, pugilistic Tony and become the collaborative, accommodating Tony, willing and happy to accept ideological and political positions he does not favour. It’s a big ask. I suspect most who comment here would hope he never gets the opportunity to show us one way or the other.

What do you think?

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Ad astra reply

22/08/2010Folks I'll be away from my computer for a few hours. I look forward to reading your comments on my return.

vote1maxine

22/08/2010Hi AA Agree entirely with what have said. I posted what follows on the previous thread which I'm reposting here as it is more relevant. The final seat tally is very fluid until all the postal votes are counted. However,assuming Labor can win 1 more seat, a Labor minority Govt is a real possibility as outlined below. (BTW, with Tony Crook winning Conner and stating that he would rather sit on the cross-benches than with the Coalition weakens Abbott's ability to form a Govt. even further.) I think that the only way Abbott will be PM is if the Liberals get a majority in their own right. I can not see this happening as Minchin conceded last night(but with pre-polling and postal votes to be counted, it is a possibility). I believe a Labor-Green-Green Independent-Independents Alliance Government is a real possibility. Labor (sitting on 70) need to win 71 + Bandt + Wilkie + 3 Independents = 76 If the 3 Independents stick to their commitment of aligning themselves to the party that can provide stability as the overriding factor then the above can work for the following reasons: 1) Only the above Alliance can provide stability in BOTH HOUSES. 76 in the Reps and 40 in the Senate. 2) There is a more natural synergy between Labor and the Greens (compared with Coalition and the Greens). Thus Labor and the Greens can work cooperatively well with one another. 3) There is no love lost between the 3 Indies and the Nationals. Truss and Joyce working cooperatively & happily with Katter, Windsor & Oakeshott would be hard to believe. 4) A lot of Labor policy (NBN, GP superclinics, eHealth etc)is more regionally focussed and beneficial in contrast to the Coalition's. 5) Windsor & Oakeshott believe in and want action on CC. Katter is a skeptic but I believe could be brought around with soil & forestry carbon sequestration and biofuel production. These are significant contributors of a carbon mitigation scheme that would particularly benefit rural & regional Australia. 6) Labor's PPL scheme is more equitable to rural & regional women without imposing a 1.5% tax. Contrast this to Abbotts keep the rich mamas happy in the lifestyle they have been accustomed to. Even a lot of Nationals find this hard to accept. Anyway, Ad Astra you presented a more persuasive & eloquent argument than I have been able to. I can't see Abbott being able to work with either the Greens or the Independents. The fact that the coalition didn't win a majority in their own right only gives them a Phyrric victory. In fact I believe they may be worse off. Since Labor minority Alliance Govt. will work on the basis of a broader consensus and consultation. A situation that the coalition will find harder to counter than if Labor had a small majority in its own right.

NormanK

22/08/2010Ad astra Your calm and dispassionate demeanour is commendable. A bit of proof reading - in the eighth paragraph you have a Freudian slip. [quote]That is not the way it works. Julia Gillard is PM in [b]"undertaker"[/b] mode[/quote] - I suspect you meant "caretaker" mode. Could you please delete my post (this one) after you have made the correction. Thanks.

janice

22/08/2010Great analysis Ad astra and an excellent post vote1maxine. I agree it will be very difficult for Abbott to preside over a minority government because he would have to back down on just about every one of his election campaign 'talking points'. What an awful mess this nation has got itself into. A stable government is imperative at this point in time when the rest of the world is still battling the effects of the global financial crisis. It appears that the USA is sliding back into recession so there are still troubled times ahead of us even if a good many voters believe the Coalition that the GFC only lasted a couple of weeks in Austalia so Labor's stimpacs were unnecessary. Honestly, Abbott should be hung, drawn and quartered for peddling such lies.

Hillbilly Skeleton

22/08/2010How about this interesting morsel of information which may necessitate the first by-election after the poll yesterday: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s34.html * Or, Wyatt Roy will be the youngest and shortest-tenured federal MP ever!

Hillbilly Skeleton

22/08/2010Latest vote count in Denison has the ALP ahead of Andrew Wilkie. Which would give ALP:73, Coalition:73. Now, if we add 1 Green to the ALP column, because Adam Bandt said he would backing them at his Press Conference today, then that gives the Gillard government effectively 74 seats, and only needing 2 Independants to make it to the magic number of 76. I also wonder if this is the case whether Julia Gillard could offer the Speaker's position to the 3rd Independant and thus be able to pass legislation with a majority of 1?

Hillbilly Skeleton

22/08/2010Bummer. Someone has found a relevant Act which mentions 18 as the minimum age for an MP. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cea1918233/s163.html

Hillbilly Skeleton

22/08/2010 Antony Green's seat-by-seat is giving 74 seats to ALP, 1 to Greens and Dennison to Mr Wilkie.

George Pike

22/08/2010Here's the latest from SMH...looks pretty good from here! http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/labor-leads-race-for-minority-government-20100822-13akb.html?autostart=1

Polyquats

22/08/2010Don't forget that IF Tony Abbott does get to form a government, he has a platform only for the first three months, which will, theoretically, be complete before the Greens take their place in the Senate. So with his agenda done and dusted in the first sitting of parliament, I presume he just intends to cruise through the remainder of the term, while collecting enough money to end the debt and waste (i.e. his own personal debt and waste, that is, not the country's).

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010NormanK Thanks for your kind remarks and for spotting of my Freudian slip - 'undertaker' might better suit Tony Abbott's {i]modus operandi[/i].

Lyn

22/08/2010Hi Polyquats Welcome tro "The Political Sword" , thankyou for your comment, we hope you keep coming back for a long time. Ad Astra will be pleased. I agree with you, Phoney told us about his own personal finances enough times, also complained when they got voted out in 2007, about his income being reduced to 170,000 as year, wasn't it. I know he is going to solve the Timor issue on the first day, I suppose the next day he will cancel the NBN and the BER, that is 2 days, so guess that is enough to put the budget back in surplus and end the waste, according to him.

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010vote1maxine Thank you for your comments and your incisive analysis, which add substantially to what I have written. You are right, Wilson Tuckey’s replacement Tony Crook, although nominally National, says he wants to behave like an independent. There seems to be little love lost between the Nationals and the Liberals in Queensland, and particularly in WA. I agree with you – Tony may find working a minority government beyond his capacity. So far he has relied on party compliance when he has his thought bubbles such as his BoatPhone and his PPL, which dismay some in his party, especially the Nationals, but he won’t be able to get away with that in minority government.

tredlgt

22/08/2010 This could be a good thing ,I would have preferred an ALP win but if not at least an Independents & Labor Government should be better for Aust than the whingers party and with the greens trying to improve things for the less fortunate it cant be a bad situation.

Lyn

22/08/2010Hi Ad Thankyou Ad, for you brilliant column, "If you come to a fork in The Road, Take it", you have put everything in order for me. If Tony Abbott was able to form a minority Government somehow by chance. I can't imagine him changing his stance on Same Sex Marriage, Turn back the Boats, cancelling the NBN, stopping computers in schools, cancelling the BER, altering his PLP, he already said if he was Prime Minister he will make the decisions, nobody will tell him what to do. [quote]Running a majority government is difficult enough[/quote], only half the Party voted for Abbott, they were extremely messed up, with different views on everything, predominatly climate change.

NormanK

22/08/2010Ad astra Thanks for the summary. I'll say again - your calm and dispassionate demeanour is commendable. TPS truly is a wonderful site for quiet conversations without the argy-bargy of other forums. It's strange that conversations with friends and relatives are more fruitful and less confrontational after an election rather than before. Today has been one for such activities. The level of misunderstanding of government initiatives is quite astonishing but where to lay the blame for that is less clear. I am still despairing over the fact that a great number of Australians wanted to elect a sow's ear. Baffling really. HS Am I reading this right? [quote]"Antony Green's seat-by-seat is giving 74 seats to ALP, 1 to Greens and Dennison to Mr Wilkie."[/quote] Would this mean Labor might not need any independents to govern? If that is the case, it would still be wise to negotiate with them and accommodate some of their wishes. I like the sound of positive comments I've seen in various places regarding a hung parliament - that it could lead to a more transparent and accountable government. Silver linings and all that.

Hillbilly Skeleton

22/08/2010So, in the end it was only really Queensland who savaged the ALP. NSW just turned out to be annoyed.

Canbra Dave

22/08/2010Earlier this morning I was feeling quite down, although looking back that was probably part of the hangover from last night. I was fearful for the woeful state that our country had fallen into. After just three years of a Labor government after 12 years of the most conservative government in our history and already the swing voters were prepared to hand government back over to an even more conservative government than the last one. Then I remembered the makeup of the Senate. Once the new Senators take their place the ALP and Greens will have 40 seats. If the Greens are able to sustain their primary vote through the next three years then when the next election comes around the Greens Senators up for re-election then will be able to regain their seats again. If they are able to keep doing that then there will always be a constant 9 or 10 Greens Senators in the Senate. Assuming that the ALP manage to hold their vote steady then they should always manage to get 30-31 Senators into the Senate as well. This means that barring any massive swings away from the Greens or ALP then the Liberals will never be able to control the Senate again. It will probably be a long time after 2004 until people considering handing control of the Senate and House over to the Coalition. So when you look at it like that this election is actually a ringing endorsement of how Australia is a progressive country. The only issue facing the ALP now is the need to re-orient itself back towards the left after it went chasing the xenophobe vote at this election. Otherwise it stands to lose significant ground against the Greens, which are now clearly a major player in Australian politics. If it doesn't move back to its roots of caring about social equality and favouring people over profit then in the long run left leaning people will begin to desert it more and more until it is only a minor player.

nasking

22/08/2010Wonderful analysis as always Aa. My wife said to me just now that if Abbot/Hockey get in they will cut so many public servants, freeze their wages, stuff their entitlements…just like what Shane was saying above…much that I’ve outlined previously. S’ also feels he will take us backwards, more babies to those who spend time shopping than looking after their children at taxpayer’s expense…more cuts to public school funding and taking out good secular & atheist teachers and bringing in more religious one…eventually more low morale in disadvantaged schools leading to more dropouts, more gangs & violence as happened under Howard…more exploitation of young workers… more pumping up of war & religious differences. less opportunity for efficient, fast broadband for everyone…less ABC funding, more growth for the Murdoch empire. It’s a disaster. My wife is feeling very sad & negative tonite. Feels this will lead to a bad road for many Australians who will have buyer’s remorse. Me, I’m very disappointed w/ QLD voters…and the Bligh government that should’ve been less neo-liberal in policies and more careful before this election. Typical Qld has stuffed it all again. I'm pleased the Greens did well tho. Thankyou Lyn for yer kind comments elsewhere. I agree w/ you & Hillbilly & other commentors...we must fight hard to make sure the media is accountable and stating the facts not just spin & distortion to assist their corporate profiteering bosses & large companies who advertise w/ them. N’

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010HS What interesting references to the Constitution you quote. I understand that Wyatt Roy is but 20. The two references seem contradictory. If the Coalition has not checked this out, it would be most negligent, but I suppose it has.

Lyn

22/08/2010Hi Ad NormanK, you may have already read Larvatus, but I will post for you just in case: Says it all, Idiot Savant, Larvatus prodeo Interim Australian election results, from the AEC (seat numbers from here): http://larvatusprodeo.net/2010/08/22/says-it-all/

Lyn

22/08/2010Hi Norman K You have put up "Double Delight", Isn't it just absolutely beautiful.

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010tredlgt I agree – I believe that the arrangements that would be necessary for a minority government could transform politics in this country by moving away from the awful scourge of adversarial politics where when one side says ‘black’, the other always says ‘white’. I was greatly reassured when I heard the three independents say tonight, particularly Rob Oakeshott, that they are seeking a new paradigm for politics which might drag it out of the pit in which it is presently mired.

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010Lyn Thank you for your kind words. You highlight the issue well – can the man who says that when he’s PM [b]he[/b] will make the decisions, be able to adopt a collaborative, consultative, consensus-seeking approach? It’s not his style

Lyn

22/08/2010Hi Nasking Tell your wife not to be sad, I agree with "tredlgt", above, this could work out to be a good, well that is if Labor get the independents onside. Anna Bligh has got to go, she is way to stubborn, and inflexible. Cheer up Nasking, it could have been a lot worse, at least Abbott hasn't got his supreme prize yet, even if he does, it won't be supreme. cheers

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010NormanK I’ve noticed that too – it seems as if the tension generated by the uncertainty of the outcome causes irritability and all that follows from that, but when the result is known, even if it is not wholly desirable, tension and irritability subside. We see this in medicine when even a less-than-pleasant diagnosis is easier to manage than uncertainty. I missed Antony Green’s assessment tonight, but that sounds like good news if Labor can get to 74, plus a Green who has offered Labor support, and one that probably will.

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010Canbra Dave Well said – your comments about the Senate are germane. I agree with your senriment: [i]”So when you look at it like that, this election is actually a ringing endorsement of how Australia is a progressive country.”[/i] There is now a real opportunity to transform how parliamentary politics is conducted at a Federal level. I agree especially with your last paragraph.

Graeme

22/08/2010Ad, I suspect that there was something of, in stock market terms, a 'correction' in yesterday's vote versus 2007; and Qld did have the baseball bats out. Having said that, it occurs to me how ungrateful and fickle some parts of the electorate can be. The so-called 'Howard battlers' took all the middle class welfare he could throw at them ie baby bonuses, tax cuts, 1st home buyers' bonuses, then turfed him out. The Labor Party with their economic stimulus packages more than likely helped to save a great many of those same voters' jobs and businesses, and got rewarded with a kick in the guts. Lyn, Re your post on the other thread; I'll call the gravatar 'Ralph', even though it is not a faithful representation of him. Very friendly, omce you get to know him, and has been a faithful companion for about ten years. Here's hoping that the optimistic predictions regarding the Indies are borne out in reality

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010nasking Thank you for your kind comments. Do reassure your wife that the awful changes she is contemplating under an Abbott government are unlikely to happen, firstly because he now seems less and less likely to be given the chance to attempt to form a minority government, and even if he were, the constraints of the cross bench and the Senate would stymie his attempts to do the things your wife is so concerned about.

NormanK

22/08/2010Hi Lyn Thanks for the link. Yes 'Double Delight" is high on the list of favourites but you can't say it too loud because rose bushes have ears and they get jealous and sulk. "Chicago Peace" is secretly my pet but I keep that to myself. The media just don't stop do they? This from Herald Sun : [quote]"[b]Independents at odds on togetherness[/b] The independent MPs who could decide which party forms the next government are at odds over the likelihood of a successful deal being struck in the next few weeks."[/quote] http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/independents-at-odds-on-togetherness/story-e6frf7jx-1225908586786 Sounds like they're squabbling doesn't it? And yet nowhere in the article is this conjecture borne out and tonight's special 7.30 Report gave the absolute opposite impression. No conflict - no story. Mr Windsor is "confident" an agreement can be reached, Mr Oakeshott doesn't share Mr Windsor's [b]absolute[/b] confidence. Sounds like they are seriously at odds to me. Conflict, conflict, conflict, we must have more conflict. Or as Tony might say - "More running. They want more running." AA Just read your post above. If you missed the 7.30 Report, Antony Green thinks Hasluck is the key to the outcome, questions anyone trying to claim moral high ground by using election statistics to justify their right to form government since these stats won't be available until Friday week at best. Three independents interviewed - united, sensible and reiterating much of what they have said elsewhere today. To my ear, much of what they want legislatively they can get from Labor. It will then be a question of whether they feel they can get the reforms they desire. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Labor doesn't need anyone's "permission" to enter into a coalition agreement in order to get the numbers which is what Abbott is trying to imply in his typical attack dog way. Fancy a mob who refer to themselves as The Coalition (capital C) having a whinge about that.

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010HS Queensland has been Labor’s nemesis this time after being its champion last time. It’s hard to fathom. I’ll try to later this week. Tonight on ABC’s [i]7.30 Report[/i]. Anthony Green seems to think everything hinges on Hasluck where Labor’s candidate is fewer than 400 votes behind the Liberal candidate, with postal votes to come. Each party is on 72 definite. If Labor wins Hasluck it will have 73 and with the Greens Adam Bandt who will support Labor, and with a win to Labor in Dennison, or a Wilkie victory, it will have 75 and be close to a minority government. If the Coalition wins Hasluck it will have 73, and if supported by the three independents, would have 76 and be able to form a minority government. Of course there is no certainty at all, especially hearing them speak tonight, that they would throw their weight behind the Coalition. So it’s Hasluck – let’s hope it’s Goodluck.

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010Graeme It’s the old story that you don’t feel the bullet that missed you.

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010Polyquats Welcome to the TPS family. Do come again. It will be interesting to see how Tony Abbott manages negotiations with the cross benches. I don't think he'll con them - they are far too smart for that.

Ad astra reply

22/08/2010janice I agree with your comments. The Coalition campaign has been lies, lies and more lies, perpetuated by the Murdoch media. I'll be writing something about that later in the week.

Lyn

22/08/2010Hi Graeme 'Ralph', that's a nice name, to suit his nice face. Tony Abbott is getting more desperate by the minute, for his supreme prize, if this keeps up for 2 weeks, he will lose his fake persona, he created for the campaign. Funny if Abbott has to compromise with the NBN, BER, Stop the boats, stop the waste, that will blow his fake surplus.

Acerbic Conehead

22/08/2010AA, Tones is confident that the Indies will soon succumb to his legendary peoples’ skills and form a government with him. But, shrewd operator as he is, Tones has also got an eye on the future and is already making plans to forge an unlikely alliance with the Greens in the new Senate next year. He got the idea from watching Rove, and in particular, the segment, “Who would you turn gay for?” AA, you’re not going to believe this, but Tones has definitely come to a fork in the road and is going to propose to Bob Brown! Is it a marriage of convenience, or another example of the conviction politician whose main conviction is not to be convicted? So, in the meantime, croon along to Tones’ singing telegram serenade to Bob, cast in the alternative lifestyle lyrics of the old Beach Boys classic, “Wouldn’t it be Nice”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L--cqAI3IUI&feature=related :- ) Wouldn't it be nice if we were married We’d have a honeymoon three years long And wouldn't it be nice to live together Listenin’ to your groovy George Michael songs :- ) You know its gonna make it that much better You’re a sight better lookin’ than Bob Katter :- ) Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up In our non-threatening single beds And later happily spending the day together Like two well-hung political newly-weds :- ) Happy times together we’ll be spending I’ll get preggers and my PPL will be neverending Wouldn't it be nice :- ) Maybe if our pillow-talk is unscripted I can say its all untrue Bobby, then there wouldn't be a single thing you could do We could be married And then I’d be happy Wouldn't it be nice :- ) You know it seems the more we talk about it The more I need to set some gospel ground-rules Like no boats in the bathtub And I get to be the first To read your copy of the NBN The Nancy Boys News Wouldn't it be nice :- ) Good night Bob baby Sleep tight Bob baby

Hillbilly Skeleton

22/08/2010Hi everybody! You should read this perceptive analysis of the present state of play by Malcolm farnsworth. He and Grog have really come of age during this election campaign with their constant, consistent commentary(but we already knew that about AA). Anyway, basically, he says that now is when it starts to get really interesting! http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2990039.htm

Sir Ian Crisp

23/08/2010Why is vote1maxine still here? Didn't she get tossed out on her rather ample arse?

vote1maxine

23/08/2010Acerbic Conehead Loved your post. I can't wait for a follow up, something from The Village People perhaps? I think Abbott singing David Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging" would also be part of Tone's courting of Bob. I'm sure you could use your wonderful lyricists skills to enlighten us. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jRODPlfhys Crispy Ad Astra decides who blogs here and the manner in which they blog. Maxine has considerable political talents, so don't write her off just yet. After all, she did flush that entrenched putrid Turd out of Bennelong.

Sir Ian Crisp

23/08/2010maxi, I'm on the TPS ignore list so you may be upbraided for responding.

George Pike

23/08/2010Maxine will win another seat somewhere without a doubt...we have to recruit Rod Laver to ace Alexander out of the court!The way the media are carrying on about Maxine's statements on Saturday night is laughable..especially when you see how acidic the conversation between Abetz and Barnett has become down here in Tassie! Good to see that regional players will decide the outcome of this election. I have no doubt what so ever that they will side with the party that has put the runs on the board in two and a half years despite the GFC. The NBN and superclinics, as well as the education and health reforms, will ensure that we have a rural and regionally focused Labor-Independent coalition government come next week. The city-corporate centric Coalition have made themselves unelectable in the eyes of the vast majority of people in the regions...it should also be noted that Labor had very high results in the mining regions of Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, which indicates that the MRRT was a positive policy for the people most affected by it. Listening to rabbits like Robb going on and on about stable government has to be the most nauseating experience one could imagine...there is Turnbull standing behind Abbott with knife at the ready and they rave on about stability for God's sake! They won't get a damn thing through the senate come next July and they dare claim to stand for stable governance! What a apck of nonsensical frauds the poor old Liberaches really are...

Rx

23/08/2010Hillbilly, Malcolm farnsworth - isn't he a Murdoch writer? I'm very uneasy about Murdoch employees writing for the ABC (and vice versa). The ABC should be [b]independent[/b], not getting into bed with the global privately-owned media behemoth.

Lyn

23/08/2010[b]TODAY'S LINKS[/b] [i]Election 2010: Extra Time (or Think, Know, Prove), Grog, Grog's Gamut[/i] he’ll have to repudiate half of his polices that differentiated the LNP from the ALP. I don’t know how that will go down, but for mine, I think it would make him the biggest hypocrite in Australian politics http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com/ [i]1. The State of the Senate, Ben Raue, The Tally Room[/i] 2. The State of the House 3. Moving forward So after over 24 hours of my blog being out of action, we have returned I’ve already written a couple of posts in anticipation for the blog being restored, so they will be going up over the next day. http://www.tallyroom.com.au/ Don't panic. This might just work,TIM DUNLOP, unleashed So first up, let's not let the media bluff us into thinking this is unworkable, or that negotiations have to be hurried. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2990276.htm [i]Uncertainity Reigns, JJ Fiasson, The Daily Bludge[/i] There is one additional [b]complication here, however. That of the Murdoch press. The Australian and the Daily Telegraph have already begun arguing [/b]that whichever party ends up with more seats in the house is the one with the legitimacy to form government. I think this is an attempt to twist public opinion . http://dailybludge.com.au/2010/08/uncertainty-reigns/ Policy trade-off: winning over the independents, Alan Kohler, ABC the three other important business policies that were on the line in this election: climate change, broadband, and parental leave They are all up for grabs http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/23/2990298.htm [i]A piece of incredible unfortunateness, Andrew Elder, Politically Homeless[/i] This period of negotiation is the point where Abbott cracks. He's held it together, spouting his lines and riding his bike, but this period calls for nerves of steel and the flexibility of water. http://andrewelder.blogspot.com/2010/08/piece-of-incredible-unfortunateness-two.html [i]The Numbers game in a hung Parliament, Tigtog, Hoydon about Town[/i] They especially really want the NBN in its as-planned-by-Labor form, a demand which would make it impossible for Abbott to deliver his promised cuts in public debt, because all his election spending promises rely on having most of the budgeted $42bn for the NBN available for other things instead. http://hoydenabouttown.com/20100822.8024/the-numbers-game-in-a-hung-parliament/ [i]Govt chaos: Has NBN Co stopped the rollout?, Renai LeMay, Delimiter[/i] The future of the National Broadband Network is still in doubt at the moment, depending on whether either the Coalition or Labor can form government with support from the independents. http://delimiter.com.au/2010/08/22/govt-chaos-has-nbn-co-stopped-the-rollout/#more-7433 [i]Another Big Party's Lament, Jeremy Sear Ononymous Lefty [/i]All the polls said you were really liking what we’re doing and really hating what they’re doing. But you didn’t elect us! http://anonymouslefty.wordpress.com/ 1.[i]Victorious Brandt, takes stage to a "Making History" mantra[/i] [i]CRIKEY[/i] 2. Abbott copied the Howard template 3. it's just a jump to the left http://www.crikey.com.au/politics/

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23/08/2010LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/Lyns-Daily-Links.aspx

Michael

23/08/2010I was surprised by George's post from Sunday describing Tony Abbott's entry to the Coalition's post-election speech venue, that he thought he heard members of the crowd calling out "Sieg Heil". Not possible, surely? So, it was with some relief that in this morning's Sydney Morning Herald I read that the chant was actually, "To-Ny, To-Ny". Relieved until I read in the same story, that "To-Ny, To-Ny" was accompanied by quote, "straight-arm salutes". Do we want a government supported at the centre of it's political power-base by people who behave like this at times of (perceived) triumph? http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/liberal-lashings-of-grog-as-happy-crew-push-the-boat-out-20100822-13azb.html

George Pike

23/08/2010I have just been listening to Steve Titmus, the failed Liberal candidate for Bass in Tasmania, dribble garbage about the reasons for his loss, totally unchallenged as usual, on ABC radio. He had the gall to say that Tasmanians were denied the truth about the NBN and that the Liberals would have honoured contracts to continue the rollout as planned should they have won the election. What a load of tripe! For a start the NBN already rolled out was going to sold off to private interests immediately...and worse still, the Telstra deal was going to be cancelled thus placing Tasmanians back in exactly the same shocking situation that they have been enduring since Howard sold Telstra in the first place. That situation has seen us being charged very high prices for inferior quality products and very poor standards of behaviour in regards to customer care and in blocking fair competition within the state's communications industry. Telstra have just been fined millions for deliberately blocking third party access to their exchanges for a start...which makes it very hard for other firms to give reliable, efficient and price competitive services to their customers. Titmus should be a man and stop the drivel. Tell it like it is, the federal Liberals were going to put Tasmania back ten years...it is as simple as that. Titmus also failed to mention the fact that many people in this state value the dedication Labor have shown to the education system with their well targeted school stimulus spending and with their much much more regionally focused health and education system reforms. The Superclinincs would have enshrined the bulk billing system as well as providing the regions with training centres for oncoming nurses and doctors. Pensioners in the regions simply cannot afford the very high prices being charged by private clinics and the fact that most medical services will be situated under one roof, and all are to have bulk billing provisions, means a great deal to low income earners, welfare recipients and pensioners.

Acerbic Conehead

23/08/2010vote1maxine, thanks and I'll keep you posted on any developments in Bob and Tony's courtship. Rx, are you thinking of Malcolm Farr from Murdoch's Terrorgraph?

Graeme

23/08/2010Interesting comments from Tony Windsor on Sky this morning. Wtte that he quit the National Party and smoking at about the same time; cut out two cancers in one go.

Lyn

23/08/2010[b]TODAY'S LINKS PART 2[/b] [i]As we enter the hung Parliament Zone, Tim Dunlop, Bsides[/i] They will go batshit insane if the independents happen to install a Labor Government. That a Green will be involved will only make them less coherent. http://tjd.posterous.com/ [i]Come Monday, Miglo, Cafe Whispers[/i] people are just staring blankly at the computer monitor. Like me. I’m just so lost for words. I feel like a complete pussy. http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/come-monday-3/ [i]And now the Dirty Deals Begin…, Reb, Gutter Trash[/i] There are already suggestions that Tony Abbott may need to backflip on his pre-election promise to scrap the NBN http://guttertrash.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/and-now-the-dirty-deals-begin/ [i]Hung, drawn and quartered?, Legal Eagle, Skeptic Lawyer[/i] I’m no political commentator, I’m not a member of any particular political party, http://skepticlawyer.com.au/2010/08/22/hung-drawn-and-quartered/

Ad astra reply

23/08/2010AC You continue to delight us with your satire. What a pointed send-up of Abbott trying to cope with the dilemma he faces. Of all the issues he has to manage, same-sex marriage would probably be the most difficult for him to contemplate, let alone swallow. No, for Tony, it definitely Wouldn’t be Nice.

nasking

23/08/2010Hi all. Lyn & Aa I had a good chat w/ my wife this morning & she's feeling somewhat less negative about things, particularly upon hearing the "rounded", positive and well-thought out words of some of the "independents". It's reassuring to know that we will soon have some "independent" & Green politicians, in all probability, in key decision-making positions that care so much for their constituents and are willing to compromise on some issues in order to ensure we have stable government, whilst ensuring parliamentary ethics are a priority. I'm feeling far more positive about the future, tho I do feel that a Tony Abbott-led government would be more divisive and create more disharmony, using it's media allies to fear-monger in order to divert public attention away from "austerity" measures and "bad medicine". I felt the ABC was far more relaxing to watch & responsible in its approach this morning...bringing on various experts to analyse, assess and define this complex situation, and the possibilities. I was disappointed to hear SKY NEWS Kieran Gilbert using reductionist & labelling statements such as "Labor's campaign a disaster"...and attempting to stir up a hornet's nest in the Labor party in order to manipulate public perception, create sensationalist headlines to "hook-in" the audience...does nothing for our democracy...alot for the Murdoch empire's profits. Their usual modus operandi...unfortunately. Profits before public interest. I think that we deserve better. I certainly hope that Julia Gillard continues to lead this country w/ the assistance of some "mature" and rational & uniting allies. We need more harmony. Julia deserves to be more than someone relegated to a single paragraph in future history books/sites. Thankyou for yer reassuring comments. My wife appreciated them. She works hard as a HOD, in a QLD school in a lower socio-economic & culturally diverse area, attempting to lift the morale of students & staff & parents...and provide the students w/ as many pathways and opportunities as possible so they may fulfil their potential. S' needed some hope...teaching & co-ordinating in a secondary school can be demanding & exhausting. Federal Labor by way of funding & the computers in schools program has certainly provided for an improved atmosphere in her school...and students are far more engaged. She is grateful to Labor for that. N'

Lyn

23/08/2010Hi Ad I remember the Liberal Party bagging the Governer General, Quentin Bryce, quite a few times in the past, travelling overseas too many times one in memory. How many independents has the Liberal party upset. Isn't is marvellous how things turn out, (Karma) now who needs to be nice. [i]Bryce-Shorten connection highlighted ,SMH[/i] suggestions Ms Bryce should step away from the decision-making process for a new government http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/bryceshorten-connection-highlighted-20100823-13d2u.html [i]Governor-General must be impartial: Palmer SMH [/i] MINING magnate and government critic Clive Palmer has questioned the role of Governor-General Quentin Bryce in determining whether Julia Gillard or Tony Abbott is allowed to form a government. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/governorgeneral-must-be-impartial-palmer-20100822-13b3b.html

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23/08/2010HS Malcolm Farnsworth’s piece was good reading. I disagree with his assessment of Julia Gillard’s performance as ‘awful’. I believe she performed very well, especially given the constraints imposed on her by the polling in Western Sydney where there seemed to be great anger about boat people, and the difficulty in accommodating Labor’s change in policy on global warming which put it at loggerheads with the Greens and much of the electorate. Having been dealt that hand, she managed it as well as could be expected. If she is given the opportunity to form government, it would be sensible to address these contentious issues early in the new government so that they were no longer a major focus next time around. His comment: “As for the Liberals, never underestimate their capacity for bastardry. Their reason for being is to govern and keep Labor out. They will pull out every stop over the next fortnight to force Gillard out.” shows us what we should expect.

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23/08/2010nasking I’m pleased your wife is feeling somewhat reassured. Let’s hope that we end up with a Gillard minority government, but even if we were unfortunate to have an Abbott government, its radicalism would be curbed by the independents and its threats to scrap important Labor initiatives, such as the NBN, would be neutered. We can expect the media to continue its assault on Labor. The Murdoch media wanted Labour out; it almost succeeded and will want to finish Labor off.

George Pike

23/08/2010...MINING magnate and government critic Clive Palmer has questioned the role of Governor-General Quentin Bryce in determining whether Julia Gillard or Tony Abbott is allowed to form a government... I didn't hear anyone complain when the Governor of Tasmania refused to take Premier Bartlett's resignation to allow a Liberal government to take the reigns after the last state election. Instead he was told to go away and try and form a responsible coalition with the Greens to give them a solid majority in the house. The Liberals could have done the same thing but refused to talk to the Greens...and so the stage was set! Tyrants like Palmer trying to influence political outcomes just shows us how susceptible to outside forces our democratic integrity really is. Thank God it's Quentin Bryce and not some old mining magnate at the helm in Government House! One must wonder just how many late night phone calls the independents have had from influencial sources of late!

nasking

23/08/2010"We can expect the media to continue its assault on Labor. The Murdoch media wanted Labour out; it almost succeeded and will want to finish Labor off." Aa, I agree. They must be held to account for their biased approach. Thank goodness we have the blogosphere now that is willing to take the Murdoch empire & other corporate media to task...filter & analyse their oft distorted statements/reporting...and provide expression for alternative public views. Thnx for the useful links Lyn...as usual. :) N'

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23/08/2010Lyn This is part of the continued attack on Labor by the media, which will use any device to damage Labor’s chance of forming a minority government. There is talk in the media of disunity in Labor that would result in unstable government, and Andrew Robb, in his typical monotonous way was virtually saying this this morning: “[i]There will always be more unity and less instability in a Coalition government”[/i], conveniently overlooking the changes of leadership in the Coalition, his backstabbing of Malcolm Turnbull over climate change, and even this morning defeated Senator Guy Barnett’s criticism of the Liberal Party tactics in Tasmania where the Libs went backwards, and Eric Abetz’s role in this. It’s the same old adversarial spin of which we are tired. http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/08/23/167681_tasmania-news.html It is interesting to read the arguments advanced to bolster legitimacy to form a minority government. When the Coalition was ahead in the TPP count George Brandis and Nick Minchin insisted that was an important criterion. Now that Labor is ahead on the TPP the argument is that it is the side who attracted the most primary votes that deserves an advantage, which of course is the Libs, conveniently overlooking the fact that seats are won or lost on TPP. We don’t have first past the post voting here. Now, anticipating they may end up with more seats (73 to 72), they insist that should be the criterion. It’s pathetic and overlooks what the Independents keep reiterating, that they want a new approach to government where the national interest and sound stable government is the norm rather than the adversarial nonsense we see wearily day after day.

George Pike

23/08/2010Paul Sheehan: A great sucking force can be felt around Australia, siphoning resources southwards, down the hungry throat of Melbourne. Australia makes, Melbourne takes. In other words, Melbourne is growing for the sake of growing, racing towards a population of 5 million, using other people's money. That's rich! What the hell does he reckon the entire western hemisphere has been doing to the rest of the world for the last two hundred years!

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23/08/2010Folks I have to be away for a few hours. Back later this afternoon.

NormanK

23/08/2010Ad astra et al Correct me if I’m wrong and I really would like to be corrected. In light of what we may expect from the MSM with regard to who has the “right” to form government, it might be worth bearing this in mind. According to the AEC there are 25 registered political parties in Australia, of which the four main players are the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia, the National Party of Australia and the Australian Greens. http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Registered_parties/index.htm As things stand right now (Monday 23/08/10) the result is as follows : ALP : 71 seats LPA : 65 (this allows for LPA + LNP Qld + CLP NT as a group) Nationals : 7 Greens : 1 Independents : 3 (for some reason AEC shows no result for Katter in Kennedy but I’m ignoring that) The individual party with the greatest number of seats is the ALP. There is much talk in Australia of “Two Party” politics but in reality this is not the case. This is a convenience//convention to make conversation easier. The Coalition is not a registered party. Rather, it is : “coalition : noun, a temporary alliance, especially of political parties forming a government.” (Concise Oxford) Therefore any claims that the Liberal//Nationals are the “party” with the greatest number of seats and ought to be allowed to take first dibs at forming government are false. If the ALP can forge a voting bloc consisting of 76 seats or more, their claim to legitimacy is as valid as any other claim. Tony Abbott’s Liberal Party would also need to forge a voting bloc of this size to claim government and would through long-standing convention include the Nationals. Convention has it that the incumbent Prime Minister is given the opportunity to negotiate with other parliamentarians to form a voting bloc which can guarantee supply and should he//she fail within a given time-frame, the other major party is given an opportunity. I am only making much of this because the MSM is bound to launch a propaganda war in coming days which will insist Abbott has some “moral right” to try to form government. As the leader of a party which currently holds 65 seats, this will be a lie. So too will be any nonsense regarding the ALP needing more seats than Libs + Nats combined. It should be kept at the front of our minds at all times that 76 is the magic number and all else is rhetoric.

nasking

23/08/2010"Tyrants like Palmer trying to influence political outcomes just shows us how susceptible to outside forces our democratic integrity really is." George, I couldn't agree more. Some w/ money & influence due to their ability to be able to hold governments to ransom by way of threats to reduce staff and take their business offshore are demonstratiing how morally bankrupt they are. Clive Palmer has proved himself to be an extremely biased & bullying character who seems willing to undermine our democracy for his own interests. Disgraceful. His previous threat to sue Anna Bigh was manipulative & disgusting. He and his ilk do the Coalition's case no favours. N'

Patricia Lorimer

23/08/2010Hi all, Very, very disappointed that Labor didn't win outright on Saturday. Although I can see some benefits that might derive from having a minority Government ( so long as it is Labor), I am concerned about the Greens. Adam Bandt had said that he would not support a Coalition Government, however Bob Brown is reported to be prepared to talk to both major parties. I worry that his demands will be too great and unrealistic. It is apparent that he is delighting in his new found power. The Greens have managed to split the ALP vote, and whilst my values tend towards Labor left, I do not love the Greens. I also think it will be very difficult to satisfy the parochial group of 3 Independents even though they hate the Nationals. Having lived and farmed in Central NSW, I know how it feels to be a 'minority' (joke). I think water will loom as a major issue. I am disturbed that The Australian has continued it's attack on Labor. Nowhere have I heard an open discussion about the role of the media in this latest election and I guess Labor is not prepared to go there because of fear of retribution. Really love your discourse and I think there will be much to talk about in the future.

Acerbic Conehead

23/08/2010Vote1maxine, when he forms a government, Tones is planning to personally take charge of a naval flotilla off the top end, to turn back the boats. Part of his cunning plan is to bring Bob Brown on board and offer him a position as his cabin boy. Sing along with Tones as he turns gay to save the day. As you so perspicaciously suggested, Tones is chanting that old sailor’s sea shanty, The Village People’s, “In the Navy”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InBXu-iY7cw :- ) Where can you find reffos Get into some biffo Learn dodgy climatology Where can you begin to make your dreams all come true On the land or on the sea Where can you learn to lie Play at bein’ the bad guy Study bullshitology Slag off and be so bland Do nothin’ but grandstand When your team and others meet :- ) In my navy Yes, you can lord the Timor Sea In my navy Yes, you can do as you frikkin’ please In my navy Come on now, Bobby, make a stand In my navy, in my navy Can't you see I need a hand In my navy Come on, join my merry band In my navy Send ‘em back to Burqaland In my navy Come on people, let’s make us a Neverland In my navy :- ) I want you, I want you I want you, you’re awfully cute :- ) If you want ‘em sent home Just get on the dog n bone And hopefully pretty soon Don't you hesitate There is no need to wait You can share my cabin room I know you’re not too young To join up today But don't you worry 'bout a thing For I'm sure there will be A possie for you in My guided missile democracy :- ) In the navy

Lyn

23/08/2010 Acerbic Conehead thankyou , I hope you always stay wonderful, what would we do without you.

Lyn

23/08/2010Hi Nasking So glad your wife is feeling better this morning. Ask your wife what she thinks about this: wonder how many people Mr Murdoch will need to take out to breakfast next time, guaranteed not just Phoney, Rupert will need to throw a party for the multitude in power. Did you read JJ Fiasson on the links this morning, very interesting about the power of the bloggs. Comments very interesting too. SKY NEWS Kieran Gilbert, he needs hitting over the head with a piece of 4 x 2. Cheers

George Pike

23/08/2010More to the point with Sheehan's remarks in my earlier post...he is obviously trying to influence the independents with his anti-Melbourne (anti-Gillard) diatribe...

George Pike

23/08/2010 Check this out quick, before they change it..it has a picture of Guy Barnett and they have labelled it as Andrew Wilkie...highly embarrassing for both men I'd say! http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/23/2990690.htm?section=justin

Jason

23/08/2010George, The only good thing I can see with the current state of play I may never have to hear the extreme right wing Libs on Adelaide radio as I today thinking last Saturday didn't happen. Both parties are now on notice that this dog whistle win at all costs is finished,people want vision and leadership. Arbib and Bitar should be put on notice by the rank and file that we will not take your crap any more, we are not the liberal party and have no need to act like one.It is time we moved back to a our core beliefs.

George Pike

23/08/2010Spot on Jason...we have 73 seats now..Denison has been retained by the looks of things...only Hasluck to wory about now..we can say we have 74 really...with the greens seat..as Bob Brown has denied he is going to speak to Tony Abbott...

Lyn

23/08/2010Hi George Thanks for the ABC link , I went there, it's been posted 15 minutes ago. I copied it on an email and sent it to myself, we can look later and see if they changed it, your correct very embarrassing. The part I love is the seat could go to Labor, excellent. cheers

Acerbic Conehead

23/08/2010Thanks, Lyn, a sweetie as always. More to the point, what would we do without YOU!

NormanK

23/08/2010Social networkers - could I ask a favour please. We need to get a message out. "The Coalition is not a political party - it is a voting bloc. Abbott's Liberal Party holds 65 seats."

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23/08/2010NormanK What you write sounds logical, but as the voting papers had ‘Coalition’ as the option, it could be argued that it is therefore a ‘political party’ for whom one can cast a vote. The seat count seems to vary from hour to hour. The ABC page now has Labor 72 and Coalition 69 with five seats in doubt, Boothby, Brisbane, Denison, Dunkley and Hasluck. Boothby and Dunkley are Coalition seats and the Coalition is ahead; Brisbane, Denison and Hasluck are Labor seats and the Coalition is ahead in Brisbane and Hasluck, but the ABC computer is giving Denison to Labor. So if that were so, it would give Labor 73 seats, and if all the other seats go to the Coalition, it would have 73 also. Unless something unforeseen happens with other seats already assigned, it looks as the two major parties will each have 73 seats, and both would need three more for minority government. Labor has the Melbourne Greens Adam Bandt, so needs two more; the Coalition needs all three Independents.

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23/08/2010nasking Clive Palmer comes across as a wealthy bully used to getting his own way. I doubt if people would see him as a plausible advocate for the Coalition. Patricia Lorimer Thank you for your kind comments. Bob Brown has always said he would talk to both parties, but it is unlikely he would come to any arrangement with Tony Abbott over such ‘dear-to-his-heart’ issues as homosexuality, gay marriage and a carbon tax. He won’t give Tony much hope. Expect the Murdoch media to continue its unashamed attack on Labor, which it will continue until Labor is eventually defeated.

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23/08/2010AC In the Navy, I can turn the boats around, In the Navy, I can run it from my home, In the Navy, all I need is my BoatPhone, In the Navy, Captain Abbott sets the Tone, In the Navy.

jj

23/08/2010The problem with everything you have said is the simplicity with which you have said it. 1. Sure the independents want better broadband services, but that does not mean that they want a government run monopoly, (actually Windsor has directly said that he doesnt want the creation of another Telstra). 2. There has been quite an uproar in the electorate of New England over the GP super clinics, as local doctors oppose the idea because they believe it could put them out of business. 3. Bob from QLD does not want any mining tax what so ever, and with Tony Windsor having just sold his property to the Werris Creek Coal mine for $4 million it is a bit hypocritical for him to take with one hand and punch with the other. 4. All three independents do not support same sex marriage, (they are the members of parliament that really matter at the moment). 5. Sure Abbott may not have claimed victory, and sure he may not have done as well as Krudd, but look at what you are comparing him to. The Howard government was kicked out having served for eleven and a half years; Julia Gillard however, almost got kicked from office after just one... So lets compare apples with apples. 6. Sure the independents may have left the National party a decade ago, but if you look at their electorates they are very conservative. As you may have heard, around 45% of the senate vote went to the coalition in New New England. Bob's electorate is one of cane farmers and dairy farmers, and as he said last night, sure the Nats may have treated him badly, but rural Australia is sliding at a quicker pace under this mob. Rob has a very good relationship with Abbott. They have done the pollie peddle together and also run triathlons together. 7. Windsor and Bob want 'direct practical action' to deal with the issue of climate change not a price on Carbon, with Windsor having mentioned the issues of soil carbon and tree planting as two big things that could be done in the bush. 8. Sure the greens may not particularly think the boat people issue is a big one, but out here it is. The issue comes up in the top 3 when people in the electorate of New England have been polled. So look, if there is any side of politics that has specific policies that are aimed at regional and rural Australia specifically; and a party that has a large constituent of their core voting block in the bush, it is the Coalition. Labor is a city dominated party, Penny doesnt understand the issue of water; Burke is only a part time agricultural minister; and the last time any Labor PM visited this part of the world would be years and years and years, (Tony Abbott has visited the Tamworth region twice since having taken up the Leader of the Liberal Party).

George Pike

23/08/2010Governor-General Quentin Bryce, the mother-in-law of Labor MP Bill Shorten, is seeking advice on concerns about her personal position....that's easy fixed, go straight to the Queen!

Jason

23/08/2010jj, blah blah blah

jj

23/08/2010Good to see you gave a thoughtful rebuttal...Must be right then.

Hillbilly Skeleton

23/08/2010Antony Green has just updated the election count on ABC Drive. Denison still too close to call. Hasluck: Liberal ahead by 378 votes. Postal vote count still going on. AG thinks that ALP get out the Postal vote campaign might swing it to the ALP at the death. AG thinks Tony Crook from WA Nationals/O'Connor will support the Coalition at the end of the day and that he is just holding out for some sweeteners for his seat before he comes down on the Coalition's side.

George Pike

23/08/2010Once a Crook always a crook hey HS! Seems pretty bizarre to me that anyone would even bother to put the MRRT up as a bargaining point. Wouldn't it be nice if Labor said ok, we'll dump it, then Crook says sorry too late, I'm joining Abbott's rabbits!

Jason

23/08/2010jj, " So look, if there is any side of politics that has specific policies that are aimed at regional and rural Australia specifically; and a party that has a large constituent of their core voting block in the bush, it is the Coalition" So why didn't these electorates vote in the coalition at the weekend? maybe the people are sick of hearing from the nationals in these parts of the world and why wouldn't they the Liberals say jump and the Nats do! Isn't that why these three left? they owe the coalition nothing, all the three have to do is whats best for their electorates it matters not who provides.

Lyn

23/08/2010Hi George [quote]Check this out quick, before they change it..it has a picture of Guy Barnett and they have labelled it as Andrew Wilkie...highly embarrassing for both men I'd say! [/quote] George the picture has been changed: Primary vote recount for seat of Denison http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/23/2990690.htm?section=justin

Jason

23/08/2010George, Mr crook was probably saying all through the election campaign vote me in I'll do this and that, I won't be like Wilson, then when the question was put about the mining tax he thought oh Clive Palmer bank rolled me! I can't be bought twice.

George Pike

23/08/2010Looks like the GG's safe..she only takes advice from the PM anyway. Julia could hold the government with 73 plus the one green seat and the GG could decide the speaker then the independents could stay neutral and still pass all essential bills of supply without fear or favour. One has to wonder how long it's going to be before the Liberaches and their media mates start asking for recounts all over the place...just to cause as much grief and consternation as possible!

Hillbilly Skeleton

23/08/2010Some light relief: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pNDLzx9vyU&feature=popular

Michael

23/08/2010The Murdoch Press seem to have a tame 'ethicist' in Doctor Leslie Cannold, whose opinion was trundled out this morning to maintain that the Governor General would be compromised in her official functions because in her family one child is married to one Labor politician. But... Is this the same Leslie Cannold, 'ethicist', who writing online at The Drum Unleashed recently, re-phrased Tony Abbott's adolescently inflammatory comment "no doesn't mean no" referring to Julia Gillard, into the more anodyne "no means no", regardless of his real utterance being well and truly on the public record? The woman who in the same sentence in the same recent article, wrote, "While his pounding of the 'no means no' mantra in response to Gillard's request for a debate was widely lauded as a blunder", apparently believing blunders are something to be 'lauded'. An ethicist who clearly has slippery standards of commenting upon facts on the public record, and imprecise understanding of the English language - imprecise enough to transform 'black' into 'white'.

Acerbic Conehead

23/08/2010Hey AA, that's a better verse of "In the Navy" than any of mine. I can hear you now in your local karaoke bar next Friday night, lol.

Jason

23/08/2010I watched Crook on 730 report and he wants more money for regional WA but with no mining tax! Why doesn't WA just be done with it and secede from the Commonwealth?

Graeme

23/08/2010HS Did you notice how much the bloke who walked into the room at the beginning of the clip looked like Keiran Gilbert? Just an obsevation. Hope they weren't worried about leaks

vote1maxine

24/08/2010Ad Astra & Acerbic Conehead in a duet. Simply magic!!

debbiep

24/08/2010 Hi all, Hope you all viewed Media watch. They gave a good report on reporting, lol :)

Lyn

24/08/2010[b]TODAY'S LINKS[/b] [i]Dirty Tricks, JJ Fiasson, The Daily Bludge[/i] Has this been properly reported by the mainstream media? Of course not. It is now clear that media bias in this country is out of control. http://dailybludge.com.au/2010/08/dirty-tricks/ [i]Australia’ rejects the system, and Labor is to blame, Mungo MacCallum, Crikey[/i] the opposition leader, attacking the government from all directions but offering nothing much in return http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/08/23/mungo-australia-rejects-the-system-and-labor-is-to-blame/ [i]Did ALP State govs impact the Federal Vote? Possum Comitatus, Pollytics[/i] http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/ [i]Illegitimate, The Piping Shrike[/i] all the mad, probably counter-productive, action man running around in the last few hours of the campaign as Abbott desperately tried to look busy to fill a vacuum. http://www.pipingshrike.com/ [i]Parliament hangs on a broadband fibre, Stilgherrian, Crikey[/i] long memories of perceived betrayal by the privatised Telstra, it’ll take a lot to persuade the independents to give up the NBN. http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/08/23/parliament-hangs-on-a-broadband-fibre/ [i]Power is within reach for Abbott, Bernard Keane, Crikey[/i] an opposition leader who appears piqued that he isn’t being gifted the prime ministership. http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/08/23/power-is-within-reach-for-abbott-if-he-stops-thinking-its-his-right/ [i]What next for the party of No? Mark bahnisch, Larvatus Prodeo[/i] Julia Gillard’s inclusiveness in negotiations and Tony Abbott’s hard line partisan style. It may well be that Abbott’s approach, http://larvatusprodeo.net/2010/08/23/what-next-for-the-party-of-no/ [i]How did the pundits ( & Us) get it so wrong? Kim, Larvatus Prodeo[/i] I think only one pundit in the MSM predicted a clear Coalition victory – David Penberthy of The Punch http://larvatusprodeo.net/ [i]Federal Election 2010 Result: Pros and Cons, Jeremy Sear, An Onymous Lefty[/i] neither big party can form government in the lower house by themselves, http://anonymouslefty.wordpress.com/ Constitutional crisis not on the cards, Simon Evans.Unleashed How long can the uncertainty go on? Legally, for a very long while. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2990834.htm [i]Abbott to be 'pragmatic' in broadband talks, Josh Taylor, ZDNet[/i] Tony Abbott has offered a $6 billion [plan] that will deliver only 10 per cent of services to rural Australia ... in first three years," http://www.zdnet.com.au/abbott-to-be-pragmatic-in-broadband-talks-339305425.htm [i]We’re all tech heads now, Jock Given, Inside Story[/i] Broadband might have divided the major parties before the election, but there’s not going to be so much difference now, http://inside.org.au/we-are-all-tech-heads-now/ [i]Election 2010: A Study of Weirdness, Simon Hukin, The Angle[/i] there’s nothing that could ever be thought to be called a uniform swing, except in Victoria, which is about 1% 2PP for the ALP. http://theangle.org/2010/08/22/election-2010-a-study-in-weirdness/ [i]The Third hung parliament for the year, Charles Richardson, The Stump[/i] But if the Labor-Greens-Wilkie combination can edge its total up to 75 seats — a target that is now tantalisingly close — then it will be impossible for the opposition to put together a majority. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/ [i]What to make of Saturday, David Havyatt, Anything Goes[/i] But in the blame game that is about to start it isn't as simple as deciding not to listen to focus groups or to simply execute the NSW Right (which should be done). http://davidhavyatt.blogspot.com/ [i]Truepolitiking The Independents, John, True Politik[/i] NBN, Climate Change and not cutting education & health would be serious back-flips for Tony Abbott, and he is unlikely to agree to them. http://truepolitik.blogspot.com/ [i]Disappointment and Disgust, Leon Delaney[/i] If the Coalition had been able to offer more than simple slogans based on derogatory attacks against a government http://leondelaney.blogspot.com/ [i]Dress: Informal, Stubborn Mule[/i] Veteran ABC analyst Antony Green observed that the rate of informal votes was the highest since 1984. http://www.stubbornmule.net/ [i]TSK TSK: Independent “ethicist” attacking Governor-General revealed as Greens party spruiker, Vex News[/i] it’s outrageous and wrong to run someone down purely on the basis of their marriage. Or whom their daughter married. http://www.vexnews.com/news/10728/tsk-tsk-independent-ethicist-attacking-governor-general-revealed-as-greens-party-spruiker/ [i]As the blame game begins, Trevor Cook[/i] Abbott and his team are committed to delivering big surpluses in the next few years (which will require deep cuts in expenditure) and you have a recipe for some pretty turbulent times. Weak governments do not deliver stability. http://trevorcook.typepad.com/weblog/ [i]PM welcome to stay until the House votes her out, Anne Twomey, The Australian [/i] [b]It doesn't matter what percentage of the popular vote a party won. What matters is the number of seats and the level of support a government is likely to have on the floor of the house[/b]. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation,al-affairs/commentary/pm-welcome-to-stay-until-the-house-votes-her-out/story-e6frgd0x-1225908591660

George Pike

24/08/2010People must have been shocked at the blatant bias being shown yet again by the ABC last night. First we had Australian Story which picked the eyes out of their association with Paul Howes to ensure that it made the Labor Party look as fragile as possible. Then they had the temerity to run a piece of arch conservative propaganda that tried to destroy the value of stimulus spending and predicted the economic destruction of the world in the near future because of what progressive governments had done to save their economies from depression. Then, to top it all off, they had a Q&A panel consisting of a far right wing journalist, an independent, a member of the Greens, a senior Labor powerbroker and a leading conservative politician. Nothing wrong with that, until you note that they vilified the PM for disallowing a member of the Labor Party from sitting on the panel due to the conflict of interest such a showing would have induced. The host Tony Jones made sure that the decision to keep Arbib from being on the panel was highlighted, despite the fact that there was no representative of the Nationals on the panel. Why do you think Jones would not have invited a National, when they are in mortal combat with the independents who they would have to work with in a coalition government? Because the Liberal leader made it obvious that he did not want that totally destabilising situation to become obvious on national television, that’s why. Yet the ABC chose to hide that fact and pretended that there was some valid point to having a far right wing journalist on there instead…why? Why would you have a News Ltd arch-conservative scribble monger and not a National Party member there? It was a blatant pro-Liberal propaganda strategy, that’s why! As was having the seemingly safe hands of Turnbull on the show yet again…they might as well call it the Turnbull-Jones Love-In Show and be done with. Turnbull is the most two-faced politician that ever walked, remember, this is the guy who tried his little heart out to destroy a government using untested evidence, what sort of PM would he make do you think? A very bloody dangerous one that’s what! Don’t you worry, the ABC are rotten to the core. They are totally and utterly biased towards the pro-corporate, city centric Coalition and everything they say about the political issues of this country should be taken with a very large dose of salt!

Ad astra reply

24/08/2010LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/Lyns-Daily-Links.aspx Thank you Lyn - what a fantastic set you've given us once again.

Lyn

24/08/2010Hi George Wonderful comment again, thankyou George, I couldn't agree with you more. [quote]what sort of PM would he make do you think? A very bloody dangerous one that’s what! [/quote] I was watching Turnbull, and all the memories come flooding back, he is no better than Abbott, they are corrupt, there is no doubt about that,remember Turnbull and Packer, shonky, underhanded, criminal behaviour. See Phoney won't talk to the journalists's camera's now, funny about that, but Mark Arbib won't appear on Q&A, now that is big news, Keiren Gillbert, Sky News certainly thinks so.

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24/08/2010jj I note the points you have made from your local knowledge. It will be interesting to discover how the pro and con factors will influence the thinking and decision of the three ‘Country Independents’. They have a lot of conflicting issues to weigh up – I wonder will it be possible for all three to agree on a joint approach, or might they end up going separate ways?

George Pike

24/08/2010What really got me about Turnbull Lyn, was his "I can never support a party that does not support an ETS" then packed his bags and stormed off like a schoolboy...only to have a rethink when the going for the Libs looked good..."I didn't REALLY think the ETS was THAT important...Abbott's plan is MUCH better! What a farce!

Ad astra reply

24/08/2010AC, vote1maxine Thank you for your complimentary remarks about my first attempt at verse. But as for singing, I would certainly leave that to The Village People. If AC and I were to sing a duet I would need to mime.

Lyn

24/08/2010Hi Ad I would love to hear you, Acerbic Conehead and NormanK sing.

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24/08/2010George The ABC is hungry for dramatic news to feed its expanding news services. I notice how one nourishes the others. The morning radio news uses Q&A material or grabs from the 7.30 Report. The danger of this is bootstrapping a story so that it sounds as if many are saying the same thing. There seems to be a consistent anti-Labor bias in that the adverse stories are mostly about Labor. It seems to find no offence in the strident and unremitting negativity emanating from the Coalition, and so runs no stories on this. Reading between the lines, I get the impression that Rob Oakeshott is tired of the negativity too when he pointed to all the work the Government had done, for example the Garnaut Report and all that followed, yet nothing was accomplished policy-wise. Of course nothing happened because the Coalition and the Greens ensured the defeat of the CPRS. What a waste! Why doesn’t the ABC do a story on that?

Jason

24/08/2010AA, maybe jj is right about his local electorate I don't buy it, but in the Australian today there is this http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/reject-labor-voters-message-to-independent-mps/story-fn59niix-1225909130153 Which make you wonder what did the Nationals ever do? are they just taken for granted? if the three get some good out comes for rural areas what could happen to the current Nationals? It's alright for jj to say that labor is city centric but it seems to me the Liberals need the Nats at election time give them a few crumbs from the table and go about looking after the Liberal party interests, or have I got it wrong?

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24/08/2010debbiep It was good to see Paul Barry back for a while. His acerbic appraisal of the media's role in the election was spot-on. http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2990640.htm

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24/08/2010jason As far as I can see the Nationals are very poor second cousins to the Liberals, who need them mainly to make up the Coalition numbers. If the Nationals were a separate party, we would not have the present impasse. The Nationals have a different agenda from the Liberals. It’s really the Liberals who are city-centric, but the Nationals seem to be less effective in looking after the rural consistency than the so-called ‘Country Independents’. The Nationals’ numbers in parliament are steadily diminishing. The [i]Australian[/i] article was interesting, obviously trawling for opinions that opposed the Independents doing a deal with Labor. In the end they didn’t really make the case the headline suggested: [i]Reject Labor: voters' message to independent MPs[/i] http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/reject-labor-voters-message-to-independent-mps/story-fn59niix-1225909130153 I don’t give these vox pops any credence – one can always muster support for the viewpoint one is promoting and ignore the other views. Only a proper survey can ascertain opinion accurately. I think you are right to query what the National have done – they will look even more impotent if the Country Independents can achieve for regional and rural areas what the Nationals have been unable to do.

Canbra Dave

24/08/2010http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/alp-has-no-reason-to-lurch-left/story-e6frg71x-1225909092436 Have a read through that ridiculous editorial from Fox News in Print. This part in particular is what annoyed me: "The ALP vote fractured in favour of the Greens on Labor's far Left, not on the mainstream centre-right. Were Labor to lurch to the Left, its would alienate its middle Australian base, courting electoral disaster." Notice how the cleverly name the mainstream centre-right and then in the next sentence refer to it as 'middle base', obviously attempting to draw the conclusion that 'mainstream' Australia is inherently conservative. It also ignores the key lesson of the whole election - that people didn't know Labor stood for. It was the dumping of the ETS that started the rot. In other words the the faceless Bitar, Arbib, Shorten and fatfaced Feeney who belong to the Right faction of the ALP were the ones who caused Labor to lose. And The Australian is suggesting that they are the ones who the ALP should listen to. Not suprising really considering how The Australian wants the Labor party destroyed. If people aren't aware the Labor party recorded a swing towards it in Eden-Monaro, which has been a bellweather seat since 1972. This was due unsurprisingly because of the heavy involvement of ACT Labor which took over the running of that area. Everywhere that the Right dominated NSW Labor campaigned they saw a swing against them, while where ACT Labor campaigned there was a swing towards Labor. The lesson, get rid of the right faction powerbrokers and their capacity to turn everything to crap.

George Pike

24/08/2010I notice the television stations are running Turnbull's spiel from Q&A last night, without mentioning the fact that Jones and Co didn't invite the Nationals onto the set...despite them being part of any Coalition-independents government and therefore very relevant to the discussion. This type of propaganda by omission is getting out of hand to say the least. It's almost as if corporate Australia has seen fit to take complete control over the media to ensure that their objectives will met come what may and no matter how badly that affects the wider population. It may be time to hit the streets in huge numbers to try and shut this farcical and totally undemocratic situation down for good.

Lyn

24/08/2010[b]TODAY'S LINKS PART 2[/b] [i]Occasionally he says something sensible, Jeremy Sear, Onymous Lefty Fat chance getting the other people in the Liberal party, the party[/i] of big business, the party of mining multinationals, the party of tobacco multinationals, to agree, though. http://anonymouslefty.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/occasionally-he-says-something-sensible/ [i]Gillard may sneak over the line, Daily Wrap, Crikey[/i] http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/08/24/gillard-might-just-sneak-over-the-line/ [i]Both parties must rethink broadbanD, Paul Budde, Business Spectator[/i] The popular support the NBN is receiving shows the opposition that their ‘kill the NBN at all cost’ is a terrible policy and something intelligent Australians don’t appreciate http://www.businessspectator.com.au:80/bs.nsf/Article/Both-parties-must-rethink-broadband-pd20100824-8LTUK?OpenDocument&src=kgb [i]The Parliament Hang, WMMBB, Duckpond[/i] They will now be engaged in balancing local interests against national interests. http://wmmbb.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/the-parliament-hangs/

debbiep

24/08/2010It may be time to hit the streets in huge numbers to try and shut this farcical and totally undemocratic situation down for good. =============================== What are you writing on your placard..??? :)

George Pike

24/08/2010Julia for Queen!

Patricia WA

24/08/2010My usual response to our national politics is to try to find something however perverse to make me smile. However, as with Nasking and his family and I am sure many others here, the last few days have thrown me into despair, particularly about the 'boats' issue. Like them too I've had a lift in spirits as the three Independents came so much into focus in our media. Is it possible this impasse could prove a watershed for political debate on 'the boats' and other important issues in this country? Forgive my mixed metaphors but my state of mind is better illustrated below by two 'pomes' I've posted within two days of each other. With Rob Oakeshott taking such a principled stand surely even Tony Abbott will have to moderate his stance if he wants his support? This was a loss. 22/08/2010 True, not quite yet a Labour loss, But surely already victory For all that sloganeering dross Pushing back our tide of history To ignorance and fear of danger Which centuries past had men build moats. Slogans blind to ‘Christ, the stranger’ Shouted loud, “We will stop the boats!” As the tally room accounting Provides time for contemplation Many feel grief and a mounting Anxiety for our young nation. Sea Change? 24/08/2010 Last night we heard a voice of sanity Concerned about what’s right, not winning votes, Someone prepared to show humanity To those who flee to us in leaky boats. As he deplored our ‘moat’ mentality, Prepared to say we’re needlessly deranged, I felt a lightening, a clarity, As if the air and sea around had changed.

Lyn

24/08/2010Hi Patricia WA Patricia, thankyou for your delightful two 'pomes'. When times are tough, our brain is our best friend. I admire your talent very much. Keep up the good work.

Lyn

24/08/2010Hi Canbra Dave Thankyou for your link, yes makes me furious, but what about this on the ground survey, Oh! Yeh right: [i]Reject Labor: voters' message to independent MPs , Anthony Klan, The Australian[/i]An on-the-ground survey by The Australian in the three rural independent seats yesterday - Mr Windsor's New England, Rob Oakeshott's NSW seat of Lyne, and Bob Katter's Queensland seat of Kennedy - found much the same sentiment. Many, but far from all, of those who voted for their independent believe it would be a betrayal if their MPs gave Julia Gillard the numbers to continue governing when they could have installed Tony Abbott. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/reject-labor-voters-message-to-independent-mps/story-fn59niix-1225909130153 So the Australian has to push as hard as they can, to try and make the independents join the Coalition. I am not sure what the latest is, but I just heard Nick Xenophon say that by the Independents joining the Coalition would create a deadlock.

Jason

24/08/2010AA, Here is Pure poison's take on the Australian "survey of the independents seats" http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2010/08/24/the-australians-on-the-ground-survey-just-take-their-word-for-it/

Lyn

24/08/2010Hi Jason Thankyou so much for Tobias Ziegler Pure Poison, link, I will put the link up here so Ad can save it. See everybody's a wake up to what is going on with The Australian: [i]The Australian’s “on-the-ground survey” — just take their word for it, Tobias Ziegler, Pure Poison[/i] They [b]will go batshit insane if the independents happen to install a Labor Government. [/b]That a Green will be involved will only make them less coherent. Nothing will calm them, and the charge will be led, [b]of course, by The Australian[/b]. It will not be pretty. It will be unforgiving and relentless. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2010/08/24/the-australians-on-the-ground-survey-just-take-their-word-for-it/

Ad astra reply

24/08/2010Folks I've been writing another piece: [i]How has it come to this?[/i], which I'll post this evening. Thank you all for you comments, to which I'll respond later. I'm going now to a late-afternoon movie; I'll be back in few hours.

Colen

24/08/2010AA Enjoy your movie. These poor OLD POLITICAL HACKS will drive anyone to despair. They see a Right Wing bastard behind every bush. OH DEAR. The Australian, Our ABC are ganging up on Little Jules and her buddies. THIS IS EVEN A BETTER MOVIE THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE BEEN TO SEE. MAIN ACTOR - PHONEY TONES MAIN ACTRESS - RANGA JUIA DIRECTORS - KARL BITAR - BRIAN LOUGHNANE SCRIPT - RUPERT MURDOCH - FAIRFAX CAST - 184 LABOURITES, LIBERALS INDIES AND GREENIES DANCERS - AUSSIES. ENJOY.

Colen

24/08/2010SORRY FORGOT THE TITLE OF THE MOVIE: THE DIVISION

jj

24/08/2010Jason, The Liberal party have quite a few members within the party who are off the land, and have a strong connect with rural Australia: -Andrew Rob -Bill Heffernan -Ian Macfalane -Barry Haase e.t.c. Oh and by the way, The Northern Daily Leader, (the paper of the Tamworth region) has done a poll on who the people of the electorate think Tony Windsor should support, 70% say the coalition, 30% say the Labor party.

Gravel

24/08/2010Well put by everyone, this is a very upsetting time for many of us, but as some have said it could end up being a good result in the long run. We just have to hope that Labor get the nod, and somehow people wake up to the biased media, especially the ABC!! I have now stopped watching any news or radio and am relying on you wonderful people to get my information from. It has been hard as an avid newswatcher for most of my years. Ad Astra, you do express everything so well, as do most others here. AC, and NormanK, I can rely on getting a laugh from you guys. The two Patricia's, your input is great too. Lyn your links standard just gets better and better. Oh heck can I include with two exceptions, all of you are just great.

jj

24/08/2010Gravel, If you think the ABC is biased towards the coalition than you really must have small rocks bouncing around in your head. Tony Jones-left leaning Kerry Obrien-left leaning (ex member of Whitlam's staff) Virginia-left leaning Fran Kelly-pretty balanced Lee Sales-pretty balanced I really think it is unfair for you to just label the station as right leaning. I may think that Kerry gave Gillard an easier run than Abbott during the campaign, but that doesn't mean i will not watch him, or take what he has to say seriously. I would suppose you would consider journalists such as: -Irvine -Devenley, (if thats how you spell it) to be about center. Open the other eye.

jj

24/08/2010Coalition has pulled ahead in Hasluck, Boothby, Brisbane and Dunkley. Labors member in Denison now trails Wilkie by 1300 votes. Boothby and Dunkley have been taken off the AEC's watchlist; Denison has been put back on.

George Pike

24/08/2010poor old jj, trying to boost his hopes with bull...Labor will still have 74 with the greens and wilkie and the indies will give them the 76 they need ..go and have three years off old son!

Jason

24/08/2010jj Yes I accept what you say,but the question still remains if the coalition has failed in the three electorates that are now in question why is there such longing for more of the same? I think it's now the time for the Nats to decide are we going to be the door mat for the Liberals for ever or should they have been doing what the three independents are now doing? It happend here in Adelaide we had a National as water minister in a labor government.

Country Hick

24/08/2010jj, If I step back from it, this media bias thing is very interesting. I try to go as far as I can in recognising my own preferences and the 'bias' this gives to what I hear and how I interpret it. I'm not an objective observer, but I don't think anyone else is either (in general). But let me assure you that what you read as bias in one direction, I easily, conscientiously, and usually read as bias in just about the opposite direction. I will assume that you are genuine in your comments about the leftist bias you see in specific ABC journalists. (If you are simply playing the troll game, you've wasted your own time as well as mine). And i will report that over the course of the past many months, I have observed Tony Jones, Fran Kelly, Lee Sales and just about all ABC journalists giving Coalition guests and Coalition talking points so many free kicks, while appearing determined to do everything in their power to ridicule, belittle, ignore, misquote members of the elected Government, while sensationalising and exaggerating every "gotcha" opportunity they can manufacture or grab from some other equally "gotcha" journalist. I know you will find it hard to believe, but that's how it seems to me. I'm not particularly stupid; I don't work for or even know anyone in the ALP; many years ago I resented the way the ABC read something sinister into everything John Howard did (at least until I came to agree with them). Like you, I'm also a country hick, not a member of an "inner city elite" - and I don't drink chardonay or latte! But the anti-Labor bias in the recent reporting and commentary on the ABC has been as obvious to me as the nose on my face. I'm not going to try convincing you that you're wrong, just that what you see one way, I and others have seen differently. This is not a conspiracy of idiots or professional revolutionaries. But there seems to be a chasm of differences in perception. Cheers.

Lyn

24/08/2010Hi Gravel I think you are just the loviest person, I wish you were my next door neighbor, we could have a wonderful, yack yack. Even if I watch the news, I will still come straight to "The Political Sword" for reassurance, Ad and the guys here will tell me, anything I I have wrong, missed or need to know. We will all try to keep posting good stuff for you to read, and soon you will wonder why you ever wasted money on newspapers. [quote]people wake up to the biased media, especially the ABC!! [/quote] Gravel all of us on "The Political Sword" are a Wake up, dozens of other quality bloggs are a wake up, so journalists and the Newspapers, in order to survive, will gradually improve. Bob Katter gave the reporters a huge burst this afternoon, really told them off.

Lyn

24/08/2010JJ and Colan Three links for you both: Why we like Tony Abbott, ,Australian Conservative, we like Tony Abbott,we find him a very attractive figure on the Australian political scene. he is a brilliant orator his personal, intellectual and moral calibre, combined with his experience, has the makings of a great prime minister. http://australianconservative.com/ Gerard Henderson's Media watch Dog “Red” Kerry distinguished himself by having more to say during his interview with Tony Abbott on 27 July than he allowed the Opposition leader. http://www.thesydneyinstitute.com.au/wordpress/ Right Pulse, Attacking julia Gillard and her Media Allies Remember the media pack in Canberra never gave Abbott a chance when he first took over the leadership nine months ago. After Alan Jones’ interview with two of the three country independents today I am more confident that they will vote with the Coalition – giving Abbott the 76 seats he needs http://www.rightpulse.com/

Jason

24/08/2010Lyn, Thanks to the unbiased Mr Bolt perhaps AA could include this in ABC watch. What do you think? http://asiancorrespondent.com/gavin-atkins-shadowlands/abc-online-s-election-bias-the-final-results

Ad astra reply

24/08/2010LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/Lyns-Daily-Links.aspx

Ad astra reply

24/08/2010jason Your link added to ABC WATCH: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/ABC-Watch.aspx

Lyn

24/08/2010Hi Jason Thankyou so much for the link, excellent find. It's incredible that they think the ABC is biased towards Labor, absolutely unbelievable. [i]ABC Online's Australia election bias the final results,Gavin Atkins, Shadowlands[/i] Another of Gillard’s biggest fans was Malcolm Farnsworth who provided 18 truly gushing mentions of the Prime Minister. Farnsworth joined Gillard on the campaign trail. For some reason, [b]nobody from the Drum or Unleashed appears to have followed Abbott’s campaign.[/b] What is likely to be remembered by the rest of us as the turning point of the campaign - [b]his appearance at Rooty Hill, was either mocked or ignored[/b]. http://asiancorrespondent.com/gavin-atkins-shadowlands/abc-online-s-election-bias-the-final-results

Ad astra reply

24/08/2010Folks I have just posted [i]How has it come to this?[/i] http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2010/08/24/How-has-it-come-to-this.aspx

Bilko

24/08/2010I half heard the ABC talking with barnett of WA re minority govnerment and his view I thought why not a real minority govn as run by Rann of SA then it struck me it was a labor govn is this just more anti labor bias or am I just mistaken

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