Australian 2013 Federal Election Megathread

[Russ]

What are the stats on the foreign aid cuts? That could go either way on whether I really care about it. The mandatory internet filter is dumb though.

Also, reminder that Hockey has no idea what he's talking about (clicky) and I wouldn't trust the LNP to run our economy for the next 4 years

[simpak]

http://www.liberal.org.au/latest-news/2013/09/05/coalitions-policy-enhance-online-safety-children

Well that escalated and declined quickly.

[JellyDonut]

Considering Abbot's views on a Syrian intervention, it's probably a good thing that foreign aid is reduced lol

[ninwa]

http://www.liberal.org.au/latest-news/2013/09/05/coalitions-policy-enhance-online-safety-children

Well that escalated and declined quickly.

Looks like a very quick backflip after they realised it wasn't so hidden that nobody would see it. How else do you make that sort of mistake?

[simpak]

Looks like a very quick backflip after they realised it wasn't so hidden that nobody would see it. How else do you make that sort of mistake?

It certainly looks like a backflip, but I don't think it's a devious backflip.  I don't understand why it would be beneficial to hide a policy like that from the public.  It's not like a massive budget cut/expenditure promise or anything, it doesn't give the government an upper hand in any way.  I just like, fail to see the advantage and therefore am more likely to see it as miscommunication/stupidity/whatever it was opt-out and lasted about 4 hours anyway.

[Thu Thu Train]

Looks like a very quick backflip after they realised it wasn't so hidden that nobody would see it. How else do you make that sort of mistake?

Yeah parties have never back flipped on any policies ever before this moment in time this is the most despicable thing the LNP has ever done by doing something then changing their minds after they saw voter outrage. The nerve of them listening to the voters IT MAKES ME SO ANGRY.

Don't forget that the ALP wanted to filter the fucking internet as well and make it neither opt-out nor opt-in. Where was all the outrage then? Both parties are as bad as each other and anyone who puts LNP or ALP first on their ballot is a fucking moron.

[simpak]

Says a Palmer Party voter.

[Thu Thu Train]

I'll have you know I put Family First as my #1 preference. Didn't even bother voting below the line why should I have to. It's obvious it won't change anything.

[simpak]

Kitten Snape for Jagajaga.

You guys can't even moderate our posts because they're literally about #politics.  A person with that name literally exists, look: http://palmerunited.com/staff/kitten-snape/

[JellyDonut]

Says a Palmer Party voter.

#shotsfired

[Starlight]

Where was all the outrage then? Both parties are as bad as each other and anyone who puts LNP or ALP first on their ballot is a fucking moron.

C'mon, ALP > LNP. It's closer than ever and I can see many people changing their votes, like maybe greens voters switching to alp for this reason.
I do not want Abbott to restrict all this stuff (make abortions rare, prevent gay marriage, prevent stem cell research) if he's elected PM. He is so narrow minded to everything.

[Thu Thu Train]

C'mon, ALP > LNP. It's closer than ever and I can see many people changing their votes, like maybe greens voters switching to alp for this reason.
I do not want Abbott to restrict all this stuff (make abortions rare, prevent gay marriage, prevent stem cell research) if he's elected PM. He is so narrow minded to everything.

Where'd you get all that stuff about abortions and stem cell research? Saying you're not going to do anything about gay marriage != preventing it, it just means it's not at the top of your list at this moment in time. ALP did the same thing with gay marriage don't forget.

[simpak]

C'mon, ALP > LNP. It's closer than ever and I can see many people changing their votes, like maybe greens voters switching to alp for this reason.
I do not want Abbott to restrict all this stuff (make abortions rare, prevent gay marriage, prevent stem cell research) if he's elected PM. He is so narrow minded to everything.

Abbott said his opinion of abortions was that they should be rare.  I do not agree with this opinion as I am fully pro-choice, but just because someone states their opinion doesn't mean they're going to implement a policy.  In fact, Abbott has said that he doesn't think abortion should be politicised here, so I don't see how you can argue he will actually MAKE abortions rare, even if he thinks they should be or wanted them to be.

Secondly, as Allan said, the Coalition have not said they support gay marriage at the present time but they haven't said they're never going to support it.  Labor only very recently started speaking out on this issue.

Thirdly, what are you talking about re: stem cells?  I tried looking in the news and I couldn't find anything, could you maybe post a link or something?  I do know that the Coalition have said that they would maintain funding to medical research and cut funding to 'wasteful' projects, most of which are humanities based.  Whether or not you disagree with this, I don't see how the cuts --> preventing stem cell research.

[Professor Polonsky]

Don't be ridiculous now. The LNP platform explicitly states their opposition to same-sex marriage. It's a Christian conservative party, for fuck's sake. Elect ALP --> marriage equality; elect LNP --> no marriage equality. It's as simple as that. It's not a "maybe later", it's not a "we'll think about it." It's a "fuck no and we won't even let out front bench vote otherwise."

Abbott, as Health Minister, refused approval for the importation of RU-486, the abortion pill. He also previously stated his opposition to subsudising abortions through Medicare. I definitely don't expect him to be benign in terms of women's health issues as PM.

[ninwa]

Thirdly, what are you talking about re: stem cells?  I tried looking in the news and I couldn't find anything, could you maybe post a link or something?  I do know that the Coalition have said that they would maintain funding to medical research and cut funding to 'wasteful' projects, most of which are humanities based.  Whether or not you disagree with this, I don't see how the cuts --> preventing stem cell research.

First result when you google "tony abbott stem cell research" http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/abbott-turns-on-liberals-in-stem-cell-debate/2006/08/29/1156816901021.html