Australian 2013 Federal Election Megathread

[Professor Polonsky]

Based on these mathematical analyses, it seems almost certain that the balance of power will be held by the following eight Senators:

• John Madigan (Democratic Labour Party)
• Nick Xenophon
• Family First
• Palmer United Party
• Palmer United Party
• Liberal Democrats
• Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party
• Australian Sport Party

Abbott will need five or six of the eight to pass legislation, depending on the ACT Senate seat.

And this is just how fucked we are. Well done, Australia.

[Guest]

Based on these mathematical analyses, it seems almost certain that the balance of power will be held by the following eight Senators:

• John Madigan (Democratic Labour Party)
• Nick Xenophon
• Family First
• Palmer United Party
• Palmer United Party
• Liberal Democrats
• Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party
• Australian Sport Party

Abbott will need five or six of the eight to pass legislation, depending on the ACT Senate seat.

And this is just how fucked we are. Well done, Australia.

Looking good.

[Russ]

They're things that I hope happen, but apparently political optimism isn't too welcome for some reason.

Believe it or not, not every LNP voter is a rabid homophobic racist /shock/ (despite what some opposition parties may posit)

You can be as optimistic as you like, but some people find that realistic expectations are helpful. What makes you think that the LNP are going to adopt more socially progressive policies when they won a landslide election with the ones they already have?

[alondouek]

You can be as optimistic as you like, but some people find that realistic expectations are helpful. What makes you think that the LNP are going to adopt more socially progressive policies when they won a landslide election with the ones they already have?

What makes you think they aren't? Like I said before, not all party voters conform to a stereotype - the same way that not all greens voters are smelly hippies, and not all labor voters are trade union thugs.

As a new generation matures and an old one dies out, the collective national opinion is becoming more progressive, despite a swing to the right by the major parties. This swing I attribute to electioneering more than anything.

People, for some reason, have a tough time understanding that a liberal or labor government isn't going to ruin the country. It's not like we've elected our doom. The incoming government is just as - if not more - lobbyable than the previous three. If the population truly wants something, the government will probably (eventually) deliver.

Going into the next three years as a downright pessimist isn't going to get any reform on the issues you care about. Put aside the disappointment of your preferred party losing the election, and take a carpe diem attitude with the one that did.

Minor iPhone/tiredness edits etc

[hobbitle]

People, for some reason, have a tough time understanding that a liberal or labor government isn't going to ruin the country. It's not like we've elected our doom. The incoming government is just as - if not more - lobbyable than the previous three. If the population truly wants something, the governor will probably (eventually) deliver.

Going into the next three years as a downright pessimist isn't going to get any reform on the issues you care about. Put aside the disappointment of your preferred party losing the election, and take a carpe diem attitude with the one that did.

Very well said.

[JellyDonut]

Lol bruh. I don't think you get the realities of lobbying. Being more 'lobbyable' is hardly a desirable trait. There are also stark differences in policies between labor and libs



Why the flying fuck did anyone vote on him on 'economic grounds' anyway

[ninwa]

Believe it or not, not every LNP voter is a rabid homophobic racist /shock/ (despite what some opposition parties may posit)

Difficult to believe considering the LNP won on a campaign of "Labor is shit" rather than any solid policy - particularly when most of that campaign was focused on Labor's supposed mismanagement of the country when in fact we are one of the strongest in the world - and considering that at least two of their policies are, in fact, rather homophobic/racist.

"Lobbyable" aka prone to backflips is not a positive trait, at least according to the LNP (see: ermahgerd Julia said no carbon tax - even though she said immediately afterwards that a carbon pricing scheme WAS in the works), so I don't know why you are promoting that idea.

[Professor Polonsky]

What makes you think they aren't? Like I said before, not all party voters conform to a stereotype - the same way that not all greens voters are smelly hippies, and not all labor voters are trade union thugs.

As a new generation matures and an old one dies out, the collective national opinion is becoming more progressive, despite a swing to the right by the major parties. This swing I attribute to electioneering more than anything.

People, for some reason, have a tough time understanding that a liberal or labor government isn't going to ruin the country. It's not like we've elected our doom. The incoming government is just as - if not more - lobbyable than the previous three. If the population truly wants something, the government will probably (eventually) deliver.

Going into the next three years as a downright pessimist isn't going to get any reform on the issues you care about. Put aside the disappointment of your preferred party losing the election, and take a carpe diem attitude with the one that did.

Minor iPhone/tiredness edits etc

Nope, I'm going to disagree with you there on several counts.

Firstly, a bad government can definitely ruin a country. These things can actually cause a massive fucking difference. That occurs when the political middle, or if you like, the 'status quo' shifts. It's okay when each party is elected for a term or two, puts in its policies, and then the other party comes in and 'reverses the damage'. But reformist governments, or prolonged periods of control by one party, move the middle-ground (and thus both parties) in that direction. We're still suffering from the effects of some of these governments (and here in Australia, I'd say it has been Labor governments almost as much as Liberal governments).

Secondly, this idea that politics have gotten more progressive is a joke. Apart from one very recent case, Western politics have not gone to the left on any issue at all in the past 40 odd years.

The Liberal government is not going to listen to voters outside their electoral reach. They have no reason to. I won't vote for them anyway. I will work against them, if anything, to ensure they can't pass their agenda. And if they try being that reformist government, I hope they'll be given hell.

[vox nihili]

Difficult to believe considering the LNP won on a campaign of "Labor is shit" rather than any solid policy - particularly when most of that campaign was focused on Labor's supposed mismanagement of the country when in fact we are one of the strongest in the world - and considering that at least two of their policies are, in fact, rather homophobic/racist.

"Lobbyable" aka prone to backflips is not a positive trait, at least according to the LNP (see: ermahgerd Julia said no carbon tax - even though she said immediately afterwards that a carbon pricing scheme WAS in the works), so I don't know why you are promoting that idea.

There's a good book by Denis Glover, who was Rudd's speech writer for a while I think, in which he spoke about the key differences between Labor and Liberal. He spoke about how Labor spend hours making really detailed policy documents, doing the proper research, ticking all of the boxes, then in their speeches talking ad naseum about policy. Liberal on the other hand, rely on the American Republican approach of pretending to deliver a "solid alternative" and tapping into family values. I think this has never been true this election. "We'll reduce cost of living pressures" "we'll stop the boats" "we will deliver stable government". Pretty sure that's all Abbott ever said.

It's pitiful really. The message they're sending is that debate is unhealthy...it's not.

[Russ]

What makes you think they aren't? Like I said before, not all party voters conform to a stereotype - the same way that not all greens voters are smelly hippies, and not all labor voters are trade union thugs.

What? This has nothing to do with stereotypes of voters and everything to do with the LNP's actual stated positions on those issues. Like I said, they won extremely convincingly with these policies and have no motivation to consider moderating them.

The only one I think might happen is legalising same sex marriage, but it would depend on other factors combining, so I wouldn't be holding my breath.

Why the flying fuck did anyone vote on him on 'economic grounds' anyway

The average person doesn't actually understand anything about economics, they just look at the superficial elements

[thushan]

The average person doesn't actually understand anything about economics, they just look at the superficial elements

Yeah - I'm guilty of being one of those. I should have put in an informal vote haha.

[Special At Specialist]

Is The Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party a left wing party? Are they likely to support the Coalition?

[vox nihili]

Is The Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party a left wing party? Are they likely to support the Coalition?

I suspect that they'll probably go with Liberal, seeing as the LNP has committed ridiculous amounts of money to roads...

[Guest]

Is The Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party a left wing party? Are they likely to support the Coalition?

Not sure if they are a left wing party entirely, but they are most likely to support the Coalition.

[Special At Specialist]

I suspect that they'll probably go with Liberal, seeing as the LNP has committed ridiculous amounts of money to roads...

That sucks I thought they would support Labor more because they seem like a left-wing party who hates to have a nanny government.