PM Morrison claims victory in "miracle" upset (Australia)

[brooklynite]

Source: CNN

Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison has claimed victory in the 2019 election, with results showing the Liberal National coalition is on track to be returned to government.

"I have always believed in miracles," he told jubilant supporters in Sydney. "And tonight we've been delivered another one."

It was a stunning turnaround after every opinion poll over the campaign pointed to a Labor victory. Analysts are now saying Labor lost an "unlosable" election.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/australia-election-day-2019/index.html

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Shorten concedes after shock loss

Labor leader Bill Shorten has called Prime Minister Scott Morrison to concede defeat.

It has been a devastating night for Shorten, who was widely predicted to be giving a victory speech.

"I know that you're all hurting, and I am too. And without wanting to hold out any false hope, while there are still millions of votes to count ... it is obvious that Labor will not be able to form the next government," Shorten said, speaking to party supporters in Melbourne.

"I'm proud that we argued what was right, not what was easy ... Politics should be the battle of ideas."

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/australia-election-day-2019/index.html

[Sanity Claws]

1. How were the votes counted?

How were the ballots tracked and accounted for?

We should all be skeptical when the polls say X is leading and the actual vote is very different.

[Thyla]

8. Paper ballots, hand counted

And generally meticulously tracked.

This is on the public, they chose with their wallets.

[Maxheader]

11. That happens a lot...someone with a mega lead...loses...Gee

who do we know in americun that had that happen to them..?..

[Mike Nelson]

2. Hmm...

… here, the polls showed Hillary Clinton won, but she only won the vote...

[Thyla]

3. Disgusted in my fellow Australians

Yet again.

[GoCubsGo]

4. I smell a rat-fucking...

This feels too familiar.

[dhill926]

5. these kinds of "upsets" always seem to favor...

conservative parties. Wonder why that is...

[Thekaspervote]

6. conservative vs labor is a lot different in the UK and Australia. Not batshit crazy like here

[Baclava]

7. Trump wins again

SYDNEY - Australia’s ruling Coalition won a spectacular victory in a federal election on Saturday (May 18) after voters backed its economic record and roundly rejected Labor’s ambitious agenda to overhaul taxes and tackle climate change.

Despite opinion surveys consistently showing that the Liberal-National Coalition was set to lose, Prime Minister Scott Morrison pulled off the upset with a disciplined campaign that squarely focused on the economy and on voter concerns about Labor leader Bill Shorten.

Appearing jubilant alongside his wife and two daughters, Mr Morrison, a devout Christian, announced victory by declaring: “I have always believed in miracles.”

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/voting-closes-in-australias-eastern-states-count-set-to-start-labor-expected-to-win

[KY_EnviroGuy]

9. Another Murdoch and industry-orchestrated win.

Aussies just can't get enough right-wing pain and all the while their environment's going to shit.

Australia's biodiversity at breaking point – a picture essay

Link: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/15/australias-biodiversity-at-breaking-point-a-picture-essay

(snip)

As Guardian Australia has reported, Australia’s natural support systems are at breaking point. Increased land-clearing, warming oceans and a drought exacerbated by climate change are taking their toll on our biodiversity. The country is already experiencing rising oceans, marine heatwaves, longer fire seasons and extreme heat patterns. These are consistent with a changing climate.

However, there has been a lack of leadership from state and federal governments in this area, protections and funding have been slashed and emissions continue to rise unabated. Without drastic action, the future of Australia’s biodiversity looks bleak.

...... .........

[Thyla]

10. No,no... It's money. They can't get enough of that

It takes precedent to things like the environment, economy and treating humans humanely.
It's the trouble with centrist politics, Labor would only have been marginally better but still better.

Nearly 2/3rds of the country rank climate change as the number one issue.
https:///www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/may/08/australians-overwhelmingly-agree-climate-emergency-is-the-nations-number-one-threat

Yet over 2/3rds of the electorate vote for 2 parties who will not do enough to fix it.
Among other things that both won't do either.

Large portions of the Australian electorate are either selfish or liars, possibly both.

[MarcA]

12. So Morrison is more like Romney than trump? n/t

[Thyla]

14. That is a tougher question than I first thought.

I would say mainstream Aussie politics is more like Mitt, although to be fair even the conservatives would likely be run out of the Democratic primaries as communists if they transferred their policy.

Morrison is more Trump like but it's not the same level of populism, that doesn't tend to do well in Oz. He is certainly an arsehole but the damaging policies are already in place.

[MarcA]

16. Thank you, sometimes hard to get a fix on these things from elsewhere. n/t

[roamer65]

13. You folks down under can thank the Greens for the Coalition win.

10 percent of the vote. I’d be checking for Russian money to them.

[Thyla]

15. lol No

The exact opposite is true. Greens get Labor elected, normally.

In reply to the poster above.