Australia election: Abbott poised for victory

[Berlin Expat]

Source: BBC

Tony Abbott's Liberal-National coalition appears on course for a decisive win in Australia's general election.

Early counting showed a swing to the opposition coalition in several states, with exit polls forecasting it would secure a lower house majority.

A Newspoll exit poll, released just over an hour before polling closed in the east of the country, predicted that the coalition would secure 97 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives. ABC News, in its first prediction, put that figure at 93.

Labor's Defence Minister Stephen Smith, speaking on ABC television minutes after polls closed in the east, said the government "will be defeated tonight".

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24000133

---

Sadly, I can't say I'm totally surprised. Rupert Murdoch has been pimping for Abbott in his media outlets, so it looks like Rupert got the best government money can buy.

[Violet_Crumble]

1. Here's a link to the results as they're coming in. It sucks...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2013/results/

I knew it was going to be bad, but it still sucks. I'm hoping the Greens can get the balance of power in the Senate...

[Berlin Expat]

3. Looks like

a rout. I'm sure the recent infighting in Labour didn't help matters, either.

[Violet_Crumble]

4. That didn't help, but the defeat may have been even worse with Gillard leading the ALP...

Hopefully the ALP will rebuild and a strong leader will emerge.

I'm really bummed that I'm not going to get my NBN. And that they're going to cut 12,000 public service jobs, one of which may well be mine

[MADem]

2. They have compulsory voting in Australia. Oddly enough, that pisses people off.....

Some would rather not register, pay the fine, or spoil their ballot as opposed to indicate a preference.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23810381

Registering to vote and going to the polls are legal duties in Australia for citizens aged 18 and over, and failing to do so can result in a fine and potentially a day in court.

Opponents of the system like Libertarian columnist Jason Kent say this stifles political freedom and threatens the basic principles of democracy.

"People have been sentenced to jail terms for not voting. It's disgusting. It's far from being democratic. We are not a democracy if we can't vote democratically." ..... Supporters of the system say Australia boasts some of the highest civic participation in the world, with a reported 94% voter turnout in the last federal election, compared with about 65% in the UK's 2010 general election and an estimated 57% in the 2012 US presidential election.

The tides may be changing though, according to Mr Kent, who says high voter turnout here is overstated. "High voter turnout is a myth when you consider that 10% of Australians are not even registered. When that myth is debunked, I think you'll see a dramatic shift in public perception of compulsory voting," he said.

That number only reflects registered voters who turned out, and although required by law, in recent years voter registration has seen a slight decline, especially among younger Australians.

[Violet_Crumble]

5. That guy has never experienced an election sausage sizzle...

That makes turning up to vote fun. I made sure I turned up early just in case they ran out quick...

As election sausage sizzles go upmarket, online map helps you track down the best spot for a snag

[MADem]

12. USA should do that...only I would probably gain ten pounds!!!

I drive people to the polls on election day by the carload. Some years I've dragged over a hundred people out to vote.

I'd probably eat a damn sausage every time I dropped off a bunch of voters!!!!

[Violet_Crumble]

14. I blew my diet this morning with that and the cake stall...

They won me over with their sign, which said that the Liberals got in they'd be cutting funding to the school (it's a public school I voted at and the P&C were running it) so they needed to raise all the money they could

[MADem]

15. How much do they charge for this stuff, the sausages, the cakes, etc?

Or is it a "Make a donation" type scheme?

I could go for a sausage and onion right now...!

[Violet_Crumble]

16. $2.50 for a sausage sandwich, and it varied with the cakes...

They had everything ranging from cupcakes to big cakes, and they were all pretty cheap. And a selection of sauces for the sausage sandwiches. I found it hard to choose between tomato or BBQ sauce...

Yummy

[MADem]

17. I'd get fatter on election day in your fair land...I have a weakness for those things...! nt

[7962]

20. "Well, since I'm already HERE..."

[MADem]

21. "I know I shouldn't.....but it's not like every day is election day...."

I can invent excuses with the best of 'em!

[Turborama]

33. Only in Oz...

LOL

You gotta laugh, or you'll cry.


BTW, this snippet from the BBC sounds like it could have been written after any UK election over the past few decades. It appears the man is a scourge at home, as well as abroad.

Under Mr Rudd, Labor initially saw its figures improve. But Mr Abbott, who enjoyed the strident support of Rupert Murdoch's newspapers, then widened the gap again.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24000133

[warrant46]

6. So what's the fine, say for spoiling your Ballot ?

Or writing in Osama Bin Laden or Donald Duck ?

The scheme however also has a dark side. Apparently the government knows where everyone is and if you don't dance to the tune they come and get you.

That will never happen in the US, here the 1% has to mesmerize fewer sheep out of the 57% who bother

[Violet_Crumble]

7. There's no fine for donkey votes, and no-one comes and gets us...

Doesn't yr government know where everyone is aka having the addresses of anyone who interacts with the government?

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. There can be none, since it's a secret ballot

All they do is record that you put a ballot into the box.

Under the Electoral Act, the actual duty of the elector is to attend a polling place, have their name marked off the certified list, receive a ballot paper and take it to an individual voting booth, mark it, fold the ballot paper and place it in the ballot box.

It is not the case, as some people have claimed, that it is only compulsory to attend the polling place and have your name marked off, and this has been upheld by a number of legal decisions:
...
Because of the secrecy of the ballot, it is not possible to determine whether a person has completed their ballot paper prior to placing it in the ballot box. It is therefore not possible to determine whether all electors have met their legislated duty to vote. It is, however, possible to determine that an elector has attended a polling place or mobile polling team (or applied for a postal vote, pre-poll vote or absent vote) and been issued with a ballot paper.

http://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/Publications/voting/index.htm

[warrant46]

9. So just to be the devil's advocate

What's the matter for making everyone get out of bed every few years or so and do your duty to vote ?

After all I'm sure part of the motivation is, "Soldiers died for your Freedom and the Right to Vote". Correct?

Although I can see enforcement of mandatory voting would never work in a large population such as the US because all of the jail space here is crowded with pot smokers, bad check writers and homeless drunks who misbehave.

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. I've no objection to compulsory voting

as long as there's some way of explicitly not voting for anyone, or spoiling your ballot.

Jail seems an excessive punishment - community service would seem more appropriate.

[7962]

22. I do. I'm sorry, but if you can't name your own governor you have no business voting

But I bet the people who fall into that category can name every Kardashian. I know I'm probably off the reservation with some here, but I'm tired of seeing idiots flock to the polls. I guarantee everyone on this site knows who their governor, senators, representatives, etc, are.

[warrant46]

24. Sadly you are correct about the relative

knowledge of the electorate and Kim and Kloe

[MADem]

10. There is no fine for that, near as I can tell.

There is only the US eighteen dollar fine if you don't vote. They don't care who you vote for, or don't vote for, apparently.

The people who are angry believe that it's wrong to force people to be enfranchised.

[warrant46]

11. Thanks !!

[SwissTony]

25. Oddly enough, that pisses SOME people off.....

I suspect very few people. I'm Australian and have never heard of anyone seriously complaining about having to vote. You just do it, it doesn't take long, and if there's a sausage sizzle...whoopee.

I've also never heard of people going to jail for not voting. And I doubt anyone would for that reason. If you don't vote and don't have a reasonable explanation, you get a small fine. If you don't pay the fine, you get a second fine. if you continue to not pay your fines, I suspect you could end up in jail. But for not paying fines, not for not voting. Would it get that far? In theory, yeah. But I've never actually heard of it.

I'm not familiar with Mr Kent. Apparently he's a columnist. I googled his name and didn't find any reference to any work he has published.

[MADem]

26. Well--that IS covered in the link I provided. And I did say "some" in my post!

Some would rather not register, pay the fine, or spoil their ballot as opposed to indicate a preference.

I also never said anyone would go to jail, either. I focused on the not registering, fine paying, and ballot spoiling!

And then, I turned my attention to .... sausages!

I guess the guy who doesn't like the idea is a libertarian or something. Perhaps this fellow?

https://twitter.com/JasonPKent

[SwissTony]

27. MADem, I never said that you said anything about people going to jail.

That clearly comes from Mr Kent. My apologies if it came across as something I said you said. You didn't said it.

[MADem]

40. No worries!!!

Mister Kent might be just an old Big Mouth, for all we know...!

I wish USA had better turnouts for elections--if they were mandated it would probably be very good for the Dem/progressive cause.

[davidpdx]

13. Owch, that's screwed up

Well he'll get along great with the conservatives in the Japanese and Korean governments.

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. Rudd has conceded - speech:

Gees, I thought we'd lost. My fellow Australians, my fellow Queenslanders. And follow members of the great Australian Labor Party. Today we have fought the good fight as the great Australian Labor Party. Tonight is the time to unite as the great Australian nation. Because whatever our politics may be we are all first and foremost Australian. And the things that unite us are more powerful than the things that divide us which is why the world marvels at Australia.

This country which can manage its political differences peacefully and conduct the most vigorous of debates peacefully and resolve our politics peacefully and with civility, that is why this country is such a great country is such a great country. And that in this marvellous tapestry of modern Australia, the mosaic of our multicultural nation that with fashion such unity out of diversity, therein lies the great Australian miracle.
Advertisement

Which is why we are all proud to be Australian. A short time ago I telephoned Tony Abbott to concede defeat at these national elections.

As PM of Australia I wish him well now in the high office of PM of this country. Therese and I wish he, Margie and their family well in coping with the stresses and strains of high office that lie ahead. We know a little bit of what that is like.
...

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/kevin-rudds-concession-speech-20130907-2tcxi.html

[daleo]

31. Who says only Americans can natter on about how great their country is

Australians, or at least their politicians, seem pretty gifted in that regard too, judging from this speech.

I suppose that's boiler plate stuff for politicians around the world.

[dipsydoodle]

23. But it was frustration with Labor's leadership turmoil that cost the government dearly at the polls.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/09/07/uk-australia-election-idUKBRE98603320130907

That was ill timed.

Kevin Rudd concedes election defeat and steps down as Labor leader. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/07/kevin-rudd-concedes-election-defeat

[joshcryer]

30. Labor definitely had its own internal conflict.

But the carbon tax was what did labor in, ultimately.

[roamer65]

28. Mr. Rudd saved the ALP from a much larger defeat.

He has left them with enough experienced and veteran MP's to be a viable, strong opposition to Abbott. If Gillard had stayed, the election results would have been much worse.

Mr. Rudd retained his seat in Queensland, so Abbott can expect a lot of criticism in the future.
I expect to see Mr. Rudd in a cabinet seat in 3 to 6 years time, or maybe back as PM.

[Matilda]

32. Rudd was brought back to save us from a total wipeout, and he did it.

I hoped at first we might at least get another hung parliament, but after the polls this week indicating that Labor would have not much more than a cricket team left, tonight's result has come as a relief. And thank goodness, the brightest of our younger ministers, who looked like being out of a job next week, have held on to their seats.

What is weird is the way things are looking in the Senate, with a lot of oddball minor parties looking to have the balance of power rather than the Greens. Trouble is, they're all right-wing total nutters, so bound to fall in line with Abbott.

With Labor in power, despite the infighting, we looked like a modern, forward-looking country. Now we're going to go back to being about fifteen years behind the rest of the world, as I remember it as a child.

[joshcryer]

29. Goodbye AU carbon tax.

Hello corporate hegemony.

[msanthrope]

34. How did Assange do???? nt

[Berlin Expat]

37. Epic fail.

Not even 1% of the vote.

[MADem]

41. Based on that juvenile commercial, it's not surprising. nt

[blkmusclmachine]

35. Does Australia have Diebold, or its equivalent, (count)ing the votes?

[Berlin Expat]

36. Heh.

I honestly don't know.

[anakie]

42. paper ballots

counted by people.

[alp227]

38. The Australian right wing party is "Liberal"??

And the Australian Liberal Party is a member of the International Democrat Union, as is the US Republican Party.

Things must be REAL different in the southern hemisphere.

But I wonder if Australian Liberals are less nutty than US Republicans? I've heard that the UK Conservative Party is more left wing than US Democrats.

[Rochester]

39. In many other countries, "liberal" is what we would call "libertarian"

[Matilda]

44. It does seem a little odd that a conservative party should be called "Liberal".

But the Liberal Party as founded by Robert Menzies in the mid-forties was a different party to what we have now, I believe - it was before my time, but it was considered to be centre-right, whereas today it's approaching extreme right. We have John Howard to thank for that, and Tony Abbott is happy to do business with any group that will back him, however extreme their agenda.

[roamer65]

45. From what I can see afar...

seems like Australia moves forward when it has ALP governments (i.e. Chifley, Whitlam, Hawke).
Then everything goes static for awhile when a Lib/NP government takes office. Hopefully it just goes static and not backward.

[quadrature]

43. the backstabers are gone ..kinda sad ...

they were great for a laugh