Thread: Australia : Election 2010

78.7% counted.

Updated Tue Aug 24 06:32PM

Labor 71

Coalition 71

duce

Australia Votes - 2010 Federal Election - ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

^Does this mean that the Welsh-Aussie 'fanta-pants' will not win after stabbing kevin Rudd in the goolies?

3 seats still in doubt so neither of the major parties can claim outright victory .

if one or the other can't stitch a coalition together then back to the polls .

Australia polls force refugees into spotlight
JOSEPH ALLCHIN
24 August 2010


Liberal leader Abbott has said that Australian citizenship is "given away too lightly"
(Reuters)

Australia’s election has come down to the wire as both major parties, the right-wing Liberal Party and the centrist Labour Party, battle it out for a parliamentary majority.

The election in one of the least densely-populated countries in the world has, however, centred on immigration. This comes despite the fact that both leading candidates for the top job, Tony Abbott and Julie Gillard, were born on the other side of the world, in the United Kingdom.

Australia takes around 6,000 UN-sponsored asylum seekers each year. Some of these are from Burma – mostly political exiles or refugees from Thailand-based camps – but there is considerable concern about the conditions which a group of Rohingya who arrived by boat last year are being held in.

There is also, according to Ian Rentoul from the Refugee Action Coalition of Sydney, concern about the continuation of “racism” from the two main parties. For many refugees, UN sponsorship is not an option; they, like the initial Europeans, had to come by boat to the country, many at the mercy of traffickers.

The group of 42 Rohingya earlier this year held a hunger strike to protest the length of their detention and the poor conditions in the detention centre, which Rentoul claims involve water rationing, waiting for up to an hour and a half in the severe heat of northern Australia for food, and overcrowding. Asylum seekers are housed for long periods in detention, which is often attributed to the deteriorating mental health of inmates.

Rentoul told DVB that “the racism of the Labour party is quite disguised”, but that “the racism of the Liberals is very much on display”. Liberal leader Abbott is famous for statements such as “the great prize of Australian citizenship is insufficiently appreciated and given away too lightly”.

Rentoul had been in contact with the Rohingya in detention but lost contact after telephones were confiscated and banned during searches of the detainees’ rooms. He added that when he last spoke to inmates, they were in considerable fear of the detention centre authorities.

The Liberal Party has evidently struggled to come to terms with the country’s racism and the genocide of its Aboriginal inhabitants. The previous Labour government of Kevin Rudd finally apologised in 2008 for what is known as the “stolen generation”, when thousands of Aboriginal children were forcibly stolen from their parents and ‘adopted’ by institutions to ‘re-educate’ them and wipe clean their culture and identity.

Despite the symbolic gesture by the Labour government, which took Australia through the global financial crisis without falling into recession, the majority of Aborigines still live in Third World conditions, whilst Caucasian Australia has some of the highest living standards on the planet.

A senate motion by the Green Party’s Bob Brown to offer compensation to the victims was lost by a huge margin of 65 to four, and most major politicians deny that a genocide ever occurred. This is despite the fact that when Europeans arrived in the late 18th century, Australia’s Aboriginal population was estimated to be around one million, whereas now there are less than half that number, and their average life expectancy is estimated to be between 10 to 20 years younger than a white Australian.

Rentoul said that the detention centres, some of which are in Darwin and some in the Christmas Islands, and one on the Pacific island of Narau, are purposefully isolated: “They don’t want people to know about the conditions in there [the camps], to make sure there is no public or media scrutiny”.

He continued that should Abbott win, he has pledged to make visas for refugees temporary, as well as removing the rights of appeal for asylum seekers held offshore, and reopen the Narau offshore detention centre to remove those held on Australian soil.

“So there is a capacity [to adversely affect immigrants], both for the Liberal party who have made it very clear that they want to make conditions worse, and for the Labour Party.”

He added that “there is still a visa freeze on applications for the Afghan migrants”, who are fleeing a war that Australia, under Rudd and the previous Howard administration, has been actively fighting in.

dvb.no

Originally Posted by ossierob

.... ie no hidden taxing stragedies

Is that code for the mining tax?

TH

Originally Posted by Little Chuchok

^Does this mean that the Welsh-Aussie 'fanta-pants' will not win after stabbing kevin Rudd in the goolies?

Its a funny thing how some people have got bent and twisted about Rudd being given the arse. I cant see any problem with it as he was not pulling the party line and labor was looking at certain defeat with him steering the boat. He also at the same time implemented some good change so give the guy his dues.

Happens everyday in the real world where an employee or even the manager of a large company gets the chop because they are not pulling there weight so whats the difference in politics ?

OK, he was elected by the people on his popularity at the time and his policies but he back peddled on that many it was becoming embarrassing and the party was losing support quickly.

Throw in his hard line on the mining tax and it was game over.

Gillard did not do it on her own but it was a party decision so fair enough I say.

Friggin that close at the moment Gillard and Abbott are shitting bricks but the independents and the greens are eating caviar with Gillard and Abbott lining up to provide free head jobs after tea. , Love to see those bastards squeal.


Lets see what pans out.

Either way, dear Julia and her advisors shot themselves in the foot by calling an election so soon after democratically elected Rudd was turfed out. The hung Parliament is a slap in the face, and typically few in the aussie media are stating the bluddy obvious.

I'm convinced I have met her, but when I look thru' her Wiki, and my time with the National Party in Sydney, I just can't work out how or when. So I might be wrong- but if it's the same person, I looked upon her as someone who could be a capable, trusted, well rewarded PA to an influential person- but thats all.

Originally Posted by sabang

I looked upon her as someone who could be a capable, trusted, well rewarded PA to an influential person- but thats all.

Deputy PM essentially a PA to PM. You have her confused with someone else Sabang.

odds are shortening on a new election .

83.1% counted.

Updated Fri Aug 27 08:09PM

Labor 72

Coalition 73

us plebs around here are chearing for the indepedants call for transparency on both parties policies, and a bloody good call too..show us your budget/plans, yer bastards, katter is a loose cannon, but he ain,t about to be bullshitted either

Originally Posted by nedwalk

us plebs around here are chearing for the indepedants call for transparency on both parties policies

From what I can tell there are 4 Independents and 1 Green. If the Independents stick to their statement to vote as a block either party will be able to form a government if the Independents side with them. Should the Independents split all bets are off. The single Green seat may well decide who comes to power. Will be interesting to see reaction of your average Aussie if this the case.

Originally Posted by Mid

Coalition 73

The final election count will not be finished until next week, but the Coalition is set to hold 73 seats to Labor's 72.

But the Coalition's figures also include Western Australian National Tony Crook, who wants to sit on the crossbenches.

Wilkie pushes reform at meeting with Gillard - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

didn't realize how Australia was that divided, signs of the time I guess

Originally Posted by Butterfly

didn't realize how Australia was that divided, signs of the time I guess

Not divided so much as a stuffed up election system, coalition would have been a clear winner by now if first past the post voting was in force , as it is with the duopoly of labor and liberal the result is false and is not the wish of the people .
Labor is only holding in there at 72 all ( latest today) because of the preference deal with the greens.
Rudd was a dudd and had to go , I'm no fan of Abbott but I believe he is the lesser of the 2 evils , to vote for labor is to vote for the greens who have no idea of the real world with closed fishing areas forcing fisherman out of work and increasing imports , not to speak of the carbon emissions B/S.
They want to ban fishing? professionals can't trawl the reefs where fish breed - the only reason so many boats less are operating is not because of over fishing it's because of unrestricted cheap imports and high operating cost for the trawlers and line fishermen.

Coalition retakes two-party-preferred vote lead
Lanai Vasek and James Massola
August 31, 2010

THE Coalition has now taken the lead yet again in the two-party-preferred vote with just 866 votes separating the two parties on the Australian Electoral Commission’s latest count.

With just shy of 11 million votes counted, the Coalition and ALP are at 50/50 on a two-party-preferred basis.

The AEC is set to continue counting until late this evening with 82.39 per cent of the vote counted by 8.20pm.

The Coalition took the lead from Labor in the two-party-preferred vote last night for the first time since counting began on August 21.

However, Labor today reclaimed the larger share of the popular vote by as much as 3681 votes at 5.30pm.

When it became clear it would be a hung parliament, Julia Gillard said that the two-party-preferred vote should decide which party would get the independents' support.

Ms Gillard's claim that she should form government because Labor won a bigger share of the popular poll was rocked yesterday after the AEC excluded the three left-leaning seats of Batman, Denison and Grayndler.

Labor’s two-party-preferred vote plunged after the exclusion of the three seats and the Coalition moved 1948 votes ahead by 9.30pm yesterday after trailing behind by 4500 votes at 5pm yesterday.

This morning Opposition Leader Tony Abbott described the Coalition as the “government-in-waiting".

But Ms Gillard told the National Press Club today that the result was based on a misunderstanding.

“Yesterday they took three seats out, Grayndler, Batman and Denison. And that in and of itself caused a statistical change to the two-party preferred vote … this flurry of excitement is a misunderstanding what is appearing on the AEC website now,” Ms Gillard said.

The conservative seats of Kennedy, Lyne, New England and O'Connor and left-leaning Melbourne had already been excluded from the initial two-party vote and had been counted on a two-candidate preferred basis.

The AEC is now counting all eight seats as two-candidate preferred before it redistributes the votes on a two-party-preferred basis between the two major parties.

theaustralian.com.au

Originally Posted by Thaihome

Originally Posted by ossierob

.... ie no hidden taxing stragedies

Is that code for the mining tax?

TH

no the Mining Tax is very open....I have my doubts about any govenment who wont release their costings that would support their election promises ie coalition...is their a hidden tax to support their costings
Mining Tax is fine by me and I worked in the Mining Industry in Aust for 32 years

Tony Abbott's last-ditch bid to kingmakers as Bob Katter call delayed
Simon Kearney
September 05, 2010

INDEPENDENT MP Bob Katter looks unlikely to announce today who he will back to form government, with his office stating he has "no press conference scheduled".

Mr Katter had said he would make a decision by tonight or Monday and hinted there may be a final deal as well.

"I would most sincerely hope that it will be made on the weekend, at the very, very latest on Monday, but it's not in my hands alone, there are three of us here," the Kennedy MP said.

But today, Mr Katter's office revealed "Bob has just now advised us that no press conference has been scheduled for this afternoon".

"Apologies for the ambiguity and thank you all for your patience," his office said in a statement.

The news comes after Tony Abbott launched a last-ditch plea to the three kingmaker independents who will decide who to back into The Lodge.

With increasing signs that Labor has the upper hand, Mr Abbott has sent the three independents a simple message: don't do it.

Independent, Rob Oakeshott from NSW, was in his Parliament House office yesterday morning, revising draft parliamentary reform proposals.

Walking around in his socks, Mr Oakeshott was working hard to get both parties to sign off on sweeping reform measures before a deal on support for either party was done.

The other independent who needs to make a decision to resolve the first hung Parliament in Australia in 70 years is Tony Windsor, who has retired for the weekend to his home outside Tamworth to consider his position.

Mr Abbott, in an open letter to the independents has pledged to form the most country-orientated government since World War II.

He warned the independents they would damage the country's social fabric if they supported Labor.

"A Labor/Green alliance spells doom for regional Australia's economic base," he said. "The slightest move towards Green defence and foreign policies would put the American alliance at risk.

"By cutting funding for independent schools, abolishing the private health insurance rebate, and end(ing) offshore processing of illegal boat people, it would damage the social fabric too."

Mr Abbott said the independents would be turning against political preferences and the economic best interests of their electorates.

"They can opt for the Coalition and form the most country-orientated national government since World War II," he said.

"Six members of the Coalition shadow cabinet live in regional areas. No Labor Cabinet ministers do. Not one."

Mr Abbott's pitch to the men concentrates on Labor's failings, insisting that Prime Minister Julia Gillard should not be judged on her "undoubted" political skills, but her decisions.

"Julia Gillard's actual decisions to subcontract climate change policy to an unelected assembly, to resurrect a previously promised and dumped railway and to export the boat people problem to an unwilling East Timor (as well as the disastrous school halls program) suggest that she would be a worse prime minister than Kevin Rudd," Mr Abbott said.

Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne today denied the Coalition, and particularly Mr Abbott, had taken a hammering on the credibility stakes over its budget costings.

"The leader has to lead the party across all the portfolios - there at least over 30 portfolios," Mr Pyne told Channel 10.

"It's not the job of the leader of the opposition to know every single line item of the budget.

"I bet (Prime Minister Julia Gillard) doesn't know every line item."

The coalition has also come under attack following Mr Abbott's claim that its policies had been carefully modelled by the University of Canberra-affiliated NATSEM.

The economic body has since claimed it never spoke to the coalition.

Mr Pyne maintained that if Mr Abbott said it, "well, it must be true".

Ms Gillard was working out of her Parliamentary office yesterday in case she was needed for further meetings with any of the independents.

Mr Abbott spent yesterday at home in Sydney with his family, while he waited on the outcome of the independent MPs' deliberations.

heraldsun.com.au

Julia Gillard Wins Election, Stays Prime Minister Of Australia

Labor scrapes in to form government

Phillip Coorey

September 7, 2010 - 3:41PM
Labor has won the support of the two remaining independent MPs to form a minority government.
The independents, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor, dramatically announced their decisions separately, with Mr Oakeshott being the last to signal his position to back Julia Gillard as prime minister.
But he warned: "This is not a mandate for any government," Mr Oakeshott said. "This parliament is going to be different."

• Katter supports Abbott...for now
• Oakeshott's D-day doodles

he decision came after 17 days of protracted negotiation between the independents and the two leaders - and an agonising prologue from Mr Oakeshott. Ms Gillard will hold a press conference at 4.15pm.
Mr Windsor nominated broadband as one of the critical issues that tipped his hand to support Labor.
He said both sides had offered generous packages to support health, education and infrastructure for regional communities.
The independents' support gives Ms Gillard the narrowest of margins in the 150-member House of Representatives, bringing to 76 the number of MPs willing to support Labor.

Mr Windsor said providing stability for the country had been another key factor in his decision.

"If a government is formed, how long could it last and that is a key deliberation in our view," Mr Windsor said.

"I make this plea to country people, some of whom don't agree with the Labor party. This isn't about philosophy, philosophy in terms of both these parties died about a decade ago," Mr Windsor said.

"This is about using the political system to advance the people we represent and those people in regional Australia."

Mr Oakeshott said it had been "an absolute line ball, points decision, judgement call."

"Australia is engaged but Australia is also divided," Mr Oakeshott said.

Mr Windsor announced his decision to back Labor at the start of the press conference.

But Mr Oakeshott maintained the suspense, making a long statement about the reasons for his decision before revealing that he too would support Labor.

He said the independents had secured a deal with Labor to promote regional development and to hold a tax reform summit.
Labor's position on broadband and climate change had also been important factors in his decision.
Mr Oakeshott had six separate meetings yesterday with Mr Abbott.
One source said this morning that when Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor met Mr Abbott last night, the Coalition leader offered them ''everything'''.
The stakes were raised earlier this afternoon when Queensland independent Bob Katter called a press conference to declare his hand before his two independent colleagues, both from NSW.
Mr Katter announced he was backing the Coalition to form a minority government, and indicated his decision would have been different had Kevin Rudd still been Labor leader.
The trio met Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott this morning before they announced their decision.
Mr Oakeshott described the task of anointing a government as a ''wicked problem''.
Mr Windsor said both leaders had been excellent in their dealings with the independents.
''They both want the job - there is no doubt about that,'' he said.
Throughout the entire process, the men never once stated a positive reason as to why they would choose the Coalition. This seeded a deep pessimism within the Liberal and National Parties.
On Monday , at the 11th hour, they also raised the uncertain status of Tony Crook, the breakaway WA national who had refused to support the Coalition in a minority government unless his demands were met.
The independents had also held out until both parties agreed to a major reforms to the parliament. The Coalition had refused to agree to three points on Sunday but rolled over on Monday as negotiations intensified.
Last night, the Coalition secured the critical support of Mr Crook after the trio said without him, the Coalition did not have the numbers to form government.
In a bombshell on the eve of today's expected decision by the three independents, they declared Mr Crook had asked for $860 million a year for Western Australia's regions, no mining tax, and a rewrite of the GST funding formula so WA receives more revenue.
But after the independents sounded their warning, Mr Crook crumbled in response to an appeal from the Nationals federal leader, Warren Truss, and severely weakened his bargaining position.
''I will support the Coalition to form a minority government,'' he said.
''But I would like to make it clear that there has been no commitment or agreement on our key policy, therefore I will be on the cross benches until that policy is met.''
The Crook situation was the last hurdle to be cleared before the independents announce their respective decisions.
Mr Crook's spokeswoman confirmed that his guaranteed support to form minority government is a promise to support the Coalition against all reckless no-confidence motions and to guarantee supply, thus ensuring it stays in power for three years.
The Tasmanian independent, Andrew Wilkie, has given Labor the same commitment, as has the Greens MP Adam Bandt. Unlike Mr Crook, however, both secured payoffs in return.
Coalition sources regarded the last-minute demand by the three independents as a further sign that the trio was preparing reasons to support Ms Gillard.
Mr Oakeshott gave further grist to the theory by saying the Greens holding the balance of power in the Senate was a strong influence to support Labor, given Labor and the Greens work well together.
''That is a pragmatic reality we all have to get used to, like it or not,'' he said.
But Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor teased that they could still back the Coalition.
Asked whether their late concern about Mr Crook showed they were still contemplating voting for the Coalition, they did not give a direct answer.
- with Jacob Saulwick and Mark Davis
Phillip Coorey is the chief political correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald.

Well I Did,nt Bloody Vote For Her.. I Mean How Obvious Was It? 'the Sex Party' How Could You Not Vote For That? I Like Sex And I Like To Party ! Easy Choice I Thought!

Originally Posted by Butterfly

didn't realize how Australia was that divided, signs of the time I guess

Apparently they're so confused, they're stabbing each other in the front!

Seems NOSTRADAMUS even has an opinion..

NOSTRADAMUS
Its always worth revisiting Nostradamus after a big event occurs.
Note these consecutive quatrains

Daughter of the Dragon,
Transplanted by Sea,
Promised to lead a Nation,
Destined to ruin a Nation.
Hooded of Eye, and Red of Hair,
The Cunning Lady makes the snare,
The Cup is hers, and she holds it ever tight,
Her Subjects fall to Poverty and to Blight.

Nostradamus is Spot on
as far as Julia Gillard is concerned..........

Daughter of the Dragon - Have a Look at the Welsh Flag.



Transplanted by Sea - Julia is born in the Welsh town of Barry by the sea.

Promised to lead a Nation,
Destined to ruin a Nation -
The ETS, Mining Tax and Massive Debt will cripple Australia’s Economy and will send the already struggling Poor & Middle Class into poverty!

Hooded of Eye, and Red of Hair,
The Cunning Lady makes the snare -
Look at the way Julia always dodges the tough questions by bowing her brow with that fake smile and deadly snare and with cunning, always manages to Spin her way out of accountability to move onto the next question!

The Cup is hers, and she holds it ever tight -
Don’t think for a second Joolia isn’t as ruthless as the very same UNION THUGS that put her in power and she will do and say anything to hold onto Power just like Rudd.

Nostradamus sums it up perfectly with his final summation.

Her Subjects fall to Poverty and to Blight.
DEEP ROOTED UNION AFFILLIATIONS that are part of her WELSH DNA.