Election 2010

[Ruggo]

Garrett should of been put in a role with somthing to do with indiginous issues. He is a square peg in a round hole and I admire the bloke but he is not suited to politics.

 

[Scarfman]

My understanding about Garrett - and correct me if I'm wrong - is that he is a Christian, and whilst his environment and social justice positions would put him in the Greens, his morality puts him closer to the Libs.

Either that, or take Option B: he joined the ALP simply because he fancied his chances of becoming PM.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

You would be right about his christianity Scarfy. I gather he and Oils manager Gary Morris were both fairly devout. I wouldn't say that puts his morality closer to the Libs though.

 

[chief]

My understanding about Garrett - and correct me if I'm wrong - is that he is a Christian, and whilst his environment and social justice positions would put him in the Greens, his morality puts him closer to the Libs.

Either that, or take Option B: he joined the ALP simply because he fancied his chances of becoming PM.

You don't necessarily have to be closer to a Liberal perspective if you're Christian. Although like abortion you generally are. Our former PM Kevin Rudd, is a strong Christian. But Modern Day politics, particularly within these days is not about whether you are Left Wing or Right Wing, it's who has the better public image, and who has the more attractive policies, some which are not necessarily from a typical Left Wing Perspective if you are Labor, or from a typical Right-Wing perspective if you are Liberal. Times have changed, I would say for the worst. Give it 20 or so years, before 90% of people are swinging voters.

The Greens are the only party out there that actually stand for their values, Social Justice and the Environment, and they won't change to win the public's support (Not yet anyway)

 

[Ruggo]

My understanding about Garrett - and correct me if I'm wrong - is that he is a Christian, and whilst his environment and social justice positions would put him in the Greens, his morality puts him closer to the Libs.

Either that, or take Option B: he joined the ALP simply because he fancied his chances of becoming PM.

My guess is truly wanted to make a difference but felt he could not do that in a minor party. I would say it is the social justice side that directed him towards the ALP.

 

[Scotty]

My understanding about Garrett - and correct me if I'm wrong - is that he is a Christian, and whilst his environment and social justice positions would put him in the Greens, his morality puts him closer to the Libs.

Either that, or take Option B: he joined the ALP simply because he fancied his chances of becoming PM.

I'm not a believer Scarfie, does that mean I should support the Greens?

I doubt that half of the Coalition are true Christians, and I think you are being blinded by their leader's beliefs and history.

 

[Scarfman]

What I'm saying is that there's not many Christians in the Greens.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I guess it depends on which conviction is stronger: religious or environmental.

 

[Lindommer]

You don't necessarily have to be closer to a Liberal perspective if you're Christian. Although like abortion you generally are. Our former PM Kevin Rudd, is a strong Christian.

And so's Kim Beazley. One would think the Labor Party would have strong religious values with its traditional links to the Catholic Church, or are those Catholic members pragmatic politicians first and churchgoers second?

It's interesting to note the social gentrification of Catholics in Australia where we now have Tony Abbott, Joe Hockey, Malcolm Turnbull and big Bazza O'Farrell leading the Liberals at federal and state level. In New South Wales we also have Catholics as Premier and Governor. Let's hope other minority groups reach such heights in years to come.

 

[barbarian]

My guess is truly wanted to make a difference but felt he could not do that in a minor party. I would say it is the social justice side that directed him towards the ALP.

Think thats it. I'd imagine the ALP might have approached him to run in Kingsford-Smith, which would be pretty hard for him to turn it down given his history of political activism. I think he would have stayed with the Nuclear Disarmourment Party if he just wanted to shout from the sidelines.

 

[Aussie D]

This is a political discussion not a religious one so can we leave the talk of he/she's a Christian/Catholic/Muslim/Atheist out of it. Unless it starts interfering with their performance as an MP (Moana Pasifika) it has no bearing.

Did anyone else find it funny that Julia chose 42 out of 72 for ministerial positions? Sounds like an awful lot to me. Feel sorry for the 30 that missed out. Also, it looks like she elevated incompetents at the expense of potential future leadership rivals.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think it's pretty funny that a couple of portfolios got left out on the weekend and she had to hastily assign them!

 

[Scotty]

It isn't funny, it is very worrying.

 

[barbarian]

It isn't funny, it is very worrying.

I think it is somewhere between those two.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Off to a good start aren't they...

 

[Gnostic]

What do you all think of Abbot proving faithless on his deal to reform Parliament as soon as he didn't get the minority Government? This has showed that he simply cannot be trusted, he has previously admitted to telling lies under pressure and now breaks his word on a negotiated deal. Mind you I wouldn't think Labour would've have been any better, in fact had Jools not got the Independants nod I expect the blood letting would still be going on in the Labour ranks and all bets would've been off.

I wonder if anybody currently in the major parties will acknowledge that we now have a hung parliament simply because a large number of voters are simply sick and tired of the major parties and there are no credible alternatives. Both Graham Richardson and Alexander Downer said this on the night of the election

 

[I like to watch]

but was it a core promise?

 

[Moses]

The Libs went to the last election with an agenda of parliamentary reform, and seemed pretty serious about it. Whether that reform included allowing an independent the balance of power AND control of parliament as speaker, well I'm not convinced.
After Oakeshott's never ending speech to anoint Jools as king, does anyone want him to be given another soapbox?

I believe an independent speaker would be great, but not this independent. Someone like Tony Jones, Kerry O'Brien, or Mark Colvin who wont take any shit. Not sure how you'd select such a person though.

 

[Ruggo]

Funny watching Abbott tap dance around the issue of euthinasia this morning. That is one issue that would put him in a spot of bother and most likely expose the real Tony Abbott.

 

[I like to watch]

I think if the abortion debate was raised again,the real monk would reappear.
Maybe Turnbull will get it on the agenda if Joolia is still in power in a year, and give himself another run at the title