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Federal ALP Opposition 2013-?

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Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
With an preferential electoral system that strives so hard to be fair, I am struggling to reconcile how the electorate allows Senate vacancies to filled by the backroom people from the parties simply parachuting party hacks in who have never had to face the electorate.
 

ChargerWA

Mark Loane (55)
If I remember correctly it all ties in as a side effect from the Constitutional Crisis. The new member used to have to be endorsed by the state government they were representing thus acting as some measure of balance in who could be parachuted in to the senate. When the JBP Queensland Gov refused to offer a suitable Labor candidate during the crisis they handed the balance of power to the Libs in the senate which partly bought about the crisis.

The mechanism for selecting a senate replacement was voted upon at the next election in a referendum and was endorsed by the Australian people for ever more. So it was born from a fairly constitutional process.

Either way, on the upper house ballot paper they should stop listing candidates names for the majors since they seemingly do whatever the hell they like after the election.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
With an preferential electoral system that strives so hard to be fair, I am struggling to reconcile how the electorate allows Senate vacancies to filled by the backroom people from the parties simply parachuting party hacks in who have never had to face the electorate.

Realistically, how many senate candidates actually 'face the electorate'?

So few people vote below the line that votes are generally for parties rather than for people.

The concept of an entire state having to have a by-election to elect a replacement senator would be both a ridiculous expense and not any more fair. Do you get the whole state to vote solely on which Labor candidate should replace Bob Carr?
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Make him stay and serve out his time.

There's no obligation to actually turn up. What better represents the Australian people? A politician who has no interest in being there that will still be paid or someone who actually wants to do the job?
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Take away any perks he has accrewed if he doesn't complete his term unless for a specific set of reasons e.g ill health

How is the electorate better served by making a politician stay who doesn't want to be there?

They don't actually have to turn up to parliament every day. Disinterested politicians are a waste. I think it is a better use of taxpayer money to pay someone who wants to be there than someone who doesn't.
 

BPC

Phil Hardcastle (33)
What better represents the Australian people? A politician who has no interest in being there that will still be paid or someone who actually wants to do the job?

He would, actually, reflect a significant percentage of the workforce with that attitude.
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
FFS, whose suit did Bill Shortern wear today?
First day of parliament,you would think he would wear one that fitted him.
He never does: he's trying to make it look like he didn't go to an exclusive private school and marry the GGs (the most expensively attired woman in public life?) daughter.
Probably loses something without seeing and hearing it but I chuckled at this footage of parliament on 7:30 report (www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3890391.htm)

"JOE HOCKEY, TREASURER: Be calm, OK? And I know you're excited on the first day. This is your best day in opposition, trust me."
He also fired a beauty across the bows of Wayne Swann:
"JOE HOCKEY: So I'd call on the Member for Lilley to write to the Government to ask that all correspondence between him and the Reserve Bank is released to the Australian people, and I tell you what, in return I'll release the letter from the governor of the Reserve Bank about the $8.8 billion."
True: pointless and unedifying but he has got a good comedic sense and opposition must be bloody awful. And even worse, after you've held the reigns.
 

I like to watch

David Codey (61)
I remember Gareth Evans being interviewed some months after losing Government after more than a decade in power.
He admitted to an almost depressive state of mind and coined it "relevancy deprivation syndrome"
 

Ruggo

Mark Ella (57)
He never does: he's trying to make it look like he didn't go to an exclusive private school and marry the GGs (the most expensively attired woman in public life?) daughter.
Probably loses something without seeing and hearing it but I chuckled at this footage of parliament on 7:30 report (www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3890391.htm)

"JOE HOCKEY, TREASURER: Be calm, OK? And I know you're excited on the first day. This is your best day in opposition, trust me."
He also fired a beauty across the bows of Wayne Swann:
"JOE HOCKEY: So I'd call on the Member for Lilley to write to the Government to ask that all correspondence between him and the Reserve Bank is released to the Australian people, and I tell you what, in return I'll release the letter from the governor of the Reserve Bank about the $8.8 billion."
True: pointless and unedifying but he has got a good comedic sense and opposition must be bloody awful. And even worse, after you've held the reigns.


And today backs it up by ripping off Paul Keating. Chris Bowen quite rightly reminds him that he isn't no Paul Keating.

Hockey isn't even close to being funny.
 
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