Federal Election 2013

[Inside Shoulder]

He will be as effective as a dead dog to gracier as the power has now shifted. The greens have been the big losers across all the states.

So we finish up with Clive Palmer (apparently having taken most votes from the Greens - go figure) in parliament - no doubt thinking and hoping he can send a proxy so he doesn't have to waste time having no input into the outcome.

 

[sarcophilus]

Clive Palmer
we get to enjoy the sought of contributions to political sensibility the mother country welcomed with Screaming lord Such (50 years ago this September) and The Monster Raving Loony Party (30 years ago this September)
but without any sense of Irony

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Meanwhile in the Senate from the West is the Wayne Dropulich from the Australian Sports Party, who's main platform is Childrens Sports according to this article from the SMH.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...ties-claim-senate-balance-20130908-2te36.html

While he only received 1908 first preference votes of the approx 900 000 WA senate votes, he gets there on preferences.

Hopefully he can live up to his parties platform and get some decent money into kids sport to attack the obesity epidemic, and Wallaby succession planning.

 

[Braveheart81]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-prn2/1230030_10151848596955661_1176807210_n.jpg

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Bloody Becky should be out of bed and on her bike like our new "Dear leader"

 

[Spieber]

Brick with eyes now a senator!

 

[It is what it is]

Brick with eyes now a senator!

And don't get between he and Clive and the smorgasbord either

 

[No4918]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-09/nsw-sends-liberal-democrat-to-senate/4945080

Hard to believe so many people don't even know the name of the party they intend to vote for. Maybe it is time to reassess compulsory voting.

 

[Braveheart81]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-09/nsw-sends-liberal-democrat-to-senate/4945080

Hard to believe so many people don't even know the name of the party they intend to vote for. Maybe it is time to reassess compulsory voting.

Amazing isn't it.

The double whammy of a party having a similar name to one of the major parties (and the same first word) and appearing in the top left of the ballot paper.

What a stroke of luck for David Leyonhjelm!

I think optional preferencing above the line is required for the senate vote. There needs to be some middle ground between just putting a 1 above the line and being at the mercy of preference deals and numbering ~110 boxes below the line.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-09/nsw-sends-liberal-democrat-to-senate/4945080

Hard to believe so many people don't even know the name of the party they intend to vote for. Maybe it is time to reassess compulsory voting.

There'd be a fair overlap between the people stupid enough to mistake this party for the Libs and those who think arming people in Western Sydney is a way to solve gun violence.

 

[boyo]

If some people voted for a party that they didn't want, then more fool them.

 

[boyo]

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-e...he-need-for-senate-reform-20130909-2tg67.html

I heard about this rotational system a few days ago.

 

[matty_k]

Mirabella is in trouble after 1000 votes were discovered down the back of the couch.
http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politic...way-from-sophie-mirabella-20130911-2tk9g.html

 

[matty_k]

The ABC election monkies are calling it for Independent. Mirabella loses her seat.
http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2013/guide/indi/

Is she the only sitting Liberal to lose her seat in this? Eden Monaro close. I can't think of any.

 

[boyo]

IMO she's an odious individual (an oxygen thief).

Her performance on Q and A cemented my opinion:-

It couldn't happen to a nicer person.

 

[Braveheart81]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-frc3/1234934_10151901771471318_449900819_n.jpg

 

[ACT Crusader]

Clive won't survive in Parliament. Firstly the offices for non-Ministerial MP (Moana Pasifika) are tiny, he'll quickly become the absent member. He will however be pulling the strings behind what Glen Lazarus does in the Senate.

 

[Braveheart81]

I wouldn't be surprised if Palmer sets a record for the least days spent in parliament out of any member ever.

I can't imagine he'll have any interest sitting there listening to people talk in the HoR.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

There'd be a fair overlap between the people stupid enough to mistake this party for the Libs and those who think arming people in Western Sydney is a way to solve gun violence.

Yeah, I'm not real sure about their gun policy. After reading about the voting confusion I got curious & decided to have a look at the LDP website. There are a few things I could critique but the main two issues I'd have with them would be about the guns & probably the way they'd change welfare.

The guns thing I can understand for sport & pest control but I'm not so sure about guns for self defence - although I don't like that our self defence laws render us unable to carry anything (like pepper spray). For welfare they'd cut it back (as they believe in lower tax) but rather than forcing people to find work (as intended) it will more likely have people turn to crime - combine that with their gun policy & we'll have one hell of a party. To give credit where it is due they do have a very "live & let live" style when it comes to social policy & freedom of speech - but my attitude is quite "libertarian" in many ways so I might be biased in giving the praise there.

 

[Ruggo]

Getting sick of the mandate argument. This elected government only has a mandate to govern in the lower house. Any perception of a mandate beyond that truly shows disrespect for the checks and balances in the system.