Australia General Discussion

[RogueBeaver]

Caucus is everything. Rudd's an ass, and everything else aside, why have an ass as leader when you can have someone who at least goes through the motions, maybe even genuinely cares, about your opinions and feelings? Just from the average backbencher's POV.


Recount? Dunno why... not like the result will change.

[RogueBeaver]

That's within a point of 1996's results. Cool.

[RogueBeaver]

That's not a matter of confidence, though still embarrassing.

[RogueBeaver]

Mayday, GQ, 5-alarm fire, whatever metaphor you want to use.

Green's swingometer doesn't swing that far, but 57/43 translates to 109-38-3.

[RogueBeaver]

No, Gillard will let the clock run out.

[RogueBeaver]

No, Gillard will let the clock run out.

That supposes the independents don't bail out on her.

And lose their seats a year earlier than scheduled? I think not.

[RogueBeaver]

That's a couple of months old, isn't it?

[RogueBeaver]

Yeah, you have to wonder how he ever became a Cabinet Minister (actually, we all know the answer to that one... *wink*).

He's been heliated, right? Or is he always that much of a freakin clown?

[RogueBeaver]

Shorten I'm guessing.

[RogueBeaver]

Peter: Don't forget the bakery hissy fit.

[RogueBeaver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYqRB63Yh-4

[RogueBeaver]

I like the Latham comparison. Still doubt that they're changing leaders before the election though.

[RogueBeaver]

All the Swan reports say he'd only do it in a Heseltine scenario- if a nuisance candidate went first.

[RogueBeaver]

If you think that's possible then you don't really understand Australia.

Is the Australian two-party system as engrained as the American one?  Or is Australia just too conservative a country to make the Greens an opposition party? 

The voting system doesn't work that way. Preferencing, remember? While they have serious psephostructural issues getting unseated as un des deux is pure fantasy.

[RogueBeaver]

It isn't happening.

[RogueBeaver]

You were right about the "next Latham" thing Smid. Now all we need is him getting physical or profane on camera.

[RogueBeaver]

We'll see if caucus shares our view of Shorten. They already had one Latham and don't need another. However as a Coalition fan I sure hope they pick him- it would be an increased majority in Abbott's second term.

[RogueBeaver]

Alan Jones trolls Gillard.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/14996717/gillards-father-died-of-shame-alan-jones/

[RogueBeaver]

Slipper claims conspiracy?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/9589923/Australian-parliament-speaker-Peter-Slipper-claims-political-conspiracy.html

[RogueBeaver]

A few weeks ago there was a 50-50 poll but no polls have been published since then. Abbott's still favoured but he can't get complacent.

[RogueBeaver]

I'm with hugh. The perv Slipper is a Coalitionist who was selected by Lab as Speaker. No one will get a spin edge here except in the minds of Oz's Politicos and Mondales.

[RogueBeaver]

Doesn't change their CFIT trajectory, but I would slightly differ from Peter in that I think she's more resilient than gutsy. Admirable trait.

[RogueBeaver]

Are there any burning state issues which are helping or harming either party? Also agreed on the 2004 outcome overall.

[RogueBeaver]

Congrats guys.

[RogueBeaver]

McKew stirs up 2010 with her memoir.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-26/old-labor-wounds-reopened-in-mckew-memoir/4336110