Australia - 7 September 2013

[Mr. Morden]

Expectation is that Albanese will run against Shorten

With caucus supporting one and grassroots supporting another, apparently.

If Shorten becomes leader, I can't see him leading Labor to the 2016 election. I see him more as a Brendan Nelson style leader, i.e. you would find him in the dictionary under "stopgap leader".

The new rules mean that the new leader cant just be dumped though, right?

Under the new rules, the party leader can't be challenged* unless there's a petition signed by at least 60% of the parliamentary caucus.  And even then, I think you'd still need to go through the task of getting the votes of the broader membership across the country, so it wouldn't all be over within 24 hours, like under the old system.  Thus, whoever is named party leader right now is highly likely to serve in that role at least until the 2016 election.

* Can't be challenged during this Parliament, but if Labor loses the next election, then the leadership automatically goes up for a vote again at that time.

[RogueBeaver]

Hayden isn't a fan of the leadership mechanisms either.

[Frodo]

With 83.6% of all votes counted, the Coalition now has 90 seats; Labor has 52.  

[You kip if you want to...]

Gotta say, I can't see the argument for Shorten over Albo.

[RogueBeaver]

Gillard speaks.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Gotta say, I can't see the argument for Shorten over Albo.

I can ...

[Mr. Morden]

So I described the ALP leader election procedure earlier, but I am unclear on one thing: What is the order in which the votes take place?  The party's caucus in Parliament votes before or after the wider membership votes?  Would either side know the results of the other when the're voting?  For example, if the MPs knew how the nationwide membership voted, they'd surely just vote to ratify the decision of the wider membership, rather than produce a split, right?

[Platypus]

Nobody could accuse Gillard of being an excellent writer.

----------------

Dunno, Morden

[RogueBeaver]

Kelly on the upcoming leadership battle, and here's the demographic analysis. Lab lost every group except skilled clerical men.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Considering the bullsh!t that paper and its hired polling company trotted out during the election, why should we believe them now?

[RogueBeaver]

Some interesting tidbits: neither party's candidates gained perceived benefits from their respective big-ticket social spending. Migrant groups stuck with Labor, agnostics swung Liberal, not a single female occupation group swung ALP. Abbott lost some support from higher-income Liberal families.

[RogueBeaver]

Cormann will get Finance, Robb Trade, Sinodonos a junior post and Bronwyn Bishop the Speakership. Julie Bishop will be the only female Cabinet minister.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

That's a massive slap in the face to Sinodinos...

[RogueBeaver]

That's a massive slap in the face to Sinodinos...

Perhaps a more pro-Robb than anti-Sinodonos move? Paging Smid.

[Platypus]

Robb is being shifted sideways in a slap in the face to the Nationals, Sinodnos is being slapped in the face for being a reasonable sort of person, just four months after having the most gender-equal ministry in history we have the least for a decade, and Matthias Cormann, of all the people in the Liberal Party who could've gotten a promotion, gets a promotion. Ugh.

[Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends]

I also posted this in the Australia General Discussion thread, but considering that thread's semi-dead, here's Abbott's ministry:

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development - Warren Truss

Treasurer - Joe Hockey

Foreign Minister - Julie Bishop

Employment, Minister assisting the Prime Minister on the Public Service - Eric Abetz

Attorney-General, Arts - George Brandis

Finance - Mathias Cormann

Communications - Malcolm Turnbull

Indigenous Affairs - Nigel Scullion

Industry - Ian Macfarlane

Social Services - Kevin Andrews

Small Business - Bruce Billson

Trade and Investment - Andrew Robb

Health, Sport - Peter Dutton

Education - Christopher Pyne

Agriculture - Barnaby Joyce

Defence - David Johnston

Immigration and Border Protection - Scott Morrison

Environment - Greg Hunt

Disabilities and Aged Care - Mitch Fifield

Human Services - Marise Payne

Assistant Minister for Health - Fiona Nash

Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection as well as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women - Michaelia Cash

Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister - Josh Frydenberg

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications - Paul Fletcher

Chief Whip - Phillip Ruddock

Speaker - Bronwyn Bishop

[Knives]

lol still touting kevin andrews... smh