Sorry for the
major delay, I've been busy applying for jobs, going to interviews and like, hence my decreased activity here in general.
Australia, after many elections where there was no clear winner, finally returned a Parliament where the government would be easily determined – Labor, who had considered disbanding as recently as 2004, experienced their best vote total since the 1970s – you had to go back to 1979 to find a better vote total for Labor. Natural Law also took second place, leaving the Tories to take third. Family First polled well in their first election, with a promising 10%, the far-left Anticapitalist Alliance lost even more votes, and the Democrats and Patriotic Front lost large amounts of votes. This was particularly true of the former, Deputy PM Meg Lees losing her own seat to Labor, who were aided by Natural Law preferences. It was apparent by 9pm on election night that Simon Crean would become the next Prime Minister of Australia.
Summary of 2005 election:
House of RepresentativesLabor – 81 (+46)
Natural Law – 56 (+22)
Conservative – 50 (-17)
Democrats – 4 (-34)
Patriotic Front – 4 (-16)
Anticapitalist Alliance – 4 (-1)
Independent - 1 (nc)
Senate2002: 10
Conservative, 9
Democrats, 7
Natural Law, 6
Labor, 3
Patriotic Front, 1
Anticapitalist Alliance2005: 14
Labor, 11
Natural Law, 10
Conservative, 2
Family First, 1
Democrats, 1
Patriotic Front, 1
Anticapitalist AllianceTotal: 20
Labor, 20
Conservative, 18
Natural Law, 10
Democrats, 4
Patriotic Front, 2
Family First, 2
Anticapitalist AllianceTwo-party preferred vote:
63.63-
36.37Outgoing Prime Minister Peter Costello immediately resigned as Conservative leader and MP for Higgins, which the Conservatives only retained narrowly in the subsequent by-election in February 2006. The new Democrat leader was Natasha Stott Despoja, one of the few surviving Democrat MPs, while the new Conservative leader, after a messy battle with Joe Hockey, Brendan Nelson, Warren Truss and Mal Brough, was Mark Vaile, who was originally elected as a National MP at the 1994 election. Vaile, who chose Mal Brough as his Deputy Leader, faced a tough challenge - with Australia's major right-wing party now third in terms of vote and seats, he would be overseeing an extremely tough job of rebuilding.
New PM Simon Crean and Deputy PM Kerry Nettle promptly announced their agreement for government on the 24th of October, 2005:
- A tax on carbon dioxide emissions, to be introduced at the start of financial year 2007/08, with carbon dioxide to be taxed at $25 a tonne.
- A "super profit" tax on mining and resources, at 35%, aimed at mining/resources companies who were making more than $60,000,000 in profit. This would also come into effect as of financial year 2007/08
- A paid parental leave scheme for all of those earning less than $90,000 a year.
- New restrictions on lightbulbs.
- A nationwide referendum on gay marriage.
- No more forest to be allocated for logging.
- A 15% increase to the national petrol tax.
As per usual, other issues would be discussed as the Parliament progressed. Not long after the new government took office, a series of gruesome race riots broke out in the Sydney beachside suburb of Cronulla in December 2005, between Australians of Anglo-Celtic and Middle Eastern ancestry. Allegedly starting over a clash on a beach involving two lifeguards and some unruly youths, a week later, it broke out into an ugly racially-motivated clash, spread by text messages, with the motivation of beating up those who looked like "terrorists", so to speak. PM Crean, Deputy PM Nettle, NSW Premier Morris Iemma, and all the other Premiers and Chief Ministers of Australia condemned the attacks, although some in the media played into the hands of the rioting. The NSW government promptly beefed up police powers, including the power of seizing mobile phones and cars for a week.
Early 2006 saw the easy passing of the carbon tax, petrol tax hike, and mining super tax legislation in the House of Representatives, although the bills would not be passed in both houses until the new Senate took its seats on the 1st of July, 2006, as the old Senate had 88 members, 30 of whom were Tories, and not enough of the outgoing Democrat Senators could be persuaded to support the bills without amendments. Legislation to prevent logging, much to the chagrin of the Tasmanian state government, was passed around the same time, this was the partial reason for the Conservatives, under Rene Hidding, almost winning government in Tasmania at their March 2006 election. The Democrats' decline continued in South Australia, with the Democrats losing seats to both Labor and the Tories, Labor emerging with majority government.
On Anzac Day, 2006, a small earthquake struck Tasmania, causing a rock fall in Beaconsfield gold mine, in the state's north. 14 miners were inside the mine at the time, one was found deceased on the 28th of April, and two were trapped until the 9th of May inside the mine. Following the rescue and examination of the mine, higher standards of mine construction were legislated, and severe penalties would apply to owners of mines who did not comply. Earlier in April, trouble broke out in the Solomon Islands, and the Australian military deployed peacekeeping forces, followed by a deployment to East Timor the following month.
A referendum held in July of 2006, in Toowoomba, Queensland, on recycled sewerage water, would garner national attention, and a nationwide debate over recycled water emerged. The referendum was defeated by a margin of 38-62, although some councils would soon pass similar legislation, and they were backed by politicians from all across the spectrum. No political party would make attempts for a nationwide referendum on the matter, as a general consensus, spearheaded by Tory leader Mark Vaile, was that this was for communities to decide. The framework for the upcoming gay marriage referendum was released in August of 2006, it would alter the Marriage Act accordingly from "one man, one woman" to "two people", however, it would not force religious organisations to recognise or conduct gay marriages, letting them decide for themselves, as added by the Tories Family First. The referendum was due to be held on the 30th of June, 2007.
Amidst two tragic celebrity deaths in one week, namely Steve Irwin of TV's The Crocodile Hunter fame, and racecar driver Peter Brock in September 2006, the remainder of the year was fairly quiet politically, Labor won the Victorian state election, despite a decent swing to the Tories, and Mark Vaile announced his retirement as Tory leader on the 4th of December, 2006, citing that "it was time for someone else to oversee the rebuilding of the Conservatives". The leadership election saw Joe Hockey prevail over Bronwyn Bishop, Warren Truss, Dennis Jensen and Kevin Andrews.
2007 began somewhat dismally, with 500 rioters turning on police in the holiday town of Rye, Victoria, and youth attending an illegal drag race in southeastern Melbourne turning on police and trashing the vicinity. In the second Australia Day following the Cronulla riots, PM Crean stated that "We cannot, as a nation, sink to the abyss displayed on that dreadful day in 2005. We are a proud nation, but also a diverse and caring nation." A mini-scandal emerged in March of 2007, when it was revealed that Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd had met with former WA Premier, the disgraceful Brian Burke. Not long afterwards, Attorney-General Kelvin Thomson was caught in hot water over writing a character reference for a Melbourne gangland figure, Tony Mokbel six years prior. A number of disasters, natural and man-made alike, claimed the lives of 14 Australians in March of 2007. Amidst this bleak backdrop, the NSW Government, led by Premier Morris Iemma, was reduced to a three-seat majority at the state election.
A report on child abuse, domestic violence and drug/alcohol abuse in indigenous communities was released on the 21st of June. PM Crean announced that there would be no intervention into remote Aboriginal communities, citing that type of measure as racist, rather assisting to build community councils, in accordance with the Constitution, and devolving decision making power to the peoples of the land. Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks also arrived home the previous month, and served the remainder of his sentence at a prison in Adelaide.
A referendum has been called for the 30th of June, 2007:
"Do you support the proposed changes to the federal Marriage Act, namely removing the reference to one man and one woman?"
Voting is open for 72 hours.
Me:
NO.
Poll
