Australia General Discussion

[Solopop]

It's worth noting that the Coalition has preselected Slipper since 1983...

[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.

[Lief]

Gillard in parliament, btw:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihd7ofrwQX0

Worth a watch.

That's so awesome.

[Secretary Polnut]

What's hilarious is watching Abbott's face during this...

[Smid]

I've said many things in private about Slipper, that I won't repeat here, but we shouldn't have preselected him - and this is not a recent conclusion on my part and relates to other personality traits.

I think Labor's support for him yesterday revealed poor political judgement, as did the pursuit of Abbott for supposed sexism over the past few weeks. The Attorney-General had to have seen Slipper's texts, would have to have known there would be calls for Slipper to resign as Speaker, must have realised that the government would back Slipper in order to defend its numbers in the house, and yet thought it a good idea to create a double standard by attacking Abbott for misogyny. There is no way they could attack the way they did, and defend Slipper, without seeing up a hypocritical double standard, which I think is blatantly obvious, and why it demonstrates such poor political judgement. When you know you're going to be having to defend on a particular issue, it's stupid to deliberately raise the profile of that issue in advance.

[Platypus]

Here's a sample of roughly half the comments people made when sharing that video from amongst my facebook friends.

Sham: sh**t got real!
Chai: The Prime Minister delivered an amazing speech, in light of Abbott trying to position himself a feminist, going onto quote some of the misogynistic things Abbott has said about the PM and all women. "The Leader of the Opposition should think seriously about the role of women in public life and Australian society; because we are entitled to a better standard than this" (pointing at Abbott). *applauds*

Raveena: The best thing I've ever seen.

Olivia: AMAZING.

Tully: The Prime Minister.

Ana:  keen for the inevitable blundering attempt at justification.

Shane: Good watching

Katie: I'm not pretending to be an expert in politics, but I do know that this is the best 15mins of viewing I have seen in a very long time. Julia Gillard, if you can speak with this conviction and passion all the time then we would have on our hands one very powerful leader. Very inspired. (PS, Tony Abbott what are you even doing in parliament, seriously)

Ben: Like a boss.

Sarah: Finally Gillard calls out Abbott as a misogynist. Please, Australia, do not elect Abbott at the next election!

Harry: First good speech I've heard Gillard present yet! Come on Julia, keep turning your words in support of women's rights into action! Lead through example!

Danielle: badass!

Danni: The best ever.

-----

About half.

Seems to be really, really enthusing the left.

[You kip if you want to...]

The Aus Parliament's so much more funny than ours.

[afleitch]

Shame that while rightly slamming misogyny she hasn't made the connection that the same misogynistic attitudes prevail in anti-equal marriage circles which she herself seems to dalliance with.

[Secretary Polnut]

While I think she's venting a bit of the hurt over the Alan Jones comments, I think she DESPERATELY needs to get the left back on side after the SSM votes and the asylum-seeker changes... they've been wanting a full-throated personal attack on Abbott... I don't doubt that she genuinely feels this, but she's not going to express such high levels of personal rancour without considering the consequences...

[Leftbehind]

The Aus Parliament's so much more funny than ours.

Really? I thought it looked a much more serious affair. Our politicians don't really come across with any sincerity even in their rowdy confrontations, whilst Gillard looked convincing in her recounting of how the Liberals had campaigned against her, including Abbott, and how genuinely disgusted by it she was - obviously the vile dead father comments added much to the credibility of it (she even looked upset for the following comments after the 10min mark). Either way, if Abbott and Liberals went into parliament thinking they were going to make hay with that, they certainly made the mistake of their life. Abbott sat their looking like a scolded child.

[Hatman]

That video is all over my facebook feed... from Canadians

[Leftbehind]

As you'd expect with our Commonwealth bonds!

[Sibboleth]

Our politicians don't really come across with any sincerity even in their rowdy confrontations

That's because there are more rules governing what they can and can't say (and how they can and can't say it). So, generally, the rowdier, the less sincere - in appearance, at least. Or is sincere the right word? John Smith called the Commons an intimate theatre, after all.

[You kip if you want to...]

Our politicians don't really come across with any sincerity even in their rowdy confrontations

That's because there are more rules governing what they can and can't say (and how they can and can't say it). So, generally, the rowdier, the less sincere - in appearance, at least. Or is sincere the right word? John Smith called the Commons an intimate theatre, after all.

Flippant moments of sincerity are not necessarily 'good'. "Calm down dear" what quite the genuine, unscripted moment after all.

[Senator MaxQue]

That video is all over my facebook feed... from Canadians

Same thing from my NDP friends.

[Peter the Lefty]

My God, that was great.  Gillard finally has shown she has guts.  Maybe she'll back gay marriage next?  Nah, I shouldn't get too hopeful. 

[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.

[Smid]

All the usual caveats for internal polls and constituency polls (and for that matter, why if ReachTel conducing Liberal internal polls, not Crosby-Textor?). I view these with some degree of scepticism - although they'd be roughly in line with the 2004 election results (and although I suspect that the election will somewhat resemble that election), and although the Labor state government may be something of a millstone around federal Labor's neck, the past couple of Newspolls which have broken down to state level have shown the government strong in South Australia.

 http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/liberals-buoyed-by-federal-poll-results/story-e6frea83-1226497373986

[RogueBeaver]

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

[Platypus]

First ballot now complete in the vote to get on to the UNSC. Finalnd should win through very comfortably, and we're slightly favoured for the second spot against Luxembourg, but it's apparently very close. Should all have finished ages ago, now 2:45am and still no result.

A decisive result could take days, but the counting each round shouldn't.

[Platypus]

YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES

Woo! 140 votes!

Finland comes last :/

[RogueBeaver]

Congrats guys.

[I Can't Get That Sound You Make, Out Of My Head]

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

Some of the Liberal governments are going all austerity on us, but other than that not really.

[Vote UKIP!]

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