Australia General Discussion 2.0

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

What is the chance Shorty gets routed?

[Knives]

What is the chance Shorty gets routed?

It'd take an election loss.

[morgieb]

What is the chance Shorty gets routed?

Very unlikely given the new rules.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

What is the chance Shorty gets routed?

Very unlikely given the new rules.

Nor should we.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Di Natale take advantage of Turnballmania to clean up some  troublemakers of his own.

[Knives]

What is the chance Shorty gets routed?

Very unlikely given the new rules.

Nor should we.

Shorten's problem is his speech ability and the fact that he was intrinsic in toppling 2 PMs. Aside from that he's got some pretty good ideas and having met the guy he's quite nice. I think he'd make a surprisingly good PM and is quite underrated.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

What is the chance Shorty gets routed?

Very unlikely given the new rules.

Nor should we.

Shorten's problem is his speech ability and the fact that he was intrinsic in toppling 2 PMs. Aside from that he's got some pretty good ideas and having met the guy he's quite nice. I think he'd make a surprisingly good PM and is quite underrated.

Absolutely - I think there's is as much opportunity for Shorten with this elevation as there are complications.

I think the way Labor are handling Turnbull is completely sensible. The thing that the party room doesn't understand is that people want Turnbull to do different thing and pursue a more moderate platform ... Not be a more effective spokesperson for the same policies. The best arguments against Turnbull are about his authenticity and credibility.

Mark my words, Turnbull will be a challenge but he's not the saviour on a white charger he's being made out to be. He's made some big compromises (including on some core issues) and pissed off the right-wing of his party for even doing this. Include the clear expectations of him from the left and the centre and he's got a hell of a juggling act - especially with a tougher economic environment.

Remember what Keating said to Rudd about Turnbull "he's brilliant, he's fearless, but he's got no judgement"

[Barnes]

Rumors flying around now that Hockey is going to take over Turnbull's communications portfolio.

There are further reports of Morrison getting Treasury, Pyne going to Defense, and Michaelia Cash nabbing Immigration.

[BaconBacon96]

I feel like Turnbull has some room to act on his more progressive instincts in six months time once he's solidified his position, or until after the next election.

I wouldn't be surprised if he did move forward the date of the gay marriage plebiscite, for example.

[Talleyrand]

He is probably grandstanding, but hardline rightwing South Australia Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi is not ruling out forming a new conservative party. And he has the support of Melbourne-based shock jock Andrew Bolt.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/cory-bernardi-doesnt-rule-out-quitting-the-liberal-party-following-malcolm-turnbulls-elevation-20150915-gjnjkr.html


Also, Abbott has announced he will not resign from Parliament.

[Talleyrand]

In other news, a seal has been spotted riding a whale off the NSW coast.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/seal-rides-on-the-back-of-a-whale-on-the-nsw-south-coast-20150916-gjo732.html

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Tbh nowadays ego demands every senator will eventually form their own party.

Also, senator Ian MacDonald (another notorious fruitcake, maybe Bernardi will take him) is in trouble for telling a Scottish accented senator to "learn how to speak Australian". Will the SNP declare war?

In other news, a seal has been spotted riding a whale off the NSW coast.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/seal-rides-on-the-back-of-a-whale-on-the-nsw-south-coast-20150916-gjo732.html

And that was the greatest day of that seals life :')

[BaconBacon96]

Was that Doug Cameron he was referring to? How dare he, Doug is wonderful.

Also I love how the right-wing shock jocks are in meltdown that their beloved Tony was replaced by a somewhat more progressive member of the same conservative party. It's not unlike the attitude of the Tea Party in the US.

[politicus]

Tbh nowadays ego demands every senator will eventually form their own party.

Also, senator Ian MacDonald (another notorious fruitcake, maybe Bernardi will take him) is in trouble for telling a Scottish accented senator to "learn how to speak Australian". Will the SNP declare war?

A guy named Ian MacDonald complaining about a Scottish accent?

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Aaaaaand we get out first leak against the new PM.

Turnbull apparently not that keen on promoting women.

[Barnes]

Growing rumors about Bernardi's plans to jump ship.  It's of little importance of course, but he has just changed his description on Twitter from "Liberal Senator" to "Conservative Senator."  Who knows, but we do live in strange times...

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

As a Canadian who shares the same British Parliamentary tradition, I am completely perplexed by this weird Aussie habit of party coups. This type of stuff has never happened to a Canadian PM in a really long time.

[Barnes]

Growing rumors about Bernardi's plans to jump ship.  It's of little importance of course, but he has just changed his description on Twitter from "Liberal Senator" to "Conservative Senator."  Who knows, but we do live in strange times...

This seems to have been a false alarm, but as we all know the age of social media has brought a new dimension to the political game!

[BaconBacon96]

I wonder how a 'Conservative Party' led by Cory f**king Bernardi would do.

[Phony Moderate]

:0

[morgieb]

I wonder how a 'Conservative Party' led by Cory f**king Bernardi would do.

My spies suggest a move to Family First is more likely than creating his own party.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I wonder how a 'Conservative Party' led by Cory f**king Bernardi would do.

My spies suggest a move to Family First is more likely than creating his own party.

Yup.

[Barnes]

Very nice write-up by the Financial Review: the faceless men who stalked Abbott and made Turnbull king

[BaconBacon96]

Turnbull's Cabinet is expected to be announced either this weekend or on Monday.

His backers are tipped to be rewarded, some of Abbott's Praetorian Guard are expected to be moved on and more women are favoured to be appointed. The following new appointments have been suggested in the media

Treasurer: Scott Morrison
Minister of Defence: Christopher Pyne
Minister of Employment: Arthur Sinodinos
Minister of Immigration: Michaelia Cash
Minister of Communications: Joe Hockey

Ministers expected to be retained in their roles include

Minister of Foreign Affairs: Julie Bishop
Minister of Environment: Greg Hunt
Attorney-General: George Brandis (perhaps could be promoted to Leader of the Government in the Senate)
Minister of Health: Sussan Ley
Minister of Trade: Andrew Robb

[Barnes]

Apparently Abbott's office won't handover the internal mailing system that it employed, forcing a new one to be established in Simon Birmingham's office.

Perhaps a taste of the "loyal back bencher" that is yet to come?

Also, apparently Turnbull is still working out of his old Communications office as Abbott's staff won't relinquish the PM's office until Saturday.  So the incumbent PM has had no access to his office or to his official diary since taking office.