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They don’t totally love us but they like us a teensy bit more

David Penberthy

by David Penberthy

23 Aug 05:55am

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Filed under: Election 2010, Hung Parliament, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott

133 comments

Desperate times call for desperate measures and the measures don’t get much more desperate than the argument between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott over which side won the popular vote in Saturday night’s election shambles.

Apparently it is a popularity contest

At stake in this argument is nothing less than the right to govern a nation - well at least for a few weeks until Bob Katter demands we declare war on Brazil over orange imports, Tony Windsor has the entire $43 billion outlay for the National Broadband Network spent in Tamworth alone, Rob Oakeshott declares Port Macquarie a tax-free haven, and Adam Bandt announces the Melbourne CBD is now a bilby sanctuary.

As both sides start playing footsies with the independents, they are desperate to claim the mantle of legitimacy, to argue that the number of votes they received overall has given them a popular mandate.

The popular vote argument is largely rubbish. Everyone who is involved in politics knows that the size of the vote doesn’t matter, but its location. The Coalition won the popular vote in 1990 but the Hawke Labor Government was returned on the strength of Green preferences under a mega-deal orchestrated by Graham Richardson. In 1998, Labor won a majority of votes cast but not in the seats it needed to win, and the Howard Government won a second term despite having what the then PM called the lead in his saddlebags of a GST.

But because of the impasse created by Saturday night, anything which can help bolster your argument is welcome. As such in the past two days both Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard have claimed to have won the popular vote.

“It is clear that neither party has earned the right to govern in its own right,” Julia Gillard said yesterday, claiming Labor had a majority of the two-party preferred vote.

“I think this is a critical fact to weigh in the coming days,” she said.

Tony Abbott used his speech on Saturday, and yesterday’s presser, to stress that the Coalition had registered 500,000 more votes than the ALP and was the only party which could deliver stable and legitimate government.

What we think about all this is worth chatting about here. But what really matters is what Bob, Rob, Tony and Adam make of it all.

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133 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Eric says:

      06:04am | 23/08/10

      I would say the desperation is mostly on the Labor side of things. At this point, all Tony Abbott has to do is wait. His performance has pretty much ensured a future in a leadership position. Julia Gillard, not so much.

      Reply

    • Tom says:

      07:47am | 23/08/10

      Barnaby is the elephant in Abbott’s room. Unlike the independents, he is a genuine fruitcake. He has no sense of team or what is best for Australia, just a moronic, attention seeking destructive quality which the ALP must love.

      You’ve got to hand it to the faceless Labor men, they know how to deal with their nutters. Time to act Tony.

    • Phil says:

      11:54am | 23/08/10

      Food for thought. If and it is a big if, Julia gets to govern, if it goes tits up which is a strong possibility, Adam Brandt will be only a temporary member of parliment. See he only got over the ine by Lib preferences. Should he support labor, he would be unlikely in my opinion to get the same result next time. If I was the Libs I would offer him a parlimentary secretary role for the environment, same with the independants, in the areas of communication, regional Australia, and mining, that way they could have their say in areas of importance to them, pick up a few extra staffers etc. Watch this space.

    • Julie Coker-Godson says:

      12:08am | 24/08/10

      @Phil says:  I like your post Phil and the suggestion to make the independents parliamentary secretaries.  Good idea if it gets up.  The other independent who worries me, apart from Joyce is Katter.  Another one who flies off the handle and is dangerously unpredictable.  I watched him on the 7.30 Report last night.  Did you see the defensive body language? and then there were his comments this evening on the ABC about the way he felt the Nationals had destroyed his electorate.  This is not a man who should be having so much influence at this time.  I believe it will all become too unstable in the end and that we will be back at the polls in approx. 12 months (just a guess).  What a mess!

    • Karma says:

      06:05am | 23/08/10

      The coalition has always been dismissive of the independents and now they need their support to form Government.  What goes around comes around.

      Reply

    • Elizzie says:

      09:04am | 23/08/10

      These “Independents” got their name in their electorates as National Party candidates. Interestingly if you look at the voting in the electorates they represent, the second largest vote is for the National candidate. If they truely want to represent their local constituents surely they can’t side with Labor but would have to lean to the Conservatives based on these facts?

    • TheRealDave says:

      10:07am | 23/08/10

      You may want to look at WHY they left he National Party Elizzie. If their constituents were truly ‘conservative’ it stands to reason these independents would have been bulldozed by the LNP years ago wouldn’t you? But they haven’t been. All 3 have been powerhouses in each electorate for over years.

    • Herbert says:

      01:12pm | 23/08/10

      You cant assume that these Independents will automatically gravitate to the Coalition because they represent conservative elcetorates.  A lot of the people who live in these electorates are old-fashioned agrarian socialists. They believe in big government spending and subsidies in rural Australia, and the current small-government, low-spending mantra of the modern Coalition is anathema to them.  We’ve already seen the WA National who has replaced Wilson Tuckey asking for 850 million in rural subsidies - do you think that is going to go down well with a Coalition that has already earmarked massive spending cuts? They all seem to favour improved broadband services, and are not likley to be impressed by the Coalition’s ramshackle, discount broadband plan. The Coalition is starting off with a slight advantage dealing with the Independents, but it wont take much at all to put them squarely in Julia’s corner.

    • Edward James says:

      03:24pm | 23/08/10

      Perhaps the Independents will be the trigger for another election which some of us hope will be the first step in a series of changes. Changes which may bring us closer to honest open representative government. Something which in their turn neither Labor or Liberal the two parties not much prefered has been willing or able to provide constituents.

    • Ed Balls says:

      04:16pm | 23/08/10

      What the independants would like to see is a conscience vote on all issues.
      If all MPs are allowed to vote as they see fit,and not told how to vote by the faceless men,then that can’t be a bad thing.
      That way ,we get the best policies of both parties,and don’t get the rubbish policies.
      Real democracy as the Constitution originally intended.

    • Tom says:

      05:53pm | 23/08/10

      @ Herbet “A lot of the people who live in these electorates are old-fashioned agrarian socialists.”

      These independents courted and received conservative preferences. That is where their bread is buttered.

      Labor finished last by a long shot in all these electorates. Had their electorate known there was somehow a deep-seated “closet” Labor man lurking there they would not have been voted in.

      Their choice is simple. Their roots are conservative, even if they hate some of the LNP team (which they do). Despite their posturing, if they overplay their hand and de-stabilise the conservative government, they will in effect be betraying their conservative constituency. They then risk another election and being uncermoniously dumped at that election by that conservative constituency.

      There is a name for this. It is called representation, hence “House of Representatives”.

    • Evan Findlay says:

      06:33pm | 23/08/10

      Elizzie,
      If you actually look at the policies of the Nationals they are more attune to the left than the right. They believe in protectionism and tariffs and when Katter moved away from the Nationals he accused them of succumbing to the doctrine of free trade, privatisation and deregulation. Can you see the likes of Abbott and Brandis entertaining notions of tariffs and protectionism?
      These Independents left the Nationals because of in fighting and a difference of opinion when it came to policy. That doesn’t sound like stability to me.

    • TheRealDave says:

      07:47pm | 23/08/10

      @Tom…one minute its ‘Labor don’t even run in those electorates’ or ‘they come last’ - now its ‘independents courting preferences from Conservatives’....how can you get preferences from your main competition ie the Nats in those seats?

      Getting desperate? Claims of Legitimacy when it was 70-72 not looking so good now that its 73-73 and the Greens already declared for Labor making it 74-73??

    • Tom says:

      10:55pm | 23/08/10

      Dave, my info was that Labor did run candidates in those seats. I did not think there was a problem here. The Greens court disillusioned Labor voters in inner city seats. You know the thing, a bit of socialism eases the doctors wives’ and latte middle class conscience. “What the hell, my husband can afford the private hospitals and the extra tax for those poor blighters out there. Just don’t let them touch my BMW.”

      Desperate? No, but I hope that Labor gets turfed. Perhaps I am looking for evidence but I genuinely believe the independents won’t go Labor in those electorates.

      BTW: Did you see how Telstra shares dropped like a stone after Katter crapped on about broadband for the bush? Jittery eh? Katter and Conroy, together at last, scaring the bejesus out of the mums and dads. All they need is Barnaby singing bass and we would have the whole asylum.

    • Pamela says:

      06:59am | 23/08/10

      I’m sorry Ms Gillard what the voters said was, in actual fact, we dislike you intensely. If you cannot comprehend the message, then it shows you are not fit to lead.

      Reply

    • JulesG says:

      09:45am | 23/08/10

      Where we live she is well liked and held in much higher esteem than big ears. I would say that 8 out of 10 people I speak to, much prefer Julia.

      Just to drive the point home, my 3rd generation Australian born partner is threatening to emigrate if Abbott gets in! She reckons his cuts and lack of direction will take Australia back 40 years. As for the independents, it is true democracy at work. They are not political illiterates like most of the voting electorate and will demand an outcome that benefits their constituents and Australia. I reckon cutting hospital beds, closing apprenticeship schools and cancelling World class broadband will not sit well with them.

    • Tails says:

      10:05am | 23/08/10

      How can you possibly hope to be taken seriously when when you show such a lack of common decency and respect as to resort to name calling?
      And your comment about your partner threatening to emigrate is ludicrous.
      But if she is serious, don’t let the door hit her arse on her way out.

    • fehowarth says:

      10:07am | 23/08/10

      Yes they might have with a stretch of the imagination said that but they did not say with any conviction that they like Tony.

    • Noddy says:

      10:08am | 23/08/10

      Thanks JulesG for your appraisal that most of the voting electorate are political illiterates…I prefer to think that we could understand every word of the election and voted accordingly, giving Ms Gillard a “touch-up”.After all, Mr Abbott (or “big ears” as the immature and childish like to call him) was unelectable 9 months ago wasn’t he?

      Oh and BTW, tell your partner not to let the door hit his backside on the way out will you?? That goes for yourself as well…..

    • Damocles says:

      10:23am | 23/08/10

      @JulesG…...........“big ears”? Still in the schoolyard are we? Calling people names? Grow up! Tony Abbott will make a great Prime Minister and his ears will be no impediment! Unlike two faced, or is that three faced, Julia Gillard!
      See, I can make a comment without resorting to name calling!

    • Paul C says:

      10:41am | 23/08/10

      If the voters disliked her “intensely” then Tony would have a majority government, would he not?

    • Dash says:

      12:27pm | 23/08/10

      PaulC, If we had a first past the post system, Tony would have a majority government. The independents should remember that. Anyone seen the real Julia yet?

    • Kevin says:

      12:43pm | 23/08/10

      Those who said Abbott is unelectable have been proved right.  Despite Labor’s disastrous 3 years in govt, their woeful campaign, the leaks and the “Rudd factor”, Abbott could only manage a swing of 2% and has fallen short of a majority.  Imagine if the Coalition had put up a candidate with credibility and a positive message, eg Malcolm Turnbull.

    • Jason says:

      01:02pm | 23/08/10

      My god the lefties live their entire lives in denial.  The ALP has been turfed and holds less seats than the LNP.  You LOSE.  Not even an attempted gerrymander saved the Labor Party this time around.

    • Geoff says:

      01:09pm | 23/08/10

      @ JulesG

      All the better to hear the electorate with.

    • Sam says:

      01:12pm | 23/08/10

      Pamela says:06:59am | 23/08/10

      “I’m sorry Ms Gillard what the voters said was, in actual fact, we dislike you intensely. If you cannot comprehend the message, then it shows you are not fit to lead.”

      Considering we dislike MS Gillard so intensely [thanks btw, for speaking for the rest of us] Considering Rudd lost his way by not calling for a DD, also considering that of all the votes she lost, two thirds went to the left of Labor while only one third went to your godboy.

      That tells me, Abbott is even less fit to lead. [in the opinion of us, the voters.]

    • Sam says:

      01:24pm | 23/08/10

      Dash says:12:27pm | 23/08/10

      “If we had a first past the post system, Tony would have a majority government. The independents should remember that.”


      And if we had proportional representation we would have a majority leftist government[Labor/Green coalition]  The independents should remember that.

      In fact, we have neither, we have preferential voting, so maybe we shoould leave the decisions to the independents themselves?

    • Arthur Spencer says:

      01:43pm | 23/08/10

      JulesG - ‘my 3rd generation Australian born partner is threatening to emigrate if Abbott gets in!’

      Tell her to send us a postcard

    • Dissident says:

      01:44pm | 23/08/10

      Hey Sam, maybe mathematics isn’t your forte, but Abbott got a lazy half million more primary votes than Gillard.

      Preferential voting is sit on the fence rubbish. We need first past the post voting. Preference deals are only a chance for the political schysters to warp the will of Australians.

      If you don’t support somebody’s platform enough to give them your number 1 vote - they don’t deserve your vote at all.

      By the way Sam, don’t berate somebody who professes to speak for ‘all of us’ and then say [in the opinion of us, the voters] - it makes you sound like a hypocrit… or worse.

    • TheRealDave says:

      03:23pm | 23/08/10

      So under ‘first past the post’ you’d be happy with someone who got ...lets say 38% of the vote ‘winning’ despite 62% of the electorate voting against them?

      Lucky we have preferential voting. That way the candidate that ‘most’ people prefer gets up.

    • Jason CR says:

      04:03pm | 23/08/10

      @TheRealDave
      Most countries don’t have the 2PP, so the answer to your question is yes.
      Also Labor got less than 40% of the primary vote and prima facie evidence that people don’t want them.  Without 2PP Labor would have been smashed by an extra 10+ seats.  A grubby greens deal saved your backside Dave…

    • TheRealDave says:

      04:40pm | 23/08/10

      And?

      What is it a surprise to some that the Greens were directing preferences to Labor? I marked my ballot the way I did so I knew where my vote was going, took me all of about 8 seconds. Maybe we should redress that in the future? And while we are at it we will make sure the Libs can’t benefit from the contribution of that ‘other’ party - the Nationals…remember them?

    • Sam says:

      04:49pm | 23/08/10

      Dissident says:01:44pm | 23/08/10

      Obviously my sarcasm went over your head.

    • Tom says:

      07:39pm | 23/08/10

      Look at where they came from and where they are now.

      Abbott took his party from, way behind to equal first. Coversely, Rudd and Gillard took their party from way ahead to equal first.

      Abbott did a whole lot better.

      @ Jules, sorry mate but “big ears”? Thanks for turning up, fella.

    • Chris L says:

      10:21pm | 23/08/10

      While I’m not overly impressed with JulesG’s name calling and referring to the electorate as “illiterate” I would like to remind those neo-cons feigning indignation that they are very quick to use names like “Krudd” and “Lame-Duck” and refer to every voter that does not side with the Libs as “stupid”. If we want to keep things civil, both sides have work to do.

    • Bob H says:

      07:06am | 23/08/10

      I am more than happy that Bob, Rob, Tony and Adam have a position of power.  These people are genuine leaders, no party machine for them to sit on for the easy ride.  They have conviction, long gone from the parties. Independants always have to suffer continual haranging by the press because they are not part of the cosy club and therefore portrayed as a threat.  The best speech given by far in this campaign was Rob Oakshott, I never knew a recorded telephone conversation could be so inspiring.  I hope the independants new friends can learn about what working for constituents and country is, rather than self interest and desperation to enter history books.

      Reply

    • Farmer says:

      01:43am | 24/08/10

      Ouch! Tony Windsor’s agenda is ONLY “self interest and desperation to enter history books”. He has no runs on the board (real runs - not talk about runs) for his constituents. These “independents” are simply dummy spitters who didn’t get their own way & appear to strike out for the little guy. In spite of the large number of votes, Tony Windsor will NOT actually achieve anything for Tamworth people, nor can he do anything for the rest of Australia. He is a big ego with no substance. I suspect all four “indies” are. :(

    • Gregg says:

      07:21am | 23/08/10

      Lets not forget Andrew too David and it seems they’ll all be waiting on the final fall of the last cards and one way or another it would seem until the doubtful seats are known we’re still in caretaker mode as both leaders agree under convention.

      As soon as 76 trombones can lead the marching parade, someone will be off to see the GG.
      Meanwhile Saturday seems to be something of an anticlimax and now we can just let the suspense build and Four Corners tonight will tell us all of more gloom and doom on the way with that second V of the W we have to have!

      Reply

    • Phil says:

      07:31am | 23/08/10

      You make a good point David. My money is that if and its a big if Gillard gets to govern, we will be back at the polls around the same time next year, possibly with Shorten or Combet as leader. If you could get a hidden camera into the first causus meeting it would trump the ratings for any state of origin/masterchef et al.
      The knives will be out, not neccessarily for Julia for now, but for certain campaign directors/factional warlords and the person who decided on a rush to the polls.
      Most Australians are not stupid, well according to the results about 4 million are, but hey thats their decision which one must respect.
      No doubt in my opinion an Abbott led minority government would have much better internal harmony. From oblivion 9 months ago they have gone within 4,000 votes of government, that is remarkable in itself.
      What will be required ? Free internet to everyone in the three independants seats. Stopping brazilian oranges, is not a bad thing WTF we need to import fruit is beyond me anyway. Regional Australia might just get some good policies which would be long overdue. (I live in Southern Sydney and only drive through regional areas.
      The greens probably with the senate, have as much power as these independants.
      Whoever gets in, will it be a poison chalice? Will because of supply issues we go back and the non supporting parties get chucked out? My money is that the next election could be a DD one.

      Reply

    • The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

      08:44am | 23/08/10

      I agree with the double dissolution. Give it 12 months for Abbott to entrench himself and start getting the country back in the black after Labor’s unfortunate cash splashing, then the first time the Greens try to block something in the Senate, he can call an election to get them booted. It also means that he will need to get a lot of legislation through early. Reintroducing TPVs, hopefully.

      I also agree with Gary Cox, below. Katter could start planning his round Australia caravan trip, avoiding rural Queensland, if he even thought about defecting to the dark side and supporting the ALP

    • PG says:

      09:21am | 23/08/10

      Yep Pimp it was Unfortunate that we avoided the GFC—- Next time Tone will put us in back in recession and drive wages down as it was meant to be.

    • PaulB says:

      03:00pm | 23/08/10

      PG we have not avoided anything. The “GFC” (nice marketable name that) is not over by any stretch.  The Rudd/Gillard deficit only ensures the coming next leg of the “GFC” will take us down further, quicker.

    • PG says:

      04:05pm | 23/08/10

      Rubbish Pauly—Its all about you getting your Tax breaks and letting everybody else go hang. Please spare us the whatifs

    • Gary Cox says:

      07:48am | 23/08/10

      If Windsor and Katter side with Labor (which I doubt) there is absolutely no way known they will be re-elected next election

      Reply

    • jess says:

      08:56am | 23/08/10

      @gary you assume too much. there is a very good reason the electors vote independent. the nats have abandoned them in the past. how stupid was truss to throw abuse towards katter a man he needs to negotiate with.
      dumb diplomacy

    • jb says:

      09:08am | 23/08/10

      Gary thats a very good point.

    • Bruce says:

      10:14am | 23/08/10

      Gary Cox: Agree: As i understand it, all three indepenedents have a relatively low labor vote in their seats. I do not know how they could support labor and know next time they go to an election, all 3 independents would most probably be kicked out of their seats.

    • Practical Dreamer says:

      08:10am | 23/08/10

      A hung parliament!  Too good to be true.  Both smug major parties will have to review their blackmailing ways and actually listen to what we, the people, actually want.

      Reply

    • fehowarth says:

      10:11am | 23/08/10

      As the independents said it is not about parties, it is about stable government.  Julia might not have won.  Tony also did not win.

    • Heather says:

      08:12am | 23/08/10

      I agree with Phil et al; I think if a Labor minority Govt gets up, it will not last. For example, the fallout from the upcoming NSW State election will have huge repercussions. But I do believe some major pork is going to flow…also, we are no longer in election mode, so all the stuff about the budget being back in surplus will fall by the wayside. My predictions, NBN taken up by the coalition, but tweaked; mining tax gone because Katter and the new National guy from WA are totally against it. However, it will be put to the Senate before July next year, when the Greens take balance of power. In fact, I see a LOT of deals being done before then…Also, I don’t see the Libs parental payment getting up either; and watch the ALP Murray Darling, I don’t think Barnaby Joyce was too extreme by saying it was a deal with the Greens, which at the time, wasn’t an issue, given those are virtually all NAT seats…but now the independents are so powerful, regional issues will prevail.

      Reply

    • Denny Crane says:

      08:46am | 23/08/10

      What most likely will happen is the independents will side with the Coalitiion, if they dont they will lose thier seats next election to the coalition, and the greens side with Labor due to same reason.

      Will we see Tony form a minority government, there will be some alterations to his policies but not major ones, the issue will be getting laws passed through the senate, which could cause issuesdown the track.

      One point that needs to be claified is that the GG needs to step down immediateley as being the mother in law of Bill SHorten this has to be a conflict of interest

      Reply

    • Dwgw says:

      09:12am | 23/08/10

      I agree with the fact that a double dissolution is in the offing. I hope the Australian public and the Independents think about how much this will cost the nation ( about the price of several hospitals or 75 km of highway)
      I agree the GG should step aside for this decision. She deffinitely has a conflict of interest.
      I also see that if Abott gets in on the double dossolution, John Howard may have lost the cricket vote, but he’ll get the next GG role. GO John you are a statesman

    • fairsfair says:

      09:27am | 23/08/10

      I am quite shocked to find out that the GG is Shorty’s mother in law. I am sure that there are people out there that have known about it for ages and I am surprised that it hasn’t come out like it has today beforehand. Even though a conflict situation has not come up before this past weekend - I would have thought it to have been something people would have jumped on.

      I totally agree. Irrespective of Australia’s current political climate - there is an issue there and she should step aside.

      Constitutionally though, what would that mean? With a caretaker prime misinster installed and a likely hung parliament - what would it mean if the GG stood aside today? Would the Queen have to appoint her replacement?

    • Tails says:

      09:28am | 23/08/10

      Not sure she needs to step down, but she could excuse herself from this decision couldn’t she?

    • jhm says:

      09:34am | 23/08/10

      That’s a difficult call about Ms Bryce. What was she supposed to do? Forbid her daughter to marry the man of her choice? That’s preposterous. And if she had stepped down, who’s to say her replacement would be any more impartial. The appointment of the GG is ALWAYS a political appointment, and who will appoint if not the leading politician of the day? The Queen? The people in general election (wouldn’t that be fun - a THIRD ballot paper)? Regardless of how they are brought to power, anyone in that position is going to have ties to one side or the other, it’s inevitable. It’s a small world, and everyone has an axe to grind or an agenda to push these days.  Just look at the politically charged dismissal of the Whitlam Government by the then Nat-Lib sympathiser, former GG Sir John Kerr (well may you say…).  Some might say turnabout is fair play, though I expect Ms Bryce has a great deal more personal and professional integrity than that, and actually cares about the future of Australia. The position of GG exists for precisely this reason - a head of state to form a government (or dissolve one) in the event of a major political upheaval. We need stable government of some sort. That’s an indisputable fact.  What has Ms Bryce herself done to indicate a preference for one side over another?  The problem is that she’s damned either way. Whichever way she goes, there’s a good chance she will be politically crucified, and the entire position of the GG as an intermediary between the rival political parties could be called to account, which is in itself breeds uncertainty.  Whatever the consequences, I have no doubt that she will act By. The. Book.  At the end of the day, the position of the GG is the only certainty we have at the moment that a stable government might be formed, whomever winds up taking the reigns. I would argue we need that before we start cutting the head off our entire system of government.

    • Gregg says:

      10:06am | 23/08/10

      I agree Denny though not necessarily about the GG needing to stp down immediately.
      She has a role to perform and it is hoped that she would be able to perform it impartially despite who her daughter has married.
      I have heard her described by a prominent politico journo this morning as a career lefty whatever that means and it was also alleged that she has been doing some political campaigning for Kevin:
      . Apparently in Africa re Australia getting a seat on the security council
      . Also very strong on support re ETS
      There was also a reference to one other area of political policy that she had been pushing a bit but that could be construed as community support.

      And yes fairsfair, it’s Shorty Capone you need to brush up on re how, where or who he gets about with as sort of a dandy in tandem with Julia in some ways!
      Perhaps could be something of a conspiracy plot in it all! , a new series to replace Sons & Daughters, something along the lines of the Mini series Power & Glory it could be called Mothers and Parliamentary Lovers!

    • TheRealDave says:

      10:14am | 23/08/10

      Why would she need to step down? She can’t cast a casting vote she can only approve whoever can bring here the needed 76 votes. What…do you think she’ll swear in Labor without the required numbers?

      Are you people just plain stupid?

    • Nicole says:

      10:20am | 23/08/10

      I’m with you Tails, she should not have anything to do with this decision.

    • Denny Crane says:

      11:44am | 23/08/10

      You cannot have any possibilty of a conflict of interest, we are talking about the position of the GG.

      She has shown to be a lefty, in respect to the ETS, her son-in-law, is a MP, whats to happen if Gillard loses, and then SHorten is oppostion leader, then the conflict of interest become even more of an issue.

      How could then the PM, if he is having a private chat with the GG know that nothing will be leaked, it opens up a potential pandoras box, that needs to be closed before it is open

    • Hermoine says:

      02:30pm | 23/08/10

      The GG doesn’t “pick”, it’s whoever can provide a majority in the House of Representatives; and they live and die on the floor of the Parliament.  Convention is that the Caretaker Prime Minister has first shot.  If she cannot, then she will advise the GG otherwise.  The GG may then invite Tony Abbott, as Leader of the Party with the next largest number of seats to form a Government.  Remember, Tony Abbott can only govern in coalition in any event.  The Liberal Party (or even the Liberal - LNP Party) does not have as many seats as the ALP; it only does so in Coalition with the National Party and the County Liberal Party of the NT.  If he cannot do so, the advice is likely to be that another election is called.

      The only GG to go against this convention was Sir John Kerr when Whitlam commanded a majority in the House of Representatives, but had supply deferred by the Senate.  The advice from Whitlam was to call a half-Senate election; it was rejected and the then GG decided to call a full double dissolution instead.

      Now if GG Bryce was in that position, it would be different because the GG is acting against convention and the advice of the Government (even in Caretaker mode).  However, should a situation arise where neither party can guarantee a majority, or for the sake of avoiding a perceived conflict of interest, or if she’s out of the country - I think the most senior Governor (Gov Marie Bashir from NSW) would probably handle the formalities.

    • Daryl says:

      08:48am | 23/08/10

      This is such a silly situation. More people voted LNP than ALP and the ALP primary was below 40%. They lost 8 seats but would have lost more if not for green preferences. Under those circumstances if the greens and independents allow Labor to govern, there is something wrong with the system.

      Reply

    • Duff says:

      10:03am | 23/08/10

      Except that the LNP is a coalition of two parties.  Imagine if Labor formed a coalition with the Greens?

    • jg says:

      12:13pm | 23/08/10

      Imagine if Labor formed a coalition with the Greens?

      Which will never happen so your argument is totally irrelevant.

    • Daryl says:

      12:18pm | 23/08/10

      Yeah Duff then the ALP would stand for socialist wealth redistribution (welcome to 1917 comrade), decriminalised drugs, higher taxes for corporates, higher taxes for working individuals and open borders. I don’t think the ALP would want to embrace those policies because they’d attract even fewer primary votes!

    • The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

      08:50am | 23/08/10

      It is about time rural issues DID prevail. No offence, but people living in cities don’t actually produce much but hot air.

      Cities are dependent on the country, but the way the city folk carry on, you’d think it was the other way around. If Sydney slid into the harbour tomorrow and the immigrants set fire to Melbourne in a riot, the country folk would get on fine. Better in fact. Less bureaucracy and paperwork.

      Reply

    • Battered Sav says:

      11:18am | 23/08/10

      Lies. You’d all be incesting eachother within seconds of finding out.

    • Phil says:

      08:58am | 23/08/10

      WHERE IS PETER LEWIS’S PIECE TODAY OR IS HE TOO BUSY EATING HUMBLE PIE WITH BRUCE HAWKER

      Reply

    • nosthow says:

      09:00am | 23/08/10

      Both sides are on the nose Colgo. Australians just could not decide on Saturday and the Coalition proved they werent up to the task by not taking government from a very weakened Labor Party. My guess is that we will in the not too distant future be going back to the polls and lets hope 2nd time around we get a clear result ! I will support either side providing Australia gets good sound government.

      Reply

    • Lois says:

      09:02am | 23/08/10

      Let’s not forget the 1990 Federal election, Liberals had more 2PP vote 50.10 to 49.90 yet Keating won the election because he had more seats. Does this not show Ms Gillard’s argument that she has more 2PP vote &  therefore the right to form a government is flawed? Secondly the Labor party are is disarray with leaks etc surely they couldn’t be perceived as offering ‘stable’ government at this time?

      Reply

    • PG says:

      09:51am | 23/08/10

      Young Lois ahem but in the 1997 election the Beazley had Howard in the 2 party preferred but unfortunately not in the Marginals I dint see the Liberals doing the decent thing then.

    • bella starkey says:

      09:58am | 23/08/10

      Paul Keating wasn’t the prime minister in 1990, Bob Hawke was.

      The same thing happened in the 1998 election where the Labor party not only had a higher 2pp but also a much much higher primary vote.

    • TheRealDave says:

      10:19am | 23/08/10

      So you’re just going to ignore the 1998 result with Labor getting more votes but lost because it didn’t win enough seats in your horribly flawed analogy?

      Cherry picking ftw wink

    • Anne71 says:

      01:01pm | 23/08/10

      @TheRealDave - no, don’t you see that it’s only unfair and undemocratic when it works in Labor’s favour rather than Liberals?

    • Angela says:

      09:03am | 23/08/10

      They took us for Granted, how long must the Australian people not be listened to before both major parties understand, finally the vote that really matters. Now to see which dirty deal that promise to who and what will never eventuate.

      Next Bring on the Brumby State Election so we can show him and the rest of his government exactly what they mean by hiding information from the public about dirty dealings plus the crime rate explosion and the lies connected to it.  So much fun to be had.

      Reply

    • jb says:

      09:12am | 23/08/10

      Actually Denny the best thing the Greens could do would be to side with the coalition.
      The only reason I don’t vote green is due to their preference deal with labor, they may as well be a coalition also.
      If Bob goes with the Libs on this it sends a clear message that the Greens really are a true 3rd party and a vote for the greens is a vote for the greens and if they care about the future of their party thats what they need to do to cement their relevance!

      Reply

    • Dan O'Brien says:

      09:15am | 23/08/10

      No   deals with the independents will satisfy Abbott or Gillard.  Soon they will be off to see the GG   and say ’ Call fresh elections’ . Abbott will promise to support the NBN ( but won’t do it )  and will be elected PM with a 10 percent majority . He’ll try to sneak in workchoices but the Greens will stop him .
      So don’t lose your how to vote cards—you’re gonna need ‘em soon

      Reply

    • Duff says:

      09:20am | 23/08/10

      I actually think Labor did pretty well to get the result they did, given they ousted their own leader while still in office and admitted freely to having “lost their way”.  I had thought Tony was going to win.

      Reply

    • Wentworthian says:

      09:25am | 23/08/10

      It will be a long time before we see any leadership in this country and the hung parliament or parliament of loose coalitions may be more common.

      This is because of 11 years of Howard rule that starved us of vital infrastructure means that people are feeling the heat. We’re crowded into cities with poor services. Howard blamed the states (because under the constitution it’s their responsibility even though he controlled the purse strings) but it was ultimately his fault.

      Now it will take decades to fix this and during this time all voters are going to be frustrated with any government. Therefore, they will face diminishing popular votes each time there is a swing.

      We will stumble from one side to the other like a drunken sailor. This won’t stop until the spending actually comes through and the congestion is eased. It won’t stop until we can travel to work and not be packed in like sardines or be caught in traffic jams.

      DUring this time minor parties and independents will see their balance of power grow.

      Then if we get GFC Mk II we will multiply this problem.

      Reply

    • Heather says:

      09:35am | 23/08/10

      The ex Nat Independents will not get the support of their electorates if they side with Labor. Labor didn’t even run in New England; and the next highest vote was for the Nationals. In Lyne, the Nats also came 2nd; and in Kennedy, the LNP came 2nd. Their strength has always been their local focus, and if they go totally against the majority of their local voters, by siding with Labor; it will go against what ALL politicians really want, aka, keeping their jobs. Just look what happened to Wilson Tuckey.

      Reply

    • Hermoine says:

      03:25pm | 23/08/10

      I think you forget that the vote for these independents cut across the political spectrum.  Some of it is personal.  Some they brought over from the Nats when they left the party.  Some they get from the Labor voters who think that he’s doing a good job for the local area and they’re better off voting for the Independent with a chance or giving him their second preference because he’s better than the Nats.

      Anyway, on some policies, the difference between old-style Nat and Labor is just one side likes unions, the other doesn’t.

    • AdamC says:

      09:38am | 23/08/10

      I agree with most of the sentiments here. All things being equal (and they seem to be) the rural indepdendents will support the Coalition. Likewise, Bandt will back Labor.

      Minority government worked relatively well in Victoria (mechanically speaking) and could do so this time.

      Reply

    • jb says:

      09:39am | 23/08/10

      When is the soonest we can go to an election?

      Reply

    • iansand says:

      11:31am | 23/08/10

      Parliament must sit within 30 days o the return of the writs.  A no-confidence motion could be passed at that sitting.  I think the shortest practical time for an election is 4 or 5 weeks after that.

      An election is not the inevitable result of a successful no confidence motion - the GG could ask someone else to try to form a government.

      I wonder if Gillard forms a government would Abbott try a no confidence motion?

    • A Bob says:

      01:08pm | 23/08/10

      There is an automatic confidence vote when either party has the numbers.

      Doesn’t mean the opposition side can’t try later on if it passes the first time, though.

      I’m happy with the current outcome. I cast my vote in the hope that this would occur. I’ll be even happier if it causes the sort of soul-searching that it ought in all levels of our government. (I am an optimist.)

    • jhm says:

      09:58am | 23/08/10

      I think they all got it wrong. Australians got played for saps, and now the the two majors are reaping the whirlwind of voter dissatisfaction. Neither have earned a majority.  Everyone knows that without alliances, coalitions and preference deals, NO party would ever have majority enough to rule. Even that wasn’t enough this time, and the clear message has been sent - neither of you were good enough to vote for.  I’m a little surprised there isn’t more independents, actually. Yet the outcome is analagous to precisely how I felt looking at my ballot papers on Saturday. I had a bad taste in my mouth no matter where I put my numbers, and in the end tried to follow my heart. I’m still dissatisfied, and it would be depressing to have to go back and do it again. But I’d do it. And I would make sure my vote didn’t sit on the fence next time, as I expect a lot of other people wouldn’t either. So I don’t expect that calling another election will be high on anyone’s list of priorities. Right now, I don’t even care which side gets up, as long as it’s a stable, accountable government. There’s so little difference in policy and effect between the two majors at the moment, that it really doesn’t matter.  I’ll live with it, and work with it, because I still think this is the greatest country on Earth. Perhaps Australia has finally out-grown this two-party-preferred rivalry nonsense, though.

      Reply

    • DougB says:

      10:05am | 23/08/10

      I’d really be interested to know how many phone calls etc, the independents are fielding from their constituents.  Surely they would have to be using the duration to continue getting the “feel” for what their electorates want. Then they can go in armed to a discussion and have ammo like “Well 80% of my callers today want me to improve health in rural Australia.” etc etc.

      Reply

    • TheRealDave says:

      03:43pm | 23/08/10

      I’d say not many - given the barely adequate coverage of phones, mobiles, broadband in those rural areas

      smile

    • Dommy says:

      10:21am | 23/08/10

      ‘........the Coalition had registered 500,000 more votes than the ALP and was the only party which could deliver stable and legitimate government.’

      I wonder if Gillard can spin that statement into a positive for the ALP, unlikely she can but an interesting challange all the same.

      Reply

    • Bill says:

      11:20pm | 23/08/10

      You need to get some perspective, Abbott is the leader of the Liberal political party and Gillard is the leader of the Labor party and she got 800,000 more primary votes than Abbott, forget about the Coalition stuff.

    • Dommy says:

      10:24am | 23/08/10

      Gillard is afraid, the faceless men will be gunning for her next. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

      Reply

    • PG says:

      11:04am | 23/08/10

      What Dommy means is Bill Shorten doesnt have a face but Nick Michin somehow does

    • Against the Man says:

      05:49pm | 23/08/10

      Gillard must know by now she is part of the shameful history/legacy that will define Labor in years to come. She is struggling to hold on to power. My dear if you have to struggle there is no dignity after all is said and done.

    • TheRealDave says:

      10:27am | 23/08/10

      So BOTH parties are on the nose. near 50% went one way and near 50% went another. Its that left over percentage that is making the difference this time. Get over it.

      The Greens have always sided with Labor - why is it suddenly a surprise? Its about as surprising as the Nationals siding with the Libs. The sad thing is is that we will now have 2 Independents and 2 fruitcakes (Katter and Wilkie) deciding the future of this country.

      Despite al the crap to the contrary - all 4 of these blokes have just wont he lottery. They have just been given blank cheques by BOTH parties and can name their price. They will be bought byt he side who is willing to give them more.

      My money is on the Libs. Already 1 day in and the rAbbot is willing to throw his ‘FraudBand’ policy out the window. What’s his next ‘policy’ to get turfed so he can get bum in the PM’s chair? I noticed it went largely unpublished that on the eve of the election they Libs quietly announced they wanted to bring in the good old ID card again…..funny how things like that slip through on the quiet wink

      Reply

    • Jason CR says:

      07:09pm | 23/08/10

      Didn’t you watch the first 5 minutes of Julia’s speech on Saturday night?  I thought she must have been an Independent herself..

    • Sidney says:

      10:38am | 23/08/10

      It will be unfortunate if Tony becomes the PM. He is anti woman, anti work rights and anti everything that is required to live as a decent human being. Workchoices will be back, NBN will be gone and Australia will enter the dark ages. I dont care much about Gillard either. But out of the two, i would much rather prefer Gillard to be the PM.

      Reply

    • Markus says:

      11:03am | 23/08/10

      I understand your sentiments Sidney.
      Sadly I can also see that Gillard is not likely to last the full 3 years anyway, and any Labor majority that operates like they did last term will ensure we are paying back Govt debt for the next 100 years, which is also anti-everything required to live as a decent human being.

      I am happy to write this election off as a tie, and give them both 3 years to sort their crap out.
      Nothing will get done for the next 3 years, but that isn’t much different to the last 15 years anyway. At least they won’t be able to screw anything up.

    • Louisa says:

      11:27am | 23/08/10

      You poor deluded soul

    • LC says:

      12:35pm | 23/08/10

      Tony Abbott is without a doubt “anti woman, anti work rights and anti everything that is required to live as a decent human being. Workchoices will be back” but then Julia is pro-censorship, pro nanny-state and pro wasting taxpayers money, which of course still effect things required to live freely as decent people.
      Stuff Tony and Julia, I’d much rather have The Greens, the Sex Party, The Secular Party or even the Liberal Democratic party in power.

    • Alexander says:

      10:39am | 23/08/10

      Soon we will be seeing the ‘It’s an abuse of Democracy!” headlines.  It is not.  This is how Representative Democracy is supposed to work.  We are supposed to be electing people to represent us in Parliament, not the President Minister.
      If the Independents agree to from a government with Labor then they will do what they are supposed to and represent their constituents in Parliament.  IF they do this well, then they will get re-elected.
      I have always been upset about how the Sheeple treat the election as a Presidential style operation rather than thinking about how the local candidate will represent them in Parliament.  In general we seem to be very poorly educated in how our political process works.

      Reply

    • Markus says:

      10:42am | 23/08/10

      Perhaps this result might ensure some mature debate and compromise between the two major parties in an attempt to pass legislation in the best interests of all Australians, instead of vetoing on the basis of party lines just for the sake of it?
      Nah, I didn’t think so either. A man can dream though…

      Reply

    • David C says:

      10:45am | 23/08/10

      The stand outs for me from this election are the following

      - The coalition doesn’‘t get indigenous affairs - first indigenous member of parliament a liberal candidate

      - the coalition doesnt get young people - youngest member of parliament a liberal candidate

      Reply

    • Charles "Biffey" Biffen says:

      10:58am | 23/08/10

      If the LNP+independents govern Australia here are some policies that
      will come out of the woodwork. First thing they will do is have a mini budget
      then announce that the ALP have left the country in huge debt a, a very “large black hole” (you have to give the average person a picture of doom and death). to counter this to kick start the economy and to encourage employment they will lower company tax and other taxes that impede business.to offset this the GST will have to be raised or exemptions to it removed, the later being the most likely scenario. Flexibilty in the workplace. no, not workchoices i know it’s the same thing but ” Flexibility” is a different word. immigration, controlled of course but it still immigration. without consumers the system collapses. anyway here it is from the horses mouth.
      http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/business-chiefs-urge-tax-reform/story-fn59niix-1225905615892

      Reply

    • John Bradbury says:

      01:04am | 24/08/10

      So you’re suggesting that a conservative government would commit to policies that they haven’t won a mandate for? You’re probably one of the people that whinge that the major parties don’t have enough vision, or in your case the conservatives don’t have enough vision. And the election is over, enough with the workchoices scare campaign. Julia only went negative because she’s got nothing positive!! Anything positive she did have belonged to kevin rudd. And she’s not going to have anything positive any time soon, so bring on Tony Abbott and the Independents. That way you’ll have three years to work on your conspiracy theories for the next election.

    • Graham Stevens says:

      11:06am | 23/08/10

      I only wish I could vote for Bob Katter here in Melbourne instead of having my electorate represented by a prissy, plummy, private schoolgirl lawyer come political advisor Liberal twin set & pearls waste of space who wouldn’t know the difference between an issue and a tissue

      Reply

    • jb says:

      11:08am | 23/08/10

      well it looks like the market is banking on a win for the coalition!

      Reply

    • The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

      11:12am | 23/08/10

      They cannot unilaterally increase the GST. It requires all states, plus the Commonwealth.

      Reply

    • Stewart Henstock says:

      11:15am | 23/08/10

      This election is like a World Boxing title fight in which the onus is on the challenger to take the belt from the champ.
      The Coalition failed to get the 76 seats.
      Now if it’s going to be based on which party will offer stability in government then Labor loses hands down.

      Reply

    • Chewy says:

      11:31am | 23/08/10

      I would just appreciate it if the media would start using subtitles when interviewing Bob Katter or Tony Windsor.

      Reply

    • fairsfair says:

      12:21pm | 23/08/10

      Why, because they are not from Melbourne and don’t speak with aplomb? Like it or not Chewy, they represent the people of their area. The ones who supply you with food and stuff like that. I acknowledge that Katter can seem confronting with his choice of words and mannerisms, but he will do what is right for his region. The media continually portray him to be unintelligent and a bit crazy - but it is so so far from the truth. He will do what is right for the region, but it will have to be the lesser of the two evils because both major parties have repeadedly sh@t all over the dairy industry, the sugar industry, the banana industry, the tobacco industry and the list goes on. I am sure the same goes for independent electorates other than Kennedy.

      My money (that is if this does end up happening) is on the coalition due to the polling of labor in the independent electorates and for regional Oz - the association with the Greens will have an influence.

    • N says:

      11:40am | 23/08/10

      People fail to realise that the electorates where Katter and Windsor have come from are conservative primary producing areas. Bob Katter is more likely to eat a bullet before he sides with the Greens, and unfortunately for Labor, they have that preference deal which they can hardly back out on as it got them a vast majority of seats. For Windsor or Katter to side with Labor will be political suicide for them, and given a fresh election is tipped to be sooner, rather than later, they will side with whoever is more likely to get them re-elected. Given the demographic of the electorates, it’s highly unlikely to be Green supported Labor.

      Reply

    • ibast says:

      11:51am | 23/08/10

      How is it that the incumbent was unable to retain power with 50% of the vote?  That is unheard of in Australian Federal politics.  Usually the incumbent can retain power with as little as 48% of the vote.  Somebody made a big mistake.

      Reply

    • Dirk Hartog says:

      11:55am | 23/08/10

      So what now? Prime Minister Abbard - or Prime Minister Gillot?

      Reply

    • DougB says:

      12:28pm | 23/08/10

      No, Prime Minister WindKatterShott!

    • Stiffy says:

      12:54pm | 23/08/10

      Labor will win Hasluck on postal votes and big absentee vote from polling booth in nearby shopping centre.

      Reply

    • N says:

      01:16pm | 23/08/10

      Big call stiffy. Considering that the postal votes were issued during the darkest point of the Gillard campaign and absentee votes from military personnel are traditionally coalition leaning, I’d expect to see quite the opposite in Hasluck.

      Perhaps you have some other insight?

    • stiffy says:

      01:28pm | 23/08/10

      A big festival in Broome will see large absentee vote for Hasluck likely go 60:40 for libs based on 2pp but labor has given out almost 500 more postal votes than libs

      Reply

    • MH says:

      05:06pm | 23/08/10

      This is very interesting.  Why will the absentees break 60/40 for the Libs though? While traditional school of thought says postals favour the Coalition against that here is that they also traditionally favour the sitting member.

    • JJ says:

      01:32pm | 23/08/10

      If Labor takes government again, the next debate will be about whether the Labor voters voted in Julia Gillard or the next Assassin, Mr Bill Shorten.

      Reply

    • DougB says:

      01:38pm | 23/08/10

      Hey penbo, does this mean that there will a special edition Friday Fight Club this week?

      Reply

    • Crash says:

      02:07pm | 23/08/10

      I keep seeing plenty of people out there claiming that Julia will be tapped on the shoulder for sure after this, even if they win government, which seems to me to be ridiculous.  The Labor party is aware of the backlash they have suffered from the deposing of Kevin Rudd, but all the Lib supporters assume they’re so stupid they’ll do it again even more quickly and brutally just for giggles?  Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, surely nobody is asuming that the ALP is that moronic.

      Reply

    • Shelley says:

      04:51pm | 23/08/10

      mmmm….Don’t ever underestimate the stupidity of Labor.  Look at the mess they’re in today. Anything is possible with the ALP.

    • David says:

      02:22pm | 23/08/10

      Dear god, the staggering amount of ignorance and hypocrisy surrounding preferences in this thread is astronomical.

      So, in order to get Labor’s #2 on the upper house ticket, the Greens indicated on their how-to-vote cards for the lower house to preference the Labor candidate ahead of the Liberal/National candidate in select key seats, and even then, they (the Labor candidates) were typically listed below a raft of independents and other minor/micro parties. Check the group voting tickets on the AEC website to see where the ALP was on th Greens upper house tickets, because it sure as hell wasn’t a 2/2 swap.

      And all of that is completely foregoing the fact that the Liberal/Nationals are a COALITION. They’re already locked in their preferences, basically in perpetuity, and then they grab what they can from the fundies and whackjobs like the LDP and the Climate Sceptics to help them get over the line.

      Are all of you people decrying the use of upper versus lower house ticket negotiations (that are mandatory due to the way our system functions) really that obtuse? Or are you just stupid? Or both?

      Get a grip, you tools.

      Reply

    • Mick says:

      02:26pm | 23/08/10

      Will the real Julia please stand up.  It doesn’t matter which way the decision goes, Labour will start destroying itself from the inside as soon as a decision is made.  For the stability of the country and economy I hope the Coalition can form a minority government.

      I hear the sex party are thrilled about a hung parliament.

      Reply

    • Stewart Henstock says:

      02:59pm | 23/08/10

      They’ve called Lindsay for Labor…a margin of 400 primary votes….without even counting the postal votes.
      Well if there’s another election they can use my postal vote for the second because i’m not wasting my time again.

      Reply

    • Will C says:

      05:30pm | 24/08/10

      Interestingly for this election, not a single candidate received more than 50% of the primary vote in their electorate and as such no seat can be declared (won) at this stage of counting. Postal votes are accepted up to 13 days after the election (provided they were posted prior to 6pm on election day).

      Currently, all results are preliminary. Anyone can call as many seats as they like. This is usually indicated by forecasting the direction of the votes after preferences that have a candidate more than 1% ahead.

      A seat won’t be declared until one of the following happens

      1) a candidate receives 50% of the primary vote
      2) the entire vote is counted and preferences distributed

      Don’t worry, not one seat has been declared by the AEC and that is the only result that matters, your vote will be counted if it hasn’t already. Because of this, there is unlikely to be an actual result for this election until the end of next week.

    • Gran Depine says:

      03:50pm | 23/08/10

      When someone calls a Federal election just two months into their new Federal Government leadership position, they are bloody confident of winning handsomely. PM Gillard’s exact words to Tony Abbot in Parliament on the day she forced the ex-PM Rudd to step down as PM was “GAME ON”.  Blow me down with a feather she thought it was a game and she still thinks its a bloody game.

      Dear watermelon and ALP cheer squad sweethearts take notice. The Independents will vote for Labor not because of PM Gillard or ALP or Greens…the Independents will vote for Labor to maintain stability and avoid a repeat election within 6 months. If the Independents vote for the LIberals, they would go in hard with a kick to the ribs and force a new election. CATCH 22!  Hmmmmmt the chocolate coated cotton balls do taste good Milky Bar kid Rudd.  The backlash shit fight will happen in the ALP, the Independents will cross the floor and we have another election. Hahahhaha I love it.

      Reply

    • Charles "Biffey" Biffen says:

      04:27pm | 23/08/10

      Mr pimp ernel you are correct about raising the rate of GST,
      “As GST revenue will be directed to the States, the Commonwealth Government would not only have to agree to introduce legislation to increase the GST rate, but the request for such a change would have to be unanimous among State Premiers and Territory Chief Ministers. Legislation would then need to be passed by both Houses of the Federal Parliament.”
      As i see it we are not dealing with your friendly neighbourhood
      used car salesmen but with politicians and i cannot see them, whatever colour the stripe that runs down their back is refusing more money. I think it is time the public realised these people are in politics as a career path and are not there for any altruistic reasons. It is inevitable that the GST will be raised in the near future by any government as 10% is very low by international standards. They have to pay for all these promises somehow.

      Reply

    • Joe Blow says:

      04:52pm | 23/08/10

      Good old Labor barnacles .... In Qld and NSW people only voted Liberal because of State Govt stuff ups.  In WA it was the mining tax.  But the intelligent Australians of SA, Vic and Tas voted for policies. 

      How about a more realistic version: The states paying their own way in this country voted to stop their money being wasted!  While the rest voted simply because of the ‘home town girl’ factor and the free handout NBN (that no one other than Tasmania will get for free). 

      Note to Victorians - the home town thing wears off real quick once the incompetence becomes obvious… funny that for the ‘smart’ states the BER was enough of a demonstration of JuLIAR’s incompetence!

      Reply

    • Sam Chowder says:

      06:42pm | 23/08/10

      Dignity is the first casualty of a hung parliament

      Reply

    • Brendan Bouffler says:

      08:44pm | 23/08/10

      No, the truly desperate reaching comment of the week has to go to KK here in NSW who said that ‘clearly a mass vote against Labor in our state hadn’t materialised”. Oh really? I’d hate to see what she defines as a serious swing against her party. Actually, no. I look forward to finding out what that is ... right around March 2011.

      Reply

    • Bill says:

      10:59pm | 23/08/10

      All the people and Abbott himself who is saying he got 400,000 more primary votes than Labor are wrong. Abbott is the leader of the Liberal Party and Truss is the leader of the Nationals, they are two separate political parties, yes combined they did, but thats like saying the Labor and the Greens combined got whatever. If Abbott and his supporters now say they want a first past the post system I am sure Labor would be happy with that as they would have been in power many more times under that system. Our system is a preferential system, so the only true indication of who got the most votes is the “2 Party” votes and Labor on its own got 160,000 more than the Libs and the Nats combined, game set and match.

      Reply

    • rose says:

      11:20am | 26/08/10

      I love what’s occurred and I think Mr Katter is adorable.There are more surprises in store for our political systems, especially if we go back to the booth. The sight of Abbott makes me ill and hearing John Howards praise for him had me seething at the memory of how hard my life was during his government…especially the stress he caused during his love affair with the USA and the invasion of Iraq.  Australia has the resources and space to be self sufficient in every way.  I’d like to see alot more support of the rural areas…I’d move to the country and start a business if i knew I had a chance of surviving.

      Reply

    • Monica says:

      08:00pm | 26/08/10

      Labor supporters - it is very immature to be name calling (big ears).  Sticks and stones…  The 3 independents need to stop their loutish behaviour and and stop thinking they are GODS.  Do the wrong thing indies and its bye bye seats, an and bye bye political careers.  Take the advice of your electorates.

      Reply
 
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