Australian Election - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

layback40 · #1 09-07-2013, 09:07 AM

I know a few of you stateside have a passing interest in Australian politics so I thought you may like to know that the results of our federal election tonight has shown a substantial swing away from the socialists & greens. Australia has a new leader from the right side of politics.

KarTek · #2 09-07-2013, 09:28 AM

If I remember correctly, your "Republicans" are Liberals and the "Democrats" are Labor... Right?

jplinville · #3 09-07-2013, 09:53 AM

I was talking with an Aussie friend of mine yesterday, and he was telling me that you are levied a $400 fine if you don't vote...is this true?

layback40 · #4 09-07-2013, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplinville

I was talking with an Aussie friend of mine yesterday, and he was telling me that you are levied a $400 fine if you don't vote...is this true?

There is compulsory voting in Australia. I think the fine is more like ~ $150
This is something I support even though it flies in the face of civil liberties. We have informal votes as high as 10% in some places. I guess if you dont want to vote you can just write obscenities on the voting paper.
The voting paper for the upper house I had to use had 97 candidates on it. One could just put a 1 above the party you wanted to vote for or you had to number every candidate.
I hear today that in my home state, Victoria, in the upper house an Australian Motor Enthusiast Party member has won a seat. They are a group that is against all the regulations restricting cars. The 4WD community & the younger modified road car owner groups supported them. They are about as anti greenie as you can get. It will be interesting to see how much influence they have as over here there have & still are many changes going on to make rules concerning motoring identical throughout the country.

layback40 · #5 09-07-2013, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarTek

If I remember correctly, your "Republicans" are Liberals and the "Democrats" are Labor... Right?

Our Right is called Liberal & National parties.
The left (socialist) ~ your Obama lovers, is our labor party & greens.
We have a few independents & other parties as well. The better known ones include the Palmer United Party ~ they are right & support anti socialist policies. Katters Australia Party is another small party that supports anti socialist values.
Julian Asange also had a party but didnt do very well.

pj67coll · #6 09-08-2013, 12:03 AM

Talking to my cousin who lives in Albury yesterday and who is a staunch anti-socialist anti-leftist type individual I assumed he'd be voting for the right wing "liberal" bunch. He surprised me by saying that in fact he'd voted for an independent. He said the leader of the liberals is a raving lunatic and about as nuts as you can get. Surprised me a bit but then to be honest I'm not up on Oz politics much.

- Peter.

layback40 · #7 09-08-2013, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

Talking to my cousin who lives in Albury yesterday and who is a staunch anti-socialist anti-leftist type individual I assumed he'd be voting for the right wing "liberal" bunch. He surprised me by saying that in fact he'd voted for an independent. He said the leader of the liberals is a raving lunatic and about as nuts as you can get. Surprised me a bit but then to be honest I'm not up on Oz politics much.

- Peter.

Probably your cousin is actually south of Albury in Victoria in the seat of Indi. The local member there (right wing) is an absolute raving lunatic. She has been called a "fat wog b!tch daughter of an ex-tobacco grower", she makes the gestapo look like kinder-garden cops! The independant that stood against her is a right wing also & had the blessing of several high profile people from the right.
I lived in Albury for a while when I was younger. Nice place.

Stretch · #8 09-08-2013, 11:47 AM

So the greens are out then?

I'm surprised to hear that they were in considering how much of Australia is being dug up and sent to China. I kind of assumed that that was a right wing initiative rather than a green one - send it all to China and they'll look after it!

elchivito · #9 09-08-2013, 12:19 PM

Australia has a government??

man, you gotta LOVE this internet thingy.

Mölyapina · #10 09-08-2013, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

Australia has a government??

man, you gotta LOVE this internet thingy.

But remember, not everything you read here is true.

layback40 · #11 09-08-2013, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

So the greens are out then?

I'm surprised to hear that they were in considering how much of Australia is being dug up and sent to China. I kind of assumed that that was a right wing initiative rather than a green one - send it all to China and they'll look after it!

There are still going to be green politicians, they have just lost about 1/2 the vote they got last time. They have also lost the balance of power.
Digging up our coal & iron ore & sending it to China has kept Australia out of the economic trouble that every one else has suffered.

Botnst · #12 09-08-2013, 10:42 PM

There's a narcotic marsupial drink we consume in the USA called Coca-Koala.

Stretch · #13 09-09-2013, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by layback40

There are still going to be green politicians, they have just lost about 1/2 the vote they got last time. They have also lost the balance of power.
Digging up our coal & iron ore & sending it to China has kept Australia out of the economic trouble that every one else has suffered.

I wasn't saying I was for or against - just remarking that it was done on the green's watch - and that that surprised me. Which is still does. It isn't very green is it? Well not green in the context of the European arguments about shale gas...