Australian election: Your reaction

Seems the Aussies have as much faith in politicians as we have in England.

I have voted for the Green Party as a protest against the unsatisfactory performance of both the Australian Labour Party and the opposition Coalition. I did this in the hope of getting a hung parliament with either one of the major party forming another coalition with their new partners who will act as a check and balance. [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]

JKHC ( 22/8/10 )

Will we have whinging Aussies saying "I didn't vote for so-and-so" when they try to form a coalition? Doubt it!

If anything, it's comforting to know that at least we are amongst friends with our cousins from the Mother Country.

Nobody expected anything of Abbott. Everybody laughed when he was elected leader of his party, even the most rusted-on Conservatives, but he brought the Liberals back from the brink of despair. He started from a long way back, and his momentum built-up since Copenhagen, as well as the amazing capitulation of the Labor party, sees him more likely than not to become the next Prime Minister.

I think a lot of Labor people underestimated his capability to stay composed and disciplined, which was a stark contrast to both Federal Labor and the State Labor Governments of Queensland and New South Wales. They also underestimated how the Rudd knifing would play out in Queensland, and how the Mining Tax would play out in Queensland and Western Australia.

It was Labor's election to lose, and despite the self-inflicted pats on the back in relation to the Global Recession, over half the country were quite prepared to line up and start belting the Government with baseball bats and anything else they can get their hands on. It's quite a strange situation

In our laid back style we will just watch and wait to see if a government can be formed. I am hoping that we end up voting again in a couple of weeks as I really enjoyed the Election Broadcast on Channel 9. It was full of bitchiness and name calling and very entertaining.

If a government is formed there will be a big risk of supply being blocked in the senate and we will end up with another election anyway.

Gollum has nearly got that ring on his finger and I feel sad and bitter. The same as I did when Labor lost office in '96 when they had a perfectly good, no excellent, front bench. This government wasn't that tidy and could have had a bit more class but they got us through the GFC unscathed. In the process less than 2.7% (independently ascertained) of that stimulus funding was seen to have been squandered and that has been their downfall. It's pathetic. There really is a huge question mark over the virtues of compulsory voting. IMO voluntary voting doesn't necessarily disenfranchise the marginalised but it certainly makes easy work for those who are eager to take advantage of anyone who's not paying attention. I reckon that'd account for 30%. As for my friends, they can't believe it, didn't see it coming. And I'm too upset by Australian media to know what is being said. Came over to the BBC to find out if there was anything nice happening elsewhere but all I found was our national disgrace on the front page.

Who cares?

A personal highlight of Channel 9's coverage was the sight of Michael Usher in his amazing virtual world.

It wasn't quite Jeremy Vine walking down a virtual staircase, but it was close.

Maybe the thought of Australia being run by a Welsh woman was to much for most Aussie voters who are forced to Vote whether there is anyone worth voting for or not.

What is extremely interesting from a British perspective is how the Australian electoral system has influenced the result. Their system is very similar to the electoral reform the Lib Dems want to bring in and the one we will have a referendum on. Looking at the Primary results, which are the only results we currently have in British politics, the Liberals trounced Labor, but its the transferable Green vote which has made this election so tight. No wonder the Tories do not want electoral reform, if this was replicated with the Libs Dems and Labour here we would never have another Conservative Government. Would be great for Labour, not sure having a single party system would be great for British Politics though

Did Labour snatch Defeat from the jaws of victory by ousting Rudd?

As a Brit, I may be wrong but it seemed like he had done a good job and didnt deserve the lowlife backstabbing he got, even in politics people should set a good example of behaviour towards others.

If it costs Labour the election then perhaps they will learn to act better in a civilised modern country, it's not a commie gulag you know.

I draw comfort that Julia Gillard appears to be another unsuccessful labour "brutus". Maybe David Milliband will not be successful at the ballot box when it comes either?

It seems the Aussies are carrying on the latest trend of hung parliaments.Is this just another "freak" result or a clear indication that people around the world have had enough of second class politicians?

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I wish them well. I just hope their coalition government is better than the weak, pathetic one we have.

Aside from not having a clear winner, a matter which Queensland caused all on its lonesome, these iffy results will make the markets jumpy.
I like the gain for the Green Party.
I celebrate the loss of Captain Bligh and the retention of Kevin Rudd (Always one of my favorites.)
Aside from the foregoing, there's not much to say until the final count is in.

What I don't understand is why the BBC, and in fairness Sky News as well, are obsessed by a not very significant (to the UK reader / viewer) general election in a far off country.

If the UK broadcast media paiud as much attention to elections in Germany, France, Italy, Spain or other of our European neighbours we (the UK population) might understand a little better how democracy and government works on our doorstep.

Could the reasons for the excessive coverage be a) we still believe we own / run the place, or b) that both the prime ministerial hopefulls are ex pat Brits?

If the Conservative has 73 seats and Labour has 72 then the other parties who won seats should back the party which has the most seats to form the next government in the name of national interest which means Abbott should be the new PM. For comming second Labour I'm afraid lost its mandate to govern.

As Aussie living in the USA, I have to wonder if anyone back home reads the international section of the newspaper anymore, or has ANY idea how bad things are out here. To reject a government that has kept Australia out of recession during the worst global economic downturn since the Great Depression is unforgivable stupidity.

On the "bright' side, if Coalition forms government and follows through on what they proposed, it will at least be an emphatic, final answer to whether Keynes had it right. If the government dramatically cuts spending, despite our ridiculously small public debt burden, and Australia slides into recession, we can be assured without any doubt that Keynes was right and we should adopt a modern day approach to his economic principles. What no-one seems to get is that Australia was doing everything right- Govt pays off national debt during boom, save surplus NOT SQUANDER IT WITH IDEOLOGICAL TAX CUTS, then spend as much as possible when the economic cycle turns down. It's not rocket science!

America is not screwed because it's borrowing money now (when it needs to be). It's screwed because it borrowed so much money when it had absolutely NO right or justification to do so.

I hate to say this about my own country, but they will deserve what is coming to them for being so [collectively] ignorant. And for those who knew better, get more engaged next time. DON'T avoid political discussion as is the Australian way, fight for what you believe is right because it DOES matter, all political parties are NOT the same (despite being universally repugnant at times) and the consequences of getting it wrong, as eight years of Bush can attest, can be disastrous and cannot always be fixed by simply voting in a new government.

@ hizento - With the difference of but a single Seat, it can't be said that Abbott has a mandate to govern either.

Perhaps both parties should instead elect new leaders and do it all again, or perhaps the Nationals could stop being the Liberals todies and open up discussions with Labour.

GraymeadYNWA (10 above) worries that AV / preferential voting would give the UK a single party system.
a) it wouldn't - it would remain at least a 2.5 party system and the need to attract preferences from minor parties would moderate the extremes of major parties, leading us toward the consesnus politics that most people claim to want.
b) the system proposed for UK is not exactly the same as in Australia where, in federal elections, the ranking of preferences is compulsory in order to cast a valid vote. The system proposed for UK provides for the optional expression of second, etc preferences, which means major parties are even less able to take voters for granted.
c) it hasn't produced a single party system in Australia, though it has enabled parties to maintain separate existences while cooperating in elections (the reason the competing conservative parties first introduced it in 1913).

The outcome of this election will be an interesitng test of whether grown-up [olitics that requires politicians to negotiate in the national interest is possible in Australia. I watched the ABC coverage, and was more impressed by the intelligence and moderation of Labor's Steve Smith than by the naked partisanship of the Liberals. But Abbot and Gillard struck the right note, as did the 4 independents and the Greens, so not all hope is lost.

Until the media did a job on Julia Gillard most people took the leadership challenge for what it was. The right faction which had supported Mr. Rudd in the first place (only because he was a successful media tart) came to the left faction and said that the leadership was theirs if they wanted it. Swift but clean. And the reason was that Rudd was too much of an autocrat who wouldn't talk to any one; Mining companies, the Greens even his own cabinet arrived at meetings only to pick up their homework. It was driving the Public Service nuts, mistakes were being made and a consensus leader was required for the challenges ahead. We should still hold the view that we elect a party not a leader. The caucus elects the leader and that's as it should be as it's an operational matter and they know better.

Some people are hoping that Australia can do "grown up politics" like they do in Germany and are looking forward to a hung parliament but they should stop to think that the "cowboys" that will hold the balance of power are in fact real cowboys.

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Maggie,
I don't know whether you're right about cowboys (apart from the one I know personally, who most certainly is!), but your remarks at 22 certainly ring true: Rudd did behave as an autocrat, taking advice only from his 20-something personal staff, ignoring senior colleagues, and baffling the public servants who were anxious to put policy into practice.
But is Rudd wholly to blame for the ETS fiasco? Yes, Labor watered down the Garnaut proposals, but surely if the Greens had not gone to the brink, Australia would at least by now have the mechanics of an ETS, something that is now set back until at least 2012.

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So we'll have a hung Parliament and 5 MP's have the balance of power, we all knew it was coming and decided to put our heads in the sand. In all likelihood we'll see the 3 Conservative Indie's give their vote to Abbott and make up 76 seats and they'll get sweeteners in return. I think we'll see a new election in 18 months anyway, whoever wins does not have a mandate and will wait for the their polls to be up and will call it to get that mandate, then the party starts again, alora!!!

Given that the Australian populace can find no daylight between the two major parties, wouldn't it be logical for Liberal and Labour to form the coalition.

Without being too nasty. The government of Australia is of importance only to Australians.

@krokodil: AGREED! I was wondering how to say stuff like that. No one gives a strand of hair relating Australia except Australians themselves. Thanks mate (pun intended).

@THE REST OF THE WORLD: So this is what we've come to. Instead of solving issues around the world, here we are doing crud that no one cares for. But then again, Sturgeon's Law states, "About 90% of everything is crud(crap)." So, we really rule. And to think this world will get better...

(SIGH)

It won't be the first hung parliament and it won't be the last either no matter if is Australia UK or Canada. As we all saw in the last few months (and years here in Canada) things might get little bit better with a hung parliament instead of having a majority government with no care about its citizens after they get in office

29. At 10:26pm on 21 Aug 2010, krokodil wrote:
Without being too nasty. The government of Australia is of importance only to Australians.
***************************************************************************

So why are you posting any comments at all?

As an Aussie, we are only reaping the politicians we deserve. Good to see the backstabber looking sick though.

I am surprised that so many aren't interested in an election of another country. How narrow and insular is that?
AnnaH: where have you been? Avoiding political discussion? - it's been the most popular form of discussion for months, since Labor spent all our money and Kevin07 wasn't all that Labor said he would be.
Don't deride your fellow countryman. We have the brains to see through the hype and can make positive decisions.

With the Greens party holding the balance of power in the Senate obviously deals will have to be done for either Labour or Liberal to get their policies through. One of the Greens promises is for same sex marriages. It will be very interesting to watch what happens here. I hope that Julia Gillard fails in her attempt to form a Labour Government. Her ego is huge but her actual abilities are minuscule, other than stabbing our P.M. Kevin Rudd in the back! Hopefully Tony Abbott will be our new Prime Minister.

The election result [so far] reflects voter's concerns in the states of NSW [mine] and Queensland.

In NSW, the state government has been on the nose for a long time. This was an issue. Much of western Sydney suffers infrastructure problems exacerbated by increasing migration. These were issues. The Sydney seat of Bennelong has a very significant Chinese population and the sacking of former, Mandarin speaking, prime minister Kevin Rudd caused a backlash from them.

In Queensland, Kevin Rudd, a local boy, was also an issue. Infrastructure was another issue. State government performance was also an issue. The federal government's proposed mining tax was a very significant issue, particularly in a state which along with WA who both fervently believe Sydney and Melbourne "bludge" along on their resources and the taxes raised from those resources.

So that's in essence where the voter backlash came from. Nothing to do with a vote of confidence for the coalition and absolutely nothing to do with republic vs monarchy.

It is indeed very ironic, that a government who managed to keep Australia out of recession, safe from the Global Financial Crisis, low unemployment, low interest rates, increasing GDP, low taxes, not one business failure - suffers an horrific voter backlash. Figure that?

Why is the australian election the lead story on the bbc news and 1st story on the website. It is of no consequence and of very minimal interest to the UK population.

No majority! The people have not given a mandate to rule to either party. If Labour get a dozen elected MPs from other parties to
join them, they could form a government.

But....is this democracy ?

Living here (Perth) for the past 4 years I have been amazed to discover the depth of the red-neck thinking and insular, closed-mindedness that exists in Australia. Abbott represents this very well. His reign will be akin to that of Bush and, although Australia does not play a significant role globally (though you would swear Perth is the centre of the universe),if he gets in, the treatment of women, the environment and immigrants will deteriorate more than it did under Howard, Abbott's mentor. Scarey.

More than one in ten Australians (12.5%) voted Green in the primary vote and yet the Greens only win one seat out of 150. Yet the rural based National Party wins 4.5% of the vote and wins ten plus seats in the new parliament. Something is wrong with Australian democracy.

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We deserve the politicians we get! If the man in the street actually believes that a conservative party that calls itself "Liberal" is on their side, they will believe anything!

It's interesting to see our pommy friends' reactions to our election....not interested at all.

If Australia had the same voting system as the Poms, there would have been no hung parliament at all. The LNP Coalition would have won comfortably with a "first past the post" voting system, Instead with the Greens preferences given almost exclusively to the Labor party, we have the current result.

The Labor Party deserved the bashing they received. I'm heartily sick of hearing all this garbage about how Labor kept Australia out of recession...what kept us out of recession was two fold. Firstly Labor inherited a nice fat surplus built up by 10+ years of the Howard/Costello LNP Govt's prudent economic management. They then spent three years chucking this around like drunken sailors and boy did they do just that to the point where we now have a large deficit!! Secondly, the BHP and RIO's of the mining industry kept exporting our vast mineral resources to China with the resultant dollars coming into Australia.

I don't see the hung parliament decision as a great result (other than the fact that Tony Abbott did a great job to get to this stage) but at least we wont have to watch Labor continuing their "spendathon" for the next three years. Hopefully the LNP can work with the conservative-thinking Independents to form a minority government....I think this could work well to the benefit of Australia

It would have been interesting, as would the outcome have been, if one of the two senior parties called for a return of Australia's white immigrants only policy.
For some reason I'm certain that many Aussies secretly want it restored, but no major politician was willing to even bring up to topic (as far as I know).
And if one had, and restoring the immigration policy had caused the rukus it was sure to have done, then it would have been an interesting election. As I understand it, there is little difference between the two main parties, thus there is apt to be little change of any kind regardless of which forms the coalition.
And perhaps that it the way it should be.

IanCPurdie: it actually did have something to do with a vote for the coalition. I thought Tony Abbott led a great campaign whereas Julia was totally unbelievable. The Julia in parliament is nothing like the person presenting herself to the Australian people these last couple of months. I love the spin that Labor kept us out of the recession ... sure. And Labor in NSW and Queensland have done so much for their states ... sure, and they are wonderful at handling the economy ... sure. They're great, that's why they got rid of Keven and that's why we tried to get rid of them.

Rudy: insulting and inaccurate.

@AnnaH - I have to wonder if you read any Australian news as you are so out of touch with what's been happening.

There's only one reason we stayed out of recession and it has nothing to do with Labor and everything to do with the fact that the Libs left them with a very healthy economy and surplus. (Which Labor has done a good job of destroying).

I'm a Brit in Aus and this election has been most peculiar. It seems obvious to me that the country will be ungovernable at the national level, with the two major parties having essentially the same number of seats, about a total of 145 out of 150, and a few independents having the balance of power. So, any minority government will be subject to the whims of one or two individuals who they will have to bribe to stay onside. This cannot last, and a new election will have to be called soon. A massive 6% of voters, about 840,000, are estimated to have spoiled their ballot papers. Such irresponsibility is an appalling threat to democracy and must be addressed.

A huge problem in this election was that the Federal Labor government has suffered for the failings of the local Labor administrations in Queensland and New South Wales. This is unfair because State governments have a lot of jealously guarded power in Australia - probably too much since their incompetence threatens vital services like hospitals with the Federal government being impotent to do much about it. In short, this election has been a shambles, run by two very amateurish leaders of Parties, making up policy on a daily basis, and hurling insults at each other on the many occasions when intellect and organisation failed them. Australians must wonder what the hell has been going on. Usually their politicians are highly organised, intelligent, and street-wise. Yet the two main Parties have ditched leaders with those qualifications in the past few months. How can this happen so close to an election? It is no accident that the best political speech I heard came from Bob Hawke, the former Labor PM, now 81 and out of power for 20 years. Come back Bob, your country, and Party, needs you!

Gillard is a smart politician but she severely under estimated the Australian public and as seen last night, she was punished for it. Last night saw the highest number of informal votes, which clearly reflects the Australian public's feelings towards both major parties. Many people around the country were unhappy with Gillard's treatment of Rudd - not just Queenslanders. I found myself voting for someone that I never thought I would vote for. I just hope that she is replaced with Rudd in the next three years.

I agree with Rudy (43). If Abbott could bring the white Australia policy (Australia's apartheid till recent times)he would. And Labor, in an attempt to cash in on the vast red-neck vote that exists here, have started down the same slippery road as the so-called Liberals. What gives me some heart is to hear some Australians and immigrants (and we are not all poms) saying that they would prefer to leave than to live in a country governed by Abbott. The danger to Australia is not economic or from boat-people or Islam: its the real risk that her people will become even more closed-minded under Abbott.

Unfortunately the Greens received an increased share of the vote, and may well have the balance of power in the Senate.
As such I expect to see increased coercion and intimidation of the people of Australia to subscribe to and practice their dogmas. I don't however expect them to admit to this as, like all cults, they know they are right, and anyone who dares dispute their dogmas is regarded as either stupid or evil or mad or some combination thereof.
This self-righteousness and intolerance has overflowed into my workplace during the election campaign, and I can see it scattered through the previous comments in this blog, and also through some of the recent articles in BBC News.

Bring back Paul Keating! Now there was a man who made politics interesting, and was razor sharp to boot.

Election 2010 was amazing...despite the fact that we now have a hung parliament it was the Greens who were the real winners on the day gaining ~3% of Labor's losses.

Tony Abbott becoming PM will be the worst thing for Australia, but there's no doubt that in the words of Peter Costello (Fmr Treasurer) whoever becomes PM and Opposition Leader the next three years will be a campaign for the next federal election.

The Oz electoral system has a number of great features - apart from the sausage sizzles that apparently are rare in other countries - and allow for more accurate expression of /true/ wishes without the need for "strategic" voting. It could be said that it doesn't elect the most popular, but the least hated.

I was hoping for a hung parliament.

With the likelihood of a minority dry tory government in the lower house, and a left-of-centre (ALP/Green majority) in the Senate, there'll hopefully be better public debate of issues to get bills through, the development of product differentiation between the major parties, and a double dissolution next year that offers greater choice.

The major parties needed a kick in the pants. They got it.

It's worth noting the recent Tasmanian election that resulted in a Labor/Green (Green as the minor partner) government. The high federal Green vote from Tasmania could be seen as expressing some satisfaction with that arrangement.

To the UK readers of this Australian election story on www.bbc.co.uk who took the time to make it clear that they thought that a story about about an election in a far-off, insignificant country was not worthy of "top story" billing on BBC and should never have been given the level of coverage that it was, rest assured that the recent UK election got the same level of coverage in Australia and most Australians would not have given a monkey's / rat's a**e about that either!

The worst thing that could happen to Australia is for Tony Abbot to take control of Australia bringing Liberals or as in the UK Conservatives into control of the Country, that is like bringing 'Maggie Thatcher' back into Power. In Australia people change their votes like they change their underwear, DAILY, And because the Labor Government never offered any Perks 'Money' to them they voted against them. Victoria like Scotland saw Sence.

Ok, You're standing in IT up to your neck and someone throws a bucket of IT at you what do you do?? Do stand still and take it or do you duck? That's the choice we had at this election.. Seems to me 50% stood and took it and 50% ducked... any which way you look at it we are still in IT without a real Leader. Which is it to be.. The confessed atheist living with a defacto in the Lodge (not a good look) or a Fitness freak who is able to put his foot in his mouth at a moments notice.. Where have al the leaders gone? Some have hatchet wounds in their backs.. a pity because those that replace them are often not worthy of a single Vote..

"What impact would a hung parliament have for Australia?"
A nymphomaniac's Delight, and new Natl Ambition to strive for, with 'Well' preceding the hung. Aussie, Aussie, AussieeeeeK!

Coalitions seem the New Political Reality to maintain BALANCE. By far better Democracy than Don't Give a Damn majorities.

# 55 "Victoria like Scotland saw Sence."

No it didn’t, Scotland elected the dead hand of labour, why?

For some egalitarian reason, economic reason or perhaps some sense of higher duty to help the poor of the world? labour are the same as the tories in every sense, they sell Scotland down the river!

No, Scotland voted labour because their ma and pa had done so, no more or less – habit!

labour in Scotland has supported disastrous and dirty wars, started by their uk counterparts! labour in Scotland support the continuation and renewal of the obscenity of Trident nuclear weapons on the Clyde.

Scotland has the chance to vote for the SNP, a left of centre progressive nationalist Scottish party. Yet the populous choose to vote for a right wing, reactionary party based in London, capital of a foreign land.

Labour parties through out the world have lost their way, they no longer support the working man or woman preferring to court big business to stay in power. Labour parties have no raison d’être other than self service and lucrative careers.

Bob Hawke, I could have voted for him, but sadly his ilk has gone, I bet he’s crying now.

Scotland will have its day, Australia too, when we get rid of the self serving monarchy that labour, tories and liberals support!

Freedom!

C McK

Interesting that there are a few negative comments from bored UK readers about Australia's election. Same thing happened not so long ago in the reverse, don't you recall? Don't be so ignorant and narrow minded. Be global citizens!

Ah, a hung House of Reps and a hung Senate. Whilst we are used to the latter, the extra round of horse trading required to get legislation will mean stagnation and "safe" policies. But when neither of the two main parties showed much vision beyond 21/08/2010, and ran muddled campaigns, we got a muddled result.

A few facts to keep this discussion informed:
1. the claim that "the Australian electoral system has influenced the result" is totally spurious. As usual, preferential and/or compulsory voting are trotted out for blame, especially by non-Aussies. Our first national election followed Federation in 1901, preferential voting has been around since 1918 and compulsory voting since 1924. In that time there have been exactly TWO hung parliaments - 1940 and 2010. The system therefore CANNOT be blamed, indeed it works against this outcome and hung parliaments are extremely rare in Oz at all levels (local, state & national). 2010 was the closest election since 1961, but even the latter produced a non-hung result. 2010 is all about disillusion and uncertainty and not about the voting system which has served us well.
2. The claim above that both leaders are expat Brits is spurious, though probably fuelled by the UK media, looking for "the local angle." Yes, Julia was born in Wales but her parents migrated when she was 6. Our WW1 PM, Billy Hughes was the last genuine Brit ex pat - he migrated here when he was 22 - in 1884! As for Tony Abbott, yes, he was born in London but to Australian parents - he does not regard himself as an expat Brit!! A friend of mine had a father who was born "in transit" in Canada to English parents - did that make him an expat Canadian? Hardly.
3. Coverage level. I'm always pleased when the British media cover any Oz politics at all. I lived in London for 6 years and the ONLY time there was any UK media coverage was when Whitlam was sacked, which of course made the front page. It wasn't that things weren't happening but, in pre-internet days, it was very difficult to get any information. Today, why wouldn't the BBC give good coverage? Most Brits have relatives & friends here and ought to be more interested than you are - that you are whingeing about "too much coverage" proves this! As for more coverage of European elections, "Britons never ever ever shall be slaves" - or Europeans!

People have very short memories - the Liberals lost govt in 2007 because they changed industrial relation and family law, involved Australia in American global conflicts, and had a hardline uncompassionate stance on illegal refugees. The way Kevin Rudd was treated was a big factor in the swing against Labor, as refected in the results they got in Qld. A hung parliament is not a good thing, and the Greens will have the balance of power in the senate. We live in interesting times...

Under the current situation is better to have another election to be decided by the majority of the Australian , definitely, not being held ransom by Independent parties.

Independent parties should be Australian watchdogs deterring the ruling party from going overboard therefore should remain independent not being part of ruling party.

If ruling party has to submit to Independent party then it defeat the process of democracy and moving toward corruption or a more gentle word collaboration with bias interest and not for the benefit for the people of Australia. We end up with no independent parties for Australia. Australian become a victim of dictatorship.

We shall uphold democracy process with a new election and settle conclusively once and for all in order for Australia to move forward with a decisive agenda. We cannot afford to wait for three years or more for inaction, the world is revolutionary and therefore we definitely need a new election, and parties can lay down very decisively their manifesto with realistic advantage after hearing what Australian wanted.

We do encourage more independent parties to be form, to protect Australian against any ruthless ruling party act on any innocent Australian, especially the pensioners which often always being neglected by the leader in their ambition for his own interest.

Once again, I hope the successful independent parties, should know their conscience and not take advantage of the situation in joining any ruling party, which ultimately is only for three years and lose your credibility as independent party for the people of Australia.

Final pledge to protect democracy, and remain independent party as useful watch dog for the people of Australia.

May God bless all Australian, and seek for new vote, unlike following the path of the wrong doer without good fundamental & good principal as the foundation. We Australia can be different and be difference in moving forward and other will follow.

Individuals who are 'climate change sceptics' are not sceptical about climate change but about anthropogenic or human induced climate change a la IPCC et al. Nonetheless, it's good the BBC no longer says 'global warming' but 'climate change'. I wonder why the change. Call me a semantic cynic!

An interesting result for Australia, but coupled to other results it could be indicative of its' time.

Labor had it to lose; they blew it. Gillard replaced Rudd on the basis the policies needed change; the policies didn't change. They continued with the mining tax - they did not tax the banks who also make super profits. It could be argued that the miners make money on experts, the banks make profits at the expense of the Australian voters. The banks failed to pass on interest rate cuts in full and make extra profit as a result, when cuts were made to help sustain the Australian economy in a time of global downturn. Why tax the miners and not the banks, when the banks have behaved appallingly.

Secondly, Rudd and Conroy set out to align Australia's internet censorship with North Korea, China and Iran. Anyone who criticised this policy was branded a pedophile. Academics, professionals, human rights groups, the US government and the IT industry said it was a bad plan and wouldn't work. Gillard still said she would push this policy through next term. She should have dropped it.

There is also a series of policy started but not followed through, especially environmental policy.

The Labor party stopped listening a long time ago. The green vote across urban Victoria has been strong, so even in her home state a clear message has been sent to Gillard and Labor. The problem has been that Tony Abbott is not a prime minister - he's good for humour value but you don't want him leading your country. We now have a hung parliament.

Next post - what the result means in conjunction with other results ...

Ref comment 19 it wasn't the Australian government that saved Australia from recession - it was our close links to Asia, strong resource sector and strong banks. As an Australian living in Australia I think you should read the Australian newspapers rather than what's written in the US!

Regardless of my political views, I think there is something which all the media have glossed-over.

In his address to the existing Liberal/National coalition, Mr Abbott did two things which reflect poorly on him as a person and as a representative of Australia:
(1) He described his wife as being one of his "other children"
(2) He came dangerously close to proclaiming himself Prime Minister – this doesn't sound like much, but Kevin Rudd (Julia Gillard's predecessor) lost his popularity because the public saw him as arrogant. The current leader of the opposition (Abbott) should have learnt from Rudd's mistake and not been quite so up himself.

I am hoping this man will not be representing my nation on the world's stage!

Another democracy, another hung parliament. I don't know anyone who's view of politicians hasn't deteriorated over time. We have constant information, telling us what the pollies are or aren't doing. The Freedom of Information Act coupled to easy access computer records means it is harder to hide those things they do, for example fiddling their expenses, reasons for going to war, meeting minutes etc.

The pollies employ strategists and researchers, and constantly strive to say the right things according to their focus groups. The thing is, most people know this is what they do, so when do you attach any weight to anything they say. The focus groups are aimed at getting most votes, so the messages become the same from both major parties, so nobody really knows who to vote for.

They need a new plan, and quick.

I hope Labour can form a coalition somehow. I wouldn't want Australia to suffer again under a right wing government otherwise they will end up in the same mess as the UK - no industry, no jobs and foreigners owning all our businesses and almost all of the capital city. Don't make the same, greedy, mistakes that the UK did !

Labor were wrong to kick out Kevin Rudd. Love him or loathe him, the Australian public voted him in, not the labor party.

Rudd clearly found certain things hard to manage but he was the man. Gillard is a power grabbing phoney and the Australian public have told her to go.

What a ludicrous set-up that a handful of individuals (independents and greens) can now hold the whole country to ransom. Did most of us vote for them? No we didn't.

The Labor party ridiculed the opposition when they changed leaders as they were licking their wounds from defeat in '07. Now they're looking unstable, ridiculous and unfit to govern. Let's put the grown-up team back in power and end the charade that is the Labor party.

First past the post - Abbott got a higher number of people voting for him so I say 'goodnight Julia'.

Julia Gillard will form a government with Labor's natural partner of the left, The Greens.

She hasn't lost government but more importantly for the country Abbott hasn't won it.

The reason that the Nationals hold the seats they do is because of a preference exchange with the Liberals.

The preferential system works very well in ensuring that voter's intentions are fully exhausted when their preferred candidate doesn't win the seat. Every seat ends up with a 2 party preferred outcome.

The Greens won their first lower house seat on the back of Liberal preferences.

It is superior to "first past the post" as EVERY vote ultimately counts until one candidate has achieved 50.1% of the vote. In the FPP system one candidate can with 21% of the vote if their are 5 candidates. So the wishes of 79% of voters' wishes are ignored. How democratic is that?

Yes, exiled(71)has made a very sensible solution, whichever party has the majority should be the ruling party decided by the majority of Australian.

We are intelligent people, and surely we know how to read the rule set in the voting system. Did the regulation has ever stated what mechanism should be deployed when come to situation of hung parliament, isn't it stated the party with majority should be the ruling party,.

Please do not undermine our intelligent and the rules are all there, majority should declare as winner, definitely cannot be any independent party, because Australian prefer them to stay independent as watchdog not their manifesto which does not benefit majority Australian.

I cannot believe the coverage given to the Australian election. It is a country half way around the world and of very little real importance to the UK. Compare the coverage given to their elections with that given to elections in countries much nearer and with bigger populations and of more importance to the UK and I can only assume it is the minor fact that we share a common language with Australia and those other countries don't that could account for the disproportionate coverage of Australia.

As for their election result, who cares in this country, it is not important.

Well the people have spoken and they do not want Julia Gillard! Queensland has the prospect of a double dip recession and they were hoping that Gillard would rectify the wrongs of Rudd and ease the taxation on mining and she has not. Not only do the mining corporations rely on the mining so do dozens of other companies and businesses as when the mining industry is hit so are those associated with that industry. Where is the cash coming from to buy new vehicles or to have expensive repairs done on existing ones, multiply that several times over and you see what a huge tax bill means - less work for others less jobs less spending power and recession but now there is the treat of a double dip recession. A coalition governmnt might just be the answer now but not a coalition with Labour. Howard was the man for the job but he was voted out for Rudd who was then got rid of by his own party, so lets see Howard's protege in power now instead and ditch Labour

Julia has the future of Australia to consider. A coalition government would allow input on most issues. Business and finance must improve to avoid economic recession.

Gillard has got her comeuppance. Nasty the way she shafted Rudd. Some murky stuff surrounds the mineco agreements. Follow the nbyslog on this and other scandals at the Blogger blogspot

"17. At 6:47pm on 21 Aug 2010, ATNotts wrote:

What I don't understand is why the BBC, and in fairness Sky News as well, are obsessed by a not very significant (to the UK reader / viewer) general election in a far off country."

I´ll tell you one thing (out of many) that interests me.... How come Australia (population 22m or thereabouts with a much larger territory), manages to be governed by 150 MPs, while the UK (population 63m or thereabouts and much smaller territory) needs 650 MPs. The result of having too many government representatives is too many petty laws, each MP desperate to put something in their CV which they can say they were responsible for. As they all insist what they do is good, why does so much go wrong?

Aussie elections on HYS lol
My vote's for skippy.

How about a thread on Dr David Kelly to keep us HYS loons occupied?

Or is the BBC part of the 70 year gagging order?

As any reader of these blogs can see-we really deserve our title of (sic)" THE CLEVER COUNTRY" so please treat us with the utmost respect!

@ 11. At 6:27pm on 21 Aug 2010, George wrote:

"Did Labour snatch Defeat from the jaws of victory by ousting Rudd?".

Yes and No. The first part is correct, the second part NO.

"As a Brit, I may be wrong but it seemed like he had done a good job and didnt deserve the lowlife backstabbing he got, even in politics people should set a good example of behaviour towards others"

Sir, you are quite correct. Two weeks before Rudd was axed my wife and I were absolutely astonished to learn that in the almost previous three years he had steadfastly refused to meet with the Senate independent Bob Brown.

Subsequently we have learned that Rudd had previously surrounded himself with a "coterie" of 20+ year olds, inexperienced idiots, who thought that could determine who could "see God". Senior public servants, senior ministers, even the great unwashed masses in the party.

The fellow was a "fruit cake". As a former Rudd supporter, nothing, absolutely nothing, can justify his autocratic style. Clearly he was his own worst enemy along with his "child like" minders.

You are quite right, he didn't deserve the "the lowlife backstabbing he got". He should have NEVER been elected to leadership in the first place. He simply was a junior version of Tony Blair harking back from the 1990's who had public appeal, no skills, definitely no people skills.

After 50+ years in politics, I still can't believe the party elected a "Turkey", without substance, simply on PR and media appeal.

"If it costs Labour the election then perhaps they will learn to act better in a civilised modern country, it's not a commie gulag you know"

Labor [sic] are civilised, just at times beguiled by media BS. Bring back the olden days politicians who table thumped, smoke filled rooms and blood in the saw dust. Forget the media image. Get on and govern and above all, bring in wide ranging reforms.

As for Commie? This is the most right wing fascist government of my lifetime. Bring back the folks of the 1950/60's whom I loved and respected. Not the limp wristed media image types we have now, afraid of offending people with the truth.

I'm afraid it is a world wide trend. Political leaders and political parties who will do anything to retain/gain power, forgetting as they do, the people they represent. The electorate is bombarded with conflicting messages and produces a conflicting result.

I think most people now trust politicians so much they don't want them! Look at Great Britain and see what we have. Who wants them?

@ Antony Webb "How come Australia (population 22m or thereabouts with a much larger territory), manages to be governed by 150 MPs, while the UK (population 63m or thereabouts and much smaller territory) needs 650 MPs." sounds good but we actually have three layers of government - Federal, state and local. It is quite common for a state government to be different to Federal. I find it fascinating as a Pom living in Australia that Australians have basically made the same decision as Brits did.... we are sick of the spin and just want a government that is fair and looks after those who need it.

What do we know in the UK? Gillard (Labour)is far to the left of politics and one wonders whether she has the metal to make the right decisions to deliver economic growth. Gillard has shown her inexperience in the top job.

Abbott (Liberal) is too far to the right and his opinions appear to emenate from his catholic beliefs. Politically, he is something of a bruser and I think he is more in it for the money rather than serving his country. He is not interested in the environment and CO2.

I think I would be more likely to support Gillard. An opinion from a staunch tory brit.

I agree with 79. Addy.

I think we would all like to discuss the Kelly "suicide".

It usually takes a considerable amount of time, financial support, financial 'friends' and focus to reach positions of power in politics?

However, having attained that power, it doesn't always make you the right person for the job of serving your country? Yes, it is an elected individual's DUTY to SERVE their country. The electorate, of many other nations, are thinking faster than those who seek to govern. That frustration is increasingly obvious via the ballot box?

Like many countries today, Australia has to focus on her ecology. What I mean by that is a 'future-proofed' and sufficient supply of drinking water, food and energy supplies; decent basic healthcare and investment in sustainable employment (green wherever possible)to maintain independent and cohesive growth?

I spent yesterday handing out leaflets at the local polling booth (a primary school, and yes, there was a sausage sizzle). In the last couple with increasingly attempts to appeal to a small racist section of the community. Despite that, the mood at the elction booth was positive, with people from all parties chatting to each other pleasantly and cracking jokes while wooing voters with leaflets. Last night I went to an election party in Sydney, and watched with growing dismay the unclear outcome of the election.

People are feeling a mixture of exhaustion, frustration and regret. Regret at losing a very good Prime Minister before his time, frustration at feeling powerless to stop the change of leadership, and exhaustion at the thought of having to wait for a couple of weeks to find out who's governing the country.

This hung Parliament would have been avoided if both parties had not stepped away from addressing climate change - the Labor government had a clear mandate for action from the previous election, and chose to walk awaty from it. Hence big votes for the Greens.

With our wealth most unevenly distributed amongst us either as a Country or individually; with no force available within it to attract enough of liquidity to flow at ease everywhere either within a Nation or within the Globe to sustain our lives either to offer appropriate engagement or to acquire enough of flowing funds in hands to get a buying power, none shall ever believe in any Political System to stick onto it to expect a good governance, our opinion bound to remain divided and even shall keep changing amasses over a short period of time. This is what we are facing now all over the Globe which shall go worst over time to infuse a huge mistrust within us. This, as result shall force us to keep distances with each other than remaining together, suspecting a foul play by one on the other.

When Mr. David Cameron, Most Honorable PM of UK, the youngest Leader who ever took charge of the Country in the last 200 years, Heading a collision Government in UK; can attract a grace from the Unseen for his most plain talking over all important events he face with till now, why the collision Government at Australia cannot work on our behalf? Since it is becoming a way of life of us now we all pray and expect that it shall too produce a similar result to us.


(Dr.M.M.HAZARIKA, PhD)

I have renewed faith in the collective wisdom of the Australian electorate!
This result is precisely the message that needed to be sent to Canberra's politicians and mainstream media.

The campaigns of the two largest parties offered no real debate, no real issues, and no real vision. News media, caught up in its own 24-hour news cycle, eagerly commentated the campaign like a horse race - all action, one-liners and tactics - little meaningful analysis for the audience.

The French political philosopher, Alexis de Tocqueville said that in a democracy, we get the government we deserve. By depriving either main party of a clear win - voters have given the political class the outcome they deserve.

A period of retrospection as to why Australia finds herself rudderless - just might be the wake-up call we all need.

I don't really see how Kuminberg, you can deduce a pox on both your houses from a close (compulsory voting) election. The informal vote was up a very little bit...so there's that but surely all that can be attested was that the electorate in it's collective wisdom saw no clear victor and that wasn't as you suggested because there were no issues or vision but because as you did say the media reported the campaign as though it were a sporting event; who's running hard, who's injured, who's been rolled etc. I say issues such as what role should government play when capitalism fails and what efforts should the public sector put into important infrastructure are challenging in a complicated & busy world for parties to disseminate and for the public to digest, but the media; they gave up a long time ago. That's what none of us deserve.

all governments are totally corrupt, cannot be fixed, and out of touch with the people. government allways goes against the will of the people in favor of lobbyists and special interests. governmnets are just like the banking and stock market industry. no matter what you do to fix a problem, the worms will only find a different path to crawl out of the woodwork.

Australia has a hung parliament.The good news is that Australia will not suffer from the arrogance of a government that is formed by the brute majority of a single party in parliament.Of necessity, the Prime Minister has to respect the opinion of all MP's in the matter of governance.Whether Julia Guillard or Tony Abbot forms the Government dpends on how many independents she or he can infuence to support her or him.Julia Guillard astituely elbowed out Rudd to become Prime Minister.It is possible Abbot may lose to Guillard in the race for Prime Ministership.
The bad news about a hung parliament is that the Government may well become a musical chair, and a lot of horsetrading may go on. But this is rarely expected in a mature democracy like Australia.After all, the Australians know well that they need a stable Government to tide over recession and achieve a lasting economic recovery.
The country is reacting to this close-run election in a manner that indicates that the voters cannot fully trust either of the major parties.This is the result of political vacuum in to-day's Australia.The possibility of a mid-term election may not be ruled out altogether.

Post #91 @ 3:48pm on 22 Aug 'Maggie' - replying to another poster.

'Maggie' - after reading your post three times, at least, I get what you are saying in response to another poster; but are you in PR, or 'spin soldiering'; or simply a professor in semantic bluff?

Yes, I am being unkind, and that is unacceptable - and not my style. Feeling particularly fractious today about those whose comments only focus on others? Yes, yes we are all guilty - so many heads hanging in shame may even change the weather??

I know this comment to be completely 'off-topic' and for that I apologise, but am compelled, as this is relevant to Australia and it's government too?

The Australian government and ALL governments, and their people, have to rethink their topography and geographical situation? There is enough knowledge, for goodness sake? Why is it not implemented?

Pakistan AND China are suffering flooding disasters with loss of life, homes, agriculture, livelihoods and livestock?

Many countries have areas suffering from too much, or too little water; in the wrong place and at the wrong time and density? All are intellectually, technologically and politically advanced nations?

Weather experts, and NASA, have suggested these unusual events have been caused by a 'kink' in the 'jet stream' that affects weather patterns, globally?

Deforestation for mining and lumber IS a huge part of the problem for several nations too?

However, for now, why is China not also asking for help from the International Community?

Our family have donated via DEC in UK for Pakistan, as we have NO religious or ideological intent or racial interest, unlike some?

Indeed, we would also be equally willing to donate to China. However, China is firmly independent and heroically stoic in dealing with natural disasters?

I must agree with many of the comments posted regarding a return to the decisive politicians of old a Menzies, Hawke Whitlam. Someone that will make a decision and not look around first to see who they might be offending. Someone that will follow the will of the majority and for instance say no to refugees dumping themselves on our back door. Having an immigration policy that is based on our need for a particular skill, not on minorities wanting to come here or someones granny joining the family. Australia might be as big as the US, physically, but it cannot sustain uncontrolled growth. This fiasco of an election is a wake up call and hopefully pave the way for politicians who want what is right for Australia.

That these type of "hung parliaments" may be testament to political parties that in their rush to gain power; offer so-called centrist policies. Until they are in power, then the true agendas step forward. I definitely applaud those who feel that their green party offer a viable alternative. Many times popular policies are adopted and usurped by those who want the power. These which are then diluted and perverted, usually by the interest groups those politicians really represent. It's going to be increasingly clear that better decisions need to be taken for the benefit of citizens of most countries. The trading on our futures are only benefitting the super-rich. Generally political parties that bring fresh ideas, especially when focussed on our living environment. Are ridiculed by those who seek to profit from which belongs to all ...... water, air and land.

The Australian election is remarkable in that for the first time environmentalism and immigration have emerged as key issues and in that diametrically opposite views on these issues are represented amongst those holding the balance of power (greens and independents).

The British equivalent would be to have someone like Daniel Hannan leading the Conservative party and to have the balance of power held by UKIP and the Green Party.

The British electorate were not able to express a view on these issues at our recent elections because all three of the major political parties shamefully presented identikit views. Next time we can expect it will be different.

There is nothing wrong with any democratic electorate; voting in a way to send a clear message to express their concerns and mistrust of politicians and their political agendas etc?

What the people/electorate see clearly; is an increasingly distant void created by the 'power-brokers' behind more and more politicians and a disturbing media-led brainwashing machine?

So what's wrong with a coalition or a so-called hung parliament? What's wrong with politicians and Political parties fighting each other? They show their true intent and need to get over themselves?

An elected politician has a DUTY to SERVE their country - if any elected politician complains - ask them "How much do you earn" and "What are your expenses that I pay for, mate"? If you don't like your job that I elected you to - and pay your wages - then get lost?

am not at australia.
am living in small city indonesia.
i didnt know yet bout politics and government.
its too young for me ^__^
im ready to help.
for me whoever the leader are awesome cause theyre same ,human from god.
so my message to the government; i understand country problem a lot.
but u must become good government to build up ur country and say hello to other country.
stop the war cause buddha rule number one is No Kill No weapon and Family is buddha rule number two.
buddha always love this earth if u want keep peace and helpfull and built up ur countries ;)
be happy and peace global
stop global warming
safe earth future.
Grow future earth
Stay Peace And Always Peace.
Say Hello To all of belief and religion
Say hello to Atheist and Jews ..
Teach them about what is meditation means!
so how pretty our earth future lifelihood ^___^ without war and religious debate ;D
i love modern earth now.
like past time using SMS now everything easy by Blackberry Messenger
what new good things in australia?
cmon grow!!
grow australia
and keep friendly without hate
and PEACE!!!!
God is exist believe me :D
Growing Australia and Let other country see what new adventure in australia ^_______________________-^