Australians come to their senses – March 24th will be remembered as the day they collectively said “we’re tired of this sh**” Commenter “truthseeker” writes in comments:
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Anthony,
You may want to refer to Jo Nova’s latest post about the results of a state election down under.
Now for all of you nice people from the USA who may not think state elections are that big a deal if you do not live in that state, please remember that we only have 6 states and 2 territories, not 50 like you guys. We just had an election in Queensland, one of our most economically important states, especially for mineral wealth representing about a quarter of the population. Before the election the Labour (think Democrat) held a small majority in the 89 seat Lower House (House of Representatives).
With over 70% of the vote counted, the results are;
Liberal / National Party coalition (think Republicans – sort of) – 78 seats
Labour (think Democrat) – 7 seats
KAP (new party – think TEA party with less logic and more strangeness) – 2 seats
Independents – 2 seats.
A mini-van will have more seats than the previously incumbent Labour party in the new parliament.
I have one word for this … OUCH!
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Jo Nova writes:
Those devastating Queensland Election Results: Voters hate lies and the Carbon Tax
UPDATE: Is this a record? Has there ever been a loss this bad in Australian history? Conservatives likely to win 74 seats of an 89 seat parliament.
Labor was reduced to only 11 seats in 1974, and on latest counting tonight appeared set to retain only nine seats. Some analysts put the figure even lower, at seven. This would mean Labor falling short of official party status and relying on the incoming LNP government to grant it party offices, staff and resources. The Queensland Greens failed to win a seat and suffered a fall in support. [The Australian]
This is thread for all those who want to comment on this election. According to Bolt, things are not just bad, they’re seriously awful for the Labor Party. Newspoll says LNP (conservatives) 55%, Labor 26%. Channel Nines polls says Labor could be left with less than 10 seats!
The ABC’s election predictor at 8:26 has LNP on 67 seats, Labor on four, others five, doubtful 15. Absolutely catastrophic for Labor. The current leader of the Labor Party in Queensland is Anna Bligh facing a 13% swing against her, and will need preferences just to stay in Parliament.
March 24, 2012, will be remembered as the day the electorate delivered a decisive, devastating blow to an incumbent Labor government. Courier Mail
For non-Australians, Australia has seven states (technically 5 states and 2 territories), and in 2007 all the States and the Federal Government were Labor. Currently Liberal (meaning conservative) governments have won NSW, WA, and Vic and now look like taking a landslide in Queensland. These are the four largest states.
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Andrew Bolt has this update:
Queensland election – and why it spells death to Gillard
Andrew Bolt March 24 2012 (5:52pm)
Here is the bottom line from the rout of Labor in today’s Queensland election – the line that spells doom for Julia Gillard, too.
Premier Anna Bligh, 2008:
I will not kick (Queensland households) when they are down and I will not abolish the petrol subsidy.
Three months after the 2009 election:
THE Bligh government will scrap its 8.35 cent per litre fuel subsidy and hold a multi-billion dollar fire sale of State-owned assets to offset a plunge in revenues during the global financial crisis.
And that was already that, as the next Galaxy poll showed, two months later:
There has been a dramatic swing to the Opposition, with a 59-41 lead on a two-party-preferred basis – a 10 point swing from the March 21 state election… And Ms Bligh’s popularity rating has hit an all-time low for a Queensland premier at 33 per cent.
Remind you of anyone?:
Anna Bligh broke a pre-election promise, and hiked up people’s bills. She immediately lost the public’s trust and never regained it, although got a brief sugar hit during the 2011 floods.
Julia Gillard broke a pre-election promise, and is already hiking up people’s bills. She immediately lost the public’s trust and never regained it.
The analogy still not close enough?
Sky News exit polls show voters were most concerned about the Cost of Living (69 per cent), followed by Delivery of State Services (63 per cent), Carbon Tax (44 per cent)
How do you think Gillard will do in Queensland next year?
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The problem here in the US is that no matter how conservative the state government (think Texas, Wyoming, Georgia), the Feds come charging in and give us a big middle finger, then say ‘try and stop us’. Kudos to you in Oz though, lots of people waking up around the world!
The near annihilation the Labor Party in Queensland was exactly that: an attempt to annihilate the Labor Party in Queensland. Why? For the reasons that Andrew Bolt and others have suggested. Not necessarily in order of importance:
1. Economic incompetence/ mis-management.
2. Lack of moral fibre: endless lies, bold-faced deceptions and broken promises, baseless attacks on political opposition candidates, endless cronyism and legalised thievery of public money
3. tacit support for, and nil opposition, to Federal Labor’s foolish carbon tax and mining rent resource tax imposts which are perceived (correctly) to be very bad for business in Qsld.
4. Falling house prices. The bubble seems to have burst first in Qsld and might to some extent be related to 3 above
5. There is a vsiceral hatred (understandably) of Gillard and Federal Labor and I think of Bligh and state Labor too. It was a chance to vent some steam and to prepare for round 2 with Federal Labor next on the bill!
6. Perception that both Gillard and Bligh got their roles largely because they’re the politically correct gender in this new dark age – although I accept this point is not universally agreed (re that theie gender is as it appears to be). They are certainly both very incompetent, pathological liars and thieves to boot.
Summary: it was for all those reasons principally. The carbon tax and other idiotic socialistic nonsense was certainly a big part of it.
But make no misatake, it was certainly an uncordinated affort to annihilate the Labor Party in Queensland. And it almost came off. Can’t waitfor the Federal election though I doubt Gillard has the balls to stand – though some might dispute that last bit (that she really does have testicles).
Oh, the irony… The “advert” that popped up for me was an Obama “you on board?” ad….
So the Watermellons are getting tossed down under and the ad is trying to get support for our “Cap’n Tax” Democrats. Precious.
One can only hope that the folks here are looking at the results there…
FWIW, the reason “Liberal” is inverted is due to the American Progressives. After W.W.II when being a Third Way Progressive got a very bad name (as that was what the Italian Fascists were and what they promoted – no, don’t start a war here, look up the history. Mussolini was widely praised by FDR and friends prior to the war. Was even invited to Hollywood for a cameo in a movie. It’s well documented history.) So the American Progressives looked for a way to ‘re-brand’ and decided to co-opt the term “Liberal” that had historically meant protector of liberties (more like a rational Libertarian now). Over time, the meaning shifts to match the reality, so the American Liberals (having tarnished that word) are now fishing around for another re-brand. Hillary briefly tried to resurrect “Progressive” with a “We’re not Liberals, we’re Progressives!” statement (hey, I SAW it). Folks guffawed…
I use the term Classical Liberal for the British / Commonwealth meaning, abbreviated to Classi-Liberal; and American Social Liberal for the American Progressive rebrand, abbreviated ASo-Liberal 😉 I’d not need the sniiditude if they would just be proud of their positions and openly state what they are.
(FWIW, I can justify the Lange Type Socialism economic form of mixed economy better than most others, and it’s far better than wide open unregulated Robber Barron Free Markets. My preference is for the Mixed Economy form of about 1960s vintage USA, which is just shy of Lange Type and about 1/2 way from Free Market to Lange. So my rock tossing is more about folks choosing to mislead about what they advocate and less about the actual economic form advocated…)
At any rate, the use of “Liberal” is tainted in America and really needs a disambiguation tag as to classical vs neo-modern-social-American…
With that said:
Way to go Australia!
For folks wanting more on variations on “liberal”:
http://chiefio.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/i-am-a-liberal/
Gail Combs, I’m guessing you live in either Arizona or South Carolina? Slimy backstabbers, those two. Of course, I’m not convinced there are but a few in D.C. On either side who aren’t in the JAFP Party (Just Another F…riggin’ Politician).
I’m a Queenslander and my vote and the vote of a lot of people I know had a lot to do with the carbon tax.
I’m still cheesed off though and will vote the best way I think will be detrimental to this socialist agenda both our major parties have adopted in the federal election.
In mode of nuanced subtlety, we declare that Aussie Laborites like U.S. D-rats are a coulrophiliac gang of coprophagic proctocranials. You could look it up.
I am unsure what you are getting at – my comments were primarily abot Fairfax and their lack of reporting. I did say the The Herald had it down a few pages:
The bottom line is that the Herald is owned by APN News and Media – NOT Fairfax
Since I live in Wellington, my daily read is heavily distorted by severe lack of reporting – unless it’s cricket, rugby, sailing, golf, boxing, cycling……… That is if I ever bought the Dom Post
I prefer to get my news from reliable sources, so tend to use foreign services – even to tell me what is happening in NZ !!!
Did you not see the lack of reporting that DotCom’s warrant was thrown out by a High-Court judge as being unenforceable? Strange I got it from the Telegraph but not Fairfax
Kiwis are safe in the knowledge that any nasty disturbing news items will not make it to press – it’s so idylic here we just don’t want cotrrupting by all that nasty news now do we? Welcome to cocoon NZ
Andi
forgot your disclaimer, smith – how much you have received as income from the state.
hardly impartial if you dine at trough, are ya? please spare gratuitous apologia for the engine of human sacrifice which is socialism – no matter how good it tastes to you, sacrificial human beings are not suitable dining fare for a human being. darwin says.
{A question for those in Australia: to what extent did dissatisfaction with climate/energy policy play a role in the defeat? Were there other major economic issues or was energy/environment the battle-ground issue?}
All of the above, plus distruction of marriage, aligning with the greens who the night before the election openly declared their hope to make a one world govt, asset sales, among other things, basicaly a total implimentation of a green/communist state where everyone was completely equal and identical, equaly poverty stricken, identicaly considered nothing more than expendable resourses (think eugenics there).
Yip, I think that just aboot covers it (spelling intentional, cause only us uneducated rednecks would not vote for commies and one world greenies you see).
Great News indeed – two states down and a federal election around the corner – lets see who starts abandoning the ship..
BTW its spelt Labor because U are not important…
Well that was uncerimonious. (-:
Andfor thos ewho doubt the election result had anything to do with climate change skullduggery… here’s a piece to make your hearts glow from ‘The Australian’ newspaper of Feb 12, 2012:
“Big payout for Queensland Premier Anna Bligh’s partner in 11th hour deal
QUEENSLAND Premier Anna Bligh’s husband, Greg Withers, will receive a six-figure payout if he is dumped by an elected Liberal National Party government after the top bureaucrat just had his contract renewed.
Mr Withers, put in charge of the newly created Office of Climate Change in 2007 barely a month after Ms Bligh became Premier, won a new three-year contract, with a further two-year option, on his $220,000-a-year package in December…”
Full story here:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/elections/big-payout-forqueensland-premiers-partner-in-11th-hour-deal/story-fnbsqt8f-1226267174232
Isn’t that sweet? Add a generous helping of climate change hysteria, ladle-in a load of junk science, add a dash of nepotism, sprinkle with cynicism, give it a good stir and voila!! A foul, steaming couldron of shh… just in time for apolitical maelstrom. Lovely.
I don’t know why you call it an “Eco-rout”. It was broken promises, mismanagement of the Health System, and the sell-off of State-owned assets to private exploiters that brought the Bligh government down.
The trouble with Australian politics is that Labor is bad, but the LNP are even worse. (LIkening them to Republicans is a bit harsh, though. Bunch of ratbags they may be , but they aren’t that bad.)
I have never been so proud to be Australian.
Oh, and I think this might be important:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbott-says-hell-call-double-dissolution-if-carbon-tax-isnt-repealed/story-fn59niix-1226309463036
🙂 Cheers everyone!
The catalyst unifying the opposition against labor is the carbon tax, but also aimed squarely at the Greens who have earned their destructive watermelon early election success on the back of a wrong decision by labor to exchange preference votes and gain more seats in the Australian Senate. The carbon tax was their triumph as Gillard could not resist the temptation of breaking her pre-election promise and remaining in defacto power with the aid of the three independent stooges who ratted on their electorates and conservative voters who would have preferred they align with the opposition. The upshot was Gillard sold her soul and that of her party in the hope she might just win back enough voters with debt fueled spending.
One of the things to come out of the Queensland decisive vote for the LNP coalition is the new unity of that conservative coalition,.gives them the strength to resist giving dodgy preferences to the Greens (just as the LNP party did in the Victorian elections) a lesson that labor should have learned. They are now stuck with a dodgy carbon tax that over half their own labor politicians actually question when you talk to them out of public view and, a clearly on the nose leader who lied for short term gain.
Couple that with all the public utility companies jacking up energy and water prices, rising fuel prices that drive up delivery costs and hike prices already on essential grocery and government services (local and Federal) and they know they face the perfect storm of public anger in the lead up to the next election.
The average labor voter is already saddled with increasing and out of control costs as prices rise ahead of the Carbon Tax, it is unlikely they will recover voters with their extremely wasteful programs and handouts.
I look to the next Federal election, bring it on, and wipe out the Greens once and for all and take the smug grins off their faces for the damage they have done to a once proud labor party, albeit one that is poorly lead at this time. The zero expansion of watermelon “green” influence is the best news of the Queensland election.
Austalian people’s ONCE again stick their HEADS in the SAND
HOWEVER such t’will ” NOT” change the reality of the situation.
All that having happened is that the media have done their usual
brainwashing / in giving no taste of reality but only that of illusion
& the one flickering brain cell Austalians return to their abode in
the “Twilight Zone” joining the one flickering brain cell Americans
whom will vote for the fraudster BARACK whom with an stroke of
the pen signed a bill that removing people’s rights to an just trial.
A BARACK who is but full of hot air in having broke every promise
made // now with another election to come / plays the same game
full of promises that are nought but hot air // again playing people
for fool’s // an people once again but brainwashed by media spin.
Any american now be arrested in having no legal representation
No charge / No court appearance // but being simply left to rot in
a prison cell for any length of time // deprived of all human rights.
BARACK put into govt a honoured position to protect the rights of
the people / he did the opposite // and stripped the people of their
most treasured right (to be protected by the law) (that none being
above the law) (that none in being deprived of just law an fair trial).
American people are treated as sheep to be fleeced / the children
treated as lamb for the slaughter all but brainwashed by the media
which is owned by the 1% whom owning 90% of the nations wealth.
Australian people long fleeced as sheep whom be so brainwashed
by the media / they now have a brain capacity thats equal to sheep
trained in bringing themselves to be fleeced // as to be slaughtered.
Our opposition leader Tony Abbott says this:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbott-says-hell-call-double-dissolution-if-carbon-tax-isnt-repealed/story-fn59niix-1226309463036
LazyTeenager says:March 24, 2012 at 2:43 pm
I also have a theory that labor have put in female leaders and historically they have a poor acceptance rate. Humans being monkeys and all , the alpha male syndrome probably has some influence on people’s thinking.
That’s the problem with you teenagers and your theories. You didn’t get the occasional smack of reality from real women.
source: http://pjmedia.com/blog/eight-mistakes-men-make-about-women/
Allan says: ” A common problem of Oz and Canada is the significant influence of miserable old British leftists in our new societies. These embittered socialists emigrate to our shores, burdened with excess baggage from the class-riddled United Kingdom, and spread their socialist venom like rancid Devonshire cream.”
JF: Yes Allan you are spot on. M.Thatcher gave the screaming lefties a hard time, so they came to Australia, where they infected the ALP big time. You will not see these swine on Australian TV as they have thick Scottish and Welsh accents. These are the scum that can get an elected Prime Minister (Rudd) sacked. It is my bet that they will now replace Gillard with someone else. Who? FIIK.
And:
“Finkelstein’s ideological position is not hard to find. It’s in paragraph 4.10 of his report. He thinks a council should control speech in Australia because most people are too dumb or ignorant to decide for themselves about what they see and hear and read in the media.’
Really, Finkelstein? Looks like you are just a dirty watermelon scumbag just like the rest of your mongrel mates. Go ahead and make my day and just try and tell the Queensland people that they are “too dumb or ignorant to decide for themselves” Well pal the left is finished in Queensland for the next 20 years as it is in WA, NSW and Vic. The ALP is cactus!
I am following election results at
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/election2012/qld-election-results
Four seats yet undecided, but LNP is leading in those 4 seats.
Even more amazing, if KAP had not drained votes away from LNP, Labor would have won only 3 seats!
I have read several news articles do not mention the carbon tax as a reason for Labor’s unpopularity. I do not know if the reporters are accurate or if the reporters do not want to mention it.
jonathan frodsham says: March 25, 2012 at 12:21 am
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Right there with you, Jonathan.
Politically, the happiest day of my life in the last century was when John Howard was elected Prime Minister of Australia. Now, having the socialists tossed out and Mr Campbell Newman installed will be the happiest day in my political well-being in this century.
… that is until our federal pseudo-government is tossed out next year !
Reblogged this on pindanpost.
This is the real Labor party van.
Note that its hard to tell which end is the front from the back and which direction it should travel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SuzukiCarry4th.jpg