...Hello Dhaarlings...
It has been federal election time in Oz
And as Voting is Compulsory for every Citizen...
Last Saturday was a National day of Civic Duty...
To join the queue at the local polling booth and cast our vote...
From All Reports
The Media would have us believe that there are only 2 runners in the competition
However... in Australia... We do not Elect an individual as Our Prime Minister
They are chosen and appointed to the position by their Party... And only after they have gained enough votes for individual party members within their own elctorate, and win enough seats in the House of Representatives, can they then form a majority to govern the country outright and take on the mantle of Prime Minister...
It is a long standing system which has served us well...But the Media suddenly seems to have overlooked...
We are not a republic and it is not a Presidential Run...
Although from all the hype and spin you would have us believe otherwise...
We have many more shades of political parties and independant candidates in this country other than the two Major Corporatised Brand Parties
And imagine the shock when independant members and even for the first time a member of the Green Party got elected to a seat in the lower house...
"How could this happen" is the collective cry from the Media...
Well is it any wonder...I say... What do you expect to happen when you take your eye off the ball.
As none of the other runners get any air time or coverage in the media and if they do.. it is a 3 second, one sentence "spin bite"... and nothing of any substance.
As an example... The debate that went on in the Media over wether the Political leaders should have a debate or not have a debate became "The" News Story... rather than rational policy discussion and objective comparison.
I think that this result has sent a message to all politicians of any persuasion that the People are sick of the old way of Adversarial Politics based on taking sides and opposing each others ideas just for the sake of it... without producing tangible policies and positive outcomes for the nation..
No one is prepared to stand up and make the hard decisions and have become ruled by focus groups and lobbyist opinion...
Independants and the Greens now hold the balance of power and the Labor and Liberal/Coallition Parties will have to enter into serious negotiations and compromise to form a stable government even in a minority...
We have had trouble getting our head around the situation but I think that the following sums things up pretty well...
It has been federal election time in Oz
And as Voting is Compulsory for every Citizen...
Last Saturday was a National day of Civic Duty...
To join the queue at the local polling booth and cast our vote...
From All Reports
The Media would have us believe that there are only 2 runners in the competition
Ms Julia Gillard... Current Labor Prime Minister and First Female to hold the position...
Self proclaimed "Ranga"
Mr Tony Abbott...Leader of the Liberal Coallition in opposition...
Self proclaimed "Action Man"
(And not scared to strap on the budgie smugglers or spandex)
However... in Australia... We do not Elect an individual as Our Prime Minister
They are chosen and appointed to the position by their Party... And only after they have gained enough votes for individual party members within their own elctorate, and win enough seats in the House of Representatives, can they then form a majority to govern the country outright and take on the mantle of Prime Minister...
It is a long standing system which has served us well...But the Media suddenly seems to have overlooked...
We are not a republic and it is not a Presidential Run...
Although from all the hype and spin you would have us believe otherwise...
We have many more shades of political parties and independant candidates in this country other than the two Major Corporatised Brand Parties
And imagine the shock when independant members and even for the first time a member of the Green Party got elected to a seat in the lower house...
"How could this happen" is the collective cry from the Media...
Well is it any wonder...I say... What do you expect to happen when you take your eye off the ball.
As none of the other runners get any air time or coverage in the media and if they do.. it is a 3 second, one sentence "spin bite"... and nothing of any substance.
As an example... The debate that went on in the Media over wether the Political leaders should have a debate or not have a debate became "The" News Story... rather than rational policy discussion and objective comparison.
The general lack of clear policy and schoolyard bickering and the "I've got the biggest willy" posturing of the peoples representatives has warn thin with the Australian Electorate and as a result we are in a situation where neither of the two major parties have enough seats to claim outright government.
I think that this result has sent a message to all politicians of any persuasion that the People are sick of the old way of Adversarial Politics based on taking sides and opposing each others ideas just for the sake of it... without producing tangible policies and positive outcomes for the nation..
No one is prepared to stand up and make the hard decisions and have become ruled by focus groups and lobbyist opinion...
Independants and the Greens now hold the balance of power and the Labor and Liberal/Coallition Parties will have to enter into serious negotiations and compromise to form a stable government even in a minority...
We have had trouble getting our head around the situation but I think that the following sums things up pretty well...
I didn't realise that we had a "Psychic Croc"... But obviously the Tiawanese did...
Regardless of the end result... My money is on the Croc!
