Australian Policies -- from 2025 Federal election

Second party left leaderless in the same election, not a whole lot to pick for the next leader either. Bandt IMO has lead them away from what was becoming a solid option

2 Likes

Pocock or Shoebridge if Bandt loses his seat would be among their better options I think. So far I think Watson-Brown is more likely to hold Ryan than lose (though it’s still very close) so the Greens won’t be completely wiped out in the Reps, but I think realistically she’s only a second-term MP, so you probably have to hand the leadership back to one of the senators.

3 Likes

No @bigallan that is what they are called under Australian law. These people are ā€œUnauthorised Maratime Arrivalsā€.

It’s not dog whistling or polite dog whistling it’s exactly what our legislation says. How can quoting what our legislation says be polite dog whistling?

I know you feel strongly about asylum seekers, but here is what our Australian legislation says about individuals arriving by sea without a valid visa:

https://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ma1958118/s5aa.html

MIGRATION ACT 1958 - SECT 5AA

Meaning of unauthorised maritime arrival

(1) For the purposes of this Act, a person is an unauthorised maritime arrival if:

(a) the person entered Australia by sea:

(i) at an excised offshore place at any time after the excision time for that place; or

(ii) at any other place at any time on or after the commencement of this section; and

(b) the person became an unlawful non - citizen because of that entry; and

(c) the person is not an excluded maritime arrival.

1 Like

If the ALP keeps moving right they might end up more at home with the Teals.

They might start cutting the alps champagne socialists lunch in the inner city suburbs.

1 Like

I think the next move will be Indis/Teals running in Labor seats eg Fremantle.

What’s been wrong with privatising Telstra?

The cost of telecommunications has come down a lot? We have great coverage?

1 Like

Good to see you’re keeping up with current events.

An Independent, Kate Hulett, is within a few whiskers of taking Fremantle from Labor.

At this election…not a future move.

1 Like

Quite likely, especially if Albanese and Plibersek keep approving coal mines and gas drilling at the current rate. Besides, there’s almost no urban Libs for Teals to target any more.

It’s a tougher sell for an Teal to run against an ALP member than a Lib on those issues though, simply because the Libs are so much worse. ā€˜I’m an independent running against the worst climate guy!’ is a concept with teeth and staying power, ā€˜I’m an independent running against the guy who beat the worst climate guy but is still pretty bad on climate’ is a tricker angle to push.

In normal political times, I’d expect that the ALP vote would come back next election and they’ll likely lose seats. The line can’t go up forever, and once you’ve been in power for six years it’s getting harder to blame the bad stuff on the previous mob. However, these aren’t normal political times and I couldn’t begin to guess what the situation will look like then. What will the Coalition have done in response to such a staggering loss? Will they have more of the same, will they reinvent themselves? Will a new party of the younger far right step up to replace the aging Hanson/Palmer? Will Trump have thrown the world into depression, war, and spreading dictatorship by then, and have posted a million US troops in Australia to make sure the populace votes the way he wants them to?

If politics continues in some sort of recognisable fashion, however, I think that Albanese is likely to continue to manage the crossbench in the way he’s done it so far. As he’s in massive majority, the indies etc in the lower house are basically irrelevant. He can ignore them in the House, starve them of resources to make them less effective, and basically just pay no attention to them whatsoever. Daniel losing, and failures in places like Franklin, Wannon, and likely Fremantle has put something of a dent in the Teal project. Journos won’t cover them like they’re an inevitable wave of the future any more. Like Wilkie or Haines, they’ll be forced to eke out what small local wins they can. Albanese doesn’t need them, and his Reps margin is so massive there’s no realistic chance of this changing even next term.

The Greens are tougher given the ALP absolutely will need their vote in the Senate from time to time, but the ALP has developed a very effective wedge strategy for dealing with them and they haven’t found a countermeasure for it yet. The ALP simply proposes a bill that addresses (or pretends to) an issue the Greens care about. Doesn’t matter how ā– ā– ā– ā– , doesn’t matter how inadequate. They then refuse all amendments. If the Greens vote it down, the ALP pans them for playing cynical politics and taking sides with the Libs who no doubt have particularly heinous views on the issue (if it;s something the Greens really care about, you can reliably assume Lib policy on it is terrible). If the Greens pass it unchanged, then the ALP gets exactly what it wants, the Greens surrendered without getting anything done, and when the Greens complain down the track about how ā– ā– ā– ā–  the ALP policy is and how it isn’t working, then the ALP can just say that this was policy the Greens supported.

I’m seeing a few people musing that the ALP might feel emboldened to be more progressive in the next parliament given how hugely they won, but I’m skeptical. Leopard, spots, and all that, plus it’s really hard to argue for changing a formula that just delivered electoral success beyond your wildest dreams. The big tests will be first, if Madeleine King remains resources minister once Albanese announces his new cabinet. If so, then it’s a big sign that coal mining Albo is the real Albo, and secret progressive Albo is just a delusion. Second is the upcoming reintroduction of the environmental protection legislation that was promised and not delivered last term. When it gets reintroduced, will it be the real thing, or the gutted version that Woodside wrote for the WA state govt who forced it on Albanese who then forced in on Plibersek? And second, will the ALP be willing to negotiate at all with the Greens to get it through the senate, or will they my-way-or-the-highway it and be perfectly happy to let it fail again and blame the Greens for combining with the Libs as they did during the housing debate?

5 Likes

Be as cynical as you like. Good Government works for all Australians, not just what you or I want. It actually makes little difference how big your majority in the lower house, as you still rely on others to get legislation passed, and Albo is pragmatic enough to work with whoever to get the best result in the Senate. Teals are irrelevant politically, at least for three years until the next election, but Greens are very relevant and my hope is that goodwill will prevail, not that optimistic though.

I am very optimistic though that this new Government will be more progressive and expansive, and I doubt it will be reckless. Programs to continue the growth of renewables and remove coal mining, may not reach your level of expectation or mine, but it will move in the right direction.

My hope would be that the divisive hate we see in other places that has grown here can be tempered, and that is really up to Albo and the Leaders of all groups to manage.

4 Likes

Extra ministry to the left, left now greater numbers in Labor caucus than right. Suggestion that, ā€˜freed of shackles of inflation’ and given fresh mandate, Chalmers will guide economy in a more ā€˜green’ and progressive direction. Not bad signs, see what the pudding tastes like. Very glad we’re not talking about when Dutton and Co will backflip on nuclear power after reviewing costings. Very glad Gina Rinehart is occupied with fundraising squabbles and not running the country

4 Likes

I think albo is about as straight as you can get . there won’t be anything too progressive bit he does genuinely go for traditionwl Labor values as his mantra . you will never please everyone . abanese is smart enougn to realise you can only ever govern from the centre . liberals are hopelessly lost out to the far right . I don’t see them ever coming back now.
they see everything in terms of beating Labor , not what’s best for the average Australian .

4 Likes

And who wrote and brought in that legislation?

1 Like

Although it’s not my seat, I am sorry to see Tim Wilson re-elected. I don’t think Australia needs yet another IPA alumnus. Or any, really!

7 Likes

From my deep dive into the data, ie checking out phone and internet plans, I say no.

2 Likes

He was voted out for being a shiny pile of nothing. He’ll most likely be a shiny pile of nothing again, in opposition. Will be interesting to see if he holds at the next.

2 Likes

There’s a lot more people in Australia now too since port arthur, has per person firearms gone up.

From memory, there’s more per person, but the proportion of people who are gun owners has gone down (or steady).

So you’ve got gun nuts stockpiling. There’s a local gun shop in the inner North of all places, and old school indoor shooting ranges in Northcote and Fairfield.

The only people i know that are gun holders are farmers or wallaby/deer shooters. Have one mate who got a licence to keep his family guns relics, but he also has a rural property too and would be handy for pest control.

I would imagine general population gone down. but criminals/ black market potentially gone up.

There was a time in Tassie quite a few years ago now where all the addresses of the people in the gun safe register was leaked and their properties were targeted to steal the weapons.

I would still say the changes howard brought in re gun control were good.

The type of gun or rifle is important, in the context of mass casualties and the capacity of the armed police to limit casualties, to take out the killer.
At one stage, Bridget McKenzie was pushing for rapid fire pump action arms. This was for the hunters and shooters, not the farmers. For thrills.
There are probably special exemptions for those involved in culling for environmental purposes, including feral pigs and buffalo in the NT.

Northcote and Fairfield are the old small bore competition ranges. Low velocity .22 rimfire only. I’ve shot at both. There is/ was one at Brunswick too. The small bore clubs are of no worry to ā€œsocietyā€, imo.

And I see no problem with Frank O’Reilly’s being in the ā€œinner Northā€ .

1 Like