I’m not too fussed if people pile on. I’ve had no influence on him politically. He is a big boy
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■■■■ & balls counts as an official LNP vote, I’m pretty sure.
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Oh Fark, scratch that then!
Better find out who my independents are 
I hope one day they will release a picture book that contains nothing but the most amusing donkey votes from the previous federal election. It could become an electoral-cycle tradition.
Edit: All sales proceeds donated to that website that records what all the pollies vote for in parliament.
Think Penny Wong is up for re election in the Senate. Birmingham used to be a moderate and a good performer but has turned.
If I were in Goldstein or Kooyong the Independents would be attractive candidates for the Reps.
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I guess then that you refuse in your job to accept any of the benefits that Trade Unions have won for you over the last 100 years.
And your Son must not think important the safety and workplace conditions that only exist because of the BLF and now CMFEU fighting for the lives of construction workers.
In any case, the CMFEU is not affiliated with the ALP any longer and many in the Union Movement and the ALP would argue that the ties between both were broken long ago when Hawke and Kelly betrayed workers with the wages accord.
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Of course he thinks safety is important but you shouldn’t be harassed or bullied for not being part of a union. That is his issue with them
But, what about the TWU, that bad lot securing better conditions for those involved in freight and logistics?
What happened to the ALP being the political arm of the union movement?
I’m sure I read someone say that here somewhere.
Probably one factor. Add to that the consumption of Murdoch media
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To be a bit balanced. On religion Muslims discriminate as much as(or in some areas much more) than Christians.
And the LNP policy represents its membership base now. They target the minority of Australians which are church going.(there is no value judgement on this at all btw)
For some indication just take a look at the end recipients of community grants that was published recently in Fairfax and have a chat to a few of the lnp foot soldiers handing out leaflets for the party on Election Day.
I’m sure the ALP may be all about that too. A political party will go wherever they can to find an audience and buy their vote.
But yeah light on for other policy announcements, or perhaps they just don’t get media airtime because sensible policy that helps the country doesn’t get clickbait?
I got bailed up in a back ally because I would not join the union. Bloke made the comment that they all know where I live, where my wife works and they know when I am not home and the wife is alone.
I said, nice threats but it is Burnie, we all know where everyone works and lives.
I reported him back at the office, wrote the convo out. Then i immediately called the blokes mum as i went to church with her. Needless to say he was read the riot act both by the council (who I worked for) and his mum. He had to apologise to me or his mum would have killed him.
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Few things scarier than a tradie’s mum.
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The threats were probably illegal
Nothing probable about it, they were. But I wasn’t interested in chasing that down, just told the union to leave me alone or I would book all their vehicles for parking illegally instead of letting them get away with it.
They left me alone.
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Independents don’t deserve a free pass into Parliament
Luke Nayna
Former deputy campaign director for NSW Liberals
December 20, 2021 — 5.00am
At the last federal election in 2019, one in four Australians cast a first-preference vote for a minor party or independent. Over the past decade, this number has gradually climbed as voters slowly erode the two-party system that has governed Australia in the post-war era.
Australians will again head to the polls next year and it is likely the major party vote will continue to fall. There is real likelihood that Australia will once again find itself with a hung parliament and minority government. Unlike in 2010, where the election outcome and hung parliament came as a surprise, many political commentators have this time recognised the potential influence that independent MPs might hold after the election.
Independent Allegra Spender, left, kicks off her campaign for Wentworth with her sister, fashion designer Bianca Spender.CREDIT:JESSICA HROMAS
So feverish is the speculation, that it prompted the crossbench MPs and high-profile candidates to declare they are yet to pick a winner – that is to say, they’re not telling the Australian people who they would back to be our prime minister in the event of a hung parliament.
This should be of concern to every Australian. The independent class of 2022 are running on three issues – climate change; integrity in politics; and gender equity. These are worthwhile matters, and are important to many voters, but they are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the issues confronting any federal government. Issues of national security, economic recovery, support for small business and manufacturing, investment in health and education and ensuring a strong retirement for seniors are of equal or greater importance to many.
The latest JWS Research ‘True Issues’ report published in November found the top issue on the minds of voters was hospitals, healthcare and ageing (37 per cent), followed by the environment and climate change (26 per cent) and economy and finances (22 per cent) – meaning only one of the three key issues on which the new class of independents is building its platform is driving votes at the ballot box. While Australians want to see more equal representation in our Parliament and be assured of integrity within our institutions, they are more concerned about steady pay and access to essential services.
Throughout Australian history, true independents have forged grassroot campaigns, worked hard to pull resources together and arrived in Canberra with a genuine purpose to represent their local community. What we’re seeing in our new wave of independent candidates is a populist movement, bankrolled by millionaires with the aim of removing a sitting government.
PM Scott Morrison (centre) and some of the independent female candidates running in 2022. Pictured (clockwise from top left): Kylea Tink (North Sydney), Sophie Scamps (Mackellar), Allegra Spender (Wentworth), Penny Ackery (Hume), Claire Boardman (Flinders), Monique Ryan (Kooyong), Zoe Daniel (Goldstein) and Linda Seymour (Hughes). CREDIT:STEPHEN KIPRILLIS
Of course, within a democracy there is nothing wrong with such an objective, but it is incumbent on our media and commentators to ensure these candidates are being examined in the same way we interrogate our major political parties and would-be leaders. Even at a local level, voters know where the Liberal candidates who are being targeted stand on key issues.
Dave Sharma, Tim Wilson and Trent Zimmerman represent the next generation of Liberal leadership. They come from diverse backgrounds and have forged successful careers outside of Parliament. Voters know where they stand – they want climate action, they represent diversity in politics and they contribute to a government that has kept the economy strong throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Can the same be said for their challengers? We don’t have those answers. It’s easy for an independent candidate to outmanoeuvre the government on climate change. They can promise the world with no likelihood that they need to deliver. They can play to a single constituency without the need to register and respect the views of others across this vast nation. But we shouldn’t let them get away with a strong single-issue campaign.
The Morrison government is warning of uncertain times ahead. This is certainly true. Our COVID-19 recovery is going to need strong economic stewardship, tensions in the Pacific and the emerging conflict with China are going to require delicate diplomatic skills, and the changing labour market at home, disrupted by a change in international workforces, is going to test the resilience of Australian industries.
Voters need to be assured their Parliament is up to the task of managing these complex and competing issues. And while we know the next crossbench could force stronger action on climate change, deliver a NSW-style anti-corruption body (a commission with major flaws and shortcomings), and fight for improved gender equality, where will they stand when it comes to keeping our nation safe and economy strong?
We shouldn’t give any candidate a free pass to the Federal Parliament based on strong ideology alone. We must hold everyone to the same standard and that must start with understanding how they would serve all Australians, not just a select few.
Don’t vote independent because… umm, vote Liberal. Please?
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What’s the point of voting for a moderate liberal when they can only give effect to their convictions by crossing the floor in votes on policies that are driven by the Nats?
Have these moderate liberals cited ever crossed the floor?
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Soz I didn’t read past this part
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Yeah a Lib writing they don’t like independents is pretty predictable.
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Loooool.