Australian election: Early exit polls point to Tony Abbott win

[Exsexyman]

I am not going to get involved in Australian Politics on TV. Suffice to say that the election of Tony Abbot is going to be in my favour.

But just to answer a question on the Country, and National Parties in Australia. These were/are right wing, conservative parties, with the same values, etc as those of the Liberal Party except they represent the people of the 'bush'. Because they have special needs, unlike city folk.

Australia has an 'affinity' with 'The Bush'. Naturally, everyone lived in 'The Bush' in 1788 when Capt Phillip first arrived. But we moved on alot since then, and at great speed. We are one of the most urbanised countries in the world. Have been for a while. There is alot of myth about the Bush. Much is made by historians about the WW1 Diggers, all volunteers who carved out an impressive record for themselves on the battlefields of the Western Front.. Many will have you believe that the first AIF was almost entirely made up of hard riding, hard drinking, salt of the earth 'bushman', who all rode into recruiting centres in 1914 on horseback. This is a myth. Most were from the cities.

It is 'cool' to be from the bush. Every Australian will try to tell you he's from the bush. Or at least his roots are in the 'bush'. People from the 'Bush' are herld in high regard. The bush is the bastion of all that is good in a predominetly White Christian Anglo Saxon English Speaking country. Whose Head of State remains to this today, Queen Elizabeth 2nd,

The truth is, today, most Australians wouldn't have a clue about the bush. Most have never been there, let alone live there. But it is much a part of the National Psyche as ANZAC is.

Australia's love affair with the bush goes back a long way in our rather short history. This is why Parties such as the National Party and the new Katter Party exist today.

Up The Country is a popular poem by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. It was first published in The Bulletin magazine on 9 July 1892, under the title Borderland, and started the Bulletin Debate, a series of poems by both Lawson and Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson about the true nature of life in the Australian bush. Lawson died an alcoholic.

Up The Country

I am back from up the country -- very sorry that I went --

Seeking for the Southern poets' land whereon to pitch my tent;

I have lost a lot of idols, which were broken on the track,

Burnt a lot of fancy verses, and I'm glad that I am back.

Further out may be the pleasant scenes of which our poets boast,

But I think the country's rather more inviting round the coast.

Anyway, I'll stay at present at a boarding-house in town,

Drinking beer and lemon-squashes, taking baths and cooling down.

`Sunny plains'! Great Scott! -- those burning

wastes of barren soil and sand

With their everlasting fences stretching out across the land!

Desolation where the crow is! Desert where the eagle flies,

Paddocks where the luny bullock starts and stares with reddened eyes;

Where, in clouds of dust enveloped, roasted bullock-drivers creep

Slowly past the sun-dried shepherd dragged behind his crawling sheep.

Stunted peak of granite gleaming, glaring like a molten mass

Turned from some infernal furnace on a plain devoid of grass.

Miles and miles of thirsty gutters -- strings of muddy water-holes

In the place of `shining rivers' -- `walled by cliffs and forest boles.'

Barren ridges, gullies, ridges! where the ever-madd'ning flies --

Fiercer than the plagues of Egypt -- swarm about your blighted eyes!

Bush! where there is no horizon! where the buried bushman sees

Nothing -- Nothing! but the sameness of the ragged, stunted trees!

Lonely hut where drought's eternal, suffocating atmosphere

Where the God-forgotten hatter dreams of city life and beer.

Treacherous tracks that trap the stranger,

endless roads that gleam and glare,

Dark and evil-looking gullies, hiding secrets here and there!

Dull dumb flats and stony rises, where the toiling bullocks bake,

And the sinister `gohanna', and the lizard, and the snake.

Land of day and night -- no morning freshness, and no afternoon,

When the great white sun in rising bringeth summer heat in June.

Dismal country for the exile, when the shades begin to fall

From the sad heart-breaking sunset, to the new-chum worst of all.

Dreary land in rainy weather, with the endless clouds that drift

O'er the bushman like a blanket that the Lord will never lift --

Dismal land when it is raining -- growl of floods, and, oh! the woosh

Of the rain and wind together on the dark bed of the bush --

Ghastly fires in lonely humpies where the granite rocks are piled

In the rain-swept wildernesses that are wildest of the wild.

Land where gaunt and haggard women live alone and work like men,

Till their husbands, gone a-droving, will return to them again:

Homes of men! if home had ever such a God-forgotten place,

Where the wild selector's children fly before a stranger's face.

Home of tragedy applauded by the dingoes' dismal yell,

Heaven of the shanty-keeper -- fitting fiend for such a hell --

And the wallaroos and wombats, and, of course, the curlew's call --

And the lone sundowner tramping ever onward through it all!

I am back from up the country, up the country where I went

Seeking for the Southern poets' land whereon to pitch my tent;

I have shattered many idols out along the dusty track,

Burnt a lot of fancy verses -- and I'm glad that I am back.

I believe the Southern poets' dream will not be realised

Till the plains are irrigated and the land is humanised.

I intend to stay at present, as I said before, in town

Drinking beer and lemon-squashes, taking baths and cooling down.

Henry Lawson :

IN DEFENCE OF THE BUSH by A.B. "Banjo" Paterson (the bloke responsible for writing Waltzing Matilda)

So you're back from up the country, Mister Lawson, where you went,

And you're cursing all the business in a bitter discontent;

Well, we grieve to disappoint you, and it makes us sad to hear

That it wasn't cool and shady -- and there wasn't plenty beer,

And the loony bullock snorted when you first came into view;

Well, you know it's not so often that he sees a swell like you;

And the roads were hot and dusty, and the plains were burnt and brown,

And no doubt you're better suited drinking lemon-squash in town.

Yet, perchance, if you should journey down the very track you went

In a month or two at furthest you would wonder what it meant,

Where the sunbaked earth was gasping like a creature in its pain

You would find the grasses waving like a field of summer grain,

And the miles of thirsty gutters blocked with sand and choked with mud,

You would find them mighty rivers with a turbid, sweeping flood;

For the rain and drought and sunshine make no changes in the street,

In the sullen line of buildings and the ceaseless tramp of feet;

But the bush hath moods and changes, as the seasons rise and fall,

And the men who know the bush-land -- they are loyal through it all.

But you found the bush was dismal and a land of no delight,

Did you chance to hear a chorus in the shearers' huts at night?

Did they "rise up, William Riley" by the camp-fire's cheery blaze?

Did they rise him as we rose him in the good old droving days?

And the women of the homesteads and the men you chanced to meet --

Were their faces sour and saddened like the "faces in the street",

And the "shy selector children" -- were they better now or worse

Than the little city urchins who would greet you with a curse?

Is not such a life much better than the squalid street and square

Where the fallen women flaunt it in the fierce electric glare,

Where the sempstress plies her sewing till her eyes are sore and red

In a filthy, dirty attic toiling on for daily bread?

Did you hear no sweeter voices in the music of the bush

Than the roar of trams and 'buses, and the war-whoop of "the push"?

Did the magpies rouse your slumbers with their carol sweet and strange?

Did you hear the silver chiming of the bell-birds on the range?

But, perchance, the wild birds' music by your senses was despised,

For you say you'll stay in townships till the bush is civilised.

Would you make it a tea-garden and on Sundays have a band

Where the "blokes" might take their "donahs", with a "public" close at hand?

You had better stick to Sydney and make merry with the "push",

For the bush will never suit you, and you'll never suit the bush.

The Bulletin, 23 July 1892

I have often wondered why the Aussie fast bowler, Geoff Lawson, was was known universally in the cricket world as 'Henry'. Now i know. Thank you.

[Scott]

Some troll posts, posts with profanity and replies have been deleted.

[Khutan]

How did the sex party go ?

I took the time to vote "Under the Line" so I could give the Sex Party my second preference.

[seajae]

speaking of the bush, I actually spent a lot of time there, lived in the Otway Ranges(near Apollo Bay) as a kid and all my family owned farms in the wimmera. After serving in the forces I spent around 3 years contracting in outback Qld, then before coming to live here I was on a farm on the north coast of NSW. Got to admit the aussie bush is great, never really liked the cities but shit happens. As for the election I am just glad labor has been shown the door, dont know what abbott will do but it cant be any worse than what labor did, we will have to wait and see.......

[roamer]

So Murdoch still calling the elections in Oz then ?

[BookMan]

So Murdoch still calling the elections in Oz then ?

Certainly trying to dictate the outcomes

[BookMan]

As for the election I am just glad labor has been shown the door, dont know what abbott will do but it cant be any worse than what labor did, we will have to wait and see.......

I really don't understand this type of sentiment from people.

Australians are currently enjoying and have been enjoying their most prosperous time ever. They avoided the impact of the GFC and are showered with government benefits and tax breaks which make their lives so much better.

All this prosperity has occurred under Labor, yet so many Aussies still seem to complain about it.

[Phronesis]

As for the election I am just glad labor has been shown the door, dont know what abbott will do but it cant be any worse than what labor did, we will have to wait and see.......

I really don't understand this type of sentiment from people.

Australians are currently enjoying and have been enjoying their most prosperous time ever. They avoided the impact of the GFC and are showered with government benefits and tax breaks which make their lives so much better.

All this prosperity has occurred under Labor, yet so many Aussies still seem to complain about it.

Bookman

I am an Australian, single and an entirely self made millionaire. I would be grateful if you could take a moment and document the government benefits and tax breaks that I am showered with.

[BookMan]

As for the election I am just glad labor has been shown the door, dont know what abbott will do but it cant be any worse than what labor did, we will have to wait and see.......

I really don't understand this type of sentiment from people.

Australians are currently enjoying and have been enjoying their most prosperous time ever. They avoided the impact of the GFC and are showered with government benefits and tax breaks which make their lives so much better.

All this prosperity has occurred under Labor, yet so many Aussies still seem to complain about it.

Bookman

I am an Australian, single and an entirely self made millionaire. I would be grateful if you could take a moment and document the government benefits and tax breaks that I am showered with.

Sure. Please send me a detailed list of all your financial holdings and I will provide the information to suit your particular case

[Songhua]

How did the sex party go ?

Better than the Smokers Rights Party or the Bullet Train For Australia Party.

[BookMan]

What Parties will control the Senate?

A barnyard of minor parties will control Australia's new Senate when they take office next July, judging from provisional figures at the close of counting on election night. As the numbers stand, eight minor party senators from separate groups, some of them virtually unknown entities with no track record and no known policies, will be given the power to decide whether or not each government bill should be passed.

They include Wayne Dropulich, a gridiron-playing engineer who is likely to win election as a senator from Western Australia. His Australian Sports Party has no policies other than advocating lots of sport, and won just 0.22 per cent of the vote. But with preferences from other small parties, he is likely to get a Senate quota ahead of the second Labor candidate, who had 12.33 per cent.

In Victoria, Ricky Muir is set to win the final seat. He stood for the Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party, which appears to have no policies apart from representing what it sees as motorists' interests. He won 0.53 per cent, but with a swag of preferences, he appears set to unseat Liberal senator Helen Kroger, who had 10.52 per cent.

See Full Article Here

[Scott]

Troll post and reply have been deleted.

[Phronesis]

What Parties will control the Senate?

A barnyard of minor parties will control Australia's new Senate when they take office next July, judging from provisional figures at the close of counting on election night. As the numbers stand, eight minor party senators from separate groups, some of them virtually unknown entities with no track record and no known policies, will be given the power to decide whether or not each government bill should be passed.

They include Wayne Dropulich, a gridiron-playing engineer who is likely to win election as a senator from Western Australia. His Australian Sports Party has no policies other than advocating lots of sport, and won just 0.22 per cent of the vote. But with preferences from other small parties, he is likely to get a Senate quota ahead of the second Labor candidate, who had 12.33 per cent.

In Victoria, Ricky Muir is set to win the final seat. He stood for the Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party, which appears to have no policies apart from representing what it sees as motorists' interests. He won 0.53 per cent, but with a swag of preferences, he appears set to unseat Liberal senator Helen Kroger, who had 10.52 per cent.

See Full Article Here

The Senate is comprised of characters that appear to be drawn straight from the pages of a Ben Elton novel.

[chrisrazz]

Had the ultra conservatives of the liberal party not replaced Malcom Turnbull with Tony Abbott, the Lib/Nats would have won the last election. Installing Abbott as leader was a mistake then, and, will be a mistake in the future. Fortunately for Australia, whoever is running the government has little impact economically as it is currency values and world markets that truly rule in a globalised economy. China, being the saviour of the country since the GFC will be an awkward proposition for Abbott et al, as the growth rate seen in China for the last few years are receding. The high AUD has dimished mineral and agricultural revenues, impacts heavily on foreign investment and manufacuring is becoming marginalised.

Making boat refugees a constant political issue for the past 3 years will bite them is the arse. This is an issue created to inspire xenophobia, the facts are plain, a massive majority of illigal immigrants arrive by plane on visas, and the vast majority of boat people are subsequently given refugee status, yet if you listened to the rhetoric it is a mass seaborn invasion.

So, it's paid maternity leave to the rescue. Thank goodness for that,,,,

[Scott]

Off topic and troll posts deleted.

[geriatrickid]

As for the election I am just glad labor has been shown the door, dont know what abbott will do but it cant be any worse than what labor did, we will have to wait and see.......

I really don't understand this type of sentiment from people.

Australians are currently enjoying and have been enjoying their most prosperous time ever. They avoided the impact of the GFC and are showered with government benefits and tax breaks which make their lives so much better.

All this prosperity has occurred under Labor, yet so many Aussies still seem to complain about it.

The prosperity was a direct result of the performance of Australia's mineral and resource sector. Now that the bloom is off the resource sector, the revenues generated from it, just aren't there to support all the lavish social programs. Yes, the benefits are fantastic, but again the revenues, just aren't there to support the largesse. Australia is now experiencing the same situation that Canada faced when its resource sector hit the doldrums. Australia has to do what Canada did and tighten its belt. It will cause some grumbling, but it appears only the Liberals were willing to make those tough decisions.

[geriatrickid]

The Senate is comprised of characters that appear to be drawn straight from the pages of a Ben Elton novel.

Well, it seems to reflect the Australian national character, doesn't it?

The people got what they voted for.

[BookMan]

 

 As for the election I am just glad labor has been shown the door, dont know what abbott will do but it cant be any worse than what labor did, we will have to wait and see.......

 

I really don't understand this type of sentiment from people.

 

Australians are currently enjoying and have been enjoying their most prosperous time ever.  They avoided the impact of the GFC and are showered with government benefits and tax breaks which make their lives so much better.

 

All this prosperity has occurred under Labor, yet so many Aussies still seem to complain about it. 

 

 

The prosperity was a direct result of the  performance of  Australia's mineral and resource sector. Now that the  bloom is off the resource sector, the revenues generated from it, just aren't there to support all the lavish social programs. Yes, the benefits are  fantastic, but again the revenues, just aren't there to support the largesse. Australia is now experiencing the same situation that Canada faced when its resource sector hit the doldrums. Australia has to do what Canada did and tighten its belt. It will cause some grumbling, but it appears only the Liberals were willing to make those tough decisions.

That is the best laugh I have had all election week. Liberals making what tough economic decisions?

[BookMan]

 

The Senate is comprised of characters that appear to be drawn straight from the pages of a Ben Elton novel.

 

 

 

Well, it seems to reflect the Australian national character, doesn't it? 

The people got what they voted for.

Sadly a couple of these minor parties got less than half of 1% of the vote in their states, but due to preference deals they will enter parliament.

I don't think 99% of Australians want them

[chooka]

Well that's gay marriage out the window at least until the next election. Not that I really care but some will be pissed off.

[tw25rw]

So Murdoch still calling the elections in Oz then ?

And Packer. They got what they wanted unfortunately.

[tw25rw]

At least our new PM is articulate and thinks on his feet.

[MAJIC]

labor were incompetent fools and the New Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a complete twit. There wouldn't be a single politician in Australia worthy of running the country. We lost one group of idiots and got a fresh bunch of identical idiots.

At least with the boat buy back scheme the new government is implementing I may get 2 million for $200 dinghy.

Well at least we Poms have the same knack,and something in common, for Electing the wrong Party and Prime Minister at the wrong time, at the moment we have Cameron and Clegg with opposing agendas,and trying to hold it together by stealth until the Election in 2015,seems a similarity,in as much we will probably get this alliance out and if UKIP doesn't gain power (or a large slice of the cake),we will also end up with the return of the opposing bunch of <deleted>,in power from the last election. i.e Labour and back to square 1.

[AlexRRR]

As for the election I am just glad labor has been shown the door, dont know what abbott will do but it cant be any worse than what labor did, we will have to wait and see.......

I really don't understand this type of sentiment from people.

Australians are currently enjoying and have been enjoying their most prosperous time ever. They avoided the impact of the GFC and are showered with government benefits and tax breaks which make their lives so much better.

All this prosperity has occurred under Labor, yet so many Aussies still seem to complain about it.

Garbage

I use to fight with my dad over libs vs labour, I was pro labour until around the time Howard came in...hated the little man with a vengeance, never forgot the time he was the treasurer under Frazer, but in the end I voted for him from his second term onwards and remain a liberal voter to this day.

All I have ever seen is labour dragging us down libs getting in and picking us up.

Labour voters are under some illusion that there party is for the ordinary working man, well might have been back in the 30s and 40s but not anymore and not for a long time to come.

The very fact that union leaders become members of parliament under a labour flag has irked me to no end, Ferguson and Crean forgot where they had been now Shorten.

To put it bluntly Labour are often all about social issues where Liberals are all about business, unfortunately the trickle down affect works well in the present system we have.

As for our "great period" it was all a lie, as any business man knows you can look pretty good or pretty bad depending how you cook your books. The balance of trade (mind you the Hawke and Keating gov started us watching it along with the $) China watching was all cooked up to make as look great and we were for a while but not for a long time, only a part of the economy were doing head stands the rest of us were just getting by.

Im in building its the biggest employer and were been chugging farting hiccupping along form well before the GFC with a mini boom courtesy of Rudd and Swann.

Depends where you sit in terms of your employment but I can tell you we who are self employed and in building it has not been rosy, and before some smart arse craps on about our income etc as self employed no one is paying my super, holidays or sick pay.

[chooka]

labor were incompetent fools and the New Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a complete twit. There wouldn't be a single politician in Australia worthy of running the country. We lost one group of idiots and got a fresh bunch of identical idiots.

At least with the boat buy back scheme the new government is implementing I may get 2 million for $200 dinghy.

Well at least we Poms have the same knack,and something in common, for Electing the wrong Party and Prime Minister at the wrong time, at the moment we have Cameron and Clegg with opposing agendas,and trying to hold it together by stealth until the Election in 2015,seems a similarity,in as much we will probably get this alliance out and if UKIP doesn't gain power (or a large slice of the cake),we will also end up with the return of the opposing bunch of <deleted>,in power from the last election. i.e Labour and back to square 1.

'The whackos and fringe-dwellers have won'

Posted by: Neil Mitchell | 9 September, 2013 - 8:56 AM

The whackos and fringe dwellers are about to take control of the country.

One, it could lead to another election if they decide to frustrate Tony Abbott. Heaven help us.

Two, it will end in tears on way or another and three, one of these whackos may well be elected to the senate with only 1900 votes. There is something wrong with the system. We need to reform the senate.

http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/neil-mitchell-blog/the-whackos-and-fringedwellers-have-won/20130909-2tequ.html

[BookMan]

 

labor were incompetent fools and the New Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a complete twit.  There wouldn't be a single politician in Australia worthy of running the country.  We lost one group of idiots and got a fresh bunch of identical idiots.

 

At least with the boat buy back scheme the new government is implementing I may get 2 million for $200 dinghy. 

 

Well at least we Poms have the same knack,and something in common, for Electing the wrong Party and Prime Minister at the wrong time, at the moment we have Cameron and Clegg with opposing agendas,and trying to hold it together by stealth until the Election in 2015,seems a similarity,in as much we will probably get this alliance out and if UKIP doesn't gain power (or a large slice of the cake),we will also end up with the return of the opposing bunch of <deleted>,in power from the last election. i.e Labour and back to square 1.

 

 

'The whackos and fringe-dwellers have won'

 

Posted by: Neil Mitchell | 9 September, 2013 - 8:56 AM

 

The whackos and fringe dwellers are about to take control of the country.

 

One, it could lead to another election if they decide to frustrate Tony Abbott.  Heaven help us.

 

Two, it will end in tears on way or another and three, one of these whackos may well be elected to the senate with only 1900 votes.  There is something wrong with the system.  We need to reform the senate.

 

http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/neil-mitchell-blog/the-whackos-and-fringedwellers-have-won/20130909-2tequ.html

Spot on. The senate system has some major flaws, as does the system of preferential voting.

Looney minority parties can get elected with less than one percent of the vote.

Then u have each state having the same number of senators, so Tasmania with ten percent of the population of new south Wales gets identical representation

[BookMan]

 

 As for the election I am just glad labor has been shown the door, dont know what abbott will do but it cant be any worse than what labor did, we will have to wait and see.......

 

I really don't understand this type of sentiment from people.

 

Australians are currently enjoying and have been enjoying their most prosperous time ever.  They avoided the impact of the GFC and are showered with government benefits and tax breaks which make their lives so much better.

 

All this prosperity has occurred under Labor, yet so many Aussies still seem to complain about it. 

 

Garbage

 

I use to fight with my dad over libs vs labour, I was pro labour until around the time Howard came in...hated the little man with a vengeance, never forgot the time he was the treasurer under Frazer, but in the end I voted for him from his second term onwards and remain a liberal voter to this day.

 

All I have ever seen is labour dragging us down libs getting in and picking us up.

 

Labour voters are under some illusion that there party is for the ordinary working man, well might have been back in the 30s and 40s but not anymore and not for a long time to come.

 

The very fact that union leaders become members of parliament under a labour flag has irked me to no end, Ferguson and Crean forgot where they had been now Shorten.

 

To put it bluntly Labour are often all about social issues where Liberals are all about business, unfortunately the trickle down affect works well in the present system we have.

 

As for our "great period" it was all a lie, as any business man knows you can look pretty good or pretty bad depending how you cook your books. The balance of trade (mind you the Hawke and Keating gov started us watching it along with the $) China watching was all cooked up to make as look great and we were for a while but not for a long time, only a part of the economy were doing head stands the rest of us were just getting by. 

 

Im in building its the biggest employer and were been chugging farting hiccupping along form well before the GFC with a mini boom courtesy of Rudd and Swann.

 

Depends where you sit in terms of your employment but I can tell you we who are self employed and in building it has not been rosy, and before some smart arse craps on about our income etc as self employed no one is paying my super, holidays or sick pay. 

U say garbage, but don't offer any evidence to the contrary. Just some micro personal experience and generalities of your own business world.

U do however acknowledge u had a mini boom under Rudd and swan....so in fact u did benefit under Labor...u just refuse to accept this fact it seems

[David48]

"Warren WARREN"

"Who's your Daddy?"

"I think Tony Abbott is ... he's everyone's Daddy"

"Is He?"

"He is"

"Tonys done it?"

"Tonys done it"

"After all this time ... who da funk it?"

"Who da funk it"

"Well the Polls would da funk it"

"Were you confident?"

"Yeh, pretty much ... it was a done deal"

The cartoons are here ... I couldn't find them on the web to present though.

[simple1]

Well after Rudd's speach conceding defeat and all the hard work ahead for Labor to regain power, he has now resigned as the leader of the Labor party

[BookMan]

So Murdoch still calling the elections in Oz then ?

And Packer. They got what they wanted unfortunately.

I think you will find James Packer has sold off all his media holdings