Today Australia goes to the polls after K Rudd was ousted as the leader of the Australian Labor Party and Prime Minister by Julia Gillard who became the first woman to be Prime Minister of Australia on June 24 2010.

 

 

The main contest is between the ALP [Australian Labor Party] and the LNP [Liberal National Party] Lead by the utter moron Tony Abbott.

 

Polls suggest it will be an incredibly tight battle and that ALP have managed to scrape a 3 point lead in the past couple of days.

 

 

A good site to read if you want to brush up on your Aussie politics or are interested in the election is the Australian Broadcasting Corporations http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/

 

There will also be Senate Elections taking place [i really don't understand the Sentate Elections :lol:]

I would vote Labor if i was there, and i'd be voting in Moreton, QLD where the Labor margin is 6%

I haven't been following it all that much, but I'm hoping Labor win it as that Abbott guy seems quite scarily incapable of the job. Plus the world needs as many leaders who resist this lust for cuts right now, and Gillard is I'm guessing more likely to do that.

Either way it's not going to be great, but I'm wholeheartedly backing Gillard.

I hadn't realised constituencies were generally named after people rather than having geographical names. How confusing.

 

The Senate is elected under Single Transferable Vote I believe. Voting is fairly simple (just list candidates in order of preference). Counting is rather more complicated and takes ages.

I didn't think anyone on this site would care too much.

 

Abbott is a moron who contradicts himself way too often and just cannot perform in any type of public forum.

 

Voted Labor and hope they win especially in the Senate.

 

The Senate is elected under Single Transferable Vote I believe. Voting is fairly simple (just list candidates in order of preference). Counting is rather more complicated and takes ages.

 

Senate voting has two options. Put '1' under your preference and leave it at that or go through and number your preferences from 1 to 60.

 

Could take up till tomorrow to count all votes.

I would like to see Abbott win

 

He is strongly opposed to abortion, mass immigration and his economic policies make more sense than Gillard

I hadn't realised constituencies were generally named after people rather than having geographical names. How confusing.

 

The Senate is elected under Single Transferable Vote I believe. Voting is fairly simple (just list candidates in order of preference). Counting is rather more complicated and takes ages.

What i meant by not understanding the Senate elections was the terms and that not all of the seats are being contest this time.

 

I would like to see Abbott win

 

He is strongly opposed to abortion, mass immigration and his economic policies make more sense than Gillard

:manson: From what i've read on Gillards approach to the economy, its something that we should replicate.

 

Abbott's stance on immigration is a load of media pleasing w***.

 

"My opponent, Mr Abbott, is really very good at slogans: a great, big, new tax on everything; a great, big, new mining tax; a big, bad tax; and now we've got 'turn the boats around'.

 

But these slogans are shallow.

 

The Opposition is trying to sell the Australian community a fairy tale in which all you have to do to deal with the asylum seeker issue is go out to sea, get an asylum seeker boat and turn it around and everything will be fixed - but this fairytale is not the facts.

 

The facts are the boat will be scuttled and it will start to sink.

 

The facts are that this nation would then be confronted by a stark choice: either we could leave the scene in the certain knowledge people, including children, would drown; or we could rescue the asylum seekers from the water.

 

Today let me say one thing loud and clear: our nation would not leave children to drown. We are Australian and our values will never allow us to countenance that kind of evil. So, inevitably, the so-called strategy of turning the boats back would become a strategy of rescuing asylum seekers from the water with all of the risks that entails to the lives of defence and customs personnel.

 

The slogan is hollow and Mr Abbott knows it.

 

In his own policy document he says that the so-called turnaround of boats would only happen, and I quote, "Where circumstances permit". This is an admission that it won't work."

 

 

I suggest you have a look at this speech by Gillard http://www.pm.gov.au/node/6876 Gillard>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Abbott

What i meant by not understanding the Senate elections was the terms and that not all of the seats are being contest this time.

:manson: From what i've read on Gillards approach to the economy, its something that we should replicate.

 

Abbott's stance on immigration is a load of media pleasing w***.

 

"My opponent, Mr Abbott, is really very good at slogans: a great, big, new tax on everything; a great, big, new mining tax; a big, bad tax; and now we've got 'turn the boats around'.

 

But these slogans are shallow.

 

The Opposition is trying to sell the Australian community a fairy tale in which all you have to do to deal with the asylum seeker issue is go out to sea, get an asylum seeker boat and turn it around and everything will be fixed - but this fairytale is not the facts.

 

The facts are the boat will be scuttled and it will start to sink.

 

The facts are that this nation would then be confronted by a stark choice: either we could leave the scene in the certain knowledge people, including children, would drown; or we could rescue the asylum seekers from the water.

 

Today let me say one thing loud and clear: our nation would not leave children to drown. We are Australian and our values will never allow us to countenance that kind of evil. So, inevitably, the so-called strategy of turning the boats back would become a strategy of rescuing asylum seekers from the water with all of the risks that entails to the lives of defence and customs personnel.

 

The slogan is hollow and Mr Abbott knows it.

 

In his own policy document he says that the so-called turnaround of boats would only happen, and I quote, "Where circumstances permit". This is an admission that it won't work."

I suggest you have a look at this speech by Gillard http://www.pm.gov.au/node/6876 Gillard>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Abbott

 

People who try and enter Australia illegally do so at their own risk, I have no sympathy for the boat people, if the ship sinks and they all drown then it is their fault for sailing to Australia where they are not welcome and not wanted, plenty of other countries for them to go.

 

A few boats sinking or the Australian navy sinking a few boats might deter others from going there

Edited August 21, 201014 yr by I ❤ JustinBieber

People who try and enter Australia illegally do so at their own risk, I have no sympathy for the boat people, if the ship sinks and they all drown then it is their fault for sailing to Australia where they are not welcome and not wanted, plenty of other countries for them to go.

 

A few boats sinking or the Australian navy sinking a few boats might deter others from going there

Yeah, because i can see the Australian Government authorising the sinking of illegal vessels going down well :manson:

 

Australia already gets enough stick over detention centres and its attitude to migration.

 

Yes they do so at their own risk, but they shouldn't drown. Such a disgusting attitude. And actually, the only other countries in that region that are desirable are Japan and New Zealand, both of which are further and harder to get too. The Northern Territory, the top of WA and the Cape York Peninsula in QLD are much more accessible.

 

 

Australia welcomes genuine refugees, if you'd read that link you'd know just how many they let in per year.

 

Australia is a desirable country for Westerners to emigrate to ffs, of course every man and his dog from that region is gonna be doing anything they can to get there.

Yeah, because i can see the Australian Government authorising the sinking of illegal vessels going down well :manson:

 

Australia already gets enough stick over detention centres and its attitude to migration.

 

Yes they do so at their own risk, but they shouldn't drown. Such a disgusting attitude. And actually, the only other countries in that region that are desirable are Japan and New Zealand, both of which are further and harder to get too. The Northern Territory, the top of WA and the Cape York Peninsula in QLD are much more accessible.

Australia welcomes genuine refugees, if you'd read that link you'd know just how many they let in per year.

 

Australia is a desirable country for Westerners to emigrate to ffs, of course every man and his dog from that region is gonna be doing anything they can to get there.

 

Westerners have the means and resources to enter Australia, they get the appropriate paperwork and visa's and do so legally and above board, boat people don't have the resources to live in Australia, they don't have the paperwork and the visa's so if they want to enter then tough, they are moving to Australia illegally so should respect Australian rules and stay in their own country.

 

If Australia had a policy of sinking boats of illegal immigrants being smuggled criminally then watch the number of boats that try it on drop to zero, it would send out a message to boat people not to come.

 

Loss of life is unfortunate but to make an omlette you have to break a few eggs.

Or even better the Australian navy should make them jump into the sea 10 miles out without sinking the ship, if they navigate their way successfully through all the sharks, stingray's, jellyfish etc and make it ashore they get a visa, it would be a good challenge for them, almost like something out of The Running Man movie

Edited August 21, 201014 yr by I ❤ JustinBieber

Westerners have the means and resources to enter Australia, they get the appropriate paperwork and visa's and do so legally and above board, boat people don't have the resources to live in Australia, they don't have the paperwork and the visa's so if they want to enter then tough, they are moving to Australia illegally so should respect Australian rules and stay in their own country.

 

If Australia had a policy of sinking boats of illegal immigrants being smuggled criminally then watch the number of boats that try it on drop to zero, it would send out a message to boat people not to come.

 

Loss of life is unfortunate but to make an omlette you have to break a few eggs.

Yes we do have the resources to get in, and they make damned sure of that or they refuse you entry and kick you out. Their visa for permanent migration costs A$6150!!!! I'm having to alter plans as there is no way i can scrape together over 4 grand for a visa.

 

The boat people tend to be refugee's, and therefore aren't subject to the same tests as we are. I think you can swagger on down to an Australian consulate to claim asylum seeing as you can do all your other visa stuff there.

 

Where these people come from their own governments don't have respect for the rules, so what makes you think they will have any respect for the rules of international migration. A lot of these people just want out before they are killed and people take advantage of that and charge them a small fortune when it's cheaper to buy a plane ticket.

 

If Australia started to sink illegal boats killing all those on board there would be international outrage, far worse than when Israel boarded that flotilla and killed some aid workers [7 iirc] It wouldn't stop the boats, the scum who organise these people smuggling rings would just take bigger risks.

 

Yes, to make an omlette you have to break a few eggs, but you don't have to drown an entire boat.

Or even better the Australian navy should make them jump into the sea 10 miles out without sinking the ship, if they navigate their way successfully through all the sharks, stingray's, jellyfish etc and make it ashore they get a visa, it would be a good challenge for them, almost like something out of The Running Man movie

How long have you been back? Now we add another entry to the list of people you want dead.

Or even better the Australian navy should make them jump into the sea 10 miles out without sinking the ship, if they navigate their way successfully through all the sharks, stingray's, jellyfish etc and make it ashore they get a visa, it would be a good challenge for them, almost like something out of The Running Man movie

Not all of the Northern Waters of Australia have all that marine wildlife.

How long have you been back? Now we add another entry to the list of people you want dead.

 

The comment you were quoting was tongue in cheek I was not being serious, it was made non seriously as have just been watching The Running Man this morning.

 

I don't want anyone dead, what I want is for the boat people to stop going there, they stop going there then nothing will happen to them.

 

 

The comment you were quoting was tongue in cheek I was not being serious, it was made non seriously as have just been watching The Running Man this morning.

 

I don't want anyone dead, what I want is for the boat people to stop going there, they stop going there then nothing will happen to them.

Why shouldn't people try to get to countries such as Australia? I thought you were in favour of people trying to better themselves. If someone is denied the opportunity to flourish in their own country simply due to their ethnicity, sexuality, political views etc., they are perfectly entitled to try and seek opportunities in a more enlightened country. It seems you want to reduce the number of more enlightened countries in the world. I don't.

Westerners have the means and resources to enter Australia, they get the appropriate paperwork and visa's and do so legally and above board, boat people don't have the resources to live in Australia, they don't have the paperwork and the visa's so if they want to enter then tough, they are moving to Australia illegally so should respect Australian rules and stay in their own country.

If Australia had a policy of sinking boats of illegal immigrants being smuggled criminally then watch the number of boats that try it on drop to zero, it would send out a message to boat people not to come.

Loss of life is unfortunate but to make an omlette you have to break a few eggs.

 

 

The comment you were quoting was tongue in cheek I was not being serious, it was made non seriously as have just been watching The Running Man this morning.

 

I don't want anyone dead, what I want is for the boat people to stop going there, they stop going there then nothing will happen to them.

And was that tongue in cheek too?

And was that tongue in cheek too?

 

Hopefully a public statement from the Australian PM stating that this is the course of action that will be taken would act as a deterrent to those that are thinking of trying to enter the country illigally like this.

 

The PM stating this as a policy would hopefully mean that the boats will not come in the first place.

Why shouldn't people try to get to countries such as Australia? I thought you were in favour of people trying to better themselves. If someone is denied the opportunity to flourish in their own country simply due to their ethnicity, sexuality, political views etc., they are perfectly entitled to try and seek opportunities in a more enlightened country. It seems you want to reduce the number of more enlightened countries in the world. I don't.

 

How are they going to better themselves though ?

 

They are poverty stricken, the majority if not all would not have any command of English, they would not know a trade so could make no contribution to Australian society, they would be on permanant drain on the taxpayer.