Politics & Government The Politics Thread

Jul 21, 2010
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looking at meaghan's linkedin page, little to no experience in politics. i'd assume the same for daniel.

i get the feeling that at the polls, people who only turn up to vote so they don't get fined will vote for a name they recognize, and if stuart robert is still around, it will most likely be him that they vote for.
 

Matchu

Norm Smith Medallist
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looking at meaghan's linkedin page, little to no experience in politics. i'd assume the same for daniel.

i get the feeling that at the polls, people who only turn up to vote so they don't get fined will vote for a name they recognize, and if stuart robert is still around, it will most likely be him that they vote for.
I think you're right. If a by-election is held then it's possible the LNP will lose the seat but if not it's likely they'll just stick with Robert. History seems to suggest the rest of the Gold Coast is even more LNP inclined with the seats of Moncrieff and McPherson never even voting in a Labor candidate.

Funnily enough, the Gold Coast City Council elections are only 5 weeks away so there could be two quick successive elections for the northern GCers in the near future.
 

holybishop

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I doubt Stuart Robert will resign from Parliament if/when he's dumped from the Ministry. At worst he might lose pre-selection. Also could be too close to the actual election to cause a by-election. Regardless whether Roberts contests the seat or not, Fadden isnt leaving LNP's hands at the next election. They hold it by a gigantic margin and the Government is doing extraordinary well in the polls while Shorten flounders.
 

holybishop

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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...p/news-story/195da936f4d6d91750f674ed4513544d

Under-siege minister Stuart Robert will be dumped from the front bench after Malcolm Turnbull found that his “private” trip to China where he helped a Liberal Party donor was not in line with ministerial standards.

The likely departure of Mr Robert comes after a cabinet sub committee last night considered the findings of a report by the head of the Prime Minister’s department, Martin Parkinson.

The Australian understands that Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who earlier in the week said the trip appeared to be “acceptable”, was persuaded by Dr Parkinson’s findings that Mr Robert’s position was untenable.

The report found that the trip to Beijing in 2014 where Mr Robert helped his close personal friend Paul Marks sign a mining deal with a Chinese owned company was “not consistent” with the standard expected for ministers.
 

Metricon

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Surely the Prime Minister will heed good advice and not schedule a federal election for Saturday 2 July 2016? That's a home game at Metricon against St Kilda (1:40 pm start).
 

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Norm Smith Medallist
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Surely the Prime Minister will heed good advice and not schedule a federal election for Saturday 2 July 2016? That's a home game at Metricon against St Kilda (1:40 pm start).
At least it's not a night game! I ******* thrive on election nights haha.

Vote in the morning, footy at lunch, and ABC to watch Malcolm get the flick at night!
 

holybishop

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What's this chaos happening in Qld Parliament? First the taxi regulations, then adding more seats to the house. It's farcical that the KAP and LNP can pair up and pass legislation and the actual Government of the day can do nothing about it.
 

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Norm Smith Medallist
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What's this chaos happening in Qld Parliament? First the taxi regulations, then adding more seats to the house. It's farcical that the KAP and LNP can pair up and pass legislation and the actual Government of the day can do nothing about it.
Not a great look, huh? The QLD Premier rushed through a compulsory preferential voting bill last night to combat the introduction of four extra seats. According to this article, the Gold Coast is likely to have up to four Labor MPs at the next state election as a result of the new compulsory preferential voting system. That would equate to 4/11 on the Gold Coast as opposed to the current 0/10.
 

Metricon

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That would equate to 4/11 on the Gold Coast as opposed to the current 0/10.
The four tipped are the new Northern GC seat yet to be established, plus Southport, Gavin and Currumbin. Hmm, what about Broadwater?
 

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Norm Smith Medallist
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The four tipped are the new Northern GC seat yet to be established, plus Southport, Gavin and Currumbin. Hmm, what about Broadwater?
Many residents of Broadwater suburbs like Runaway Bay, Hollywell and Paradise Point are reasonably wealthy which means they probably lean more right than left. That would be my guess.

I remember there was a bit of controversy surrounding the Broadwater seat leading into the 2015 election. It was found that the LNP's Broadwater MP hadn't paid two motoring fines over the previous two years which resulted in her being banned from driving twice. Despite this, she still retained her seat comfortably with 47% of the vote.
 

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Norm Smith Medallist
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I have no issue with the introduction of four more seats, and I'm certainly in favour of compulsory preferential voting. * 'just vote 1'. Eat a dick, Newman.

EDIT: eat a dick, anna. not quite as big a campaigner as newman, but a campaigner nonetheless
 

Matchu

Norm Smith Medallist
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Why aren't we as Australians talking about the national debt that has continually increased since the last federal election and the budget deficit that has tripled?
 

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Norm Smith Medallist
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Why aren't we as Australians talking about the national debt that has continually increased since the last federal election and the budget deficit that has tripled?
Because the average * voter thinks the LNP are good with finances so they don't even question it :drunk:
 

holybishop

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And they were held account at the last federal election by the LNP and the media. Yet I've barely heard a whisper about our debt and budget deficit this time around...

That's because Labor are choosing not to go hard at the debt and deficit problem, as they know they have zero credibility to attack the Government on the economy. The media reports the agendas that the two parties want to set during this election and Labor's message is higher taxes for more spending on health and education, not on promising to fix the budget. If Labor wanted the media to focus on the debt and deficit problem during this election they just need to talk about it themselves, but they won't.

The media absolutely rode the Government hard over the state of the books. Don't delude yourself into thinking the Liberals got off easy. Hockey got a reaming for two piss poor budgets, Morrison didn't get it much easier with a boring budget that took the razor to superannuation and Turnbull is clearly the messiah who has disappointed everyone.

Are you forgetting about Swan's brilliant results during the GFC or are you conveniently leaving it out?

He took some of the best accounts we've ever had and spent it all to ward off a technical recession. We're paying the price now for overspending during that period.
 
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He took some of the best accounts we've ever had and spent it all to ward off a technical recession. We're paying the price now for overspending during that period.
I see the stance your taking and your opinion on the subject, however: by spending during one of the toughest times financially in recent memory, we were put in debt but at the same time out of recession because of it. The stimulus package was a master-stroke. It wouldn't have mattered who was in charge at that point in time,we would have came out of it in serious debt but because it was managed well we stayed out of recession. That's not to say the libs wouldn't have done the same though. People do seem so caught up with wanting to be in surplus, but a controlled about of debt is really not that bad a thing.. Possibly a little out of control now, but uncle Tony and Joe told us they were the ones to steer us out of it and we all know how that turned out.
 

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Norm Smith Medallist
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People do seem so caught up with wanting to be in surplus, but a controlled about of debt is really not that bad a thing.
I actually like that both sides of government don't seem too caught up on the national debt at the moment. Having a surplus is right at the bottom of the list of issues that need to be addressed, and good on them for reflecting that.

I love the answers to questioning re: surplus.

Reporter: 'when do you expect to reach surplus?'
Bill and Mal: 'dunno'
 

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Not to derail your guys conversation but what are your opinions on Trump/Clinton/Sanders? This election over here is driving me crazy and we still have six freaking months!
 

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Norm Smith Medallist
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#feelthebern

love me some sanders, but it's incredibly unlikely that he'll get the nomination. clinton is still better than trump though
 

holybishop

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Been following the US election in some detail for the past year. I settled in Trump's corner a while back and believe he'll beat Hillary in November.
 

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Norm Smith Medallist
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Turnbull decided to have a go at "billion dollar Bill" Shorten and the Labor party over their spending yesterday.

I guess old habits die hard.
 
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