Aston by-election, Date: TBA

[spinynorman]

Perhaps slamming Andrews endlessly for going to China during a by-election campaign for a seat where 16% of residents are Chinese-Australians wasn't the brightest strategy in the world.

Anyway, so long Alan Tudge. Hope you go to prison for robodebt.

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

The rest of that point from the 2 strategists was interesting too. 1 in 5 gen z identify as LGBTQI+
And LNP are doing their best to attack, marginalise and pillory them through links to nutter candidates, or candidates associating with people who persecute that demographic.

Also, home ownership is becoming more of a pipedream for younger generations. Used to achieve it in 20s, now pushing to 30s, or possibly not at all. People who own homes, etc have something to conserve, so as they age, become conservative. If you have nothing to conserve, there is no appeal in a right wing party who you have nothing in common with, particularly policies/attitudes which rail against you, or your friends or family.
Climate change is important, diversity and inclusivity is important. ALP might not give you that absolutely, so you might park votes with greens or teals, and preference ALP after that.
LNP are failing to appeal to the generations coming through.
Also one of the strategists mentioned that with Gen Z and millennials, voting Green or ALP becomes habit forming. There were other stats that should make LNP pollies shudder too, just can't remember them all in detail.

The Liberal party has also changed.

Howard may have stoked fear or envy in wealthy Boomers, but he typically spoke to their self interest.

The culture wars were the dressing on the salad. And xenophobia of Islamic migrants post 9/11 was his reactionary weapon of choice.

He may have networked as a Hillsong type, but he was not openly theocratic or appealing to insane conspiracists.

Ultimately though, his need to consolidate factional rightwing support within the party and his big culture war success of frightening boomers with "the boats", have undone the Libs as a functional entity.

The rat was a cunning and savvy opportunist, but the party itself has become trapped in the mindset formed to succeed in that particular point in time. Worse maybe is that in lieu of new ideas, them become captured by American/international reactionaries who have little relevance and even less support amongst the Australian public.

How do you run a China scare when the vast majority of Australia's business interests are in East Asia. An not in some indirect sense, but in a tangible way, where many local businesses of the small/med variety import or export materials, goods or even services directly. Likewise, when the votes of the Chinese diaspora were critical to maintaining a number of inner city seats.

Alternately, trying to become evangelical crusaders, when outer suburban votes who may typically swing Coalition, particularly amongst South Asian communities or elderly middle eastern individuals, become completely alienated.

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

Perhaps slamming Andrews endlessly for going to China during a by-election campaign for a seat where 16% of residents are Chinese-Australians wasn't the brightest strategy in the world.

Anyway, so long Alan Tudge. Hope you go to prison for robodebt.

Absolutely.

The Chinese diaspora have tended to vote conservative and been crucial to holding a number of Victorian seats.

Until Morrison that is. Warming up to a new red scare shows they've misunderstood the situation so completely. Chinese politics is very socially conservative. Confucian values tend to encourage fiscal conservatism with personal finances as well. Where the "socialist" principles kick in, is that the diaspora tend to be very community or more socially minded than the Liberals preferred rugged American style individualism and also prefer social harmony or cohesion.

People promoting wedge politics or scares to destabilise are anathema. Also, crude ideological attacks on a fairly successful state are going to be taken as covertly racist or personal.

I have Chinese friends who live abroad, that don't particularly like Xi or want to return to China. They are educated and settled elsewhere.

But they genuinely fear anti-Asian hate and are shocked by the political and social instability reactionary politics are encouraging. The anti-science stuff is also abhorrent, given an upbringing from what I understand under the current Chinese vision of a communist or state capitalist apparatus, is heavily materialist. So technocratic, and science or expertise driven. Anti intellectualism, climate denying, cooker views really don't go down well.

 

[madmug]

One of the strategists on ABC said the LIB vote among Gen Z in Melbourne is in single digits

I made the point after the state election, but my circle is mostly white-collar, private-school/university educated, earning above the median wage. We would normally be growing into a reliable Liberal base about now, but none of us can stomach them.


Even when people turn off Labor eventually... I just don't see how all of us are going to start voting Liberal en-masse. They're more likely to vote Green or maybe for a teal party if they united. But definitely not for climate-denying, anti-trans rubbish.

I noted the LNP 'glee' when Trump became POTUS 45. Like Bojo, all on the basis of lies, skinning 'normal' people & enriching the rich.

Then it was our turn. After years of nothing progressing under the LNP, we got the smooth talking lying Scumo. A real RW antisocial knuckle dragger, 'preying' on most social levels of society, except the already well off, & the dwindling religiously inflicted ones.

People, especially the younger cohorts, see all this on the internet & social media from the USA & UK, now here. They see their life prospects for education, housing & a decent environment being shredded before even getting a chance.

The fact is most people want to live peaceful lives. Free from unwarranted interference. They want opportunity, like their parents did. Most want fairness.

Culture wars, Robodebt, Climate denial, are no substitute for the aspirations of younger people.

The US style religious right have invaded the LNP, & we don't like it.

I'm retired but care about basic social issues, fairness, equity of opportunity & the future of our coming generations.

Unless the LNP start with middle of the road POLICIES instead of CULCHA wars shyte, they will go the way of their aging base.

Yet the LNP plus Murdoch keep pushing such antisocial, anti youth, antienvironment, anti progress views at the electorate.

End rant (part CCXV )

 

[jhong]

Maybe Victorians just don’t like Dutton . I don’t . Long May he lead the Liberals to oblivion.

 

[madmug]

Three/four terms of Labor governments will not hurt Australia one bit.

A single term of Dutton would likely destroy this country.

The Liberal Party is not even 80 years old. They have spent every single morsel of political capital Menzies ever raised. It is over for them and it is not compulsory that they survive. It is time for a new Party to emerge. They have 2-3 more terms of Labor to make it happen.

On another note, Bob Hawke style early election is in play now. Labor can campaign for the housing tax changes (no one is buying investment house right now) and the stage 3 tax cuts (no one seriously thinks they should go ahead).

If Albanese does it he could finish the Liberals forever.

They forget that Menzies in many ways was far more moderate than the pillocks who have infected the LNP today.

 

[madmug]

Insiders with the Spud. This'll be fun.

 

[NSWCROW]

Yet another denunciation of the abbott-era

 

[#23 Hill]

After years of nothing progressing under the LNP, we got the smooth talking lying Scumo. A real RW antisocial knuckle dragger, 'preying' on most social levels of society, except the already well off, & the dwindling religiously inflicted onones.

It's very simple. Deliver on affordable housing and cost of living pressures for ordinary Australians and you'd never lose power. Yet both parties seem to want to do anything but that.

 

[Golden_6]

I think Dutton knows exactly why they are going backwards in Vic, he just doesn’t want to verbalise it to everyone else.

 

[campbell]

Maybe Victorians just don’t like Dutton . I don’t . Long May he lead the Liberals to oblivion.

Many Queenslanders dont as well.

 

[Brad Goodman]

“I accept responsibility for this failure, but absolutely I should stay as leader.”

 

[kalex6251]

sava went closest to articulating the problem .... the branches have been hijacked by religious extremists ........ [edit] and likely the administrative arm of the party - @ state and fed level

now, that might work for you in regional queensland - but its a guaranteed pathway to electoral oblivion in an australia that has modernised well beyond howards insular 1950s conservative vision

 

[schneebly111]

sava went closest to articulating the problem .... the branches have been hijacked by religious extremists ........ [edit] and likely the administrative arm of the party - @ state and fed level

now, that might work for you in regional queensland - but its a guaranteed pathway to electoral oblivion in an australia that has modernised well beyond howards insular 1950s conservative vision

But didn't you listen to Spud - all Australians outside of the inner city are "very worked up" about trans people.

 

[Festerz]

Murdoch front page in Melbourne today:

 

[E Shed]

Murdoch front page in Melbourne today:

Bread & circuses come to mind.
They’re certainly not getting the job done in driving politics anymore.

 

[#23 Hill]

But didn't you listen to Spud - all Australians outside of the inner city are "very worked up" about trans people.

FN Libs. Always having to distinguish themselves by bashing minorities.

 

[geoffjennings79]

Murdoch front page in Melbourne today:

"Aston never happened, Aston never happened, la-la-la-la-la!"
Out of my entire family, friends, work colleagues, I know one person - ONE - who actually buys it. And no one I know subscribes to it.
Tbf, numbers for The Age wouldn't be much better.
Traditional newspapers are dead.
I read The Age regularly eons ago in hard copy. We get it free online through work these days - I've never bothered.
(I did find a copy of The Sun News Pictorial recently in a box though - front page was reporting on the assassination of John Lennon!)

 

[Sir_Loin]

But didn't you listen to Spud - all Australians outside of the inner city are "very worked up" about trans people.

What are they so worked up about? It’s not like trans people are the leading cause of death for regional Australians.

 

[madmug]

What are they so worked up about? It’s not like trans people are the leading cause of death for regional Australians.

Maybe they just haven't gotten over Priscilla, Queen of the Desert touring their areas.!!!

 

[Festerz]

Lessons in poetic justice in Australian political history #23

The time Bernardi and Campbell giggled on SkyNews over the idea of Labor and Teal MPs 'squatting' in seats that were the birthright of conservatives:

 

[Rob R]

Perhaps slamming Andrews endlessly for going to China during a by-election campaign for a seat where 16% of residents are Chinese-Australians wasn't the brightest strategy in the world.

Anyway, so long Alan Tudge. Hope you go to prison for robodebt.

That was beyond stupid and easy to predict and avoid. There are very justifiable concerns about Xi's actions and Dan's relationship but it needs to be clearly stated that the problem is not China or the great Chinese people who have little choice in the actions of that pyscho. Easy rule, if you are expressing concern it is about Xi and the CCP leadership, never say anything negative about the country in general.
Scummo could have scored points by highlighting how many people would be alive if Xi hadn't arrested the brave Chinese doctors who tried to warn the world.

Sent from my SM-A125F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[DickieKnee]

Traditional newspapers are dead.

It was always going to happen with the advent of the internet. Traditionally newspapers relied on their classifieds for a large chunk of revenue. Now if you're shopping for a car, real estate or a job you go online. Plus the daily news is available free online.

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

They forget that Menzies in many ways was far more moderate than the pillocks who have infected the LNP today.

Menzies was a racist internally, but encouraged strong cross border ties with Asian nations like Japan.

The current rot of Sky News weened losers don't collectively have an ounce of the sense or vision that would require.

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

It's very simple. Deliver on affordable housing and cost of living pressures for ordinary Australians and you'd never lose power. Yet both parties seem to want to anything but that.

This is my major gripe with federal labour.

They need to remove punitive hurdles for jobseekers, increase funding of the basics in the social safety net and build more public housing.

These aren't even gigantic budget busting commitments. Make housing more accessible and life for a large part of the population less punitive and you'd guarantee reelection. There'd be a significant mandate to introduce structural change that would make housing more affordable.