Meanwhile Down Under

In the federal election held yesterday, the liberals were decimated, losing around 20 seats. In my state of WA, the swing against the liberals was more than 11%, unprecedented in federal elections. WA was considered a liberal stronghold. Not any more. In the eastern states many seats held by the liberals were lost to independents. Again, totally unprecedented in federal elections. Never before have so many independents been elected.

The next few months and years could be interesting.

Originally Posted by Maurice Clark

In the federal election held yesterday, the liberals were decimated, losing around 20 seats. In my state of WA, the swing against the liberals was more than 11%, unprecedented in federal elections. WA was considered a liberal stronghold. Not any more. In the eastern states many seats held by the liberals were lost to independents. Again, totally unprecedented in federal elections. Never before have so many independents been elected.

The next few months and years could be interesting.

So, if my read from this CNN link is correct, the "liberals" in Australia are the conservatives in the states, and the independents who won are more like the liberals in America, correct? And one of the big loser, a guy named Palmer is an Aussie version of Trump, more or less, correct?
https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/22/australia/australia-election-results-new-government-explainer-five-things-intl-hnk/index.html

Originally Posted by Maurice Clark

In the federal election held yesterday, the liberals were decimated, losing around 20 seats. In my state of WA, the swing against the liberals was more than 11%, unprecedented in federal elections. WA was considered a liberal stronghold. Not any more. In the eastern states many seats held by the liberals were lost to independents. Again, totally unprecedented in federal elections. Never before have so many independents been elected.

The next few months and years could be interesting.

I guess people in Australia got sick and tired of the police state mentality of liberals running things there in Australia.

People are sick of totalitarians everywhere trying to tell them they know better how to run their lives. 

I think the people get it.  They know better how to run their own lives.  Its called freedom and liberty and they aren't interested in bureaucrats telling them how to live. 

Sounds to me like your liberals there got their mandates and dictates shoved up their asses.  Hopefully it will continue.  

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

I guess people in Australia got sick and tired of the police state mentality of liberals running things there in Australia.

People are sick of totalitarians everywhere trying to tell them they know better how to run their lives. 

I think the people get it.  They know better how to run their own lives.  Its called freedom and liberty and they aren't interested in bureaucrats telling them how to live. 

Sounds to me like your liberals there got their mandates and dictates shoved up their asses.  Hopefully it will continue.  

LOL! The liberals in Australia are the conservatives, you moron. Maybe try to educate yourself a bit before running your partisan and predictable mouth all the time. 

Australia is a funky bird when it comes to politics. There seems to be 2 primary parties, the center left liberal party (Labor party) and the center right liberal party. Then there are a smattering of other coalition parties as well as independents who lay claim to no party.

The center right liberals have run the show for 8 or 9 years now and now the center left has captured 72 of the 76 seats needed to have parliamentary majority. Labor (center left) made it a referendum against the current prime minister Scott Morrison in order to pull the rabbit out of the hat as there was a general distaste for his heavy handed politics. Both parties lost considerable vote share though from 2019. It was the independents who tilted the scales.

The Labor party is expected to now rule the roost anyway even if they dont clear the 76 threshold for a majority due to alliances with smaller parties and the independents with Labor leader Anthony Albanese expected to become the next prime minister. 

Originally Posted by Greg Shaffer

Australia is a funky bird when it comes to politics. There seems to be 2 primary parties, the center left liberal party (Labor party) and the center right liberal party. Then there are a smattering of other coalition parties as well as independents who lay claim to no party.

The center right liberals have run the show for 8 or 9 years now and now the center left has captured 72 of the 76 seats needed to have parliamentary majority. Labor (center left) made it a referendum against the current prime minister Scott Morrison in order to pull the rabbit out of the hat as there was a general distaste for his heavy handed politics. Both parties lost considerable vote share though from 2019. It was the independents who tilted the scales.

The Labor party is expected to now rule the roost anyway even if they dont clear the 76 threshold for a majority due to alliances with smaller parties and the independents with Labor leader Anthony Albanese expected to become the next prime minister. 

So, the total opposite of what Richard posted.

Originally Posted by Jim Moscheck

So, the total opposite of what Richard posted.

Only in American political parlance is the word liberal used as a pejorative. In any other context, it's a compliment, not an insult.

US liberals are different.

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

So, if my read from this CNN link is correct, the "liberals" in Australia are the conservatives in the states, and the independents who won are more like the liberals in America, correct? And one of the big loser, a guy named Palmer is an Aussie version of Trump, more or less, correct?
https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/22/australia/australia-election-results-new-government-explainer-five-things-intl-hnk/index.html

Hi Rod,

Mostly correct. In Australia, the previous government was a coalition of the liberal party and the National party. They are roughly equivalent to your republicans, and just like your republicans, it has moved from centre-right to far-right under SoMo, especially the national party section.  The labor party is similar to your democrats.  Most of the independents were formerly liberals to rejected the move to the far right and who campaigned strongly on tacking climate change, women's equality, and integrity in parliament, all of which SoMo strongly opposed.  Palmer could easily be referred to as an Aussie version of Trump. Another nut-case is Pauline Hansen. She is a good comparison to Lauren Boebert.

Cheers,

Maurice

Originally Posted by Jim Moscheck

So, the total opposite of what Richard posted.

No, I said they voted out their totalitarian masters, the liberals in charge.

According to what Greg has indicated there are 2 parties in Australia, liberal right and liberal left.  

So the totalitarian liberals got voted out, as I said.

People got tired of being ruled over by totalitarians and voted out the totalitarians as I stated.  

It was a landslide to put NEW people in charge.  

And in all honesty I couldn't care less what goes on in Australia. They can vote whomever they like into power.

It won't affect my life one iota.  

P.S. And if I"m wrong, Guess what Jim?  I couldn't give a rat's ass! 

I don't plan to ever visit Australia. and if the people there want to be ruled over by an iron fisted totalitarian state that locks them in their homes at night, that's their prerogative.  Do you think I care?  LOL