1. Advertising
    y u no do it?

    Advertising (learn more)

    Advertise virtually anything here, with CPM banner ads, CPM email ads and CPC contextual links. You can target relevant areas of the site and show ads based on geographical location of the user if you wish.

    Starts at just $1 per CPM or $0.10 per CPC.

Australia in crisis - Left Vs Right

Discussion in 'Politics & Religion' started by Bushranger, Feb 23, 2012.

  1. #1
    Aussie politics is going through a crisis. Kevin Rudd, the people's choice is the left-leaning former PM who was rolled by the rightwing faction of his party who replaced him by the former-left but now firmly right-leaning Julia Gillard.

    Kevin Rudd seems to have the people on side but Julia Gillard seems to have the politicians onside. Our political system lets the people vote for a party but it is the party that chooses its leader.

    In 2007 Kevin Rudd was leader of the ALP. Having been led by the far-right John Howard for the last 10 years Australians wanted a change from the war-mongering Bush-loving Howard, so much so that when Howard re-ran for PM in 2007 he lost his own seat too.

    In 2007 Australians voted Labor (ALP) and Kevin Rudd was voted our new PM. He, being left-leaning, was a refreshing change to the right-wing Howard.

    Howard was a conservative. He ripped money out of education, hospitals and sold off a number of publicly-owned assets giving us money in the bank but a less-informed and less-healthy population. During Howard's reign I myself waited 5 years for a category 2 surgical operation that is deemed a must be done within 3 months. Many Aussies were going through hell.

    Kevin Rudd was rebuilding the country from a left-leaning perspective, re-ploughing money into hospitals and schools then the GFC hit. Mr Rudd spent a lot of the money Howard saved by giving dole-bludgers and working people a $600 handout and telling them all to go spend it. I was (and still am) self-employed so missed out on the stimulus however not to begrudge the man it did seem to have the desired effect and kept us afloat and Australia remained resistant to the effects of the GFC, just as he promised it would.

    Mining our resources has played a huge part of getting through the GFC. The mining industry here is 83% owned by overseas corporations which means 83% of all mining profits are going straight out of the country. 17% of the mining industry is owned by Australians who incidentally are also our richest people. Andrew (Twiggy) Forest, Lang Hancock's daughter Gina Reinhardt and a few more well-known names all made their huge wealth digging up and selling off parts of Australia.

    Mr Rudd tries to implement a new mining tax that would give the government a more reasonable return for our finite resources. This upset the mining industry who were now spending millions on an advertising campaign to discredit Mr Rudd and do their best to depose him. Australians saw through this and were behind Rudd all the way.

    So, about 18 months into his 3 year stint the right-leaning faction of the ALP deposed Kevin Rudd and installed the now right-leaning Ms Gillard as the new PM of Australia. The first thing she did was chuck out the proposed mining tax and this immediately put many Australians off-side.

    We have never got over it. In 2010 we had another election. Given the choice of Howard's minion/mirror Tony Abbott or the now right-leaning ALP Australians could not decide. We ended up with a hung parliament where nobody won outright because no party had the numbers. Each had to negotiate with independents in order to gain the current government. That's where we're at today.

    Now, Ms Gillard, who wasn't actually voted in & Mr Rudd have been frenemies (friendly enemies) since he was deposed. He believes (rightly imho) that he is the choice of the people and she believes she's doing a good job. The fact is nobody else, apart from her taskmasters (fellow MPs) thinks that lol. We see her as a puppet for the right-wing faction that put her there.

    So, Mr Rudd has now made his challenge. He stepped down as foreign minister and as I type this he is on TV saying he's going to contest the labour leadership on Monday. It is now up to the MPs to put us back on track, a track that we started in 2007 but was knocked off-course by the right-wing.

    In a nutshell, that's our current crisis. Next Monday's leadership ballot will hopefully see an end to the party bickering and an Australia that is back on track to becoming once again, the best country in the world!
     
    Bushranger, Feb 23, 2012 IP
  2. boblord666

    boblord666 Member

    Messages:
    574
    Likes Received:
    9
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #2
    Sheesh Bushranger, I'm pleased you got that off your chest. Actually I can't remember when politics within a political party has ever been so personal and dirty. I blame the US of course, their Republican selection process seems to be a pretty personal politics sort of thing. Nah - just joking.

    Hope they sort it out and get on with governing the country and keeping the idiot right wing party out of power.
     
    boblord666, Feb 24, 2012 IP
  3. Bushranger

    Bushranger Notable Member

    Messages:
    2,841
    Likes Received:
    257
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    200
    #3
    Swan's statement was incredible. If he was as bad as he now says why did they support him. He's quite obviously trying to keep his job. Him & Julia will be relegated to the furthest depths of the party. Fancy saying that after they have been telling us how good Kevin was for so long. Was he lying then or now? Both scenarios out him as a big liar. Plus with Gillard saying Kevin sabotaged the 2010 election, why did Rudd tell us all to make sure we voted Labor if that was the case. I've never been a fan of the "Juliar" fan club but, with that obvious lie I can definitely see some correlation there.

    That means Kevin has to win on Monday, which, i'm not sure that's going to happen. Seems the caucus will be voting Gillard. Remember Kevin was a hard taskmaster that had them complaining how much work they were forced to do. I somehow doubt they will be voting for a return to hard work.
     
    Bushranger, Feb 24, 2012 IP
  4. Lindabrock

    Lindabrock Peon

    Messages:
    87
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #4
    on a positive note, austrailia is a beautiful nation
     
    Lindabrock, Feb 24, 2012 IP
  5. boblord666

    boblord666 Member

    Messages:
    574
    Likes Received:
    9
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #5
    Sometimes I think I am the only person who actually likes Julia, but she has been one tough lady getting through the reforms she has, copping the abuse from Murdoch's Muck newspapers and Dr No. She is the only person who has the political skills to keep a minority government operating fairly smoothly. Except for the niggling from Rudd of course. Just can't imagine Rudd being capable of negotiating with the Independents. Dr No and the Naysayers must be giggling all the way. On the one hand if Rudd wins the ballot the government will fail because the Independents won't support him and they think they can win if Julia remains the boss.

    I'm not convinced that's the case. Although it seems everyone says Bah Humbug Julia they always add the rider "The other side is no better, I couldn't vote for Abbott". At some stage closer to the election Abbott will be put under pressure by his own party and the public and I don't think they have anything in the tank. All the negativity and the fear campaign about the new reforms will have been proved to be a nonsense and the next election will be as close as most of them are.
     
    boblord666, Feb 24, 2012 IP
  6. ApocalypseXL

    ApocalypseXL Notable Member

    Messages:
    6,095
    Likes Received:
    103
    Best Answers:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    240
    #6
    Fixed that for you . There used to be a couple of Aussie patriots but they're all gone AFAIK .
     
    ApocalypseXL, Feb 24, 2012 IP
  7. Bushranger

    Bushranger Notable Member

    Messages:
    2,841
    Likes Received:
    257
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    200
    #7
    You're probably right. :) j/k

    I agree with that. She's tough as old nails.

    Stephen Smith. He's a standout that would rocket Labor. He would get my vote over Kevin Rudd.

    The Independents want to stay as long as they can. They will back anyone but Abbott.

    Whilst I do agree politics is about compromise I think she went too far in particular by siding with the miners in order to stop the controversy. We deserve better.

    A Turnbull led coalition would change things considerably. I would like to know why the Libs persist with Abbott. What's he getting out of remaining leader of opposition when so many people hate him? It's not doing Liberal any favours so he must be scamming something somewhere imho. Abbott was health minister when he ripped out so much money from that system. I have a personal grudge against him for doing that as I had to keep still for almost 5 years to avoid making my ailment worse. 5 effin years! He kind of kept me in prison. Over those years waiting my tumour grew threefold.
     
    Bushranger, Feb 24, 2012 IP
  8. boblord666

    boblord666 Member

    Messages:
    574
    Likes Received:
    9
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #8
    Too inexperienced, still nervous in front of cameras. Needs more time.

    Well, they would be able to negotiate a few more bucks for their electorates anyway.

    It was doomed and up for a great deal of adverse media. Once law the rate can be changed.

    Poor Malcolm, watching Question Time the bloke looks like he is squirming with embarrassment. I think he would like to change parties sometimes.

    Well he nearly won them the election and he has the government on the ropes in the polls. A complete disaster if he ever gets to become PM.

    Idiot right-wing governments have to balance the budget. They do it by wrecking the lives of the less fortunate through health and education cuts and keeping the unemployed and pensioners paupers to fund the tax cuts for the wealthy. Sorry to hear about your problems, hope things are better now.
     
    boblord666, Feb 25, 2012 IP
  9. Bushranger

    Bushranger Notable Member

    Messages:
    2,841
    Likes Received:
    257
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    200
    #9
    Some good points as usual. Full health now thanks, 3 months after Rudd got in I got my life back.

    The right-wing are scared people imho, for instance the Australia day debacle. With all the aborigines protesting why didn't Abbott just walk out and talk to them? This is Australia and aborigines are not known for hanging/lynching. The security people went overboard. Hawke would have grabbed a loud-speaker and gone out there to calm them down. It was an eye-opener to see how things have changed, all brought on by what? The war on terror. When both praised the feds instead of rebuffing their reaction it stuck out to me how scared they have become, too scared to sort out their own constituents.
     
    Bushranger, Feb 25, 2012 IP
  10. boblord666

    boblord666 Member

    Messages:
    574
    Likes Received:
    9
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #10
    Just saw this comment from Kevvie on some show this morning

    " And they are the millions of Australians who depend on us to form a Labor government and to prevent Mr (Opposition Leader Tony) Abbott from inflicting on Australia the ravages of the most extreme right wing government that the country will have ever seen. "

    Good on ya, Kevvie lad - you go get him.
     
    boblord666, Feb 25, 2012 IP
  11. earlpearl

    earlpearl Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    3,584
    Likes Received:
    150
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    155
    #11
    So Julia won and by a pretty convincing margin it appears. What does that imply? I know nothing about Australian politics.
     
    earlpearl, Feb 28, 2012 IP
  12. Obamanation

    Obamanation Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    8,016
    Likes Received:
    237
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    180
    #12

    Lets just put it this way. Neither of the two Aussie lefties who hang out on DP are happy. LoL.

    The real comedy will be when the Independents side with Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party (Aussie Republicans) in a vote of no confidence, removing labor lefties from power for the foreseeable future. As Mr. Abbott put it, electing Julia was only a stay of execution for Labor. Just like the Democrats, the Aussie lefties haven't a clue about border protection or the economy, but they absolutely love their carbon taxes.
     
    Obamanation, Feb 28, 2012 IP
  13. earlpearl

    earlpearl Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    3,584
    Likes Received:
    150
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    155
  14. Obamanation

    Obamanation Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    8,016
    Likes Received:
    237
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    180
    #14
    Obamanation, Feb 28, 2012 IP
  15. boblord666

    boblord666 Member

    Messages:
    574
    Likes Received:
    9
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #15
    As I said I'm one of the few people I know that like Julia so I am as happy as can be. Kevvie will disappear on to the backbench and the PM will get on with governing. She's come out fired up this year so it's interesting. The chance of all the independents siding with idiot right ring leader are zero and the government now has a two seat margin and a Senate that (mostly) will pass legislation.

    Australia is surrounded by water, so illegal immigration is minimal although there are apparently about 60,000 living and working in the community who overstayed their visa or didn't catch the plane home and about 1,000 in camps who we have been judged to be economic refugees rather than refugees fleeing persecution. These can't be sent back to where there came from, so the government either has to give them amnesty (unpopular) or keep them in the camps (inhumane). I personally would like to see open borders because we need a bigger population. That'll never happen though.
     
    boblord666, Feb 28, 2012 IP
  16. Bushranger

    Bushranger Notable Member

    Messages:
    2,841
    Likes Received:
    257
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    200
    #16
    Australians do prefer Kevin but the politicians prefer Julia. We don't get to choose the leader, only the party we want. With Julia as boss Aussies will simply get on with it.

    When faced with Julia (Labor) or Tony (Liberal) the choice is simple. Nobody will vote Liberal into power whilst Tony leads the pack. That would be like Americans voting in Billy Graham for President, not going to happen, ever.

    @boblord666 my brother is a huge Julia fan, ergo you're not alone.
    1) #1 Bulldogs fan.
    2) Red hair.
    3) I forgot.
     
    Bushranger, Feb 28, 2012 IP
  17. earlpearl

    earlpearl Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    3,584
    Likes Received:
    150
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    155
    #17
    @boblord @bushranger tx.
     
    earlpearl, Feb 28, 2012 IP