So if you are one of my three good friends who read this blog, or my mother, you are probably wondering why I haven't updated this blog for a little while.
The answer lies in two little words: Federal election.
It has been an amazing, whirl-wind of a week in Australian politics and to tell you the truth, I didn't want to miss a second of it.
If that meant not updating one of my latest obsessions, then so be it.
First, I had the privilage of being in attendence at the National Tally Room at Exhibition Park Canberra on Saturday night. Armed with a Mac and access to the Virtual Tally Room, I was in political junkie paradise.
Kerry O'Brien was behind me with Antony Green, Julia Gillard and Nick Minchin. To their right was Ray Martin, Laurie Oakes and Wayne Swan. To their left was Mel and Kochie, Peter Beattie, Joe Hockey and Tanya Pilbersek. Alan Jones and Bill Heffernan were in my view.
It was the night of nights, topped off by a hundred screaming Kevin07 fans(i think Joe Hockey called them Labor rent-a-crowds) and a few appearances by the Chaser boys, who were attracted to Heffernan like moths to a flame.
Watching those booths come in was simply awesome. We were predicting Liberal seats falling to the ALP every few minutes it seemed. Congamite (i spelt it wrong) came first, then Bass, then Dobell looked likely. They were all expected but it was still awesome to see them fall.
When the Queensland booths were coming in I was beyond happy. From the very start, Leichhardt was in trouble, we knew the LIberal stronghold was in jeapody because of the retirement of longtime member Warren Entsche, but to see it fall to Labor with an original margin of something like 10 percent was just great.
When Longman started to come in and it showed Brough struggling to retain his seat I almost jumped up on the table. I should have, I may have made the Chaser.
When Maxine McKew had the lead over John Howard, the euphoric feeling just would not fade.
When Howard conceded defeat it was even better. You can imagine how great i felt when Brough was interviewed! He looked like he was going to cry.
We left around 11, after surveying the damage, and as I was driving through Civic and I saw all those twenty somethings lining up outside night clubs, I couldn't help but think - do these people actually know that we have just got a new Prime Minister-elect?
The next day I woke at about ten after a bit of a night out celebrating ;) I can't remember when I learned that Costello would not contest the leadership - i think it was in the afternoon. I remember feeling very sorry for the man.
I have never really hated Costello that much. I don't see how anyone could hate him more than Howard. I would rather have Costello as PM anyday over Howard. I thought it just showed what a complete imbecile, power grabbing political point scoring man Howard was. He should have handed over the leadership and saved himself the humiliation of losing his seat to a former ABC journo.
It's a shame that Costello never got his day. It will be a minimim two-term Labor government and he would have never been able to hold onto leadership long enough to become PM.
Now the leadership battle is on between Brenden Nelson, Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott. I don't think Abbott could be serious about contesting - that asbestos victim died today. Surely it just again reiterates how insensitive the "mad monk" is? Female MPs hate him over his R2e2 debacle. It's the woman's right to choose Tony.
I don't like Nelson and I don't particularly like Turnbull. I think Turnbull will be the next opposition leader, although i would rather Nelson (he's a former Leftie you know, not a former journo....which is way more untrustworthy).
One of the only things that has dampened my spirits has been the Senate outcome.
Greens Senator Kerry Nettle in NSW lost her seat and so did Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett in Queensland.
Pauline Hanson even polled better than the Dems, so because her preferences will flow to Labor, the six places will go equally to Labor and Liberal. How is that representative of the state?
ALthough Labor will have to consult with the Greens to get bills passed in the upper house now, it also saddens me that the control of the Senate will ultimately lie with Family First Senator Steve Fielding.
Can't stand the bloke and can't stand the party. Politics and religion should not mix. Especially not in a multicultural country where other religious democraphics are growing. Apparently Buddhism is one of the highest growing religions in Australia.
But the thing I hate is that Senator Fielding wasn't even really democratically elected. He only won a Victorian seat because of a clever preference deal - he only secured 2 percent of the vote. How is that a healthy democracy? And now look at his power? It shows the importance of voting below the line in the Senate.
I was just looking at all the propaganda i was handed at the ballot boxes (yes, i did keep it - i am making a scrapbook of my first federal election and I am well aware I am a nerd) and I have one from the Christian Democratic Party who actually say in big letters "DO NOT VOTE BELOW THE LINE". Threats to democracy they are, the idiots.
But anyway, this is getting too long and ranty so I am going to wrap it up...
I can't wait for Christmas and to come home. I'm getting very excited.
That's all i have to say.
Luv
Me
MUSIC: Tanya Wells channels a South Asian legend
5 years ago
2 Stars Have Something To Say!:
Hi Amy!
Yes, I thought you may have been in there: I kept looking for you, but I didn't see you! I would have killed to have been there!
Yeah I loved it: I sadly fell asleep half-way through cause I was tired, but I managed to stir myself to hear Rudd's acceptance speech: what a good speech btw!
I went with Channel 7's coverage: I watch Mel and Kochie every morning so I thought I may as well watch them in the election: I thought they did a brillant job: even though you could tell they were "Kevin supporters"...lol...
Yeah gotta love Family First: it always makes me uncomfortable, because they remind me of the nutcases in some of the more conservative churches I grew up in. So now, so much for even the slightest chance for gay marriage or at the very least, gay couple's rights.
Re: the R2e2 debate: I can't say I am really a supporter: I am really worried about any sort of longterm health-effects etc, and about the risk of it turning into a form of "accident control". I think it is really sad how people no longer take responsibilty for their actions: or "their mistakes", as they like to call them. I am sorry, but to me, a baby is far from a mistake: there should be a hell of a lot more adoptions going on! But in saying that, I am not completely anti-abortion in that I do realise that it is is the woman's choice: it's just that unless it's a special case (eg rape or health problems) I personally cannot support it, even though I will still ultimately never judge the person on it. I guess it just gets to me that there are thousands and thousands of couples that would give their eye teeth to have a baby, yet because people don't want the inconvience of those 9 months, they do take the "easy" route. It's a hard, hard thing to understand when you are desperately trying to have a baby yourself.
Jo
Hi Amy,
Wow the election sounded exciting. I think it would be a really interesting thing to experience. It's much different watching an election in a different country.
I remember watching the election in Canada. It was exciting. I was happy because more New Democrat Party memembers got more seats. It was a close election because it is a minority goverment. So the Conservatives have more seats, but the Liberal Party of Canada and the NDP had more than them. So they had more power in goverment. Minority goverments always cause a lot of problems mind you. I actually hope they have an election soon because I can't stand Steven Harper. He makes me angry and I can say that because I voted. So there!
Anyways I don't think your a nerd for being excited about something as important as democracy. They had a similar party to Family First in Canada called the Christian Heritage Party, but they never really get many seats because their are four main parties to contend with so I think they are considered an independent. I agree however, that religion and politics should not be combined as it is kind of dangerous to democracy and especially being in a mulitcultural society.
Melissa :)
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