The Gillard Government

[drsmith]

In the Australian, Bob Brown states that the Greens will overtake the ALP eventually.

That's his intention. Three's a crowd when it comes to major parties.

With the Green drums beating ever louder in the ears of Labor, the question now is when dispair for them turns to panic. Hopefully it will be soon.

 

[joea]

The senate can block supply with a majority as it happened with Whitlam in 1975, but I can't see the Greens siding with the coalition senators on that one.

Julia
What I mean is, if Brown gets out of hand, the Gov plus opposition can join together.
After all Gillard must have some sense left. "surely"

A lot of policies go through that both sides agree with. But there is no media coverage.
Good news does not sell, only bad news or a brawl.

Its like Gillard may not release the Carbon price etc. before the winter break. Because the opposition can pull it to bits during the break. The Greens however are going to now put pressure on Gillard to get more from mining and polluters.

If you understand the term "shadow boxing", well that is how it will start out.

feint,....feint,....feint. Then somebody will attempt to land a blow. The first one or two will not hurt, but the next one will sting.

Gee the media are going to love it.
joea

 

[Calliope]

If it ever comes to a double disollution, it will wipe the smile of Brown's face.

As the placard said:

If it's Brown, flush it down.

 

[noco]

As the placard said:

If it's Brown, flush it down.

Calliope, just love that one.

 

[Julia]

The senate can block supply with a majority as it happened with Whitlam in 1975, but I can't see the Greens siding with the coalition senators on that one.

Julia
What I mean is, if Brown gets out of hand, the Gov plus opposition can join together.
After all Gillard must have some sense left. "surely"

Yes, I understand that. My point is rather that the Greens, Independents, and Labor are all going to keep supporting one another - regardless of what compromises they may have to make to this end - because to do otherwise would be to invite a wipe-out of most of them, such is the level of public disquiet.

So, in the face of this, it's hard to know what the Opposition can do to force a double dissolution election.
Undoubtedly there are some forum members more up with the Constitution than I am, who may have some suggestions here?

 

[joea]

As the placard said:

If it's Brown, flush it down.

Hey Calliope I just got off the floor from laughing at this.
You have to get this statement into the banner brigade.

You just made my day. To celebrate I am going to flush down a Carlton Mid.
joea

 

[joea]

Yes, I understand that. My point is rather that the Greens, Independents, and Labor are all going to keep supporting one another - regardless of what compromises they may have to make to this end - because to do otherwise would be to invite a wipe-out of most of them, such is the level of public disquiet.

So, in the face of this, it's hard to know what the Opposition can do to force a double dissolution election.
Undoubtedly there are some forum members more up with the Constitution than I am, who may have some suggestions here?

Julia
But do you not think if Brown gets out of hand, Govment plus Abbott, could shackle him. It would make him look a real fool. Abbott would be laughing, and Gillard would be thinking "cop that you standover merchant"
He might give respect to both parties but I doubt it.
joea

 

[laurie]

It will take 2 elections to get the Greens out of the Senate I may be wrong the last election was not a half senate election but a full one

 

[joea]

It will take 2 elections to get the Greens out of the Senate I may be wrong the last election was not a half senate election but a full one

you are correct. We are going to cop it for a while.
joea

 

[sails]

It will take 2 elections to get the Greens out of the Senate I may be wrong the last election was not a half senate election but a full one

Pretty sure it was a half senate election. It will be interesting to see how much the media shine the torch on green policies for voters to get a better idea of their policies and then decide if the majority accept or reject them.

We know Gillard HAS to call an election within two years, and if opinion polls continue with the current trend (and quite possible as it seems incompentency is the real culprit) - the Coalition will be in power. Any nonsense from Brown and it will be back to the polls with a double dissolution and the majority of voters may woken up to what the greens want to do to our economy. So, Brown will also have his wings clipped to a degree as they won't want to be wiped out as happened to the democrats.

The real worry is that, until the next election, Gillard won't want to call a double dissolution because she knows labor would be a gonner. So I suspect there will be a fair bit of push and shove from both of them. We are in interesting times.

 

[noco]

Pretty sure it was a half senate election. It will be interesting to see how much the media shine the torch on green policies for voters to get a better idea of their policies and then decide if the majority accept or reject them.

We know Gillard HAS to call an election within two years, and if opinion polls continue with the current trend (and quite possible as it seems incompentency is the real culprit) - the Coalition will be in power. Any nonsense from Brown and it will be back to the polls with a double dissolution and the majority of voters may woken up to what the greens want to do to our economy. So, Brown will also have his wings clipped to a degree as they won't want to be wiped out as happened to the democrats.

The real worry is that, until the next election, Gillard won't want to call a double dissolution because she knows labor would be a gonner. So I suspect there will be a fair bit of push and shove from both of them. We are in interesting times.

Yes it was a half senate election.

As I have stated before, if for one reason or another Labor is forced to an election and Abbott becomes Prime Minister and he then has lots of obsruction from the Green balance of power in the senate, he has the right to call a double dissolution of both house in which case there be a full senate election.

It may cause Brown to back off if he is threatened with such circumstances, for he knows full well his party would almost be diminished to nothing as more and more voters begin to understand what the Greens idiology is all about.

If voters are happy to be drawn into communism, then VOTE GREENS.

 

[Julia]

Pretty sure it was a half senate election.

Yep, definitely half senate. Following is background to Senate composition etc.

Normally, senators are elected at the same time as members of the House of Representatives, but because their terms do not coincide, the new Parliament will for some time comprise a new House of Representatives and a substantially old, lame-duck Senate.

Slightly more than half of the Senate is contested at each general election (half of the 72 state senators, and all four of the territory senators), along with the entire House of Representatives. State senators are normally elected for fixed terms of six years, commencing on 1 July following the election, and ceasing on 30 June six years later.

The terms of the four senators from the territories are not fixed, but are defined by the dates of the general elections for the House of Representatives, the period between which can vary greatly, to a maximum of three years and three months. Territory senators commence their terms on the day that they are elected. Their terms expire the day prior to the following general election day.[4]

Following a double dissolution, all 76 senators face re-election. There have also been elections at which only half the Senate was up for election. The last time this occurred was on 21 November 1970.

It will be interesting to see how much the media shine the torch on green policies for voters to get a better idea of their policies and then decide if the majority accept or reject them.

Yes, it's about time some scrutiny was applied to the Greens. I've attempted to prod "The Australian" in this respect by emailing Dennis Shanahan with such a request.
Chris Urhlman did do a pretty good interview with Bob Brown a few months ago which left Mr Brown looking both silly and very irritated that such examination should have been directed toward his policies.
We need a lot more of this, but let's not hold our collective breath for this coming from any of the Fairfax media.

We know Gillard HAS to call an election within two years, and if opinion polls continue with the current trend (and quite possible as it seems incompentency is the real culprit) - the Coalition will be in power. Any nonsense from Brown and it will be back to the polls with a double dissolution and the majority of voters may woken up to what the greens want to do to our economy. So, Brown will also have his wings clipped to a degree as they won't want to be wiped out as happened to the democrats.

The real worry is that, until the next election, Gillard won't want to call a double dissolution because she knows labor would be a gonner. So I suspect there will be a fair bit of push and shove from both of them. We are in interesting times.

Ah, what a lovely fantasy is a double dissolution. I can't see it being allowed to happen prior to the due date for the next election, but I guess we can hope.

 

[sails]

...Ah, what a lovely fantasy is a double dissolution. I can't see it being allowed to happen prior to the due date for the next election, but I guess we can hope.

Agree it's most unlikely this side of an election as it would be political suicide for Gillard to call one, but quite possible once the coalition are back in government.

Also, if labor does manage to stay in power until 2013, there would be another half senate election and, if there is a strong push away from labor and greens, it would be interesting to see whether the greens could be at risk of losing their balance of power. I don't know the numbers of the parties within the senate without doing some research. Does anyone know?

 

[noco]

Agree it's most unlikely this side of an election as it would be political suicide for Gillard to call one, but quite possible once the coalition are back in government.

Also, if labor does manage to stay in power until 2013, there would be another half senate election and, if there is a strong push away from labor and greens, it would be interesting to see whether the greens could be at risk of losing their balance of power. I don't know the numbers of the parties within the senate without doing some research. Does anyone know?

From memory, the Greens had four and gained an additional five on the 2010 half senate election making a total of nine. most of which were with the help of Labor preferences. I think the others were something like Labor 29 and the Liberals and Nationals 34.

 

[sails]

Thanks Noco - and below is what I found on the AEC website on the senate numbers.

In summary, 21 ALP and greens will be standing for re-election by 2013 elections to take office in 2014. The coalition will have 18 not required for re-election and remaining until 2017, so if there is a swing away from labor/greens, it is quite possible that the coalition would retain the 18 seats standing for re-election in 2013 and would only need minimum of another 3 from the 21 greens and labor to control the senate after 2014. Seems quite plausible if Gillard and Brown keep up their current trends.

It is a long time to wait and an enormous amount of damage could be done to the country in that time. Just look how long it took Gillard and Brown to severely damage our cattle exports. Damage that will now be very difficult to reverse.

----------------------------

2007 Election (2008-2014 Senate)
Liberal 15
Australian Labor Party 18
The Greens 3
The Nationals 2
CLP - The Territory Party 1
Non Affiliated 1
TOTAL 40
http://results.aec.gov.au/13745/Website/SenatePartyRepresentation-13745.htm

-----------------------

2010 election (2011 - 2017 senate)
Australian Labor Party 15
Liberal 12
Liberal National Party of Queensland 3
The Greens 6
The Nationals 2
Country Liberals 1
DLP - Democratic Labor Party 1
TOTAL 40
http://results.aec.gov.au/15508/Website/SenatePartyRepresentation-15508.htm

--------------------------

There are a total of 76 Senators: 12 for each State and two for each Territory. Senators for each State are elected for a six year term. Senators for each Territory are elected for a term equivalent to the duration of the House of Representatives. Forty Senate vacancies are contested at a half-Senate election.

http://www.aec.gov.au/Voting/How_to_vote/Voting_Senate.htm

--------------------

And this from contained in an article from the ABC on the current senate;

The Greens now hold nine of the 76 seats.

The rest of the Senate is comprised of 31 Labor members, 29 Liberals, five Nationals, one independent and one senator from the Democratic Labor Party.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/07/02/3259557.htm

 

[drsmith]

The train wreck continues to accelerate downhill.

http://www.essentialmedia.com.au/essential-report/

 

[tech/a]

Seems Gillard doesn't know which direction south is and we will be getting a global freezing!

 

[Julia]

The train wreck continues to accelerate downhill.

http://www.essentialmedia.com.au/essential-report/

Certainly no encouragement there for the government.

 

[Logique]

The train wreck continues to accelerate downhill. http://www.essentialmedia.com.au/essential-report/

66% of Labor voters think the economy is heading in the right direction. Only 49% of Green voters do, inference - they want the wick turned up even further. We see that 95% of Green voters think their senate majority will be good for Australia, and 44% of Labor voters (vs the 29% who think bad).

Welcome folks, to Industry Roulette! These are the rules: first a Four Corners 'expose', then...banned. Step up (or is that GetUp), who's next! The luvvies must be beside themselves with how easy it was.

Coal miners, you've been shortlisted. Look for the Four Corners team to come sniffing around.

 

[Logique]

Open letter to senior federal ALP members and senators:

Are there not 5 patriots among you, with the courage to step forward and put an end to this madness...or 3...even 1? It must be clear to you by now that this government has been infiltrated and hijacked.

Your parliamentary leadership treats you with contempt, not bothering to consult you as a steady stream of Greens and independents file in and out of the PM's office.

When were the Australian people asked if they wanted 10% of the carbon tax siphoned off to the UN?

The light on the hill grows dim. Australia can either turn our natural advantages to prosperity for all, making changes from a position of strength, or slip into futile impoverished mediocrity. And I don't only mean the carbon tax.

The quisling rouge usurper must go. You know it makes sense. Put your country first, that's why we elected you. The ALP might even regain some respect.

Thanks in anticipation,
sincerely, Logique