Aus goes to the polls
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Sue!
I notice you haven't been posting at the CSB...
Are you still banned for spamming?
I notice you haven't been posting at the CSB...
Are you still banned for spamming?
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Sue U
- Posts: 9089
- Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:59 pm
- Location: Eastern Megalopolis, North America (Midtown)
Re: Aus goes to the polls
I joined a new firm three weeks ago and just haven't had the time, as it's been pretty busy getting files transferred and getting my practice up and running again; plus the way things had been headed over there it just made me tired and I didn't feel like making the effort, so I frankly don't even know if I could log in again or not. I nip in here as I can.
GAH!
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Thanks for that Sue, I hope you pop in regularly..
I now hand you back to Jim for an update on the election/beer situation...
I now hand you back to Jim for an update on the election/beer situation...
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Oh Jim, you're going to love this!!!
GOVERNOR-GENERAL Quentin Bryce has sought legal advice on whether her family link to Labor powerbroker Bill Shorten creates a conflict of interest with her role in appointing the next Australian government.
As Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott vie for the backing of key independent MPs to form Australia's first minority government in 70 years, questions have been raised over whether Ms Bryce should excuse herself from adjudicating over who will get the job.
The extraordinary prospect of the Governor-General not being able to perform her crucial role in the event of a political deadlock was confirmed yesterday when she released a statement acknowledging concerns about her relationship to Mr Shorten, who is married to her daughter Chloe.
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-electi ... utostart=1
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Oh Brother....concerns about her relationship to Mr Shorten, who is married to her daughter Chloe.
As if things weren't complicated enough....
It's not enough that the woman has a conflict of interest...It has to involve a relationship with her daughter's husband...
It's a regular Peyton Place....
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Would that be the Milton Firm?I joined a new firm three weeks ago
I understand it's the hottest new firm in town...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax71wAnkBkY
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Sue U
- Posts: 9089
- Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:59 pm
- Location: Eastern Megalopolis, North America (Midtown)
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Actually, that's the firm I just left. Truly. Many of the office scenes in that movie were filmed in my former firm's offices. And yes, the views from the partners' suite were just that spectacular.
GAH!
Re: Aus goes to the polls
And in the political wilds...
What a debacle we're still having here in the land of Oz.
The government agencies are still in 'caretaker mode' as everyone waits with increasing frustration and annoyance while the aptly described 'three amigos' (the three independents) ponce around grandstanding and feeling very self-important while they hold the country to this ridiculous ransom.
They're breaking 'caretaker' rules and in at least one case, making up their own rules (Katter) then getting upset if people won't dance the right dance to their little strings.
Meanwhile, the electoral office hasn't actually haven't finished counting the votes yet, and at least one seat that was previously 'declared' as Labor is now back to being uncertain because the margin has narrowed so much that it could now go either way. So even the number of seats that are being stated - currently 74 Labor and 72 Liberal - could change again. The electoral office is saying it could take a couple more weeks to finish the count.
So - why do we still have such an antiquated and slow counting system in this tech-savvy era. Surely there's a more efficient way of voting and counting than the current pen-to-paper votes and hand-counted-two-or-three-times method of counting the votes?
And why do we have a system in place that lets three backwater-donkeys hold the country to ransom?
It doesn't bode well for stability - seems more like it's going to be a long, wasteful and embarrassing circus until we get the chance to vote again. And hopefully we'll get a more decisive answer next time. (By now I don't care who - I just want this mess to end)
What a debacle we're still having here in the land of Oz.
The government agencies are still in 'caretaker mode' as everyone waits with increasing frustration and annoyance while the aptly described 'three amigos' (the three independents) ponce around grandstanding and feeling very self-important while they hold the country to this ridiculous ransom.
They're breaking 'caretaker' rules and in at least one case, making up their own rules (Katter) then getting upset if people won't dance the right dance to their little strings.
Meanwhile, the electoral office hasn't actually haven't finished counting the votes yet, and at least one seat that was previously 'declared' as Labor is now back to being uncertain because the margin has narrowed so much that it could now go either way. So even the number of seats that are being stated - currently 74 Labor and 72 Liberal - could change again. The electoral office is saying it could take a couple more weeks to finish the count.
So - why do we still have such an antiquated and slow counting system in this tech-savvy era. Surely there's a more efficient way of voting and counting than the current pen-to-paper votes and hand-counted-two-or-three-times method of counting the votes?
And why do we have a system in place that lets three backwater-donkeys hold the country to ransom?
It doesn't bode well for stability - seems more like it's going to be a long, wasteful and embarrassing circus until we get the chance to vote again. And hopefully we'll get a more decisive answer next time. (By now I don't care who - I just want this mess to end)
Life is like photography. You use the negative to develop.
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Alice, I have to agree with all of your post above.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
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Sue U
- Posts: 9089
- Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:59 pm
- Location: Eastern Megalopolis, North America (Midtown)
Re: Aus goes to the polls
When did you move to the U.S.?alice wrote:So - why do we still have such an antiquated and slow counting system in this tech-savvy era. Surely there's a more efficient way of voting and counting than the current pen-to-paper votes and hand-counted-two-or-three-times method of counting the votes?
And why do we have a system in place that lets three backwater-donkeys hold the country to ransom?
GAH!
Re: Aus goes to the polls
LOL!!
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Thank God we don't have national elections who's results drag on interminably in this country...Australian Independent Katter to Back Abbott, Says Other MPs May Disagree
By Marion Rae - Sep 6, 2010 9:06 PM PT
Australian independent lawmaker Bob Katter said he’ll support the coalition’s Tony Abbott, putting the opposition leader two seats short of the 76 he needs to form government following the closest election in 70 years.
“I will be backing the coalition,” Katter told reporters during an impromptu news conference in Canberra today. “I don’t think my colleagues see it the way I see it.”
Fellow independents Robert Oakeshott and Tony Windsor will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. local time, Windsor said in a statement. The three so-called country independents have been weighing which party to back after the Aug. 21 national election failed to produce a majority for either Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Labor Party or Abbott’s Liberal-National coalition.
“I made up my mind and now they have to make up their mind,” Katter said.
Gillard needs the support of two of the three independents after last week securing the backing of Greens Party member Adam Bandt and independent lawmaker Andrew Wilkie. Abbott needs all three to govern in the 150-member House of Representatives.
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Ours run for three weeks before the election, and in this rare circumstance three after. How long from campaigning starting to election day there Jim? Nine months or so isn't it, if you include the strange "primaries" etc. 
Oh and the ranga Welshie won.
Oh and the ranga Welshie won.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Aus goes to the polls
It should prove for a most interesting next three years of government. IF we actually last the distance.
Bah!
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Well at least we Americans won't have to hear any more about how screwy our system is for letting Bush be the winner of the election when he got fewer votes nationwide than Gore did....
A lot of times in Parliamentary systems when a government is cobbled together like this, the predictions are that it won't last, because all it takes is one person walking off in a snit to bring it down....
These predictions generally turnout to be wrong for a very simple reason....
The minor players, (in this case the Greenies and the independents) are highly unlikely to enjoy any more influence then they do now, if there is a new election. This provides a strong incentive for them to suck it up, even when decisions are made that they disagree with....
Unless the Liberals can persuade somebody from the Labor Party to switch over....
With this coalition the odds are that you aren't going to see much in the way of bold new initiatives....
A lot of times in Parliamentary systems when a government is cobbled together like this, the predictions are that it won't last, because all it takes is one person walking off in a snit to bring it down....
These predictions generally turnout to be wrong for a very simple reason....
The minor players, (in this case the Greenies and the independents) are highly unlikely to enjoy any more influence then they do now, if there is a new election. This provides a strong incentive for them to suck it up, even when decisions are made that they disagree with....
Unless the Liberals can persuade somebody from the Labor Party to switch over....
With this coalition the odds are that you aren't going to see much in the way of bold new initiatives....
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oldr_n_wsr
- Posts: 10838
- Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2010 1:59 am
Re: Aus goes to the polls
WOOHOOO
In a strange turn of events this year I get to vote (out) both my U.S. senators and my local Rep to the House. Good times indeed. Now if only my fellow LI'ers (and NY state'rs for the sentate) would join me in voting Gillibrand (who?), Schummer (never met a TV shot I didn't like) and Bishop (their not her illegaly they are undocumented) out of office maybe we could be represented as we should be.
In a strange turn of events this year I get to vote (out) both my U.S. senators and my local Rep to the House. Good times indeed. Now if only my fellow LI'ers (and NY state'rs for the sentate) would join me in voting Gillibrand (who?), Schummer (never met a TV shot I didn't like) and Bishop (their not her illegaly they are undocumented) out of office maybe we could be represented as we should be.
Re: Aus goes to the polls
OK Oldr, you told us who you are voting against; now please tell us who you will be voting for and why you believe (as you apparently do) these persons will "represent you as you should be."
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oldr_n_wsr
- Posts: 10838
- Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2010 1:59 am
Re: Aus goes to the polls
Right now I have no idea. the Dems hold all three of the offices in question and the Repubs still have a primary to go with at least two contenders for each office and 4 (I think it's 4) for Gillibrands senate seat. Then there are the usual 3rd party candidates and whomever doesn't get the Repub nod that still wants to stick in the race.
Schummer I want out mostly because of his illegal immigration stance. Bishop has a similar stance on illegal immigration and is even worse on border security. Yes I am very anti-illegal immigration seeing as my home town is Farmingville the northern annex of Hidalgo Mexico. Gillibrand may hafve a chance to sway my vote but so far she has been flying under the radar.
I do need to read up but "tis the season". I will report more on my standings as I read up on them more. Just wish I had the chance to vote for Steve levy for governor. But on the bright side, he stays as my county executive.
Schummer I want out mostly because of his illegal immigration stance. Bishop has a similar stance on illegal immigration and is even worse on border security. Yes I am very anti-illegal immigration seeing as my home town is Farmingville the northern annex of Hidalgo Mexico. Gillibrand may hafve a chance to sway my vote but so far she has been flying under the radar.
I do need to read up but "tis the season". I will report more on my standings as I read up on them more. Just wish I had the chance to vote for Steve levy for governor. But on the bright side, he stays as my county executive.