Bombertalk

I wouldn't call this term of government "interesting". I think it will be littered with arguments, bickering, stonewalling and "pay offs". You will find that the regional areas will get all the grease (and probably deservedly so after years of neglect), and the cities will start to squeak.

Virtually none of the ALP policies will get through without considerable amendments (whatever suits the Greens + Independents) and that will reflect heavily on the perception that they cannot deliver on their promises as orignially designed.

I think the Coalition and mRAbbott are sitting back nicely in the knowledge that they can launch attack after attack while any conflict emerges between the ALP and the Independents - damaging the public opinion of the ALP. And the media will be all over it like a rash.

For everyone citing the two party preferred figures as some kind of pointer to Labor's illegitimacy as of the time of this post. The ALP is now ahead on the two party preferred. This is not the final figure and will be subject to fluctuations because of the 8 seats they are still adding into the figure.

You don't think this is interesting?

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-electi ... 151b2.html

The potential for both major parties to contribute to legislation! For once an opposition will have to do more than slag off the policies of the government. We may get the best of both worlds! We may get nothing... But I for one think this will be a fascinating time.

In the words of a wise blue man who lived many centuries.

"try half of column A, try all of column B"

It aint going to happen. That would be completely unworkable if it was in terms of budgetary items. On conscience votes and private member bills perhaps yes.

For example, the parental leave scheme the Libs wanted was being paid for by a levy on business. The ALP wont agree to this and in this example I doubt the cross benchers would either.

I cant see the Liberals voting with the Greens on very many issues in any case.

There has to be a government running the legislative agenda otherwise chaos.

I wish Brown would stop floating these ridiculous ideas.

How is it ridulous? As you said it is doubtful there wouldn't be many areas where the Greens and the Coalition would align, but if someone has a good idea, regardless of their political standing, isn't it best for everyone that it gets implemented?

Funnily enough this is the way democracy was designed to work.

Conscience votes, nothing pisses me off more than this. Surely your conscience would apply to every vote you made?

Brown's job is not to bolster the Labor government, it is to look for the best outcomes for the country. That should also be Labor's job.

Sismis wrote: Brown's job is not to bolster the Labor government, it is to look for the best outcomes for the Green's ideology.

Fixed.

How is it ridulous? As you said it is doubtful there wouldn't be many areas where the Greens and the Coalition would align, but if someone has a good idea, regardless of their political standing, isn't it best for everyone that it gets implemented?

Pie in the Sky stuff and wishful thinking. It's only a "good idea" if you agree with it, and as you well know, not everyone will agree with it.

Funnily enough this is the way democracy was designed to work.

It's designed to have minority governments who cannot govern without the power of a select few? So the majority of the members of the government are powerless to achieve anything without the say so of 3 men. Yep, that's good democracy for ya......

BenDoolan wrote:

Sismis wrote: Brown's job is not to bolster the Labor government, it is to look for the best outcomes for the Green's ideology.

Fixed.

Greens Ideology is a lot better for the future of Australia than the nonexistant alternative.

BenDoolan wrote:

How is it ridulous? As you said it is doubtful there wouldn't be many areas where the Greens and the Coalition would align, but if someone has a good idea, regardless of their political standing, isn't it best for everyone that it gets implemented?

Pie in the Sky stuff and wishful thinking. It's only a "good idea" if you agree with it, and as you well know, not everyone will agree with it.

It may well turn out to be. But we now have an opportunity to truly see what the opposition would do as alternative. Perhaps I should have said "better idea".

BenDoolan wrote:

Funnily enough this is the way democracy was designed to work.

It's designed to have minority governments who cannot govern without the power of a select few? So the majority of the members of the government are powerless to achieve anything without the say so of 3 men. Yep, that's good democracy for ya......

It's closer than we've had. 2 party politics is not democracy. Every MP should be voting on every bill based on their own opinion rather than adhering to the party line. The electorates should be voting for the best person to represtent them NOT on what party they belong to.

I agree it is extremely optimistic to think this wont end up in another election well short of 3 years. BUT there is a chance this could create a whole range of new opportunities.

If the Greens and Liberals conspire to put through legislation, while it would be for want of a better word, hilarious, it would be also probably be one more nail in the coffin of this parliament

If the Greens and Libs conspire to put legislation through it would be the end of the Greens.

You can't say you are going to support one side and then put the other sides legislation through.

BERT wrote:If the Greens and Libs conspire to put legislation through it would be the end of the Greens.

You can't say you are going to support one side and then put the other sides legislation through.

You guys just don't get it do you? There are things that are more important than THE PARTY!

Sismis wrote:

BERT wrote:If the Greens and Libs conspire to put legislation through it would be the end of the Greens.

You can't say you are going to support one side and then put the other sides legislation through.

You guys just don't get it do you? There are things that are more important than THE PARTY!

You cannot govern without one. What would happen if every electorate voted in an Independent? Would we have 150 Prime Ministers?