Aussie political upheaval....

panda0410

Well-known member
This man has done so much for this country, I'm just gutted
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Opinions on our new PM? I'll be honest and tell you I'm not a fan of Julia Gillard, the backbench pulled an underhanded manoeuvre and AFAIC it was political suicide for the labour party.

Tony Abbot is an idiot, and I am unsure about our next fed election now.
 

simplyenchantin

Well-known member
^^ I am apolitical. We don't seem to vote for a PM, we just vote for a party so I don't really see this as a significant change. Moreover, I haven't seen anything distinct change from Liberal to Labor, either.
 

panda0410

Well-known member
I disagree tbh, I think its going to be a big change, and the differences between Liberal and Labour are stark.

I dont think shes a strong enough leader IMHO, it will interesting to see how she manages under scrutiny, which will definitely be coming.
 

simplyenchantin

Well-known member
^^ My day to day life hasn't changed or been affected at all by the change from Howard to Rudd, and I doubt it will change at all now. I guess we'll see.
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As for being a strong leader, people will either like her or dislike her, the same as with Rudd. She's not a despot, nor omnipotent, and irrespective of who is labelled as PM, surely it's a majority vote in the party that makes or breaks it. She's just a new face, it's nice to see a female PM, but I sincerely doubt anything major will change in our lives.
 

panda0410

Well-known member
I think you will see significant changes to sectors - and everyday life is something you have now under the Rudd government. I fail to see how anyone can argue that workplace choices didn't affect their lives.

I work in health and health has definitely changed. The nationalization of funding to public hospitals is changing everything in those health sectors and health workers are going to be grossly affected by the outcomes of that - and that will affect the way patients are seen and treated. Its a little blind sighted to say that these changes dont affect day to day lives, and moreover wont affect yours.

It was clearly a majority vote, but the nature of the change was abominable. The labour party were scrambling, and they did it with Mark Latham and Kim Beazely as well.... when things are not going they way they would like (the factions) then we changes faces. AFAIC right now she is a puppet to the factions, but we'll see what happens.
 

simplyenchantin

Well-known member
^^ I don't know anything about health so I can't really comment on that. I'm a student and I work in retail, and so far in my adult life, whichever political party is in power has not affected me at all. It hasn't affected anyone I know, either.

I'm sure it does have the ability to affect things, but in this particular situation, I don't see how the labor party having a new face is going to change anything. We don't vote for K Rudd or JG, they aren't names on our ballot papers, we merely vote for a party and that party is still in power. Like I said, I'm apolitical so I guess I don't see what the big deal is.

When something major changes though, please explain it to me
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panda0410

Well-known member
LOL, a little too tongue in cheek for someone who hasnt experienced anything that will significantly affect your life because you are prob too young to have seen the changes from Howard to Rudd at the time when it definitely mattered to working class australians. When you have children of your own you can thank the Rudd govt for paid maternity leave
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aussiemacluvrrr

Well-known member
Hey JL!

I wasn’t a fan of Rudd to be honest but I think that what they did to him was pretty poor.... I agree that Gillard is a puppet and I'll be surprised if she is re-elected... It’s reminiscent of what happened with the state government and the appointment of Keneally.

I don’t know if there will be any major changes as a result of Gillard coming into power though. As Mich said, it’s the same horse, different jockey….

Unfortunately the parties are quite similar in their policy lines at the moment, in that they both straddle the mid-point of politics, however I agree with you that there have been substantial changes for a considerable number of Australian’s over the past couple of years, both beneficial and detrimental changes, and that with the current global economic climate, there will be more changes to come.

That’s my 2 cents
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simplyenchantin

Well-known member
^^ See, what Carina said actually makes sense to me. But people getting all up in arms about something that seems so minor - that does not.
 

panda0410

Well-known member
Hi Carina!! Long time no chat
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ITA on the the re-election, I don't see it coming her way. And I also hugely agree on Keneally, that was a faction pull as well IMHO.

Its going to be interesting to see what happens at the next fed election, neither candidate is promising if you ask me and I'll be looking at independents and greens and where their preferences lie. I wonder how long it will be before we see Wayne Swan usurping Gillard
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friedargh

Well-known member
First of all, as a female I thought it was a particularly moving moment to see a female prime minister sworn in by a female governor-general (I think Quentin is such a wonderful woman). I couldn't help but compare Quentin's voice with Julia's though!

However, I really do feel bad for KRudd, but IMO the labor party really does have a better chance this next election with Gillard than with Rudd. The media has recently been digging into Rudd and it would have likely continued, leading to further slides in his popularity. It does reflect a bit on Gillard's credibility that she and Swan were insisting up until not long ago that there wouldn't be any challenges to the leadership though. I also think that with Gillard as the new PM, we might see labor move back a bit more towards the left field.

Anyway, of course these are all just my opinions and I'm not a political fanatic. Also, watching the news today was a good excuse to get away from studying for finals!
 

rockin26

Well-known member
I hate getting into the particulars about politics, lets be honest most politicians are all full of hot air and talk allot of BS but occasionally they get it right. I feel bad for K Rudd and the humiliating way he was overthrown but I do feel that Labour have a better chance of getting reelected now than they did last week.

As far as my vote goes I'll continue to back Labour or look to the Greens and Independents because I cannot stand that right wing idiot Tony Abbott, if he ever got his way abortion would be made illegal and us ladies would probably be back at home making the babies and playing good housewife. I don't think he can separate his religion with his politics and that frankly just scares me.
 

Jessie May

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by friedargh
FI also think that with Gillard as the new PM, we might see labor move back a bit more towards the left field.

That's what I'm hoping for! Then I would love to see that echoed for Labour here in NZ.
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panda0410

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockin26
I hate getting into the particulars about politics, lets be honest most politicians are all full of hot air and talk allot of BS but occasionally they get it right. I feel bad for K Rudd and the humiliating way he was overthrown but I do feel that Labour have a better chance of getting reelected now than they did last week.

As far as my vote goes I'll continue to back Labour or look to the Greens and Independents because I cannot stand that right wing idiot Tony Abbott, if he ever got his way abortion would be made illegal and us ladies would probably be back at home making the babies and playing good housewife. I don't think he can separate his religion with his politics and that frankly just scares me.


Not sure Robyn... just curious - does anyone really think that Abbot would have beaten Rudd in the next election anyway? o_O

Tony Abbot really is an idiot. And I agree that he cant separate his religious convictions from his political ones, that has always been a concern with him. He would put womens rights right back in early 1900s somewhere
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I still think that what labour did was totally underhanded, putting a female up against a man that has issues wit womens roles in society was a purely tactical manouever and her sell on it being her choice to guide the labour party back to its roots didn't hit mark for me - her speech sounded totally superficial and almost canned to me. I'm still a labour supporter, but like you I'll be looking to greens and/or preferences this next election - Gillard wont be getting my vote.

As for move back to left wing, Gillard always was left wing so that won't surprise me at all.
 

aussiemacluvrrr

Well-known member
Having studied the abortion laws of Australia in depth it is highly unlikely that as an individual, Abbott could have any detrimental effect on the availability of abortion in this country if he was voted in. The Lib's abortion policy is rather similar to Labor's policy IMHO, so despite his religious bias I doubt he could really change legislation on the matter any more than Labor want to change it. Abbott was only able to veto the introduction of RU486 because of his role as Health Minister at the time. The simple fact is that both party's do not openly support abortion. This is why we have a legislative system where it is not legal per se but not illegal either (see section 82 and 83 of Crimes Act 1900). I highly recommend reading "Ethics and law for the health professions" by Kerridge, Lowe and Stewart which has a really objective assessment of abortion laws in this country. It is written for health professionals so it isnt too heavy on the legal jargon which is what I like about it..

I believe that women should be able to have an abortion if there are good reasons for it, but I also support regulation of the practice - and the biggest reason for regulation is the support services that are provided during the abortion process and are required by the legislative provisions.

When you actually find out what is involved in a late term abortion (google "dilation and extraction" or "partial birth abortion", but I warn you, you wont like what you read) , it makes sense to have such strict regulations, simply for the wellbeing of the woman.
 

tarnii

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by panda0410
Tony Abbot really is an idiot. And I agree that he cant separate his religious convictions from his political ones, that has always been a concern with him. He would put womens rights right back in early 1900s somewhere
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I still think that what labour did was totally underhanded, putting a female up against a man that has issues wit womens roles in society was a purely tactical manouever and her sell on it being her choice to guide the labour party back to its roots didn't hit mark for me


I just cannot get past this issue with Tony Abbot, when ever I see him I think about his anti-abortion campaigning and his incredibly vocal opposition to the morning after pill.
 

panda0410

Well-known member
"Ethics and law for the health professions" by Kerridge, Lowe and Stewart

Read it already Carina, I studied this book in depth in both in med and nursing
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My point was that he is quite vocal in his opinions re womens rights/roles in society. As an individual no, but his single representation of what the nations women should and shouldnt do if were ever to become leader would be a detriment and downright disservice to australian women as a whole and lead to more fractionation of religious groups, especially the fanatics.
 

lara

Well-known member
Moving to a more appropriate subforum. I know this is an Australia-related topic, but it's more suited to Deep Thoughts.

Please keep the thread civil. You can disagree with each other without resorting to jibes about age or experience.
 

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