Aussie Election

[baggygreen]

I'm surprised noone put up any thread about this yet!? its not like its no small news, a govt is voted out after 11 years....

I know that bookworm_020 is a happy man for the result, I'm very much on tenterhooks atm tho.

For those who don't know, Howard's govt has been in power 11 years and Australia has become somewhat splintered by him. he's made a lot of tough choices that have benefitted the country, but his choices have often been unpopular. After a 6 week election campaign in which i was fed up by the blatant lies and scaremongering by many parties, the Opposition was voted in on the weekend, and convinvingly so.

Rudd will be making a lot of changes asap, a major one of which is to pull out the combat troops in iraq, which is about 1/3 of our deployment. Another is his refusal to sell uranium to India until they sign the NPT, and yet another is that we will become signatory to the Kyoto protocol inside a month (i think that timeframe's right?)

big changes for our standing in world affairs i foresee.

[Torplexed]

Yeah...I'm kinda surprised the Aussie election result hadn't come up yet either. Howard being quite the staunch US ally these last few years.

[bookworm_020]

I have mixed feelings at the moment. Glad the John is gone, but a little worried about what will happen in the near future. Even though Rudd has control of the Hlouse of Reps straight away, the libs/nats will retain control of the senate untill mid way through 2008. ( I doubt they will make a move on work choices or Kyoto untill after then, as they have to draw up policy for both) When they do get contol, they will be forced to use the greens to get things past the senate.

It was an intresting night in politics for a couple of reasons. The PM getting the boot as well as losing his seat (only the second time since federation)

The Democrates disappeared from the Senate (I doubt they will be back!)

The fact the government lost the election, despite unemploymnet being low, the ecconomy being strong and people saying they did a good job.

I was OIC of a polling both in South Western Sydney. We had no problems with any of the voters, were able to get the count done quickly and accurate in numbers, and I didn't have a seat that was marginal or was being threatened by swing votes (you then have scruteneers breathing down your neck, challenging every vote when counted!)

I'm sure there will be some nervous people in the U.S. and the U.K., as they're next up on the election chopping block.

[Reece]

I don't think it was an election to vote in a party, as they both are useless IMO, (gee what happened to Pauline!) rather, as far as I'm concerned, it was a vote to keep Costello out! ... The sh_t will hit the fan now!! Howard was ok, and Rudd seems to be a decent sort of a chap, time will tell though.
Actually, it was more a case of voting for the lesser of the evils!

There, that should stir things up a bit!!!!

[SteveW1]

Just wait for the Unions to start all there crap now that Labor is in

Little Johnny did cause a bit of grief with his Workchoices but for having an all time low in unemployment and a strong economy I think it's better to deal with the devil you know than the one you Don't

my 2 cents

[Reaves]

I hate that ear wax eating smug bastard Rudd.

Garrett is a moron as well, hypocrit for joining labour and not being a green, typical labour using celebrities to buy votes.

Democrats.... hahahah!!!

Oh well, the economy will suffer, unions 'ARE NOW BACK!!' and in 4 years we'll be back to liberals.


/shrug

[baggygreen]

I read today of a workplace getting a visit from 2 union heavies, who entered the place yelling "we're back".

What type of workplace i dont know, nor how accurate the story is.

What I hope will happen is that the ALP are able to keep a tight leash on these ugly bullies, if they can do that they'll greatly allay the fears of anyone who is old enough to remember the hawke-keating era. Unfortunately, given Gillard and particularly Combet's histories, i dont like the chances of this.

It'll be a good test of Rudd's strength, if he can withstand the inevitable pressure that those 2 in particular will mount on him, then we might have ourselves a halfway decent leader. The worry though is that he won't be strong enough and will capitulate. then we're in trouble...

[Reaves]

I'd love Labour if it wasn't for the unions. As they are, it's nothing but a conflict of interest. Although the same can be said for thw Libs as they get many 'donations' from corporate Australia.

[Reece]

There, that should stir things up a bit!!!!

Yep, it Worked!!

[Peto]

Question(s): How much effect do you think relations with the current US Administration had on this election? And what kind of effect do you think this change will have on future relations with the US?

IMO--Australians are good to have by your side when things get nasty! (Learned that bit on my European Walk-About )!

[baggygreen]

Honest opinion, it wont be a case of you say jump, we say how high. Not that it was, but the 2 country's interests are closely enough entwined that thhey should work together on pretty much everything imo.

Rudd pulling troops from iraq is more a silly gesture to get the vote from the anti-war crowd. like i said, he's leaving behind all the logistical troops and platforms, plus a 'security detachment' so in my mind he's not pulling out all the combat troops anyway. besides, he'll send em straight to Afghanistan which is a fight he approves of.

Trade-wise, id expect things to be a little frostier. Rudd is keen to get very chummy with China, and for that matter the rest of Asia. Unfortunately for the US, that means a bit of a clash of heads. While the US might say publicly that it wants china's growth to continue, ultimately this isnt a good thing for the US. Rudd is going to be actively helping the Chinese economy grow wherever he can, in the belief that this will impress our asian neighbours. this, coupled with similar ideas for places such as Malaysia, Thailand, indeed most of SE asia, will drop the economic relevence of the US somewhat as these smaller economies grow, and in China's case, almost set the benchmark.

Defence-wise, I expect a little less support to go to the US in general. Working 'too closely' with the US led to the perception that Oz is nothing more than a US vassal. To make inroads into Asia, this image has to be shed. A significant part of this will mean defence ties wont be quite as close. Think pre-01 and i think you'll be close. things were tight then, but not living in each others laps.

What will be interesting is that Rudd refusing to sell uranium to India means they're going to have us in their bad books at a time when the US is trying to groom India as a strategic partner for the next 20 or 30 years. If our ties with china become closer, this will make for an interesting strategic environment, as India and China are likely to become regional rivals - one one hand you have the US, India and even Russia, on the other you've got China and Oz - and then, Oz and the US.

I didnt realise this was getting so long, so to sum it up i think the relations between the US and Australia will cool slightly, we'll be at loggerheads on a lot of things that weren't an issue for the past 10 years, but i think on many things very little will change - we've had close ties groomed over the past 60 years, it'll take more than a change in govt to dimish them significantly.

Originally Posted by Reaves

I hate that ear wax eating smug bastard Rudd.

/shrug

Hehe , thats a way better description for him than i came up with - I always think of him as the type of used car salesman that make's you automatically stick you hand in your pocket to make sure he hasn't stolen it

[SteveW1]

Originally Posted by Reaves

I hate that ear wax eating smug bastard Rudd.

LOL My Mrs absolutely hates his guts, I'm actually amazed his credability didn't take a nose dive after the ear wax eating incident, every Woman I talk to about Rudd they all say he's a Sleazy looking Git.

Oh well guess we have to wait 4 years and see what happens in the next election.

Or can we just put a vote of no confidence in and have them removed from office.

[Reece]

Costello is a bigger sleaze than Rudd, a liberal version of Keating!! At least he's bailed out! I have voted Liberal all my life, this is the first time I voted Labour!

Originally Posted by Peto

Question(s): How much effect do you think relations with the current US Administration had on this election? And what kind of effect do you think this change will have on future relations with the US?

Originally Posted by Seattle PI

The US has lost one of it's staunchest allies to a mandarin-speaking farmboy...