This Saturday we voted in our Federal (national) elections. Australia does not have a fragmented government made up of a variety of major parties like a lot of countries, with only two major parties capable of forming a government in their own right. The liberal/national coalition which is a conservative party and the Labour party which is a left of centre (although not too far left) party. Now I am not saying this is a good thing but it does make forming governments a lot easier.
I normally don’t like posting on politics, nor do I often have much time for politicians. However I am very proud of how our democracy worked on Saturday. By 10.00PM the vote counting had the Labour government clearly ahead and it was certain they would be able to form a government.
The incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrision graciously admitted defeat and wished the incoming Prime Minister well. Stating that with a very important Quad meeting scheduled for Tuesday that it was important that there was a swift and orderly transition of power.
The quad meeting is a meeting between the United States, Japan, India and Australia, and this meeting in Japan is about sending a clear message to China about its Pacific Imperialism. This was an excellent example of a Government leader putting the countries interests ahead of party and personal ambitions, and for the first time in recent years makes me proud of our elected leaders!
The election results are far from finalised with postal and absentee votes still being counted in most electorates. How very different is this from what we have seen in the United States’ last election.
Donald Trump refused to accept the election results when he vowed to start “prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld”.
Today, less than 48 hours after the polls closed, Anthony Albanese, who grew up in public housing, the son of a single mother on an invalid pension was sworn in as the thirty first Prime Minister of Australia, along with four senior cabinet ministers.
Whatever your politics, and whoever you voted for, today all Australians can be proud of our democracy in action. It also demonstrates that the Australian dream is still possible and that someone from humble beginnings can rise to the most important position in Australia (well other than Captain of the Australian Cricket Team!!!)
Nice!! Good to see that democracy is still alive a well somewhere in the world! All I can say about 2020 is that if you thought that was bad, just wait for this November and our next national elections in 2024. There is a good chance that America as we currently know it just stops no matter who wins. Our current brand of Republicans (the supposed conservatives) will move us into a de facto theocracy if they win and will just rip the country to pieces if they lose. It’s a really scary time to live in the good old US of A.
A sorry state of affairs in The USA. I was shocked to see Rubio go from being the kind of Republican politician I supported in my youth and a vocal opponent of Trump to now being a Trump disciple who uses the same tactics as Trump does. Both the Republican and Democratic Parties are now organizations I abhor. And speaking as a former Libertarian….the Libertarian movement is an absolute mess. I regret the short time I supported the 3%’ers which sadly is riddled with Neo-Confederates. This political nightmare is one reason I live in Germany now.
Hey Grumpy, I hear you, I was a Libertarian for quite a while, and actually voted for the Constitution party in 2016. Prior to that I supported Cruz, but would have happily voted for any of the 16 in 2016 except Trump. because I can’t afford to re-locate to another country (and Germany would be high on that list!), my plans are to continue to vote for centralist Democrats, as I just can’t trust any of those with an R next to their name, they all seem to drift to authoritarian.
Our deposed PM was a “Christian” whose politics were “tainted” by his beliefs, but nothing like what occurs in the US. I can only sympathise.
LOL – no nothing “that” bad, unless you’re the wrong type od Christian, LOL
A big difference between Christianity and Churchianity!
Eh, being an Atheist, they’re both scary once they take the cult beliefs out into the public square.
Please don’t get me started on the state of UK politics!!!
Cheers Roger.