"Kooky" Greens may have last laugh in Australian election

[Nambe]

SYDNEY (AFP)

Australia's Greens -- dismissed as "kooky" by Prime Minister John Howard for a policy platform that includes state-funded sex-change operations -- may determine the outcome of upcoming elections as it draws disenchanted voters from mainstream parties.

The first opinion poll published since the October 9 election was called puts the Green vote at six percent, well above the 2.2 percent swing required to unseat Howard's conservative coalition government.

The surge in support means the Greens have a real chance of playing the role of kingmaker under Australia's complex preferential voting system. ..

Greens leader Bob Brown has raised the possibility of the party holding the balance of power in the Senate, or even in the more powerful House of Representatives in the event of a hung parliament.

"We're headed for close to a million votes for the first time in the election," he said.

"The Greens are off to a flying start. We've never been so ready." ..

[Cascadian]

1. Wasn't the MP that heckled Bush a Green Party member?

Anybody remember that incident where an Australian MP yelled at Bush during his speech to the parliament when he visted Australia a couple of years ago? Who was that MP's name? And don't you wished our politicans had the brass ones to do what he did. I applauded the guy.


John

[Djinn]

4. Yep that was Senator Brown Brown

There is little doubt that the Greens will increase their vote this election (the other "third" party the Democrats have kind of self imploded) and it's highly likely they'll hold the balance of power.

I actually think teflon john (or the Lying Rodent as one Lib alledgedly referred to him as) may just win again but with an increased Green vote he may find pushing though some of his more ofefnsive legislation a little bit harder.

More on Bob - http://www.bobbrown.org.au/

[Cascadian]

6. Aw...he is the man!

I wished our supposed opposition would have more brass tackle to do what he did. Bush deserves as much heckling as possible.


John

[Djinn]

7. our opposition is pretty lame as well

the ALP is the "alternative" government but like the "left" parties across the globe have had a major list to the right in the last 10 - 20 years, they didn't support the Iraq war yet they all sat peacefully when BUsh came to address our Parliament (which was out of bounds for all Australians for the first time in it's history)

[Zell in Hell]

9. They're are three leftist parties in the world that don't suck nowadays...

1. NDP (Canada)
2. Bloc Quebecois (Quebec)
3. Greens (Australia)

All thre of these parties have show a committment to economic justice, peace, social progress, human rights, sustainable development, and a willingness to stand up against the far-right Sino-American-Saudi Agenda.

[0007]

19. I watched an 90 minute documentary on David Hicks and his

father in Afghanistan and the U.S. trying to put the puzzle together as to why the U.S. won't allow Mr. Hicks to see his son and what crime David Hicks committed to be in prison in Guantanamo without being charged.

It was a great and well done, documentary.

[louis c]

2. I'd love to see Howard

go down to defeat in Australia.

October 6th defeat of Howard would be a good omen for Bush's defeat here.

Can any Aussie friends give us an update and prediction of Howard's chances?

[SquireJons]

3. Greens and Nader

I admire and respect the views held by the Green Party. But they literally can not see the forrest for the trees. If it is true that the friend of my enemy is my enemy, than the Greens and Nader have done more to keep conservatives in power world wide than the best efforts of Nixon, Reagan, Thatcher, Major, or any other right wing reactionary group in the last 35 years.

[Djinn]

5. sorry but your ignorance is showing

the Greens in Australia are not the same as the Greens elsewhere for a start but secondly Australia has preferential voting in the lower house meaning you can vote 1 for the Greens but be fairly safely assured your vote will end up eventually going to Labor after preferences are distributed and in the upper house we have proportional voting allowing smaller parties a chance to be represented.

If anything the Greens have helped left leaning governments be elected as generally Greens voters give their preferences to the ALP.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Exactly

Preferential voting will lead to a greater influence for progressives. We should push hard for it.

[SquireJons]

20. You're right

I haven't the slightest idea of how Commonwealth parlementary governments (if that's what Australia has) work. I am just speaking of the overall effect that the hard left has on the political process. IMO, they do more harm than good by not compromising. They help the right portray their opponents as extremists, and undercut support for genuinely popular political reform. It is our ability to compromise that makes us wise and successful.

Personally, I like most of what Nader has to say, but anyone who believes that Nader is doing anything but helping the repukes is kidding themselves. It's pretty much the same for other radical progressive groups.

[Vladimir]

21. Context context context

A phrase such as: "the overall effect that the hard left has on the political process" is meaningless IMO. It varies from country to country, and even within countries from election to election (local, national, regional...). The assumption that compromise always wins is also flawed, as seen in Britain by New Labour who are in serious danger of losing because they have ignored their grass roots in favour of the swing voter. One has to make a political calculation within a narrow context, and stick to that context.

Also you cannot band all radical progressive groups together. The CPUSA, for example, is supporting Kerry without endorsing him precisely to avoid giving PR victories to the right.

[SquireJons]

24. Scratch 'overall.'

If you wish. But I still think it's usefull to step back a bit and try to see as much of the big picture as possible. There are always layers of oversite.

In battle, a soldier sees things one to one. His platoon leader see a slightly bigger picture, and so on. His (or her) commanding general sees a vastly different thing than that first soldier. And then there are the men who sent them there in the first place. What do they see?

All of this is to say that there is validity on all of these levels.

There may be no coordination or anything else in common between CISPES and the IRA, or the groups that fanatically protest the WTO. But in the public perception, they get lumped together. I'd like to blame it on the media, but the truth is, most people are not interested enough to make the distinction even if made aware. There's a world of cows out there, and they can vote too.

So, it might be useful for some orginzation to step back and see what this divergent set of activist movements does to world politics. It just might be the key to progress.

[Zell in Hell]

8. Why the fuck would anyone vote Labour?

They're homophobic bigots.

LIKE THE GODDAMN LIBERALS!

They support unfavourable trade agreements with America.

LIKE THE GODDAMN LIBERALS!

They are subservient to the Sino-American-Saudi Fascist Compact.

LIKE THE GODDAMN LIBERALS!

Only one party in Australia has the guts to fight for people's rights and to stand up to the evil of the American and Chinese far-right imperialist agenda.

And that party is the Green Party.

Rank the Parties as follows, Aussies:

1. Green

2. Democrats

3. (If you can stomach supporting hate to send a message to Tweedledum and Tweedle Dee) One Nation

4. Labour (If you're self-hating.)

5. Liberal (If you're really that fucking stupid.)

[Djinn]

10. Mostly agree

but for me the Dem's get a placing closer to the bottom - if they hadn't voted yes we wouldn't have the regressive and unfair GST, they've been too complicit with the major parties for fear of being seen as "kooky" and they are now facing elctoral oblivion - I wont miss them.

One Nation are also pretty much an irrelevance these days, very little support outside of FNQ (Far North Queensland) mainly because the Libs pretty much stole their policies.

Generally my preferences go to the ALP but as I live in the safest ALP seat in the country and my local member is an time serving arsehole I put him dead last - he'll still win anyway but it makes me feel a little better.

[Matilda]

12. Mostly agree too.

Unfortunately, I live in a blue-ribbon Liberal seat (the loathsome
Tony Abbott is a neighbour) so however we vote, we know who's going
to get in. I rather wish I lived in a marginal seat, where your
vote can actually make a difference.

But more Greens in the Senate can make a huge difference - they're
the only party you can trust not to make dirty deals. I hope for
two more, I pray for three, and an even divide between Labor
and Coalition. That would probably be better than Labor getting in,
because Howard would be totally frustrated.

One Nation's finished, and so are the Dems. Meg Lees I trust has
already self-destructed, and Harradine's retiring, so there's a lot
of space for more Greens.

[Djinn]

13. Oh God Matilda I'm so sorry

I had to be physically restrained from smashing my foot through the Teev the other night when that piece of shit was on Lateline.

I know everyone else in Oz hates the idea of Costello as Howard's succesor but can you imagine how much worse the Mad Monk would be?

I figure that Peter grew up in the same house as Tim Costello so they must share atleast some humanitarian views.

[Matilda]

15. I could have run him down one morning on my way to work.

I thought about it, I really did.

[Djinn]

16. you've got more restraint than me

if it had been me there wouldn't even have been brakemarks on the road! I used to just detest him but after his constant phaffing on about women needing to "take responsibility" for their pregnancies rather than having abortions (after getting preggers all by themselves apparently) he makes my blood boil - total hypocrite given he dumped the girl he got pregnant in Uni and left her to put the sprog up for adoption - feel so sorry for that child...imagine tracking down your biological parents only to find out you're the spawn of Satan!

[Matilda]

17. In the end, I didn't want to do time for him!

He is a total hypocrite - really pushing the right-wing Catholic
line now. One of our priests taught him at Riverview, and loves
to talk about his friendship with him, and he'll make a good leader
one day. I told him I wouldn't vote for Abbott if he was the last
politician left standing. He huffed and puffed and said, well, he's
got a lot to learn yet. You can say that again, but I can't help
feeling he's a bit thick really - a bit like Howard, street-smart
but no depth at all.

One of the things that worries me about Howard getting back is that
he'll try to position Abbott to take over as leader, and I agree
with you - Costello would be preferable. But Howard doesn't like
him, and I'm sure he'll do his best to make sure Costello doesn't
get the guernsey, but if he's out this time, then I think Costello
will get it.

I believe Costello used to be Labor - Labor family - but his wife's
die-hard Lib, and she made sure he changed. If there's one thing
I don't like, it's a turncoat. If it's Lib to Labor, I think the
person's matured and seen the light, but Labor to Lib is the eighth
deadly sin. There should be a special place reserved in hell for
people like that.

[no safe haven]

18. You wouldn't by any chance live in Bronnie

"hard hair"'s electorate? That's my lot to suffer. Cannot abide the woman, altho not as loathsome as Tony. The Senate is the only vote I feel I can make a contribution to the process, and I'll be voting Greens, unless John Faulkner is running this year. I think he's one of the few remaining left wing ALP politicians that isn't afraid to speak his mind. Too bad he's not in the lower house.
It should be an interesting campaign between "Rodent" Howard and "King Hit" Latham.

[Matilda]

22. No - but you could say next door.

Our Federal electorate is Warringah. I'm in Forestville, but because
of a kind of gerrymander, the electorate twists and turns to include
large parts of Mosman and Beauty Point, which are conservative,
so we have no chance.

Bronwyn's a piranha - looks a bit like one too. Thank God there's
no chance now of her becoming leader, although she had her hopes
once, didn't she?

[D-Notice]

25. What's the "Sino-American-Saudi Fascist Compact"?

[dudeness]

11. I will be voting

labor in the house of reps
green in the senate

[struggle4progress]

23. kick

:kick: