The Abbott Government has been an easy one to predict
On the eve of the 2013 election I wrote a piece titled, of all things, The 2016 Election. It was my prediction of who would win the 2016 election and why. Twelve months into Abbott’s (first and only) term the predictions have been spot-on. I don’t claim to have a crystal ball or have the ability to glimpse into the future. Rather, the future can be easy to predict when we are dealing with the predictable.
The Abbott Government have helped because they are just so damn predictable. Here is the article from September 2013:
Let us indulge ourselves and assume that Rupert Murdoch’s shonky Newspolls are correct and the incompetent, gaffe prone Tony Abbott wins the job of leading us after Saturday’s election and look ahead three years: what would happen in the 2016 election?
What would have voters learned after three years under Tony Abbott (and his moguls)?
The first thing they’d have learned would be the obvious: the Tony Abbott Government they voted in will in no way resemble the government they voted for. What they wanted, looks nothing like what they got. But I don’t think this will be the key issue so I will not adress it here. The issue will be about where the country is going, which would be nowhere, rather than how badly Abbott has been guiding it.
His term as leader would have reinforced our perception of him as he was in opposition. Tony Abbott would not have provided one tiny morsel of evidence that he had any plan of moving this country forward, let alone managing it. This was apparent in his term as Opposition leader. The preceding Labor Government focused fairly and squarely on moving forward but it was stalled not just by sorting through the mess left by the Howard Government, but also amid screams of horror from the opposition that the government was doing absolutely nothing. And as the Government’s term progressed during a period when it could have been meeting its commitments to the electorate and moving this country forward, it was further stalled by an obstructionist opposition, again, amid screams of horror from those causing the obstructions. Plus of course a fair amount of chest beating.
And by 2016 we would have learned that chest beating about stopping the boats (which will not be stopped) does not move the country forward. Unplugging the national broadband network does not move the country forward either. Nothing he has offered will.
There will be a different demographic in three years time and they will want to see the country move at a pace that keeps up with the rest of the world. And this new demographic is the key. In the three years leading up to the 2016 election youth will have become a powerful electoral tool. Boxlid, who has been a guest poster here commented that:
Our current youth is far more aware than generations before us, they don’t fall for spin and media proclamations, they know how to access information and share it between everyone else.
Ask the teachers in high school about their level of understanding of the students they are teaching. From what I hear, they have to spend extra time to keep up because they don’t have adequate resources available to them.
Our youth are adults at a younger age and capable of making decisions for themselves regarding their own lives. Difficult to accept isn’t it?
Our younger generation are not dumb and stupid. They are creating our future and from my interaction with them in many ways they are remarkable, skilled, talented and forward looking not just two years, not just five years or ten years: they are looking at fifty years or more and embracing all of the potential opportunities that the future has to offer.
The Abbott Government hasn’t offered this new demographic the possibilities of the future. By 2016 there will be hundreds of thousands of new voters demanding it. Hundreds of thousands of voters unhindered by the influence of a declining media and discontent with the country’s stagnation. They will have a voice.
Tony Abbott would have given no indication that he has any idea of what’s happening in the rest of the world. He would have shown also he has no idea that the mind-set of most people in the Western world has been dragged out of the 1970s. The world is not flat and we now live in a global society.
Furthermore, we are in a new environment of border-less or global economies and markets. One major challenge he faced in this global economy was to think, plan and act globally as well as domestically. He will have failed. He remained entrenched in his 1970s mindset. He failed to develop an international focus amid the diminishing influence of domestic markets in the face of the competitive global economy and global ideas (think technology and climate change). This global village provided an opportunity he overlooked. In 2016 we would have expected that a successful government recognised it as an opportunity and would have initiated changes in response to those opportunities.
Mr Abbott didn’t have a global mindset and he failed to move the country forward. The new demographic will recognise this far more than the rest of us and their vote will be influential. More so than ever before. The older demographic that Tony Abbott has appealed to will have diminished significantly.
What, then, would happen in the 2016 election?
My prediction: possibly Bill Shorten to lead Labor to a win over an out-of-touch Tony Abbott.
I may have erred on the latter. Tony Abbott and his government are living down to all expectations, but I’m not sure that Bill Shorten is living up to those expected of him.
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Return to home pageI think that Bill is beginning to come into his own. He had a pretty hard act to follow, and he needs to tread carefully as well to avoid the holes being dug for him from both sides. The Labor Party needs to look carefully at who is going to vote for them and target their policies there – ask us what we expect and listen to the answers. Develop policy based on that, follow through, stop being polldriven (is that possible these days ?).
TA and his mob have Buckley and Nunn chance in 2016 unless they can manufacture a war – and that’s not impossible at this point. I can’t believ his approval has risen over the MH17 affair, good God what is WRONG with people. But that will fade quickly, he can’t keep that running for another 2 years. We only have 2 years to endure the awfulness which has become our government and the trashing of our country.
Please let your prediction be the truth the whole truth and nothing but !
Michael seems like your crystal ball works well, great article…Thanks 🙂
Yes good predicting Michael, but I think Bill’s doing fine, he hasn’t needed to come out swinging – Tony et al are doing a fine job of showing how incompetent they are!
Good article Michael. I think that Abbott and Co. are quite oblivious to a fundamental demographic movement. It appears that young people are increasingly becoming interested, aware and motivated about what’s going down this time around.
I hope that all of them, come next election, who are not enrolled to vote do so. Hopefully others will urge their friends to do likewise. The ‘unfairness’ of this budget is so blindingly obvious. It’s just the kind of thing that the more-idealistic-than-us-old-farts will (and it seems) gravitate towards.
My other hope is that the no-longer-apathetic young will work on their parents as many of us did years ago.
I believe that there are a few marches being organized for the end of August. Let’s hope the turnout will be massive and get widespread news coverage. Personally, I hope that those who participate are conspicuously representative of society as a whole – not just the CPA and a bunch of people parading behind a bunch of well-worn union banners banners.
Ideally, IMO, a representative sea of people being quiet and sombre. No placards. No chanting. Just there because they deeply care. A kind of mass funeral atmosphere would be ideal. That won’t happen. But I can dream.
Overall, what’s required is for something to ‘punch through’ the habitual thinking of lots of people to something real within them. ‘A sense of fairness’ is a realistic target.
Bill needs a makeover by a fashion stylist. Note the impeccably dressed Obama. And Michael needs no lessons in predictability.
Michael I am surprised you dont write more often because this was by no means your first gut instinct article that was spot on. I wish you would do more articles, as I have always really enjoyed reading them.
I have mixed feelings about how Shorten comes across when he speaks. He looks like a nice enough bloke and for the most part I agree with him in terms of what he’s saying. It’s something about the way he says stuff.
It’s one of those things I can’t quite put my finger on. Kinda sing-song or preachy. Possibly patronising or overly practised or something like that. I don’t think it’s about him not being dynamic or a great orator like Keating, say. There’s something else missing there – and I’d like to be incorrect about this. Does anyone else have this problem about Shorten or am I alone here?
Rob031,
In my provincial backwater, the March march was a bit akin to your dream. The banners of the usual suspects were a minority in a broad crowd, and there was an underlying dignity to proceedings. When one lass began trying to gee up a chant of “shame, abbott, shame”, I wryly told her I didn’t feel it was a time for three word slogans.
May our August statement shine and surpass, and help get the best message for the future across to the most people.
Articulate our concerns, and keep it clever and clean; “F#*K ABBOTT” communicates nothing and convinces nobody.
My problem with the way that Bill is currently handling his position as LOTO is that it seems that he is waiting for Abbott to lose. I believe that we of the Left made that mistake in the past as never to be underestimated is the power of the Murdoch media and their ability to run not only a fear and smear campaign against anyone they perceive as being against their own best interests. They were able to have elected the unelectable Abbott. I don’t want to see it happen a second time.
Corvus, agree absolutely. The M in M in Canberra was attended by some who you had wished had stayed at home and (naturally) the msm focused on these few instead of the elderly, the people in wheelchairs, the indigenous folk who came to state their concerns.
corvus boreus,
Thank you. This is more important than just being a ‘feeling good’ day-out affair. Ben and Gerry defeated Unilever by being ‘left-field’ (cf “Blood on the Carpet” series screened yonks ago.)
Being predictable in such matters simply confirms the usual “rent a crowd’ stereotypes and is easily ignored. We must do better than that as the issues here go right to the heart of who we are as a nation and where we desire to be down the track. I hope lots of march organisers or people that participate view this as a really serious matter not to be trivialised.
Your powers of prognostication beat mine, Michael – I thought the Liberal hare wouldn’t beat the Labor tortoise, especially with Abbott in charge. Already people have stopped listening to him (the MH17 poll movement was within the margin of error) and thanks to message discipline, nobody can have any confidence that the government will be able to change direction and stay in office. This government is so bad that it will not be able to make a case for war. The Coalition should have learned more from the 2007 defeat than ‘we was robbed!’ or ‘we just need to sell our message better’.
Michael, what is even sadder, 12 months later, we are none the wiser. I see though in some polls, the young are waking up. Yes, they have to much to lose, the penny is beginning t drop. We do not even seem to have he trolls invading us each day. All seem to have lost interest in telling us how bad Labor was.
One thing for sure, things can go on with this government much longer. Something has to give. People, especially the elder members of this community arte becoming scared. Yes, not of terrorism or bombs. They are fearing what Abbott means to their future incomes. Many are not spending.
Not only their incomes, but the services we rely on to stay in our homes re also vanishing fast.
Three months today, budget no further ahead. Very little legalisation has been seen. The nasties are still emerging.
Your predictions are so predictable for exactly the reasons you give Michael. Abbott and co. seem completely incapable of observation or learning? You are absolutely right. Their intention is entirely based on a reversal of time rather than a move forward. I still cannot believe that so many were so sucked in by the rhetoric and performance art that the then opposition displayed. Yet still I firmly believe Shorten’s Labor are equally incapable of stepping up to the humanitarian issues that would make their win worthwhile. Sadly if Labor win it won’t be cleanly and it won’t be for good reasons. It will be another election won by voting out rather than voting in.
I find the pro labor comments incredulous. Labor is almost as toxic and destructive as the LNP.
Have you all forgotten who started Manus Island, how Gillard invited all the mining magnates to dinner to thank them for their help in ousting Rudd and then let the mining industry write its own tax legislation that raised nothing so far. Who started the toxic CSG industry in Australia and FORCED it on farmers with disgracfull draconion legislation….? Labor.. The ALP has trampled on the working classes for years.
If labor was so great, why did people vote for Abbott the Idiot? And his bunch of toxic ministers.
Get real people!!! The ALP is not who they are supposed to be, since the Whitlam era.
You are all still caught up in the toxic and destructive ,two party Preferred” duopoly.
I predict the end of ALL political parties and i am working to make that happen.
Thomas J. Brookes
Australian Independents Movement (AIM)
Making Australia Fair Again
Do you know what Tony Fitsgerald said recently? “People are now basing their voting intentions on which party will do the least damage”.
Is that the future we want for Australia?????
[Our younger generation are not dumb and stupid. They are creating our future and from my interaction with them in many ways they are remarkable, skilled, talented and forward looking not just two years, not just five years or ten years: they are looking at fifty years or more and embracing all of the potential opportunities that the future has to offer.]
They’ve been induced by materialism and capitalist propaganda and the cost of housing. Compare the number of ads and products you would have seen by 21 to what they’ve seen.
They may be smarter but they are also relatively weaker in many ways. If they were stronger, then youth unemployment would be nowhere near as high.
Doesn’t it come down to that in the end? It means they are of less value overall.
Success, then globalisation, has crushed union membership. The support base for them to be collectively stronger has dissipated. Globalisation has removed many jobs the less intellectually and socially adept would otherwise have done. Globalisation has forced the casualisation of the workforce via materialistic managers and shareholders now seeking profits on the world stage. Businesses don’t train where they can avoid it. Job security is as weak as piss, and its lack does not induce loyalty and more “do self-centred or immoral things”.
Mind you, globalisation was never stoppable, it started with the first form of transport, and thus us something we just have to evolve through.
What we do not need and are certainly heading ever closer to is evolving under Intelligent Design. The design of vested interests – The Bilderberg and IPA type cabals – people whom are far too attached to wealth to create the correct design. It will be a stuff up.
The young need to be taught the power of numbers and the tricks of the wealthy and their sycophants like Abbott and co.
I would suggest in marches people hold up banners that might entice unemployed and young people to join in. Wear the resulting strife that some unruly will bring.
If I was an organiser I’d put fake job ads in papers and wherever. Position: Marchers. Come join the next March and we will give you a job rejection letter. Get them on an email mailing list.
It has failed me for a number of elections how even close to 50% of the electorate can see any advantage at all in voting for the Libs. Surely most electors are in the group that are now, more than ever, being directly effected by the backward policies of the conservatives, regardless of age.
Unfortunately I don’t have much faith that a Tampa incident or another MH17 won’t happen at the death knell, causing a swing back to the conservatives.
Perhaps Palmer has a point when he suspects some tampering going on under the noses of the AEC … haven’t heard much about that lately?
As someone in that younger generation, I will admit to not being very concerned with politics. That is until now. All throughout the election campaign, every time I saw abbotts face on TV I thought he looked like a rat that was in no way trustworthy and he has proven to be exactly that.
At the risk of being self-indulgent (again) I have copied and pasted a comment that I’ve put up on the Guardian thread that is titled:
“Joe Hockey ‘out of touch’ over ‘poor don’t drive’ comments, says Labor: Treasurer lashes out at ‘hysteria’ and defends remarks by quoting 2009-10 ABS figures on car usage and fuel.” by Daniel Hurst,
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/aug/13/joe-hockey-defends-his-poor-people-dont-drive-very-far-comments?commentpage=6
At this time, 5:37 am, there are 571 comments. The original article went up at 6:31 the evening before.
As I’ve implied below the general tone of the comments on this particular post have an ominous feel about them. It’s as though the general feel ‘out there’ is “We’ve had enough. You lot have now gone too far”.
That kind of thing. Well, for what it’s worth this was my spout:
——
Oh dear. I’ve been following comment threads such as this since the budget was released. Never have I witnessed such a consistent and hostile reaction to anything that a member of this government has come out with. It also strikes me that this thread has very few of the usual trolls or Coalition apologists piping up.
No matter what the truth of the matter is regarding the cost of fuel and who is most disadvantaged by its possible price increase the general feeling is very clear. Hockey has well and truly put his foot in it. Perhaps it’s this issue in particular; or it may be the straw that’s broken the camel’s back. Hope so.
I have no illusion that Hockey or the others in the current government are reading comments such as these. (There may be people out there that monitor these threads and report on the general ‘vibe’.) But on the odd chance that something specific goes back to him this is what I have to say:
“You are making it worse for yourself and ‘Team Australia’ every time you open your mouth. Especially about something that impacts on ordinary voters like the price of fuel does. Get a grip Joe. Whatever the reality about what effects who the general perception in voter land is that you are, at best, deluded and out-of-touch.”
Well this one certainly took me by surprise, but I guess it was predicable and shouldn’t have.
I didn’t hear the interview but Angus Houston was questioned on RN this morning. What surprised me was in the promotion of the upcoming interview the presenter stated that all but a couple of the AFP personnel who had been sent to Holland and the Ukraine have come home as most of the remains have been recovered.
So the entire exercise, as is MH370, was a very expensive operation to gain Abbott a few popularity points in a poll, and it only did that for one Newspoll and within the margin of error. Millions of tax payers money thrown away on the ego of a very unpopular man and money that’s still being thrown away today.
That “bunch of people parading behind a bunch of well worn union banners” are the bunch of people who led the fight against work choices and won. The march in March where I live was unorganised and more than a little confused, where the “grass roots” joined with the Trade Unions as they did in Newcastle the march in March was bigger and brighter. Unity goes a long way, the sniping at Bill Shorten and the bagging of organised workers won’t get us very far.
I always told people an Abbott government would be bad, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine they’d be this bad.
I guess I am ‘an older person’ now, late 60s and still fit and strong. I attended March in March in Cairns. and personally didn’t see any offensive signs. Maybe there were one or two but on the whole it was a well organised, peaceful but purposeful march. People voiced their disillusionment and dismay at the direction the Coalition was showing for Australia. The speakers prior to and then following the march were intelligent and inspiring and yes, I will be driving down to Cairns, to again march at the end of August.
I note the general opinion held of older people is that they are mainly focussed on their financial and accommodated future. Well, this one, me, may be the exception, I am not sure. My focus is totally on impelling this government to take EFFECTIVE, responsible, imperative action on addressing the issue of the dangerous changing of our climate, immediately. Nothing else will matter that much if we allow the continuance of extraction and burning of fossil fuels, ignoring the emerging and very viable Renewable Energy revolution.
No-one seems to give a thought to the fact that we are losing our bio-diversity. The very thing that keeps all living beings on this Planet alive, including we humans. Most, if not all the predictions made by climate scientists over the preceding years, are now manifesting around the World.
My hope is that the present coalition, with its dependence on Murdoch and the IPA, will be squashed, sooner rather than later. However, first the dominance of the Murdoch Press passing disgustingly biassed, skewed reporting to the majority, because of it’s monopoly has to be defeated.
A thought: Labor has some work to do. The Abbott/Credlin/Hockey/Turnbull team are perceived as arrogant however, Shorten while perceived as more honest is perceived as intellectual and aloof. Shorten is clearly not aloof, therefore work must be done to try to correct this impression. Rossleigh on his Irony Front topic at https://theaimn.com/definitely-need-irony-font/, noted Is Bill Shorten really reading his posts? I hope that Bill does.
Is it just my imagination….?
I seems to me that, just as sections of the MSM are waking up to these clowns… the ABC news department is increasingly trying to boost the circus.
It’s not your imagination, mars08. I’m seeing it in the Murdoch media lately too. Never thought I’d see the day.
I also heard the news this morning that the Abbott government is willing to take 4000 of the Yazidis Christians trapped on Mount Sinjar. If rescued the great bulk will be going to Europe.
This sounds very magnanimous of this government but two things must be considered and one won’t be mentioned by the media.
The first that won’t be reported on is that Arab Christians are amongst the boat people being persecuted by this government and will be sent to a country with appalling human rights abuses.
The second that has been reported is that that 4000 won’t be new places but will come out of the current 13,400 humanitarian allowance imposed by this government. What the media won’t say is that makes those 4000 queue jumpers in the queue they say exists.
What about the Christians already on Manus and Nauru. Are they to get visas. Are all the 50+ home. If so, why is Abbott overseas.
Sniping at Shorten only assists Hockey and his mob, The game is, I would say at this time, is to keep the focus on the govt.
Many fewer and in better condition than expected on that mountain.
The bullshit builds up so quickly, you need wings to stay above it!
Mars or a shovel to dig through it if you drive a car 🙂
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bu9Y9qvCQAAcDlf.png
Lol very funny and quick thanks Mars
yeah the old saying, ” the shit before the shovel” and the Coalition are shit…
to Michael – a great article. Hit’s nails on heads so accurately.
to Rob031. ……… ref the way Bill Shorten speaks.
I don’t think it’s your imagination. Bill Shorten has a fairly soft speaking voice, and indeed his speech can be become a little sing-songy at times. There’s a hesitancy there, a slight lack of confidence. What he needs is an elocution teacher – I’m serious. The word ‘elocution’ is not used much these days – my mother was an ‘elocution’ teacher, way back when ? He does not need a speech therapist … he needs to learn to ‘project’ his voice, with confidence and authority. I am sure his speech is not patronising, but because he’s a nice bloke – and speaks with his head slightly tilted to one side often enough, he can come across as a little patronising. He just needs some help to deliver his words with more impact and conviction.
At the same time, I personally think he is playing a very smart political game. He DOES object – as he should, but I do believe he is not fisting the air, making gestures etc. so’s to not appear too aggressive – which leaves the only aggressor on the block, the Abbott himself.
Bill Shorten is letting Abbott and his entourage, hang themselves from higher and higher branches – hoisting themselves on their own petard – and they are doing an absolutely splendid job of that.
Let’s see if Bill’s timing is correct – and that he comes out verbally swinging at the correct time. He will still need to help to deliver correctly and with more confidence, though.
Just my opinion.
[It’s not your imagination, mars08. I’m seeing it in the Murdoch media lately too. Never thought I’d see the day]
They use this period to make the media seem more balanced – to even up the scales a little bit. Closer to the election you wont see as much negativity.
Shit this is big if it’s true. I’m trying to find a credible source for the snippet I read.
It is being stated that because of Australia’s reputation and mouthing off the Ukraine only let let the Netherlands and Malaysian govt visit the MH17 crash site. It could be one of the reason the AFP have come home with the job still not finished.
Michael, 11 out of 10 (although I think eleventy is copyright by the treasurer).
I am impressed by how accurately you predicted our future, and depressed by how accurately you predicted our future…
Within the broad sweep of your predictions though are literally thousands of “I can’t believe they just did that” moments that only amplify the depression, and anger.
That the current government must, and will, go I hope there is no doubt. Your misgivings about their replacement however are entirely justified, and in fact make me almost as pessimistic about 2016 as I am about the intervening period. The ALP opposition (to give them their official title, although they’ve done very little to merit it) have shown very little daylight between the LNP and themselves on several issues that mean a great deal to me – asylum seekers, the environment, a Federal ICAC, and personal privacy, and they’re not the only ones. Not only does Blib Spooten repeatedly fail to impress (whether by accident, design, or poor handling), but also my feeling is that the growing sentiment (as seen at March in March and subsequently) is “a pox on both their houses”. A real danger is that fragmentation and/or simple disillusion will leave us with an unworkable shambles, or, please no, a returned LNP.
At the moment, however, I am hoping that the anger and motivation created by the LNP’s betrayals will fuel something other than a small swing of the pendulum to the slightly lesser evil.
May I repeat, however, well done, curse you…
Thanks Michael, I think you are right on the money, not only with youth finding their voice, but also as the internet continues to challenge mainstream media. Abbott was always going to be a one term prime minister, unless exceptional circumstances prevail…
I also made a prediction at the last election, which was that by 2016 Australia would be at war.
Sean … I sincerely hope you are wrong !! But with this mob in charge, anything could happen.
Ecko …. nothing is a surprise. Must try and find more on that one. Australia didn’t mouth off – Tiny Abbott did, in our name. Bloody idiot he is. He is still yacking on the media … taking his prized 15 seconds of fame.
It is interesting, and alarming that the U.S. has backed off the humanitarian aid, because the numbers of Yasudi’s in peril, were not as high as they first thought ( not verbatim ). I am wondering what THAT might mean ….. another on the ground war ?
Who knows. But with this Government at the helm – they will be in like Flynn – risking our own military in an area that has proven to be uncontrollable, no matter what …
Unfortunately, Iraq will never be stable, will never realise it’s own true potential …. they are, what they are. And nothing will change that.
Haven’t found anything to corroborate my earlier post so I’ll put it off to a troll for now.
I suspect Shorten might be on of those, who find fighting phony wars hard. We have seen, that he, and most of the front bench are good at fighting when attacked. When there is a real issue to fight, I am sure we will see appropriation responses.
In the mean time, why take the focus off Abbott and Co.
What is a fact, Abbott has laid very little on the table yet. Opposition have to wait until they sight legalisation. With this government, it has been light on.
Not time yet to put the boot into Labor.
Mo, it is my understanding that it may have appeared in a Russian paper. I’ll see if I can locate it.
Stop looking, ME/Roswell. It could be this article:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/14/mh17-no-victims-remains-found-in-australian-teams-final-three-days
another “operation” failure by Tones, he talked it up and now has to talk it down because he is not GOD like he thinks he is..
Gary Ablett is GOD geee everyone knows that don’t they, except Tones 🙂
Michael – that article you have posted is indeed, very interesting.
Russia is allegedly sending in convoys of humanitarian aid, but according to this article, Julie Bishop has been casting aspersions at the Russians, provoking some thought that they are up to no good – maybe ( MAYBE ) bringing in weapons to help the separatists.
No-one could tell me that the technology that abounds today, could not tell if something sinister is being transported – as has been alleged, or worried about. Satellites pick up on the most remarkably hidden objects …. and someone would know – most likely the U.S.
Julie should keep her big trap shut – as from now on. As a Foreign Minister, she has no right whatsoever, to be accusing anyone of doing anything without some form of proof – that can be verified. So … shut the **** up Ms. Bishop !!
It’s waaaay past time this Government went on a sabbatical, or a retreat – anything to get them away from the cameras, and away from international scrutiny, and away from us. Because all they are doing is making utter fools of themselves, and of our country.
Damn them to hell in a basket … but please let US not go with them.
“Malaysia says it has secured access to the crash site, but most of the Australian team has either left or is about to leave.”
Salient, concise that predictability of Abbott’s rabble shows Michael to be a soothsayer and precise futurist.
The Abbott rabble back room operators scour the comments and articles australia wide in order to conjure the chicken gizzards and witches brew for signs of life in Sir Positories future.
What a bunch of derelict deadheads damaging what was once a clever country of opportunity and fair go.
The Abbott Rabble; cant govern. Cant count. Cantserve. Cant listen. Cant stop lying.
Export Abbott not refugees.
Anne I wish all of them would shut the **** up, not one of them can get anything right, they gob off like there is no tomorrow with not a care in the world for the consequences, the sooner they are gone the better my bullshit detector will be, its needs a holiday, a sabbatical retreat, just a small break from the bullshit would be great just so it can recharge its batteries,
sheeesh listening to peoples bullshit gets tiring for me these days, I have bullshit burnout, like ironing and mowing lawns and washing the dishes burnout as I tell the kids now regularly…
That’s the problem. Bill is not cutting the mustard . So we could be stuck with out of touch tony for 2 terms. God help us.
redAugust said:
That “bunch of people parading behind a bunch of well worn union banners” are the bunch of people who led the fight against work choices and won. The march in March where I live was unorganised and more than a little confused, where the “grass roots” joined with the Trade Unions as they did in Newcastle the march in March was bigger and brighter. Unity goes a long way, the sniping at Bill Shorten and the bagging of organised workers
won’t get us very far.
RA. I’ve been thinking about your comments quite a lot. I’m from Newcastle too. It seems that you were reacting to my comments about ‘banners’ etc. I was personally chuffed when Workchoices and the Howard Government were decisively turfed out.
I’m not all that convinced, however, that the banners of which you speak did the actual trick. There was a pretty strong ground-swell going down at the time. Perhaps you may rethink the efficacy of “What do we want? X. When do we want it? NOW” and all that”. I attended the March in March at Newcastle this year. I was embarrassed by the rusted-on lefties. Particulary the guy that addressed us all as ‘Comrades’. Gawd. Every now and again they tried to get a Three-Word Slogan chanted out and it failed. Thank goodness.
I suspect that Workchoices and the Howard Government were turfed out in spite of the menu-driven efforts that your group relied upon.
As I said above we all need to be a lot smarter this time around. Chanting and rallying behind the usual and predictable banners is kinda lacking in political imagination. The people we are against are pretty smart – even though we all know that they’re really buggered. They have some very powerful forces (ie. Murdoch and a bunch of widely-held stereotypes (dole bludgers etc) on their side). Chanting and banners may make us feel good. But it’s kinda self-indulgent in my opinion.
We need to be creative and invent other ways of defeating these bastards. Chanting, Banners etc. will not achieve this. It’s too easily dismissed and predictable. It’s bloody simple-minded and merely plays into to hands of those we wish to defeat. We need to do better than fall back on this formalistic set of worn-out tactics.
This is much more serious then getting rid of the Howard Mob. Ahem…
Bill Shorten. Mmmm. I like the man. The ALP must either train him to be perceived as ‘more real’ or ‘attractive’ as an plausible alternative. If not he needs to be ditched and a replacement alternative ALP leader found. Preferably someone who is untainted by Labor factionalism and who comes across as a rallying point and is widely perceived as being on top of things.
Wish Keating was younger and there. Sigh…
“Abbott’s approval rating languishes at 37%, according to the latest Essential poll. Who are his remaining supporters? The Australian newspaper and a few rightwing think tanks?”
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/14/as-the-blunders-grow-in-number-can-anyone-actually-challenge-abbott
Damned good article that Dan Dark … thanks for posting the link.
Anne
yeah I just found it and went bingo, his numbers are up and here it is in black and white,
they have copped a beating last few days ohhhhhhhh and good couldn’t of happened to a nicer lot of blokes LOL LOL
Rob031,
It’s deeply saddening for me to read that you find the “rusted on lefties” embarrassing (not being sarcastic) and I read your response as further proof that the endless campaign of the anti union conservatives has been successful in more ways than I thought. I am one of those embarrassing “rusted on lefties” who has spent most of my life as a political activist – starting at the age of 16 with the Wollongong Out of Workers Union, (google it). I have been involved in the peace movement, strikes, mass meetings, marches, sit ins, camping on the lawns of Parliament, IWD, May Day just to name a few – all for no financial gain by the way. I am not embarrassed but do feel saddened that more people have taken to spreading the right wing view that our Trade Unions and the organised working class are nothing more than a few old banners and tired 3 word slogans. If you find the word “comrade” embarrassing, you might find the struggle being waged in Greece by the KKE and PAME and other an absolute shocker.
http://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/Dimitris-Koutsoumpas-The-people-the-youth-can-make-their-mark-on-the-developments-as-long-as-they-believe-in-their-strength/
Red. Personal offense or a feeling of sadness within you and others in your movement was not my intent. I’m sorry.
I might add…. too much American influence of late… a very troubling sign as Labor is so quiet.
good try but by 2016 the rabbott will have fixed the economy that labor ruined and qed the election is in the bag add the rabbott’s unbelievable luck of palmer and lambe that will ensure a senate majority and then away we go all at sea with the party tea. There is some chance if little billy can overcome his filial jesuit connection with the rabbott, little joey and matthias to ask any of the boys ‘if he knows australia’s debt to GDP? 20% Does he know belgium’s? 101% 5 times worse. if 20% is a crisis what is 101% a disaster?’
Don Davey
Obviously a rusted on Labor Wanker ! The Lib’s are certainly not perfect ! but there is no doubt that
they were the obvious choice of two evils.
As for Shorten , he back-stabbed Julia, he back-stabbed Rudd and now you guys are singing his praises , as long as my arse points to the ground ! i’ll never understand Aussie logic !
Giving Labor the power to run the country was about stupid as giving a 10 year old a credit card ! and at 75 having lived through more elections than most ! there has never been a good Labor leader since Chifley