And so it came to pass that truth persisted, hope survived and democracy will be restored.
And so, it came to pass on the twenty-first day of May in the year 2022 that the people of Australia decided to end its decade long flirtation with what was a rotten, corrupt government and its lying leader Scott Morrison.
The polls were correct, taking into account the margin of error.
They decided that a change in government might bring about the many changes necessary to restore trust in government and attend to the many problems we face as we head into an uncertain future.
The winners were Labor, who will probably govern with a majority of one, some independents, and the Greens. If not a minority government.
The Nationals may have retained seats but experienced sizable swings. There were also large swings against One nation. Still, the biggest loser was the Liberal Party, which had been forced away from its natural constituency firstly by Tony Abbott and then by the religious zealot Scott Morrison.
Clive Palmer, of course, lost much of his pocket money – $70 million or thereabouts – and he can now go and hide somewhere in the annals of Australian political history.
On the Labor side, Kristina Keneally was a victim of a wrong decision to override the local committee. Other big losers were Tim Wilson and Josh Frydenberg, whose concession speeches revealed how little they understood why they had lost. The loss of Frydenberg cannot be overstated.
Perhaps they were still in shock. Rather than engage in some self-reflection about their performance and the way their party effectively alienated what should have been their natural constituency.
They sought to blame others; The Teal Independents, Climate 200, GetUp!, the tooth fairy, Peter Rabbit, anyone but themselves or their party, which had alienated women, particularly, ignored climate change issues, ICAC, etc.
The reality is that these ‘Teal’ women galvanised local support, literally in the thousands across the electorates that they contested. This doesn’t just happen. They tapped into the frustrations of the local constituents. If the other candidates who lost to independents adopt a similar lack of insight, then the LNP can be assured of further devastation in future elections.
The government seemed unable to grasp that a group of brilliant, very able, articulate, capable, strong, charismatic women could unseat them. Intelligent women rejected by the Liberals had to go it alone.
As a party, the Liberals now need to learn fast or face life in the political wilderness for many years to come. Peter Dutton from the conservative far right, in the absence of Frydenberg, will win the leadership at a time when they need to embrace the centre-left.
By choosing Anthony Albanese over Scott Morrison, Australia has said enough of the lying, cheating and rorting. They want honesty, responsibility, stability and transparency. Albanese may not have the charisma of a Hawke or Whitlam, but with a proven background in getting things done has the personality and credentials for the times.
Anyone with just an ounce of reason would have to concede that Morrison has not served us well. Claiming that he managed us through the pandemic when the states made the decisions was typical of his Prime ministership—taking the credit while blaming others for his mistakes.
If nothing else, eventually, Albanese will leave a legacy of having blocked the advance of conservative fascism in our country. If the Liberals turn to the hard right and go full Trump, it may spell the end of liberalism as we know it.
The result tells us that most voters thought they couldn’t trust Morrison and that his persistent lying damaged his character and his party.
It may take years to change the Liberal’s relationship with women and return to the broad church they once epitomised.
Albanese was proven correct in running a small target strategy. Especially in climate action, the small target approach seems to have worked a treat. Having been badly burnt in 2019 with well-thought-out policies, there was no point in repeating the error. The simple proposition that Albo would be better than Scomo was enough.
The election wasn’t a massive affirmation of Labor, either. It could be said that the outcome was a realignment of politics, with 7 in 10 not voting for the winning party. It can, however, walk away with a mandate on many policies. Climate change, a national ICAC, and a voice for our First Nations People are but three.
Any incumbent government has an enormous advantage over its opponents. It has the treasury and many other departments at its disposal, so it should have had an abundance of vision and ideas, but one-man shows usually end up with tired cabinets and lacklustre MPs.
The government offered nothing more than a weary version of three more years of the previous three.
With a growing list of problems to be faced now and into the future, the government didn’t offer any real solutions. In particular, their policies on climate change seemed to amount to nothing more than the same old remedies. It is safe to say that the climate wars that have divided the nation for a decade are now over.
Climate change was acknowledged as the biggest problem facing the nation and the world. Labor probably had some excuse for not being more serious (see earlier comments), but the coalition’s policy lacked urgency and commitment to reach net-zero by 2050.
When it became apparent that Labor would be victorious either in its own right or with the assistance of the Greens or Teal Independents, Antony Green finally called it a night. I became very emotional. Finally, the nightmare of hard-right governance was over.
I’m not sure how many elections I have left in me. Still, at least my country is in better hands now, and we can anticipate a new season of honesty. Notwithstanding the enormity of the Labor Party’s problems, a better-united future awaits us if we take the opportunities presented.
It must keep its promises, including a national corruption authority, and see that those guilty of criminality and rorting be punished for their misdeeds.
The Coalition is beset with internal divisions and a disregard for science. It will have a chance to address the folly of its ways. It should learn that governing with lying extremist leaders is futile. That economics and society are inextricably joined at the hip and should be treated that way.
Albanese now has to govern for all Australians (his words), and he must do so with more zeal than he has campaigned with. Bold, vigorous, and empathetic in the face of so many wanting a slice of an ever-dwindling pie. Equality, transparency and responsibility were also promises that will need to be kept.
Without delay, the new Prime Minister should begin working on bringing the country together and ensuring trust and truth is paramount.
Interest rates will continue to rise; inflation will be an ongoing problem, wages are stagnant, and diplomacy with China needs urgent attention. Ukraine still threatens global energy security, and the most damaging effects of global warming are now visible to all and sundry.
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Substantial and worthwhile change often comes with short-term controversy, but the pain is worth it for the long-term prosperity of all.
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Thanks John for staying the course.
Possibly one of the biggest mistakes the coalition made (and there were many) was recruiting John Howard to slag off at the independents who dared stand against sitting Liberals :
“These men and women are all posing as independents,” Howard said of independent candidates such as Allegra Spender in Wentworth, Kylea Tink in North Sydney and Zoe Daniel in Goldstein. All are backed by businessman Simon Holmes a Court’s Climate 200 fundraising group.
“They’re not independents, they’re anti-Liberal groupies,” Howard told a crowd of Liberal supporters at the Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club. “I say that because they’re not running in any Labor seats.
And then to allow Howard to invade the sanctity of people’s homes with his abhorrent robo-calls shows contempt for the average Australian.
‘Big job ahead for Labor.
Don’t need a warm up this morning, lord, I’ve been walking on water since the end of scummo. fryberger and wilson. But the greatest smile was the nonagintamate of craig kelly. When you listen to the teals, you hear the voices of the liberals that the boys kept out of the party. They able to understand the art of discussion and compromise and will be flexible enough to teach the liberal party the meaning of ‘bipartisan support’. Monica was just on and she did say she was willing to work with the liberal leader no matter who he is.
It could be albo got some benefit from an adverse reaction to the LNP supporting the septic policies of trump????
ps
spot on mr mills,
The lying rodent looked ridiculous and sounded pathetic.
I think Dave Sharma’s mummy should change his nappy, put his dummy back in his mouth (if she can find it after he spat it out with great force) and put him to bed for a nice long sleep.
https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/electorates/outgoing-wentworth-mp-dave-sharmas-extreme-reaction-after-allegra-spender-wins/news-story/f5cfa713777e9de122e9329acf692165
er, 2022, not 2021
Sigh, how unexpected…
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/23/in-shock-and-anger-over-liberal-defeat-sky-news-commentators-urge-party-to-shift-right
Labor have seventy-two seats confirmed in the Reps with fourteen seats still to be called : they need 76 to form a majority.
To everyone’s surprise (not !) Clive Palmer has yet to win a single seat.
Pauline Hanson’s senate seat is too close to call – fingers crossed !
I join you in cheering, John Lord. I think it is reasonable for you to claim some credit for the demise of Scummo Crooks & Co thanks to your valuable objective analysis during the dark days of neo-Liarbral misgovernment. It provided leadership for other brave souls to speak up and deny the sycophantic main stream media-ocrity ”opinions” copied straight from COALition press releases.
A very special thanks to Kaye Lee who applied her investigative skills to correcting the bull manure pouring out of Canberra. No wonder Toxic RAbbott was punching walls …..
The people, united, will never be defeated!!
I am at a loss about the possibility of a LABOR Party government without the support of the progressive ladies of the Community Independents (aka Lady Green liberals).
With 14 electorates to be declared and only FOUR (4) more LABOR seats required for a Parliamentary majority the media-ocrity, especially the ABC plants form Murdoch media are squawking about difficulties of hung Parliaments and voting deals with LABOR.
WAKE UP KIDDIES!! The Conservative forces of Australian politics have been in COALition whenever they have been in power, with only a few exceptions that proved disastrous for them (and the Australian nation).
So, there would appear to be a very good chance of LABOR winning a further seven (7) electorates, taking their count to 79 and at that level, the fate of the remaining electorates is politically irrelevant.
I look forward to Benito Duddo wining the election to Leader of the Opposition and a long succession LABOR governments under Albo and any/many of the other extremely talented Ministers. (OK, I admit it ….. I am a Plibersek fan.)
The most important election in recent times has produced a result this country so badly needs. Unless immediate action is taken to reduce our greenhouse gas production, everything else on the table is irrelevant. Labor and the Greens will push for this and no doubt the ‘teale’ independents will also provide support. I feel that a great weight has been lifted off Australia’s shoulders with this seismic shift in the make-up of our new government. The LNP, ON and the other misfit, will spend many years in the wilderness, may even disappear over time. The Liberals need to get rid of its ghastly women members who are so out of touch with reality and the needs of the working class in this once ‘lucky & fair’ country. With Dutton at the helm, the Liberals will remain in opposition as far as the eye can see. One happy voter.
There is one more fact to rejoice in and that is the near ultimate irrelevance of that foreign media owner and his minions. They did their darndest ,crawled lower than anyone, spewed bile and lies everywhere but still lost the argument. At last the people have triumphed over bullshit and crap a la Murdoch and his minions. Rest easy everyone and savour the victory.
I lost a long comment!!! But, the usage of small losing and wasted ALP votes, with similar Greens votes has worked to reinforce teal votes and get the conservatives beaten, so, the ALP votes have been lent out. Analogy.., if a bank lends you money, and you get a mortgage, whose money is it? You think its yours, but with a bankruptcy, default, etc., you lose, bank wins. So, ALP votes have been lent out, and instead of losing with candidates getting say, under 30% these votes have contributed to strategic winning by defeating the conservatives. So, the real weight of ALP first prefences is high, but hidden. Not wasted, but used like resistance fighters. Green and ALP votes have beaten the conservatives by “enlisting” teal power for small “L” liberalism, for now. In three years, some debts may have to be repayed…certainly the removal of so much right wing rubbish and rottenness makes one smile…
@ Henry Rodrigues: Perhaps it is time for the long abused LABOR Party to remove Murdoch media from Australia, as the Fijian government did some years ago. It is not a difficult process.
And if the LIBS put Dutton in charge with Ruston as Deputy. May as well swap blue shirts for brown ones and go the full right wing. Will not see power for along time if they do that.
So many excellent replies to your article Mr Lord, along with each extolling word most relevant from the master of well-constructed words. Thank you.
John Lord, for all your wisdom laden articles of times past and now present.
I have formed a proposal for this new government illustrating the ease of gaining new Federal revenues that had been ignored by the rebellious
Liberal & National party rollicking droll of incompetent ministerial incumbents. Yes, it can create the unexplored or simply ignored, additional
Hundreds of Millions of Dollars, in the soonest… to add to the inflow of Australia’s Annual Federal revenues.
No, it will not cost a dicky bird of increased taxes being thrust upon Australia’s people: that’s the beauty of my immediately conceived proposal
that will likely become a new and acceptable proposal.
My first obligation is to report to Anthony Albanese, the man voted in & supported by worthy others, to repair Australia’s economic malaise.
In due course, I will explain the merits held in this proposal as soon as I receive a letter of reply & acceptance from our new Australian leader.
(I like to write about positives directed to those persons who have the power to enable a newly legislated impost upon the USA exploiting
corporations functioning but filching from our nation.)
Stay tuned to learn the destiny of & the revealing of my pro-Australia & its people’s, new proposal.
Shevill, lets wait and see how many more coal and gas mines get approved by Labor, before we start talking about a “great weight being lifted off our shoulders.”.
A hung parliament with Greens or Teal and Greens controlling the senate is still the best result if you are concerned about climate change, like 81% of Australians are.
A Labor majority could be almost as bad as a COAL-NP victory if we start “protecting coal workers jobs” and building more Gas Fired Power Stations, Black Hydrogen processing centres and not start with a clear, concise and equitable transition plan to move away from coal and gas by 2030, at the latest.
Don’t forget, Albo matched Scummo’s fossil fuel spending promises dollar for dollar during the campaign, to help himself get elected to PM.
JL another excellent message. Your concluding comment “Substantial and worthwhile change often comes with short-term controversy, but the pain is worth it for the long-term prosperity of all.” rings true
My experience has taught me that all change comes with conflict and controversy. Sadly the born again laggards in the Liars and Nudists Party, seek “stabilty”, not recognising this commonly is simply stagnation. Similar concepts, similar outcomes.
As old Bill Shakespeare used to say ” Change begets conflict and conflict very often begets change.” It’s to be hoped Albo can bring his party and most of the nation along for this long over due ride back to egalitarianism and a fairer, less discriminatory, society!
Jim Jacobsen
PS – Next campaign. Let’s return to strict media ownership restrictions in order to curb the power and influence of the media barons. Do I have a seconder?
Jim,
we got rid of Scummo, but we haven’t gotten rid of the Murderoch family.
Next election they are promising to come back bigger and better with Commander Potato Head in charge.
Read some of the sour grape comments from Fox, Sky News, Daily Telegraph and 2GB/3AW and the climate change deniers and fossil fools, to see what a scourge they and the people who follow them are on our society.
I have this wicked little dream….Labor in majority in the house….Dutton as eader of the opposition gets the speaker’s call, rises to to speak…Tony Burke leader of the house rises…Mr Speaker…’I move that the member be no longer heard’ to peals of laughter from the government side and howls of outrage from those opposite. Only to be done once, then back to proper parliamentary debate. It’s only a dream.
It looks like Amanda Stoker and Eric Abetz are gone.
NEC: We would all love to know how Murdoch media may be removed from Australia. Please enlighten us.
Also how did previous governments not do it, instead of increasing their hold?
New England Cockie…. In an ideal world, the banishment of the ugly old media scroat would be an inevitable consequence of saturday’s events, so the next best approach would be to encourage greater media ownership and a diverse pool of opinion, and more active dynamic participation as we have here on the AIMN. and elsewhere.
One satisfying thought, no one lives forever, not even media scroats.
“It looks like Amanda Stoker and Eric Abetz are gone.”
“Karma” as it is called in the west. 🙂
Abetz, the crypto-Nazi who kept writing to the AEC to designate GetUp as an “associated entity” of the Labor Party. Not once but over and over again.
When will they designate the IPA as an associated entity of the Liberal Party?
Next, the Murdoch Press, and their associated entities.
Amanda Stoker only got what she deserved. “Karma”.
BTW, the AEC needs strengthening in legislation to outlaw LYING, as done in SA.
Old Fella: As an old fella myself I share your dream. I am sure it needs to happen, and I am sure there will be a video clip of it counterpoised with a clip of Benito Dutton doing the same. Archived forever, to be seen and enjoyed long after we are gone.
Surely someone in some deep fossilized burrow in Canberra is digging for, dusting off, and getting ready to present to Albo & Co, two documents. The first being the old media ownership laws, which limited ownership of the media to only one outlet per city, whether that be one paper, one tv station or one radio station. That would be a start although I agree with the sentiments that the loss of all Murdoch ownership, father, sons or daughters, would be a good thing for our nation. They have done too much harm with their incessant propaganda. Goebbels would be proud that they have followed in his methodology of attempting to brainwash a nation. The second document being a copy of a “How to win friends and influence people” type book for the Labor leadership. Firstly how to develop a method of cooperation with the greens, teals and independents that doesn’t alienate them all together at the first or subsequent disagreement. A lets sit down, consider and agree on what values, visions, and beliefs that we commonly share and then set targets that allow us to bring the Australian people with us to a common future. Having agreed to those targets, a method for further considering areas of disagreement, what will just have to be disagreed with, and what areas can continue to be pursued towards finding a better compromise, which will enable further progress for our nation. All of that will rely on a spirit of goodwill between politicians. There will little no place for Albo and Co saying that he won’t work with people to form government from other political parties. He has no choice but to do so and do so willingly and sincerely. What harm could come if he gave the Greens or Teals or an independent take a place in the cabinet room, other than ensuring greater transparency in decision making.
Finally, as a last thought, all meetings between the government and big business and big labor need to be conducted in the open. No more secret deals that undermine confidence in government and the democratic process. No more “fibre to the node” deals whose only benefit appeared to be to deliberately slow down the fibreoptic internet network so that Murdoch’s overhead cable network wasn’t made obsolete instantaneously .Or is that a wish too far for our country and our futures?
Happy new term Mr Lord.
Funny result:
The only real mandate delivered was a resounding rejection of the coalition, who bled seats and votes all over the place (down 5.6%).
The Dutton creature has now taken over the helm, so they are just as likely to lurch even further askew.
Albanese’s ALP managed to gain a few seats whilst simultaneously losing a few votes (down 0.6% to <33%).
Enough to form government without cross-bench wrangling, but hardly a ringing electoral endorsement.
The teal independents performed effectively, toppling coalition ministers & members from seats previously deemed safe.
Their voices should definitely not be ignored.
The GRNs scored quite well, gaining a modest increase in primary vote (+1.5%) and unexpectedly netting a hat-trick of HoR seats in Qld.
PHON vote increased overall (+1.8%) but has translated to little more than coalition preference flows.
Hanson herself is scrambling desperately for the 6th Qld senate place.
The incessant spam barrage by Palmer’s UAP blimp gained them a small increase in overall vote (+0.8%) but all that hot air expenditure didn’t land them any bums on seats.
Side note, I suspect this increase in primary for the far-right crew was due their conspicuous support of the anti-vaxx protests (a protest vote funneled straight back to those in power).
Since most Covid restrictions are being dismantled, I suspect this surge in support will wane and dissipate.
On a high note, the surprise new emergent senate player is Legalise Cannabis Australia, who scored a 6.8% primary vote in the Queensland upper house (along with a serious chance of unseating Pauline Hanson) and are are now the 4th largest senate party in WA (outpolling ON & UAP).
A performance credible enough to be worth noting.
As always there are some could’ve-been-betters (eg my own seat stayed coalition) but all in all a most pleasing outcome.
Interesting observation on the Legalise Cannabis Party. Time we stopped prosecuting people who smoke maryjane instead of tobacco. The experiement of states in the USA legalising the product has not brought about a end of society. Rather simply another tax source and a diminishment of organised crimbe and prison numbers. Perhaps time we followed suit in Oz?
I’ve never felt such an outpouring of sheer relief after an election result.
The federal parliament prayer room to close due to a lack of members and prayers not being answered.
Yes, a massive relief and it only took about a decade for comatose Aussie voters to come to their senses. But the great big burning global warming elephant in the room barely rated a mention during the campaign and Labor’s targets are not nearly serious enough to prevent the 2 extra degrees that is heading out way within ten years. Oh, and guess what else: covid infections continue to trend upwards.
The police and service personnel operate in an overwhelmingly far right, racist, sexist and homophobic, culture. Dutton is more articulate and more dedicated to control than most LNP pollies.. I am certain that he is labor’s best chance of success, should the pathetic liberals choose him as leader.
Albo and tanya include the teal.
And so it came to pass.
Scummo took it up the arse
Not for the usual coal boaters
But from angry Australian voters
Couldn’t have been a better deal
Labor parliament with the Greens and Teal
Sit back and enjoy the feel,
As the conservative pigs squeal.
If everyone is feeling the relief I feel we are in a happy place. Thank you for the generosity of your comments and your usual astuteness. It has been a long road to walk since my first article in November 2013. At my age late nights don’t lay well with me but I made an exemption last Saturday.
L(ost)
I(mpressively)
B(eaten)
E(mphatically)
R(eamed)
A(rseholes)
L(oose)
S(phincters)
John
It’s as if a large load has been lifted from our consciences and it’s getting better by the day.
Our new Attorney General in waiting , Mark Dreyfus has flagged he will seek an urgent briefing from the attorney general’s department on the handling of the Bernard Collaery case, should he, as expected, be appointed Australia’s first law officer.
As shadow attorney general in opposition, he had previously criticised the commonwealth’s conduct of the prosecution, saying the delays and secrecy appeared to be an “affront to the rule of law”.
After some 50 preliminary hearings to date, with well over $4m spent by the commonwealth alone, there is still no trial date for Collaery, who it seems the Liberal party were more concerned with persecuting than bringing justice and transparency to this very dark period in Australia’s recent history.
I have no doubt that we can anticipate that the charges against Collaery will be quashed and in due course I would like to think that we can grant him some compensation after having allowed his career and his life to be all but demolished by a vindictive government.
Then, the question is, will our new government be prepared to set up an enquiry to find out what exactly happened and who was responsible for the shameful and unlawful bugging of the Timor Leste government offices : we shall see.
TM you’ll be suggesting that Albo tells Biden to stop his pursuit of Julian Assange whilst at the quad next. Another long overdue action by the Australian Government. Maybe Biden wants to show his new mate a gesture of friendship?
Maybe Albo might also propose to Biden that the French be included in the AUKUS pact. Or is FAUKUS just to hard an acronym to pronounce, even if a uniform nuclear submarine design across four nations would bring with it greater economies of scale.
Jim J, the weaponry growth of many decades around and within NATO alone, had us seeing a collaboration of French, U K and USA activity, plotting, strategy and cunning, so that M A D, Mutually Assured Destruction, was almost guaranteed by FUKUS. We’d need to stay out, hoping the winds and weapons stayed in the northern hemisphere.
Hello Terence, I have no complaint about your comment. However, I believe Katy Gallagher has already been appointed our new Attorney-General. Now, regarding tired old Mark Dreyfus QC, he could have continued with his previously embarked on support for Mr Bernard Collaery. He’s leaving it to be raised now in our new windfall political environment does him no favours. My prior correspondences directed to Mark Dreyfus effectively found him to be a somewhat pompous disinterested individual without reasonable care toward the people of Australia. Other than the Mark Dreyfus complaint about the affront to the rule of law concerning the Howard motivated revenge attack against Mr Collaery, through (the now former) Lib/Nat party Attorney-General, at the behest of the former sinister minister Christian Porter.
This was indeed an affront to the law in our nation of Australia. Mark Dreyfus had (unless someone can state otherwise) retreated from his supportive role regarding Mr Collaery.
Hence I believe that the new, more determined Katy Gallagher appointment will better serve the role of our new Attorney-General.
Williambtm,
I don’t disagree with your relative assessments of Dreyfuss and Gallagher but I find it hard to understand the appointment of Katy to AG unless it is a temporary interim measure. She has no legal qualifications.
By convention, but not constitutional requirement, the attorney-general is a lawyer by training (either a barrister or solicitor).
William BTM
I wasn’t aware that Katy Gallagher had been appointed AG – my references to Dreyfus come from today’s Guardian :
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/24/mark-dreyfus-flags-bernard-collaery-case-as-priority-if-appointed-attorney-general
ABC reports that Katy G as AG may be temporary only until Mark Dreyfus is later to be appointed once full ministry is announced. So it appears that this may just be an interim appointment : Katy Gallagher will be Minster of Finance and Minister for Women.
Confusing isn’t it ?
PS: We will all miss Michaelia
PS Terence…NO WE WON’T.However, I do expect to see her again at a Royal Commission for a good rogering.She’ll need to spray the Helmet with kevlar.
Harry L… Mikaela has been hankering for a vigorous rigorous rogering for an inordinately long time. Hope she gets some satisfaction from it all. Stuart Roberts and Alan Tudge are also deserving candidates for the same treatment. Hope to see them squirming in the dock.
Thank you, Terrence Mills; I, too, had read a media article stating the appointment of Ms Katy Gallagher to the role of Australia’s new Attorney-General. I am happy to concede that the position of Katy Gallagher is temporary. Ms Gallagher’s page on Wikipedia had revealed after, reading much deeper after her appointment, did state that it was a temporary appointment. So, thank you to the people who had offered a correction to my statement;
I find it best to listen to all persons that present their actual opinions. My comment relating to Mr Mark Dreyfus and its references remain as previously stated.