Samuel J at Catallaxy Files has an interesting suggestion:

"One option the Coalition could consider – ask Kevin Rudd if he would like to be considered for appointment as Australian Ambassador to the United Nations under a Coalition Government. Since the temporary position commences on 1 January 2013, Mr Rudd would want to be in a position to take up such an appointment prior to that day. As the Constitution makes it illegal for a MP to accept a Commonwealth salary, he would need to resign from Parliament."

I wonder how many secret deals and hand-outs we made in order to “secure” votes?
The whole exercise was a waste of time and money.

A useful summary, particularly as it highlights the fact that preparation for the bis began under the Howard government and, until the elevation of Tony Abbott to the leadership, enjoyed bipartisan support. Although I personally have reservations about Australia's independence from US foreign policy positions on balance the election probably is a good thing. It is certainly a view supported by a solid majority of Australians, the carping of the usual suspects notwithstanding.

I have one query though Thom. In the article you refer to the UN sanctioned war in Afghanistan. That is not correct. Despite strenuous efforts by the US and its allies the UN refused to pass any resolution authorising military action. That was was, and remains, illegal in international law.

What is the point, unnecessary expense, what will change as Australian govt. tows the line with the U.S. govt. anyway & wouldn't dare disagree.

We will vote for every war and continue to jail and persecute the victims of wars we start.

As we have been on the UNHCR exex. committee since day 1 and ignore the rules why would we be good international citizens.

“As the 10th largest financial donor to the UN, Australia should also have a role in how that money is spent.”

Even better would be that we did not contribute the money in the first place.

The UN is the greatest centre of corruption to exist so far, and does more damage than it does good.

It is an unelected unaccountable body that cannot be allowed continued existence in its present form.

Rudd and Gillard have been supporters of the UN. Rudd, immediately he was appointed Minister for Defence, paid 2 billion dollars to the UN.
Gillard perpetrated the fraud of the carbon tax on the basis of the lies emanating from the UN puppet, the IPCC. Biofuel subsidies, another outcome of the AGW fraud, have resulted in food shortages that the UN describes as a “crime against humanity”. So much viable land was devoted to biofuels that a food shortage resulted, meaning that many in the undeveloped world will starve, despite record harvests.

It will be a year before we have decent government, and in the meantime the UN has closer ties to Australia, which can only be detrimental

The 2009 poll was an indication of the attitude of the electorate then. I hope they are not still of that mind after seeing the expense and efforts made by Labor.

Yep, another disaster.

Bad enough that these fools have done so much to Oz detriment. Now they will have some input, no matter how small, in helping the UN stuff the whole world.

All this as an application from Rudd & Gillard for UN bureaucracy jobs, after we chuck them out. Their egos know no bounds.

Can you imagine Australia voting against the wishes of the international Zionist lobby? I can't.
This is a good win for the US/Israel power group, but I question if it has much relevance outside that.
Locally? With Marines in Darwin and drones known to have been flying out of Edinburgh, SA (still?) and, maybe soon if not already, out of the Cocos Islands?
We will vote as we are told to vote.
By rights the US should pay the 25 million it cost us to get the seat.

We are now all evolving into a more astute nation.So many now question our unbending support to the war mongerers in the USA and Europe.We got there [UN Security Council] because we sucked up big time and promised to back the USA in more wars aggression.

Israel has 200 + nukes and Iran is being attacked via sanctions and threats for peaceful energy generation?

The West's "New World Order" will not happen.Russian,China and NAM have their own thoughts on how the world will be organised.

Oh deary me. We actually beat Finland and Luxemburg! It cost millions
and millions and now our bureaucrats can preen their feathers and
live it up at taxpayer expense and think that they really matter.

What about those people who actually worked hard to pay the taxes
to afford all this? Piggies with their snouts deep in the troughs,
is what I think it is.

Meantime those same people, when it comes to doing something about
negotiating better trade agreements for Australia, have shown to be
pretty hopeless.

This is all pork for the ruling class, which is the administrators.

The results:
Australia 140
Rwanda 148

The costs:
Australia $23.6 Billion
Rwanda a fraction of the above.

The only question:
How do we go about hiring Team Rwanda?

Luckily SPQR, Australia costs were also a fraction of the above, 1/1000th in fact. Not that that would dampen your outrage at all, as I suspect any cost above $10 would annoy you.

I am beginning to see can see how peoples outrage is often informed by their dyslexia.

Australia $23.6 Billion
SPQR,
WHAT ? Can you break that down for us a little & show us how this money is spent ?
Who is getting this money for what ?

Waste of time money and effort, better spent right here at home! Say in providing homes for the homeless, or any one of a thousand more important ways to throw away taxpayers' funds.
Why are we there?
It might make some sense, if any of the major powers didn't possess a veto, that can and does make a complete nonsense of the term, UN!
Perhaps it would make more sense if we had pro rate voting rights?
I mean, It seems tiny Luxembourg's vote is equal to mighty mother Russia's, with it's comparatively massive population!
The only thing to like about the UN, is the fact that every vote is a secret one.
Ditto Putin's rubber stamp Russian parliament, which has a key operated system under a cowl, that prevents all other members from observing which button you press.
Green for agree, red for no.
And wouldn't that be great if all of our parliaments adopted such a system? [Minus the constitution altering, power hungry psychotics, of course?]
Meaning, every vote on every issue would be a conscience one!
And or, the most compelling evidence and oratory would win the day instead of bully boy arm twisters.
And, we'd likely not waste scarce resources chasing the often inordinately expensive wish lists, of the self serving or the power hungry?
Who arguably see the property and the financial resources of the taxpaying community as their personal private province to use for any patent absurdity or personal empire building outcome, or post politics employment or business opportunities or agenda!?
I mean, will we eventually see the likes of a lip licking, dry mouthed Greg Combey, installed in a very well appointed office, replete with voluptuous personal secretary, inside a prestigious inner city building, "earning" buckets of money, as a global, ["united nations",] carbon trading broker?
Rhrosty.

Hi Individual,

<<Australia $23.6 Billion
SPQR,
WHAT ? Can you break that down for us a little & show us how this money is spent ?>>

That was The Telegraph’s assessment –see here:

“The bill for Australia's campaign for a two-year seat on the UN Security Council is $23.6 million according to official figures. Foreign aid has increased by more than $3 billion since Kevin Rudd launched the UN bid in 2008.”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-news/australia-wins-un-security-council-seat/story-e6freuzi-1226498886440

Now of course, it could be mere coincidence that we (or rather Kevin & co) got overly generous around the time they started the campaign for the UN seat--I’ll leave that to your fair judgment.

Just ask yourself, would politicians ever stoop to bribing electors with hand-outs to obtain a UN Security Council seat -- and along with it, better prospects for themselves of a cushy UN appointment after politics --perish the thought!)

BUT --and here's the fly in the ointment--if I was to apply Bugsy's favored template i.e. an increase in CO2 followed by a spike in temperature proves conclusively they are related. Then, I’d have to conclude that a spike in our generosity followed by a bid for a security council seat (or, was it, vice versa) were ALSO very likely to be closely related.

At least I can tell the difference between a million and a billion.

I notice that individual took that 'billion' and swallowed it whole. Instant outrage, no fact checking. No wonder the BS industry thrives among your types.

Ok Bugsy,
you can change hands now. 23 million is criminal in anyone's language. What will Australia's role be in that security council that hasn't as yet achieved any security anywhere I know of. Perhaps you can tell me when you're in for the next hand change.
Who will be Australia's principal figure in that circus. Not Kevin for crying out loud. Hasn't he cost us more than enough already ?

Downer and Howard spent $36 million in their efforts for the seat and hardly got one vote.

It's 25 cents per person per year, get over it.

@ Bugsy,

<<At least I can tell the difference between a million and a billion.>>

Yikes! I’m getting as bad as the warmists , inflating the figures.
However, we need to be cognizant that the “ $23 Million” is only a preliminary figure – like the National Broadband Networks initial cost estimate – when all the IOUs are called in, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that it will be many, many, many times more (just like the NBN!)

...............................
@ Marilyn,

<<Downer and Howard spent $36 million in their efforts for the seat and hardly got one vote>>

Come now, Marilyn, that’s an unfair comparison and you know it.You are counting only the CASH component

In addition to the $23 million Kevin and Julia handed out they have done a whole lot of countries a whole heap of (non-monetary) favours.

I mean, Kevin went and threw open the door to all those illegal immigrants posing as “refugees”
And Julia held the door open for as long as she dared.

Every country between Turkey and Timor must be beholding to us for taking all their crafty Illegals off their hands – no wonder they voted for us