I love this author. I never leave one of his articulate articles, feeling lonely anymore.
So incredibly on the mark.

Dan

Yes, it was as it seems a contest of poiosonalities. With SM being more negative and relying on the average punter's stupidity and a willingness to believe the worst?

And Labor's Juxtaposition on coal, helped SM enormously, as did those fake polls that allowed the indolent youth to as is their usual practice, sit on their asses or just draw pics of penises on ballot papers. And the last demographic could be as high as 40% of young (under 35?) voters!?

Preaching by various Labor personalities about where folk should place their vote isn't/hasn't helped.

The only thing that would eliminate the influence of minor parties is optional preferencing. or a change to first past the post and a runoff between the two main protagonists if nobody gets past 50%! Otherwise get set for more of the same and business as usual with unsustainable unaffordable entitlements continuing and becoming larger than our social security burden and housing set to again become more and more unaffordable, As the economy tanks due to a distinct lack of stimulus and domestic discretionary spending.

It's all well and good for the well-heeled left-leaning environmentalist to peddle their ultra expensive remedies and expect those who simply cannot afford their ultra-narrow vision to pay for it!

It's times like these that make me glad I'm old and not around for too much longer as unchanged and idiotic ideologies send the world to hell in a handbasket!

And the Labor party as always are a party of puppets unable to implement future vision due to the control of their string pulling masters and the toxic atmosphere inside the major parties? To the point, those with genuine talent are completely turned off!
Alan B.

Rather than disentangling Binoy's turgid prose try this explanation:

Australians are not ready for yet another political change like SWAPPING A PM again. Instead our votes pointed to a need for continuity, JOBS and LOWER TAXES, not the uncertainties of Labor.

The Australian media are making a big thing of the "unexpected" defeat of Shorten's Labor Party but Shorten was ONLY AHEAD 1-2% in the pre-Election SURVEYS.

SCOMO is an intelligent and moderate-CENTRIST who could just as easily be a Democrat on the American scale.

Also hurting lackluster Labor included the presumption that most of the electorate are worried about CLIMATE CHANGE when most rate jobs and economic stability higher.

Labor was particularly hurt in QUEENSLAND when Labor and Greens from the southern states wanted to cancel the future Adani coal project for Climate Change and rare species reasons . Queenslanders resented these southerners and rated more highly Adani's future jobs and its positive impact on Queensland's economy .

Also Labor did poorly in WESTERN AUSTRALIA where mining, oil and gas are job creaters even if this effects Labor's concern for the environment.

Finally SHORTEN is a bit of a DWEEB, UNPOPULAR with the electorate.

Cheers

Pete

Yes. The 'woman thing’ didn't work for Labor, and it will not work for any politicians. I suspect that it doesn't work for women, either. Women are doing okay in their in the own right, and puppy dog blokes are just making themselves look pathetic. I mean, do sensible woman really think that male 'feminists’ grandstand for anything but their party's advantage and plain old votes. Patronising women has proved to be a big flop, just like all other Labor brainstorms and a little bloke with manboobs.

Well what do you know, Binoy has been warned, & has scuttled back into the acceptable left leaning expected of someone who wants his daily crust provided by academia. No longer the free thinker of his last few articles, but again a disciplined member of the left elite.

He even thinks he can see "vision" in the politics of envy, & class warfare Shorten tried to use to gain entrance to the lodge. "Shorten, in contrast, exuded agitation and weariness" says Binoy, where what most thinking people saw was a shiftiness that could not be trusted. The man offered rewards to the worst elements of Oz society in return for their vote.

Binoy, if you want to be taken seriously, you have a choice. Continue as you were, questioning the things lefty academia hold dear, or tell the truth, be respected by real people, & find some other way of earning your living, other than toeing the academic line.

So in comes Alan, with more of Binoy's vision thing. May god protect us from people with vision. What we want in parliament is good managers, who will let us get on with our vision.

Hitler had vision, as did Starlin. Chairman Mao had vision, as did Churchill. Bung in General MacArthur & his vision & you can see that vision is a great thing, if you want to get a lot of ordinary folk killed. When it comes to running a country, it is extremely wasteful of resources & people. Pink Bats, or an NBN anyone? How about windmills & electric cars?

What we want is efficient managers, let the people supply the vision, at their own expense. I have yet to see any government pick a winner & be right. How about some last century diesel subs folks?