The Murdoch media is doing what it can to decide election outcomes as right wing media personalities are active as they can be with their usual hyped BS. Thank heavens this circus will end tomorrow! As for democracy, preference deals (dirty deals done in the dead of night) between parties make it a demockrazey!

I believe we need optional preferencing or just one second preference for the lower house and just three for the senate, this would make all those minor parties redundant, as they should be with their crazy agendas!
Alan B.

Well, when I look at the Labour/Greens energy plans I can only see
that the Murdoch media has it right.
Even so, a win for Labour might be the best option as they will crash
the electrical system a lot quicker than the Liberals will do the same.
In the shorter time frame the Labour/Greens will have wasted less money.

Morrison's problem is that he won the climate election and then metaphorically urinated on his former supporters. Hopefully most of them will vote for the conservative minor parties. Doesn't matter if the Green Independents take seats from North Shore Liberals. They're equally bad for Australia.

How healthy is our democracy?
Democracy hasn't even seen daylight in Australia yet !

Congratulations Graham on your fairness. I'm not sure it is wise, but you do practice what you preach. There is not a single left leaning organisation, blog or media giant that would give a right wing activist 4 pages to spout propaganda BS as you have done with this rabid left activist. His background says it all, & he certainly lives up to his ABC roots, with his total bulldust.

I don't think much of Morrison either, but if Albo wins, we will be a United Nations vassal, with no free will or speach, by the end of 3 years.

God, if there is one, help us.

Dear Hasbeen,

How's it going old cock? Good?

I see you've delivered another of your weekly spays over your wheatbix. What's the story? The gout playing up?

I might need for you to explain what was inaccurate in the article. It seemed all pretty straightforward to me and certainly nothing new.

Much of the assessment of Morrison has come from his own Coalition members. You are going to be calling Barnaby a lefty now.

Look I get you are swanning off to the polling booth to vote for the lying, bullying, bag of wind but there is no need for your sense of guilt to end up with you attacking all and sundry.

How about a Bex and a good lie down.

Labor at least is aware that governments lose; oppositions do not win, so they are flogging Morrison at every opportunity. Lack of policies, as well as Albo's ignorance of the few they do have, and what they will cost, are thus ignored as Morrison’s not inconsiderable faults are bellowed out at every opportunity.

However, Morrison’s thoughts on sexual deviation are held by a majority of Australians; his climate change nonsense differs from Labor’s only by degree; and his opponent has taken NO action on woman abuse by other women in his own party.

Not much for Albo to work on there.

All politicians try to bribe voters, and Morrison’s 357 page corruption fighting proposal - sans Labor’s Kangaroo Court proceedings - was rejected by Green Labor.

Labor’s economic illiteracy is traditionally worse than the Coalition’s, so there is not much ammunition for either side there.

This 4 page crash and burn gets too hysterical after that, and anyone who sees it through to the end should get a medal.

It is said that the easiest way to bring a country down is to get an idiot to lead it. America succeeded in doing that with Biden, and it seems that a certain type of Australian wants to see the same thing happen with Albo, whose elevation to Prime Minister is excruciatingly embarrassing even in thought. What is he? Twenty years younger than Biden, and already has the stigmata.

ttnb,
Your spelling is atrocious, can`t even spell a simple 5 letter name like biden. You know it is spelled trump. Even his own supporters call him an imbecile.

The Murdochracy has always been on the side of the
winning team. So they will shift allegiance to Labor
in the event of a 2022 Election win and even claim some
responsibility for the victory. So the news
outlet - Independent Australia tells us.

The Conversation backs this up by saying that Morrison's
prime ministership is the story of a leader who has lost to
an extraordinary degree community trust as well as personal
support within his party.

They point out that Morrison has become so disliked in the
city seats where moderate Liberals are under siege from
"teal" independents that he can't campaign in those
electorates.

Roy Morgan conducted surveys in March 2020 and March 2022
asking respondents to name (unprompted, with no list) any
politicians they trusted and any politicians they
distrusted. Morrison was the most distrusted politician
in both surveys.

The most common reason for distrust was telling lies, being
dishonest or misleading.

As prime minister Morrison has been totally focused on
winning. He comes across as ruthless, and controlling.
His colleagues have stated - "it's always tactics," rather
than strategy. Which makes this election feel more like
a competition of political strategies rather than being a
contest of ideas.

It would be something of an upset if the 2022 Australian
federal election became a rousing advertisement for
democracy. Only time will tell tomorrow.

Who cares?

I don’t vote,

I don’t read newspapers,

I don’t own or watch television, likewise a radio,

I don’t believe my views will make one modicum of difference to society in general.

Who cares!

Dan

The Murdoch news companies get hammered relentlessly yet I have heard
more Labour and right wing arguments discussing policy matters on
their TV than you will ever see on the ABC, 7 or 9.
Labour supporters are there EVERY night.
Some like Nicolas the Melbourne Deputy Mayor cannot be stopped at times.
He just goes on and on. I have heard of more Labour policies from
him or Stephan Connolly than I have heard on the Mainstream Media.
So whats your complaint ?
I agree the sum total is more Liberal orientated but no one can say
the opposition does not get a go.

Hi Bazz,

The reason you think you've heard more from Labor
this time around is because Scott Morrison has declined
to appear not only on most of the National Broadcaster programs
but on other media outlets as well. As I stated earlier
Morrison's prime ministership is the story of a leader who has
lost to an extraordinary degree not only community trust but
personal support within his own party.

He's become so disliked in the city seats where moderate
Liberals are under siege from "teal" independents that he can't
campaign in those electorates.

And if you haven't noticed the Murdoch team who are masters of
jumping on the winning horse, and pretending to have been
riding it all along - have been slowly creeping away from
Morrison. It may well be a sign of what lies ahead for
him. Time will tell.

You have got it wrong Foxy; the amount has not varied and the access
Labour supporters have has not increased due to Scomo's popularity
or otherwise.
I hear all sorts of accusations about the PM but I have no way of
knowing how accurate they may be.
I do know that the accusation of being a liar made by Pres Macron
was itself a lie. The French sent an Admiral to Australia to try and
save the contract six months before it was cancelled. The French knew
all along that it was likely to be cancelled.

So that is all I know.

Hi Bazz,

No I don't have it all wrong.

Morrison has declined to appear on many media outlets.
US citizen Rupert Murdoch does control 70% of the
metropolitan press. He has monopolies in state capitals
and provincial centres. The only national newspaper is
his. He is a dominant force online and in pay TV and
publishing. He is known fearfully as "Rupert"and is the
chief and his editors know what he wants. He has been
leaning away from Morrison lately.

Morrison's prime ministership has been put into question
both by communities and his own party. It has received much
news coverage.

Anyhow - as I stated - time will tell how accurate this
information is. However it is all available on the web.

Don't vote, don't watch TV or the radio. Don't read the papers. Nor scholarly tombs. So you can stay as uninformed as usual on most topics?

But particularly genetics.
Genetics decide whether your eyes are green, blue or brown. And while most Africans are are born with brown eyes, some are born with blue. And while the majority of humans are right handed around 10% are born left handed. And while most humans are Hetrosexual some, around 10% are born homosexual.

World renowned geneticist and his peer reviewed team discovered that the are 2 definite gay genes found only in gay men and three more probables. The book burning ignorant Nazis had their scapegoats as do the uninformed illiterate homophobes! who are probably worse.

As for whether or not you do or don't vote? who gives a flying french francfurt. You are just not important enough for anyone to give a toss what you think or believe!
Alan B.

Bazz,

Even SkyNews has the Melbourne Deputy Mayor Reece/Reese (?) on regularly. He also does a spot with Rita Panahi, who is so merciless with him that he makes me feel a bit sad. I find myself saying, "Give the poor bugger a go", even though I don't like his politics.

Ahh yes ttbn, they never agree, but I guess that points up the differences.
Doesn't matter, you would never see that on their ABC.

How can you have a debate agree or disagree with
someone who refuses to turn up and debate?

Forget about Democracy, as of today the seeds for Anarchy have been sown !

Coffee and Panda Bears for breakfast Mommy, says young Tony.

Can we go down to the beach today Mommy? Tony cried.

Why my beautiful boy of my own creation. Quizzed his Mother.

(Miraculous conception was always suspected, but many had doubts, and were more inclined to believe the involvement of the third leg of Tony’s incestuous American Uncle, Joe).

Jumping for joy now, and sporting a new pair of black rimmed glasses to hide the eyes, which having begun to resemble the shape of almonds, Tony was finding himself more and more in a growing state of unease and self consciousness with.

Still in his exuberant mood, Tony shouted back to his mother, as he danced around the kitchen table, throwing his fluffy Panda bear high in the air in excited anticipation.

I wanna see those funny black people jumping off the funny boats mommy.

Relenting as she usually did, Mommy changed her plans to suit the occasion of the celebration of “all” of Tony’s birthdays, which had arrived at this one time in his life.
What a mystery this life is at times. Pondered his Mother, as they clambered aboard Noddy their neighbours car, but answers were hard to find.

Dan.

Our democracy is very healthy as the following link explains:

http://abc.net.au/news/2022-05-22/election-2022-anthony-albanese-wins-transformative-election/101087834

"For example, the Rupert Murdoch media empire owns two-thirds of the country's metropolitan print mastheads and some of Australia's most popular news websites."

Well that's just not true. It wasn't true when Rudd made the claim way back when, and it isn't true now. But its become part of the left's dogma and they say it now as though as true as the sun rising in the east.

eg

http://theconversation.com/factcheck-does-murdoch-own-70-of-newspapers-in-australia-16812

True or not, its bye-the-bye. Most people get the information these days from electronic media and/or social media. The legacy newspapers have very little influence today, and haven't really had any for a generation.

This was the quote GY pulled to exemplify the article! Its totally wrong and therefore does indeed give a good representation of the article.

I'm old enough to remember the days of Murdoch and The Daily Mirror newspaper and it's blatant lies plus the journalists going on strike.

I also recall Murdoch's personal vendetta against Whitlam when he was denied his demanded role of High Commissioner to London. Whitlam called him a "shonky slob" and Murdoch said he got Whitlam into power and could also get him out.

Now he has a media presence only in the UK, USA and Australia (and they ended up with Boris Johnson, Donald Trump and Scott Morrison) but somehow other global democracies seem to survive without the benefit of his guiding wisdom.

Now his mastheads are insisting the coalition lost because they weren't far enough to the right, despite all such parties losing ground. Keep it up.

Despite the corruption which has seen us so dramatically drop in the international corruption index (now 18th), and having Taiwan over take us in the democracy index and us falling from above 9 for the first time last year...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index

This election thankfully shows we are still doing all right and our decline may well be halted.

"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."

H. L. Mencken

With economic conditions unravelling here and overseas and a plethora of single issue, economically illiterate independents champing at the bit to be the most teal, Australians are going to get it good and hard.

Hold on tight and batten down the hatches.

We live in very exciting times. I'm glad to be alive
in today's Australia. The people triumphed at this
election and politics in this country will never be
the same. The rusted-on voters are a minority. This
election has shown that communities and issues do matter
and to ignore them politicians do so at their own peril.
Democracy is alive and well! Exciting times ahead!

Democracy itself is about as healthy as a nursing home full of covid positive residents.

Thank you for all comments, including the several ones from Foxy.

Well, what a wonderful shot in the arm of Australian democracy at last.

In spite of the multimillion dollar Murdoch-Palmer-Coalition misinformation scare campaign, the voters told the Conservatives where to go!

Now it will be critical for Labor to implement the Senate Committee's recommendations on media ownership to overcome the domination of the media by the Murdoch empire and to penalise media misinformation and secure independent and adequate funding for the ABC and SBS.

With Dutton in charge, the Liberals could become a Fascist Party goaded ever further to the right by Murdoch's ultraright media clowns.

The danger is that as the Libs are likely to increasingly lose touch with reality, they'll become a dangerous democracy-undermining force as it has happened to the Republicans in the US.

There Murdoch's Fox News acts as the media inciter for the undermining of democracy, hence it is critical that Murdoch's continued attempt to hijack democracy in Australia too be nipped in the bud.

Steele Redux said-

Despite the corruption which has seen us so dramatically drop in the international corruption index (now 18th), and having Taiwan over take us in the democracy index and us falling from above 9 for the first time last year...

Answer- I suspect that Taiwan is much more Nationalist and Capitalist than One Nation

Hi Andris,

Thank You for mentioning me in your post.

This election was a tale of community strength and
spirit. Scott Morrison when asked about this election's
results said - well, people wanted a change. They simply
wanted to change the curtins.

Well as Niki Savva stated - the people did more than just
change the curtains. They bull dozed the house!

Talking about the state of democracy? There's an
interesting article by David Hardaker of Holmes a Court
coming up against the Murdoch machine. The Murdoch media's
relentless attacks on the teal candidates and in particular
on Simon Holmes a Court.

It's worth a read.

One Nation nationalistic?

Pauline Hanson built a political career on white victimhood
and brought far-right rhetoric to the mainstream. She has
helped to shape the attempted normalisation of racism and
xenophobia in Australia. Luckily she has only achieved
modest electoral successes.

The bulldozer made a mess of the next house to the left also.

Not at all - that house has been re-built
stronger and better.

cont'd ...

Hi Bazz,

That house to the left that you speak of
was riddled with termites. It needed to
be demolished.

SATIRE: SCOMO AND BARNABY COMMISERATE AT THE PUB

Andris Heks 30.05.2022

SCOMO: (S) To the good old days!

BARNABY: (B) Ye, up yours Scomo!

S: Remember when I brought that lump of coal to the Chamber?

B: My bloody oath!

S: Remember how shiny it was?

B: Like a polished diamond.

S: How could anyone not love it?

B: People are fickle.

S: Tell me about it - tossing us out, after all what we’ve done for them.

B: My bloody oath!

S: Fency, people voting in the Reds and those Latte sipping teal amateurs.

B: Ye, in spite of you warning them!

S: Just give the reds a couple of months in office .

B: Ye, people will be begging us to come back.

S: Ye, when they’ll get sick of red Albo and of Genghis Khan Dutton.

B: Ye, and the very little Littleproud.

S: That’ll be the time for our comeback.

B: But Scomo, didn’t you say, that you’ll be just a quiet backbencher?

S: Ye, but once people realise what a born again Moderate I am, they’ll make me an offer I can’t refuse.

B: Ye, and when my colleagues realise how little is Littleproud, they’ll beg me to take over.

S: And then we’ll stage a resurrection!

B: Ye, and people will be dancing in the streets with joy that the good old times are back.

S: Ye, and then I'll bring another lump of coal into the chamber.

B: And it will be even bigger and shinier than the old one.

S: Ye, Barnaby, and we’ll chuck it at the Greens.

B: Ye, then they’ll see just how renewable we are!

Hi Andris,

ScoMo and Barney talking in a pub
Crying in their beers isn't a good start
They've been swept out by a blizzard
Which makes it hard to see
That they'll need to change so many things
They can't just let them be

Commiserating, assigning blame
Is not the way to win the game
Farting in a blizzard doesn't much achieve
The only thing it may provide
Is temporary relief!

Yes, Foxy:

DUTTON'S GLORIOUS LIBERAL CHURCH WILL BE SO BROAD,
THAT IT'LL HAVE FASCISTS, BUT NO BOAT REFFOES FROM ABROAD

Hi Andris,

A tiger cannot change its stripes
The best it can try
Is control its snipes
Dutton now will try to thwart
And attempt to convince he's not
Voldermort!

cont'd ...

Voldermort is the Dark, Dark, Lord
He who can't be named
His appearance is that of a slithering snake
Who cannot be contained

Dutton claims that he can change
Believe him if you must
But only time will show us all
If he's a leader we can trust !

PETE DUTTON IS TONY ABBOT ON STEROIDS

THAT'S WHY IT'S HIM WHOM PETA CREDLIN ANNOINTS

HE WILL SURE TO SAVE US FROM OURSELVES

WITH NUKED SUBS AGAINST THE HORDES OF RED ELVES

Hi Andris,

This has been fun
We've had our say
But the time has come
To bid you G'Day.

Thanks for this discussion. I look forward to the next
one.