Anthony Albanese has at last called the federal election for May 3 after a long false election campaign since Christmas. I'm not interested in who you think will win the election, but I am interested in what issues you think are most important and who is in the best position to address them.

Labor is running on increases of spending in a number of areas, particularly medicine, and a tax cut as well as addressing cost of living pressures through energy subsidies. They also cite their economic credentials.

Liberals are running on making energy cheaper without subsidies, and a promise to be fiscally more responsible.

We also need to assess the Greens and the Teals because either or both of these may in effect be part of the new government as a minority government looks to be the most likely. Two teals - Allegra Spender and Kate Chaney - have actually called for tax reform.

The Greens want a complete phaseout of fossil fuels.

My list of important issues are:

Housing affordability
Immigration
Productivity
Defence
Rebuilding our finances
Free speech and an open society
Education

I'm concerned that no political party has had the balls to truthfully address the tax structure in our country. Any attempt at any meaningful reform is jumped upon by the opposing party and painted as a disaster of almost biblical proportions.

I'm deeply, deeply concerned by the behavior of politicians. All of them are liars and hypocrites. No wonder so many people disengage from politics and say "They're all the same. Whoever you vote for, a politician gets elected. And ... How can you tell they're lying? Their lips are moving."

And I'm concerned that none of our politicians have called out the absurdity of the AUKUS deal And none of our politicians have directly called out the ethnic cleansing carried out by the Netanyahu government. I'm sick of how they have allowed criticism of Zionism to be equated with antisemitism.

Well Graham your question on our opinion of what are the major points
opens a real can of worms.

I think this saying I have heard a number of times is just too true;

" Electricity IS the Economy !"
If we do not get this right in the next couple of years then
our economy will take an unmanageable dive.
Labour has made some tentative changes such as paying the coal station
owners to keep on line.
That whole plan of wind and solar has no chance of success.
The Green hydrogen projects have all been abandoned for the reasons
given when it was first proposed in the 19th century.
Labour has abandoned the 2030 emission target.
The big bite they just have to make is to sack Chris Bowen and his
plan for a 100% renewables system. I see no signs of this.
I doubt the Greens will allow a big increase in gas.

Immigration of course plays a significant role, but must be reduced.
Can't think of more important factors.

Hi Aries54

"And I'm concerned that none of our politicians have called out the absurdity of the AUKUS deal And none of our politicians have directly called out the ethnic cleansing carried out by the Netanyahu government. I'm sick of how they have allowed criticism of Zionism to be equated with antisemitism." THE GREENS are the only political party doing what you have called for.

Everyone has their own "issue" they believe the government should be solving, just for them. All any government can do is work within the confines of the established political system, and tinker around the edges to effect some kind of minimal change. Wake up May 4th and nothing meaningful will have changed, there will be some rearrangement of the deck chairs, but the ship will still be slowly sinking.

Hi Paul

I’m disappointed but I must agree with you. We will all wake up on 4th May and no matter what, nothing will have changed. All the issues GY lists (and I’m sure everyone else’s list of issues too) are simply tinkering around the edges. The fundamental mess politics has descended into, will remain unchanged.

On Housing affordability, Immigration, Productivity ,Rebuilding our finances - economic matters - the big killer of the economy is the cost of government in Australia, no matter which of the two major parties is in power.

On Defence: well, that's a joke in Australia.

On free speech and an open society : another joke.

On education: that's been replaced with indoctrination.

I don't think much will change irrespective of which party gets to screw us over after May 3rd.

Morrison and Turnbull wrecked the Coalition, converting it to Labor-lite, and the only thing going for them is the dreadful Anthony Albanese, who for three years has been an absolute idiot, and has deliberately fomented dissent and division right from the time of his racist Voice referendum.

While we don't know what Dutton would be like, we do know what Albanese has been like. As someone said, “If you're better off than you were three years ago after Albanese, you're probably an illegal immigrant from Gaza".

Unless the interfering minor parties who really achieve nothing apart from ruining social cohesion & the economy, nothing much can change !
I just hope that the likes of Hanson-Young , Bandt, Thorpe, Stegl, get pushed to the side & Labor gets taught a lesson !
We can't afford these hangers-on any longer. And, I'm not talking from a financial view point.

The one issue Graham has left off, which according to the pundits is front and centre in the minds of voters is "Cost Of Living" (Graham must be on a good cop, he's left it off). I can only define it as the gap between income and expenditure. Elsewhere I put up a thread, "Labors Soft Landing". No one can deny that through world and local events playing on the economy, there has been a contraction of economic activity, with relatively high rates of inflation, and as a consequence higher interest rates to combat that inflation. What Australia has avoided through this period is severe recession, giving high unemployment and low wages. Labor did embark on a economic strategy of keeping Australians employed, whilst trying to maintain wages, letting the Reserve Bank do its job through interest rates, thus the soft landing today. There has been a price to pay with this approach, high inflation for longer and as a consequence the Reserve Bank has kept interest rates higher for longer. The question is has Labor's strategy worked? Yes it has, the results are clear. If that's the issue front and centre, and Labor has done economically well, then they deserve to be reelected.

There is some difference between Liberal and Labor; but not enough. They are both big government, big spenders of our money - not necessarily for the benefit of us.

This is the election to start throwing off the ‘uniparty’ yoke. The uniparty agree on more things than they disagree on.

We can vote first for the small freedom-friendly parties, putting the uniparty next, then the rubbish like the Teals and the Greens last.

While this won't prevent Dutton or Albanese being PM, it will be a start to further reduce the primary vote of the uniparty, which will gradually lead to pushing it aside for the future.

In the Senate, you can vote 12 across the top without mentioning the Greens or the Teals, or Liberal or Labor.

Ignore the scaremongering about ‘minority government’, which should be feared only by the uniparty itself. We do not need to remain under its thumb.

Without directly saying so, ttbn believes there should be a vote for the far right racists and bigots of One Nation, and Fat Clive's Trumpsters! Would Australia be better of if these buffoons were to be elected to government, highly unlikely.

Bigots, racists & parasites will never support harmony out of pure principal !
The only way to prevent them entering decision making circles is to not giving them a foot in the door. Not voting Labor will achieve that as without Labor the Teals, Greens & other useless can not function !
The Coalition would be well advised to listen to One Nation ! One Nation could fill the role of DOGE here !
Conservatism builds society, none of the others do !

Indy,

Australia could wipe out the budget deficit in one swoop, cut out aged welfare, with $60 billion coming straight off the top, and introduce a Seniors National Service. OR, introduce an American style system where people like you would get nothing.

Here's a little known fact.
The amount of national park closures in Australia is astounding.
I had a video on it from about a month or two back, but somehow it's mysteriously disappeared from my YouTube watch history.
It's funny how often this happens with important videos, I'm starting to try to make a habit of bookmarking them instead.

Many national parks are being closed and labelled as culturally significant indigenous sites.
You can't even climb Mt. Warning anymore.

I think that we should ignore what politicians and the media tell us are the most important issues in 2025 and work on what we, voting individuals, believe is important to us.

The 'big one', cost of living is a lie: all this not being able to "put food on the table" is BS.

The crucial matters, dodged by the uniparty, are defence, immigration and free speech.

Ruinous multiculturalism is never discussed as an election issue either , probably because of the uniparty's growing hostility to my number three concern, freedom of speech. Multiculturalism is killing Australia, just as it is killing all Western countries that have adopted it, without the permission of voters

Multiculturalism is nothing more than a home-built Trojan horse !

[
Housing affordability
Immigration
Productivity
Defence
Rebuilding our finances
Free speech and an open society
Education
]

Well none of these is really important.
They could be important for the state,
but for people like me who do not believe in states, these are utterly meaningless.

I will vote according to the little things that can actually affect my life and intend to research, during April, the parties' views on them, all parties without exception and regardless of the above "biggies".

While I have not yet started this research in earnest, I see Labor starting off the race 2:0 better than the Liberals, by:

1) Promising the continuation of cash.
2) Not pursuing the state's ability to expel dual-citizens.

We shall see what else my research digs up.

.

Dear Graham,

.

The huge political shake-up in the US is causing upheavals around the world and will have a major effect on Australia during the forthcoming legislature.

The U.S. national debt is currently about $34.6 trillion as of March 2025 and Trump is desperately trying to shore up the astronomic financial hemmorrhage to avoid bankrupcy of the world’s largest and most important economy. He is forcing all America’s trading partners to contribute to that effort.

The US is Australia’s 2nd most important trading partner after China. Our political and economic outlook is highly dependent on the issues and outcomes of the fortunes of those two countries.

Politically and economically, our future is increasingly uncertain and incites prudence. There is a huge storm brewing. We must batten down the hatches and weather the storm. It is not the time for change. We must do everything we can to maintain stability.

For me, the most important issues are :

• Survival as an independent, sovereign nation
• Limit our losses
• Defence
• Free speech and an open society
• Rebuilding our finances
• Education

.

Its really two different questions:
What issue would sway my vote?
What do I think will be the main issue for the majority?

Taking the latter first... there's little doubt that it is the so-called cost of living crisis that is front of mind for most. The working and lower middle class are hurting significantly and have been for quite some time. And there is precious little to indicate to them that things are likely to improve quickly.

Before the last election I started a thread here called "The poison chalice election" (http://tiny.cc/dlwe001) with the basic premise that the economic outlook was grim and even though the winner of the 2022 election wouldn't be to blame for that, they'd eventually wear the blame.

And so it has come to pass. The people are apoplexic that their standard of living is in decline and prospects no better. And they are looking for a scape-goat and salvation. but they don't see it in either party. They see causes in both party and salvation in neither.

Neither side is prepared to tell the people what needs to be done so they throw baubles such as electricity subsidies or petrol discounts.

As to myself, I was looking for a truly liberal Liberal Party but still don't see it happening. Indeed the opposite, with the petrol discount and very little in the way of making government smaller. Struth, they are even talking about intervening in the gas industry and seconding assets. The ALP really has no clue how to confront the economic problems facing the country other than to borrow funds to buy off current anger and send the bill to the next generation.

Things looked grim in 2022 and nothing has improved since. So I'll look to see what the independents in my electorate look like, vote for one or more of them and then give my preference to the ALP over the Liberal candidate in the continued hope that and extended stay in the wilderness will encourage the Liberal Party to become a liberal party.

The primary problem is the pursuit of the wind and solar con. You will not have a prosperous nation without cheap energy.

Albo's term has been a series of horrible decisions. Massive environmental and farmland destruction with wind and solar farms, uncontrolled expenditure resulting in high inflation and interest rates, a failed attempt at dividing the nation with the apartheid like Voice, a failed attempt at gagging online discussions with the misinformation and disinformation bill, an immigration program that has created a housing, infrastructure and service crisis, the NDIS which has turned into an expenditure black hole, economically destructive environmental policies, allowing people to freely practice their hatred, such as the genocidal chanting at the Sydney Opera House, and a complete lack of interest in any financial accountability.

And yes, there is more horrible stuff that Albo has presided over, but the hole would be much easier to climb out of with cheap power.

Still little empasis on ENERGY !
ENERGY IS THE ECONOMY !
Worried about cost of living ?
Next time you are in Woolies or Coles just count the number of refrigerated cabinets.
Their doors are being opened and shut continually.
You do not do that with your fridge do you.
That must be a big factor in their charges.
Nuclear is our NEXT problem.
Our immeadiate problem is refurbishing our existing power stations.
Depending on the boiler conditions can they just be restarted after a
major overhaul, then it must done.
If the boilers are safe can coal be used. Can the mine be restarted ?
If not can they be gas fired ?
Can new gas stations be installed using the existing turbines ?
All this is a quick fix, but it MUST be done.
I see no political discussion on a program like this.
All this can keep the lights on until we can get several nuclear
stations up and running.
If we start calling for tenders in the next year presuming suitable
sized stations are available we could have firm tenders in hand and
the silly argument about cost will evaporate.

If none of these steps are taken then turn your bank accounts or
investments into land or some similar real assets as a major economic
collapse is a certainty.
Perhaps bars of gold might be the go.
I did see one suggestion, as power will be very limited Bit Coin miners
will not be able to produce more so the price should rise. My Guess only !

"Multiculturalism is nothing more than a home-built Trojan horse !"
- Not sure we can put the toothpaste back in the tube.
Once we embraced that word, we can't go back.
Surprised there isn't some law that makes it a crime to even discuss it.

Armchair;
Your prediction is more frightening than mine !
If a collapse in the economy occurs then maybe "they" will packup and
head for another paradise like the Middle East !

If this election goes to Greens/Labour the amount I would have to
convert to something safe would make a zero difference but might make
a big difference to me.
I think it might be worthwhile studying those Prepper websites in the
US. They are a large group who have convinced themselves that a major
economic collapse or global warming or other world wide climate
disaster will happen or law and order will collapse.
They preach being prepared but they might have some good ideas for us.

.

Dear Graham,

.

Trump wants out of the Russia-Ukraine conflict so that he can concentrate on what he sees as a looming confrontation with China. He needs that badly, and he needs it fast. He won’t be bothered with the Russia-Ukraine conflict much longer – come what may.

China is our N° 1 trading partner and the USA is our N° 2 trading partner. So, what do we do when Trump orders us to apply sanctions on China ? What will happen to our economy then – the “then” meaning sometime during the upcoming legislature ?

The total value of products and services we imported from China in 2024 was $75.7 billion. The total value of our exports to China amounted to $103 billion.

We had better start looking for alternative markets urgently. No time to lose.

World Economics estimates Australia's 2024 GDP to be $1.78 trillion in PPP terms (Purchasing Power Parity), and an initial estimate is $1.818 trillion for 2025.

A trade war with China would have disastrous effects on our economy, dwarfing all other considerations and expectations.

.

The Australian Population Research Institute has released a report showing that 80% of Australians want immigration reduced.

Dutton's ‘by 25%’ is an insult. All immigration should cease until the political class catches up on infrastructure and all things now under pressure by too many people. Same with international students and foreigners buying up real estate - forever. Just a two year ban on foreign landlords is another Dutton insult. Saying it's better than Albanese's sell out is not enough.

Net-negative immigration like Sweden is the way to go for the time being. A chance to get people already here off the dole and working. International students, culled by 90%. One in 27 people in Australia are international students! Compare that with the US, where it is 1 in 330.

Housing Australians is far less important to politicians than filling up the country with foreigners.

Voting is getting to be a waste of time in this country; it is run by big business, unelected bureaucrats and universities.

Dear Ttbn,

«The Australian Population Research Institute has released a report showing that 80% of Australians want immigration reduced.»

Did they also say what percentage want to have a palace with 72 beautiful virgins (of the opposite sex, of course)?

Yes, we want so many things, and I also would be happy if immigration was magically reduced, but is it right to obtain whatever we happen to want by restricting other people's freedom?

Yuyutsu

I don't know what you regard as 'other people's freedoms', but rights and freedoms have nothing to do with immigration; only the host country should decide who and how people come in, as John Howard said. Of course, he increased the amount of legal, controlled immigration after he said that.

We don't get much illegal entry these days; the people now blocking up our courts trying to stay here arrived legally, but overstayed their visas, hoping for permanent residence.

These people should be treated the same as those who used to arrive by boat, and be kicked out as soon as they have been found to still be here illegally - which is when they start abusing our weak legal system with non-stop, conveyor belt appeals, helped by lousy politicians, unelected judges, and petty bureaucrats. And greedy big business, itself often foreign-owned.

Australian 'authorities' have no sense of pride, and no dignity; you only need to step outside to see the results. Australia is going down the gurgler, along will other Western countries who think that it is cute to fill up the place with people who can barely speak English, and who are thoroughly at odds with Western culture.

On the matter of free speech, one of the three things that I believe are above all the trifling matters that politicians think we should be voting on, I have just read an article by a person considered to be right wing, suggesting that free speech “is losing its position on the political conversation.

She goes on to say that: “The government knows that if it ignores a grievance for long enough, the public will give up, no matter how important the original cause”.

Depressing. But true? I think it is probably true.

And: “When the two major parties adopt a similar stance, as Labor and the Liberals have done on their distaste for free speech, there is no way for voters to compel them to change their minds”. Well, that's definitely true.

The two parties huddled together, have created a “practical dictatorship” with an “Enlightenment veneer “.

And the public itself is easily persuaded to give up.

Many demanding "free speech" are the haters and racists from the extreme of politics. Their idea of free speech is one where they alone are heard, and all others are silenced. Some here who shout "free speech" are only interested in their right to deliver hate speech against disagreeable minorities, leftists, gays, Muslims etc etc, they are easily identified, typically the One Nation and Fat Clive supporters.

Some here who shout "free speech" are only interested in their right to deliver hate speech ..
Yes, the Paul 1405's everywhere !

Dear Ttbn,

«I don't know what you regard as 'other people's freedoms'»

People's freedom to live where they want on the face of this God-given earth.

«but rights and freedoms have nothing to do with immigration;»

Rights? I never mentioned that word here. Rights and freedoms are completely different things. Completely different.

"Immigration" requires disambiguation:
1) Receiving a legal status in a new country.
2) The physical act of transferring one's body from one country/region to another.

The former could perhaps be related to rights, but I was only speaking of the latter.

I agree that you are under no obligation whatsoever to grant a legal status to people you do not want.
Yet kicking people out (other than in self-defence) is a barbaric violent act which I cannot support.

It is perfectly fine to discourage people from coming by denying them all civil rights, yet it is not fine to pick up and evict people by force (other than when strictly required in self-defence).

Yuyutsu

It is ridiculous for people to believe that they have the right to “live where they want”.

You “agree that you are under no obligation whatsoever to grant a legal status to people you do not want.
Yet kicking people out (other than in self-defence) is a barbaric violent act which I cannot support”.

Just how do you think that anything other than kicking out people whom we are under no obligation to will discourage them? We cannot have people without any “legal status” staying here. No legal status: no legal rights. You seem to have a very unworldly idea of real life; and feel that people other than yourself should make your fairy tales work.

Who will determine the outcome of this election will not be Old Fart geriatrics from a bygone era, but young people, the Millennials and Gen-Y in the age group 18 to 45, and what concerns them will determine how the vote goes. Old rusted on folk who still believe government is about some kind of "class warfare", your typical dyed in wool Labor and Liberal supporters, give way to the progressive and aspirational who are not tied to any particular political party. This younger cohort of voters are increasingly turning towards independents and progressive parties over the old guard of philosophical class conscience driven mob.

Elections no longer make a difference. The same things will continue to happen no matter which of the self-serving incompetents gets control. Good times are just memories for a few old people, and things get worse. They won't get better because upcoming generations don't have the memories: they know little or nothing of history, and sneer at those who still do. Consequently, a really shite existence is thought to be normal.

Instead of bemoaning the fact that they can barely afford rents, and have no hope of ever owning a house, they should be trying to find out why. Why, when few people went to university, there was little technology, and people in very ordinary jobs in Australia could pay their mortgages, have a bit of fun, and virtually ignore politics because the politicians could be relied upon to do what was best for the country and its people.

Dear Ttbn,

«It is ridiculous for people to believe that they have the right to “live where they want”.»

Absolutely so, absolutely ridiculous - and therefore I was speaking of freedom, not of rights.

«Just how do you think that anything other than kicking out people whom we are under no obligation to will discourage them?»

Here are some possible ways (and I am not saying that all must actually be used, but that is within our discretion):

Give them no welfare, even if they starve to death.
Give them no medical care.
Give them no path to citizenship.
If they purchase property, do not register it.
If they attempt to complain to the police about anything, refuse their complaint.
Employers may refuse to give them fair wages, perhaps none at all;
merchants could charge them 10 times more, or take their money and not give them the goods;
someone could rob them clean;
banks could empty their accounts;
someone could place chains around their neck and throw them to work in a brothel - they have no legal recourse to justice.
If a truck runs over them, the driver doesn't need to stop, the ambulance need not arrive, the hospital need not admit them, they could be charged for the road-cleanup and if they die, their body can be chucked in the closest green bin while their families need not be informed.

etc., etc. I think that even a subset of the above will discourage the vast majority of immigrants, or in the least keep them to the outback.

«We cannot have people without any “legal status” staying here.»

As above, we can.

«You seem to have a very unworldly idea of real life; and feel that people other than yourself should make your fairy tales work.»

Since the world as it stands is devoid of ethics, it would indeed be unworldly if people were listening to me, so while I have no expectations, I must still perform my moral duty (including in the ballot box) by objecting to any wrong behaviour carried out, presumably in my name.

.

The United Sates, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have in common that they are all immigrant nations.

• 48.5% of Australians are 3rd- plus generation migrants
• 22.2% are 2nd generation migrants
• 29.3% are 1st generation migrants

Nearly 30% of our total population of 27.6 million, i.e., 8.3 million were born overseas.

Here are the 10 most important immigrant populations, by country of birth :

England ……………….960,000
India ………………….. 850,000
China …………………. 656,000
New Zealand ………….600,000
Philippines ……………..362,000
Vietnam …………………300,000
South Africa ………….... 215,000
Malaysia …………………181,000
Nepal ……………………..180,000
Italy ……………………….160,000

.

"Banjo Patterson": the limp anonymous lefty who sullies the name of an Australian nationalist conservative.

Of course the countries of the 'new world' are "immigration nations". There is no point in blurting out the bleeding obvious. Duh!

The problem is that they have now have degraded themselves with the wrong sorts of immigrants, and are paying the price for it.

Like the countries of origin of the first settlers, they are now going down the gurgler because of their own stupidity and the increasing number of immigrants undermining them with the help of the limp left.

Fortunately, the election will, as always, be decided by people totally unaware of 2.5 wan kers rambling away on the internet. The silent majority is sick of the wan kers, just as they were in the US. The only thing stopping Australia's recovery is the rubbish uniparty, whose boot can be gradually removed from our necks, given the number of freedom-friendly parties available to common-sense Australians.

"• 29.3% are 1st generation migrants"

An unteresting fact is that almost 750,000 new citizens have been registered since the last election. 750,000 new voters.

So over 4% of those who vote this time didn't vote in 2022. A 4% swing is way more than enough to massively change any and all electoral outcomes.

I wonder why the government was so anxious to get all these voters signed up.

"this election will not be Old Fart geriatrics from a bygone era, but young people, the Millennials and Gen-Y in the age group 18 to 45"

Be careful what you wish for. In the last US election the Gen Z cohort, particularly the males, moved decisively to the right. A similar phenomena occurred in the recent German elections. I don't know if we'll see it in this election but there's every likelihood that, as the so-called progressive policies become obvious failures, the policies of the right here, like in US and Europe, will become more attractive to young voters who are being disadvantaged by those policies.

" Fat Clive supporters."

Be careful Paul, Your Fatphobia is showing.

Keep this up and you'll be kicked out of the woke club. And there's nothing worse than that for a wannabe progressive such as yourself.

Dear Mhaze,

«I wonder why the government was so anxious to get all these voters signed up.»

Because once hooked on their electoral lists, there is no limit as to what they can do to us.

Another 750,000 sheep, I feel sad for them and wish I didn't do the same back then in my ignorance.

Our votes cannot change anything - the regime only uses elections and the semblance of democracy as a dummy-pacifier, happy to be seen playing by the rules so long as we only vote for one of their two wings.

As long as we order them, even in the last couple of spots on the ballot, just so our ballot-paper is not deemed informal, they can claim that it was us who voted for them. That strategy is called "divide and conquer".

Indeed they did Trumpster, they moved to the right in both US and Germany. Could we be about to see a rise of a Palmer Youth or a Kig Klive Klan here in Australia. If I should be kicked out of THE WOKE, I just hope I don't land in your basement, unlike you, I don't look good in a snappy black uniform.

p/s Your French pin-up gal for the far right, Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of embezzling EU funds. The biggest far right crime in France since the NAZI's stole all that French art work during WWII.

.

Dear ttbn,

.

New overseas migration was 446,000 in 2024, down from 536,000 the previous year. Temporary students were the largest group of new migrants, representing 46.4% of the total.

There were 1,095,298 international student enrolments in Australia in 2024.

The government carried out a complete overhaul of our migration policy and procedures a couple of years ago, including extensive consultation with businesses, unions and other stakeholders in addition to 450 submissions that were received and reviewed as part of the study.

As a result, a new migration strategy was developed in December 2023, outlining a new vision for Australia’s migration system, with a roadmap containing key actions and new policy commitments.

Australia’s labour market continues to experience shortages in key industries, making migration essential to filling these gaps. Here are the main areas :

• Healthcare and Aged Care: With an aging population, Australia has a pressing need for nurses, aged care workers, and allied health professionals.

• Technology: The IT and cybersecurity sectors are booming, creating demand for software engineers, data analysts, and tech specialists.

• Construction and Infrastructure: Major infrastructure projects across Australia require civil engineers, electricians, and other skilled tradespeople.

• Agriculture: Regional migrant visa holders often work in agriculture, addressing labour shortages in farming and food production.

• Education: Teachers, particularly in regional areas, are in demand to fill gaps in primary and secondary education.

A notable shift in Australia’s migration trends is the increasing dominance of countries like Nepal and the Philippines, surpassing traditional sources such as the UK.

Another emerging trend is the declining migration from China, influenced by economic and geopolitical factors. Countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and Bangladesh are filling this void, and they are likely to emerge as key players in Australia’s migration story.

Also, the government is directing more migrants to regional areas to address labour shortages in rural areas while reducing congestion in major cities.

.

" Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of embezzling EU funds."

Yep the youth are moving to the right in France as well and the only way the fascists of the left can think of to hang onto their power was to convict her of trumped up charges. France used to be a democracy.

.

Dear mhaze,

.

You wrote :

« Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of embezzling EU funds … and the only way the fascists of the left can think of to hang onto their power was to convict her of trumped-up charges »
.

That’s fake news, I’m afraid, mhaze.

Marine Le Pen was not convicted on trumped-up charges. They were very real charges that were evidenced in court without the slightest doubt.

The appellate court will probably confirm the conviction in June next year.

That’s the legal position. The political uproar is another matter.

As in the US, many of her followers in France don’t seem to consider that the law should apply to their favourite presidential candidate and scream blue murder, denying any wrongdoing.

She happens to be leading in the current polls.

Here is a brief video explanation of the legal grounds of the conviction, which you might like to watch if you are conversant with the French language :

http://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=Fran%c3%a7ois+Ruffin+commentaire+sur+la+condamnation+de+Marine+Lepen&mid=971D5C5E0DCFA9B89CDB971D5C5E0DCFA9B89CDB&FORM=VIRE

As a matter of fact, one of France’s ex-presidents, Nicolas Sarkozy, is awaiting the verdict of his court case for illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the notorious Libyan dictator, Mouammar Kadhafi. The prosecution has requested a guilty verdict and seven years imprisonment.

It will be interesting to see the result of that one too. Sarkozy was a member of the conservative UMP (Union for a Popular Movement) party. He was President of France from 2007 to 2012.

.

The charges are trumped up in the sense that other French politicians of the 'correct' flavour were also accused/found guilty of these same offences and walked away with nary a slap on the wrists.

The EU is a corrupt organisation and its procedures are followed in the breach. But only pollies of the wrong flavour get prosecuted for what are, in the end, minor offences.

But this is a pattern developing. Romania has also banned its leading right-wing candidates from running. All very legal mind you </sarc>.

In Germany there is a move to outlaw a whole political party which just happens to be of the wrong flavour and running first or second in the polls.

Ireland likewise is moving to ban a new Trump style candidate.

And then there was the famous trumped up charges against Trump which ultimately fell apart on scrutiny although we still have some bozos joyously declaring that Trump is a felon.

Democracy around the world is under threat but because those perpetrating the threats are of the correct flavour, many will advert their eyes.

Christine Lagarde: IMF chief convicted over payout
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38369822
'A French court has found International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde guilty of negligence but did not hand down any punishment.'

>>As French finance minister in 2008, she approved an award of €404m ($429m; £340m) to businessman Bernard Tapie for the disputed sale of a firm.

Ms Lagarde, who always denied wrongdoing, was not present in court, having left Paris for Washington DC.

The IMF board said it retained "full confidence" in her leadership.

She said she would not appeal against the ruling: "There's a point in time when one has to just stop, turn the page and move on and continue to work with those who have put their trust in me."

The French government also confirmed its confidence in Ms Lagarde, who was reappointed to a five-year term at the IMF in February.<<

.

Dear mhaze,

.

You wrote :

« The charges are trumped up in the sense that other French politicians of the 'correct' flavour were also accused/found guilty of these same offences and walked away with nary a slap on the wrists. »
.

No, mhaze, the charges were not trumped up in any sense of the term. But we’ll have to wait for the judgement of the appellate court in June 2026 for this to be confirmed and made perfectly clear.

You’re right in pointing out that “other French politicians … were also accused/found guilty of these same offences”. However, they did not “walk away with nary a slap on the wrists” as you suggest.

All those who have been caught to date have been tried, condemned, and punished. All have lost their jobs and no longer hold political posts or exercise political responsibilities – though their sentences were generally lighter than that inflicted on Marine Le Pen.

The French and other Europeans are fed up with politicians embezzling their taxpayer money, and the case of Marine Le Pen amplifies the problem by its scope, magnitude, and importance over a period of 12 years between 2004 and 2016.

That probably explains the relative severity of her condemnation compared to those that came before her – particularly since she had previously declared she would heavily condemn any politicians guilty of embezzling taxpayer money and ban them for life from holding political positions and exercising political responsibilities.

.

A good measured response from the Albo mob in the light of Trumps mad tariffs. Unfortunately the same can't be said about Dud Dutton and the Noalition. Dud is prepared to roll over to Trump and sell Australia out. Dutton is prepared to flood Australia with possibly infected American beef, not to mention anything else Trump might want. American beef may have Mad Cow disease, but the Noalition is suffering from Mad Dutton disease! A vote for Dutton is a vote for Madness! All agree?

"All those who have been caught to date have been tried, condemned, and punished"

How many have been barred from running for office? How many have received sentences that apply irrespective of an appeal? How many have been barred from running for a period that just happens (sheer coincidence I'm sure!!) to stop them running in an election they're current likely to win?

Let's also note that the so-called embezzlement involved using EU finds to pay for staff that didn't solely work on EU issues. A wide-spread practice among EU members who also hold national positions. But only those of the wrong political flavour are told they are barred from politics.

Remember that Navalny was also barred from running in Russia and it also was perfectly legal.

"Dutton is prepared to flood Australia with possibly infected American beef,"

Asking Paul for evidence of his moronic claims is like asking a toddler to give back the lollipop but let's try....

Where did Dutton say he wants to allow possibly infected US beef into Australia?

knowing full well that Paul will abjure to answer, here's the truth....

From the Guardian

"April 2, 2025, quote Dutton saying, "If the science says that it’s safe to eat American beef, I think we should allow US beef into our market … the impact on our market would be very minor," indicating a conditional openness to imports if biosecurity standards are met. However, he has also consistently stressed that he would not compromise Australia’s strict biosecurity regulations, aligning with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s stance on this point."

Tumpster,

After the election should the Mini-Me Trump be successful, he will roll over and allow The Orange Man to have of Australia, what ever he wants, that includes allowing possibly infected beef into the country. Trump will also demand the PBS be abandoned to allow American Big Pharma Carte blanche with supply of drugs here, and the Mini-Me Trump will be so obliging! Lets hope Australians don't fall for Dud Dutton!

Oh. Got it.You just fabricated your claims. As per usual.

.

Dear mhaze,

.

You ask some strange questions, mhaze. It seems you are convinced that the French judiciary is politically biased.

Nothing is perfect in this world, that’s for sure, and no matter what you do or how hard you try, rendering justice is surely one of the most difficult tasks one can attempt to achieve to the satisfaction of all concerned.

According to the Worldostats 2025 Judicial Independence Rankings, France rates 13th in the world with a score of 78 out of 100 which is not too bad. In fact, it is quite respectable. The UK is just one notch better with a score of 79. By comparison, the US rates 82, New Zealand even better with 87 and, lo and behold, Australia and Denmark are “ex aequo” top of the world, each with a perfect score of 100. Last on the list of the 200 or so countries in the world is North Korea with a score of 0.

France is a democratic country, part of the free world, and has a long history of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in Paris on 10 December 1948.

Apparently you were not able to understand the French video I posted in my previous post so let me just indicate that the people that Marine Le Pen paid as her pretended “European parliamentary assistants” her sister, her sister-in-law, her spouse, her chauffeur, her father’s butler and various other individuals who had nothing to do with work of any sort for the European parliament.

They were lavish salaries ranging from €5,000/month for fictive part-time work, to €10,000/month for fictive full-time work plus Christmas bonus, all for a total of €4,000,000.

As for the “other French politicians who were also accused/found guilty of these same offences”, they all received similar sentences to that of Marine Le Pen, but, as I indicated previously, their sentences were lighter because, unlike Marine Le Pen, they were not leaders of vast political parties, but just individual parliamentarians, and their misdemeanours were far more modest and on a much smaller scale.

.

Nah Trumpster,

The Dud came out swing with Trump like "policies" from day one, cut health, cut education, cut the PS etc.One of Duds laughable claims is he of all the world leaders (Dud a world leader ha, ha) would have secured a better deal from his good mate Donald on tariffs, than ALL the other world leaders. Get real, The Orange Man has never heard of Dud Dutton from Aussie, he wouldn't give the fool the time of day.

As Un-Australian as you are, no doubt YOU agree with Trumps tariffs. With America in its economic death throws, the fool lashes out with this tariff madness.

BTW, Trump has his Elon Musk, Dud has his Gina Rhinoceros, looks like both have fallen out, so its kissy, kissy time, don't you think. If, and that's a big if, will The Dud install Gina Rhinoceros as his 'Senior Advisor' to head up a new “Department of Government Efficiency” to sack workers.

Paul1405,
Harsh comments from someone as hypocritical & bogus as you !

Another economic gem from The Dud, following that masterful FRENCH SUB DAL which Dutton was a party to. You remember the Noalition deal that cost Australia $835 million and no subs, zilch, zero, nothing! Now The Dud wants to buy back the PORT OF DARWIN, after being a party to flogging it off to the Chinese in 2015, it was leased from the Noalition for $503 million for 99 years, now looks like it will cost Australia $1.5 billion to get it back! This guys an economic genius, just don't take him along to negotiate a used car deal for you, you'll end up with an overpriced lemon!

The ABC has come up with the idea that Dutton is struggling to “maintain (the) Liberal Party's ‘broad church’” (https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/).

It has always been my opinion that no group calling itself the Liberal Party can claim to be conservative; nor should anyone accuse it of being conservative or ‘right wing’.

As far as I am aware, there is no other place in the world where ‘liberal’, small ‘l’ or ‘L’ is anything but left wing.

One of the few conservatives in Australian politics, John Howard, seems to have twigged this when he coined the phrase “broad church” to describe the mishmash of the parliamentary membership of the Liberal Party, too many of whom would be just as comfortable in Labor, the Teals - and a couple even look Greenish.

These definite lefties are just in politics for the big bucks, the perks and one of the few jobs you don't need any particular qualifications to be employed in.

But, the thing is (my opinion again) if Dutton was serious about being PM and getting back the voters his party has lost, he would be destroying the broad church, not defending it, and changing the name of the party, which just might attract genuine conservatives.

We have a socialist party that is proud to be so for those wanting such a thing; but the rest of the population doesn't have the option of a conservative party. There is too little difference between Labor and Liberal - hence the “uniparty” - and our voting system just makes the minor ‘freedom friendly’ parties a mild irritation to the born-to-rule Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

Reinforcing their know-nothingness, the ABC has invented a description of the Liberal Party: “liberal conservatives” and “hard right”, both of which are absurd.

Of course, John Howard went a bit peculiar before he lost his own seat and an election.

Instead of virtually renaming his party as a ‘broad church’ when he could see what was happening, he should have actually LED (something Australian politicians are too frightened to do) and whipped the party into shape. What he did was open the way to Turnbull and Morrison, who were certainly not conservative, and had no business being in politics. It has all been downhill since then; and thanks to Morrison, one of the few differences between Liberal and Labor, economic management, has been blown out of the water.

Another bright idea from the 30% and sinking ABC is that Dutton is also losing the “political middle ground”: whereas the middle ground stands for nothing except more of the same. The ‘middle’ is where fence-sitters gather. If Dutton ignores the middle ground, he might have more of a chance of winning than he has at the moment.

Is ttbn, calling for another Conservative Party in Australia, like the half a percent Corny Banana Conservative Party he was backing a few years back. What a flop that was, they took his dosh and left him stranded. The Liberal Party with its stereotyping, scapegoating and fearmongering under Dutton is increasingly making itself less relevant and politically unacceptable to the majority of voters.

With The popularly of The Orange Man's election in America, the Mini-Me Trump, the Dud Dutton, was all prepared to launch into an election campaign with a raft of policies straight out of the Trump play book. Well level heads advised The Dud not to openly go down that path, with 80% of Australians not in favour of Trump or his policies.

The latest group who should be concerned for their wellbeing if The Dud is elected, are migrants and their children. Rumbling of scapegoating from Dutton, firstly blame international students for the housing shortage. Its only a small step to a Trump policy of "kick out the migrants, so Aussies get to own a house". Invokes memories of the sixties, when the catch cry from some was; "The wogs have got all the houses!"

Budgets are boring so few people would know that Equity Australia, which advocates for medical experiments on gender-confused children, received $4.5 million in tax breaks from Jimbo: of more correctly, taxpayers.

Dutton is continuing to shoot himself in both feet: his latest backdown being reducing the number of public servants. Poll driven. Listening to lefty advisers. Polls have proved to be bullshite after just about every election, but they still driven by them - and social media jabbering from by idiots.

If you want to know where the Liberal stands on freedom of speech, know that their candidate for the seat of Whitlam has been disendorsed for expressing an opinion.

Benjamin Britton, ex-soldier, has been dumped by the Party for saying that women should be removed from ADF combat corps; their discharge rate is “off the planet”.

Britton's stance should have been left for the voters to judge; but the woke Liberal Party, terrified of women, has given him the chop, gutless wonders that they are.

Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital has admitted breaching government guidelines requiring that medical experiments with sexual dysphoric children should not be carried out without a psychiatric assessment.

Around “two dozen children were injected with the controversial chemicals without the required psychiatric assessment”.

Even the total failure, Keir Starmer in the UK, can uphold the ban on injecting children with puberty blockers. Not the Labor SA Premier, nor the federal uniparty, which doesn't think that the protection of children is an election issue.

The worse kept secret is out. The Noalition is preparing to subject Australia to Trumpism if elected. Jacinta Price, Dutton's equivalent of Elon Musk, with her DOGE Dept, is running around mouthing Trumpish slogans, such as "Make Australia Great Again". Just like Trump, Dutton intends to get rid of the Education Department, privatise Medicare, sack workers, increase taxes and get rid of the PBS. To top it off, its likely under Dutton, diseased US beef will start entering the country, as he caves into Trumps demands. Australians must be careful, very careful if they vote Dutton, and get a Mini-Me Trump, and no one wants that? Except a few old blokes on this forum.

Paul, you are just an echo of the leftist media.
Make Australia Great was some seconds of comment in a much longer statement.
I heard it myself your statement is totally incorrect.
It totally undermines your credibility.

Oh I meant to ask; Are you opposed to a greater Australia ?

Bezza,

The slogan "Make Australia Great Again", as used by Jacinta Price implies that Australia is not great now, but once was, something I disagree with. Australia is, and always has been a great nation of people, there is no need to import Trumpism, with its stigmatising and bigotry in society, just as Trump is doing in America. Surveys show 80% (more since Trumps tariff fiasco) of Australians are not in favour of Trumpism being brought here.

If you want Trumpism here, then vote for Fat Clive's Trumpet of Patriots Party.