With about 30% of the vote counted across the nation it looks like the Liberals will easily win in Australia. A huge defeat for the main opposition party who had been expected to close to within a few seats of John howards Liberal coalition.

The upper house is still unclear but it does look like massive increase in the Green party vote will allow them to hold the balance of power and control the senate.

(once again)Well although I am not old enough to vote, I know a little bit about the parties and am very glad that the Liberals won, I dont know what to think about The Greens gaining power in the senate, it should be interesting.
So its party time at my house, as we are all(me and parents) liberal supporters.
HA!! and that moron Rove was wrong once again.

You had an election?

Later counting suggests that the Libs will hold 50% of the senate, and rely on only one additional vote. There are two potentials here for an independant democrat in WA and a surprise preference distribution in Victoria possibly giving the new "Families First Party" a first ever elected representative. If the latter turns out to be the case then Telstra will be fully sold within 6 months and Reith's workplace reforms will get unamended passage through the Senate.

This has been a total hiding for Labour - particularly in my adopted home state of WA. Little Johnny looks to be the first of the "illegal war leaders" to get himself re-elected. I wonder if GW and the Poodle will be as succesful?

Unfortunately due to our stupid "first past the post" electoral system and the lack of a credible opposition, the Poodle will probably get back in. However, if he does, it will be not be any sort of endorsement of his premiership. The man is the acme of style over substance. If he spun any quicker, he'd be sponsored by Black & Decker.

Well as Davros pointed out things have got worse. The senate has always been controlled by the minor parties keeping both sides of politics honest (to a degree) and blunting any extreme tilt to the left or right. It looked early on like the greens would be that barrier (a great result for me) but it know appears that a little known right wing Christian party or the Liberals themselves may control the senate. A very sad day IMO

And considering the political strength of New Zealand's current left-of-centre government, trans-Tasman diplomatic relations are probably going to cool even further :(

Hey I'll swap frankenstien for the lying rodent any day Hierophant :D

Or Wellard, it could be that people have gotten sick of an obstructionist senate that never lets the mandated party of the last election enact the legislation that they got voted in on. I think that will be good for a change. Anyway, anything that takes that twathead Senator Brown down a peg or two can't be all that bad. ;)

Lets just hope Australia doesnt go up the crapper. Im really worried that the new party "christian democrats" might actually come to power one of these days. They are just as ridiculous as one-nation was, and may be with Pauline Hanson returning to politics.

[ 10-10-2004, 01:33 AM: Message edited by: Dave_the_quack ]