Australia's conservative government on course for "miracle" election victory

[rooster59]

Australia's conservative government on course for "miracle" election victory

By Tom Westbrook, Melanie Burton and Jonathan Barrett

 

FILE PHOTO: Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison arrives for APEC CEO Summit 2018 at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 17 November 2018. Fazry Ismail/Pool via REUTERS/File photo

 

SYDNEY/MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia's Liberal-led conservative government was headed for a remarkable win at the national election early on Sunday after uncovering a narrow path to victory that twisted through urban fringes and rural townships.

 

The results upended pre-election polls which predicted a Labor victory, though it is unclear whether the Scott Morrison-led coalition can govern with an outright majority or will need to negotiate support from independents.

 

The final result may not be known for some time.

 

"I have always believed in miracles," Morrison told cheering supporters at Sydney's Wentworth Hotel, where the government holds its official election night function.

 

"Tonight is not about me or it's not about even the Liberal party. Tonight is about every single Australian who depends on their government to put them first."

 

The conservative government has won or is leading in 72 seats in its quest for a 76-seat majority, according to the Australian Electoral Commission, with just over two-thirds of votes counted.

 

Several seats are still too close to call and the final result is complicated by a large number of early votes that have delayed counting.

 

Morrison's coalition defied expectations by holding onto a string of outer suburban seats in areas where demographics closest resemble America's Rust Belt, blocking Labor's path to victory.

 

This included a devastating result in the coal-rich state of Queensland, which backed the Pentecostal church-going prime minister by defying expectations and delivering several marginal seats to his government.

 

SOMBRE DEFEAT

 

Voters on Saturday cast their ballots for Morrison's message of support to aspirational voters and turned their back on Labor leader Bill Shorten's reforms.

 

"I know that you're all hurting and I am too," Shorten told supporters at the party's Melbourne election night function.

 

"And without wanting to hold out any false hope, while there are still millions of votes to count and important seats yet to be finalised, it is obvious that Labor will not be able to form the next government."

 

Shorten said he would step down as the party's leader.

 

Labor, a party with deep ties to the union movement, had promised to abolish several property and share investment tax concessions primarily aimed at the wealthy.

 

Both major parties suffered a decline in their primary vote, according to AEC data, which was caused in part by a well-funded campaign by Clive Palmer's populist United Australia Party.

 

The election sparked several high-profile local battles, including attempts to remove Peter Dutton, a senior lawmaker who has championed Australia's controversial policy of detaining asylum seekers in offshore centres.

 

Although Dutton has retained his Queensland seat, former conservative prime minister Tony Abbott lost his Sydney beaches seat of Warringah to high-profile independent Zali Steggall.

 

"So, of course, it's disappointing for us here in Warringah, but what matters is what's best for the country," Abbott told supporters in a concession speech.

 

"And what's best for the country is not so much who wins or loses Warringah, but who forms, or does not form, a government in Canberra."

 

There were also 40 of 76 Senate spots contested in the election, the outcome of which will determine how difficult it will be for the next government to enact policy.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-19

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[PatOngo]

How civilised, done and dusted in 1 DAY! Not a 2 month frenzy to get their filthy snouts in the trough!

[Odysseus123]

8 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

How civilised, done and dusted in 1 DAY! Not a 2 month frenzy to get their filthy snouts in the trough!

Yep.

I am not surprised by the result either.In my wonderful road trip last week I noted just how sleek and prosperous the rural towns were looking and the amount of large agri-businesses that were being established in my area.

 

 

[RJRS1301]

19 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

How civilised, done and dusted in 1 DAY! Not a 2 month frenzy to get their filthy snouts in the trough!

Our those who lost there seats may well retire with nice pension ( depending on length of service), unaffected by how much money they earn a directors/ ambassadors/ or other government appointments

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, RJRS1301 said:

Our those

I quite agree

[mfd101]

Yes, from the depths of rural Thailand it was nice to watch a civilized democracy at work. A pleasant reminder of human possibilities.

[newatthis]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

"Tonight is not about me or it's not about even the Liberal party. Tonight is about every single Australian who depends on their government to put them first."

Lets put the full quote in:

"Tonight is about every single Australian who depends on their government to put them first. And that is exactly what we are going to do."

26 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Yes, from the depths of rural Thailand it was nice to watch a civilized democracy at work. A pleasant reminder of human possibilities.

 

 

When the local junta leader here stands in Parliament [sadly, he'll be back], he won't be thinking "this is about every single Thai who depends on their government to put them first. And this is exactly what we are going to do."

It certainly won't be the populous first in his mind.

[Kelsall]

Damn those Russians are good!

[ThaiBunny]

1 hour ago, RJRS1301 said:

Our those who lost there seats may well retire with nice pension ( depending on length of service), unaffected by how much money they earn a directors/ ambassadors/ or other government appointments

Perhaps if you stated the facts rather than engage in the politics of envy - https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/1011/SuperannuationBenefits#_Toc274224171

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, ThaiBunny said:

I quite agree

I quote agree two.

[DoctorG]

Comparing it to the Thai election. Within 3 hours of the polls closing in the East we had a good indication of the likely winner. About 4 hours in the Labor politicians on the tv panels were graciously conceding defeat. Very civilized.

[ThaiBunny]

4 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Comparing it to the Thai election. Within 3 hours of the polls closing in the East we had a good indication of the likely winner. About 4 hours in the Labor politicians on the tv panels were graciously conceding defeat. Very civilized.

And an identical voting system too

[monkeycu]

Now we can look forward to 4 more years of being screwed but this group of parasites  who care only about themselves, screw the pensioners

[tingtongtourist]

2 minutes ago, monkeycu said:

Now we can look forward to 4 more years of being screwed but this group of parasites  who care only about themselves, screw the pensioners

hmm No thanks

think i will stick with the Thai gf.

she 15 years my junior

[monkeycu]

1 minute ago, tingtongtourist said:

hmm No thanks

think i will stick with the Thai gf.

she 15 years my junior

Cant find any fault with that, my wife is 23 years younger and 80 years smarter than this old fart

[Becker]

2 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Damn those Russians are good!

AFAIK there are no indications that PM Morrison is a Russian puppet and traitor of the worst kind so the Aussies are clearly in a much better position than the Americans.

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, Becker said:

no indications that PM Morrison is a Russian puppet and traitor of the worst kind

What kind of traitor is he then? ????

[Kiwiken]

Labor or Liberals in Australia your choice is always the same . one set of Dictators or the other. Once in Non of them listen and pander only to the noisy minority

[madmen]

Now we can look forward to 4 more years of being screwed but this group of parasites  who care only about themselves, screw the pensioners

What the oz government has done to disabled pensioners by reducing the time they are allowed to be OS is abysmal.

From 6 months to 2 weeks in a few short years

[ThaiBunny]

4 minutes ago, madmen said:

What the oz government has done to disabled pensioners by reducing the time they are allowed to be OS is abysmal. From 6 months to 2 weeks in a few short years

Actually it's 28 days in a 12-month period. Supposedly it was being abused by unemployed seniors not old enough for the old age pension who claimed to be mentally stressed so they would get the pension rate not the lesser Newstart rate, and who would then take extensive overseas holidays. It was a widely-reported rort at the time

[madmen]

Actually it's 28 days in a 12-month period. Supposedly it was being abused by unemployed seniors not old enough for the old age pension who claimed to be mentally stressed so they would get the pension rate not the lesser Newstart rate, and who would then take extensive overseas holidays. It was a widely-reported rort at the time

Never heard of that you have a link? It's bloody near impossible to get the DSP so they would need extensive mental health assessment by a specialist.

 

You can't just show up sign some forms and get the DSP

Your right 28 days but it ripped apart a lot of family's

 

 

[Becker]

23 minutes ago, Kiwiken said:

Labor or Liberals in Australia your choice is always the same . one set of Dictators or the other. Once in Non of them listen and pander only to the noisy minority

Glad to see you're not prone to hyperbole.

[newatthis]

1 hour ago, monkeycu said:

Now we can look forward to 4 more years of being screwed but this group of parasites  who care only about themselves, screw the pensioners

And the expats also don't get much kindness from the Conservatives.

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, newatthis said:

And the expats also don't get much kindness from the Conservatives.

There's no votes in expats. What would they constitute - 0.05% of the voters in a few electorates?

[ThaiBunny]

49 minutes ago, madmen said:

Never heard of that you have a link?

This article alludes to the changes made in 2012, which were made because of the "community expectations" mentioned in the article - https://www.ncoa.gov.au/report/appendix-volume-1/9-12-disability-support-pension

 

Note in 2012 the ALP was in government

[Odysseus123]

24 minutes ago, newatthis said:

And the expats also don't get much kindness from the Conservatives.

Very true..but let's be frank-that era is over.

 

If you want to be an expat..well you are kinda on your own.

 

A fact not lost on some host countries.

 

Actually I thought that it would be a Labor win until I saw the amazing prosperity of the rural areas that I travelled thru-then I realized that it would be a much closer contest between the city and the country.

[simple1]

7 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Very true..but let's be frank-that era is over.

 

If you want to be an expat..well you are kinda on your own.

 

A fact not lost on some host countries.

 

Actually I thought that it would be a Labor win until I saw the amazing prosperity of the rural areas that I travelled thru-then I realized that it would be a much closer contest between the city and the country.

More like Labor overreached with expecting Australians to accept hundreds of billions more in taxes to assist with better welfare, assist cancer sufferers, environment etc etc etc. Clive Palmer didn't help with attracting voters away from Labor with a self funded $60m add campaign. On the upside Palmer, Anning, nor Hanson gained any seats so far.

[Odysseus123]

14 minutes ago, simple1 said:

More like Labor overreached with expecting Australians to accept hundreds of billions more in taxes to assist with better welfare, assist cancer sufferers, environment etc etc etc. Clive Palmer didn't help with attracting voters away from Labor with a self funded $60m add campaign. On the upside Palmer, Anning, nor Hanson gained any seats so far.

Possibly...

 

But then I saw the amazing upswing in prosperity in rural life where I live...and the fact that demographics are changing.My new found friends in Bowraville were telling me just how many ex-Sydneysiders were buying small properties in the countryside and bringing money into the town

 

I voted Labor,by the way but I must concede that the local National member has been exceedingly active and competent.My rural town is a hub of both the physically and intellectually disabled people under the NDIS scheme (started by Labor and progressed by the Coalition)

 

 

[emptypockets]

NDIS - another Labor policy disaster along with the NBN saddling future generations with massive debt. Thanks Gillard. Thanks Rudd.

[Odysseus123]

5 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

NDIS - another Labor policy disaster along with the NBN saddling future generations with massive debt. Thanks Gillard. Thanks Rudd.

Nonsense.

 

As a disabled person I totally disagree and I question your motives..

 

That is,if you have enough intelligence to actually have any intelligent thoughts on the subject-or indeed,any other subject known to humankind.