Tim Blair

"... weeping Democrats ..."

Who are the Democrats downunder? Is there a
Democrat party there?

As another Yank, about what time (GMT, preferably) are election results generally announced?

The elections close at 6 pm in Sydney on Saturday. The results start to trickle in about 90 minutes later. Generally the results are showing a trend by 9 pm.

To see your local time click here.

Good luck to Australia and the great John Howard.

Australian Democrats are about the same as Ralph Nader.Same size same policies.

Hello "A Yank",

The Australian Democrats are a minor party...similar to the Australian Greens, but a little less extreme. In short, though, they have little in common with the US Democrats.

The traditional "stereotypical" Democrat voter is an idealistic young uni student..especially one who's interested/active in politics. Although I for one would probably fit this stereotype but vote for the Liberal-National Coalition or Labor (Coalition this time, though) - who would be the (rough) equivalent of the US Republicans.

Anyhow, the AUS Democrats aren't doing terribly well of late. They're not mainstream enough for most people, and not extreme enough for the loony Left. And things are only expected to get worse after today's election!

Hope that helps...

This election is going to be the start of the end for the Australian Democrats. Their disenfranchised centrist supporters will go elsewhere, and their lefty supporters are going to prefer representation by the Greens. I predict there will be no Australian Democrats senators elected in any state this time around.

Wouldn't showing (airing on TV) results from Sydney and the East Coast effect voting in say Perth? I know here in the states, election results aren't shown until the polls close on the West coast.

Thanks for the reminder that voting is already underway. I keep forgetting that where you folks are, it's already tomorrow :)

I'm in Chicago, where it will be about 3 am when your polls close (thanks for the clock link, Astro) so I can get up at 5 and read the election results with my first cup of coffee. Good luck to Mr. Howard and to all of you.

Ditto, good luck to Australia and Mr. Howard.

Democrats leader Andrew Bartlet's bungy jumping stunt was one of those classic "jumping over sharks" moments, like others here I feel that the Democrats will prolly just fade away with this election.

It should be pointed out to non-Australians that the Democrats have traditionally been the dominant of the two loony-left parties, scoring 8% of the vote compared to the Greens' 2%. But in the three years since the last election, the Democrats have completed imploded for reasons which have more to do with personalities than policies, and are now scoring about 1% while the Greens have gone up to about 10%.

This isn't necessarily a good thing though, as the Greens are even wackier than the Democrats.

Thanks, Astro.

On a left to right scale, the parties go

Right -> National, Liberal, Labor, Democrats, Green

The Liberal Party of Australia is probably a little further to the left of the US Republican Party, while the Labor Party is probably mostly around the same as the US Democratic

Make sure you also decide who's Australia's hottiest pollies

Me again. (Yes, I know I'm banned, but I just couldn't stay away on this auspicious day).

The highlight of the day will be turning up at my staid Upper North Shore polling station in my NOT HAPPY JOHN tee shirt and hissing at the blue rinsers who still try to give me a Liberal how to vote card. This scares them a lot, because I am rather large and and little frightening, much like the Great Latham himself. (Recall, if you will that I have often queried why anyone one would think that Michael Moore is fat.)

The lowlight will be hearing Pinocchio Howard's acceptance speech, I fear. Two thirds of Australians know him to be a liar (including the denizens of this particular virtual cess-pool - oh yes you do) but they'll vote for him anyway.

Government of the liars, by the liars for the liars. Wonderful.

Just want to extend best wishes to John Howard on Election Day. Australia matters to the US and the world.

Ha ha - suck it up, dork features. Go Johnny, and Costello in 2006/7/whenever.

Nemesis, if you are banned, how are you posting?

And if that was all you had to say...WHY are you posting?

Yet another cultural question from a nosy Yank: is your election day a good enough reason to get blitzed, or is it just another Saturday? Do ya'll have any special alcohol-related traditions for election night?

Thanks, and good luck to Mr. Howard and his followers!

Hi Nemesis

"Great Latham"????

Give me strength.

I live in Werriwa, and he's our local Fed member. He's a disgrace. He almost pulled the PM's arm out of its socket yesterday in that stare-down. A real "I am a tiger" gesture. Not. Real men don't need to prove anything.

Reminded me of a high school kid. He's an arrogant boor with a chip on his shoulder. So he was born in Green Valley. Who the hell cares. He's 43. Time he got over it.

Latham as PM? God help us all.

And as for "Government of the liars, by the liars for the liars. Wonderful."

Statements like that almost make me wish that Labour would win. People DO get the government they deserve.

Well, I got a phone call from John Howard last night. The tape took a while to start so, for a moment, I began to worry that it might be a breather. Then there came this chirpy, "Hello. I'm John Howard. ..." Cool. He wants me to vote for Dave Tollner who, on a meet-the-candidates TV show a few nights ago, came across as far more impressive than those press reports of his getting a bit blotto on planes would suggest.

The polls open in about 5 minutes but we won't be voting till after lunch. We'll vote at the local public senior high school, the one my son attends and where last year one of the teachers said to him something along the lines of, "I thought you were too intelligent to be a Christian". That's the sort of attitude that made me determined not to let my kids get into the public education system till they were old and wise enough to be able see through the "values".

Some polls:

The Age Poll: 54-46 Coalition
Newspoll: 50-50.

Anyone know the latest Morgan? Though, based on its accuracy during the last election, I wonder if its worth it.

Remember, Nemesis, that governments rarely win elections - they either lose them or hold their ground. Howard's win is equally Latham's failure. It'll be a historical failure created and shared by his supporters and campaigners - people like Nemesis.

The Liberals deserve credit. Howard's team have kept talking to their target voters, held the country on the right track and succesfully portrayed their leader as a man of the people.

On the other hand, Nemesis and his comrades are out of touch with ordinary Australians, and by pandering to them, Latham scares off centre voters. Latham will lose more votes every time Nemesis hisses at a Liberal Party scrutineer.

The bitterness and venom of Labor activists has, ironically, poisoned their own campaign. With a collective sigh of relief, they'll be put out of their misery tonight.

You know, its a little ironic, Latham doesn't live in Werriwa anymore, due to a redistribution.

He's in a Liberal electorate now, meaning he's one of the candidates who can't actually vote for themselves.

Remember, Nemesis, that governments rarely win elections - they either lose them or hold their ground.

Actually, I'd call the 1998 a hard-won victory for the Government.

Cheer up Nemesis; you can blame the Primary Schools for your 'disadvantage'.
When they ignore shoplifting from the tuck shop...look where it leads.

Yet another cultural question from a nosy Yank: is your election day a good enough reason to get blitzed, or is it just another Saturday? Do ya'll have any special alcohol-related traditions for election night?

A lot of people have "Election night parties", and many others just get pissed. I remember throwing up shortly after hearing Beazley's 2001 concession speech.

There's a movie called "Don's Party" about friends gathering to watch the results of the 1969 election and get drunk.

And if that was all you had to say...WHY are you posting?

Hey, he did say why: "I just couldn't stay away on this auspicious day"

In other words, control issues.

Appreciate the feedback, QG -- and I hope I didn't offend anyone with an assumed stereotype that Aussies are always looking for a reason to imbibe... not that there's anything wrong with that.

My postal vote for JOHN HOWARD went in a week ago
now going out to the Open Gardens at Dunkeld in Victorias Western District-Gods own country to try and smell the Roses.
I hope the greens get sunk too- scabious group that they are- PLEASE VOTE FOR ANYONE but Bob Brown
Go George Bush
Give me substance over 'charisma' ANY day

Good luck, Australia and John Howard.

And thank you, true friends.

Good luck, Australia! Go John Howard!

Just rememer you fashist pigs, if coWARd hoWARd winds again, it will be becoz he STOLE this election just like he steels every other election with his LIES.

SO much for the election day impressions - just more ideological outbursts .

pity...

My Australian election day impression...it’s a beautiful evening, the temperature is just right, here in Woodside, Queens, NY, USA. Ideological outburst: Vote Howard! Hard would be the day that Skippy picks Le Pew over Lassie. Archetypes don’t fail us now.

The sun was warm on my bra straps as I jumped the gate into Bellyrigg Public School to cast my vote for truth and hope. The party faithful rallied to my cause and gave me a bandaid wgen I landed badly and scraped my elbow. But blood and democracy are twin sisters of a greater future, so I didn't mind. Old women were there, gracefully smoking Vicounts and handing out Housie forms, so I pinched one and said that sisterhoos embraced the bi-cause more than in the white picket 50s. A small dog yapped.

I went down to City Hall to vote for John Howard, but they just looked at me funny. Could it be because I live in Massachusetts?

Perfectly serene blue sky over Sydney on election morning - cloudless, warm, with a faint fingernail-clipping of a waned moon in the north.

Except for a skywriter excreting the vapid slogans "would I lie?" and "no more lies".

On election morning.

Who could possibly have put him up to it I wonder? Maybe it's time to suggest a little legislated restrictions on skywriting to our local members next week.

For info centrebet odds are

Howard win $1.14 Latham win $4.75

Maybe these people would like a vote

Then worry not.
The bookies have perfect price discovery on two horse races.

Election day impression:

It is hot. When we will get rain is a bigger topic than the election.

Never seen "how to vote" people fight. Nearly everyone knows each other.

No exit polls. No one really expects the Nationals to lose Dawson.

Just how exciting is rural politics?

I voted a few weeks ago, registered as I am in WA and living in SA....just can't bring myself to give up being a Sandgroper.

Thought I fill you in on a pre-election debate at my campus of UniSA this week. All local candidates for the electorate were invited to give their views on higher education to a (probably greatly misinformed) student body. Chris Pyne (Lib and sitting member) turned up, as did the Dems, the Greens and a hunger-striking campaigner for animal rights who is on a Senate ticket in SA.

Not one ALP representative in sight - and this was Wednesday when the ALP re-affirmed it's Higher Ed policy!

Still, the blue sky today and the warm weather is going to make the Howard victory sweet tonight...

Overseas reports on voting trends from
expats.

Voted early, not that it matters much in Canberra on the House of Reps ticket! Pretty much a safe ALP seat (dammit). But the Senate seat is a different kettle of fish (and Gary Humphries is a damned good bloke).

Glorious day, but early in the piece. Oddly, the Liberal Party (that is the Conservative party for our US cousins) bloke handing out how to vote Liberal forms was a bit flustered. He had had a run on them, and was getting more in from elsewhere. Had a yack to him about that and he said it probably did not mean much, just that most of the Liberal supporters were an older/more energetic crowd who were up and about pretty early. Lots of people walking in from a few km away on their morning walks and runs. Most seemed to be Libs.

But this is a pretty safe ALP seat. The Greens were not even there, probably off smoking dope behind the bike sheds....

Oh, I am NOT a 'rusted on' Liberal voter. I am a swinging voter and always have been. I do not like Howard one little bit - but I respect him immensely. Anyone who has caused my country to play a substantive role in liberating three nations; one from from occupation (East Timor), and two from Islamofascist regimes (Afghanistan and Iraq), and returning one of my favourite places in the world to law, peace, and stability (Solomon Islands) is someone I simply have to respect. On that basis I am willing to forgive him his domestic idiocies. The little bugger just happens to be one of our best PMs ever, based on his impact on world and regional affairs.

MarkL
Canberra

Voted an hour or so ago. I embarrassed my girlfriend when the socialist alliance wanker tried to hand me a 'how to vote card'. My 'under the breath comment' of "hell no!", came out a little louder than I intended. The commie didnt know how to react. Highlight of the morning so far. Go Johnny!

I went to vote this morning with my wife here in Sydney.

It really struck me that the Labor, Liberal and CDP people were standing together having a civil conversation with each other while pausing every now and then to offer a how to vote card to voters, whereas the Green's guy was darting all over the place, not letting anyone escape from his leaflet giving frenzy.

I tried to make eye contact with him as I walked into and out of the polling area...but he seemed to just stare straight through me. As I walked past him he walked up to me and held his leaflet just above my right hand where I was holding my other how-to-vote cards....as if he was trying to trick me into thinking that I was already holding it or something...and that perhaps I'd think "Look at this! I must have previously picked up this how to vote card from the Greens but it is floating mysteriously above these other how to vote cards..it must be a miracle from Gaiya! I shall now proceed to cast my vote for the Greens party in strict accordance with the instructions supplied on this sacred card."

After calculating that his green jedi vote-card mind trick powers weren't going to work on me he went rushing off after the next person...

I also noticed that there were no Democrats there...I'll bet they had an awfully hard time finding people to hand out their cards.

I'm on anti-inflammatory medication. How much Champaign can I drink tonight before I bleed to death?

Just voted, my electorate of Fowler is Labor dominated.

There was no one handing out how to vote cards for the Libs (only someone from the ALP, I love being polite and saying NO with conviction) at the entrance to the school that I came in by, but some nice person had left one there for me in the booth.

My Liberal vote in this Labor stronghold makes a little dent, but I get great pleasure from it...

Good luck to our friends in AUS, I'm sure that Howard has it in the bag, however we must play the game. I will be celebrating tommorow with friends recently returned from 'The Box' and 'The Hills' As an AUS-Ex pat, I reminded them what an important day Saturday was in AUS. And asked them how we should honer Howards (and your fine troop's) victory. The answer was a resounding 'let's go to the range and burn up some barrels' so with my brand spanking new M-4 and an trunk full of firepower, we shall show no mercy to any saguaro (er....rock, greens are everywhere...you know!)............the canyons will echo with the sound of freedom!
When are you guys getting your guns back?

Like MarkL, I'm in Labor-dominated Canberra.

Turned up early, around 10:30.

It's easy for us here to forget that Australian elections are, for the most part, remarkably civil affairs, and that tossers like the trolls who frequent these parts are few and far between.

It was mostly old people at my booth - possibly a combination of the suburb demographics and the time of day. I had a nice chat with an older couple about the weather, etc - scrupulously ignored politics.

It maybe just anecdotal, but I saw a lot of people taking the Liberal how to vote cards, which, for an electorate as safely Labor as this, was remarkable. Still, I don't expect the seat to change hands.

Liberals did a piss poor effort with signs outside the polling place - one crappy sign that just said "Canberra Liberals" to the ten ALP ones that had pictures of Latham, the local MP, the Senate team, and the slogan "Save Medicare!"

MarkL, I think its pretty unavoidable that the ACT result will be:

Lower House: Two Labor MPs
Upper House: 1 Labor Senator, 1 Liberal Senator

There is no way the Greens could get enough preferences to overtake the Liberal senator unless the Liberal primary vote is below 33%, which has only come close once, and that was with a centrist Democrat candidate.

Nemisis wrote : The highlight of the day will be turning up at my staid Upper North Shore polling station in my NOT HAPPY JOHN tee shirt and hissing at the blue rinsers

Ooooooohhhhh tough guy.

I live in Bonner, that new seat in Brisbane...

The polling booth was like a micro Australian politics world. I voted at the local public school, and sure enough there was Labor propaganda about how they would "save" it.

As I walked in, I was accosted by a little Asian man in a "Family First" T-shirt... I must say I was impressed at how many helpers Family First had. More than the hyperbolic Greens and Democrats put together.

The lone Democrat how-to-voter was dressed in all black (perhaps in mourning...?) and taking the silent reception she was receiving quite well.

The Greens helpers were smoking marijuana behind the bike shed.

The Liberals were out in force, which was surprising since Con Scaccia, although it is a "marginal" seat, is so popular. I guess they seem to think Ross Vasta (the Lib candidate) has a chance. Ross himself was quite upbeat.

Labor were looking a little too-uniform with their "Scaccia 1" shirts. A little disconcerting, really.

All in all, I suppose, it was very dull.

Won't be dull tonight though. Damn opinion polls putting Howard in front invite protest votes. Same thing happened to Kennett when I lived in Victoria. That's all.

The Greens were not even there, probably off smoking dope behind the bike sheds....

Heh Heh. Between you and Ally Ford, I'm finding the Greens a lot funnier today than I did before...

The Economist magazine has backed Howard for re-election.

Interestingly enough, they backed Beazley in 2001.

Their reasoning for this election is basically, "Latham is batshit crazy, wrong about the economy and wrong about Iraq".

But what about saving Medicare!

I live in Bennelong and voted at Putney primary school at 8.10 am. We usually take all the how to cards but only took the Libs today as a show of support.

The line was out to the street even at that time.

If any of you Yanks want to see the results as they unfold, you can go here:

www.aec.gov.au

Just how exciting is rural politics?

I used to be in the electorate of Page, and it was a bit like that. The Labor, Democrat and National volunteers would be sitting around yakking about the weather and sport.

Weirdest thing? You'd ask for the how-to-vote cards, and the Labor candidate would give you his AND the National one.

I'm on a break from working at a polling booth in Kevin Rudd's seat of Griffith in inner-eastern Brisbane. As a general rule, folks from Labor are okay to talk to when you're giving out the how-to-vote cards, but all the minor party are bloody crazy.

It's really hard to judge voting trends from where I am, and it's a pretty safe Labor seat anyway, though the Libs seem to be looking pretty good. I still think it's too close to call a result.

Marty, you must be the first to report from a seat that can actually change hands...

Any actual voters from marginals here?

If I had moved to Queanbeyan, I could be in Eden-Monaro...

The ABC is blogging from the National Tally Room in Canberra - ABC election blog

I couldn't bring myself to be as polite as atilla, my reply was more like "Fuck you", and not even slightly under my breath.

Having voted in Glebe, a suburb with possibly the largest concentration of hippies, greenies and other nutcases this side of Nimbin, I'm not really in a position to judge the mood of the electorate. But if I did, I'd say that the mood of the electorate is bitter and slightly stoned.

Heh, hate to be voting here.

Wouldn't showing (airing on TV) results from Sydney and the East Coast effect voting in say Perth? I know here in the states, election results aren't shown until the polls close on the West coast.

Yes, I believe this is an issue. But remember, Australia has compulsory voting, so we won't get a Florida, were lots of people just didn't turn up because they thought Gore had already won.

Used to hand out how to vote cards for the Nationals at a small rural town on the Darling Downs in Queensland. Only two candidates back in those days. National Party & Labor. One of the safest conservative seats in Australia then, still is.

After a few hours, particularly in summer, the pub diagonally opposite the polling station started looking more and more attractive. Inevitably one of us would slip over for a quickie whilst the other religiously handed out both party's cards. Thus the afternoon passed.

Come 4-5pm, we just left the cards on a chair with a stone on top, and both adjourned to the bar, where we reverently dscussed anything but politics! The Labor guy, deceased now, was chief classifier at the wheat board depot during harvest. We hardly exchanged a word between elections, but on voting day shared a camaraderie I'll never forget. Bless you Bob!

How things have changed.

I've just voted in the seat of Parramatta, currently held (just) by Ross Cameron. I have to admit I was surprised by the number of Liberal how to vote flyers, especially as the booth I voted at is in an area that has a lot of housing commission.

Much as I would like to be confident of a strong Liberal win, I think its going to be close.

I'm also having a little election party tonight. This will only be the second one I've held and I'm hoping the result is much better (the last time my night ended in tears when John Hewson lost).

Yeah, John Hewson and the "unloseable" 1993 election.

That's why I don't want to make any premature calls and jinx the whole thing.

Just been out to vote in suburban Perth.

The two forlorn looking One Nation volunteers were being avoided like the plague by incoming voters.
a bit surprising, considering the number of bogans that live in this area.

The lone Greens volly was ecstatic that I took her paper, and thanked me for the vote.
I didn't have the heart to tell her I was going to put her candidates stone motherless last.

Some RWDB I make. Couldn't even slag off at the Greens.

Beer's in the fridge, chips on the table, let the fun from the Tally Room begin!

Further to my comment above about working at a polling booth in Kevin Rudd's electorate of Griffith in Brisbane, one thing that took me by surprise was how the Laborites had set up all their fliers and corflutes last night. Upon my arrival at 6am, I was caught aghast! Still, it's not the only polling booth in the electorate.

The local Liberal candidate, Janelle Payne, was very upbeat when I was talking to her a couple of nights ago. We've got a very small chance of knocking Kevin Rudd off in this seat (though it'd be nice), but we're doing what we can. Hopefully the margin will diminish a bit at least.

I'm just hoping our rather large post-election party will consist of joyous celebration...

Bush just did well in the second debate....whats going on there????Whats in the air? Will i wake up in the AM to find Howard still PM...(please God).

Mine was disappointingly civil. Voting card dispensers were polite and no protestors of any kind to be found. Possibly because im in one of WA's most marginal seats and they don't want to give anyone the shits.

Turned up at the local voting place at New Lambton public school this morning. Ran into the usual posse of Greens supporters, etc.

Imagine my surprise (and dismay) when I discovered Peter Robson, local Socialist, was running for Parliament. I'd had a conversation with him a few weeks back:

Me: "Yeah, seen your articles in the Green Left. Didn't like them. Didn't agree with them at all."

Peter: "Oh? Why not?"

Me:"Well, I'm a capitalist."

Peter:"Oh? So you own a business?"

Me:"No - I work for one."

Peter: "Oh - so you're PRO - capitalist."

When I was leaving, an old socialist collared me. "I've just voted!" I pleaded. "Oh, that doesn't matter!" he said. "We're speaking to people like you, because your vote doesn't matter anyway." He then launched into some guff about forming a real people's party, etc, etc. The hypocrisy - of them running a person for Parliament, and then saying that it didn't matter anyway - was a bit much for me. I shouted, "You're all a bunch of COMMIES and your just bitter that you won't get in!" and ran away!

The Greens also had a strategically placed box by the gates saying, "Please Recycle!"

I voted for the Libs in the lower house but the Democrats in the senate - greens last on both ballots. Details here.

I saw a dishevelled Democrat almost apologeticaly handing out his leaflets and Green with flaming red hair and sunnies the size of dinner plates mincing around. The look on my face as I passed ensured they did not have the courage to even try and hand me anything. Go Howard.

While I was voting today in a booth in the Sydney electorate of Barton I overheard a woman telling her husband she wanted to put John Howard last on the SENATE ballot paper but couldn't find his name. From what he said to her, I gathered they were voting for the Australian Democrats.

Voting has now opened in Afghanistan

Fascist AEC staffer warned the chatty Labor how-to-vote-supplier and I (Brisbane - Go Ingrid!!!) to stop smoking in school grounds or face expulsion. Oooh chills. We moved underneath a school block for our next one, conspiratorialy smoking under the stairs while bitching about the teachers and swapping notes on hair and our boyfriends.

And I might point out to hate-mongerer Latham that the state primary had a pool, a luxury that was sadly lacking from our private primary (still is i believe). And gee I hate them for it. It's them and us, i tells ya.

As the Chaser crew would put it Angela, THUMP - This Person Votes!

Why are the Nationals and Libs both running a candidate in the seat of Brisbane? I thought they didn't want three-cornered contests.

Interestingly enough, the Nat candidate is a Iraq War vet. And the Liberal candidate is a lesbian.

Interesting.

"I'm on anti-inflammatory medication. How much Champaign can I drink tonight before I bleed to death?"
Peter--relax. The correct medical answer to that question is "a hell of a lot".
In any case, drink enough and it won't matter anyway...

Quentin.. Ingrid Tall in Brisbane is a cracker of a candidate. Young Ex-AMA (doctors union for the yanks) president for Qld, plus this fag thinks it's good to see another gay Lib. The Nats & Libs are 2nd on each others how-tos.

Speaking of the Nats, kudos for their branding, including a lady in logo-emblazoned skirt with matching blouse & badges.

Also, in the Labor helper & my analysis, the hotter chicks vote Lib (stats skewed by 3 Labor-voting morbidly obese union chickies) the Audi vote went for Labor (3-1), Merc for Libs (2-0), and the sozzled alcoholic's nose vote was strongly Labor (4-0)

Just think about the next few weeks. Karzie elected in Afghanistan, Howard in Australia, Bush in America (then in 5 months time Blair in Britain. I live in Scotland, I see there are some American brothers here. We salute the people of Australia as equal allies in the global struggle against people who are not that nice.

The Kariong Juvenile Detention Centre has a pool, a tennis court, and unlike the King's School, conjugal visits.

Beautiful sunny warm spring day here in the suburbs of Adelaide (in the safe Liberal seat of Boothby). Took a pleasant 10 minute stroll down to the local primary school to vote for good sense & realism. Put the Greens stone motherless last, as I always do, which gives me a wonderful warm feeling inside. All was sweetness & light, everyone well behaved. Not the way it's been sometimes, but I enjoy a good argument, I was disappointed no-one wanted to pick a fight.

Last election I was a booth captain & scrutineer. Late in the afternoon, things were quiet and the Labor & Democrat volunteers were pleasant enough, the three of us stood around chatting, thrusting our literature into the hands of the ocassional voter. We started predicting who's cards each voter would take or refuse based on their appearance. Long-haired, hairy-bodied, dog walking female - yep, definately a Democrat voter. Scruffy looking young bloke - Labor. Small business owning plumber on his way home from a job - Liberal. And so on. Pleasant way to spend a boring afternoon.

I'm a first time voter and I have a question. Does the AEC people ask you details like 2nd name and address for identification purposes? Because I came up and said, "John Blogs", and they looked down the roll and said, "Second Name" and I thought to myself, "WTF? I already told you my second name". And then I looked at the roll and it said, "John Foo Blogs", and I was like, "ahah!". Then I read off my second name and address from the electoral roll. lol

Ripped off, Peter! Got to go - am going to shoplift something so I can get me some jailhouse booty between tennis matches.

Getting off subject, I heard John Kerry say this a little while ago,

"If Missouri, just given the number of people from Missouri who are in the military over there today, were a country, it would be the third largest country in the coalition, behind Great Britain and the United States."

Do the maths, as Mr Kerry hasn't.

I'm a first time voter and I have a question. Does the AEC people ask you details like 2nd name and address for identification purposes?

That's the piss-poor way of making sure you actually are who you are.

They ask: Name/FullName, Address, Have you already voted in this Federal Election?

I wonder how many people turn up and say, "Bugger! That's right! I already voted. Oh well" and toddle off...

Janice, I am very jealous you got the phone call from John Howard. Blast my silent number! Was anyone else reminded of the Simpsons ep., where Homer gets the auto-dialler machine and electronically panhandles the entire city?! I wonder if the Prime Minister used a similar script...

"Greetings, friends. Do you wish to look as happy as me? Well, you've got the power inside you right now. So use it and cast one vote for Happy Dude, Kirribilli House, Kirribilli. Don't delay. Eternal happiness is just one vote away."

Hey Nemesis with a bit more training you might even graduate from monstering Little Old Ladies to actual punching pensioners just like your hero.Be careful though or one of these old mongrels might sit you on your arse,just like your hero.Perhaps you could take a leaf out of the Mundine Matchmakers Manual and see if you can arrange a series of warm-up bouts against Little Old Lady-pensioners.You probably still won't manage a victory but it's safer.

In Leichardt i started my saturday with a ritual walk to Rusty's market in Cairns for my frsh local produce (hey those mangos are tastin good this season). Wandered home past the central Cairns polling booth at the catholic skool was early & no Liberal propoganda posers or how-to-voters at al. The ALP how-to-voter tried to wave his stuff in my face as i wandered past with my fruit & veges (all plastic bags none of that green bag rubbish for me!)and a polite "get a life" caused the withdrawal of the offending material from my pleasant saturday morning ritual.

Leichardt was previosly marginal now regarded as relatively safe for for the Liberals Entsch (an unusual character for a pollie)although a scare wouldnt shock me as local state seats are now solidly labor and family first are preferencing against him for standing out against his mate Howard on gay marriage.

Family First were very prominent at the booth and at another booth i passed later while visiting my fave fish shop!

Over at backpages lefty Chris Shiel is maintaining his morale by convincing himself it doesnt feel like last time. What is different from last time? My biggest observation is people turning up vote in their Audi convertibles or having breakfast at the explosion of footpath cafes etc and many more people living a lifestyle and displaying obvious wealth that they just didnt have 3 years ago !! And thats whats different this time and probably the only thing that has kept the Liberals in a race that 3 years ago they probably thought they were destined to lose trying to sit on a tight margin!!

I voted for Liberal candidate Entsch but have backed the ALP on Centrebet the odds just seemed too good in a tight race.

THE Liberal Party today lodged an official complaint with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) over dodgy how-to-vote cards handed out in the key western Sydney marginal seats of Greenway and Parramatta.

Education Minister Brendan Nelson said more than 100 booth workers appeared to have been paid to impersonate representatives from Liberals For Forests.

news.com.au

They ask: Name/FullName, Address, Have you already voted in this Federal Election?

I wonder how many people turn up and say, "Bugger! That's right! I already voted. Oh well" and toddle off...

Posted by: Quentin George at October 9, 2004 at 03:01 PM

I did reply that it is my policy to vote early and vote often, the lady just asked if I had voted anywhere else yet and gave me the ballots.

Brendan "I've never voted liberal in my life" Nelson, the libs should lodge a protest at why that prannet was even allowed into the party.

I'm off to vote. Even though I'm not voting Green I hope they do well. Just to piss Blair, Bolt and all the rightist crybabies who've burnt their bras everytime there mentioned.

Predict a major return for the Dems. Report from Stanmore in a few mins.

Joe, people like Brendan Nelson and Warren Entsch (see my post above) are the reason many out there will never support labor!! Huh? Because the ALP has degenerated to the position where all its candidates are union workers, party hacks, public servants or bloody teachers!! This Liberal voter shakes his head when he compares the current ALP lineup to the diversity of the early Hawke governments and given the appalling pork barrelling campaigns all round i feel nostalgic for my all time fave pollie and best finance minister ever Peter Walsh who was that now extinct beast an ALP politician & farmer !!

Morgain Poll just in: news.com.au
Labor to win says Gary.
Wouldn't want Coalition supporters to feel too relaxed and comfortable on polling day. Could be an upset but I doubt it.

Thersites, I'm dirty on Labor too. The way they've sold their heartland down the river irritates me. I used to be a labor dude.

When I hear righties moan about Latham, I'm thinking what are they on about? He's so friggin' right it don't matter.

Like I said to a righty mate of mine the other day "if Latham wins it's 30 years straight of the conservatives".

Fraser was more left than the Hawke/Keating razor gang. Even John Stone paid them compliments on their economic reforms. They screwed unions by being their buddies, "can't yell at your mates now eh?" and generally kissed treasury's behind for their tenure. The only strange thing that occurred in Keating's tenure was when he beat up on treasury in the early 90's.

I just voted and the atmostphere is strange, change might be in the air. I voted Dems in both, I know Albanese is a fellow paisano, but I voted for Jen Harrison of the dems.

Albanese will win Grayndler, with competition from the Greens.

My prediction: all exit polls show a 100% result for:

Mind your own business, you nosy bastard!

(Had to draw Blackadder into this)

As a Canadian whose government has chosen to, at best, sit on the sidelines (with major questions about which side), one can only hope the Australian people have the good sense to be smarter than we, apparently, are. Re-elect John Howard and remain true in your rightful comitment to the global war on terror.

I used to storm past the other sides people refusing to accept their how to vote cards but now I just act the way my father used to when I used to go along with him as a kid when he voted.

We used to live in a small town and he worked in the coal mines and I guess everyone in town must have known how he voted but he alwasy accepted the National and Liberal cards politely as if there was a possible chance that he might even use them.

Now I just do the same except in the opposite direction.

"Wouldn't showing (airing on TV) results from Sydney and the East Coast effect voting in say Perth? I know here in the states, election results aren't shown until the polls close on the West coast.

Yes, I believe this is an issue. But remember, Australia has compulsory voting, so we won't get a Florida, were lots of people just didn't turn up because they thought Gore had already won."

Another consideration is that in Australia we do not vote for the Prime Minister directly. We vote for a local member of parliament unlike the USA who vote for the President.

The members of the winning party at a party meeting after the election then elect their leader who becomes Prime Minister

I'm still more worried about the cricket then I am about the election. But Warne has just hit a four that takes the lead to 399.

Australia 171 for 6. Wicket is 'doing a bit' but if India bat well they could still give us a real shake.

i just voted and when a greenie and/or laborite tried to hand me a pamphlet i leaped to the side and yelled "EWW! NO!"

Thanks for that, Sherrif! I've been thinking about that particular Blackadder episode all day.

Colin and I are now off to cast our votes :-)

At my booth an old pal, Shane, who was once a member of a local independent Labor group was handing out the ALP ticket. His son, Xavier, was beside him with the Socialist Alliance how-to-vote cards. Wonder whose ticket Xavier's kid would hand out? Mao's?
Had a chat to the local parish priest, Father Mick, who again reinforced my view that the truly religious are usually wonderful people.
As we were leaving the school Gary Ablett drove past. We followed him up the street past the house which belongs to the father of the girl who died of a drug overdose in his presence.
We're off to Cats Bistro tonight for my belated birthday celebrations. Hopefully, they'll have a TV going.

As a yank I should not question your voting system But I think it encourages fruits and nuts. I also think folks should have a right not to vote. Go Howard! Then Go Bush! Deep from the heart of the south.

It is almost 1:00 a.m. I am thinking I'll become a fruit and stay up to see the returns.

I told the octogenarian (female) handing out how-to-vote cards for the Greens to get a job and a haircut, and I didn't vote anyway- I was just passing by to put on my lotto entry.

Just voted in North Shore seat of Joe Hockey. Joe's boys must have been up early - dominates all territory approaching the venue. He also had about 5 pamphlet-thrusters, as opposed to 2 labor dudes, and one forlorn Green. She obviously drew the short straw - working in blue-ribbon Liberal country rather than amongst, say, the basket-weavers of Glebe. NONE of the 8 approached me.

I'm in Fraser (Canberra), so the odds of my vote changing anything are approximately zero.
Voted a few hours ago at the local primary school. Lovely day, Sunny but cool, Scouts selling jams and cakes just outside the exclusion zone, everybody in a good mood. Most people going in were clutching ALP how-to-vote forms, but quite a few had Liberal ones too. Carmel got an ALP form, I got the Liberal one, and took a Green form as well just to know in which order not to vote in cases of doubt.
I gave Carmel the Lib and Green sheets, as she voted first while I was entertaining Andrew, our 3-year-old, then she returned them along with the ALP one and I went and voted myself.
As has been mentioned before, Canberra will return 2 Labor Reps and a Labor and a Lib Senator, unless Hell freezes over.

When I went to vote, I took a how-to-vote card from everyone, and gave them all back afterwards.

I also filled out all the numbers on the senate paper.
I decide where my preferences go.

Voting was a very civil affair here in the safe-Nationals rural seat of Riverina.

Being in a small town, I personally knew most of the ALP, Nationals and Christian Democrats people giving out 'how to votes'.

It's very rude to snub a 'how to vote' person out here.

Interestingly, sitting member Kay Hull placed the ALP second ahead of the Greens then One Nation on preferences.

Voted in Brisbane. Went to another booth & caught up with the Liberal booth captain whom I know. He reported brisk trade in the morning but nothing exceptional unlike in 96 when they were queing up to give Keating a smack.

The Libs think that they might take Brisbane, might only lose one in Adelaide and pick up one and maybe two in Tasmania and are a good show in two to three in WA. The view on the ground is that Howard will hold on. On the other hand the local state Labor MP had been wandering about talking up a late swing to Latham so who knows?

Voting in the Senate was a bitch I ran out of people who I wanted to vote for after 9 & there were fifty on the ballot. But old habits die hard and I just had to put the Socialist Alliance last. It will be a cold cold day in hell before I vote for a Communist.

Habib you're hilarious. Did she tell you to get a life?

I also think that folks should have a right not to vote.

We Australians don't actually have to vote. We just have to have our names crossed off the list, take a ballot paper, and put the ballot paper in the box.
Secret ballots mean we can write what we like on the paper.

Compulsory voting means that the government has to make it easy to vote. So we have elections on Saturdays, lots and lots of polling stations open long hours, and we have postal votes and absentee votes.

So I support the current system. It makes it pretty hard to disenfranchise people.

Voted at a school in West Ryde (Bennelong)this am & the Greens & ALP were handing out how to vote cards together & the Libs were on their own in the middle then another group of Greens & ALP.

Up in the air was the plane writing No More Lies which became More Lies by the time he was finished. Waste of money!!

Also, looks like the election got to one family in Melrose Park. Someone had touched up Andrew Wilkies poster at the front of their house & the owners had written some paranoid crap about the art work & have even installed cameras to catch the artist. Think they need a Bex & a good lie down tomorrow...

Me, I'm off to the Star City to celebrate...

Voted at a school in West Ryde (Bennelong)this am & the Greens & ALP were handing out how to vote cards together & the Libs were on their own in the middle then another group of Greens & ALP.

Up in the air was the plane writing No More Lies which became More Lies by the time he was finished. Waste of money!!

Also, looks like the election got to one family in Melrose Park. Someone had touched up Andrew Wilkies poster at the front of their house & the owners had written some paranoid crap about the art work & have even installed cameras to catch the artist. Think they need a Bex & a good lie down tomorrow...

Me, I'm off to the Star City to celebrate...

Just got back from my voting adventure in the QLD seat of Ryan. Our sitting Liberal Member (Michael Johnson) got my first preference, the Labor candidate (Victoria Chatterjee) my second, the Family First guy was third, then some independent guy fourth, the Dems fifth and the Greens stone cold sixth (last).

Interested that all the volunteer pamphlet hand out people were on their job...except for the dreadlocked Greens guy. I recieved pamphlets from all of them except for the Greens, as their guy was sitting down, chatting to someone he knew. Well, whatever...

Just thought I would give you a few comments on my first ever voting(i'm 19). All was pretty civilised up at my local school in the Sydney electorate of Bradfield. Accepted material from Liberal, Labor and the Democrats but thoroughly ignored the Greens. Liberal got number 1, followed by Labor for number 2; (a) because there's no way that I would put greens above labor as the Lib how to vote card suggests, (b) the labor candidate is an old schoolmate of mine (who is only 19 or 20), Neil Neelam. Democrats got third place, Greens fourth, and Family first (burning lesbians because they're witches?) got the bottom of the barrel.

I was going to vote 1 for Libs in the senate but after seeing Heffo's name below it (i'm not to keen on him), i moved my vote one space to the right to vote for the End Marijuana prohibition party.

Tonight, i'm off to deliver a few pizzas and afterwards sit back at a mates house and watch Johnny's victory unfold while pulling down a few fat cones.

Signing off from a liberal-voting stoner

P.S: I DESPISE the Greens and you wouldn't find me voting for those watermelons in a million years

The fruity yank staying up for the results again. Still do not like forcing folks in effect to vote. I do not like folks who know nothing about anything voting. Some people need to stay home. If they go to vote, they are not likely to turn in a blank ballot. A fair number of them do not want to even come into the polling place. So,why make them?

Hey, people who know diddly shit will turn up to vote with voluntary voting as well...

Actually, I think compulsory voting tends to bring very centrist results, as voluntary voting would ensure mainly party stalwarts would be out voting.

People are taxed against their will, why not make 'em vote? Gets you out of the house for a while...

Just voted in parramatta, absentee for gwydir (North western NSW), so John Anderson is my guy. I was most disappointed to see that there were no Socialist Alliance canidates for parramatta, meaning no chance for me to put on my biggest shit-eating grin and announce:
"Fuck off comrade"
to the face of any how-to-vote people there..

Fruity Yank, If you need to stay home you can always use a postal vote.

Voted in Kings Cross this morning. Lots of Green and Socialist Alliance types out (all the better to capture the chemically insane vote). Seen a couple of Navy guys from the fleet base in the line and watched as one of the Socialist Alliance guys tried to give them a how-to-vote card (he must have had his breaky bong a little too strong today).

They were very polite to the putz but you could see look of complete and utter fucking contempt on the sailors faces towards this dickhead.

I know it's gonna be close but I wish that Howard shits all over the left like a German porn star...

Just heard on Ten News here in Brisbane that early counting in the Tasmainan seats has indicated a 7% or more swing against Labor. An exit poll conducted had that swing as high as 10%. Although voting intentions in Tasmaina would be an accurate indication of how people on the mainland are going to vote.

Although voting intentions in Tasmaina would be an accurate indication of how people on the mainland are going to vote.

Strangely enough, Tassie tends to go against the national swing, at least in the last few elections.

Still, it is currently held entirely by Labor. The Coalition can't really do any worse there than it is at the moment.

Early swings in Tassie are very inconsistent between electorates but at this stage big enough for Bass and maybe Braddon to go Liberal.

http://vtr.aec.gov.au/

Dug out my old corflute (sic) of John Howard from the 96 campaign for tonight. Say what you like about politicians but the old saw about them being bludgers who couldn't work in an iron lung is rubbish. You only have to look at the way Howard looked in 96 to now to see the toll the top job takes on anyone although it didn't seem to bother Clinton too much.

The virtual tally room has 1.75% of the Tas vote counted for 50.31% for the coalition and 49.69% for the ALP a swing to the government of 5.2%

Braddon, 11% counted, 51 Liberal 49 Labor, 2 Party Preferred.

Bass, only 4% counted but currently 8% swing to Liberal.

Just returned from day out at Dunkeld viewing wonderful 'Open Garden' glorious day, Counrty so very green and lushm , Dams fill, sheep with lots of lambs at foot - young calves and foals-rosellas flying and so peaceful. Kept thinking of Poor Ken Bigley and his family, the torture and hell he had to endure. May his killers be caught and his death avenged in the appropriate way.
Go John and George

Tim K- witty retorts aren't usually in the arsenal of the perpetually outraged. I already have a life, which is why I'm not a fossilised feral hanging around polling booths encouraging people to vote for Nature Nazis.

I dedicated my vote to Philip Adams, after reading his puke in today's Oz. I look forward to three more years of his Iwozrobbed drivel.

Another update from my day poll-boothing in Kevin Rudd's seat of Griffith:

A group of guys pulled up in a twin-turbo Porsche Cayenne (about $250k worth), and they told the Labor people to fuck off, and then told me (Lib) to jam it cos Johnny took their guns. They walked into the hall with the closing comment: "We drive Porsches! We're gonna vote for Pauline Hanson!"

*MY ELECTION REFLECTION*

Well today was crap. Utter crap.

I was bouyant and jovial in my election mood and ready to vote for my favorite celebrity.

Then i saw them .. or should i say her... hanging out with one of my best friends .

Of all the places in the world - he handed me a how to vote card and she waved at me ... 12 months of steady 'friendship investment' down the drain.

No matter who wins this election, i lost.

*sigh*

Comments from my customers reveal a very passionate support for Pauline Hanson, regardless of whom the voter prefers in the House of Reps. Quite possible her vote here will be so heavy that it will be weighed rather than counted.

Sympathy vote for Pauline - she was gonged in Celebrity Dancing
Had a sweet dream that Mark was not elected in his s own seat- do dreams come true?

The Australian Electoral Commission says: About one-quarter of the vote will be counted in the first two hours, half within two-and-a-half hours, and three-quarters in three-and-a-half hours. By close of counting, late tonight, all ordinary votes will have been counted.

Had a sweet dream that Mark was not elected in his s own seat- do dreams come true?

In Gough's old stomping ground of Werriwa? Saddam Hussein would be elected if he had a big "ALP" stamp next to his name.

Confirmed by ABC - JWH to win Bennelong. Even more satisfyingly, Wilkie to get hammered in same seat. I hope Howard even gets a swing toward him in the seat.

Here's hoping the other Wilkie (Kim, in perth's seat of swan) gets wasted too.

Someone should stand up and start heckling Nettle ... see if she says 'I love democracy!'.

You know, if Nettle lost her seat, that might almost make up for a Latham victory.

Nah, make it Brown AND Nettle.

In the face of a 4th Coalition victory, watch the Fairfax/ABC Axis of Evil run with the 'Australia turns to the Greens' angle.

It's REALLY looking like a Coalition victory now! I'm just waiting for a few more seat results to come in. Probably only a matter of time.

"[NEWS]Tasmania kicks Latham hard
LIVE COVERAGE: Labor has lost two key seats in Tasmania which will mean the party will need a major nationwide swing if it is to win government."

The ABC team are now estimating the Coalition will win with a majority of 20 seats!

Wow.

Just heard the first "we won the campaign but lost the election" chestnut. Latham looks like going backwards - after all of the rhetoric by party hacks and stalwarts talking him up tonight, it is rare, if not unprecedented, for a party to hang on to a leader after they enter negative territory, especially after all of the, like, 'positive vibes' during the campaign man.

Oops, wrong thread.

The moral of this story is never beat up a taxi driver. The public is totally unforgiving.

Not only a decisive Coalition win, but a swing AGAINST Labor even after 3 terms in Opposition (now that's just bad management), and no more Democrats.

It's so sweet.

oops wrong thread

Latham is halfway through conceding right now but the worst concessiion speach since Malcolm's lip quivered and more evidence that the electorate got it right !!!!!!

I attended the Scoot Den in Moreton a Qld marginal. Stood in a queue for about 20 mins at 9.30. The thing that struck me was the corflute of Latham. He looked to be peering menacingly as if saying "Vote for me or i'll break your arms".

Needless to say I took the risk.

Yup. This is a BIG win for the Coalition - actually GAINING a number of seats for it's FOURTH consecutive term in office! They're currently estimating about a 25 seat majority for the Coalition in the lower house. And they're probably going to do really well in the Senate as well. Bonus!

A MAJORITY IN THE SENATE!

PRIVATISE TELSTRA! REFORM INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS EVEN FURTHER! LIL JOHNNIE AND BIG PETE FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM!

YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT MATES!

AUSSIE! AUSSIE! AUSSIE! OI! OI! OI!

Preferencing the Greens asbsolutely dead last, even in the senate which meant I had to fill out the whole list 1-40. The sense of moral purpose I can only describe as something like giving charity to a really worthy cause.

Bloody brilliant!!! Well done Australia.

And now I see that I helped boot out the sitting ALP member of my own seat. Yeeeeeeeeeehaaaaa!

One of my personal highlights was the Greens campaigner who was telling certain voters that "John Howard hates Muslims". I robustly challenged this idiot and explained that the Coalition of the Willing had freed 50 million Muslims from Saddamite and Taliban tyranny, and that 20 million Afghans were now participating in their own democratic election. [The Green soon concluded that this was not a line of argument he wished to continue].

I also discovered that the Greens had a corflute poster that was in technical breach of the Electoral Act. The Greens reacted very negatively when my complaint was lodged with the electoral commission staff.

I was a booth captain in Ryan (QLD) and my booth is a stong Liberal voting booth. Final figures on a 2 party preferred basis were Johnson (Lib) 1273 and Chattergee (ALP) 819. Afterwards went to the West Bulldogs Rugby Club for the celebrations as Johnson won handsomely with about 58 % of the 2 party preferred votes, and waited until Howard's victory speech before staggering home to bed.

My election day story? Handing out HTV cards for Bridget McKenzie (National Party candidate, seat of McMillan) at Drouin. 3 or 4 greens booth workers there too (why do these buffoons always have beards?), one of whom kept trying to pick a fight with the resolutely polite Family First guy. Dunno, I noticed a LOT of people taking only ALP cards. Big rush of liberals at the end of the day.

Watched the results come in at the campaign office in Leongatha. Sweeeeeet as! Increased majority, Christian Zahra bites the dust, and Peter McGuaran gets back in the seat of Gippsland. Bridget pulls about 10% of the primary vote – pretty good when the Nationals haven’t stood a Federal candidate in McMillan for about 20 years. I WAS disappointed to see this morning that an earlier prediction from another poster hasn’t come true – I was hoping that Latham would have by now been facing charges of drunk in a public place and resisting arrest. To echo an earlier (also another person’s) prophecy – now can we wait to see if Phillip Adams goes on a depression induced eating binge, thereby plunging the Hunter Valley into famine?!?!?

One other prophecy – Kim Beazley makes another tilt at leading the ALP. My guess is the rumors will begin in 4-6 weeks and a leadership challenge early in 2005.

Have the Labor clowns never heard "any publicity is good publicity"? All round the polling booths they've got pictures of Peter Costello just to remind us who has been responsible for the most prosperous eight years in Australian history. Dickheads couldn't sell poontang to the navy.

I was handing out HTV cards for Bridget McKenzie (Nationals) at Wonthaggi. Everyone was getting along fine by not arguing about politics as we knew we had to put up with one another all day. That is except a young green. He decided to try and convert my two fellow national HTV handouters to the greens. He said if the Coalition got in again there uni fees would grow. Not realising that I was a uni student as I look like the farmer I was for many years before going back to school, I turned on him. I told him that if you want to go to uni you can pay for it especially as HECS helps you out. And anyway apprentices don't get any help when their on low wages.
I think I scared him because he went quiet and moved away from me.
Typical green, think they have the answers until someone reminds them about the real world.

Hey Will:

Suck it up, guy. It's happened to all of us. For future reference: limit "friendship investment" to 30 days max. If you can't get a real date within that time frame, accept that she isn't interested and move on.