Went to vote and a Liberal pamphleteer says to the Labor pamphleteer: “Why did you join the Labor Party?” Labor: “Because I hate the Liberal Party so much. Really, I do.” <end of conversation>
Arrived at C’s for election night viewing at 8pm.
He had already filled out part of his SMH liftout, ticking off which seats had been declared. Set the heater going and had a second TV on in another room, with the audio up so we could hear when to flick over (whenever we heard Richo’s distinctive voice cos he’s good value) and the internet attuned to the SMH and ABC sites. When we disagreed on which station to watch, just went to the other room and switched channel. Had access to all channels, but Sky looked a bit shoe-string, though David Speers is easy on the eye, but seemed like he was talking to himself, was there anyone else there?
C was taking his statistics from Antony Green, who’s spot on. Kerry 7.30Report seems very tired and looks a bit blank, though he often does on election night. Tony Lateline is bright and chirpy.
C finally entrusts me with the use of the remote and leaves the room whenever “faceless man” Mark Arbib or Tony Abbott appears.
Stephen Smith, Foreign Minister, is good, though very sombre. Smith asks the best question when he probes Nick Minchin on whether, in his darkest moments, he thought Abbott didn’t have the temperament to make it. Minchin denied that thought, though with a big smile that indicated he agreed, and said he’d had the utmost confidence Abbott would pull this off.
Malcolm Turnbull claims his seat and said he had 800 vollies helping, and the public doesn’t realise how much effort goes into a campaign for each seat.
The argy bargy with Wayne Swan, Kroger and Barnaby was hilarious though pointless, and Swan handles it well by saying he isn’t going to put up with that crazy abuse, especially since he can’t see who he was debating (he was on location, with an earpiece). “Come and say it to my face!”
Is my local MP Tanya Plibersek pregnant? Seems so.
C is infuriated that it’s mentioned on C7 that the youngest MP is the most mentioned name on Twitter and is being asked to sing like Justin Bieber. “Who looks at Twitter? Switch it over!”
Now there’s Sharan Burrows, then Bill Shorten – union players behind the knifing of Rudd. Arbib cops a pointed question about the knifing and he throws the blame back on the leaks (presumably from Rudd or his supporters).
Mel and Kochie start looking panicky at the thought they’ll have to stay up later than 9pm (s’pose they’re usually in bed by 8pm to get up at 4am) and started passing around the chocolates and coffee. C and I decide to order Thai and had lots of cola and choccies for the marathon. I admire C’s recent kitchen renovation.
The shots of the Gillard party say it all – deserted. The Liberals are well dressed and looking perky. It seems hard to believe – snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. How could Labor stuff up a campaign so badly?
No woman prime minister. No broadband network. No super increases. No mining taxes to pay for our pensions. No infrastructure.
Now the country is being run by a minority of bogans in marginal seats. Just wait til the Baby Boomers hold the balance of power …
C and I have arguments over the state of Australia and why so many people in marginal seats seem to hate boat people and mining taxes and seem to just hate Australia. C blames it on the media, and says journalists don’t show enough respect for MPs. I blame it on C, as he’s a teacher and should be providing better education so people aren’t sidetracked by redneck issues. C confesses he reads the SMH and the Daily Telegraph, and I say this explains a lot and he should read the SMH more closely instead.
C seems satisfied to have had a heated argument, I think he imagines it’s like being on QandA.
By 11pm, C leaves to clean his teeth and get ready for a lie down, as he feels “sick to his core” by the result. I warn him not to go near the razor in the bathroom.
11.30 C can’t bear to watch anymore and is in bed, with ice on his forehead. He says the counting won’t change, it would have mostly been done. Just postal votes.
12 Abbot’s speech: I wasn’t impressed by his 36-hour marathon effort, as it’s too macho and who wants a crazed sleep-deprived person making big decisions? Had enough of that with Rudd. Abbott looked exhausted and hoarse, but hey, he did put in 100 per cent and ran the best campaign, especially since it seemed like he was sure to lose. Brilliant contender. His daughters went to Lindsay to hand out leaflets, wonder if that won it?
12.15 I wake C up to walk me to my car.
MY ANALYSIS: I’d grown to dislike Kevin and his 24/7 working habits and lack of sleep and how he surrounded himself with young men with no outside lives. It was too crazy macho for me to feel confident in his decision making. I doubt the voters noticed that. They probably just saw that he seemed like an OK PM and didn’t deserve to lose his job.
Will there be another election within the next six months?
Will the Greens use their balance of power in the Senate to force a double dissolution?
I don’t see how this can possibly work.
Also, when will the “eastern states” stop treating Western Australia and Queensland like cash cows? They vote Liberal because they’re being drained and getting no respect for it. WA voted to secede in 1933 but the Commonwealth wouldn’t allow it, cos it was too intent on sucking it dry.
UPDATE: Gillard might be able to rule in a hung parliament. A nail-biting week ahead…
And I’ll just add a link to a lovely piece about the importance of democracy. I enjoy a laugh but also feel the dignity of the position of MPs and the Prime Minister should be upheld, and also the democratic importance of the role of journalists should be respected and their questions answered.
