The Down Under Lounge

[Marc]

Maybe a snap election in Queensland. More details as they come to hand. Pictures at 11.

Gonna be interesting. According to the ABC, latest newpoll has Labor and LNP pretty much tied. Newman leads as preferred permier and his job approval is around 38%.

He's also going to be an a hell of fight to keep his seat.

People aren't expecting Labor to win but are expecting Newman to be turfed.

If he does lose the LNP is gonna have to find a nice really safe seat to parachute him into otherwise they might find the voters turn on them big time (the Tories in Ontario tried that once and a normally blue seat turned red).

 

[jaz'a]

I think the best case scenario will be a coalition government. I don't think Labor has the ability to win outright. Their visibility the last 3 years simply hasn't been good enough to inspire confidence in the voters. We're going to see a lot of votes go the way of Palmer and possibly the Katter Party.

I think it's almost a given that Newman is going to lose his Ashgrove seat. Having been a resident there for about 8 years (moved in March), the feel on the street is exactly what the polls are saying. He's not well liked and Labor is no longer hated enough for him to hold his seat based solely on that again.

It will be an interesting campaign period. The LNP plays dirty during elections.

 

[Marc]

I think the best case scenario will be a coalition government. I don't think Labor has the ability to win outright. Their visibility the last 3 years simply hasn't been good enough to inspire confidence in the voters. We're going to see a lot of votes go the way of Palmer and possibly the Katter Party.

I think it's almost a given that Newman is going to lose his Ashgrove seat. Having been a resident there for about 8 years (moved in March), the feel on the street is exactly what the polls are saying. He's not well liked and Labor is no longer hated enough for him to hold his seat based solely on that again.

It will be an interesting campaign period. The LNP plays dirty during elections.

Well news ltd is reporting that Palmer has something big that's gonna blow things up for Newman and also seen it reported that KAP is pretty much going nowhere.

Again it's very telling that depsite a middling performance for Labor to be within striking distance so soon after such a hiding as they got in 2012 is very telling.

In fact if you look at polling around the country the conservative governments are starting to slid in the opinion polls - even the Barnett govt in W.A is getting on the nose at a rapid rate.

 

[Botany Bay]

A late happy new year to you guys.

I've been in the USA for a few weeks where it was 3 degrees, and arrived home where it's 30. My body has decided to give me a double dose of a cold and jetlag as punishment.

What did I miss? Nothing too horrible has happened thank god.
Cricket looks a bit dull.
NSW ALP flicked an unelectable leader to put in their best guy (IMO).
Oil price has halved in six months, and the share market is starting to panic.

Checking on QLD betting markets :
ALP win ~25% chance
Newman loses seat ~70% chance

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

Feeling sad tonight, as that truck driver that had the smash on the M2 in Sydney earlier this morning, was someone who I consider a friend. He did an awesome Penguin cosplay (and many others). So tragic.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I'm sorry to hear that ElimParra

 

[Australis]

Terrible news ElimParra, sorry for your loss.

 

[Botany Bay]

Condolences Elim. Horrible news.

Check out this very clever response to the Paris terror attack by Canberra cartoonist David Pope, proving that the pen is always mightier than the sword.

Once again the lunatic fringe of Islam voilate one of their strictest laws -- that killing is evil, and will, in the long run, only cause more distress for the 99.9% of Muslims who are capable of practicing their religion peacefully.

It's hard to see the problem of Islamic terror ever going away, sadly. I'm not sure what we can do other than keep reinforcing the message that these murderers are not muslims, but criminals, and that society, and their own religion has no place for them other than a life in maximum security where they can look on while the rest of us enjoy free speech and the ability to laugh at ourselves.

 

[jaz'a]

Terribly sorry for your loss Elim.

 

[Australis]

CAPTION THIS!

Kid: Oh fuck, not this shit again!!"

 

[Marc]

"The only conclusion after hearing abbot - head, meet desk"

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

"Can someone wake me up when that idiot leaves?"

Also found this last night on FB - Bliss N Eso song Straya

 

[Australis]

That Straya song is great! Nash in ohl anfem, mate!

And for those who don't use FB:

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMdbVHPmCW0[/yt]

 

[Botany Bay]

CAPTION THIS!

Kid : Again with Medicare...!

 

[Australis]

Kid: "If I hear him say Joe Hockey's a good bloke one more time, I'll be sick".

 

[Australis]

Want an intense flashback? Rage is having a Retro Month. Get old eps of Countdown, Antenna, and Rock Arena, mixed with some older songs. There's even eps of Hit Scene from 1968-9!

And man, there are songs on these shows you will never hear again. There are reasons...

Set your recorders next Saturday night!

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

That Straya song is great! Nash in ohl anfem, mate!

And for those who don't use FB:

I lol'd SO HARD at some of this..

"WE ALL MATES.." Latham shakes Howard's hand like he's gonna gore him in the guts..

Hawke sculling one at the cricket "so happy heeere"

haha and those (obviously not forgotten) ads..

 

[Marc]

"WE ALL MATES.." Latham shakes Howard's hand like he's gonna gore him in the guts..

Believe by many to be the moment at which Labor lost the 2004 election.

 

[Australis]

And I wouldn't disagree with that. It just looks bad.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Oh really! I never saw that clip before, didn't know lots of people took it that way.