Scott Morrison

[brian ross]

As we used to say in the Army, "sounds like a personal problem, do you want to see the Padre about it?" If they choose to live in ignorance, who's fault is that? Politics is well documented, it is well understood by those who wish to understand it. It is not difficult, unless people are wilfully ignorant.

If you were a "grunt" in The Army, that says a lot. Are you a Vietnam Vet?

Nope. Never claimed to be one. I enlisted in 1977, well after our involvement "over there" had ended (thank goodness).

When you cast your vote, you vote for your local member, not for the Prime Minister. It is up to the local MPs, voting as a bloc, in the House to form a party and select a leader who becomes the Prime Minister, who forms government and leads it.

Yes, EVERYBODY knows that, Brian. However, the NORMAL, average, Aussies generally have absolutely NO interest, whatsoever, in politics. This is a good reason why "compulsory" turning up at the Polls on Election Day is a PITA.

Compulsory attendance ensures that you are aware of the need for you to exercise your democratic responsibility. I am glad you didn't repeat the lie that we have "compulsory voting" because we don't.

Simples really. I suppose we could become a Presidential style system, like Israel tried over a decade ago. They abandoned directly electing the Prime Minister within a term, as essentially unworkable in a Parliametary system. The US has shown how badly a Presidential system can become - with the present incumbent failing to win the popular vote and only being elected by the Electoral College. Tut, tut.

What, on earth, does Israel and, especially, the USA Elections have to do with Australia?

They demonstrate the problems with trying to change an existing parliametary system into a presidential style electoral system. You simply cannot vote directly for the Prime Minister. It is not how it works - something I keep trying to impress on peoples here. This is stuff which every kid should be taught in primary school but unfortunately isn't. Tut, tut.

[Rorschach]

Most of us are well aware we don't get to personally vote for the PM... not that that stops Labor from lying about that and implying that a PM that we voted for was mysteriously removed eh bwian... tsk, tsk, tsk the progressive Left are liars...

[cods]

ok so why have a leader and a leader that visits all over the country at election time???>.

he she isnt a super star... we are not voting for them?.....

of course we vote for a bloody PARTY.....but its the leader that sells the party....

well for me it is.............I would never ever vote for a back stabber as has been proved my malc... he has also stabbed his country in the back....

as a Lib I am very pizzed off....

nothing labor does pizzes lefties off....they would vote for ANYTHING if it would win...

[brian ross]

ok so why have a leader and a leader that visits all over the country at election time???>.

he she isnt a super star... we are not voting for them?.....

of course we vote for a bloody PARTY.....but its the leader that sells the party....

well for me it is.............I would never ever vote for a back stabber as has been proved my malc... he has also stabbed his country in the back....

as a Lib I am very pizzed off....

nothing labor does pizzes lefties off....they would vote for ANYTHING if it would win...

You answer your own questions, Cods. The role of the leader has change since Australia became a federation in 1901. This has largely been due to the Media's involvement in the electoral process. The role of leader within the two major parties has also substantially changed. The Tories hung virtually everything off their leader - without a strong leader, they were sunk. The ALP believed that their leader was the first amongst equals - the party could and did function quite well. We have since the creation of both parties see the rise of factions. When I studied Politics at university, my first year lecturer made the point that the Tories didn't have factions, they had tendencies. Now, nearly 40 years later, we have strong, identifiable factions within the Tory parties. The ALP has always had factions - Left, centre-left and Right.

As for your voting for a backstabber, well, looks like Sco-Mo has lost your vote, after all, he "back-stabbed" Trumble. Of course, Trumble back-stabbed Tone and Tone back-stabbed Trumble. Gee, the list goes on and on. The other side is hardly better. Ego has never been a dirty word in politics.

As for who Lefties would vote for - well I've known some very committed Lefties who would never vote for their enemies in the other factions. Of course, they'd be mates with them - always remember the old adage - better to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. Something the Tories seem to need to learn.

[Neferti]

@ Brian

I hope that Cods doesn't mind me butting in here.

Lots of things have changed since Federation in 1901. You might want to swat up on how Federation came about, "Brian". Federation of Australia you will learn now the Constitution came about, too.

As far as the "major parties" goes, back in 1901 there were these Political Parties:

In 1901, the first Australian Government was formed by the Protectionist Party. They believed Australia needed tariffs (taxes) on goods imported into the country, to protect and develop Australian industry and provide jobs.

In the first decade after federation, the major parties in the federal Parliament were the Protectionist Party, the Free Trade Party and the Australian Labor Party (until 1912, spelt as 'Labour'). In contrast to the Protectionist Party, the Free Trade Party believed Australia needed to get rid of tariffs which restricted free trade. They argued free trade would give everyone the chance to share in the nation's wealth.

More here about Political Parties LINK

Oh, and you are confusing the British Conservatives (Tories) with the Australian Coalition (Liberal and National Parties). They are NOT referred to as the "LNP" unless you are a Queenslander!

The ALP (Australian Labor Party) is run by the Unions! The Greens used to be the Environmental Party under Bob Brown but are now just leftie f-wits.

[brian ross]

I am well aware of the history of Australia and in Federation in particular, Neferti. I studied it extensively at under and post-graduate levels at University. I grew up in a political household, where we discussed politics daily. My father was involved with the ALP. We moved around the periphery of the party for most of my youth. I am also well aware of the various parties which were formed just before and after Federation, so nothing new there, either.

As for calling the Tories, the Tories, well, they have become increasingly "dry" over the decades. They resemble today more the Conservatives of the UK, the original Tories, than they do Ming the Mercilless's original "broad church" which he established them as. Trumble looked like a throwback. Such a shame he got knifed, hey?

What Australia needs is another Gough. "Crash through or crash" was his favourite saying. Keating was a superb politician, as was Gillard. What we need is someone with vision and who is able to implement it.

[Patriot]

The Lefties are SO excited thinking that Labor has secretly RESTARTED the BOATS!!!!!

But Dutto is already on the job stopping the Greeny+Labor attempt to RESTART the BOATS on aeroplanes.

Just think how bad things would be if Labor+Greenies got in and RESTARTED the BOATS!!!!!

[Rorschach]

For starters bwian we don't have TORIES in Australia...

A Tory is a person who holds a political philosophy, known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved throughout history. The Tory ethos has been summed up with the phrase "God, King, and Country". Tories generally advocate monarchism, are usually of a high church Anglican religious heritage and are opposed to the liberalism of the Whig faction.

Since the first fleet Australians evolved a more egalitarian society than the British society just for starters. We are notably different from the British. We are not all Monarchists. We do not hold to the same ethos.... as quoted above. We are also a secular society and not all Anglicans or haven't you noticed.

[Rorschach]

BTW bwian about that other rot you posted... anyone who thinks that is an idiot... and today's labor Party is very different from the one started all those years ago... and you shouldn't believe in fairy-tales let alone spread them around like myths.

[sprintcyclist]

The Lefties are SO excited thinking that Labor has secretly RESTARTED the BOATS!!!!!

But Dutto is already on the job stopping the Greeny+Labor attempt to RESTART the BOATS on aeroplanes.

Just think how bad things would be if Labor+Greenies got in and RESTARTED the BOATS!!!!!

That is an excellent image
I could not repost it