counting ....

[TomB]

I predict Gillard will continue as PM and Abbott will not be in charge for the next election.

[boxy]

But will Gillard be in charge for the next election?

[TomB]

Doubtful with that voice.

[Ned Kelly]

Lol!!!!

[boxy]

How fucking annoying is Bob Katter going to be until the next election, FFS! Normally we could just ignore him, but now he's going to be one of the 3 MPs with the most power in the country

[Ned Kelly]

How fucking annoying is Bob Katter going to be until the next election, FFS! Normally we could just ignore him, but now he's going to be one of the 3 MPs with the most power in the country

Loll!!!

[Mattus]

How fucking annoying is Bob Katter going to be until the next election, FFS! Normally we could just ignore him, but now he's going to be one of the 3 MPs with the most power in the country

What an amazing knife edge our legislative system rests on. If Labor form minority government with just the green from melbourne, and with a green balance of power in the senate you will see some of the most progressive emissions and environmental laws passed in Australia in very short order. However, if even just 1 of the 3 country MPs are needed for a labor minority govt you will not see a single green bill even supplied to the senate for the entire duration of that government. They'd get coalation support sooner thn Katter's vote on a climate change bill. It's one extreme or another, with only 500 or so bogan votes in WA holding the balance... and I think it's likely to be the latter. Despite the biggest green slide in political history, not a single climate change bill will be passed... not even voted on.

If there's any upside to a labor minority govt with the 3 country MPs and a Green, though, it's that these extremists will be forced to finally sit at the same table. Maybe they'll be grown up about it... who knows.

[J.W. Frogen]

Carbon Tax or an Emissions Trading Scheme reminds me of 'Precious' from Lord of the Rings; it has so many unintended political consequences and seems to send leaders, even entire political parties into the graveyard.

It brought down a Liberal leader who was for it, Turnbull, and after the failure at Copenhagen it started Rudd’s poll slide. When Rudd announced his retreat from the issue a few months latter his numbers started to collapse, part of the Green gains were people committed to the issue deserting Labor.

Ironically it was the Greens who stopped a possible trading scheme happening. Rudd had the votes with Green Senate support (two Liberals were on board in the Senate without party comitment) but Brown shot it down because it did not go far enough. If he could not have the entire loaf he wanted no slice. But carbon trading supporters rewarded Brown for the block and punished Labor.

Even Maxine Mckew lost Bennalong in a byzantine twist partially due to carbon trading dreams. Her numbers fell when Rudd was dumped, Rudd was dumped partially because of his climate change retreat, Maxine lost the large Chinese community in her seat because Mandarin speaking Rudd was dumped but it was Mandarin speaking China that sunk the climate change conference at Copenhagen.

The Ring wants to get back to it's master.

One poison issue to rule them all.

[TomB]

We need this impasse sorted out as soon as possible and independents saying they won't be pushed is causing further uncertainty.

Katter is bigger nutbag than I realised and I really think we need to go back to the polls ASAP to take him out of the equation even though it may mean the end of Labor governance.