Abbott in Government

[straitman]

FFS Abbott has included less women in cabinet then Afghanistan but he now has abolished the minister for Science.
People we really have moved into the dark ages!
No Cookies | Herald Sun

Isn't it more important to have the right people in the jobs rather than men/women, black/white etc, etc :?:

 

[serfty]

The Government didn't come in with any kind of mandate - 55% of Australians voted for someone else.

On that basis, then 66% voted for someone other than the previous government - so 45% over 34% on that basis would indicate the incoming government has a stronger mandate.

...
If they were able to attempt any mandate, it would simply to be "not Labor", as the substantial shift of votes away from the major parties - especially in the Senate - shows.

What shift? Don't lump the 'major' parties together - that's simply illogical in the context of mandates.

The incoming government increased it's primary vote by 2% in the HOR and their vote change vote was effectively static in the Senate. Contrast that with the outgoing governments change of -4% in the HOR and -5% in the Senate.

Don't forget the likely loss of six Labor senate seats.

Senate State First Preferences By Group

Party Totals - Australia Votes | Federal Election 2013 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[drsmithy]

On that basis, then 66% voted for someone other than the previous government - so 45% over 34% on that basis would indicate the incoming government has a stronger mandate.

No, that doesn't even make sense. Stronger mandate than who ?

The incoming government increased it's primary vote by 2% in the HOR and their vote change vote was effectively static in the Senate. Contrast that with the outgoing governments change of -4% in the HOR and -5% in the Senate.

Don't forget the likely loss of six Labor senate seats.

Yes. Like I said. The only "mandate" they could possibly lay claim to is being "not Labor".

Of course, as Abbot himself has written in the past, talk of "we have a mandate, so you should all agree with everything we do" is absurd. Labor, the Greens, and anyone else has the "mandate" from the people who voted for them to maintain the policy positions they went into the election with.

The suggestion that the 55% of people who didn't vote for the Coalition shouldn't be represented, is insulting. Though, as I have noted previously, a whole bunch of people in this country seem to think Government should be a dictatorship with term limits, rather than a democracy, so it's not surprising.

 

[whatmeworry]

Isn't it more important to have the right people in the jobs rather than men/women, black/white etc, etc :?:

Problem with the Liberal party (and the Nats), despite making themselves a small target and having no policy to speak of, they could have slipped in a few good local female candidates, but rather they went going the safe blokey route. Even the most high profile female libs are the whitest of white Anglo Celts, but only after they have been in the Lib party long enough they can get a high profile gig and only after the labour party did it before.

To the rest of the world we are a laughing stock with no Science Minister.
https://twitter.com/search?q=#noScienceMinister&src=hash

 

[serfty]

...

To the rest of the world we are a laughing stock with no Science Minister.
https://twitter.com/search?q=#noScienceMinister&src=hash

That's ok, wait until we have no "Climate Change Authority" ... the intelligentsia will be laughing ...

 

[DC3]

On what basis would all the female Lib MP's not be the right people I wonder? I'll bet their electorates will love that.

You give them the responsibility and they'll probably even surprise the Abbott.

 

[Pukka]

Problem with the Liberal party (and the Nats), despite making themselves a small target and having no policy to speak of, they could have slipped in a few good local female candidates, but rather they went going the safe blokey route. Even the most high profile female libs are the whitest of white Anglo Celts, but only after they have been in the Lib party long enough they can get a high profile gig and only after the labour party did it before.

To the rest of the world we are a laughing stock with no Science Minister.
https://twitter.com/search?q=#noScienceMinister&src=hash

I'm not a big fan of positive discrimination just for political correctness to achieve some perceived ideal balance.

You're either the best person for the job or you're not.

 

[Pushka]

Re: Oz Federal Election 2013 - Discussion and Comments

I'd rather have competent experienced people in Ministries than those simply selected for gender. Selecting a woman just because she is, is a nonsense.

There is a world of difference between electing someone to represent a voter in an electorate versus selecting them in a Ministry position. I think most reasonable people would understand that.

 

[DC3]

These Liberal women must all be very incompetent. They must really be hopeless.

I'd like to know the criteria that was used to dismiss them all as not being up to it.

 

[Pushka]

These Liberal women must all be very incompetent. They must really be hopeless.

I'd like to know the criteria that was used to dismiss them all as not being up to it.

Really what you are saying, is that anyone not selected as a minister is incompetent. Which makes a lot of men (and also some women) from the previous labor Government (and any Government), incompetent. It's a nonsense.

 

[medhead]

These Liberal women must all be very incompetent. They must really be hopeless.

I'd like to know the criteria that was used to dismiss them all as not being up to it.

Exactly. I can't believe the Abbott admirers here are seriously saying all the elected women in the liberal party are incompetent duds.

 

[UP4014]

There are less women on the front bench because like all good conservatives they are at home in the kitchen.

Yes, I know.

 

[medhead]

Really what you are saying, is that anyone not selected as a minister is incompetent. Which makes a lot of men (and also some women) from the previous labor Government (and any Government), incompetent. It's a nonsense.

No, that's what you are saying with comments about only giving jobs to competent women. The implication is clear that there are limited competent women in the HoR for the liberal party

 

[DC3]

And how would Tony Abbott know which are the best people for any job (i.e., that all of the women aren't)? Based on what criteria? Sad. sad. sad. I say.

 

[drsmithy]

Re: Oz Federal Election 2013 - Discussion and Comments

I'd rather have competent experienced people in Ministries than those simply selected for gender. Selecting a woman just because she is, is a nonsense.

I think the unwritten question here is: what happens when multiple people are equally capable of filling the position ?

Does anyone know what the overall percentage of women in the Coalition is ? Is 5% on the front bench proportionally equal, or undershooting ?

 

[Alanslegal]

To say that only 'merit' was the sole selection criteria is very misleading, just like it is in many workforces There is a whole range of competing criterias that can influence appointment. Those who love LNP must be disgusted I am tagging a SMH article but here's a little more of what I think is more probable;;;

Merit pushed aside as host of factors set seats at table

 

[DC3]

Exactly. The "Merit" lie.

 

[get me outta here]

To say that only 'merit' was the sole selection criteria is very misleading, just like it is in many workforces There is a whole range of competing criterias that can influence appointment. Those who love LNP must be disgusted I am tagging a SMH article but here's a little more of what I think is more probable;;;

Merit pushed aside as host of factors set seats at table

And, therefore women could not be in any of those sub factions of faceless MEN?

 

[Skyring]

FFS Abbott has included less women in cabinet then Afghanistan but he now has abolished the minister for Science.
People we really have moved into the dark ages!

Just like Hawke in 1987 when he gave Barry Jones the boot.

 

[get me outta here]

Re: Oz Federal Election 2013 - Discussion and Comments

I can hear the dinosaurs braying, "no, no, not more women going off for assertiveness training".