Oz Federal Election 2013 - Discussion and Comments

[medhead]

Well since Abbott is going to save us from everything else. I look forward to him getting the Cricket team and the Wallabies back to winning.


edit: I also see that no one has commented on the averted irony of Rudd being ousted by a union hack.

 

[JohnK]

It makes perfect sense actually because everyone in the state gets to elect 6 senators not just one. Hence preferences are very important.

Hare-Clark has to be a better system given it makes it much harder I game the system with preferences.

It makes no sense to the average person medhead.

In that example 2 parties who have not had a single quota between them get to have 2 Senators. Extremely ....

 

[moa999]

Fisher, Qld added by the AEC to the in doubt list, presumably reflecting my prediction that PUP will be #2 after minor parties excluded

 

[moa999]

It makes perfect sense if you believe everyone who votes abive the line and agrees with that parties preferences... otherwise they should have voted below the line.

Xenophon did not have good preferences from either the major or minor parties, hence the count didn't increase.

 

[medhead]

It makes no sense to the average person medhead.

In that example 2 parties who have not had a single quota between them get to have 2 Senators. Extremely ....

I dare say you are trying to be confused. Each state had to pick 6 for the senate. When we vote we are asked to nominate our preferential order for all the senate candidates. A quota of voters preferred those 2 candidates before all other candidates, even if they were not first choice. That is how preferential voting works.

Did the Greeks invent it?

 

[moa999]

Also interesting, despite last night as being declared no longer the bellwether seat, Eden-Monaro, NSW is now in play, with AEC showing the Libs slightly in front

 

[Hvr]

And perhaps the most wonderful thing about the whole process is that the loser makes a concession speech and hands over power to the winner who then assumes power according to protocol and life goes on. No bloodshed, guns or violence. No comments about people being denied their vote or undue pressure to vote for a particular party.

Very few countries in the world live such a wonderful life when considering their voting priviliges (if indeed they even have the vote).

While there are comments about quotas they are minor in the big scheme of things.

Independents and minor parties do have a role to play and their presence forces the government of the day to consider other points of view and to negotiate. Something that Ms Gillard actually did very well.

If the PM elect Mr Abbott wants to emulate his heroes (Howard and Menzies) he too will have to learn to negotiate. We'll see how he does and vote accordingly at the next election. And so it continues.

 

[drsmithy]

And the very purpose of this was to protect the population in the smaller States from being oppressed by the larger States. Not sure how effective it has been but that was 1890's thinking.

Given the number of people here who think 51% of the vote should entitle one party to dictate to the entire country, it seems to have been a prudent and wise decision.

 

[Pushka]

Given the number of people here who think 51% of the vote should entitle one party to dictate to the entire country, it seems to have been a prudent and wise decision.

Or even, 50.12%.

 

[medhead]

Or even, 50.12%.

Or even 49.5%

 

[dfcatch]

Or even 49.5%

As you know Medhead - it's about a majority of seats

 

[amaroo]

Given the number of people here who think 51% of the vote should entitle one party to dictate to the entire country, it seems to have been a prudent and wise decision.

LOL doesn't feel good does it

 

[Buzzard]

Now the election is over, it's like Elmer Fudd would say................

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, it's wabbit season!

 

[JohnK]

It makes perfect sense if you believe everyone who votes abive the line and agrees with that parties preferences... otherwise they should have voted below the line.

Xenophon did not have good preferences from either the major or minor parties, hence the count didn't increase.

Who in their right minds is going to number 1 -> 135?

I think (hope) Xenophon will get the 2nd Senate seat in SA and is not that far away with ony 2/3 of the vote counted. Australia Greens and Family First do not deserve to have a Senate seat each with the low vote they had.

That is how preferential voting works.

And all am I saying is that preferential voting is not a fair system when it can throw up anomalies like the one predicted right now.

Did the Greeks invent it?

The Greeks get the blame for everything.

Their current system is a little better than ours here but requires more funding. If a candidate does not have 50% of the primary vote then another election is held as a 2 horse race. That is how it should be.

We all know preferences can be manipulated which is what is happening right now.

 

[moa999]

There was sarcasm in my post.

Monte Carlo simulations based on prelim results put a 2nd Xen seat at 2% in SA
http://originaltruthseeker.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/sa-senate-update-71-counted.html?m=1

I suspect a move towards the optional preferential system used in NSW upper house

 

[amaroo]

There was sarcasm in my post.

Monte Carlo simulations based on prelim results put a 2nd Xen seat at 2% in SA
Truth Seeker: SA Senate update - 71% counted

I suspect a move towards the optional preferential system used in NSW upper house

Maybe we should implement the QLD solution - Unicameralism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia IIRC it was the ALP that made it happen.

 

[Pushka]

I voted in a rural booth. Very Coalition. Everyone there spent a long time filling in the Senate paper. Wouldn't surprise me if the voting patterns change in SA because those votes (including mine) haven't been counted yet. So maybe Mr X might get 2.

 

[medhead]

As you know Medhead - it's about a majority of seats

You don't need to tell me that, perhaps address your comment to Pushka as they seem to have forgotten that point. Hence my post.

 

[Pushka]

You don't need to tell me that, perhaps address your comment to Pushka as they seem to have forgotten that point. Hence my post.

Actually, remind drsmithy because I was commenting on this.

Given the number of people here who think 51% of the vote should entitle one party to dictate to the entire country, it seems to have been a prudent and wise decision.

 

[serfty]

I must admit, I voted above the line for the first time ... Thanks to Anthony Green/ABC, there was a list of each group in order of preference flows.

I was able to ascertain one group who would be very unlikely to get up to 4% of the 1 votes with only about 12 inoffensive steps to the party I wished to vote for.