79 replies to this topic

[Gnu Ordure]

I hear you're going to have an election.

http://www.guardian....gust-21-gillard

Where do you stand? What are the issues? What are the options? Who are you going to vote for?



Can someone lease explain the general situation - bear in mind I'm a Brit, so assume I know nothing of australian politics (which would be an accurate assumption).

[bahram]

Donkey vote, don't really care.

As long as Abbot doesn't get in, he'll probably bring back Work Choices legislation, nobody wants that.

Gillard will probably win, she'll have the pop vote going for her this time around just like Rudd did in the last election, and by that I mean "girl power." And yes, people do vote based on these kind of things believe it or not, it's not solely policy.

[Greenie]

Pedant's Corner - a 'donkey vote' means just voting 1 - 4 (or however many candidates there are) straight down the ballot paper, regardless of the candidates. It counts as a vote and is a really silly thing to do, as you're giving your vote to someone for no reason. An 'informal vote' means that you have not voted correctly (not numbered any candidates, written All Politicians are fools' or something, or otherwise market the ballot paper incorrectly). It does not give a vote to anyone and is what you should do if you do not want to vote.

[Greenie]

The Greens will probably win the balance of power in the Senate (= House of Lords), which is a good thing in itself IMHO and also means that the current situation of a "Family First" (ie right-wing Christian) holding the balance of power will end.

Labor will probably win the House of Reps (= Commons).

One interesting point that an outsider might not have picked up on - Julia Gillard, the Labor leader, has a strong working-class accent but since becoming leader has apparently been having lessons and now has speech mannerisms uncannily like those of Margaret Thatcher, who also learned a new accent. Julia even wore pearls when visiting the Governor General to ask for the election to be called. I doubt that she had any pearls before becoming Labor leader.

[Um Zaynab]

salam

One interesting point that an outsider might not have picked up on - Julia Gillard, the Labor leader, has a strong working-class accent but since becoming leader has apparently been having lessons and now has speech mannerisms uncannily like those of Margaret Thatcher, who also learned a new accent. Julia even wore pearls when visiting the Governor General to ask for the election to be called. I doubt that she had any pearls before becoming Labor leader.

you've got to be jocking..really?

why would she wanna do that? with the lessons?

[Greenie]

Because a lot of people disliked her accent. It wasn't the classic 'Aussie' accent (which is a rural accent and now not that common for most Australians) it was a particular urban accent, as parodied on Kath & Kim. She seems to have made an attempt to talk much slower and avoid the 'moi' for 'my/'me'' etc.

[Gnu Ordure]

But she was born in Britain.

So you're saying that she used to talk British, but then she went to Australia and learned to speak Australian, and now she's having lessons on how to speak British again?



This is great. Are all your elections like this?

[Greenie]

She was born in Wales, but AFAIK never had a Welsh accent. She isn't learning to talk British - her accent isn't like Thatcher's, but mannerisms of her new way of speaking remind me of Thatcher - speaking slowly, deeply, carefully, with gravitas.

No, all elections aren't like this. I suspect it's a combination of her of accent being unpopular (it's an often-parodied accent, from that very vulnerable-to-parody class, the aspirational-lower-middle-class; I'm trying to think of a BBC sitcom that parodies the Brit version of the accent of that class) and her being the first female PM. Most Australian party leaders have university/lawyer accents, whether they be upper or working class versions of them - Julia's accent was neither (despite her being a lawyer and university-educated).

[MoldyToast]

Oh good grief. She doesn't sound anything like Margaret Thatcher, and she's worn pearls for years.

Gnu: At least we manage to make sure our polling booths are adequately staffed, eh?

[pepe]

Not voting. Again.

[Dishdash]

Way to go Phil. Just make sure that no-one connected with NSWEC or AEC finds out about your intentions. Oh. Wait a sec...

And on a more serious note, Gillard's ears alone should make you want to spoil your ballot paper. If she shakes her head fast enough, she'll fly.

[Gnu Ordure]

She was born in Wales, but AFAIK never had a Welsh accent. She isn't learning to talk British -

I know, I know, Greenie. A wee joke, it was. Is she really having elocution lessons, though? It's a weird thing to do at this point in her career. I mean, she's already done pretty well with the accent she's got, being PM and all. And I imagine some people (the ones who say 'moi') would be put off voting for her if they knew she was deliberately trying to sound less like them.

Moldy:

Gnu: At least we manage to make sure our polling booths are adequately staffed, eh?

Heh-heh. Touche. Not as bad as the Yanks with their 'hanging chads', though.

[Greenie]

sorry, Gnu, busy day yesterday and humour switched off... I don't know about elocution lessons, but she has turned down the speed and pitch of her voice and turned the 'fun' right off.

Dishdash, and her nose is actually unusually long and pointy - yet she's quite attractive in a non-sexual way.


And on the other side we have the Liberals (= Conservatives), lead by their 4th leader in 4 years. My chemist has a mat on his counter advertising Benadryl Chesty Cough Supressent (or something) which pictures the chesty cough monster being booted out - the CCM looks surprising like liberal leader Tony Abbott.

[Gnu Ordure]

sorry, Gnu, busy day yesterday and humour switched off...

No worries, Greenie. I prefer my humour dry, or deadpan. So I get misunderstood a lot.

And you have to bear in mind that, as a cricket-playing Brit, my real-world default setting for talking to Aussies is "insult". The English are cucumber-sandwich-eating [MOD: language]; and Aussies [MOD: language]. The Ashes wouldn't be the same without this kind of in-depth analysis.

[Greenie]

No worries, Greenie. I prefer my humour dry, or deadpan. So I get misunderstood a lot.

And you have to bear in mind that, as a cricket-playing Brit, my real-world default setting for talking to Aussies is "insult". The English are cucumber-sandwich-eating [MOD: language]; and Aussies [MOD: language]. The Ashes wouldn't be the same without this kind of in-depth analysis.

and roll on the Ashes! I must admit, though, that I was barracking for England last Ashes ...

[Greenie]

If you want the inside info on the election as of last week, have a look at this (it's a transcript but there are links to the video on the page, and it's better with video). John Clarke, although actually a Kiwi, has been Australia's best comedian for decades. http://www.abc.net.a...10/s2955040.htm

[Greenie]

Update on my voting intentions - I'll be voting Green in the reps (preferences probably to Labor) but in the Senate I'll be voting Australian Sex Party. They won't get a senator, but they do represent my POV on a lot of issues. [MOD: inappropriate site]).

The Policies

Censorship

• Bring about the establishment of a truly national classification scheme which includes a uniform non-violent erotica rating for explicit adult material for all jurisdictions and through all media including the Internet and computer games.

• Introduce an R and X rating for computer games

• To overturn mandatory ISP filtering of the Internet and return Internet censorship to parents and individuals.

• We oppose the mandatory retention of all Australian users’ internet browsing history and emails by ISPs for at-will inspection by law enforcement agencies, and support strong judicial oversight over the ability of law enforcement to access individuals’ internet and email data.

Education

• To bring about the development of a national sex education curriculum as a first step in preventing the sexualisation of children.

• Development of a national internet education scheme for parents.

Equality

• To enact national anti discrimination laws which make it illegal to unfairly discriminate against people or companies on the basis of job, occupation, profession or calling.

• To bring about equal numbers of women in the Parliament through enabling the Federal Discrimination Act to have jurisdiction extending to political parties.

• To create total equal rights in all areas of the law for ***, lesbian and transsexuals.

• Overturn racist laws that ban adults living in and visiting aboriginal communities in the NT from possessing erotic and sexual media.

• Ensure the sexual rights and freedoms of people with a disability and the elderly.

Health

• To enact national pregnancy termination laws along the same lines as divorce law — which allow for legal, no-fault and guilt-free processes for women seeking termination.

• The listing of Viagra, Cialis and other drugs used to treat sexual dysfunction, on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

• Overturn restrictions on aid to overseas family planning organisations that reference abortion.

Protection of Children

• Convene a Royal Commission into child sex abuse in the nation’s religious institutions.

• Develop global approaches to tackling child pornography which focus on detection and apprehension of the producers of the material.

Workplace Relations

• Ensure that the introduction of paid maternity leave is fair and equitable for small businesses.

• Abolish sex slavery and sexual servitude by introducing non morality-based immigration policies that allow bona-fide sex workers to work legally in Australia.

Other

• Ending the tax exempt status for religions.

[Gnu Ordure]

I said:

And you have to bear in mind that, as a cricket-playing Brit, my real-world default setting for talking to Aussies is "insult". The English are cucumber-sandwich-eating [MOD: language]; and Aussies [MOD: language]. The Ashes wouldn't be the same without this kind of in-depth analysis.

Heh-heh. I did wonder when I typed out those crude generic insults (one of which described my own countrymen) whether they would be allowed to remain. So I see I was right to avoid this kind of language on this forum. Apologies to anyone who was offended.

(And actually, it's funnier with the Mod deletions; now you'll just have to imagine what I said!).

The point is that in some cultures, what appear to be insults are actually the opposite - they're signs of friendship. I know that's a bit weird , but it's true. It's called "joshing": to tease or ridicule someone in a good-natured way.

Is this true in Islamic culture/society?

Do you josh?

[Abdul Rahman]

Way to go Phil. Just make sure that no-one connected with NSWEC or AEC finds out about your intentions. Oh. Wait a sec...
...

I actually heard a teacher explain that turning up to vote was mandatory, but not voting itself yesterday, essentially reassuring the student that they did not have to vote with a tone of encouragement.

[Greenie]

Sort of worrying, but if the teacher thought that the student wasn't going to vote anyway, it's better that the student avoids a fine. And also, in an odd sort of way, the informal vote is a useful indication of the population's engagement with the political system, on an electorate-by-electorate basis.

[pepe]

Way to go Phil. Just make sure that no-one connected with NSWEC or AEC finds out about your intentions. Oh. Wait a sec...

And on a more serious note, Gillard's ears alone should make you want to spoil your ballot paper. If she shakes her head fast enough, she'll fly.

Meh, I was under the impression you can still get out of it by citing religious views. Otherwise I need to save for a lot of one day trips to NZ.

Sort of worrying, but if the teacher thought that the student wasn't going to vote anyway, it's better that the student avoids a fine. And also, in an odd sort of way, the informal vote is a useful indication of the population's engagement with the political system, on an electorate-by-electorate basis.

There is a way to get out of it, even out of the fines. My politics lecturer kinda said it in the lecture last sem lol.

[Um Zaynab]

pepe plz share

[randwiggend]

One interesting point that an outsider might not have picked up on - Julia Gillard, the Labor leader, has a strong working-class accent but since becoming leader has apparently been having lessons and now has speech mannerisms uncannily like those of Margaret Thatcher, who also learned a new accent. Julia even wore pearls when visiting the Governor General to ask for the election to be called. I doubt that she had any pearls before becoming Labor leader.

haha.... She will need a few lessons yet until she loses that accent. Obviously you haven't heard her speaking?

And you doubt she wore pearls beforehand?

Where do you get this stuff from? Obviously you have bad hearing and are not too concerned about being accurate.

[Greenie]

Why would you want to get out of turning up to the polling place, getting your name ticked off and then not making a valid vote? Surely there's no religious argument against that.


(I know nothing about 7th day Adventists - a Christian sect/denomination - except that Saturday is their holy day. As elections are always on Saturday, I wonder if they have problems with voting?) (I've emailed them to find out)

[randwiggend]

Because a lot of people disliked her accent. It wasn't the classic 'Aussie' accent (which is a rural accent and now not that common for most Australians) it was a particular urban accent, as parodied on Kath & Kim. She seems to have made an attempt to talk much slower and avoid the 'moi' for 'my/'me'' etc.

you are ridiculous... you haven't heard her have you? She still says 'countroey, moey, possibilitoey'

[Greenie]

[quote name='randwiggend' date='23 July 2010 - 10:01 AM' timestamp='1279839702' post='898781']
haha.... She will need a few lessons yet until she loses that accent. Obviously you haven't heard her speaking?[quote]

Obviously I have heard her speaking and have concluded that her speech mannerisms have changed.


I was wrong about the pearls - she got 'em when she became deputy PM according to an opponent:

THE personal attack on Labor's Julia Gillard has stepped up in Victoria's State Parliament with a Liberal MP attacking her hairstyle and jewellery.

"Has the new hairstyle, a bit of a rinse, and a set of pearls helped the red-headed Labor industrial relations motormouth understand what it is all about?" Liberal MP for Bass Ken Smith said in Parliament.

"She needs more than a new hairstyle and pearls. She needs to get out in the real world and talk to employers who love WorkChoices and not just to her union mates."

[randwiggend]

Obviously I have heard her speaking and have concluded that her speech mannerisms have changed.

Your conclusion is that she now has a refined accent? How does it sound even remotely normal?

She is the most irritating person - so tedious to listen to... I can't handle hearing her speak, and regardless of her policy/skills (?) I would not vote for her because 4 years of hearing that voice would do my head in.

[Greenie]

Where did I say that she now has a refined accent? I said her speech mannerisms have changed.

[randwiggend]

Where did I say that she now has a refined accent? I said her speech mannerisms have changed.

Is your scrollbar not working?

Greenie:

but since becoming leader has apparently been having lessons and now has speech mannerisms uncannily like those of Margaret Thatcher, who also learned a new accent.

You said that she learned (sic - you may as well have said learnded.... the correct usage in Australia is learnt) a new accent - what sort of accent? A less refined accent, or a more refined accent? Obviously she would be aiming for a more refined accent - but I don't see it at all. If by learning a new accent you mean she speaks more slowly? Not really learning a new accent. She certainly prounounces things such as me, country, possibly, etc in a 'kath and kim' way even today - and if she does speak more slowly it doesn't do her any favours, as her 'drawl' is more pronounced by it.

[Gnu Ordure]

randwiggend:

She is the most irritating person - so tedious to listen to... I can't handle hearing her speak, and regardless of her policy/skills (?) I would not vote for her because 4 years of hearing that voice would do my head in.

If that's a joke, it's not very funny.

If it isn't a joke, it's pathetic.