Pete Downunder and Viva BrisVegas have offered to kind of live blog results in the comments, until or unless the counting goes really late into the night.
All of our other Australia peeps are invited to chime in, as well, so please share what you know or you think you know!
It would be irresponsible not to speculate, right?.
Pete Downunder starts us off with a great introduction that I promise will not make your eyes glaze over!
Good morning US jackals. It is 7 pm here on the east coast of Australia and the polls closed an hour ago. Viva BrisVegas and I will try to keep you up to date on the results. WaterGirl posted my summary yesterday, but here’s a brief recap. Australia has a parliamentary system with a House of Representatives (considered the senior house) and a Senate (considered the junior one). The holder of a majority (either outright or with a coalition) in the House selects the Prime Minister. All of the government officials are called Ministers (like US department heads) and are chosen from sitting members of either chamber. Voting is compulsory and we expect about a 90% turnout.
Today we will focus on the House because that’s where the government will be chosen. The Senate election is *too complicated for mortals to understand and won’t really matter too much, although if the House majority also gets a Senate majority they can do pretty much whatever they like.
There are 150 seats in the House, so 76 are needed to win. The seats, called electorates, are given names, most for historical reasons, and each is meant to represent about 114,000 voters (for a total of 17,100,000, though there are about 18 million voters). The total population is about 25 million but that includes non-citizens and people under 18. While the urban electorates are relatively compact, the rural ones can be huge. The seat of Maranoa, which stretches across south-western Queensland, is larger than France. Not a lot of folks out there.
There are two major parties: Labor (spelled the US way) and the Liberals. Labor is a center left party, think democrats, and the misnamed Liberals are center right, think pre-MAGA republicans. There is also a further right rural party called the National party which for many years has joined with the Liberals so the joint party is called the LNP or Coalition. There is a minor left leaning party, the Greens, which is a sensible left, and there is a minor right wing party called One Nation which is basically racist. There is also a group of independents who are fiscally conservative but socially liberal backed by environmental groups who are called the Teals because of the color used on their yard signs and bill boards. The Labor color is red, LNP is blue, the Greens are green and One Nation is kind of a pumpkin orange.
The current governing party is Labor, and the PM is Anthony Albanese (known universally as Albo). The leader of the opposition LNP is former policeman Peter Dutton who would become PM if LNP were to get a majority. Albo’s seat is called Grayndler in New South Wales and is considered a safe Labor seat. Dutton’s seat is Dickson in Queensland and is very marginal and there is a chance Dutton could lose his own seat.
Going into the election Labor holds a thin majority of 78 seats, LNP 56 and the Greens and independents (collectively called the crossbench) have 16. To win government the LNP has to flip 20 seats. As recently as January polling suggested that was possible as Albo has been uninspiring. However, as in Canada, Trump’s madness has turned things around and the polling now suggests Labor will get at least a plurality (and could form government if joining with the crossbench) or an outright majority. Obviously, polls are not always accurate and polling has become harder as no one answers their phones any more.
According to the ABC (our PBS) The key areas to watch as counting begins are the outer suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne. The Coalition will want to see large swings going its way in seats such as Werriwa and Gilmore in NSW, and McEwen and Aston in Victoria. If they don’t get swings in those seats, Mr Dutton’s hopes of knocking over Mr Albanese after just one term will start to look very shaky.
Three seats in Queensland, all around Brisbane, will also be interesting as they are current Green but are hotly sought after by both LNP and Labor, they are Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan. I live in Ryan and Viva BrisVegas in Brisbane so those are of particular interest to us.
And color commentary from Viva BrisVegas
It is traditional that schools or service organizations sell BBQ’d sausages on slices of bread with grilled onions (called snags here) at polling booths. They are referred to as democracy sausages.
Democracy sausage is the susage sizzle that most polling stations put on to raise money while hosting the polling station. Polling stations are usually churches or schools and can be public or private.
There are also democracy cakes!
Democracy cakes shows some ladies selling (overpriced) home made cakes. Hope they make a profit.
Polling Station
The one named polling station is at St Johns Anglican Church Hall in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra, about 2 kms from me. Shows the corflutes and volunteers handing out How To Vote (HTV) cards. You can follow these HTVs or not, as your whim allows.
How to Vote cards
A the polls volunteers from the parties in their colored shirts hand out how to vote cards to approaching voters. They must remain at least 12 meters (about 40 feet) from the entrance and absolutely no electioneering is allowed inside the booth. The How to Vote cards contain their party’s suggestions of how preferences should be allocated with their party #1 of course. Preference flows can determine the winner. In my seat of Ryan (suburban Brisbane) in 2022 the LNP candidate got the most first preferences – about 38% from memory but the Green candidate with only 30% first preferences won because all the Labor preferences went to her.
*The Senate voting paper in my state of Queensland was huge (again), about 3 feet long.
Okay, here we go! Fingers crossed for a good election result for Australia, which will be good for all of us.
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203Comments
1.
Pete Downunder
The polls have now closed on the east coast and center of Australia. Western Australia will close in another hour. Unlike most US states the initial count is done in each of the 7000 polling booths so we should start getting some significant results soon. A reminder, like the US the overall popular vote doesn’t count for anything, it’s strictly seat by seat: 150 elections.
Unless the election is crazy close, do you have any sense of how long it might be before we know which group has a plurality? (If I have the language right!)
One more question before I go back to bed. If the same groups come out on top, is Albo necessarily the PM again? (Assuming he keeps his seat.)
@WaterGirl:
This is a hard call, I hope the next two hours tell the tale. WA polls open for another 40 minutes. About 4-5% votes counted so far and many will be close.
@WaterGirl: In a close election, which this one is likely to be, the result may possibly not be decided on the night. This happened in 2010, but is very unusual.
My guess is that we will will know the winner, if not the margin, by about 9pm (less than two hours from now). Then we wait around until the loser makes his concession speech, and then the winner makes his victory speech right afterwards. That usually takes another hour or so.
If Labor wins Albo will be PM for sure, and likewise if LNP win it will be Dutton. That’s assuming Dutton keeps his seat, which is by no means certain.
@WaterGirl: In an earlier post I mentioned that the seat of Maranoa is western Queensland is huge, bigger than France, but only has 114,000 people. Very rural and no surprise it went to LNP
@WaterGirl: Maranoa is the name of a very large electorate in Queensland. It’s the fair dinkum outback. Flies, akubras and desert.
It’s about 280,000 square miles. It’s not the biggest electorate.
A few weeks back one of the largest floods in Australian history covered most of it. Most of that water is right now flowing into Lake Eyre in the centre of the country.
@WaterGirl: There are several towns. It’s cattle country. I suppose it’s like the Texas panhandle, but about the size of Texas. I say that not having ever been to Texas.
@Viva BrisVegas:
I have been to Texas, apart from really good BBQ you haven’t missed a thing. There’s a story about a honky-tonk (pub with music) out in west Texas that’s so rough they search everybody at the door for weapons, and if you don’t have one they’ll lend you one.
@Viva BrisVegas:
I voted Green but it wasn’t enough. At least it went to Labor not LNP. Australia is a small country. The LNP candidate for Ryan is the daughter-in-law of some close friends. Still would not vote for her because Dutton
@Viva BrisVegas:
It’s a great place to live but a bit boring. I grew up in New York City and lived in San Francisco until I moved here. Was shocked that one could not find an open restaurant at 9 pm after a movie. It’s improving steadily. Highly recommended as a place to live.
@Viva BrisVegas: I’m glad you explained that. All these years I’ve had a vague notion it had something to do with a circumcision ceremony (bris) in Las Vegas.
@Betty Cracker: I’ve been posting at BJ since 2004 and been asked about it a couple of times, but I don’t post all that often. Usually at the end of long dead threads.
@Viva BrisVegas: II couldn’t live there (NYC) now too intense and expensive but it was fun to go back and visit, particularly for the theatre. My Aussie wife and I won’t be going back until after the Trump era. Very sad.
@Betty Cracker:
From Florida it’s a long day. About 6 hours to LAX and another 14 to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. It really is worth the trip if you can withstand the flight. Careful seat selection can help. Let the Aussie peeps know if you’re coming and we’ll take good care of you.
In my seat of Brisbane 4% of the vote counted and the Green is ahead on 51.7%.
Early days but a good sign.
The polling booths in Western Australia have just closed. WA has been very good for Labor over the last 10 years. It used to be a Liberal stronghold for decades before that.
I’ve got family in Australia who I only met for the first time last year, the semi-mythical ‘Uncle Jimmy’ (my Mum’s uncle) and his expansive brood of tanned reprobates. There exists a standing invitation to go visit The Big Downunder that I may take advantage of as soon as they’ve made tangible progress in not being home to something like 80% of the world’s creepy-crawly hairy fang-merchants.
Looking okay so far. Sitting here in Melbourne watching Star Trek (original) on TV and following the returns on my computer. Really hoping the good guys win – this was my first chance to vote as an Australian citizen, it’d be nice to start with a success! More importantly, I got my democracy sausage after voting!
@Tony Jay: I don’t see why you’re worried even though of the 10 deadliest snakes in the world we have all 10, we only have 8 of the 10 deadliest spiders. We won’t discuss the jelly fish, sharks or crocs.
Most Australian TV stations have election coverage (SBS excluded) & it is interesting that I have yet to hear any mention of the trump factor – but it is definitely there. Before the tariff yahoo – the LNP were winning this election & now it appears they are not. I’m one Australian who blames trump
Catherine has lived a cloistered life dominated by the choices of a tormented mother and an overprotective grandmother. But life is about to change for 17-year-old Catherine when her mother Brenda insists she take a summer job in Kings Cross. Sydney has just opened its doors to American GIs on R&R from the war in Vietnam and Catherine is put in the perfect place to meet them.
@Viva BrisVegas: I learned the difference between venomous and poisonous. Venomous is if they bite you, you die; poisonous is if you bite them, you die.
@Viva BrisVegas: I was 19 and wish I had the sense to do something other than hang in Kings Cross! My friend works at UNSW Matraville Education Partnership Coordinator at UNSW
Labor win announced! Yay! Great and hard campaign. Sick of walking doors, looking forward to swimming again. Thank heavens. A tough campaign but Albo and the ALP organisation came through!
@Aussie sheila:
Both ABC and Sydney Morning Herald project Albo to hold his seat. With the swings I’ve seen he’ll probably get a majority. The only excitement left is will Dutton lose his seat. Update – it looks like he’ll lose it! With that I’ll leave it at that for the night. Viva BrisVegas and the other Aussie peeps can take over. Good night and good luck. Pete
“Now, I’m not saying fire ants don’t cause their share of issues, what with the swarming and the biting and the well-coordinated deathsquads targeting outspoken public figures, and sure, those cane toads are ugly fuckers who infest our freshwater rivers have given the Army a hell of a time since they seized Canberra and declared an Amphibious Republic, but you’ve got to look at the positives. They eat spiders, mate. I love ‘em.”
Well it’s congrats to all the partisans of course, but thank you. I felt this one hard. I’m fit but I’m used to swimming not fucking walking across 10k electorates. Thank christ it’s over.
These are facts that my scientifically inclined arachnophobe son shared frequently and urgently with his Aussie cousins when we met them. In many ways he does take after his Daddy.
Honolulu to NYC is around 13 hours if flying nonstop. More often than not those fares are out of my price range so when I travel Maui to NYC I fly with one or two short layovers, so about 15 or 16 hours all told (if no delays/cancellations)
Glancing over the coverage, it looks like the punditocracy are basing their post-match coverage options around the theme of “Big night for Labor that looks like it’s only going to get worse for the Coalition”.
Lovely to see. The tears of conservatives are the sugar on my morning cereal.
Hopefully Australia’s Labor will take the right message from the LLP’s disaster and the self-mutilation newnewlabourinc’s mirror-universe masterminds are inflicting on UK Labour’s popularity over here and recognise that sucking up to lunatics and aping the policies of fascists are not vote-winning strategies for ostensibly progressive parties.
To be fair, Farage is a big old empty maw of old-fashioned greed and contempt for anyone stupid enough to believe his bollocks, propped up by dark-money sponsors and the slavish fan-fluffing of our national media. Given the opportunity he’d eat everything, not just his own.
Thanks for this great post, Pete Downunder and Viva BrisVegas! So happy Labor won! (Also, @VivaBrisVegas, I have a friend who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, and he refers to is as KnoxVegas.)
The only disappointment is that Peter Dutton and the LNP have run such a terrible campaign that Labor will win enough seats for a clear majority. Their record on the environment and climate has been dreadful and having to deal with a climate focused crossbench would have been a real positive.
The major pointer for tomorrow (or the next day) will be whether or not Albo heads off to grovel to the Murdochs as he did three years ago.
After 3 years of relentless support for the LNP and constant criticism of Labor, he should be giving them the bird.
Now for the Senate. The counting of votes for the Senate is a mystery known only to the AEC. So we probably won’t know the makeup of the Senate until the end of next week.
Some more details on Australian elections.
House and Senate elections are technically completely different things with differing rules on when they can be held.
That said, governments will always try to schedule Senate elections for the same day as House elections. Otherwise the electorate is inclined to get very stroppy.
The House can sit for a maximum of 3 years and a bit. Individual Senators sit for six years and half of them go to election every 3 years.
@AM in NC: I think the confusion came about because the “Bris” in Brisbane is pronounced Briz, not bris.
Also, there have been Jewish people in Australia since the First Fleet in 1788. Like most of the first settlers they were encouraged to come out as an alternative to being hanged.
Anyway that’s all from me tonight. Things went better than I had hoped.
Thanks for this thread! Now I’m wishing I’d volunteered to do something like this for Canada. Next time (which will be sooner than I’d like).
The election and the parties really feel like a mirror of Canada’s (only upside down — of maybe right side up) apart from the separatist party. I think the Conservatives would have en in Canada with any candidate less extreme than Poilievre. I wonder if this is true for Dutton and the Liberals.
I’mma calling BS. This ALP government has been the least Murdoch forelock tugging of any. Because that kind of media is losing traction here as elsewhere. However the ALP must perform. Housing is and must be a priority.
@Viva BrisVegas: Thanks for all of the great information and reporting. To Pete as well! LOVE the Juicer community and the knowledge everyone brings (plus the compassion and the snark, of course).
@Baud: Australians aren’t so political most of the time. Our election campaigns last 6 weeks & we think that is too long. Dutton probably would have won his seat if he hadn’t become party leader – people suddenly saw more of him, discovered who he was and didn’t much like it.
@NotMax:
Long ago I saw a TV series called Against the Wind, starring, as I recall, Jon English, but I’ve never been able to find it on DVD or streaming. (There are other productions with the same name, but not at all the same topic.)
I fully expect this and Canada to throw some chaos for our current tenuous three way coalition of unpleasant conservatives. Our nationalist and quasi libertarian parties have been flirting with Trumpist stylings, I will be interested to see if they keep doing this.
I would keep up with the comments, but my dog Matilda is telling me it is time for breakfast. “Tilly” is our lovely replacement for our previous dog “Sheila”.
So yeah, we have very strong positive feelings for Australia in our house.
@Tony Jay:
Yes, this. I am a herp fan, but I would never go down there. If you see an article on “the most venomous” whatever, no matter if vertebrate or invertebrate, and you guess Australia is where it is found, you will be right almost all of the time. Next in line would be India or SE Asia…
@Viva BrisVegas: Come on, universe. One seat out of 29 is it too much to ask, right? So it should probably be three or five right so there’s room to spare in case somebody croaks or gets sick.
BTW, if any of y’all are looking for an engrossing read, might I suggest The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia’s Founding by Robert Hughes.
Read it ages ago when it first came out in paperback. It was indeed engrossing. Maybe I should pull it off the shelf and read it again.
Incidentally, Patrick O’Brian said he found it a good background read to help him with the setting when he wrote one of his Aubrey/Maturin novels that he was setting in Australia.
@Viva BrisVegas: I barrack for the Lions, among others, and used to play some footy here stateside. When i first started watching games on late night cable i heard a phrase that made me laugh and still randomly pops up in my head. “And the Lions are having another red hot go at the wooden spoon.”
First time in 20+ years im not playing Footy Tips, i changed phones and lost my old account.
See, I’m fine with our slithering and snappy-jawed friends. Respectful of their threat, but they don’t scare me.
Our arachnoid fiends, OTOH, are a bit old nope. No. No way. Sorry. Don’t care how often Steve Backshall lets a big hairy spider sit on his hand while he coos over how (relatively) harmless and beautiful she is. In this area alone I am firmly segregation today. Segregation tomorrow. Segregation forever.
Except scorpions. And crabs. They’ve made the effort not to be hairy. I acknowledge that.
@Aussie sheila: Any multi-hop routes? My wife and I aren’t world travellers, so I definitely looked at a day or so in Iceland, if I got a trip from Canada to Berlin.
@NotMax: I read that book…close to 40 years ago now…great book. In a more contemporary vein, the travel bloggers (youtube), young couple One Pack Wanderers have traveled ’round Australia a couple times in 2023/24–including the Nullarbor. You really get to see the continent in their videos.
@Pete Downunder: The Australian athletes tended to snicker at the Canadian Olympic teams, the year our outfits were from the “Roots” sportswear company.
@Pete Downunder: This is similar to Turkiye’s election process; votes are counted at each polling place, with representatives from the top five parties plus two state election officials. Totals are reported and the votes– typically ~450 per precinct– reported, and the ballots bagged and sealed. They all end up in Ankara for the official count.
@Viva BrisVegas: Turkish voting is all in-person, paper ballot; no absentee voting. Expat Turks can vote at consulates or, in the case of those living in France and Germany, at polling places set up with the cooperation of the host country. I think Germany had 11 for the 2023 election.
I think the Conservatives would have won in Canada with any candidate less extreme than Poilievre.
Unfortunately, he’s typical of the “Reform” faction, which did an unfriendly takeover of the Progressive Conservative party some years ago. They’ll either keep him or find someone else from the far far right.
Then they’ll lose again, and I hope keep losing until they put the Progressive wing back into the leadership. (My dad was a Progressive.)
Wow, you’re allowed to serve food and bring people water while they’re waiting to vote? How humane. You know some states made it illegal to even bring water to voters in line? Voter suppression just bewilders me.
Across the Pacific, from Sydney to Us the shortest route is Syd-LA or SF. But it’s still awful. It’s quicker flying US West Coast to Sydney. That may be down to the following winds. It took ten hours on my best flight, and I was able to sleep most of it.
ALP 89
LNP 38
IND 9
GRN 0
KAP 1
CEN 1
NONE 0
OTH 2
with 58.32% counted.
Looks like a thrashing so far.
Here’s hoping that ALP does good things with their majority. Don’t be like Starmer’s NuNewLabour in the UK! Don’t squander the mandate by trying to crush your supporters on the left to appeal to the monsters on the right!!
Intra Party factionalism in the ALP has died down so much, the Greens run their whole Party on that part of the Left that can’t stomach the ALP. It wasn’t always that way. I met Albo 30 plus years ago, when ALP factionalism in NSW made Chicago politics look like municipal squabbles over library opening hours.
It had everything, including criminals stacking branches and assaulting and bashing factional opponents.
I always think he’s a first grader at show and tell. Even the fat sharpie gripped in his tiny hand, like the oversized pencils they use in primary school.
My only two trips to Oz were on business and my company paid for business class (once on Air New Zealand and once on Qantas). That was civilized; I can’t imagine spending that much time in a fucking economy seat.
There are options to break it up. I (NYC resident) have gone via Hawaii and also via Tahiti (Air Tahiti used to do NYC->Tahiti->Sydney) and spent some time hanging out in Polynesia. Both Tahiti and Hawaii are lovely. But yes, it’s a LOOOOOOONG flight to anywhere. If you the the US flight is bad, look at London->Australia.
@Gloria DryGarden: One of the best features of compulsory voting like Australia does is voter suppression is literally impossible. The older I get, watching all the stuff the Republicans pull to get the wrong people not to vote, the more important I think it is.
Voting in the US in the age of Trump feels depressing because of stuff like that. In Australia it’s still a festive thing.
@Baud: The AI-er that made that image should get an F for not using Benedict’s over-the-top popehat. You know that a Pope 47 would wear that all – the – time.
@David Collier-Brown: Growing as an American watching Windsor CBC and into Babylon 5, it took me a bit to realize that the “Jerry Doyle” always introduced with an exaggerated “REFOOOOOOOOOOOORM Party” on This Hour Has 22 Minutes was not, in fact, the actor playing Garibaldi but this other guy trying to bring the GOP to Canada.
War for Ukraine Day 1,163: Another Long Night in Kharkiv
Pete Downunder
The polls have now closed on the east coast and center of Australia. Western Australia will close in another hour. Unlike most US states the initial count is done in each of the 7000 polling booths so we should start getting some significant results soon. A reminder, like the US the overall popular vote doesn’t count for anything, it’s strictly seat by seat: 150 elections.
Pete Downunder
Here is a link to our ABC’s coverage:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2025/results?sortBy=latest&searchQuery=&filter=all&selectedRegion=all&selectedParty=all&partyWonBy=all&partyHeldBy=all
Viva BrisVegas
All votes are made on paper and are counted by hand. We don’t trust machines down here.
For any early risers out there, it’s early evening here so we are awake and ready for comments.
WaterGirl
Pete Downunder and Viva BrisVegas, thanks for doing this!
Pete Downunder
At the moment called seats are 7 LNP, 4 Labor and 1 Independent. Only aboy 2-3% of the vote counted
WaterGirl
Unless the election is crazy close, do you have any sense of how long it might be before we know which group has a plurality? (If I have the language right!)
One more question before I go back to bed. If the same groups come out on top, is Albo necessarily the PM again? (Assuming he keeps his seat.)
Pete Downunder
Liberals have held the giant but empty seat of Maranoa. Labor leading in Dutton’s seat but only 4% counted. It will be very close
Pete Downunder
@WaterGirl:
This is a hard call, I hope the next two hours tell the tale. WA polls open for another 40 minutes. About 4-5% votes counted so far and many will be close.
Viva BrisVegas
@WaterGirl: In a close election, which this one is likely to be, the result may possibly not be decided on the night. This happened in 2010, but is very unusual.
My guess is that we will will know the winner, if not the margin, by about 9pm (less than two hours from now). Then we wait around until the loser makes his concession speech, and then the winner makes his victory speech right afterwards. That usually takes another hour or so.
Pete Downunder
If Labor wins Albo will be PM for sure, and likewise if LNP win it will be Dutton. That’s assuming Dutton keeps his seat, which is by no means certain.
WaterGirl
@Pete Downunder:
I don’t understand what that means.
Baud
Be like Canada, but upside down.
Pete Downunder
@WaterGirl: In an earlier post I mentioned that the seat of Maranoa is western Queensland is huge, bigger than France, but only has 114,000 people. Very rural and no surprise it went to LNP
Pete Downunder
@Baud: We’re trying, but it’s hard standing on one’s head
Viva BrisVegas
@WaterGirl: Maranoa is the name of a very large electorate in Queensland. It’s the fair dinkum outback. Flies, akubras and desert.
It’s about 280,000 square miles. It’s not the biggest electorate.
A few weeks back one of the largest floods in Australian history covered most of it. Most of that water is right now flowing into Lake Eyre in the centre of the country.
Pete Downunder
Current count 21 Labor, LNP 23, Green 1, others 5.
Baud
@Pete Downunder:
Did Labor also have a crazy upswing in the polling after Trump? I seem to recall Labor was down several months ago.
WaterGirl
@Viva BrisVegas: @Pete Downunder:
Empty seat sounds kind of like no one is running, so how can anyone win?
WaterGirl
@Baud: Does the chart up top answer that question?
Pete Downunder
@Baud:
Very much so. See the chart at the top of the post
Baud
@WaterGirl:
@Pete Downunder:
Thanks.
Viva BrisVegas
@WaterGirl: There are several towns. It’s cattle country. I suppose it’s like the Texas panhandle, but about the size of Texas. I say that not having ever been to Texas.
Aussie sheila
I believe Dutton, LNP Leader will lose his seat. Like Polievre in Canada. Trumpism is sui generis and doesn’t travel. Swing to ALP. Looking good!
Baud
@Aussie sheila:
👍
WaterGirl
@Baud: It’s early, easy to miss details. :-)
Pete Downunder
Now Labor 29, LNP 26, Green 0, Others 6. It appears Labor beat out the incumbent Green in my home seat of Ryan. Better that than LNP I guess.
Aussie sheila
3.4% swing to ALP in Qld. Think Texas.
But with better social services and abortion as needed.
Baud
@Pete Downunder:
I assume in Australia the Greens are a legitimate political party.
Viva BrisVegas
Antony Green, our legendary ABC election guru, is saying there is early trend to Labor.
As a side note, we went to the same High School, but he was two years behind and I didn’t know of his existence (or he of mine, I assume).
WaterGirl
Okay, going back to sleep now, but I just have to say, I love the name freedom sausages!.
Pete Downunder
@Viva BrisVegas:
I have been to Texas, apart from really good BBQ you haven’t missed a thing. There’s a story about a honky-tonk (pub with music) out in west Texas that’s so rough they search everybody at the door for weapons, and if you don’t have one they’ll lend you one.
Viva BrisVegas
@Baud: Very much so. In fact Australia lays claim to the birth of the Green Movement world wide.
WaterGirl
@Viva BrisVegas: I always wonder, is your nym a takeoff on Viva Las Vegas?
Pete Downunder
@Baud:
Very much so. Excellent on environment and social issues
Aussie sheila
@Baud:
Yes, they definitely are. Nothing remotely like US Greens. Nothing at all.
Viva BrisVegas
@Pete Downunder: I agonised over voting Greens 1 in Brisbane, but I ended up toeing the Labor line. Sorry.
Pete Downunder
@Aussie sheila:
At the moment Dutton is on course to lose his seat 53.4 to 46.6 % but it’s still early.
Viva BrisVegas
@WaterGirl: It’s a common sarcastic reference to Brisbane.
Brisbane being the opposite of Las Vegas in every significant respect. Not exciting, very laid back, safe and ordinary.
In other words a very nice place to live.
Aussie sheila
@WaterGirl:
Down here they are called democracy sausages!
Pete Downunder
@Viva BrisVegas:
I voted Green but it wasn’t enough. At least it went to Labor not LNP. Australia is a small country. The LNP candidate for Ryan is the daughter-in-law of some close friends. Still would not vote for her because Dutton
Viva BrisVegas
@WaterGirl: Thank you Watergirl for all your help. Catch up on that sleep!
Baud
🇦🇺👍
Viva BrisVegas
Things are moving quickly now. Things are looking worse and worse for the conservatives.
A caveat is that prepoll votes are counted after the on the day votes and usually favour the conservatives.
Pete Downunder
@Viva BrisVegas:
It’s a great place to live but a bit boring. I grew up in New York City and lived in San Francisco until I moved here. Was shocked that one could not find an open restaurant at 9 pm after a movie. It’s improving steadily. Highly recommended as a place to live.
WaterGirl
@Viva BrisVegas: Nice!
Betty Cracker
@Viva BrisVegas: I’m glad you explained that. All these years I’ve had a vague notion it had something to do with a circumcision ceremony (bris) in Las Vegas.
Viva BrisVegas
@Pete Downunder: I moved up from Sydney in the mid-90s. I couldn’t believe how much better a place to live Brisbane was.
I’ve been to SF and NY. I could see myself living in SF, but no way NY.
Viva BrisVegas
@Betty Cracker: I’ve been posting at BJ since 2004 and been asked about it a couple of times, but I don’t post all that often. Usually at the end of long dead threads.
Pete Downunder
@Viva BrisVegas: II couldn’t live there (NYC) now too intense and expensive but it was fun to go back and visit, particularly for the theatre. My Aussie wife and I won’t be going back until after the Trump era. Very sad.
Betty Cracker
I’d love to visit Australia, but I don’t think I could stand to be on a plane that long.
Pete Downunder
Dutton still behind in his own seat. Only 6% counted so too early to call.
Viva BrisVegas
@Betty Cracker: I’m flying to Vancouver in July. 15 hours on a plane in economy. Not looking forward to it.
Aussie sheila
@Pete Downunder:
Travelled and worked in the US in the 90s. Loved NY but preferred the West Coast. Better weather and less neurotic politics.
WaterGirl
@Aussie sheila: That’s what I was typing, or thought I was. But it’s the middle of the night here so I just typed it wrong!
Pete Downunder
@Betty Cracker:
From Florida it’s a long day. About 6 hours to LAX and another 14 to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. It really is worth the trip if you can withstand the flight. Careful seat selection can help. Let the Aussie peeps know if you’re coming and we’ll take good care of you.
Aussie sheila
@Betty Cracker:
The flight to and from Aus and the US is simply the worst.
Viva BrisVegas
In my seat of Brisbane 4% of the vote counted and the Green is ahead on 51.7%.
Early days but a good sign.
The polling booths in Western Australia have just closed. WA has been very good for Labor over the last 10 years. It used to be a Liberal stronghold for decades before that.
Pete Downunder
Polls now closed in WA. Only 16 seats in the whole state that takes up about 1/3 of the continent. Mostly desert.
Aussie sheila
@WaterGirl:
No worries!
Tony Jay
I’ve got family in Australia who I only met for the first time last year, the semi-mythical ‘Uncle Jimmy’ (my Mum’s uncle) and his expansive brood of tanned reprobates. There exists a standing invitation to go visit The Big Downunder that I may take advantage of as soon as they’ve made tangible progress in not being home to something like 80% of the world’s creepy-crawly hairy fang-merchants.
Show us how it’s done, Oz.
Viva BrisVegas
@Pete Downunder: I’m going direct from Brisbane to Vancouver.
Could have gone via Honolulu or LA, but that is not an option with things as they are now.
Viva BrisVegas
@Tony Jay: Don’t worry about the creepy-crawly hairy fang-merchants, the imported fire ants and cane toads are in the process of taking them out.
Jack Canuck
Looking okay so far. Sitting here in Melbourne watching Star Trek (original) on TV and following the returns on my computer. Really hoping the good guys win – this was my first chance to vote as an Australian citizen, it’d be nice to start with a success! More importantly, I got my democracy sausage after voting!
Viva BrisVegas
The ABC have Labor on 29 and Scumbags on 26, with unsurprisingly 89 in doubt.
Rose Judson
@Tony Jay:
But enough about Nigel Farage…
Viva BrisVegas
The traditional ABC election night computer snafu has evinced itself.
Viva BrisVegas
Liberal scumbucket talking head on ABC is already giving up.
This is going much better than I expected.
Pete Downunder
@Tony Jay: I don’t see why you’re worried even though of the 10 deadliest snakes in the world we have all 10, we only have 8 of the 10 deadliest spiders. We won’t discuss the jelly fish, sharks or crocs.
Viva BrisVegas
Poor Antony Green is reduced to reading out AEC results while his computer has a rest.
The AEC runs Federal elections and does the counting.
raven
I was on R&R in Sydney during the moon landing. I’ve always love this scene from “The Dish” about the OZ contribution!
Viva BrisVegas
@Pete Downunder: They are only deadly if they bite you.
Aussie sheila
@Viva BrisVegas:
He looks like a very young Barry Farrell. A one time LNP leader in NSW. IOW, a loser.
Pete Downunder
@Viva BrisVegas: The SMH thinks the Greens have lost all three Brisbane seats (Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan) to Labor
Viva BrisVegas
@raven: I was in High School at the time. They wouldn’t let us watch it on the only TV in school!
By the way did you know that at the time the locals referred to R&R as R&R&R? The final R stood for “root”.
TS
Most Australian TV stations have election coverage (SBS excluded) & it is interesting that I have yet to hear any mention of the trump factor – but it is definitely there. Before the tariff yahoo – the LNP were winning this election & now it appears they are not. I’m one Australian who blames trump
@Viva BrisVegas:
And have you noticed how much he overtalks, interrupts the rest of the panel. Good description.
I won’t breath happy until some of the prepolls are added to the results. last Qld election they were massive for the coalition.
raven
Please Write: a novel Paperback – March 20, 2019
by Janette Byron Stone
Pete Downunder
@Viva BrisVegas: I learned the difference between venomous and poisonous. Venomous is if they bite you, you die; poisonous is if you bite them, you die.
raven
@Viva BrisVegas: I was 19 and wish I had the sense to do something other than hang in Kings Cross! My friend works at UNSW Matraville Education Partnership Coordinator at UNSW
Viva BrisVegas
@Pete Downunder: I’m ambivalent about that. I like seeing Greens in parliament, but I also like to see majority Labor governments.
Pete Downunder
@Viva BrisVegas:
You might explain to the yanks that “root” has a different meaning here than in the US where it means to cheer on or support.
Viva BrisVegas
@Pete Downunder: Aussies rarely bite, but if you bite them you are putting your life at risk.
Pete Downunder
@Viva BrisVegas:
True
Viva BrisVegas
@Pete Downunder: I always giggle when in American movies someone talks about the cheerleaders rooting for the home team.
Aussie sheila
Labor win announced! Yay! Great and hard campaign. Sick of walking doors, looking forward to swimming again. Thank heavens. A tough campaign but Albo and the ALP organisation came through!
Viva BrisVegas
Now they are talking about the Trump Effect on the ABC.
I may send a thank you note to Trump.
Baud
@Aussie sheila:
Congratulations!
Pete Downunder
@Aussie sheila:
Both ABC and Sydney Morning Herald project Albo to hold his seat. With the swings I’ve seen he’ll probably get a majority. The only excitement left is will Dutton lose his seat. Update – it looks like he’ll lose it! With that I’ll leave it at that for the night. Viva BrisVegas and the other Aussie peeps can take over. Good night and good luck. Pete
Baud
@Viva BrisVegas:
That’s Pope Trump.
Viva BrisVegas
My prediction was a result by 9pm. It was 8:30pm.
I hang my head in shame and hang up my pundit’s cap.
Tony Jay
@Viva BrisVegas:
“Now, I’m not saying fire ants don’t cause their share of issues, what with the swarming and the biting and the well-coordinated deathsquads targeting outspoken public figures, and sure, those cane toads are ugly fuckers who infest our freshwater rivers have given the Army a hell of a time since they seized Canberra and declared an Amphibious Republic, but you’ve got to look at the positives. They eat spiders, mate. I love ‘em.”
Viva BrisVegas
@Baud: Is Trump heading to the conclave?
Aussie sheila
@Baud:
Well it’s congrats to all the partisans of course, but thank you. I felt this one hard. I’m fit but I’m used to swimming not fucking walking across 10k electorates. Thank christ it’s over.
WaterGirl
@Pete Downunder: that’s very exciting!! congratulations to all of you.
A win for the whole world.
do you think that we’re in monster has any idea that he’s helping in the fight against autotocracy?
Baud
@Viva BrisVegas:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-truth-social-pope-b2744196.html
Viva BrisVegas
@Tony Jay: In a believe it or not, Aussie scientists have bred a sterile cannibalistic toad which only eats its own kind.
They are wondering if they should release it. I’m wondering if I can get NZ residency if they do.
Suburban Mom
@Pete Downunder: I guessed that! Thank you for the election coverage.
Jack Canuck
I’m feeling so god-damned relieved right now. Felt hopeful before, but you just never know…
Tony Jay
@Rose Judson:
It says “Slithery slimy false-tan froggy bile-merchant” on his OnlyFans page.
Viva BrisVegas
@Baud: He looks good in a pope hat and robe. It goes with his makeup.
Suburban Mom
@Aussie sheila: Great news and congratulations!
Tony Jay
@Pete Downunder:
These are facts that my scientifically inclined arachnophobe son shared frequently and urgently with his Aussie cousins when we met them. In many ways he does take after his Daddy.
WaterGirl
@Pete Downunder: @Viva BrisVegas: Big thanks to both of you for this thread!!!
raven
@Pete Downunder: Indeed, that was the #1 activity for us!
Aussie sheila
@Aussie sheila:
Dutton on track to losing his seat! Yay!
Layer8Problem
This is great news to wake up to here in in the US Eastern Time Zone. Thanks for the commentary!
Tony Jay
@Viva BrisVegas:
But enough about Nigel Farage…
Viva BrisVegas
@WaterGirl: Thank you Watergirl. Most of the effort, and the early morning start, was yours.
Jack Canuck
@Aussie sheila: Wouldn’t that be a great treat on top of the Coalition losing overall?
Baud
@Aussie sheila:
Nice. Will he take someone else’s seat like they’re doing in Canada?
NotMax
@Viva BrisVegas
Honolulu to NYC is around 13 hours if flying nonstop. More often than not those fares are out of my price range so when I travel Maui to NYC I fly with one or two short layovers, so about 15 or 16 hours all told (if no delays/cancellations)
Aussie sheila
@Baud:
No. He’s a loser. He’s finished. Rightly. I would say the same of an ALP leader in the same position.
zhena gogolia
@Tony Jay: lol
So I guess we’re perishing to save the rest of the world? Better than nothing, I suppose.
zzcool
BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump first US president to lose an Australian Election!!!
Viva BrisVegas
ABC now has 75 for Labor and 33 for the Scumbags. 3 Greens and 10 others. 29 in doubt.
76 seats is enough for government.
Aussie sheila
@Viva BrisVegas:
Yep. I can have another drink and safely drive home. 🚗
Viva BrisVegas
@Baud: The conservatives (Liberals) are traditionally very ruthless with losing leaders.
That said, Dutton is of the far right faction of his party and that is the ruling faction. They may want him back for ideological reasons.
hells littlest angel
Once again, we see that ETTD can be a good thing. Democracy for the win in Australia!
Aussie sheila
Dutton lost. Definitely. Woohoo!
geg6
@Betty Cracker:
Hahaha, I’ve always thought that too!
Tony Jay
Glancing over the coverage, it looks like the punditocracy are basing their post-match coverage options around the theme of “Big night for Labor that looks like it’s only going to get worse for the Coalition”.
Lovely to see. The tears of conservatives are the sugar on my morning cereal.
Hopefully Australia’s Labor will take the right message from the LLP’s disaster and the self-mutilation newnewlabourinc’s mirror-universe masterminds are inflicting on UK Labour’s popularity over here and recognise that sucking up to lunatics and aping the policies of fascists are not vote-winning strategies for ostensibly progressive parties.
Viva BrisVegas
I wouldn’t worry too much about Dutton. Failed former Liberal leaders always have golden parachutes waiting for them in private enterprise.
Aussie sheila
@Tony Jay:
Agree. Here downunder there is one thing the ALP must deliver. Housing x 3. Everywhere. No excuses, none.
Viva BrisVegas
@Tony Jay: From your mouth to Albo’s ear.
He needs to remember that he is a Labor leader. Which means doing Labor things.
We’ll watch and see.
Tony Jay
@zhena gogolia:
To be fair, Farage is a big old empty maw of old-fashioned greed and contempt for anyone stupid enough to believe his bollocks, propped up by dark-money sponsors and the slavish fan-fluffing of our national media. Given the opportunity he’d eat everything, not just his own.
lowtechcyclist
@zhena gogolia:
I’d say, “just think of America as Jesus” but I’m laughing almost too hard to type it.
stinger
Thanks, Pete and Viva! So interesting! Fingers crossed for Australia!
Birdie
@zzcool: yes. I didn’t think Trump would be such a big factor but I was wrong – can’t explain this result otherwise. The quiet majority has spoken.
TS
@Viva BrisVegas:
And they have been few and far between. The world is upside down when the ALP is decreasing taxes while the coalition increases them.
I have been non-stop writing to my MP asking for support for labor voters & their economic issues.
TS
@zzcool:
And at last the media have started talking about this very fact. trump is good for democracy everywhere except in the USA
geg6
Thank you Australia! You and Canada have been the only political bright spots in what is a very dark world here in the US. Gives me hope!
AM in NC
@Betty Cracker: Same! I thought it was a proud reference to being (what I imagined was) one of the few Jewish people in Australia.
Thanks, Bris, for clearing that up!
I regard the nickname fondly, as the family of a former boyfriend called me Ash Vegas for years.
J.
Thanks for this great post, Pete Downunder and Viva BrisVegas! So happy Labor won! (Also, @VivaBrisVegas, I have a friend who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, and he refers to is as KnoxVegas.)
currawong
The only disappointment is that Peter Dutton and the LNP have run such a terrible campaign that Labor will win enough seats for a clear majority. Their record on the environment and climate has been dreadful and having to deal with a climate focused crossbench would have been a real positive.
The major pointer for tomorrow (or the next day) will be whether or not Albo heads off to grovel to the Murdochs as he did three years ago.
After 3 years of relentless support for the LNP and constant criticism of Labor, he should be giving them the bird.
Aussie sheila
@Jack Canuck:
Simply the Best!
Viva BrisVegas
Now for the Senate. The counting of votes for the Senate is a mystery known only to the AEC. So we probably won’t know the makeup of the Senate until the end of next week.
Some more details on Australian elections.
House and Senate elections are technically completely different things with differing rules on when they can be held.
That said, governments will always try to schedule Senate elections for the same day as House elections. Otherwise the electorate is inclined to get very stroppy.
The House can sit for a maximum of 3 years and a bit. Individual Senators sit for six years and half of them go to election every 3 years.
zhena gogolia
@geg6: Me too!!!!
lowtechcyclist
@TS:
Everyone’s looking at the U.S. and saying, omigod, we don’t want to end up like those guys!
zhena gogolia
@lowtechcyclist: I know right
Baud
@lowtechcyclist:
@zhena gogolia:
https://balloon-juice.com/2025/04/29/so-much-winning-3/#comment-9598498
Viva BrisVegas
@AM in NC: I think the confusion came about because the “Bris” in Brisbane is pronounced Briz, not bris.
Also, there have been Jewish people in Australia since the First Fleet in 1788. Like most of the first settlers they were encouraged to come out as an alternative to being hanged.
Anyway that’s all from me tonight. Things went better than I had hoped.
We’ll see how the Senate turns out next week.
Princess
Thanks for this thread! Now I’m wishing I’d volunteered to do something like this for Canada. Next time (which will be sooner than I’d like).
The election and the parties really feel like a mirror of Canada’s (only upside down — of maybe right side up) apart from the separatist party. I think the Conservatives would have en in Canada with any candidate less extreme than Poilievre. I wonder if this is true for Dutton and the Liberals.
Aussie sheila
@currawong:
I’mma calling BS. This ALP government has been the least Murdoch forelock tugging of any. Because that kind of media is losing traction here as elsewhere. However the ALP must perform. Housing is and must be a priority.
AM in NC
@Viva BrisVegas: Thanks for all of the great information and reporting. To Pete as well! LOVE the Juicer community and the knowledge everyone brings (plus the compassion and the snark, of course).
Congrats to all!
Baud
Brisbane speaks
NotMax
BTW, if any of y’all are looking for an engrossing read, might I suggest The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia’s Founding by Robert Hughes.
bluefoot
@lowtechcyclist: at least we can be a bad example and prevent disaster elsewhere.
Thanks for this thread, all! I love the idea of democracy sausages. And it’s great to see how other countries do elections.
stinger
@stinger:
And now I’ve read the thread, and refreshed and read some more: Yay Australia!
Kayla Rudbek
Good news to wake up to on a Saturday morning! And thanks to all the Australian commentators here for your analysis!
zhena gogolia
@Baud: You called it!
TS
@Baud: Australians aren’t so political most of the time. Our election campaigns last 6 weeks & we think that is too long. Dutton probably would have won his seat if he hadn’t become party leader – people suddenly saw more of him, discovered who he was and didn’t much like it.
Good to see him go.
stinger
@NotMax:
Long ago I saw a TV series called Against the Wind, starring, as I recall, Jon English, but I’ve never been able to find it on DVD or streaming. (There are other productions with the same name, but not at all the same topic.)
Annamal
Congratulations from NZ!
I fully expect this and Canada to throw some chaos for our current tenuous three way coalition of unpleasant conservatives. Our nationalist and quasi libertarian parties have been flirting with Trumpist stylings, I will be interested to see if they keep doing this.
Victor Matheson
I would keep up with the comments, but my dog Matilda is telling me it is time for breakfast. “Tilly” is our lovely replacement for our previous dog “Sheila”.
So yeah, we have very strong positive feelings for Australia in our house.
currawong
@Aussie sheila:
I hope you’re right. The next day or two will tell.
Aussie sheila
Victory speech by Albo now. Four hours after polls close. Excellent and efficient. Great speech.
prostratedragon
@Baud: Holds up things he has signed like a pope displaying an illuminated Gospel or cross before the congregation. I had noticed recently.
evodevo
@Tony Jay:
Yes, this. I am a herp fan, but I would never go down there. If you see an article on “the most venomous” whatever, no matter if vertebrate or invertebrate, and you guess Australia is where it is found, you will be right almost all of the time. Next in line would be India or SE Asia…
WaterGirl
@Viva BrisVegas: Come on, universe. One seat out of 29 is it too much to ask, right? So it should probably be three or five right so there’s room to spare in case somebody croaks or gets sick.
WaterGirl
@Tony Jay: too bad that last sentence is too long for a bumper sticker or a rotating tag!
lowtechcyclist
@Baud:
Don’t sprain a wrist patting yourself on the back! ;-)
rikyrah
Good Morning Everyone 😊 😊 😊
Trivia Man
@raven: great clip!
Kristine
@Viva BrisVegas:
At least he may prove good for something.
(Thinking of that sinking ship poster from DESPAIR.COM :
IT COULD BE THAT THE PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE IS ONLY TO SERVE AS A WARNING TO OTHERS.)
lowtechcyclist
@NotMax:
Read it ages ago when it first came out in paperback. It was indeed engrossing. Maybe I should pull it off the shelf and read it again.
Incidentally, Patrick O’Brian said he found it a good background read to help him with the setting when he wrote one of his Aubrey/Maturin novels that he was setting in Australia.
lowtechcyclist
@rikyrah:
Good morning!
Brit in Chicago
@Viva BrisVegas: Does he need to be there to be elected?
Trivia Man
@Viva BrisVegas: I barrack for the Lions, among others, and used to play some footy here stateside. When i first started watching games on late night cable i heard a phrase that made me laugh and still randomly pops up in my head. “And the Lions are having another red hot go at the wooden spoon.”
First time in 20+ years im not playing Footy Tips, i changed phones and lost my old account.
David Collier-Brown
Mr Trump set a record for losing an election in a foreign country (Canada).
I wonder if it’s fair to say he’s up to two?
geg6
@NotMax:
Excellent read. Been many years since I read it. Maybe I’ll see if I can find a copy online and read it again.
Tony Jay
@evodevo:
See, I’m fine with our slithering and snappy-jawed friends. Respectful of their threat, but they don’t scare me.
Our arachnoid fiends, OTOH, are a bit old nope. No. No way. Sorry. Don’t care how often Steve Backshall lets a big hairy spider sit on his hand while he coos over how (relatively) harmless and beautiful she is. In this area alone I am firmly segregation today. Segregation tomorrow. Segregation forever.
Except scorpions. And crabs. They’ve made the effort not to be hairy. I acknowledge that.
Princess
I see Albanese spoke about kindness in his victory speech — I can’t help seeing a Carney influence there.
David Collier-Brown
@Aussie sheila: Any multi-hop routes? My wife and I aren’t world travellers, so I definitely looked at a day or so in Iceland, if I got a trip from Canada to Berlin.
Citizen Dave
@NotMax: I read that book…close to 40 years ago now…great book. In a more contemporary vein, the travel bloggers (youtube), young couple One Pack Wanderers have traveled ’round Australia a couple times in 2023/24–including the Nullarbor. You really get to see the continent in their videos.
Thanks to the down under jackals for this thread!
Baud
@rikyrah:
Good morning.
Tony Jay
@WaterGirl:
You can legislate like a Frog and campaign like a Frog and call yourself Labour
But Frog-leaning voters will still vote for the Frog
Something like that. Needs work.
David Collier-Brown
@Pete Downunder: The Australian athletes tended to snicker at the Canadian Olympic teams, the year our outfits were from the “Roots” sportswear company.
lowtechcyclist
@Kristine:
https://despair.com/collections/t-shirts/products/mistakes-t-shirt
Geminid
@Pete Downunder: This is similar to Turkiye’s election process; votes are counted at each polling place, with representatives from the top five parties plus two state election officials. Totals are reported and the votes– typically ~450 per precinct– reported, and the ballots bagged and sealed. They all end up in Ankara for the official count.
@Viva BrisVegas: Turkish voting is all in-person, paper ballot; no absentee voting. Expat Turks can vote at consulates or, in the case of those living in France and Germany, at polling places set up with the cooperation of the host country. I think Germany had 11 for the 2023 election.
David Collier-Brown
@Princess: wrote
Unfortunately, he’s typical of the “Reform” faction, which did an unfriendly takeover of the Progressive Conservative party some years ago. They’ll either keep him or find someone else from the far far right.
Then they’ll lose again, and I hope keep losing until they put the Progressive wing back into the leadership. (My dad was a Progressive.)
Gloria DryGarden
Wow, you’re allowed to serve food and bring people water while they’re waiting to vote? How humane. You know some states made it illegal to even bring water to voters in line? Voter suppression just bewilders me.
Aussie Sheila
@David Collier-Brown:
Across the Pacific, from Sydney to Us the shortest route is Syd-LA or SF. But it’s still awful. It’s quicker flying US West Coast to Sydney. That may be down to the following winds. It took ten hours on my best flight, and I was able to sleep most of it.
Flying East from Australia is simply awful.
Torrey
Thank you to all the Australians and Australia-knowledgeable folks for the play-by-play. A good morning, indeed.
Another Scott
Thanks for the play by play. And thank you for the good result, good people of Oz.
SMH.com.au has it at:
ALP 89
LNP 38
IND 9
GRN 0
KAP 1
CEN 1
NONE 0
OTH 2
with 58.32% counted.
Looks like a thrashing so far.
Here’s hoping that ALP does good things with their majority. Don’t be like Starmer’s NuNewLabour in the UK! Don’t squander the mandate by trying to crush your supporters on the left to appeal to the monsters on the right!!
Fingers crossed.
Best wishes,
Scott.
TS
@Gloria DryGarden:
The other thing to mention – the lines are rarely very long. 20 min is the max I have ever waited to vote – usual time is 5-10 minutes
Aussie Sheila
@Another Scott:
Intra Party factionalism in the ALP has died down so much, the Greens run their whole Party on that part of the Left that can’t stomach the ALP. It wasn’t always that way. I met Albo 30 plus years ago, when ALP factionalism in NSW made Chicago politics look like municipal squabbles over library opening hours.
It had everything, including criminals stacking branches and assaulting and bashing factional opponents.
stinger
@prostratedragon:
I always think he’s a first grader at show and tell. Even the fat sharpie gripped in his tiny hand, like the oversized pencils they use in primary school.
Steve LaBonne
America is a dire and effective warning to the rest of the world of what not to do! Makes me so proud. ;)
Eolirin
@Steve LaBonne: Let’s see if the UK gets the message or if they go hard for the Reform party.
Don_K
@Viva BrisVegas:
My only two trips to Oz were on business and my company paid for business class (once on Air New Zealand and once on Qantas). That was civilized; I can’t imagine spending that much time in a fucking economy seat.
WaterGirl
@David Collier-Brown: Most definitely!
If you look at the chart up top, it tells the story.
WaterGirl
@Tony Jay: I’ll look forward to the next iteration!
Whomever
@Betty Cracker:
There are options to break it up. I (NYC resident) have gone via Hawaii and also via Tahiti (Air Tahiti used to do NYC->Tahiti->Sydney) and spent some time hanging out in Polynesia. Both Tahiti and Hawaii are lovely. But yes, it’s a LOOOOOOONG flight to anywhere. If you the the US flight is bad, look at London->Australia.
Whomever
@Gloria DryGarden: One of the best features of compulsory voting like Australia does is voter suppression is literally impossible. The older I get, watching all the stuff the Republicans pull to get the wrong people not to vote, the more important I think it is.
Voting in the US in the age of Trump feels depressing because of stuff like that. In Australia it’s still a festive thing.
Haroldo
@Don_K:
“Economy Plus” is quite tolerable, tho’ “Economy Proper” is nigh on intolerable.
Another Scott
@Baud: The AI-er that made that image should get an F for not using Benedict’s over-the-top popehat. You know that a Pope 47 would wear that all – the – time.
[ groucho-roll-eyes.gif ]
Best wishes,
Scott.
Splitting Image
Congratulations to Labor and to Australia.
Turning back the tide will happen one election at a time. One country at a time.
WaterGirl
@Another Scott: No vanity there!
rikyrah
@Aussie sheila:
So late, yes, Australia 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾
rikyrah
@Aussie sheila:
This thread just gets better and better 🤗🤗
rikyrah
@geg6:
That is true. Hope
Jackie
@Viva BrisVegas:
As should we ALL!
No fingerprints; no return address; mail from a different town/city – preferably 100+ miles away in a Red CD ;-D
pharniel
@David Collier-Brown: Growing as an American watching Windsor CBC and into Babylon 5, it took me a bit to realize that the “Jerry Doyle” always introduced with an exaggerated “REFOOOOOOOOOOOORM Party” on This Hour Has 22 Minutes was not, in fact, the actor playing Garibaldi but this other guy trying to bring the GOP to Canada.
Chris T.
@Pete Downunder:
And in Oz-stralia, everything is both! Even the trees will sting you!
Seriously, I loved visiting, but most of the place is too hot. It’s NZ for me. Or maybe Tasmania.