I am a proud Aussie tonight

[Cat X]

My fellow Australians have finally got a dose of sanity and absolutly kicked John Howard and the Liberal governemt out off office. Otherwise known as George W Bush's best mate Howard dragged us into the foul morass of Iraq and other things that no one really cares about overseas.

It is good to see my country sane again and about to leave Iraq as our new Prime Minister Tin Tin (errr....wait, that what he looks lie) Kevin Rudd takes power. Something to be truly proud of, the rejection of fear for the hope of the future.

(BYE JOHNNY!!! NO ONE'S GONNA MISS YOU!!!)

[Yog]

Looks like a good change for the better. Reading up on wikipedia about your new primeminister:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Rudd

[Rutabaga]

This is truly tremendous news...I'm really glad to see an avowed Bushie get the boot. I have to admit to feeling a great sense of satisfaction and relief when I saw the news this morning. Bravo, Australia!!! :dance

[Cat X]

Looks like a good change for the better. Reading up on wikipedia about your new primeminister:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Rudd

I suspect he will be fairly conservative, but a lot I heard from him while he was Shadow Foreign Minister said he was worth a shot. Articulate, a diplomat, well educated, wide thinking, hard worker - pretty much the exact oppostite of Bush. We could seriously be in luck if he translates his promise into fact. Rudd also speaks fluent Mandarian - in a Beijing accent.

The other notible thing is that he will sign Kyoto ASAP, isolationg the USA on climate change. Sure its only symbolic but it signals we have someone who accepts climate change is a real problem and is looking for ways to do something about it.

He's also got a hard on for accessible education, which means we will go back to a more socialist model. Thankfully.

[Zem-El Vymes]

I assume the chances are near-zero of firearm law liberalization, but otherwise this guy seems pretty good.

[Atreyu]

Unfortunately I cannot share the enthusiasm. Don't get me wrong, I'm no die-hand Liberal, and I would be the first to admit that the Howard government was getting past it's use by date. What ticks me off more than anything was that he didn't hand over to Costello 18 mths ago like he should have which would have given the Coalition a better chance at this election (IMHO anyway).

I would probably feel a lot happier about it if Labor wasnt in power in every single state. In NSW Labor is a joke - if it wasn't for such an inept opposition they'd have been gone ages ago. I can't comment too much on the other states since I dont live there but from what I've heard both Victoria and Queensland are also getting long in the tooth as well (possibly why both their respective premier's have jumped ship already). But who knows - maybe this election is the circuit breaker that will start seeing some of the other long established (Labor) goverments start to fall as well. We'll see. :)


(BYE JOHNNY!!! NO ONE'S GONNA MISS YOU!!!) I'm going to miss him (even though he was past his use by date). He leaves office with a 47% approval rating after 11 1/2 years in office - Hawke and Keating (and Fraser) could only dream of those type of numbers when they were booted.

EDIT:

I should probably add that I do think Rudd will be a good PM .... IF he actually governs from the centre as he's projected himself all year, and doesn't allow the more left-leaning elements of the party to knuckle down on him. Without a doubt he's got the mandate to govern how he likes, hopefully he'll stand up to any inter-party whinging if it occurs.

BTW I've only just now got update with the news cycle - Costello won't be running for leader of the Liberals:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/federal-election-2007-news/costello-wont-stand/2007/11/25/1195947541163.html

Wow. makes me wonder who'll be up next to take the mantle is Costello doesn't want it.

[Cat X]

I would probably feel a lot happier about it if Labor wasnt in power in every single state. In NSW Labor is a joke - if it wasn't for such an inept opposition they'd have been gone ages ago. I can't comment too much on the other states since I dont live there but from what I've heard both Victoria and Queensland are also getting long in the tooth as well (possibly why both their respective premier's have jumped ship already). But who knows - maybe this election is the circuit breaker that will start seeing some of the other long established (Labor) goverments start to fall as well. We'll see. :)


And who's falut is that? The Liberals are a total farce in NSW, they SHOULD have been in power last eelction, but they knifed Brognan in the back (The moron who did that also knifed Alan Cadman and won his seat, Alex Hawke) and they installed a Far Right stooge in his place.

I have absolutly no sympathy for the Labor everywhere argument when the Liberals could have had NSW in a canter and yet managed to so stupidly self destruct. At least O'Farrell is a moderate and not beholden to the Far right idiots that spring out of Hillsong. If you cant beat Iemma, then your party is complete failure and doesnt deserve to win.

Much of that Liberals are farce also applies in every other state, thence the wall to wall Labor is totally their own fault. If you lose 21 combined state elections in a row, that should clue them in they are useless.


Wow. makes me wonder who'll be up next to take the mantle is Costello doesn't want it.

Malcolm Turnbull.

[Atreyu]

And who's falut is that?
Inept oppositions of course, no disagreement. :) Barry O'Farrell I think is a much better leader than Debnam though, so maybe he can pull the Libs-Nats together better than his predecessors have done. I think Rudd has proven that can be done with a good, strong and disciplined leader (who can forget that only a couple of years ago the Federal Labor party was itself in a mess).


Malcolm Turnbull.
Maybe. Personally I think Turnbull would perform best as a treasurer initially rather than jumping straight into the leadership position, but with Costello out of the picture maybe thats no longer practical. To me there's no one else really standing out from the remaining (ex)cabinet ministers the Coalition still has - Ruddock, Abbott, Nelson, Bishop etc.