Irrespective of whoever governs, it stands true to say that this election describes the Australian public as either:
- hotly torn between being comrade lefties or conservative beige cardigan wearers; or
- the two parties are so similar in their politics, it takes little for a voter to step across the line and swing their preference 'to the other side'.
We've seen some amazing 'firsts' this election. At 20 years of age, Wyatt Roy is the youngest ever member elected to the House of Representatives. We welcome Australia's first indigenous member to the House of Reps (we've seen others in the Senate previously) and finally, a greenie has coveted a seat downstairs as well, remarkably from an urban electorate.
This election of 2010 is crazy, disappointing, inspiring, remarkable and typically Australian all at the same time. In other countries (some in our region), elections are commonly marred by militia, bombings, standovers, and killings. In our country, parents push babies in their prams to school based polling booths, while volunteers cook-up sausage sizzles in the playground and the ladies auxiliary serve at the cake stall.
We're reminded of why this is so by 35 year old Grant Kirby and 21 year old Tomas Dale, the two Aussie soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan on polling day. It's because of such sacrifices made by them and those before them, that irrespective of the result, the sun always seems to shine on election day in Australia.
Australians should also take note of the way in which both major parties rolled out one of the most cynical and negative campaigns we have yet witnessed. To be addressed in such a way should be considered insulting to the electorate.
ReplyDeleteLooking from the outside in (expat glasses on) I was sad to see the occasion of Australia's first female prime minister marred by the fact that she was not elected by the people, and in fact the mutinous events leading to her ascent seem to have rendered her more impotent, as it is evident that she is just another puppet in the Labor party machine. Too bad again that at this juncture and opportunity for Australia to truly elect their first female PM, the shadow of her Lady MacBeth-esque blood stained hands affected voters - many of whom like-or-loath Rudd seem to feel that the whole process of succession was very un-Australian. Meanwhile, it seems that one of the strongest things the opposition leader has going for him is that he is a beach lifeguard who proudly sports a classic pair of Aussie Speedos - how Aussie is that?! From my conservative North Shore vantage point it is hard to see why the outcome was not more decisive...
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