# Australia Federal Election - I'm jealous **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 8, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333 "2016-05-08T19:38:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/41 "2018-08-25T06:45:35Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > Yes, it’s a laudable feature of the Westminister system which does tend to focus the political minds. It helps that all the likely potential contenders are almost always a known quantity in government and parliament already; and that there isn’t a need for a quasi-judicial process to prove offences against a somewhat vaguely defined standard of quasi-criminality - a simple judgement that you’re “damaged goods” (whatever might or might not be proven to be some form of wrong-doing), and that the party would be better off with a new leader, is enough. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2018, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/42 "2018-08-28T13:29:08Z")
Seems like you’re changing PMs as often as your underwear Down Under! Here’s Wiki on the new guy: [Scott Morrison - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Morrison) ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/43 "2018-08-29T05:56:22Z")
Yeah, well it’s unedifying political theatre to be sure. But we’ll keep turfing them out until we get a decent political operator like Menzies, Howard, Hawke, Fraser, Hughes or Lyons and stick with them for a decade. The other 23 prior to ScoMo average 2.5 years in office and in terms of longevity ranking Gillard (#14/29) and Turnbull (#15/29) were both in office longer than Gough Whitlam. It’s a tough game. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/44 "2018-08-29T07:20:53Z")
Who knows, we may be changing PM again quite soon. Malcolm’s quitting parliament, and if the by-election doesn’t return a Lib (which is quite possible, he was popular in his electorate and they might decide to punish the party for ditching him) then they no longer have a majority government. Also, an election is due by next year anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/45 "2018-08-30T03:32:35Z")
I’ve never quite understood this “spill” thing. It sounds like a bar-room fight, but without the beer. “I can take you!” “Yeah? Try it!” “I will! I’m calling in my mates!” ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/46 "2018-08-30T04:20:14Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’ve never quite understood this “spill” thing. It sounds like a bar-room fight, but without the beer. > > “I can take you!” > > “Yeah? Try it!” > > “I will! I’m calling in my mates!” Seems to me that you understand it perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/47 "2018-08-30T04:44:31Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’ve never quite understood this “spill” thing. It sounds like a bar-room fight, but without the beer. > > “I can take you!” > > “Yeah? Try it!” > > “I will! I’m calling in my mates!” Yep, you’ve got it down pat. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/48 "2018-08-30T08:02:37Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’ve never quite understood this “spill” thing. It sounds like a bar-room fight, but without the beer. Similarly without the Marquess of Queensberry Rules. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/49 "2018-08-30T08:16:00Z")
“At least Turnbull was stabbed in the front” - actual quote from former Lib staffer under Abbott She’s totally shitting us, BTW ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333/50 "2018-08-30T14:14:09Z")
I’m reminded of a former British prime minister who spoke about enjoying his weekly discussions with the Queen, because “she’s the only well-informed public official I don’t have to worry about trying to take my job.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australia-federal-election-im-jealous/754333.md?page=2)