# Australian Federal Election: 7th September \[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 30, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772 "2013-01-30T03:13:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/1 "2013-01-30T03:13:18Z")
This is going to be a long year. I’m sick of the election already. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/2 "2013-01-30T04:30:44Z")
The lack of any clear majority during this parliament has meant we have basically been in permanent election mode for years. ---
**Author:** ![paige1986](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecd19e/32.png) [@paige1986](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paige1986)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/3 "2013-01-30T05:13:25Z")
Now I am not so sure. I don’t think a change in Liberal leadership is likely. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/4 "2013-01-30T05:49:45Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > This is going to be a long year. I’m sick of the election already. [You’re lucky, Aussie.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=641320) ---
**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:** [January 30, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/5 "2013-01-30T06:08:53Z")
Well yes, but with the US having a pre-ordained end point, if so inclined/capable you can switch off for most of the four years … and then not bother to vote anyway. We’ve been 33 days away from an election since 21 August 2010. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/6 "2013-01-30T06:18:46Z")
Any chance the Liberals might take power or is it leaning toward Labour? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/7 "2013-01-30T06:34:26Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Any chance the Liberals might take power or is it leaning toward Labour? What’s the difference? Serious question. Does “Liberal” in Australian politics mean the same thing as it means in the U.S.? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/8 "2013-01-30T06:37:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What’s the difference? Serious question. Does “Liberal” in Australian politics mean the same thing as it means in the U.S.? From what I’ve read, Liberals seem to be the main conservative party in Australia (ironically) referring to economic liberalism (ie free trade, less regulation etc.) although there are more hardcore right-wing parties. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2013, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/9 "2013-01-30T06:44:46Z")
Yes, Liberals are the right wing (though I think in America they’d probably be seen as “centralist”) and Labor is left (a lot lefter than the Democrats in the US). There’s also the Greens, further left than Labor, not as strong as the two major parties, but they have some representation in parliament, and have quite a significant amount of power under the current marginal government. Over on the right again there are the National Party, in permanent coalition with the Liberals so in many respects they act as one entity. And the odd independent or two, including some right nutters (well, one at least…) ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/10 "2013-01-30T06:54:50Z")
Yes, the Libs here are most similar to the Dems in the USA, I’d call them both centre-right parties. The rest of the world rolls eyes when Americans call the Dems “left-wing”. I’d call our Labor party “center-left” and the Greens “medium-left”. There are actual far-left socialist parties but they don’t get enough votes to matter, while the nuttier end of the right wing does occasionally manage to get a candidate elected. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2013, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/11 "2013-01-30T10:30:19Z")
There were 24 parties (not including independents) contesting the last Federal election. The 7-24th ranked parties combined won less than the 6th. The LIBs, Qld LIB NATs, CLP and NATs can be regarded as one centre-right block on economic issues, and virtually all the “dry” right candidates exist within the LIB factions. The NATs are an curious amalgam of free trader and agrarian socialist. There’s no party to the right economically of the LIBs. On social issues there are more conservatives, but even Fred Nile’s Christian Democrats don’t hold a candle (well, they do hold a candle, but not in comparison) to the US religious right. IMHO, it is rare for Australian Federal elections to be decided on anything other than economic (mis)management, taxes or “it’s time” issues. Not the Republic, global warming, gun control, abortion, universal health care. Perhaps industrial relations would also rank as a tier one issue. 1st Preference Votes by Party 2012 Federal election ``` Name Contested Elected TotalVotes Total% ``` ALP Australian Labor 150 72 4,711,363 37.99 LP Liberal 109 44 3,777,383 30.46 GRN The Greens 150 1 1,458,998 11.76 LNQ Liberal National Qld 30 21 1,130,525 9.12 NP The Nationals 16 7 462,387 3.73 IND Independents 53 4 312,496 2.52 FFP Family First 108 0 279,330 2.25 CDP CDP Christian Party 42 0 83,009 0.67 CLP Country Liberals 2 1 38,335 0.31 ON One Nation 21 0 27,184 0.22 LDP Liberal Democrats 22 0 24,262 0.20 DEM Democrats 25 0 22,376 0.18 SPA Secular Party 19 0 12,752 0.10 ASX Australian Sex Party 6 0 11,263 0.09 SEP Socialist Equality Party 10 0 11,160 0.09 SAL Socialist Alliance 12 0 9,348 0.08 CEC Citizens Electoral Council 12 0 8,017 0.06 DLP Democratic Labor Party 7 0 5,212 0.04 TCS The Climate Sceptics 7 0 4,339 0.03 AFN Australia First Party 5 0 3,670 0.03 NCP Non-Custodial Parents 2 0 2,835 0.02 NAF Non Affiliated 5 0 2,508 0.02 BAP Building Australia 3 0 1,497 0.01 CA Carers Alliance 3 0 1,458 0.01 CAL Communist Alliance 1 0 656 0.01 ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/12 "2013-01-30T11:10:33Z")
Howard won an election on immigration (Tampa). ---
**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:** [January 30, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/13 "2013-01-30T11:55:35Z")
Yes, I’d accept that. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/14 "2013-01-30T17:50:38Z")
… Australian Sex Party? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/15 "2013-01-30T17:55:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > … Australian Sex Party? More fun than tea. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/16 "2013-01-30T19:12:28Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > … Australian Sex Party? I vote for them. They’re civil libertarians. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/17 "2013-01-31T07:07:29Z")
Am I missing the Country Party in **penultima thule** ’s list? Or are they now formally merged with the Liberals? Note to **Qin** : Though the common Australian spelling of the noun is British/Commonwealt\yh style _labour_, the political party is the Labor Party, no U. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/18 "2013-01-31T08:02:22Z")
They’re now the Nationals. ---
**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:** [January 31, 2013, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/19 "2013-01-31T08:40:45Z")
The Country Party continue as the Nationals in NSW, VIC, SA and WA, are merged as the Liberal Nationals in Queensland and as Country Liberal in the Northern Territory. I don’t believe they are active in Tasmania and the ACT. They are now a regional rather than a rural constituency. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772/20 "2013-01-31T11:08:40Z")
So what’s with the glasses? Do the spin-techies reckon that Julia looks more ‘credible’ with specs? 😕 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-7th-september-edited-title/648772.md?page=2)