# Australian Federal Election: bobbing heads. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 3, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991 "2010-08-03T10:46:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/1 "2010-08-03T10:46:02Z")
Our Prime Minister (by spill), Julia Gillard, has called for a federal election coming up on 21st of August. That means that we poor Aussie schmucks have to endure _weeks_ of fucking campaigning by the current government, their opposition, and the sundry other fuckhead parties who might win a seat in the senate if they’re lucky. It’s always a trying time. Thank Og for a democracy eh? 😛 For some inexplicable reason though, it seems that whenever the leader of any party is being interviewed on the telly, there’s two (it’s only ever _two_) people behind her/him smiling and bobbing their heads up and down in rapt adoration of the policies/opinions being espoused. It’s got to the point where I focus on the timing and synchronisation of the acolytes (waiting for a nod out of place etc) rather than the policies being touted by the leader. This election is annoying enough already without the Bobbsy Twins doing their stuff in the background. It’s seriously fucking my head in. \*\*Just Don’t Do It. \*\* :rolleyes: Oh, and _you_ Ms Gillard? Fuck off. Mr Abbott? You too. Both of you should go to your rooms until the election is over!! ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/2 "2010-08-03T11:14:24Z")
I liked this summary of Gillard and Abbott’s positions in plainspeak: > **[ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)](https://www.abc.net.au/news)** > > Trusted and independent source of local, national and world news. In-depth analysis, business, sport, weather and more. ---
**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 3, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/3 "2010-08-03T12:02:26Z")
Personally, I consider us lucky it’s only weeks. Over in the US they seem to have been having election campaignereering all year, and it’s not on till November. And this isn’t even the ‘big’ election year for them _shudder_ I’ve managed to avoid watching any TV interviews with pollies though. And almost all the ads. Two words - Internet TV 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/4 "2010-08-03T16:27:38Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Our Prime Minister (by spill), Julia Gillard, has called for a federal election coming up on 21st of August. That means that we poor Aussie schmucks have to endure _weeks_ of fucking campaigning by the current government, their opposition, and the sundry other fuckhead parties who might win a seat in the senate if they’re lucky. Whole _weeks_ of campaigning? I remember what bliss that was. Try living over here. > [@Princhester](#): > > I liked this summary of Gillard and Abbott’s positions in plainspeak: > > [ABC News - Trusted Source of Latest News & Headlines](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/03/2971635.htm?site=thedrum) Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/5 "2010-08-03T19:50:05Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > That means that we poor Aussie schmucks have to endure _weeks_ of fucking campaigning … Three weeks. Jeez, I’d give the entire left side of my brain for a mere three week election campaign. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/6 "2010-08-04T16:29:43Z")
If we had three week election campaigns we’d still have left brains to give. ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/7 "2010-08-06T08:44:00Z")
Thanks for that link **Princhester**. Good for a chuckle 🙂 **Kam** , ever since I read your OP, I haven’t been able to get it out of my head whenever seeing some pollie on the telly. It’s made TV viewing much more enjoyable, as I hit the mute button and count the bobble-head bobbing. So far, Gillard is pulling ahead on the number of background bobs, but I haven’t controlled that per minute or per segment yet 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/8 "2010-08-06T09:15:05Z")
I’m on a roll with the pertinent links. This is a [cracker of a story](http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/pm-watches-as-apprentice-learns-how-to-say-nothing-20100804-11fnc.html?from=age_sb), relevant to the OP, and even mentions nodding: > [@](#): > > All the while, the local member, whoever he or she may be, stands at the Prime Minister’s shoulder nodding enthusiastically at each point about the government’s triumphs, looking grave when the Opposition Leader’s name is mentioned and flashing a ghastly grin at moments that seem most appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![mrpayday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@mrpayday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrpayday)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/9 "2010-08-06T11:21:53Z")
I found the Chaser’s take on this for you [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0b9EoGFfSE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0b9EoGFfSE) ---
**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:** [August 6, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-federal-election-bobbing-heads/548991/10 "2010-08-06T13:59:34Z")
Whoever that Annabel Crab person is who wrote the thing **Princhester** linked to, we need her over here.