TRUE OPINION: A “quiet Australian” himself not too long ago and living in a swinging electorate, Niki Michell says he now wants a change of government and a return of much-needed accountability.
Prior to late February of this year I would have been described by Scott Morrison as one of the “quiet Australians” – one of those people who care little for political discourse. Before the last election he stated, “Too many of us have been quiet for too long and it’s time to speak up”. He was right, only we didn’t know it then. We do know it now.
Since the disgraceful handling of the Bruce Lehrmann scandal followed by the endless series of disasters that followed, Mr. Morrison has successfully gained our attention.
So what is it that we now want after tuning into Australian politics? The first thing we want is a change of government. After that we will be seeking accountability for what we have seen and heard.
I’m from the electorate of Petrie in Queensland. Our representative is Luke Howarth MP. Luke is a third term no-name Liberal MP that’s done a pretty good job for us here I assume. I haven’t been paying attention until recently but from what I can gather, he’s been okay. But he’s gotta go too. He is as guilty as the rest. He is at the very least, a silent enabler.
TRUE OPINION: The Year is 2030. Welcome to Hell in Australia
The good news for us quiet Australians from the electorate of Petrie – despite the need for greater than a 8.4% swing to remove Mr. Howarth – is that we have good form when it comes to picking a winner. Since 1975 we have had an MP in government every term except 1984. We have correctly read the room 16 times in the last 17 elections.
We aren’t the only electorate to have a good nose for picking up a stench, for feeling out the vibe and putting ourselves into a good position. The Queensland electorate of Leichhardt also has 16 out of 17 since 1975. They misjudged the 2010 election, and in their defense it was 72 seats each to the majors. The Division of Longman, next door to us in Petrie also missed the 2010 one but they’re pretty good at backing a winner too. Since commencing in 1994 these guys are 7 from 9.
Other Coalition held swinging electorates that make a pretty good fist of it are Herbert and Bowman, both at 14/17, both missed that pesky 2010 draw. Booner missed the 2010 too otherwise they would have 6/6.
The quiet Australians, as Morrison so termed us, don’t know anything about margins of swing or safe seats or much else about the in and outs of politics. We do know however, when the winds start blowing, we know how to point our ship to catch the breeze. We will back in the side that’s going to win because that’s what’s best for us.
TRUE OPINION: Climate Change in the Land of Oz
It’s unlikely the ALP will lose any seats they hold now, and the election sailers will point their sales in the right direction, it’s obvious which way that is.
In addition, many of the seats that are giving out the foul stench that blows downwind will face a turbulent sea. Pearce, Goldstein, Kooyong, Aston, Deakin, Hume, Wannon, Wentworth, Cook, Bowman, Flinders, Dickson, McPherson and others.
Then there’s more trouble with the climate change denying MPs. Who knows how their hard stance against the worldwide shift to do something, anything will end? It may save a few of them at the expense of others in the party.
No matter what way you crunch the numbers Scott Morrison is three sheets to the wind heading towards a climate change induced storm that will sink his unseaworthy ship.
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