nothing serious since august, so i thought i might add something (as oppposed to replying to a dead thread). What do you guys (or Girls, those several girls or one ) think of the change in leadership to Kevin Rudd. Don't really care myself, a bit young for that, i've got two years before i can even vote.


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Lifes a beach...... wipe your feet on the way out.

Well you should care because Prime Minister Rudd has a vision for the direction of Australia that will affect all Australians.
The outgoing Liberal Government under John Howard whilst proven managers of the economy, stunted the future of the nation. Rudd will formally apologize to the Indigenous population on behalf of the Government for its previous 'stolen generation' policies, ratify the Kioto Protocol whilst generally moving ahead to actively combat climate change and will seek to overturn or reform the largely unpopular WorkChoices legislation. He will also bring a referendum to the people on the topic of an Australian repulbic, something I feel is of vital importance to our future and identity and indeed it is time to open a new chapter in our history.
I feel that the Howard Government failed in uniting the Australian people, and in the end PM Howard lost touch with the people completely.

I voted for Kevin Rudd because I feel that Australia needs to move ahead not backwards, and the only way to do this is by progressive reform and by transparency of government. And I'm pleased to be having a new Government which feels like 'my Government' after living more than half my life under the previous Liberal Government.

Kevin Rudd is going to further dialogue with Asia and decrease our dependence somewhat with the United States, while still maintaining friendly relations into the future from which there is much to be gained. I suspect also that the next President of the United States will further our relations, as Bush is a staunch Howard supporter.

It was good to see the nation united in electing a new Government, not only in electing the Labor party with so many seats, but in taking away the Prime Ministers seat also.


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Bigger Than Big, Stronger Than Strong

I read about that in the Japan Times. Since I've never been to Australia I don't know a lot about the political system there. Looks like Team has filled me in. (You spelled Kyoto wrong. I only noticed because it's Japanese.) Anyway seems like more countries should get on the ball with that and it also seems like the United States is one of them that didn't get on the ball.... seriously I hate Bush as a president and I can't wait until the next US president is elected. I wonder if I should get an absentee ballot in case I stay another year... because this is one election I don't wanna miss out on. I know my vote didn't do much last time but I guess every vote helps a little. I just hate it sometimes when both candidates aren't what you want. America needs more than a two party system in my opinion. I know there are other parties but they rarely get equal recognition.


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学生：どんなとりが好き？
私：やきとり。

just wondering: Do you in Australia have to put up with 1 year plus political campaigns like we do in the US for presidential elections?

Haha no. The elections don't take too long at all because in the States you have a hundred billion people running for President and they all vie for the nomination in their respective parties. In Australia, whoever is the leader of the party that gets voted in becomes Prime Minister.
So that means we don't vote for the man but instead the party, and the leader of a party is selected by a vote of the senior members of the party.

And because we're voting in the party not the man, one could theoretically be Prime Minister from when they were first elected to death. Our longest serving PM served for about 18 years, and the outgoing one was 11...11 years too long.


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Bigger Than Big, Stronger Than Strong

Team_180B wrote:

11 years too long

Bush will be 8 years too long by the end... at least there's only a 2 term limit! I don't think I could stand another 4 years.


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学生：どんなとりが好き？
私：やきとり。

Interestingly, in Australia the 'Australian Liberal Party' is actually the more conservative party equivalent to the Republican Party in the U.S, and the 'Australian Labor Party' is the equivalent of the Democrats. Now for the first time ever, every single state Government and the Federal Government is Labor government, which would be like if the President and every state Governor were Democrats.


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Bigger Than Big, Stronger Than Strong

Awesome! Yay liberals.


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学生：どんなとりが好き？
私：やきとり。

Yay Labor who are Liberal, boo Liberals who are gay.


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Bigger Than Big, Stronger Than Strong

Team_180B wrote:

Interestingly, in Australia the 'Australian Liberal Party' is actually the more conservative party equivalent to the Republican Party in the U.S, and the 'Australian Labor Party' is the equivalent of the Democrats. Now for the first time ever, every single state Government and the Federal Government is Labor government, which would be like if the President and every state Governor were Democrats.

Isn't that kind of like having all your eggs in one basket?

Well the Federal Government doesn't have too much power over the states, each has their own agenda and is watched closely by the opposition Government (that is the party who is not in power). Australia has decided that it wants the Labor party to be the dominant political party in Australia which may bring a continuity of policy which could work in our favour.

For example Labor is more inclined to act on climate change and for that to work effectively the co-operation of the State and Federal Governments is vital.

Prime Minister Rudd will be visiting the United States fairly soon and it will be interesting to see how he and Bush interact.


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Bigger Than Big, Stronger Than Strong

Team_180B wrote:

Well the Federal Government doesn't have too much power over the states, each has their own agenda and is watched closely by the opposition Government (that is the party who is not in power). Australia has decided that it wants the Labor party to be the dominant political party in Australia which may bring a continuity of policy which could work in our favour.

For example Labor is more inclined to act on climate change and for that to work effectively the co-operation of the State and Federal Governments is vital.

Prime Minister Rudd will be visiting the United States fairly soon and it will be interesting to see how he and Bush interact.

Bush will slob his knob. His presidency is coming to an end and he doesn't want to give people a reason to view him more negatively than they already do, especially when it comes to foreign relations which is probably his worst area.

Come on guys this is supposed to be the serious forum. Let's not pollute it with fairytale mythological countries such as "Australia".



AMERICAN FOOTBALL RULES!




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tat6789 wrote:

i gave this job to Team because I know he doesn't have a soul.

I'm going to allow this, only because it's Favrino.


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Bigger Than Big, Stronger Than Strong

I do approve of his abbo killing policies.