Australia 2022 Election

[Benjamin Frank]

Well, at least Morrison can have this: first PM to last an entire term since Howard.

No doubt this is because Morrison had the support of Rupert Murdoch.

I don't know how accurate this is, but I like the frankness of the headline:
Scott Morrison shielded by Murdoch protection racket

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/scott-morrison-shielded-by-murdoch-protection-racket-,15430

[Benjamin Frank]

Asides from the border restrictions, and with Melbourne as an unlucky exception, Australia and NZ did comparatively well at minimizing restrictions on the domestic population, as well as doing amazing comparatively at saving lives.

Luck had little to nothing to do with what we were subjected to here. It was all very deliberate (although also very haphazard and reckless) and has left a scar in many ordinary people in ways that will impact their voting behaviour for years.

You also leave out that restrictions in Melbourne and Sydney, interstate and overseas travel restrictions, etc impacted regional Australia economically and socially too. People in states without restrictions themselves had impacts cascading to them. Whether or not this is a net good when factoring in theoretical worst case death toll scenarios is irrelevant when it's what actually defined the last few years for you: not seeing family and friends, plans being ruined, losing income, just ballooning uncertainty everywhere.

Luckily for Labor the Australian population seem to be largely docile. There's no strong tradition of standing up for human rights. It's not something that activates a majority of people, unfortunately. However, there is still a portion of people who ought to be labor-leaning who have gone a little nutty because of the abuse they've endured. It is what it is.

Mate, the reality is that virtually no one is voting on lockdowns because we're not insane.

The only two parties explicitly anti-lockdown are Cliver Palmer's New Vanity Project and the Liberal Democrats. They are both tiny fringe parties polling less than the Greens.

The name of the party is really 'New Vanity Project.'?

[Benjamin Frank]

Albanese could not tell the media his own policy on the NDIS.

NDIS Stumble

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BC1lhbK98Q

Even though this guy sounds like a bumbling idiot in front of the camera, I still think he has this election in the bag.

Sportbet has

Labor at $1.40
Coalition at $2.90
Hung Parliament at $2.05

I am thinking that Labor will romp it in through encumbency fatigue.

Morrison: Multiple scandals, having a potential rapist on the front bench, hiding Alan Tudge, etc.

Media: *crickets*

Albanese: Makes a couple of gaffes

Media: *incoherent screaming*

What do you expect given that the Australian mainstream media is dominated by Rupert Murdoch? 

[Benjamin Frank]

Apparently if you are in covid isolation you can ask the operator marking your ballots to draw a penis.
https://twitter.com/AusElectoralCom/status/1531488845858217984

Their ballot, their choice.

[Benjamin Frank]

A summary of the Labor M.Ps
41 Men, 36 women

37 were political staffers, ranging for constituency assistants, to the top advisor to the Prime Minister
23 have law degrees though not all were practicing lawyers
18 were union officials or staffers
14 have at least some private business ownership/executive experience
14 were elected to municipal office, and 5 to state office
11 have degrees or higher in economics
7 have a medical background
9 have a science background, including 5 of the 7 with a medical background (the other is Clare O'Neil who is a psychologist - mental health is still health.)
12 were 'educators.'

Compared to Canada, there is less diversity in background, with a major focus on people who have worked for the party and those with education backgrounds that relate to politics and policy like law and economics.  Not a surprise that a Labor Party would have a fair number of union officials or staffers.

Compared to the U.K, there are many less who have held local office. In the U.K, local office is formally associated with party politics, whereas it isn't in Australia.

Of the 21 with law degrees, 10 of them are in the senior ministry and 5 are in the junior ministry. (Didn't bother with the Assistant Ministers.)

There might be some changes going on there.  There are 17 M.Ps in the '2022 intake.'

Of these, 10 are women and 7 are men.

Of these
5 have at least some private business ownership/executive experience
4 were union officials/staffers
4 have a science background, including two physicians
5 were political staffers

[Benjamin Frank]

8 have a science background, including 5 of the 6 with a medical background (the other is Clare O'Neil who is a psychologist - mental health is still health.)

Are you thinking of someone else? Clare O’Neil graduated in law and public policy.

Oops, sorry, I meant Amanda Rishworth, the Social Services Minister.

[Benjamin Frank]

I missed some M.Ps earlier in the various categories, so I'll throw this to the board.

Labor M.Ps with law degrees
1.Andrew Leigh, lawyer and economics professor
2.Jason Clare, Bachelor of laws
3.Kristy McBain, lawyer
4.Michelle Rowland, telecommunications firm senior lawyer
5.Tony Burke, Bachelor of laws
6.Stephen Jones, lawyer
7.Shayne Neumann, family law lawyer and firm partner
8.Anika Wells, compensation law lawyer
9.Graham Perrett, solicitor
10.Mark Butler, Bachelor of laws
11.Julian Hill, Bachelor of laws
12.Richard Marles, labor lawyer
13.Peta Murphy, lawyer and legal aid senior public defender
14.Daniel Mulino, Bachelor of laws
15.Tim Watts, lawyer and Telstra coporate relations manager
16.Brendan O'Connor, lawyer
17.Clare O'Neil, lawyer
18.Mark Dreyfus, lawyer and Law Council of Australia Director
19.Bill Shorten, lawyer
20.Andrew Giles, labor lawyer
21.Peter Khalil, Bachelor of laws
22.Madeleine King, commercial law lawyer
23.Matt Keogh, commercial litigation lawyer and former federal prosecutor

Union Officials/Staffers
1.David Smith, professionals Australia union Australian Capital Territory director
2.Ed Husic, CEPU national president
3.Matt Thistlewaite, Australian workers union New South Wales vice president
4.Pat Conroy, Australian manufacturing workers union national economist
5.Tony Burke, SDA union organiser
6.Stephen Jones, community and public sector union national secretary
7.Marion Scrymgour, 'union activist' (whatever that means)
8.Mark Butler, HMU union South Australian secretary
9.Amanda Rishworth, SDA union organiser
10.Matt Burnell, transport workers union organiser
11.Lisa Chesters, United Voice union organiser
12.Carina Garland, Victorian trades hall council assistant secretary
13.Ged Kearney, President Australian council of trade unions
14.Richard Marles, Australian countil of trade unions assistant secretary
15.Brendan O'Connor, Australian services union assistant national secretary
16.Cassandra Fernando, SDA union organiser
17.Bill Shorten, Australian workers union national secretary
18.Patrick Gorman, United Voice union director

Business
1.Jerome Laxale, family beauty products company director
2.Jason Clare, Transurban Inc. executive
3.Emma McBride, Bendigo bank branch director
4.Dan Repacholi, engineering business owner
5.Susan Templeman, owner 'Media Skills' (consultancy)
6.Andrew Charlton, co-owner Alpha Beta Strategies
7.Meryl Swanson, cafe owner
8.Shayne Neumann, family law lawyer and firm partner
9.Tony Zappia, fitness centres owner
10.Brian Mitchell, P.R and communications firm owner
11.Daniel Mulino, Pottinger Inc director of policy
12.Anne Aly, Anti terrorism consultant (or something like that)
13.Tania Lawrence, Beelu Forest Distilling Company managing director
14.Sam Lim, small business owner

Economics
1.Alicia Payne, B.A-economics, National Centre for Social and Economic Modeling researcher
2.Andrew Leigh, PhD-Public Policy, economics professor
3.Anthony Albanese, B.A-economics
4.Matt Thislewaite, B.A-economics
5.Chris Bowen, B.A-economics
6.Andrew Charlton, PhD-economics, P.M Kevin Rudd chief economics advisor
7.Pat Conroy, B.A-economics, Australian manufacturing workers union national economist
8.Fiona Phillips, B.A-economics
9.Shayne Neumann, B.A-government and economics
10.Daniel Molino, PhD-economics
11.Tania Lawrence, B.A-economics

Medical
1.Emma McBride, hospital chief pharmacist
2.Mike Freelander, hospital paediatrician and lecturer
3.Gordon Reid, emergency department physician
4.Amanda Rishworth, clinical psychologist
5.Catherine King, Australian health department director of injury prevention
6.Ged Kearney, registered nurse and nurse education manager
7.Michelle Ananda-Rajah, infectious disease physician and clinician

Science
1.Emma McBride, Bsc-pharmacy, hospital chief phamacist
2.Dan Repacholi, engineering business owner (seems to know about science)
3.Mike Freelander, M.D, hospital paediatrician and lecturer
4.Gordon Reid, M.D, emergency department physician
5.Julian Hill, Bsc-chemistry
6.Ged Kearney, Bsc-Nursing, registered nurse and nurse education manager
7.Michelle Anandah-Rajah, M.D, infectious disease physician and clinician
8.Madeiline King, Bsc-aerospace engineering (I think)
9.Zaeta Mascarendras, Bsc-engineering, engineer

Educators
1.Andrew Leigh, economics professor
2.Linda Burney, teacher and education consultant
3.Mike Freelander, hospital paediatrician and lecturer
4.Fiona Phillips, commerce lecturer
5.Graham Perrett, teacher
6.Amanda Rishworth, swimming instructor
7.Maria Vamvakinou, high school teacher
8.Ged Kearney, nurse education manager and former nurse educator
9.Libby Coker, diploma-education, Victorian department of education manager (whatever that means)
10.Joanne Ryan, primary school principal
11.Anne Aly, terrorism professor
12.Josh Wilson, lecturer

Municipal office holders
1.Jerome Laxale, Ryde mayor
2.Kristy McBain, Bega Valley Shire mayor
3.Michelle Rowland, Blacktown deputy mayor
4.Chris Bowen, Fairfield mayor
5.Sharon Claydon, Newcastle city councilor
6.Anne Stanley, Liverpool city councilor
7.Milton Dick, Brisbane city councilor
8.Tony Zappia, Salisbury mayor
9.Julian Hill, Port Phillip mayor
10.Maria Vamvakinou, Northcote city councilor
11.Libby Coker, Surf Coast Shire mayor
12.Clare O'Neil, Greater Dendenong mayor
13.Josh Wilson, Fremantle city councilor
14.Tracey Roberts, Wanneroo mayor

I said I had obsessive compulsive personality disorder!

[Benjamin Frank]

Confirmed, Eric Abetz is gone from the Senate!

Interestingly I was reading about him today. He's the politician who complained about the accuracy of the movie Rabbit Proof Fence.