Is Australia still a liberal democracy?

[GregTheGreat657]

I'm starting to think not, due to their COVID policies, though they obviously still are a democracy

[Middle-aged Europe]

Yes, because its government came into power through free and fair elections and the activities and chances of opposition parties to compete and win elections are not unfairly curtailed by the ruling parties. The same can be said about the media whose reporting about government activities isn't censored. As such, any COVID restrictions are democratically legitimized in addition to being reviewed by an independent judiciary.

[It’s so Joever]

This is why the rest of the World laughs at Americans.

[Meclazine for Israel]

We will be a Labor democracy soon if Scott Morrison doesn't start appealing to the ladies before the next Federal election.

[S019]

Yes (not a moron)

This is why the rest of the World laughs at Americans.

This is also why you shouldn't post in the international board, if you have no idea what you're talking about, as OP has demonstrated.

[dead0man]

This is why the rest of the World laughs at Americans.

to be fair, Americans aren't the only people who troll message boards with dumb poll questions.

[CumbrianLefty]

Seriously, isn't it a rule 101 of politics that "liberal democracies" can still do highly illiberal things?

[Pericles]

Also Australia ended their lockdowns in October and are now have only a few restrictions, though they do have some of the highest per capita case numbers in the world now.

[lfromnj]

They are still a Democracy and a liberal democracy when strictly relating to the term democracy. The people are authoritarian at heart though which therefore makes the country illliberal while still being a democracy.

[darklordoftech]

Civil forfeiture makes America more illiberal than Australia.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Seriously, isn't it a rule 101 of politics that "liberal democracies" can still do highly illiberal things?

This. And people have to start knowing that, because some "liberal democracies" are more illiberal than literal dictatorships.

Like you can literally have a liberal democracy and carry on a genocide if the genocide has a majority of the popular support and if the separation of power fails to prevent such things, like agree with the genocide...

Technically you can have fair & free elections... if the people agree with the genocide.

[PSOL]

Anti Vaxxers affect the rate of profits negatively, and in a game led by those paying to get payed in-game, that isn’t going to fly.

[Pericles]

Seriously, isn't it a rule 101 of politics that "liberal democracies" can still do highly illiberal things?

This. And people have to start knowing that, because some "liberal democracies" are more illiberal than literal dictatorships.

Like you can literally have a liberal democracy and carry on a genocide if the genocide has a majority of the popular support and if the separation of power fails to prevent such things, like agree with the genocide...

Technically you can have fair & free elections... if the people agree with the genocide.

It's incredibly offensive to compare a policy that's about saving lives to genocide.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Seriously, isn't it a rule 101 of politics that "liberal democracies" can still do highly illiberal things?

This. And people have to start knowing that, because some "liberal democracies" are more illiberal than literal dictatorships.

Like you can literally have a liberal democracy and carry on a genocide if the genocide has a majority of the popular support and if the separation of power fails to prevent such things, like agree with the genocide...

Technically you can have fair & free elections... if the people agree with the genocide.

It's incredibly offensive to compare a policy that's about saving lives to genocide.

I don't care about what it is offensive, i care about making the point, and you know very well that my point is valid. Replace with genocide with anything else, and it still says, it has nothing to do with genocide, but yes given that you have no insightful criticism on what i make, you deviate the attention to something else which is irrelevant.

It is exactly this kind of behaviour that is responsible for 21st century increase of polarization.

[SnowLabrador]

Yes. I don't know the specifics of Australian government, but I assume the people voted for the politicians who introduced restrictions, and a majority of these people continued to approve of the restrictions. Just because the government does some authoritarian things in a time of crisis doesn't mean it's a dictatorship.

[Velasco]

Seriously, isn't it a rule 101 of politics that "liberal democracies" can still do highly illiberal things?

Oh yes, the Australian migratory policy is quite illiberal

Regarding COVID restrictions and border controls, the case of Novak Djokovic poses interesting questions concerning liberal democracies (no doubt Australia belongs to that group).

For instance, one can wonder whether in our liberal democratic systems there exists a different justice for the rich

[Meclazine for Israel]

Australian's are the finest people in the World.

We were hand selected by England's finest judges.

[Big Abraham]

Probably not because Tender was from there.

[buritobr]

Do these 16 think that Djokovic is a political prisoner?

[GoTfan]

As someone who actually lives here as opposed to OP, yes we are.

Also a recommendation to the OP, take the advice of Abraham Lincoln. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt.

Finally, we're still one attempted self-coup behind the US.

[SnowLabrador]

Finally, we're still one attempted self-coup behind the US.

Would you mind elaborating?

[GoTfan]

Finally, we're still one attempted self-coup behind the US.

Would you mind elaborating?

No one will ever change my mind from the fact that January 6th was an attempted self-coup by Donald Trump.

[SnowLabrador]

Finally, we're still one attempted self-coup behind the US.

Would you mind elaborating?

No one will ever change my mind from the fact that January 6th was an attempted self-coup by Donald Trump.

Oh.

[Ferguson97]

Lmao yes (sane)