Federal Politics

Here’s an idea…why don’t we send her there to look at their immigration policy. :wink:

2 Likes

Sending her to get killed by a tribe … great idea . Not. Lol

Sorry but no. It’s a complete myth that Queensland is as socially conservative as many would try to have you believe. It’s nowhere near the likes of Texas or Florida.

Let’s review some facts. For many, many years Queensland was the only State to have actually elected a State female premier - and they’ve done it three times! Carmen Lawrence and Joan Kirner were never elected. They were installed mid term and then lost. Just like Kristina Kinnealy. Victoria is yet to elect a female Premier.

Queensland has only had one brief LNP state government in the past 30 years or so! Apart from the ill fated Newman failure and one term Borbidge it’s been wall to wall Labor governments.

Brisbane and Queensland recorded a higher Yes vote in the same sex marriage survey than Greater Sydney and NSW. Places like Townsville, Cairns and Mackay recorded stronger yes votes than parts of Sydney and definitely higher than regional NSW. Three of the top 10 yes voting electorates in the country were in Brisbane.

It’s a complete myth to say that Queensland is socially conservative. Comparing it to Texas is laughable.

4 Likes

I’ve only been to the Gold Coast but many I met there were very conservative. I’m not sure it’s a myth.

However, I agree with many of the points you’ve raised. I just feel lots of the conservative in QLD are a lot more vocal than those in other states. With NSW the conservatives were mainly from other ethnic backgrounds whereas QLD has a lower percentage of those.

3 Likes

Here in Sydney, I’d probably say there’s a mix of political conservatism in some regions (with this being the home to Scott Morrison and former Liberal PMs like Turnbull, Abbott & Howard) and social/religious conservatism in other places, such as out in the Western suburbs where the highest proportion of “No” votes came from electorates which politically, are strong for Labor.

That said, there’s probably some element of truth to the perception that Sydney (and to some extent, NSW) is a politically conservative place, knowing what side of the spectrum some of our more popular media outlets lean towards!

2 Likes

I’ll agree that some elements are more vocal but it is a myth. You can’t really argue with the results of the SSM plebiscite or the successive Labor governments and female Premiers. That’s hard evidence of social progressive leanings.

I’d also add to that Qld has recently repealed the criminalisation of abortion (which was a technicality anyway) without a whimper and NSW is yet to do so. The current Labor government is also looking at voluntary euthanasia. Again NSW is yet to do so.

I’ve lived in both states too along with South Australia.

The common perception of Qld as socially conservative is a myth pushed by the right factions of the LNP.

Let’s look at conservative right wing media. 2GB and 3AW rule Sydney and Melbourne. Meanwhile 4BC in No. 8 in the latest Brisbane ratings BEHIND the ABC Local and even behind JJJ.

4 Likes

All are fair points.

1 Like

My personal view is that there is little difference in conservative vs progressive views in mainstream urban Australia, be it Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, or Townsville, Wollongong or Geelong.

There is however some differences between urban/regional centres and remote rural Australia. But the remote/rural electorates which do hold hard right views are outnumbered 30 to 1

This LNP beat up of saying Victoria is radically different to Queensland is yet another example of their deflection from the issues at the heart of their own party.

Sky News and 2GB would desperately love to portray a mini America in this country with consistently red states and blue states but it ain’t gonna happen,as much as they would like it to happen :slight_smile:

2 Likes

Bingo.

As you point out, the abortion vote went through without a whimper outside of parliament, and yet the ideologues in the LNP are blowing up because three(?) MPs who crossed the floor. So much for their ‘heartland’ being a conservative hole in the ground that a media class portrays.

There’s an argument to be made about populism as a political style and how that plays into the mix (see Katter, Hanson), but even then you can argue that those characters only exist because of the political landscape, not in spite of it - Katter is an ex-National, Hanson was first elected on a Liberal ticket.

Reducing states or demographics to a simple left-right scale is an almost pointless tactic. It doesn’t explain results such as the Liberal wipeout in Victoria, nor does it justify pockets of the LNP thinking they should have gone ‘more conservative’

2 Likes

Agreeing with the points being made I’d also add that it has been commonly suggested that SE Qld is very different from the rest of the state.

1 Like

This government is gift that keeps o giving. Has anyone heard the shit that dribbles out of this morons mouth? Craig Kelly has no clue about anything. He lacks intellect on so many levels. The libs are not going to endorse him because he’s part of the reactionary right and now he’s going to run as an independent. He will split the right wing vote and pretty much hand the seat to labor. Stupid stupid strategy.

3 Likes

Oh this is great. The current leadership is the most interesting thing to read about.

1 Like

The LNP was formed as a conservative party, based on the Canadian Conservative Party. While it is arguably a broad church, it remains predominately a conservative party with a conservative leader and the majority of its members conservative.

1 Like

but i was promised a stable government

6 Likes

Whilst that may be somewhat true of the LNP (it only exists in Queensland) it is not the history of the Liberal Party.

3 Likes

As a side note, I personally find it slightly annoying when people online refer to the Coalition federally (or anywhere outside of Queensland where the parties aren’t merged) as the LNP.

Sure, the Coalition is an alliance between the Liberal & National Parties and both are often on a similar political wavelength, but they’re still separate parties outside of Queensland!

3 Likes

Same here, they’re in coalition when it suits - IE to from government - but have a testy relationship most of the time. Running against each other in Victoria and NSW where they’re not the incumbent member and having no agreement at all at state level in WA, SA or Tasmania.

2 Likes

Psst! Politicans lie. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like

They are also merged in the Northern Territory as the Country Liberal Party. It is both National and Liberal.

2 Likes

We don’t even have a National Party per se here in Tassie. There’s been a few incarnations but nothing’s really stuck. Unless you count Steve Martin, the guy who replaced Jacqui Lambie just to leave and join the National Party despite there not even being a Tasmanian branch of the Nationals to join. I think he ended up joining the NPA and Tassie still doesn’t have a NP outside of him!

1 Like