Is it possible that New Idea have had a shocking lapse of judgement and have broken some actual news? Because ABC News (notorious for their tabloid journalism) is also covering it:
Thereās a first time for everything. 
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ABC notorious for tabloid journalism? Since when?
It was obviously a joke, just like the comment about New Idea breaking some actual news being āa shocking lapse of judgementā! 
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Just an observation that pertains particularly to politicsā¦ the use of the term ābackflipā
I know everyone uses it to mean a reversal of a position or policy.
But when you think about it, if you do a backflip you end up facing in the same directionā¦ so no change.
What they should say it āabout faceā or āabout turnā
Pedantic? Maybeā¦ but itās still true.
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Or when a party has ādone a 360Ā°ā
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Lot of money spent by someone who is a fair chance to not be there after the next election.
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I donāt think he quit the Lambie party, Jacquie had a hissy and expelled him and I believe at the time things were also quite messy and she didnāt want him taking over that office as well as the spot because she was pretty pissed with him.
I also think thereās been something dodgy going on with the building too. The building has had a major refit, it used to be the Dick Smith store (Google Maps) and was supposed to be opening up as a boutique hotel but then apparently something happened with that and that was rumoured to be shelved and then it was used as the Liberal headquarters for the state election or the Braddon by-election, canāt remember which. Then suddenly it opened up as Steve Martinās office. Iām not sure if there were extra costs which people thought they could then put on the bill or what but it does seem a bit fishy. Which is disappointing, I do like Steve Martin and heās a good guy having met him a few times and he does actually care for the people, whether he gets the decisions right or not.
In saying that, the Libs spent buckets on Joan Rylahās office move in Burnie only a few months before she was kicked out, the Libs also had the Senator debacle where none of them wanted to be in Devonport after they shafted Richard Colbeck and Laborās had a few of these āscandalsā too.
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Iām not judging based on who it is, itās just a massive waste of money regardless of party affiliation. Think his expulsion from the JLN is old news, think thereās plenty of blame to go around on both āsidesā.
I donāt see someone who got 233 votes getting re-elected, regardless of whether heās a āgood guyā or not.
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Iād imagine heād get more votes as a Nationals candidate. I presume they would run a separate ticket to the Libs given they have no history of working in coalition in Tasmania. If they get a decent above the line vote then itāll be up to preferences.
Yeah, the Libs said that he wouldnāt be running on their ticket. That could help him. Iād rather have him and Lambie back in than Abetz and the other deadwood.
Given Lambie got in off the back of her own personal vote (0.44 of a quota below the line) I think Martin is a quick removal from the Senate because the Nats have very little history in TAS. Donāt really see much changing. We have a strong history of voting below the line too, thatās how Lisa Singh got there.
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Yes, I think I heard somewhere once that itās generally the highest in the country - likely because we do have less candidates. Last election the two highest below the line results were Lisa Singh and Richard Colbeck, both people who had been shafted by their parties.
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Voting below the line is laborious, meaningless and wanky.
Unless it changes the result of an election, which it can.
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Thatās a furphyā¦ if I ever heard oneā¦
Iād rather vote below the line to I know where my preferences are going. Above the line is for the lazy and ill informed.
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No, itās a fact of the electoral process.
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So what Australian election has been decided by a single below the line vote?
Can you name any?