GILLARD SNATCHES VICTORY
Picture: Gary Ramage
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/
Labor will have a two-seat majority, 76 to 74 for the Coalition.
Tony Abbott (Misterabbit, according to the PM) of the Liberals/Coalition has promised to hold the returned Labor government "ferociously to account".
Sour grapes.
The best thing to come out is Parliamentary Reform which will have the following points (note the similarity to some of our system (although the independent Speaker is a new twist):
- Speaker independent of government and deputy speaker drawn from other side. Both to abstain from party room meetings- Recognition of traditional owners of the land, to come before prayers each sitting day (this means the Aborigines)
- Time limits for questions and answers in question time (Comment - Question Time had turned into personal attacks on each other)
- More time for individual MPs' speeches
- More time for private members' bills (they were being ignored by the party machines)
- Tighter focus for parliamentary committees
- More sitting days for parliament
- Parliamentary budget office (just like the Congressional Budget Office)
- Parliamentary integrity commissioner (WHAT?)
- Formal code of conduct for MPs and senators (WHAT? WHAT?)
- Register of lobbyists to go online
- Changes to electoral funding and political advertising ($1000 limit on personal contributions)
The bet is as soon as the rural Independents think that the commitments aren't being honored, they will drop out and a new election will be called - as soon as a year from now.
In Other News: Crocodile Dundee is released
Paul Hogan came to an understanding with the tax service - he posted a bond to allow him to return to the United States. But he had the last laugh by departing Australia in "disguise":
