Post-election parties around the country were responsible for many a hangover after party faithfuls around the country toasted victory or drowned their sorrows. Where to now? Our political columnists explore the aftermath of the ‘Rudd-slide’…
GREENS
What an election weekend! The end of the Howard Government is something to celebrate. While I am still cautious about predicting what kind of Government Kevin Rudd will lead, we will no longer have to fear some of the worst excesses of the Coalition Government – Work Choices, an inhumane refugee policy, refusal to acknowledge the reality of climate change, etc.
It is an exciting time for the Australian Greens as well. We will have 2 Green Senators from WA with the election of Scott Ludlam and at least 5, maybe 6, Senators in the new Senate from the middle of next year. We are now without doubt the third major party in Australian politics, and we’ll have a key role to play in the new Senate. Bob Brown in Tasmania received the highest primary vote for a minor party candidate ever and Australia-wide the Greens received over 1 million votes.
Australia will be the better for a change of government. We need a government that will wind-back Work Choices, ratify Kyoto and put in place targets for lowering carbon emissions, apologise to the Indigenous people of this land and end our participation in the Iraq war. The Greens are ready to play our part to ensure these things happen – and to strengthen legislation with amendments where needed.
As for LGBTI issues, the Greens look forward to working with the ALP in ensuring equality for same-sex couples. The Greens will also continue to push the new government for true equality for all LGBTI people in Australia.
—
LABOR
The Australian people have spoken, and the verdict is in.
One thing is pretty clear – voters wanted new leadership. They wanted a leader with fresh ideas, a leader who is really committed to tackling climate change, investing in our education system and removing the blame game between States and the Commonwealth. And Kevin Rudd delivered this!
Most importantly – and this should never be forgotten – they also voted to throw out the unfair ‘Work Choices’ laws and AWAs – which stripped away the rights and conditions of so many Australian workers and forced them onto lower pay.
But somehow for the Liberals it just hasn’t sunk in. They still think and act like they are in government. In fact, they are so arrogant, that they’re already threatening to block the new Labor Government in the Senate from introducing fairness back to our industrial relation laws.
They don’t care if the Australian people have given Labor a mandate to revoke AWA’s. It’s this same attitude that saw them lose touch with working Australians – and lose government.
For our community, we can also look forward to much needed reform in terms of our rights. Labor – unlike John Howard – gave a commitment to reform the 58 Federal laws (as revealed by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission) that discriminate against same sex couples.
It was surprising (and a little sad) to find out that some of my gay friends still voted for the Liberals and that they made their decision based on a fear campaign of interest raises under Labor rather than a desire to change civil rights. Thank god their vote did not reflect the majority on election day!
—
LIBERAL
Congratulations to Labor on its historic election win. Australia has voted and made a clear and emphatic choice for new leadership and fresh ideas. Labor inherits a country that is stronger, prouder and more prosperous than it has ever been.
While many will be disappointed by the result, Australians clearly wanted a change of focus and a re-emphasis on lost values. Labor answered this call most convincingly. By contrast, the Liberals offered a one dimensional story of economic prosperity and security – a proud story that had worked previously, but said nothing about our future.
For gay and lesbian Australians the future is bright – there can be no justification for the continued discrimination of gay and lesbians in the workplace and in their financial affairs.
Liberal leaning gays and lesbians are saying enough is enough and the election of a contemporary Liberal Party leadership in Brendan Nelson and Julie Bishop could foreshadow a bipartisan approach to ending this discrimination. Ending this discrimination deserves to be above party politics.
The Liberal challenge will be to be an effective and constructive Opposition. Opposing all Labor’s initiatives for the sake of it would be a foolish way to act. Nonetheless, Labor should be held accountable for its promises and Liberals should be ready to expose Labor when it falls into its old habits of excessive spending, poor economic management and union domination.
No matter what your political view, John Howard’s gracious final comments that ‘Australia’s best years lie ahead of her’ should resonate with many fair minded Australians.
