Everybody check out the Senate results

[highlyeccentric]

Look at the party distribution.
Assuming Labor keep the Greens on side, they can match the Coalition. Xenophon tends to lean left, but Family First will run with the Coalition on most things. So we have a squared Senate. Labor will have their work cut out for them trying to attract Nationals votes across the floor without losing the Greens.

On the bright side, Family First aren't exactly fans of work choices. So industrial relations reform might just get through. Environmental reform is practically fucked though. Do Labor need tp pass legislation to sign Kyoto?

Comments

[flamearrows.livejournal.com]

> Do Labor need tp pass legislation to sign Kyoto?

Kinda. To turn it into binding law, they obviously do. But to just wank about "signing kyoto" and making a "resolution" towards fulfilling it, they just need to have majority government.

And what's so wrong with a move towards negotiated agreements? :P

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

hnh. right. so we're still in for some interesting times as they try to put it into effect.

:P to you too. I work retail. Disposable employees, whose need for work is far greater than their individual value to any employer. Even under the old system you were basically relying on your boss being a good bloke- relying on him to actually log your overtime, to actually put your pay on the payroll, all of that. Digging your heels in on a matter of law doesn't hurt them at all- there's always someone else wanting the job.

[flamearrows.livejournal.com]

What's that got to do with agreements or not? Either way you get paid for the work that you do.

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

au contraire, either way you get corners cut and shoddy treatment. But i like the law to at least PRETEND that that's not the case.

[flamearrows.livejournal.com]

The law pretends that it's not the case in both instances...

[goblinpaladin.livejournal.com]

Negotiated agreements are one thing. The conservative-controlled Senate means that in order for Labor to achieve anything they will need to pull out some National/Liberal senators for any bills. This may alienate Green senators or Xenophon, which in turn means they will need to pull more Coalition chaps.

If the Coalition wants to be asshats (what a shocking concept), Labor could be screwed in terms of affecting real change. That's not 'negotiated agreements,' that's 'screwing over the government for the sake of doing so.'

I wish we lived in the West Wing world, where people actually have ideals. If that were the case, I wouldn't have such a feeling of dread.

I also don't like the Family First guy. *snarly snarl* At least there is only one, mind.