Is our 2 party system just a con?

[Grumpy Old Nasho]

12 minutes ago, Marty_d said:

The federal government already brought in gun control.

What do you want them to do about this? And how would PHONey do it better?

PHONey wouldn't be woke about it, judges would be instructed to hand down a sentence of 20 years for such a crime. Build new jails to accommodate them.

[onetrack]

The Govts definitely have to crack down on this "Middle Eastern crime gang" activity. It's just a daily occurrence now, to have major shoot-ups and gun murders in SW Sydney. Add to that, they steal and burn luxury vehicles daily - costing us all mega-dollars in increased premiums.

 

If someone steals a car, carries out a major crime, and then burns it, they should get 10 years minimum, and be made to pay the value of the vehicle, plus compensation to the owner for his loss and costs of inconvenience. And the owner often has to carry the cost of increased insurance premiums, because his car was stolen.

 

Car security is a joke today, they can steal any keyless car with code generators that are easily acquired from overseas sellers. Plus, where's the savage penalties for unlicenced firearms (often handguns), used by crims? There's no penalties for additional crimes, the police hit them with one charge, and let the rest drop, because any other sentence would be served concurrently.

The sentences should be cumulative, take the bastards out of society for multiple years, even decades, because they have no interest in living in a safe, law-abiding society, so they have forfeited any chance to live in a safe, law-abiding society.

[willedoo]

It's a fairly simple equation - the easier it is for criminals to get away with it or get off lightly if they're caught, then the more prolific crime will be.

[old man emu]

So. The LNP has intimted that it is willing to form a coalition with ON. Not in an atempt to provide good governance, but for the stated aim of "getting Albo out of The Lodge". I bet that would Make Australia Great Again.

[red750]

10 hours ago, onetrack said:

The sentences should be cumulative, take the bastards out of society for multiple years, even decades

I agree OT, but when I've said that I've been branded too draconian. I have said that if someone breaks into a persons house prepared to take a life, they should be prepared to lose their own. People caught setting properties and vehicles on fire should be set on fire themselves if they like fire so much.

[Marty_d]

55 minutes ago, old man emu said:

So. The LNP has intimted that it is willing to form a coalition with ON. Not in an atempt to provide good governance, but for the stated aim of "getting Albo out of The Lodge". I bet that would Make Australia Great Again.

Yep their new president Tony Abbott is guiding them down the path to true irrelevance. They haven't learnt anything from their electoral failures.

[facthunter]

Abbot, who Lost his Blue ribbon seat to an Independent. His new job is NOT supposed to Involve Policy Making, but that doesn't stop the Mad Monk getting straight into It.  He's also on Rupert's Payroll and RUPEE's show supports Hanson.. What about thinking of the REAL liberal supporters. A top WOMAN figure in the Canberra scene has Just resigned, saying the Party is TOO TOXIC to remain in.. The Party of RG Menzies may well be finished.  Nev

[willedoo]

Time will tell with Tony Abbott. I'm not about to underestimate him. He was an unsuccessful prime minister but a very successful opposition leader. He saw off the Rudd/Gillard show with a handful of three word slogans and it took Labor three terms to get back in the hot seat. His record as opposition leader is of pulling Labor down to a hung parliament in one election and leading the Coalition to a landslide defeat of Labor in the following election. This time around his job is to rebuild the party. Good luck to him with that one, I don't like his chances there, but you never know until it happens one way or the other.

[old man emu]

1 minute ago, willedoo said:

His record as opposition leader is of pulling Labor down

OK. The Party Abbott was fighting was the Labor Party. Just ignore that for a moment as I concentrate on what I want to say.

 

It seems Abbott's sole aim was to gain power. He was elected to provide good governance to the Nation. That was more important than going for Power for Power's sake. He might have got the top job if he had won, but where would that leave the Common people? No better off.

[Marty_d]

One nation can't even manage their own finances - imagine what they'd do to the budget.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jun/11/one-nation-party-financial-reports-returns-fair-trading-ntwnfb

[nomadpete]

1 minute ago, Marty_d said:

One nation can't even manage their own finances -

That's just a comforting distraction.

Compare:

 

Generally people knew DJT was a liar, a cheat, etc... but there he is, at the top. Because people voted for him because they hoped he will drain their swamp and punish the over entitled partys.

 

Generally ON Pauline has a poor record, has trouble keeping party members, and no concrete policy.... but people still vote for her because they hope she will drain their swamp and give the over entitled partys a drumming.

 

Still a problem for us.

[old man emu]

2 hours ago, nomadpete said:

and no concrete policy.

Does that mean that ON can quickly adapt its policies to changing circumstances? 

[nomadpete]

 Announced Policies are generally not believed anyway. The public has lost trust in what politicians and speechwriters say.

[onetrack]

Essentially, the near collapse of the Liberal Party and its dubious and deficient policies has seen disaffected right wing voters vote for ON and Teals in the hope of getting rid of Labor from positions of power.

But not one of the parties currently vying for leadership of the nation is addressing the elephant in the room - rocketing house prices that are unjustly enriching property investors, and which prices are making housing unaffordable for the younger generation who missed the property/housing gravy train.

 

At least Federal Labor has recognised the problem and is trying to do something about it by tackling CGT rules and negative gearing rules. But of course, that brings howls of outrage and bitterness from those property owners who do not want to see ANY downturn in housing or property prices. That large cohort are nearly all conservative voters.

 

Unfortunately, history tells us property bubbles have a way of exploding by themselves in a very hurtful and shocking manner, if Govts don't take measures to rein in property investment exuberance.

Just like the shock kids get, when a party balloon explodes, a lot of property investors who are sitting on millions in gains, are going to get a nasty shock, when there's a sudden and severe economic downturn, and the property bubble does go bang.

[facthunter]

Howard started the "Invest in Houses and you can't go wrong " thing. Most of us spend half of our Lives Paying it OFF. There HAS to be MORE to life than Just "owning" a House. Then you have to look after it. Pay the rates.  Insure it. Keep the white ants and vermin out of it Fix the Roof,  Chimney, Wiring and Plumbing if you're there long enough.. Worry about Bushfires Floods and storm damage. Pay a Monty when you move in taxes and costs. When you rent the Owner has to worry about all THAT.

     IN Europe Most never expect to OWN their own home unless they Inherit it.  The Australian DREAM of owning your home can also be a nightmare, if you get stuck with Neighbours from HELL. Nev

[Siso]

My howl of rage about several politicians lying yo get voted in and there being no consequences. Do we just accept this now. Why bother having elections then. We dont know what we are going to get anyway.

[old man emu]

I wonder how many of us know who the local candidates are when we vote in State or Federal Elections. How many of us simply vote for the Party we have always voted for? Here, when I say "we" I mean the unwashed masses, not the politically astute members here.

[willedoo]

I've only ever known one bloke in that category. He never knew what party was in power state or federally, and could never once in his life name who the PM was. He used to go along every election and vote Labor. He was a funny character, he had cut a couple of holes in his beanie to use it as a teapot warmer. When he'd finished the pot of tea, he'd take it off the teapot and have a nice warm beanie to put on his head.