News from home

Well, I thought, just for a change, rather than talking about what's been going on over here, I'd dwell on events from home, since I'd wager that it's been a more eventful week in Queensland than it has been for me in London.

(Summary - Worked 5 days, watched wallabies lose, spent most of today resting and reading. House is fine. Everyone nice. The end.)

However, I've managed to keep track of what's been happening back home, and to be honest, I am somewhat annoyed. Not at the untimely demise of Steve Irwin or Peter Brock - no, what really gets my goat is the election.

I should advise, the rest of this post is going to be about politics, so if you care not for the goings-on in George Street, feel free to switch off.

Anyway.

I never thought that the Coalition would win the election. They didn't deserve to, and they shouldn't have won it. They're patently not ready for government, they lack experienced members and are yet to sort out the persistent infighting that has dogged them every step of the way. But imagine my astonishment when I check the election results online, and find that Beattie still retained 60 seats.

I'm not blaming Queensland voters. As I said, I wouldn't want to see the Coalition running the place just yet. But we're talking about a Labor party government that has been rocked by scandal after scandal. We had Dr Death in Bundaberg, the Palm Island riots, Liddy Clark bringing booze into restricted areas and the whole state is running out of water. The scene was set for the mother of all protest votes. And yet it didn't happen. Because the people of Queensland had no option but to vote Labor.

I mean, look at the Coalition. Specifically, the Liberal Party. Just prior to the election, they concoct a shabby party-room deal that would have made the Federal Liberal party of the 1980's proud. They dump Bob Quinn, and bring in Bruce Flegg, a man much more suited to giving diagnoses of patients, rather than a diagnosis of Queensland's electoral issues. The man has all the appeal and poise of an illiterate Lebanese garbage worker. I read some articles and watched some video footage online - it was almost painful to see this bespectacled little tool striding about the place, putting his foot in it with every step he took. He was completely at the mercy of Labor's experienced campaign team, and they made no errors in chewing him up and spitting him out.

It would be remiss not to mention Lawrence Springborg, a man who was born, is, and will die, a boring old turd. You could see from early on in the campaign he'd pretty much packed it in. I mean, what's the point in the National party leader campaigning in bush seats dominated by farmers? The Nationals would piss it in anyway - no matter who their candidate was. But, the only decent political performer the Nationals have was out in bush seats, leaving Flegg and his lackeys to be eaten alive in Brisbane.

What should have happened, and what would have been ideal for the Coalition, was that they pick up about 10-12 seats, specifically, seats in Brisbane and the South-East corner. Not enough to tip Beattie's government out, but enough to give them a strong presence in Parliament, and blood some new MP's, giving them valuable experience. It would also mean they'd have a decent chance of getting in in three year's time.

But from the looks of it they've made scarcely any improvements. At least they managed to evict that clueless strumpet Liddy Clark from Clayfield. But Parliament remains essentially unchanged - Labor still dominates, and will almost certainly win again next time. The Nationals and the Liberals still have the same bunch of old political hacks and farmers that have been wasting time there since the 90's, and are going nowhere fast. The worst news, in my opinion, was that Michael Caltabiano, the one shining light for the Liberals, looks set to lose his seat to Chris fucking Bombolas, the goddamn sports reporter. Without him still around to have a tilt at the leadership, we're going to be faced with yet more Bruce Flegg on our TV screens, walking around like the clueless git he is.

I swear, if Kim Beazley gets in next year, I am not coming back.