Congratulations Annastacia Palaszczuk – Queensland Election Result

Abbott on the brink: Disaster poll and shock Queensland result fuel leadership rumblings.

As his personal approval rating nosedives to 27 per cent, the situation places Liberal party members between a rock and a hard place. Changing leaders is a big risk: Should they stick with the man Australia loves to hate, or take the same risk the ALP took prior to the last election and change leaders? That choice didn’t pay off for the ALP.

On the surface, it appears the front bench is standing tall behind its leader.
Today both Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop reaffirmed their support for the PM, both uttering the same phrase on separate occasions: “The Prime Minster has my support.”

Attorney-General George Brandis has also recently defended his boss.
“A few anonymous voices and a couple of people who have been prepared to put their head up do not constitute a basis to unsettle a prime ministership.”
“We are going to see from here on a prime minister who already is very consultative being even more consultative,” he stated this week.

http://www.news.com.au/national/abbott-on-the-brink-disaster-poll-and-shock-queensland-result-fuel-leadership-rumblings/story-fncynjr2-1227203975614

Is this a kick in the teeth for Austerity and a vote for social democracy?

not really a shock it has been looking like he would lose for months.

the connection to Abbott is a really misinformation it was a State Election, Abbott is federal and they don't Really have anything to do with each other, but at least 30% of the population doesn't know that for some reason . so it is not uncommon for State Parties to suffer if the Federal is going shit.

Really it is a vote against far RW politics, Newman was a far right Privatise everything, cut services to general citizens, give big business tax breaks kind of guy (not dissimilar to Abbott) and he is getting Hammered for it (and hopefully so does Abbott when the time comes).

RW politics in Australia is very divided in NSW (mine and Wolfs State) the Liberal party is more centre right and actually quite good. the do have a faction at Federal level (Malcolm Turnbull is champion of the centre right faction) in the last leadership spill in federal Liberals Abbott only beat Turnbull by 1 vote. there is a chance Abbott will not even make it to the next election.

So if that swing was repeated nationwide would that sweep the Labor Party to power?

Maybe, Bill Shorten Labour Leader is not very inspirational.

A reasonable chance Greens and other minor parties will gain balance of power (and despite what Rupert prints Australia is pretty much always better governed when the minor parties force policies to be debated)

at state level minor parties have less of a presence, So a portion that went to Labour in the State election will go to minor parties in the Federal election

the Big Question is Will Abbott Even make it to the Election

Two Real Candidates are Turnbull and Julie Bishop

now Turnbull Would be a Complete game changer he is not beholden to Rupert and possibly hostile towards him(he has openly back Abbott against Turnbull in the past). being Centre Right all the worst Abbott polices go out the window but exactly what policies will be pushed it a bit of a mystery.

Julie is still beholden to Rupert but she does seem less 'evil puppet' than Abbott, she would be a new face but may still have many of the same policies.

IT WILL be even more interesting to see what happens in the NSW elections on the 28th March...

THE LNP had a 30+ majority over Labor last year, but they have been bleeding members since then ~ losing 10 seats through corruption, bribe taking and a couple of party expulsions (typical Tories..).

A 17% swing down here in NSW may be enough to force the Lib's into a minority government (needing to deal with the couple of independents on the crossbenches, and a couple of minor parties in the Upper House..), while if the Abbott government becomes even more "on the nose" that may be sufficient to create an even bigger surprise than what Qld has been so far.

MEANING that the next 3 months will be very hot, lively and interesting for Aussie politics..