A NSW Northern Rivers perspective on the 18 May 2019 Australian federal election results

A political and social perspective in thirteen tweets........

Yes, this is the #Australia #trump or #brexit moment. But not in the way talked about in this piece.

This is about the manipulation of our electoral system by wealthy and powerful individuals to achieve a specific multi-billion dollar outcome.

This is not a conspiracy theory. https://t.co/DoANEoxeV9

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

The entire #UAP campaign was about grabbing 4% of the vote and directing it to the LNP. It worked spectacularly well in Queensland.

These will turn out to be highly disengaged voters, the undecideds from a week out. Excluded from polls (explaining how the polls were so wrong)

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

If Clive spent $50 or even $80 million, don’t you think he spent some of that on analytics.

On targeting messages to the most receptive.

He was never trying to win seats, just keep #Labor out.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

Clive’s pay-off is a Government and a group of very grateful Parliamentarians already keen to do his bidding.

So his #Galilee Basin mine isn’t rendered worthless. So a new #coal fired power station is built in North Qld.

It’s worth Billions to him.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

Why did it work?

The LNP played its part. The Presidential style campaign was designed to focus everything on Bill Shorten.

Labor was vulnerable. Bill Shorten, even after My Mum and Hawkie, never became likeable Bill.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

Like the #trump campaign, it was proceeded by years of tearing down the most likely challenger.#Hilary was damaged goods in the same way as #Shorten

Nothing like a sham Royal Commission to make your opponent appear shifty.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

#Trumps win was based on suppressing the vote in key states in a voluntary voting system.

Here, it was capturing the vote of the people that didn’t want to be there in our compulsory system.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

As to the links to #brexit

I’m assuming a man throwing $millions to influence an election is going to hire people with some experience in this endeavour.

I’m sure this mining magnate & former Liberal Party Treasurer has got the right connections.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

And yes, like #brexit and #trump our largely supine media simply watched the shells and forgot all about the peas.

The show was everything.

And the chorus from the Murdoch stable was deafening.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

It’s #GameOfMates writ large.

The same dynamic that drives the destruction of the #MurrayDarling and rewards the Nationals in NSW and Qld is working for the coal barons in North Qld.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

It’s a system that preys on the disengaged. To get them to vote against their interests.

It relies on the belief that they’re all bastards...and then seeks to tell them who their true enemies are.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

The point of this rant, however is not about how we was robbed.

As Bill Shorten put it, we didn’t get enough votes. Simple.

The question is, how do we reach the disengaged?

How do we leave ourselves less vulnerable to this attack in the future?

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

Because ranting about stuff on twitter does didly squat.

— Keith Williams (@Captainturtle) May 20, 2019

Australia's hard right prime minister runs to Trump for a 'good dog' pat on the head

From The Daily Examiner on 19 May 2019:

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have welcomed Australia’s surprise Liberal-led Coalition election win.

With 75 per cent of the vote counted yesterday, Scott Morrison’s Liberal Nationals were two seats short of the 76 needed for a majority in parliament but will be returned to government.

“Congratulations to Scott on a GREAT WIN,” Trump said on Twitter.

The White House said he and Morrison had spoken by phone and “pledged to continue their close co-operation on shared priorities”.

Dystopia 2019

Australian Federal Election Results 2019 at 
https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/HouseDefault-24310.htm.

Yamba rock pool reopens

Yamba Rock Pool, May 2019

Clarence Valley Council, media release, 16 May 2019:

Yamba ocean rock pool repairs get the thumbs up

BARRY Cribb well remembers teaming up with half a dozen of his mates, arming themselves with brooms and shovels and cleaning out the Yamba ocean rock pool by hand.

That started about 40 years ago and only finished when the then Maclean Shire Council offered to take over the maintenance.

It was a big relief for Barry and his team, but the Yamba resident retains a strong interest in the pool and still swims there regularly – daily when conditions suit.

And he’s pretty chuffed about the latest work Clarence Valley Council has done there.

For the past few years the pool has leaked and in the past 12 months had to be closed on several occasions because the water had fallen to a level that meant it was unsafe for swimming.

Council completed repairs to the pool more than a month ago and there appear to be no signs of leaks.

“It looks and feels nice and clean now,” he said.

“I’ve been swimming in there every day since it re-opened and everyone reckons it is great. It’s not losing any water now.”

Despite some interruptions to the work from Cyclone Oma, the work was completed on time and substantially under budget.

The savings have allowed the council to undertake further improvements at the pool site, including the replacement of ageing timber railings with stainless steel and the widening of concrete paths.

Project manager, council’s Justin Menzies, said working in a marine environment in sometimes unpredictable conditions provided plenty of challenges, but thorough planning and having contingencies meant they could be resolved with little impact on the project.

“We put a lot of effort into project management to make sure we deliver projects on time and within budget and we couldn’t be happier with the result,” he said.

“We’ve got pool users giving us the thumbs up each time we go there and that is really rewarding. That’s what you do it for.”

Mr Menzies said observations since the work was complete suggested the pool would stay clean for much longer following the works.

He said that before the repairs started, holes in the pool allowed sand to penetrate the base and the pool would be dirty with sand and decaying seaweed within a few days after cleaning.

“That’s not happening now and the only sand getting into the pool is coming over the top,” he said.

“That means it’s clean much longer and is much more attractive for users.

“It is a great result for pool users and Yamba.”

Where to follow the Australian federal election vote count on Saturday 18 May 2019

Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) Virtual Tally Room House of Representatives - from 6pm with progressive ballot tally all night

Australia Votes: ABC Election Night Live website - from 6:00pm

ABC News live stream online or televised on Channel 24 

ABC News on Twitter

ABC Radio National - from 6pm

You Ask, We Answer ABC online - from 6pm onwards

Cartoons of the Week

Cartoons by Cathy Wilcox

Cartoon by Jon Kudelka

Tweet of the Week

God told me to draw this*.
My @smh @theage cartoon.
(*he didn’t.) pic.twitter.com/9wCtCiTJNz

— The Cathy Wilcox (@cathywilcox1) May 14, 2019