Aussies L

[Horza]

Confirmed, he's backing the Coalition. Says it's nothing against JG, loves Rudd but Coalition positions on his 20 points are closer than Labors.

Roguish to the end, Katter says he'd have gone with Rudd if in the same position. Favours Abbott's direct action policy, was open to Labor's broadband position but not doing a Dutch auction.

Abbott one vote closer to the Lodge.

This has to be one of the weirdest press conferences in Australian political history. Everyone's crammed into Katter's office and he shows no sign of closing shop. Saying he isn't backing Abbott on everything and won't rule out working with Gillard government to provide stability in a tiebreak. :shocked:

Could still be talking when Oakeshott and Windsor front the gallery at 3pm.

[brook]

Here we have the smh analysing a photo of some of Oakeshotts notes

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/nations-secret-scrawled-on-folder-20100907-14ywr.html

I would have felt very tempted to just scrawl some random phrases to mess with the media

[Ser Camaris]

Confirmed, he's backing the Coalition. Says it's nothing against JG, loves Rudd but Coalition positions on his 20 points are closer than Labors.

Roguish to the end, Katter says he'd have gone with Rudd if in the same position. Favours Abbott's direct action policy, was open to Labor's broadband position but not doing a Dutch auction.

Abbott one vote closer to the Lodge.

This has to be one of the weirdest press conferences in Australian political history. Everyone's crammed into Katter's office and he shows no sign of closing shop. Saying he isn't backing Abbott on everything and won't rule out working with Gillard government to provide stability in a tiebreak. :shocked:

Could still be talking when Oakeshott and Windsor front the gallery at 3pm.

They are determined to get every last ounce of limelight out of this, aren't they!?

[Horza]

Here we go, Oakeshott and a slighly late Windsor are speaking to an edgy press gallery and some really lucky New England schoolkids...

Windsor backing Labor, says broadband was key and wants to revisit climate change. Finishes up with a swipe at the Nats for caving in to the Liberals, leading to underrespresentation of the bush and crappy middle of the road politics.

Labor 75, Abbott unable to form government.

Oakeshott begins by revealing Highlander is one of his favourite movies :shocked:

Lotsa thanks to the main players and all the other indies. And Heffernan.

Says this parliament will be different and there are no mandates. This is a good thing, all parties will have a say. Like voters, Indies are horougly unimpressed with the state of play. Hoping for a recommittment to representative politics regardless of outcome of 'this juicy, sexy decision'. Those are his words. :rofl:

FFS, rolling out all the cliches now 'lineball, six of one...' GET ON WITH IT.

Remember, these are the guys who want shorter answers in question time. Nice little dig at News Limited tho.

Says stability was key, including Senate (hint hint) and which party will keep this parliament running as long as possible and not jump to an early election.

It's obvious that we have a Labor minority govt but Oakeshott keeps powering on. There'll be a Tax Summit and moves on indigenous recognition in the Constitution, broadband, climate change, regional education all big sticking points.

Now recapping all the negotiations. FMD. Can see what he's doing here though - building up legitimacy of a government they want to last three years.

There we go. Confidence and Supply.

We have a government.

That horrendous gibbering sound you're hearing is the Murdoch press collectively losing their rag.

[Ser Camaris]

Now recapping all the negotiations. FMD. Can see what he's doing here though - building up legitimacy of a government they want to last three years.

I give it 3 months!

[Neal]

I give it 3 months!

Cynic :)

From my point of view this is definitely the minority government I wanted. I'm really just glad that this whole thing is finished and since I'm off overseas for two weeks from tomorrow I should hopefully miss the majority of the whinging from the right. Hopefully.

[Horza]

From my point of view this is definitely the minority government I wanted. I'm really just glad that this whole thing is finished and since I'm off overseas for two weeks from tomorrow I should hopefully miss the majority of the whinging from the right. Hopefully.

Now that is optimism!

[Paxter]

From my point of view this is definitely the minority government I wanted. I'm really just glad that this whole thing is finished and since I'm off overseas for two weeks from tomorrow I should hopefully miss the majority of the whinging from the right. Hopefully.

Where are you off to Neal?

And have you convinced "Neal's Best Friend" to join the board yet?

[Neal]

Where are you off to Neal?

And have you convinced "Neal's Best Friend" to join the board yet?

Off to Italy for a couple weeks, Rome and Naples. I think you tried to scare me with stories of how dodgy Naples is.

And Mark joined as "That Guy" on sunday night so he officially do the quest.

[Ski the Swift]

Anyway, you were just upset because I turned up still in my debonair suit and distracted Ski from you...however momentarily!

Ser Cam, you were merely a substitute. What we had was a lie, I'm sorry. I'm sure your wife will appreciate that.

And Labor ftw?

[Ser Camaris]

Ser Cam, you were merely a substitute. What we had was a lie, I'm sorry. I'm sure your wife will appreciate that.

And Labor ftw?

If it was merely a lie why did you feel a need to tell GRRM repeatedly about it?

[Daemrion]

JG probably really needs to get to July 1 next year, and then it gets a bit easier.

[Jeor]

I'll have to make the Con next time guys. :) Would be great to meet, thanks Pax and Ser Cam.

Well, Prime Minister Gillard it is. I admit I am slightly disappointed in the outcome, although it did seem rather obvious that it was going to fall that way in the end. While I agree with Oakeshott's comment that Abbott was not as committed to forming a lasting government (because he would have wanted another vote soon while he still had momentum), I do think the current government will be just as unstable due to the fact it seems to have a wider spectrum of people in it. Greens and rural Independents (ex-Nationals) do not generally get along and there probably is the potential for some flare-ups in the future. While it seems the independents had a bad personal relationship with the Nationals and Warren Truss, at least ideologically they would have been more along similar lines.

Of course, the counter argument is that a wider range of views involved in government is a good thing as well as the compromise and conciliatory approach that it demands. It may turn out to be the case and I hope that it goes that way. As much as Abbott may want to, I don't think he can sabotage this parliament himself because it would be a bad look with voters. However, a bust-up with the current Labor alliance, or even just a single by-election could really mess things up. I don't think any party room chiefs are going to allow any mid-term resignations!

[Paxter]

Off to Italy for a couple weeks, Rome and Naples. I think you tried to scare me with stories of how dodgy Naples is.

Yeah, sorry Neal, I should have remembered that. And Naples is dodgy - if I were you I would just check out Pompeii and then flee back to Rome before the Camorra attack or a hungry Napolitano steals the clothes off your back...

[Jeor]

Yeah, sorry Neal, I should have remembered that. And Naples is dodgy - if I were you I would just check out Pompeii and then flee back to Rome before the Camorra attack or a hungry Napolitano steals the clothes off your back...

When my brother and I went to Italy, we ended up not even carrying wallets around with us. Basically locked everything in our luggage in the hotel rooms and then took a bit of cash in our pockets while aimlessly wandering around the city. Good fun though!

[Luce_Magoose]

So how long does it take to do Italy properly? Time is precious and my next annual leave is probably three weeks in May next year. Want to do something fun and interesting but don't want to cram a ridiculous amount in. I did that in Vietnam earlier this year - no more than 2 nights in the one city - and it's not something I would want to repeat. Would've enjoyed staying put in one place for a bit longer or at least getting a car/ scooter ...

I think people are being a bit negative about how well this minority government will work. Or maybe I'm just being too optimistic. Only time will tell!

[Paxter]

So how long does it take to do Italy properly? Time is precious and my next annual leave is probably three weeks in May next year. Want to do something fun and interesting but don't want to cram a ridiculous amount in. I did that in Vietnam earlier this year - no more than 2 nights in the one city - and it's not something I would want to repeat. Would've enjoyed staying put in one place for a bit longer or at least getting a car/ scooter ...

Italy is definitely better if you can spend a decent amount of time in each place - there are so many museums, art galleries, ruins, churches etc. in each city that you don't want to be in too much of a rush to head to your next destination. If you have three weeks, I would probably do a week in Rome, 5 nights in Florence (with a day-trip to San Gimignano), 5 nights in Venice, 5 nights in Milan (including a couple of days at Lake Como). Try and get to Verona on the way from Venice if you want to see an awesome Roman Arena and the purported Romeo and Juliet balcony. I would give Torino and Naples a miss (unless, like Neal, you really want to see Pompeii).

[Neal]

Yeah, sorry Neal, I should have remembered that. And Naples is dodgy - if I were you I would just check out Pompeii and then flee back to Rome before the Camorra attack or a hungry Napolitano steals the clothes off your back...

Yeah I'm pretty much catching the train down, going to pompeii the next day and then heading home. Majority of the time I'm spending in Rome.

When my brother and I went to Italy, we ended up not even carrying wallets around with us. Basically locked everything in our luggage in the hotel rooms and then took a bit of cash in our pockets while aimlessly wandering around the city. Good fun though!

Thanks for the tip, will do this in Naples.

[arantius]

Yeah, sorry Neal, I should have remembered that. And Naples is dodgy - if I were you I would just check out Pompeii and then flee back to Rome before the Camorra attack or a hungry Napolitano steals the clothes off your back...

Pompeii is just awesome, I stayed 3 nights in Naples - yes it was a bit dodgy but we didn't really spend the days there, did the day trip to Pompeii and another day trip to Sorrento and the Isle of Capri. Rome was pretty dodgy too, and I actually had a daypack stolen from under my nose outside the central train station by a shifty no-hoper. Unfortunately, in the few seconds it took me to decide that this guy wasn't genuine (asking for directions on a map and pointing away - in the opposite direction to where my baggage was), his accomplice had made off with it.

When my brother and I went to Italy, we ended up not even carrying wallets around with us. Basically locked everything in our luggage in the hotel rooms and then took a bit of cash in our pockets while aimlessly wandering around the city. Good fun though!

We were actually advised to leave our luggage open, as apparently it's kinda common for the cleaners to slit your luggage if it's locked because obviously you must have something pretty good in there to want to lock it! Keep your passport, money, credit cards in a money pouch around your neck and under your clothes, but have a small amount of cash in your pockets to spend so you're not drawing attention to the money pouch.

[Paxter]

Pompeii is just awesome, I stayed 3 nights in Naples - yes it was a bit dodgy but we didn't really spend the days there, did the day trip to Pompeii and another day trip to Sorrento and the Isle of Capri.

Good point morningsword - Capri is spectacularly Greek Islands-esque in the summer time and definitely worth visiting for a fun day out.