A recent post and the approaching spring prompted memories of the Australian 'norm'. It's amusing (if you're elsewhere )
A few elections ago the party previously known as The Coalition ran Tony Abbott and Peter Costello as candidates for leaders of Downunder's parliament. Yes the ballott papers are designed to allow voters to vote by placing a 1 in the box of the team they want to come 1st. The Coalition shall hereinafter be known as The Comedians.
The Labour Party are known for their consistency in two things- during the term of their reign, they tell the voters the leader of their party is not good enough, remove them and install another. After a relatively brief period, they decide that one isn't good enough either and give us back the last reject. The other guaranteed outcome is an exorbitant deficit. They shall hereinafter be referred to as the Rejects.
So, the election after Abbott and Costello appeared on the Who's On First ballott, the voters told the Comedians and the Rejects neither was good enough, gave them an equal number of seats with the remaining three seats going to independent MPs. The Comedians and the Rejects declared parliament hung as they claim discussion, negotiation and compromise are impossible and (probably assuming the voters would again refuse to give them the 'mandate' they refuse to work without) they told the Three Stooges to declare a winner. Thus the Three Stooges appointed Downunder's only female Prime Minister and the Rejects to rule an island on the arse-end of the planet. The Comedians asked questions and the Three Stooges played with both teams.
A few elections ago the party previously known as The Coalition ran Tony Abbott and Peter Costello as candidates for leaders of Downunder's parliament. Yes the ballott papers are designed to allow voters to vote by placing a 1 in the box of the team they want to come 1st. The Coalition shall hereinafter be known as The Comedians.
The Labour Party are known for their consistency in two things- during the term of their reign, they tell the voters the leader of their party is not good enough, remove them and install another. After a relatively brief period, they decide that one isn't good enough either and give us back the last reject. The other guaranteed outcome is an exorbitant deficit. They shall hereinafter be referred to as the Rejects.
So, the election after Abbott and Costello appeared on the Who's On First ballott, the voters told the Comedians and the Rejects neither was good enough, gave them an equal number of seats with the remaining three seats going to independent MPs. The Comedians and the Rejects declared parliament hung as they claim discussion, negotiation and compromise are impossible and (probably assuming the voters would again refuse to give them the 'mandate' they refuse to work without) they told the Three Stooges to declare a winner. Thus the Three Stooges appointed Downunder's only female Prime Minister and the Rejects to rule an island on the arse-end of the planet. The Comedians asked questions and the Three Stooges played with both teams.