It is highly likely that my two proposed bills, the Workplace Democracy Act and the Right to Repair of Computers Act will both pass the House. I believe that both bills will greatly benefit Australia. I would have preferred for the Opposition to critique my legislation instead of simply voting against it, as debate is neccessary for Parliament to function properly. The Right to Repair of Computers Act codifies a set of regulations that allow for easier repairs of electronic devices, mainly computers. They will benefit both professional repair shops as well as the general consumer, as they enforce a set of common-sense requirements for easier repairability without undue damage to the product's function. The Workplace Democracy Act is a major overhaul of Australia's workplace relations. German-style democratically-accountable works councils with extensive co-determination rights over matters such as the hiring of employees, occupational safety, and wage structure give workers a direct voice in the running of businesses and their workplaces. An ESOP with 40% of the employer's shares in a negotiable fund also gives workers a direct stake in the company they work at, improving worker satisfaction as well as allowing them to exercise their power directly if they wish. Finally, profit sharing gives employees a direct slice of the company profits above a certain threshold, which will encourage employers to not be too greedy with their profit margins. There have been a slew of bills proposed by other members of the government, I voted for all of them but I would like to focus attention on the Equal Minimum Wage for Disabled People Act. It is a travesty that this act was not passed sooner, and the Liberals voting against it is highly disappointing. Even worse, they provided no justification! I want an explanation.

After two weeks of silence, we finally have a government again. With a deal having been struck between the SDP and Country Labor party, CLP leader Gregor the Beggar has been appointed Prime Minister. While some are breathing a sigh of relief that where not headed to an early election, others are dissatisfied with what has occurred.

'There's been no caucus vote, no consultation over ministry's, we haven't even seen the deal!' one SDP MP told us, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 'What smug and the leadership team have done is sign over the prime ministership, the treasury, and god-knows however many policy concessions over to a party of regional interests that doesn't even run nationwide.'.

'It's simply ridiculous, especially considering that, once the senate is included, we have more parliamentarians than [The CLP], and they only have one more house seat, yet they get the two most important positions in government [The prime minister and the treasurer] while where left with the powerless deputy PM! Was the negotiation team even trying?'

'Gregor's spent his whole life fighting for the regions, and I respect that, but the Prime Minister has to be a uniting figure that can bring the whole country together, including urban areas, which a CLP lead government simply will not be able to do'

'Every government I've been a part of, MPs have been asked about what ministries they want, and deals have been presented to caucus for approval. None of that's happened this time; it's been 2 weeks since there was any sort of communication in the SDP group chat. Not to mention the fact that it's all been left until the last possible second!!'

It's also been reported to this outlet that the SPD caucus met immediately after the election results to vote on what relationship they wanted with the CLP; the caucus voted 3-2 to provide confidence and supply to the CLP rather than forming a collation. With the appointment of Smug Demoness as deputy PM, it seems that party leadership has ignored the wishes of their own caucus.

Time will tell if party leader Smug Demoness will be able to restore party unity after this controversial deal.

https://preview.redd.it/agmciqi778ud1.png?width=1090&format=png&auto=webp&s=b6a30809267302d49204c2fce1a60e2c15037c55

https://preview.redd.it/4njsvxt5gdtd1.png?width=2480&format=png&auto=webp&s=ea0a5c7974faaca2bdc9307b67734c9dbe06ba88

PREMATURE COLLABORATION

Just nine days after the Country Labor Party secured the mandate to lead Australia beyond the current political crisis, Aussies are still left without a government to lead them. The failure of the Country Labor Party and their allies, the Social Democratic Party, have left many supporters frustrated and the nation in limbo. Both parties, although ideologically aligned on numerous issues have failed to solidify a power-sharing agreement that could see them lead government and enact meaningful change. While initial talks between party leaders seemed promising, it became clear that internal divisions and strategic miscalculations have led in a stall in momentum. The window of opportunity is closing fast, and the urgency to lead Aussies could not be any greater. Leader of the Opposition has yet turn on the pressure.

Will any agreement of government reach the President before the 15th?

In politics, timing is everything; and the recent federal election saw both the CLP and SDP make significant gains against their ideological counterparts, the Liberal Party of Australia and Reform. This places the CLP and SDP, who have historically been coalition allies, as being natural allies. However, with every day that passes without a formal coalition agreement, it is a day that strengthens their political opponents who continue to exploit the instability in this fragile coalition.

It still remains unclear whether any CLP-SDP government will be capable of passing any laws with a senate that bears no absolute majority. With the Liberal Party commanding 43% of the Senate Seats; and the CLP-SDP collectively controlling 50%, it makes Reform and the Northern Territory Liberal Party the kingmakers of government agenda.

Nevertheless, public sentiment is shifting and voter patience is wearing thin. The longer both parties delay in coming to an agreement, the more they risk in losing political momentum and in disappointing the very voters that saw them as a viable alternative.

"The CLP and SDP must recognise that forming government is not just a strategic option, it is a necessity", says Logan Schmuck, Professor of Law at Butterfly University.

The political landscape is fraught with challenges, and there is not much room for much hesitation. Both parties are acutely aware that if they do not unite by October 15th, then neither of them will have the mandate to govern in isolation. Although their policy platforms may vary slightly, but their broader vision on emphasising social justice, worker's rights and environmental sustainability aligns closely enough to warrant immediate action. Australia needs a government that reflects the aspirations of its people, and the CLP and SDP have a unique chance in delivering that, but only if they can set aside their egos and focus on the bigger picture.

For the CLP and SDP, the question is no longer whether a government can be formed—but rather whether they can afford not to. In the face of ripe economic challenges imposed by Chinese sanctions, in the time of a climate crisis, coupled with social inequalities, Australia cannot afford any more political inertia if these parties seek to deliver the mandate that they so painstakingly fought to achieve. If these parties fail to act soon, they will have squandered the trust and hope of millions who turned to them as the next leaders of Australia.

As pressure mounts from their base and the broader electorate, premature collaboration might be their only path forward—before it is too late.

NTLP LEADERSHIP SITUATION HOPELESS: NOBODY KNOWS WHO'S IN CHARGE

The Northern Territory Liberal Party failed to secure any seats in the House of Representatives, but surprisingly managed to hold onto one seat in the Senate. The party is dying in its influence after former Deputy Leader Jordology incurred an incident with a rake. With adiaus and aldermick being the final two registered politicians within the Northern Territory Liberal Party, it remains unclear which of the two will replace former leader Jordology to lead the Territory.

Insider reports indicate that 'nobody knows who's in charge or whether the party is going to maintain its status in the upcoming weeks'. The situation in the Territory seems hopeless, but ripe with opportunity. The Electoral Commission is yet to announce a date for a by-election for Lingiari; with most political commentators nodding at model-s007 to take up the mantle.

GRIMACE ARRESTED IN NEW SOUTH WALES FOR DUI

A large, purple, rotund, known as 'Grimace', being of indeterminate species was arrested for driving a ride-on mower down a street while four times over the legal alcohol limit.

Police allege that the thing, which is thought to be in its mid-40s, was driving the wrong way down Hunter Street in Sydney's CBD just before 4am on Sunday. When it was pulled over, he told the officer that he was driving his daughter home. No female occupant was observed in the ride-on mower.

When stopped and inquired as to whether his vehicle was roadworthy, Grimace replied, 'Gwimace?'. The officer replied: 'Not at 4 o'clock in the morning, and not drunk'

Grimace is expected to appear at Sydney Central District Court on Tuesday, October 8th for one count of drink driving.

What is to be Done? The Current State of Affairs and the Modern Crisis

PREPARED BY SMUGDEMONESS MP - 6/10/2024

With the Election finished and the make up of Parliament finalised, Australia stands with a left-wing Government at the helm that will form once negotiations are finished. The House of Representatives being a Left Wing Majority with a significantly small Opposition, but it is the Senate where the main politicking will take place, with the Cross bench being razor thin with only two seats, NTLP and Reform respectively. The Government will need either Party's vote to pass it's agenda, both of which having different priorities and goals in their own right. In this Article, we shall analyse the potential issues, challenges, priorities and other related subjects for the Government and Opposition, the pressing issues that we face as a country and proposed policy and other ideas that can potentially address these challenges.

The Current State of Affairs in Australia is one of Crisis, though it would be a mistake to say that this crisis is a uniquely Australian one. Obvious to anyone with even half a brain will tell you and be able to point to domestic and international examples of the modern crisis. Corporate Price Gouging, the Rise of Fascist Movements and Climate Change, on top of a plethora of other problems all interlinked and interconnected. No one country is capable of truly solving all these problems within a single term, which is why Internationalism is needed more then ever in order to work with other nations, especially in mobilising the Resources needed to ensure the damage of Climate Change is mitigated and that International Systems and Governance is capable of looking over the Refugees that will be moving out of the more affected areas. But to return to the Home Front, the Government and those capable of putting forward policy and legislation, we will need to break with modern political, economic and social Orthodoxy and will need to do so with purpose and with the goal to improve the conditions of the average Australian and those more vulnerable to systemic abuse and injustice.

Current Economic, Political and Social Orthodoxy often falls into what is known as Economism, the most obvious examples of this line of thinking can be seen in the Trade Union Movement where they solely focus on economic demands and nothing else, wages, working hours and benefits. While these are good things to focus on, what I am criticising is the sole focus on the economic issues to the neglect of others. Ultimately, not fundamentally improving the social position of the Worker, while negotiating is necessary for survival under the Capitalist system, it does not guarantee the Worker's political existence and in function. It obscures the underlying political stakes, using the economic concessions as a means to placate and keep the Worker's ability to live just secure enough to be discouraged from seeking greater Emancipation. To expand upon this towards others that fall into Economism, namely those that solely focus on supply and demand as the only important factors to take into account when implementing economic policy and to ignore anything else. This blind faith in the "Invisible Hand of the Free Market" can mostly be seen in those who subscribe to Neoclassical Economics, but they are not the only ones who fall into it, many do regardless of political loyalties. This Economic Dogma has been played out for decades and culminated in the Neo-Liberal Reforms first undertaken by Reagan and Thatcher in the 1980s after experimentation under the Chilean Dictator Pinochet. We as a Society need to break from this Economic Dogma and the trap of Economism, the promises made by Free Market Capitalism and it's advocates have failed in their project, assuming we take their promises at face value. What it has led to is the destruction of Social Cohesion, made the lives of Working Class people more insecure in their work and finances, made the Climate Crisis worse and has caused the Mass Impoverishment of countless people.

Due to it becoming a Dogma and treated as this infallible Doctrine of Faith, rather then a Science that must be scrutinised, reviewed and improved upon. The only solutions proposed by the advocates of Free Market Capitalism is to be more Free Market but more extreme, that we need less regulation, less oversight and further removal of Government. Each time this has been implemented, it has produced further suffering and driving more people into economic insecurity, further Trauma and poverty. While corporations become more obscenely rich and less accountable, it is with this historical context that explains the world that we live in today. The current economic system as it exists isn't sustainable and never been built with Human Wellbeing taken into account, we have turned Profit Seeking into a Rat Race to the bottom and removed the Government's ability to ensure that the worst excesses are curbed in the name of Social Wellbeing. We will need to implement a Program of Restructuring and Reorganisation, implementing laws that ensure that the Society that is supposedly meant to be in charge of itself has its own health as the first priority along with the health of every Citizen and Human within the Society.

The Current Crisis of Modern Capitalism is self-inflicted, the contradictions within the System brewing to a boiling point and the current Government will need to implement policy that ensures the general wellbeing of Australians are the first priority. This will mean reversing the Neo-Liberal Reforms and Introducing other ones that are Human Oriented, the best way to ensure that stability within Society is maintained means to ensure concessions are given to the Working Class, allowing them to take a slice of the cake under the capitalist system, along with making significant investments into the Productive Capabilities, Education and Health of the Working Class. This is because the Working Class are the ones who are spending, driving the economy through their work, producing goods and services. Along with paying for the basics of life, such as Groceries, Taxes, Bills and so on, Owning a Worksite means nothing if you cannot hire Worker's to Man and Staff it and this basic understanding of Human Relations has been forgotten, or better yet, deliberately kept from the Conversation as it goes against the Interests of the Capitalist Class, but to ignore this simply understanding of relations between production and ownership is to ignore how society as it currently stands operates.

Simply tinkering-around-the-edges reforms will not be enough to address the fundamental problems of Australia, instead we need to engage in a Program of Critique, introduce Reforms that drive towards the fundamental causes of the Crisis as it stands and ensure that current structures are ruthlessly and unforgivingly examined to ensure their function isn't counter-productive. However, while many wish to see these problems as Technical Problems that need Technical Solutions, it is anything but. We have the capabilities and Technology already to solve these problems, it is just that these problems are not technical, but instead they are deeply political problems that will need political solutions. However, these political solutions are often against the Interests of Capitalists, who seek to retain their dominance in the economic, political and social life of society and are perfectly willing to drag the world into Climate Catastrophe in order to retain this dominance. It is this dominance that we must fight against, on all layers of Government, Society and other aspects, and we must do this in the name of social progress because History is not governed by theory or planned, history is the consequence of every interaction from the smallest atoms to the universe itself, but this does not mean we should resign to defeat, what this means is that the future it not determined and is full of endless possibilities. Thus, for the sake of every Soul we must Seize all Tomorrows.

With all of the votes tallied, I have been re-elected as your MP for the next parliamentary term. I thank everyone involved in my campaign for their tireless work, and the people of Nicholls for giving me the opportunity to represent this wonderful constituency for another term. Rest assured, I have plenty of objectives I am working towards. My first objective is to ensure that Nicholls gets the representation that it deserves. I will co-ordinate with civil society, using the links that I have built up over my past term, and ensure that their concerns are heard out. My second objective is to finally pass a right to repair bill, focusing on computers, that would institute beneficial regulations to allow for easier consumer or professional repairs to these expensive devices, as all to often, manufacturers neglect or even deliberately sabotage this aspect of computing, and the same can be said for many other types of products. My third objective is to get Parliament to consider reforms to workplaces similar to those instituted in Germany, with works councils having co-determination over certain aspects of employment, such as hiring and wage negotiations. This reform, if passed, would give workers a direct voice and power over parts of workplace operations. It has already seen decades of application in Germany and other European countries, and, with appropriate changes, I believe that it can work here in Australia. Another part of the reforms that I will consider writing a bill for, after appropriate consultation with the appropriate stakeholders, is worker representation on corporate boards, between one third and half of the board. This, again, is a step that has already been taken in other countries with success, and I believe that it will serve Australia well if instituted.

To the great men, women, and friends beyond the binary, all that call our great community home.

THANK YOU MELBOURNE!

It is an honour to have been entrusted with this great office, and to serve as your next Member of Parliament.

I look forward to serving all of you for the foreseeable future and I hope to have not just earned your trust for this term, but for the long term as well, something I'll fight to keep.

I pledge to you today that I will attend as many debates as I can, and vote on all bills that come before the House of Representatives.

I pledged accountability and active representation and I'll deliver it.

https://preview.redd.it/t0lmy8d51urd1.png?width=516&format=png&auto=webp&s=4bbeff8cf005f786969db0dbf89dff6730d99dd9

So Melbourne again, thank you!

• Rook_Wilt1 MP-Elect for Melbourne

"People of Australia, People of Lingiari

After votes have been cast and counted, one seat remains in doubt. The seat of Lingiari has been left without representation. As indicated by Former Prime Minister SmugDemoness on the electoral broadcast, I have been chosen as the SDP candidate for this electorate. However, I would like to officially announce my candidacy, alongside a few stances.

First off, Australia is still reeling from the chaotic Riley ministry, where the Liberal coalition lost all sense of the responsibility they said they represented, which was demonstrated through the attack on Chinese ships and ended with an SDP Prime Minister to create stability and end the Liberal Chaos. No matter what the incoming government formation looks like, I will ensure that your voices are respected in parliament and I will defend you, the Australian people, no matter what. We will keep public services public, ensuring that they work for you rather than their rich owners, all looking to rip you off. We will put forwards and negotiate an indigenous Treaty, ensuring that those who have been disenfranchised and ignored for so long will finally be able to represent and decide for themselves. We will nationalise major industries, ensuring that they work for those who work them rather than for those who own them. No matter what, you will be the ones who will hold the real power.

Second off, I will apply our programme and simply our programme. I will not make shady backroom dealings to rip you off, to rip your votes off. I will not work with those who do not have your interests at heart. I will not support bills that harm your interests. I will vote and fight to apply the SDP programme, ensuring that Australians can finally live in financial peace and ensuring that we can prosper as a nation. When I say the programme I mean all of our programme and only our programme.

Third off, I will give you the right to speak in parliament. I will hold regular mobile offices throughout Lingiari if elected. It won’t be as a campaign stunt, it won’t be as a way to feign interest, it will be to allow you to speak through me. I won’t simply hold them in Darwin either, the Northern Territory is much more than its capital. All citizens deserve a voice, not just the few elected to parliament and not just those in cities. I promise that I will take your statements to Parliament. I believe you deserve a say and unlike others, I don’t believe your say should be heard by attacking businesses or places or worship, I won’t defend those who do, nor will I double down upon awful acts.

You deserve better, you deserve leadership. You deserve someone who will fight for you in parliament, rather than fight you in the streets.

Thank you and I’ll be seeing you on the campaign trail. You deserve proper representation. You deserve a voice."

Journalist 1: "How do you expect to win the electorate? The other presumed candidates have a much larger implantation and have run before, how could you even win?"

L: "Well, this by-election will not be a simple fight of popularity. It’ll be a fight for representation and proper representation. My presumed opponent has a history of extremist behaviour and hateful rhetoric, the people of Lingiari deserve better than that and I will ensure that my message doesn’t ring on deaf ears."

J2: "Why should the people of Lingiari trust you? For many this seems like a parachute candidacy sent by the party leadership into an open seat, why would they trust you?"

L: "Well first off this isn’t a parachute candidacy, I’ve been implanted within the local SDP for quite some time. I’ve been implanted within the local community for some time as well, though it is not a secret that I wasn’t born here, I don’t believe that my presumed opponent was either, so I don’t see why this should be a controversy of any kind."

J3: "Okay but why are you running exactly?"

L: "Because I come from a working class background, I’ve seen first hand how successive governments have ignored or even harmed us. We’ve seen privatisations, austerity measures, we’ve seen repression, what we hadn’t seen for a long time though was hope. The recent SDP governments did bring that and not just for me. That is why I am running, in order to advance Australia towards a fairer tomorrow, not towards pain, suffering and crying. The people of Lingiari deserve better representation. They deserve people who will do more for them than fight protestors in the streets, they deserve better than fascist and hateful rhetoric, they deserve better than launching EMPs at Chinese Ships.

I will not be taking further questions, thank you for your time. I will be responding to your inquiries."

Again, this is in no way a criticism of the exec board or any situation currently before them. This is a shitpost, a joke, which I made because I am bored. That's it.

This is in no way a criticism of the exec board or any situation currently before them. This is a shitpost, a joke, which I made because I am bored. That’s it.

Jordology saw that though a bush nearby was on fire it did not burn up. So Jordology thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When Lucy saw that he had gone over to look, she called to him from within the bush, “Jordology! Jordology!” And Jordology said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” Lucy said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is socialist ground.” Then she said, “I am the God of your polsim, the God of Trees, the God of the ALP and the God of Poseidon.” At this, Jordology hid his face, because he was afraid to look at Lucy. She said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in AusSim. I have heard them crying out because of the mod cabal, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the executive board, and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with, well, chaos.

(Full, written book to be released soon)

In past elections, the race to represent the seat of Lingiari has been a competition, if not necessarily of wits and minds, of policies and ideals. The Northern Territory is one of the most sparsely populated areas in the country, and by far the electorate with the highest Indigenous population. Voter turnout is often low in remote areas, so much of the game is a competition of outreach. You'd expect any serious candidate to focus on that ground game, on reaching out to people where they are, putting in the work to represent the Territory.

Unfortunately, this election has seen one of the most vapid, insubstantial, and utterly devoid of substance campaigns that the Northern Territory has ever seen. Both of the most prominent contenders for Lingiari -- the Country Liberal Party's Model-Jordology and independent model-s007 -- seem to have delusions of grandeur bordering on Napoleonic, wasting their time with appearances on American podcasts. The sight of some of the Northern Territory's highest-ranking politicians admitting to "hitting that nose candy" or discussing Ozempic use with the Hawk Tuah girl is absolutely deranged, but also completely and utterly useless to discuss.

No, what interested this writer the most was something else. The sight of Charles Darwin University lit up in protest, as if it were Columbia or Berkeley, after the appearance of model-s007 for a "No Woke Zone" event. The battlelines were, speaking truthfully, boring and predictable. model-s007, the independent, playing the role of the populist demagogue speaking truth to power. He begun with an utterly brazen lie, claiming that the drama society of Charles Darwin University had cancelled a production of William Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice', using it to segue onto a rant about transgender inclusion.

I could run you through the whole event -- from the shouts of "Nazi scum off our campus", to the small group of students who attempted to rush the stage, to the candidate's shit-eating grin as he left the university, to the cowardly lies told by Objective journalists the next morning, but I don't really think it's worth it. model-s007 got what he wanted out of the whole ordeal -- he got to whine in the press about how intolerant those damn students are and about how they can't handle a real debate. And it's bullshit, of course. He was at Charles Darwin to argue against strawmen.

So, when your opponent does everything he can to drag the campaign away from real issues, and onto attacking Muslims and transgender people -- who's combined population in the Territory probably stands in the double digits at best -- how do you, the opposing candidate, respond?

The best move would be not to, of course. To let your record speak for itself. You don't need to argue against the the viewpoints that Muslims stone gays and sports scholarships are being handed out to men in dresses. Let your record speak for itself.

Instead, the Country Liberal Party's Model-Jordology decided to join his opponent in a race to the bottom. He closed his campaign by proposing marriage to his wife, which the brainless media feted as a celebration of love. In response to model-s007's manifesto -- which contained no mention of Territory-specific issues, nor any proposals specific to the myriad remote and Indigenous communities in Lingiari -- the CLP candidate declared that "unicorns do fart rainbows" and spoke about his "transgender Palestinian best friend".

Model-Jordology's social media team chose to celebrate these comments by posting a clip on set to Charli xcx's "360". At the end of his campaign, the candidate himself promised a "range of videos and memes" that would be "brat".

It almost beggars belief. You could create no better argument for a vote for model-s007. If this -- fake-camp videos that are a shameless and pathetic attempt at virality, and attempts to redefine Charli xcx's "brat" aesthetic as a balding politician from Darwin who almost triggered a war with the People's Republic of China -- is all that his opponents have to offer?

I despise bullies in politics. model-s007 has run a campaign based off nothing but lies, fearmongering and hatred. A win for him would be a vindication for politics based off nothing other than shameful attacks against the most vulnerable in society. But if Model-Jordology, the Deputy Prime Minister, is re-elected, it will be hard to see it as a win for anything other than the most vapid, empty, and devoid politics possible, which thrives only off the appropriation of slang terms from white gay people on Twitter, and views the people of the Northern Territory with thinly-veiled contempt.

You almost miss the days when this was a game for serious men and women. Sure, they were liars and thieves out to get you, but at least they had to play the game of seriousness. They had to actually deliver, or at least look like it. But here, voters face the choice of candidates who could not respect them any less. One who offers nothing but a Reject Shop's JD Vance, and the other who views the world through a sickly, lime-green prism of deceit and arrogance.

Reporting from Darwin, I'm Gretchen Vaughn.

Australia!

To celebrate the end of my campaign, I have started a 7-day long celebration, that will consist of a range of videos and memes! How fun!

Enjoy the party!

It’s gonna be brat!

EpicMFan: This evening, we have Hotham hopeful Avtron!

EpicMFan: What do you think of the current SDP government?

Avtron: My opinions on the current government are very mixed. Whilst I believe they have delivered quite a few important projects to level up regional Australia, I simply cannot condone them entering into a coalition with Jordology’s “Country” Liberals.

EpicMFan: What business can we expect from you if you win your seat?

Avtron: I hope to introduce legislation that will benefit the local communities of Hotham and regional Australia as a whole. I would also like to be active making press and rebuking the false claims of other parties.

EpicMFan: What should Australia's stance be on nationalisation and privatisation?

Avtron: I think there is a place for private enterprise in our economy right now. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t support nationalisation of key infrastructure and organisations that make a loss serving regional Australia.

EpicMFan: The Liberal government were all about the culture war, but what about you?

Avtron: What I care about is the class war, perpetuated by the few against the Australian many, and the war waged by urban Australian elites against the hard-working people of Hotham and regional Australia. Not some made-up cultural war.

EpicMFan: AI is making big gains in politics, but what's your stance?

Avtron: AI poses opportunity and a threat in equal numbers. I strongly support using AI for purposes such as medicine and science. However, bad actors could easily abuse it to make false information, deepfakes, and the like.

EpicMFan: Thank you for your time.

Avtron: Thank you.

EpicMFan: Now, we have GregorTheBeggar, leader of the CLP.

EpicMFan: What do you think of the SDP government?

Gregor: Our alliance with the Social Democrats have been strong and I believe SmugDemoness is a strong administrator. We've achieved a truly progressive Budget in the course of the present administration and the future of our countries administration must continue with sensible Government at the core of what we wish to achieve.

EpicMFan: Who do you think would make a good CLP leader if you don’t win your seat?

Gregor: It would ultimately be up to the party but I have absolute confidence that I'll win the seat of Hunter in the election. I've represented this community by entire tenure in politics and I have a strong belief that we'll make a win in this race. Cessnock is my home and my whole being in politics came from seeing the problems in this area and believing that better things are possible. It is largely up to the party according to the Constitution to choose a successor but we'll win in the Hunter.

EpicMFan: What business can we expect from you if you win your seat?

Gregor: It depends on if the Country Labor Party is in the position to lead the Government or not. My overall priority would be to codify farm debt mediation legislation and to put forward the measures allowing for a Royal Commission into the crucial issues we have identified. Ultimately my legislative output is dependent on the role which we can take in the new Government. A Country Labor Party Government will put forward comprehensive social reforms in the history of this nation. We must be clear on this. We can only have the mandate for Aboriginal Treaty and Compulsory Unionism if we have the authority to lead the direction of the Government and institute that as a foremost priority. We can only make changes but not reform unless we can lead the Government. Either or we will continue to fight for regional and rural Australia.

EpicMFan: What should Australia’s stance be on privatisation and nationalisation?

Gregor: Australia was one of the foremost states in the history of social reforms and welfare which benefits average, working class people. The heritage of this nation is based on the welfare state. Unfortunately that welfare state, despite our efforts, has never been back to those levels of the past. The Country Labor Party is directly aiming to make measures which means that all Australians can benefit from our collective national wealth and the resources we gain from being the lucky country. The Liberals are proposing to privatise healthcare measures and restore the ABCC which was a watchdog aiming to directly target union corruption but achieved nothing but scare tactics and union harrassment. We believe in sensible policies which achieve this.

EpicMFan: The Liberal government were all about the culture war, but what about you?

Gregor: I've never understood it frankly. Australia is a nation of acceptance where no matter who you are whether LGBT or a rural farmer or anyone from anywhere we've valued being able to respect people and welcome them to this country. The real culture war is being fought against the degradation of the culture of rural and regional Australia which has faced economic loss, poverty and crime which has prevented those areas from enjoying the right to enjoy the traditional Australian ways of life. We celebrate and make a lot of championing Australian culture but all of that culture is out there in the bush and outback communities which are threatened by economic policy which simply doesn't work for them and a Government in Canberra which doesn't understand what they need. If you want to preserve culture you preserve dignity of living in regional Australia.

EpicMFan: AI is making increasing gains in politics - what’s your stance?

Gregor: The primary issue is how it will effect Australian employment at the end of the day. The Country Labor Party led the largest redundancy package in history with the Mining Workers Redundancy Fund which offered concrete financial support to communities facing transitions due to technology and social change. On a similar grounds, the Country Labor Party is the only party prepared to talk to the experts and work out what will be best to help those who face job insecurity due to changes in technology. I'm an older fella and I remember when computing came into this country and wiped out a lot of clerical and administrative jobs due to these new systems. One of my key reasons for entering politics was because of seeing those communities get supported with job opportunities in urban areas but be neglected in regional Australia. We'll fight against redundancies and offer solutions.

EpicMFan: Thank you for your time.

Gregor: No problem, mate. Always a pleasure.

EpicMFan: Tonight on PSN - Sydney hopeful Cookie Monster.

EpicMFan: What do you think of the previous SDP government?

Cookie Monster: Well, I think that the installation of SmugDemoness as prime minister provided much-needed stability after an extended period of dysfunction and infighting under the liberals that hurt trust in the Australian government. By passing a budget the SDP has restored trust in Australia's economy, encouraged wage growth and economic expansion, and funded many very important projects, like universal Childcare. At the same time, I have been disappointed by a few decisions, such as the budget's cuts to Olympic game funding and the implementation of a negative income tax to benefit those working Australians most in need of support. There are also areas the government needs to take more action on, such as renter's rights and the housing crisis. If elected, I will advocate these positions both in parliament and in the caucus room.

EpicMFan: What business can we expect from you in Parliament?

Cookie Monster: There are two key pieces of legislation i hope to introduce this term: Firstly, a renter's bill of rights, similar to what has been proposed by the Labour government in the UK, which would ban no-fault evictions, end biding wards that lead to price gouging, and ensure that rental properties can not be rented at the above market or above-listed rates. Second, I will seek to re-establish a government owned and operated bank, with the intention of using this bank to open branches in regional and remote areas where commercial banks have shut down their branches. I believe this will provide people in rural and remote areas with much-needed banking services and create competition to put pressure on the big commercial banks.

EpicMFan: What should Australia’s stance be on privatisation and nationalisation?

Cookie Monster: I only support nationalisation under strict criteria, which is that the business being nationalised would soon cease to exist if not nationalised and that it contributes to competition in a competitive sector. I believe this criteria is met by bonza, so i support the nationalisation of that company. However, I do not support the nationalisation of any other privately run businesses. When it comes to privatisation, I am firmly opposed to the soft privatisation of our public service by relying on outside contractors we have seen in recent years; the corruption in PWC outlines the danger in this. If elected, I will advocate for the government to give responsibility for public service back to our public servants.

EpicMFan: The Liberal government were all about the culture war - what about you?

Cookie Monster: I am firmly opposed to culture wars and I believe that any government that spends it's time engaging in culture wars is letting down the Australian people. It is often said that politics is down stream from culture, which is true. Even if politicians are elected by shouting and screaming about how much they hate wokeness, there is no bill they can pass that will stop people from being progressive and open-minded. The same also goes for people on the left who try to stop transphobia and homophobia by restricting free speech, which often just leads to conservatives becoming more firm in their closed-minded beliefs. As such, I am firmly against culture wars, and I will never, ever waste a single moment of parliamentary time on them if elected.

EpicMFan: AI is increasing in prevalence in Australia, but what’s your stance?

Cookie Monster: I believe that the growth of AI is an inevitability, and while I do not support any restrictions on AI, as doing so would reduce Australia's level of innovation and economic competitiveness, I do support measures to protect jobs and incomes. AI will most likely lead to a large number of jobs being made redundant. In order to prevent a cyperpunk-like dystopian future, the government must introduce a social welfare scheme, such as a negative income tax or a universal basic income, to ensure that material living standards are retained. Additionally, I support the taxation of companies that use AI to replace jobs, which can then be redistributed to those in need. AI creates the potential for a post-scarcity society, but government intervention is needed to ensure this dream is realised without crushing inequality and the breakdown of social cohesion.

EpicMFan: Thank you for your time.

Cookie Monster: Thank you!

[EXCLUSIVE]

As the election has drawn closer, eager election watchers awaited as the Electoral Commission released the official party and independent manifestos. As the time ticked 9pm in Canberra, the Electoral Commission and party websites sprung to life with a flurry of updates, as the embargo on manifestos was lifted.

Following the release of manifestos, AustraliaTonight reviewed the documents to power to determine what the future parliament may look like depending on the outcome of many closely contested seats. To the shock of AustraliaTonight staff, upon reviewing the manifesto of the Country Liberal Party, it was discovered that the vast majority of the content included in the manifesto was nearly identical to that used at the state election in the year. While Deputy Prime Minister Jordology has appeared at recent events with Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, the state and federal parties are legally distinct entities, and are not permitted to share electoral funds or staff under the Electoral Act.

An example from Page 6 of the Federal Country Liberal Manifesto, compared to Page 8 of the State Country Liberal Manifesto

With election day less than a week away, and the seat of Lingiari more competitive than it has been in many terms, the stage is set for a potential electoral upset on Saturday. With the potential balance of power in a knifes-edge, and several pro-s007 independents preparing to pledge their support for the Lingiari independent if he is successful on Saturday, the shape of the next House of Representatives may change from this scandal.

AustraliaTonight can confirm that this potential breach of the Electoral Act has been referred to the Electoral Commissioner, who has confirmed that the matter is pending "ongoing investigation". With the potential balance of power in a knifes-edge, and several pro-s007 independents preparing to pledge their support for the Lingiari independent if he is successful on Saturday,

The Federal Country Liberal Manifesto and the State Country Liberal Manifesto can be found on their respective websites.

Yala Talama

AustraliaTonight

*This article was written for the AustraliaSim community. Any relation to the irl Country Liberals is purely referential, and any opinions or actions do not reflect those of the real life Country Liberals.*

EpicMFan: Welcome to the program tonight; we now have Mayo hopeful Model-YourMum.

EpicMFan: What are your opinions on the current SDP government?

Model-YourMum: I wouldn't call it a government but rather a caretaking one of only 2 weeks old. I think the budget was really the main biggest legislation passed through this period along with a couple of bills that were able to achieved through the majority of numbers in both the House and Senate from the party. The election couldn't come sooner because frankly this term was a complete mess.

EpicMFan: What business can we expect from you if you win your seat?

Model-YourMum: A range of legislations will be put forward to parliament ones including getting rid of unnecessary taxes that being a burden to consumers and our economy. Make reforms for housing from fast tracking training programs for home builders to implementing a full foreign ownership ban on properties in Australia. I will also be looking to introduce legislation that will see recall petitions take place, similar to those in the UK where members of parliament that engage in an inappropriate behaviour or getting in trouble with the legal system immediately faces a recall petition that sees a certain number of constituents signatures needed to automatically trigger a by-election in that seat. Because it's time we have greater transparency and integrity in our system.

EpicMFan: What should Australia’s stance be on privatisation and nationalisation?

Model-YourMum: Well i think there should be a bit more of public ownership. Certainly i think things like public transport services should always be in public hands, energy and more funding towards government public schools than private because at the moment public education is getting less funding than private ones, we need to do better. We need to crack down on multinationals and greedy corporates that is making Australians suffer. A great example of the benefits of nationalising is Bonza Airlines. When Bonza was placed into adminstration and the threat of hundreds of jobs being lost. The then SDP government were able to step in and nationalise the airline, able to save hundreds of jobs whilst providing some stabilty to what was an uncertain period for those workers.

EpicMFan: The Liberal government were all about the culture war - what about you?

Model-YourMum: Well in the first half of this government that I was apart of there was plenty of culture war nonsense motions being put forward. Certainly I didn't agree with any of those and voted them down, its disappointing because these wars are exactly the reason why our politics are so toxic because you get these left v right arguements that will never benefit anyone. When Porridge took over the leadership the nonsense stop and restored some credibility to the government. I hope we don't see any of the culture war bs in the new parliament.

EpicMFan: AI is making an increasing prevalence in our politics, but what about your stance?

Model-YourMum: I strongly believed AI is a dangerous threat to our democracy. Already we have seen examples where literally anyone can make deep fakes of politicians talking stuff or engaging in acts that is questionable. It is incredibly dangerous already we seen the Liberals use AI-generated images as part of their campaign material. I think its wrong, its not right. We need to ban AI and make it an illegal material as part of amending electoral laws in this country. We must protect democracy while making sure trust in our democratic institutions don't erode due to this technology increasingly being able to manipulate the truth.

EpicMFan: Thank you for your time.

Model-YourMum: Thank you for having me.

EpicMFan: Welcome back to PSN. Tonight, Capricornia hopeful ARichTeaBiscuit.

EpicMFan: What are your thoughts on the current SDP government?

ARichTeaBiscuit: Honestly? I'd say I have a mixed opinion on the SDP government, as I am grateful that I was able to work with them to secure additional funding for Queensland and improved assistance for the damage caused by their predecessors, however, I agree with my colleagues in the CLP that the manner in which they entered into a coalition with the Country Liberals wasn't ideal.

EpicMFan: What business can we expect from you if you win your seat?

ARichTeaBiscuit: In the past few months I have spoken about my admiration for Queensland, and the frustration that many have experienced because the current representative for Capricornia simply hasn't been standing up for our regions, as typified by their inability to secure proper compensation for our tourism industry and other regional businesses that were negatively impacted by China's sanctions and their rather shameful silence during the unrest that could have easily have spilled over into Queensland.

Obviously, my first priority will be to fix our relationship with China and bring back vital tourism and foreign investment that has greatly benefited Queensland over the decades. Beyond that I would love to see the establishment of a Agricultural Desalination Authority and further improvements to the Australian Construction Company, so that its benefits can be more directly felt by Queenslanders.

We have a lot to do to reverse the damage of last term, however, Queensland is resilient and I know that with proper representation we can rebound and emerge stronger than before.

EpicMFan: What should Australia’s stance be on privatisation and nationalisation?

ARichTeaBiscuit: In my opinion this is a rather simplistic framing of a rather complex question, as it isn't simply privatisation versus nationalisation but rather the regulatory framework that we want to see in the economy which includes the level of public ownership.

I think we should take a rather balanced approach, as I believe that natural monopolies like water and electricity should be held by public ownership, however, for everything else I have no problems with the existence of the private sector.

At the same time, we should ensure that adequate protections are in place to ensure that unhealthy monopolies aren't formed that lead to consumers being taken advantage of. A key example would be the grocery, as Coles and Woolworths have a duopoly which unquestionably screws over hardworking Australians, especially, those in rural areas and I know that farmers have also been negatively impacted by similar market concentration in the past.

Australia needs to be more proactive in breaking up this market concentration, as a more competitive private market will naturally help drive down costs and even lead to better working conditions and pay for workers, so virtually everyone will come out winning and this is something I will push for if elected.

EpicMFan: Onto social issues now - the previous Liberal government was heavily about the culture war, but what about you?

ARichTeaBiscuit: I was one of the loudest critics of the previous Liberal government, and their nonsensical focus on the culture war, as I believed and I continue to believe that this is a tactic utilised by those on the right to divide us and make us more open to exploitation.

Just think if you're arguing about transgender people in sport or LGBT history being taught in schools then you'll often forget that the largest corporations are swindling you or that the climate is being destroyed as we speak.

I think the recent unrest in Victoria has underscored the importance of unification, as we are each unique in our own ways but ultimately we are all humans. Australia should reject this culture war nonsense, an import from America and as a member of the LGBT+ community I hope that we can come together and protect our trans community and reject hate.

EpicMFan: AI is making increasing prevalence in politics - what’s your stance?

ARichTeaBiscuit: In theory I believe that AI could be used to benefit humanity, as it could be used to lessen risk in certain jobs by reducing or eliminating the need for direct human intervention. Unfortunately, we have seen that AI isn't being used for this but to try and replace more creative endeavours, with certain AI tools functioning from scraping or stealing works from the internet and more disturbingly we've seen people use it to make sexual content.

AI therefore needs to be strongly regulated in order to prevent these abuses from becoming commonplace, and I also believe that Australia could be a pioneer of more reasonable research on how we can use AI to replace dangerous jobs and I will push for both if elected.

EpicMFan: Thank you for your time.

ARichTeaBiscuit: No problem.

EpicMFan: This afternoon on PSN, we have SmugDemoness.

EpicMFan: What are your thoughts on the Liberal government that occurred before yours?

Smug: Disastrous, as much as they currently talk about working for Australians. They began their term with a campaign of hate and fear against LGBTQIA+ Australians. Which was only the beginning of their unstable government, as much as they wish everyone forgets their incompetence and far right extremism.

EpicMFan: What bills can we expect from you if you win your seat?

Smug: Should I be elected, I will introduce a bill that will further expand the rights of workers, and introduce a Co-Determination law to ensure workers representation on company boards.

I will also be working with my colleague in Melbourne to begin nationalising our resources, energy and infrastructure, ensuring quality and reduced cost of living for Australians.

EpicMFan: Do you have anything to say to the people who left the SDP after you made a coalition with Jordology?

Smug: I understand their objections and worries during the process, and I will have a open hand extended to them for hopefully reconcile and rebuild. This term was tough on all of us, and tested our strength to build a progressive and fair Australia.

EpicMFan: If you were not to win your seat in Parliament, who do you think would make a worthy successor?

Smug: Someone who is able to carry the torch of building off of the past work of Social Democrats and other progressives. I am fully confident in the SDP should such a situation occur.

EpicMFan: What do you think should be Australia’s stance on privatisation and nationalisation?

Smug: I believe we have fallen into the trappings of Neo-Liberalism, which is just a rebranding of 19th Century Capitalism. Things like infrastructure and energy shouldn't be private, as it often conflicts with the general wellbeing of Australians. We cannot always rely on the market, it has become a Dogma that only brings us towards disaster like Climate Change.

EpicMFan: AI has been having an increasing prevalence in politics - what’s your stance?

Smug: It needs further regulation and has been used by abusive corporations to steal the work of Artists, who often are unable to do anything because of its I discriminate nature. It is another fade created by the tech industry to steal the works of art made by human hands, we need better regulation and also ensure that the work of our artists are protected.

EpicMFan: Thank you for your time.

Smug: Thank you for having me.

EpicMFan: You're watching PSN - joining me this afternoon is Capricornia hopeful GamynTheRed.

EpicMFan: What is your opinion on the current SDP government?

Gamyn: The way the current government came into power is as democratic as a military coup. The SDP is severely lagging in competent leadership as seen in the two full terms without a budget and now a rushed and flawed budget that not only puts us in a significant deficit but also fails in basic accounting whether intentional or not. Now it might sound funny coming from me but the government's only saving grace has got to be their alliance with clearly the most ideologically inconsistent politician in Australian history. Jordology is clearly out for noone but himself and had agreed to sell out his constituents, who clearly did not elect him on a leftist agenda, just so he can call himself Deputy Prime Minister and gather power around himself undemocratically.

EpicMFan: If you win your seat, what business can we expect from you?

Gamyn: My first concern this election is the continuing youth crime crisis in Queensland. While the Liberal Party promotes personal liberty above all else we still believe in the rule of law. The youths in rural Queensland now run around committing theft and vandalism knowing they'll get away with it. So the first bill on the agenda will be youth justice reform and I believe the next government needs to really toughen up on crime or face long-term consequences. I also have a bill in preparation to improve the process of Crocodile Control and Conservation nationwide, while they're majestic animals they're a danger to our safety especially in rural Queensland. Steven Miles' parliament shot down a similar bill earlier this year without a debate which is frankly infuriating and if elected I'm going to bring this matter to a national debate.

EpicMFan: What should Australia’s stance be on privatisation and nationalisation?

Gamyn: I am against any government ownership of our industries except the most critical of services like health and education. I'm abhorred by the SDP's plan to nationalize everything from mining to oil to energy, which would mean the nationalization of 75% of Queensland's exports. I spoke against this last term and I'll repeat it now, why does the SDP want to nationalize so much while their government is riddled with questionable accountability records. And they justify all this saying the mining industry is stuck in the 19th century with starving laborers toiling in toxic mine shafts while in fact Australian miners make six-figure salaries on average working for the biggest mining enterprises in the strongest mining sector on earth. Queensland needs to be aware of the absolute scam that's being played here: nationalize everything to save the starving workers, then give it all to Jordo's mates to run to the ground.

EpicMFan: What about social issues? The Liberal government you were part of was all about the culture war - what about you?

Gamyn: From the outside it might seem that that was all the policy we wanted but within most of us were focused on cleaning up after Jordo and helping riley with the budget. From the inside it was more or less s007's personal crusade and riley himself told us to focus less on the culture war stuff. Personally I think s007's motions represented the opinion of many Australians on the moral decay that the internet has brought to this country in the last few decades but in the end of the day the economic wellbeing of Australians comes first.

EpicMFan: AI is making increasing prevalence in politics - what’s your opinion?

Gamyn: I think everyone is riding the AI hype train a little too enthusiastically. AI is far from being the revolutionary force the sales people make it out to be and even then I fail to see how it requires lateral thinking on the policy front. Now don't get me wrong, AI should be regulated but so does everything else. I don't think that would be significant enough of a debate to become an election issue anytime soon.

EpicMFan: Thank you for your time.

Gamyn: Cheers.

EpicMFan: You're watching PSN this morning. Today, we have Member for Brisbane Poriidge.

EpicMFan: What have you thought of the previous SDP government?

Poriidge: I wouldn't really call them a government. They made a spur of the moment decision to side with one of their enemies in order to come into power. I think the Prime Minister lacks vision and leadership, evidenced by the fact they have no balls when standing up to Jordology.

EpicMFan: What business can we expect from you in Parliament?

Poriidge: Plenty more cost of living bills. We're also looking at some new legislation that will help farmers get more bang for their buck

EpicMFan: What do you think Australia’s stance on privatisation and nationalisation should be?

Poriidge: I think that if something is essential, it should be nationalised.

EpicMFan: Onto social issues. Some within your government were all about the culture war- what about you?

Poriidge: That's not at the forefront of my mind right now. Hard to say we're in a culture war given all the legislation for cost of living measures we passed... I would say the current government is more so in a culture war.

EpicMFan: AI has been having an increasing prevalence in politics - what’s your stance?

Poriidge: I think where its at at the moment is fine. Mostly just harmless fun.

EpicMFan: Thank you for your time.

EpicMFan: Now on the program, we have Melbourne hopeful u/Rook_Wilt1.

EpicMFan: What are your thoughts on the current SDP government?

Rook_Wilt: I think the current SDP government, given the circumstances, has done a pretty decent job. They weren't handed the best of cards and have had to form an awkward alliance which cost us politically but for the good of the nation, they wore it and put country above party.

EpicMFan: If you win your seat, what can we expect from you in business?

Rook_Wilt: If I win my seat Melbournians can expect two key things. 1, Honesty and Accountability, I will do my best to always be transparent and answer the tough questions, and 2. Hard work, I'll endeavour to attend 100% of the votes in parliament and debate and speak on as many bills as possible.

EpicMFan: What do you think should be Australia’s stance on privatisation and nationalisation?

Rook_Wilt: That depends what we're talking about? Essential public services, and things like our roads, natural resources etc. Absolutely not they should never ever be privatised. As a rule of thumb I think we should be sceptical and avoid it. For more mundane things and things that the public don't rely on? Say steel manufacturing, then frankly it could and should be privately run.

EpicMFan: What about social issues? The Liberal government were all about the culture war - what about you?

Rook_Wilt: I'm totally opposed to the culture wars, the government has bigger fish to fry. People need to learn how to mind their own damn business again, live and let live and stop having a whinge when someone isn't exactly like the typical white cis straight Australian male.

EpicMFan: AI has been making bigger and bigger impacts in our world - what is your stance on it?

Rook_Wilt: It's dangerous, we've all seen the deepfakes. It needs to be heavily regulated and locked down now, stop it from getting out of hand and harming real people.

EpicMFan: I think that is all the time we have - thanks for coming on.

Rook_Wilt: Thanks for having me.