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Turnbull Likely To Win Narrowly As Voters Punish Coalition; ALP Secures Nationwide Swing Of 3.18% But Falls Short

Jul 03, 2016

Hung Parliament Still Possible; Many Close Seats; Nationwide Swing Delivers ALP Gains; Xenophon Wins Lower House Seat; Pauline Hanson, Derryn Hinch And Jacqui Lambie Elected To Senate

TurnbullPrime Minister Malcolm Turnbull addressed Liberal supporters in Sydney last night

The Turnbull coalition government is clinging to office, following yesterday’s federal election, and may yet face a hung parliament controlled by crossbenchers not necessarily sympathetic to it. In a post-midnight speech, the Prime Minister insisted the coalition would be able to form a majority government.

A nationwide 3.18% swing towards the ALP sees the coalition leading the two-party-preferred vote with 50.01%. Every state and territory swung to the ALP, the Northern Territory leading the field with 7.37% and delivering Solomon to the ALP. The smallest swing was 0.68% in the Australian Capital Territory, where the ALP already held both seats and polled 61.73% of the two-party vote.

There was a 3.64% swing to the ALP in New South Wales. The ALP has won Banks, Barton, Dobell, Eden-Monaro, Lindsay, Macarthur, Macquarie and Paterson.

In Victoria, the swing was 2.13% but it appears that only one seat has changed hands. The ALP lost Chisholm, the eastern suburban Melbourne electorate held since 1998 by the former Speaker, Anna Burke. The Greens came close to winning Batman and counting may yet throw Melbourne Ports into doubt for the ALP.

In Queensland, a swing of 2.75% delivered Longman to the ALP and ended the two-term career of 26-year-old Wyatt Roy. The LNP electorates of Capricornia, Forde and Petrie are too close to call. Hinkler may also be in play.

In Western Australia, a 3.82% swing has delivered the new electorate of Burt to the ALP, giving it 4 of the 16 seats.

Tasmania swung decisively by 6.33% to the ALP and it picked up 3 seats lost in 2013: Bass, Braddon and Lyons.

In South Australia, a swing of 4.44% saw two seats change hands. The ALP’s Steve Georganas regained Hindmarsh, which he lost in 2013. The Liberal Party lost the seat of Mayo to the Nick Xenophon Team. NXT may yet have a chance of taking the large country electorate of Grey.

A range of commentators last night agreed that the coalition would likely be able to form a government with 76-78 seats. The large number of close results means that it will be up to ten days before the results are clear.

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Triumphant Shorten Says The ALP Is Back; Turnbull Delivers Late-Night Off-Key Speech To Supporters

The closeness of the count delayed the appearance of the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader. Shorten appeared first, after 11pm. He told supporters in Melbourne that the ALP was “back”. He reiterated his campaign themes and said that the ALP would save Medicare “in government or opposition”.

Malcolm Turnbull spoke to Liberal supporters at 12.30am, delivering a speech widely panned as off-key and inappropriate. Turnbull spoke at length about thuggery in the construction industry and defended his decision to call the double dissolution. He insisted that the coalition would be able to form a majority government.

  • Watch Shorten’s speech (11m)
  • Listen to Shorten (11m)
  • Watch Turnbull’s speech (16m)
  • Listen to Turnbull (16m)

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Windsor and Oakeshott Defeated; Existing Crossbenchers Re-Elected

Tony Windsor, the former member for New England, failed to defeat Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce. Windsor polled 29.73% but Joyce won the seat outright with a primary vote of 52.09%. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Federal Election, A.L.P., Audio, Greens, Liberal National Party, Liberal Party, One Nation, The Nationals, Turnbull, Video Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Macquarie Radio Suspends Alan Jones Advertising; Alleges Social Media Bullying

Oct 07, 2012

The Macquarie Radio Network (MRN) has suspended all advertising on the Alan Jones Breakfast Show on Sydney station 2GB.

In a remarkable statement issued today, MRN said it had called “time out” because of a campaign of “cyber-bullying” on social media, describing the Facebook and Twitter campaign over the past week as “21st Century censorship”.

Arguing that radio “is arguably the original form of social media”, MRN said: “The difference between 2GB and some catchy URL is that MRN operates in a regulated media environment.”

The network said the “unprecedented decision to suspend advertising in the Alan Jones Breakfast Show” had been taken “so that all of our advertisers are on an equal footing, can regroup and discuss with us the way forward and how we together deal with these attempts to damage great Australian businesses.”

Text of statement from Macquarie Radio Network.

Macquarie Radio Network Limited (“MRN”), the owner of radio station 2GB, today announced a temporary suspension of all advertising in its top rating weekday Breakfast Show hosted by Alan Jones.

The move follows a week of unprecedented focus throughout mainstream and social media on Jones and remarks he made recently at a private function regarding Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the loss of her father. More specifically, the move has been prompted by actions being taken and threatened against companies advertising on the Alan Jones Breakfast Show. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Internet, Media Tagged With: ,

Alan Jones Press Conference; Purported Apology

Sep 30, 2012

This is the complete video of the 43-minute press conference held by Alan Jones at 11.30am today in which he discusses the comments reported in News Limited Sunday papers.

A recording of Jones’s appearance at a University of Sydney Liberal Club function on September 22 has him calling Prime Minister Julia Gillard a liar and then saying: “”The old man recently died a few weeks ago of shame. To think that he had a daughter who told lies every time she stood for parliament.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Audio, Gillard, Media, Video Tagged With:

“Cash for Comment” Inquiry: Flint Gives Interview To Laws

Nov 03, 1999

Professor David Flint, chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Authority, and prominent monarchist, is under pressure following a radio interview with John Laws this week.

Flint was responding to comments made about him by the former Prime Minister, Bob Hawke. Flint is also presiding over an inquiry into the conduct of Laws and Sydney radio station 2UE. There have been calls from the Opposition for Flint to stand down from the inquiry on the grounds that he has compromised his position and has a conflict of interest.

The Australian Broadcasting Authority’s hearing into the so-called “cash for comment” scandal is adjourned for this week.

The public hearing commenced on October 20 and is investigating the arrangements entered into by John Laws and Alan Jones, and whether this affects radio station 2UE’s compliance with the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice.

At the hearing last Friday, Laws and 2UE station manager, Mr. Conde, differed over whether Conde told Laws that arrangements relating to personal contracts with advertisers “did not apply” to Laws. Media observers believe that Laws’ position at 2UE has now become untenable.

The inquiry is of interest to students studying pressure group activity in Australia for what it shows about the methods some interest groups, such as the Australian Bankers Association, are prepared to adopt to promote their commercial and political interests.

Filed Under: Media Tagged With: , , , ,
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