The next federal election in Australia is approaching. The date is not set - it will be called at the discretion of Scott Morrison, the incumbent Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal - National Party Coalition government. He will do this when he thinks he has the best chance of winning.
When will the election be held?
The first date for a normal house and half-Senate election was 7 August 2021 but that date has passed.
The last date for a normal house and half-Senate election is 21 May 2022. This date gives six weeks to complete the complex Senate count and allows Senators to be declared elected and start their terms on 1 July 2022. A mid-May election would be announced in early April 2022.
See: When can the Next Federal Election be Held? – Antony Green's Election Blog
Possible election dates are:
2022: February 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26 (with SA election moved), April 2, 9, May 21 as earlier dates overlap Easter and Anzac day
It is now likely the election will be in either March, April or May 2022
Morrison Government election campaign strategy
Strengths - issues they will attempt to campaign on.
- "Morrison the saviour" - leading Australia out of COVID-19 lockdowns, chastising the Labor states (VIC, QLD, WA) for "causing harm by draconian lockdowns". See this thread from @aarondodd for more information.
- "Sound economic management" - providing financial measures to get Australia through the finanicial impacts of lockdown.
- Coal votes - keep promoting coal for "baseload power" and the importance of jobs associated with coal mining and profits from coal exports
- Border security - keep refugees detained in offshore gulags to "deter refugees arriving by boats"
- Defence and national security - publicly criticise China about the origins of COVID, human rights, occupation of islands in South China Sea. Keep speculating about possible war with China. Strengthen alliance and "military cooperation" with the United States, Indonesia and India.
Attacks - on other parties and candidates.
- "Labor are incompetent" - Labor is held hostage by Unions and will wreck the economy
- "Independents are stooges" - for other political parties
- "Greens are dangerous radicals" - with extreme left policies that will ruin Australia
Weaknesses - they will attempt to protect against
- Climate change - The Morrison government has set no long term or short term targets for reducing carbon emissions. They claim that "technology solutions" will be effective but there is no evidence that they will. They are still spending money on implausible "carbon capture and storage" projects.
- Great Barrier Reef - in peril from climate change, but the LNP successfully lobbied to stop the reef being listed as "endangered" by UNESCO
- COVID-19 responses
- Vaccine delays: Failure to get enough appropriate vaccines in time and severe delays in getting the population vaccinated. Orders for Pfizer vaccines delayed for 6 months
- Vaccine politics: Reallocating Pfizer from Labor states to Sydney
- Vaccination campaign: Very poor public campaigns to encourage vaccination
- No quarantines: No provision of safe quarantine facilities - a Federal government responsibility
- Aged care deaths: 700+ deaths in federally regulated aged care homes from COVID-19, and no COVID-19 management plan for them
- Stranded Aussies: Morrison's failure to get home 40,000+ Australians stranded overseas for 18+ months
- Corruption - sport rorts, car park rorts, Great Barrier Reef foundation donation, electoral donations from fossil fuel companies [link]
- Treatment of women and sexual violence
- no action taken on alleged rape of Brittany Higgins in parliament building on 22 March 2019
- Morrison says he was not informed of the alleged rape until 15 February 2021. The Gaetjens inquiry about who in the Prime Minister's Office knew what and when has not been completed and will not be releases (its a cover up).
- Morrison Govt voted against 49 of the 55 recommendations made in the landmark Respect@Work report
- Morrison Govt held "Women's Safety Summit" in early September 2021 which was a talkfest to "hear from women" - but not enact any new legislation.
Murdoch's Newscorp
The Murdoch press provide propaganda to support the Morrison government.
Independents are making a stand
Several independent community-based grass roots candidates are running on platform of climate action, integrity and better treatment of women. Candidates include:
- Dr Monique Ryan, Kooyong
- Zoe Daniel, Goldstein
- Aleggra Spender, Wentworth
- Dr Sophie Scamps, Mackeller
- Kylea Tink, North Sydney
- Zali Steggall, Warringah (re-contesting, won seat from Tony Abbott)
For a video see: The Project (@theprojecttv) December 20, 2021
Some things to consider when voting
- How has your local MP voted in parliament? Find out here: They Vote For You — How does your MP vote?
- How do candidate's policies and statements align with your values?
- For candidates in political parties - how does their party's policies and statements align with your values
- What are candidate policies and statements on climate change, social justice, peace and environment, health, education and other things that matter to you?
- How have candidates contributed to public health response measures for COVID-19?
- The honesty, integrity, accountability and competence of each candidate.
This upcoming election will have a huge impact on Australia's and the world's future. Use your vote wisely.
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