Monday, September 14, 2015

In Australia, "Something to Celebrate"

I woke up to some good news from Australia this morning, courtesy of the following Facebook post by Michael Bernard Kelly.

Australia has a new Prime Minister tonight. Let's face it, Tony Abbott [left] dug his own political grave over and over and over again. He has no one to blame for his demise but himself. Whatever one thinks of the outcome, at least we now have an articulate, intelligent person [Malcolm Turnbull] leading the country. Abbott was the most hated PM in our history, and with good reason. Australia can breathe a little easier tonight. We will no longer be embarrassed on the international stage. Even deputy Julie Bishop got that much! My only regret is that this government will be harder to hear at the next election – but our country could not have endured another year of Tony Abbott as leader. He was a disaster on so many levels. Common sense has prevailed – the party in government got the message loud and clear that the people of this country are far more decent, reasonable and fair than this dreadful PM, and sooner or later he would be thrown out of office. Interestingly, a hard right-wing, Opus Dei leaning, anti-marriage equality, climate change denying Catholic PM has been replaced by a progressive Catholic who is passionate about action on climate change, dedicated to marriage equality, and committed to making Australia a constitutional republic. Interesting times ahead for us – but now we have a PM with some real vision. That is something to celebrate.

Indeed!

And for more good news from the world of politics, click here and here.


Related Off-site Links:
Malcolm Turnbull to Become Prime Minister After Toppling Tony AbbottABC News, September 14, 2015.
Party Ousts Australian PM for More Moderate Rival – Rod McGuirk (Associated Press via Yahoo! News, September 14, 2015).
Historian Tariq Ali on the Ouster of Tony AbbotDemocracy Now! (September 14, 2015).
The Ties That Blind: Tony Abbott Never Cut It As a Unifying National Leader – Peter Hartcher (Sydney Morning Herald, September 14, 2015).
The Blip – Victoria Rollison (The Australian Independent Media Network, September 14, 2015).
A Disastrous First Budget Began Tony Abbott's Death Spiral – Tom Allard (Sydney Morning Herald, September 14, 2015).
Malcolm Turnbull, the Prince of Point Piper, Ready to Be Crowned King – Matthew Knott (Sydney Morning Herald, September 14, 2015).
Oxford Street Getting Ready to Celebrate – Kate Aubusson (Sydney Morning Herald, September 15, 2015).
Abbott Ousted But Australian Progressives Declare: "Nothing Has Changed" – Jon Queally (Common Dreams, September 14, 2015).

UPDATE: Vale, Tony Abbott – Both a Unique Man and a Unique Failure – David Marr (The Guardian, September 17, 2015).


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