Victoria state election

[Deleted]

Victoria has dispatched the Liberal-National coalition after a single term, with Labor winning 47-48 seats out of 88. Eight or nine gains from the coalition making up for probably two losses to the Greens in inner Melbourne seats.

www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/results/

[Deleted]

Once again it looks like the polls wayyy overestimated the Greens. Up about 0.5% in the end it would seem and 1-3 seats. Lots of postal votes and pre-polling that I don't think are counted on the night?

Good win for Labor and the first one term state government in Victoria for about 60 years

[Deleted]

Live coverage here for those interested www.abc.net.au/news/abcnews24/

[Merseymike]

The shine has come off the Abbott-led government so quickly - was talking to an Aussie friend who said that they are fearfully unpopular in NSW (he lives in Sydney) where they gained many seats in the last national election.
The Liberals in Victoria are also blaming Abbott for their defeat

[Deleted]

A mixture of Abbott and the fact that the Victoria coalition wasn't expected to win the 2010 election and was unprepared for office. Combine that with their wafer-thin majority and there was only one likely outcome here.

[Devil Wincarnate]

The end of the DLP surely, with Madigan gone and just 0.1% in their heartland.

[maxque]

Nov 29, 2014 12:27:37 GMT Devil Wincarnate said:

The end of the DLP surely, with Madigan gone and just 0.1% in their heartland.

ABC forecasts they'll win a seat in the Legislative Council, through (upper house).

[Deleted]

Nov 29, 2014 12:32:38 GMT maxque said:

Nov 29, 2014 12:27:37 GMT Devil Wincarnate said:

The end of the DLP surely, with Madigan gone and just 0.1% in their heartland.

ABC forecasts they'll win a seat in the Legislative Council, through (upper house).

Which (among other results) prompted an entertaining rant from Antony Green as to the absurdity of the electoral system in the upper chamber. He thinks that this might kill it off.

[maxque]

Nov 29, 2014 12:35:13 GMT @strinity said:

Nov 29, 2014 12:32:38 GMT maxque said:

ABC forecasts they'll win a seat in the Legislative Council, through (upper house).

Which (among other results) prompted an entertaining rant from Antony Green as to the absurdity of the electoral system in the upper chamber. He thinks that this might kill it off.

Right now, it's:
Liberal 14
Labor 13
Green 5
Shooters and Fishers 3
Nationals 2
Sex Party 1
DLP 1
Country Alliance 1

[Devil Wincarnate]

Sex Party-DLP coalition!

[Deleted]

Nov 29, 2014 12:35:13 GMT @strinity said:

Nov 29, 2014 12:32:38 GMT maxque said:

ABC forecasts they'll win a seat in the Legislative Council, through (upper house).

Which (among other results) prompted an entertaining rant from Antony Green as to the absurdity of the electoral system in the upper chamber. He thinks that this might kill it off.

"... if any government in this country pulls another election under this electoral system they deserve to be taken outside and flogged because it is a laugh - as far as I am concerned - it is a national joke that we are still running elections under this manner."

[iain]

What is the system?

[Deleted]

Nov 29, 2014 13:22:21 GMT iain said:

What is the system?

STV, but parties themselves can lodge preferences and most voters vote once for a party and their votes are automatically reallocated. Although voters can number each party individually many don't. Minor parties work together to direct votes to one another and it leads to some wacky results

Here - www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/results/legislative-council/wvic/ - a good example of how the Shooters & Fishers might go from 2% to a seat, ahead of the Greens on 9%. Although the major parties can contribute to this too. Generally Liberals place everyone ahead of the Greens, Labor have most people above the Greens and the Greens often put the Sex Party etc ahead of Liberal/Labor. 

[iain]

How ridiculous

[finsobruce]

Nov 29, 2014 13:40:38 GMT @rlemkin said:

Nov 29, 2014 13:22:21 GMT iain said:

What is the system?

STV, but parties themselves can lodge preferences and most voters vote once for a party and their votes are automatically reallocated. Although voters can number each party individually many don't. Minor parties work together to direct votes to one another and it leads to some wacky results

Here - www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/results/legislative-council/wvic/ - a good example of how the Shooters & Fishers might go from 2% to a seat, ahead of the Greens on 9%. Although the major parties can contribute to this too. Generally Liberals place everyone ahead of the Greens, Labor have most people above the Greens and the Greens often put the Sex Party etc ahead of Liberal/Labor. 

I can see the headlines: "Greens put sex before Labor" - which would probably be most people's order of preference I guess. 

[greatkingrat]

Do parties have to put up any sort of deposit / collect signatures to stand in these elections?

[Deleted]

Nov 29, 2014 14:10:34 GMT finsobruce said:

Nov 29, 2014 13:40:38 GMT @rlemkin said:

STV, but parties themselves can lodge preferences and most voters vote once for a party and their votes are automatically reallocated. Although voters can number each party individually many don't. Minor parties work together to direct votes to one another and it leads to some wacky results

Here - www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/results/legislative-council/wvic/ - a good example of how the Shooters & Fishers might go from 2% to a seat, ahead of the Greens on 9%. Although the major parties can contribute to this too. Generally Liberals place everyone ahead of the Greens, Labor have most people above the Greens and the Greens often put the Sex Party etc ahead of Liberal/Labor. 

I can see the headlines: "Greens put sex before Labor" - which would probably be most people's order of preference I guess. 

Heh!

The rules are even worse in the senate elections. If you don't just vote for a single party and want to number your own preferences you are required to numeral all parties. I think at the WA special election there were over 30 parties!

EDIT: Hilariously Labor cost the Greens one seat in Northern Victoria and instead it went to the Country Alliance and the Green potentially cost Labor a seat that looks like it'll go to the Sex Party.  Labor-Green could have had 19-20 out of 40

[johnloony]

Nov 29, 2014 13:40:38 GMT @rlemkin said:

Nov 29, 2014 13:22:21 GMT iain said:

What is the system?

STV, but parties themselves can lodge preferences and most voters vote once for a party and their votes are automatically reallocated. Although voters can number each party individually many don't. Minor parties work together to direct votes to one another and it leads to some wacky results

Dr David Hill, who is a veteran anorak / geek / pedant / statistician within the Electoral Reform Society about electoral systems, explains:

www.votingmatters.org.uk/ISSUE12/P7.HTM

[maxque]

The counting for Upper House continues, but it's not improving at all on the sanity level.

Labor 14
Liberal 13
Green 3
Sex 3
Nationals 2
Shooters and Fishers 2
Country Alliance 1
Democratic Labour 1
Palmer United Party 1

[timrollpickering]

Nov 29, 2014 14:13:43 GMT greatkingrat said:

Do parties have to put up any sort of deposit / collect signatures to stand in these elections?

There are deposits. To stand and get a party name on the ballot paper a party has to be registered with the Electoral Commission which involves a minimum number of members. Antony Green wrote a post last year covering the various states:

blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2013/10/the-2013-senate-election-and-reform-options-for-the-south-australian-legislative-council.html

For Victoria party registratio is 500 members and no fee. The deposit for one candidate is $350. Registered parties can nominate centrally, other candidates require 50 nominators each. To get an above the line voting square you need at least two candidates, including mates' slates of independents.