- Update : September 12, 2010.
The 2010 Australian Federal election saw several score socialists and — notwithstanding The Greens — a handful of communists stand for seats in both the Lower (House of Representatives) and Upper (Senate) Houses of the Federal parliament. In summary, the socialist vote witnessed minor increases in most electorates, with some small decline in others. The biggest vote was for Mike Head in Fowler: 2,700 votes, or 3.51%; the lowest for Ron Poulsen (Communist League) in Blaxland, with 288 votes (0.39%).
Below is a summary of the preliminary results:
Lower House
Adelaide (SA)
Gemma Weedall, a yoof activist for the Socialist Alliance (SA), failed in her attempt to poll vault over Sports Minister Kate Ellis, gaining 786 votes (0.90%). Weedall placed fifth overall, defeating a free market fundamentalist Liberal Democrat (716 / 0.82%) and narrowly losing to a why-do-they-bother liberal Democrat (820 / 0.94%).
Blaxland (NSW)
Richard Phillips of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) was one of two Trots in this very safe Labor seat, and he and his donkey easily leaped over the mystical 1% barrier, gaining 2,060 votes (2.79%), and coming fifth of eight candidates. Ron Poulsen, perhaps the sole member of the secretive Communist League, fared less well, placing last with 288 votes (0.39%).
Brisbane (QLD)
One of a mere five candidates to appeal to the people of Pig City for political support, Ewan Saunders (SA) came last on 717 votes or 0.88% — still a gain on 2007’s 0.52%.
Calwell (VIC)
Under the wise leadership of Peter Byrne, the SEP fared much better in 2010 than it did in 2007, Byrne receiving 1,181 votes or 1.35%, a gain of 0.96%. Byrne was last of five candidates, a Xtian fundamentalist — Praise Jesus! — being blessed with 3,851 votes (4.40% / +0.06%).
Corio (VIC)
Another very safe Labor seat, Sue Bull successfully reversed the loss of form witnessed in 2007, gaining 971 votes or 1.17% (+0.77%). In 2004, SA’s Tim Gooden got 505 votes (0.63%). Like Byrne in Calwell, Bull came last of five candidates, and — Hallelujah! — was beaten by a Xtian for fourth (3,028 votes / 3.66% / -0.30%).
Cunningham (NSW)
Jess Moore wants Cunningham. Last time, 706 voters (0.84%) supported her. This time, 1,303 voters joined the socialist struggle (1.46%), a gain of 0.68%. Moore avoided coming last by beating John Flanagan of the ‘Non-Custodial Parents Party (Equal Parenting)’ (1,240 votes).
Denison (TAS)
Melanie Barnes (SA) has smashed the 1% barrier, receiving 856 votes or 1.32%, a gain of 0.56% on 2007’s result. She was last of five candidates, her nearest rival gaining approximately 10,000 more votes than she.
Fowler (NSW)
Mike Head came, saw, and conquered in Fowler, the law-talking SEP guy getting 2,700 votes, or 3.51%, the highest % vote of any socialist candidate. On the other hand, Head was one of just four candidates. And he rode a donkey to the poll.
Fremantle (WA)
Sanna Andrew (SA) found 662 votes (0.80%) in Fremantle, an increase of 0.35% on 2007. Sanna was sixth of seven candidates, McENCROE, Keith John (Democratic Labor Party), being the least popular candidate with a mere 622 votes (0.76%) in his favour.
Gellibrand (VIC)
SA’s Ben Courtice and the SEP’s Tania Baptist split the socialist vote in Gellibrand. BAPTIST, Tania got 487 votes (0.58%) while COURTICE, Ben got 529 (0.64%, down 0.95%). BAPTIST thereby came last and COURTICE second last.
Grayndler (NSW)
Pip Hinman (SA) once again confronted the SEP, on this occasion in the person of James Cogan, the SEP’s national organiser. In 2007, Hinman (1,394 votes / 1.66%) faced down the SEP’s Patrick O’Connor (328 votes / 0.39%). In 2004, SA’s Sue Johnson got 1,010 votes (1.34%). Anthony Albanese holds down the top spot in Grayndler, and is a member of the Socialist Left faction of the ALP. Note that Cogan was a candidate for Chifley in 2007. He got 1,069 votes.
In the end, COGAN, James Michael, riding on a donkey, got 1,041 votes (1.25% / +0.86%) while HINMAN, Pip got a shade less: 1,023 (1.23%).
Griffith (QLD)
Hamish Chitts’ is a bus-driving former soldier and member of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP). In 2007, SA, from which the RSP split in 2008, stood Jim McIlroy (293 votes / 0.35%) while in 2004 it stood Lynda Hansen (580 votes / 0.72%). Chitts (602 votes / 0.75%) lost to former PM KRudd, but managed to avoid coming last by trouncing the LaRouchite Jan Pukallus (175 votes / 0.22%).
Kingsford-Smith (NSW)
Sadly, the SEP’s Zac Hambides, following on comrade Alex Safari’s 1,096 votes (1.26%) in 2007, scored just 576 votes, a drop of 0.56%, coming last, and proving less popular than One Nation (728 votes) and the Democrats (1,052). Peter Garrett eh?
Lalor (VIC)
“Gillard out! Gillard out! Hear the people scream, hear the people shout! Socialism is the alternative! Van Rudd for Lalor!”
Maybe not.
Rudd was the subject of a really neat TV show screened during the week before the election, revealing, inter alia, that his old man, Murray, has a) a very dry sense of humour, and b) to have seriously under-estimated his son’s electoral appeal. Predicting just 24 or 25 votes for Van, in reality the revolutionary artiste got 516, or 0.50%, and placed eight in a field of nine, the remarkable Marc Aussie-Stone coming last.
Newcastle (NSW)
The seat of Newcastle is the third of four seats in which SA fought SEP — for socialism. Zane Alcorn (SA) contested local council elections in Newcastle in 2008, but stood for the seat of Wills in Victoria in 2007. In 2010, his rhyming skillz were pitted against those of Noel Holt — the SEP’s candidate for Newcastle in 2007. ALCORN, Zane gained a narrow victory over HOLT, Noel: Alcorn on 829 votes (1.01% / +0.62%) and Holt 627 (0.76% / +0.43%). The pair came sixth and seventh in a field of seven.
Parramatta (NSW)
In the final Lower House battle for socialist supremacy, the SEP’s Chris Gordon pitted his math against SA’s Duncan Roden’s yoof. (In 2007, SA’s Rachel Evans got 1,015 votes (1.19%), while the SEP’s Chris Gordon got 261 (0.31%).) This time around, Gordon got 1,203 votes or 1.54% (+1.38%), while Roden received 330 (0.42% / -0.14%). The pair came sixth and seventh in a field of seven.
Perth (WA)
Alex Bainbridge is SA’s man in Perth. (He was SA’s man in Denison in 2002.) Chris Latham was SA’s man in 2007 (464 votes / 0.59%) while Nikki Ulasowski got 984 votes (1.34%) in 2004. In 2010, Bainbridge increased the socialist vote by +0.22% (618 votes or 0.77%).
Reid (NSW)
The SEP’s Carolyn Kennett received 901 votes, or 1.13%. She came last.
Swan (WA)
Joe Lopez (SEP) scored 398 votes (0.50%) in Swan. He came last. This was nevertheless, an increase of 0.30% on 2007’s effort, and almost half way to the magical 1% barrier.
Sydney (NSW)
Communist Denis Doherty received 656 votes, or 0.83%. He came last.
Wills (VIC)
Trent Hawkins (SA) replaced Zane Alcorn (624 votes / 0.72%) in 2007 — who in turn displaced David Glanz (867 votes / 1.06%) in 2004. He got 725 votes (0.86%), a gain of 0.14%.
Upper House
vote1josephtoscanovictoriansenateticket2010.com — Joseph Toscano, Jenny Warfe and Andrew Sadauskas — received 3,842 votes (0.12%). Jo & Co. scored 5,695 votes or 0.18% in 2007.
In the race for a Senate seat, Socialists stood in several states: in VIC, SA — WINDISCH, Margarita and FIREBRACE, Sharon — got 3,016 votes (0.09%), while their SEP rivals (O’CONNOR, Patrick and VONGVIXAY, Keo) — with the benefit of the donkey vote — received 9,994 (0.31%). In NSW, EVANS, Rachel and ISKANDER, Soubhi (SA) rode on a donkey to gain 22,952 votes (0.57%); BEAMS, Nick and ZABALA, Gabriela (SEP) had to settle for 3,597 (0.09%). The donkey-less Communist Alliance fared less well, receiving 6,825 votes (0.17%).
In QLD, SA got 3,806 votes (0.16%), in SA 1,038 (0.10%) and in WA 1,258 (0.10%). In 2007, SA got 1,941 votes in QLD (0.08%), in SA 770 (0.08%) and in WA 928 (0.08%).
See also : Socialism vs. 2010 election (July 27, 2010) | Lenin Goes to Canberra? (Trot Guide 2010) (July 15, 2010) | Socialism vs. 2007 Federal Election: Results (November 25, 2007).
Round 3. Poradalade vers Collingwood. Collingwood, V. Rudd, one vote. Poradalaide, Non-Custodial Parents Party, two votes. Poradalaide, Mysterious Communist League, three votes.
Brisbane Loions vers Northmelbun. Northmelbun, A. Safari, one vote, Northmelbun, L. Larouche, two votes. Brisbane Loions, Mysterious Communist League, three votes.
How did the CA go?
Denis Doherty got the nod for candidate because his missus is the editor of the Guardian or general secretary or something – typical stalinist nepotism.
the CPA’s other canditates were geoff lawler and brenda kellaway in the senate – any result?
In Sydney, Denis Doherty received 486 votes, or 0.83%. He came last.
Geoff Lawler and Brenda Kellaway received 5,236 votes (0.16%) in the Senate race.
the high results for some SEPers are bizarre … have they voted for them because or despite of their weirdness?
I think the relatively high vote is attributable to features specific to some electoral campaigns, and to moar general factors. In Fowler, for example, there were just four candidates: Labor, Liberal, Greens, SEP. Head was No.1 on the ticket, and thus benefitted from the donkey vote. The SEP candidate in Blaxland also got the donkey vote. In both seats, the informal vote was quite high: 9,770 (13.20% / +4.72%) in Fowler; 10,283 (14.20% / +5.31%) in Blaxland. The informal vote — sometimes referred to as the protest vote — was at its highest since (I think) 1984.
btw. … is it true that the DLP got one senator elected?
It’s unknown at this stage… the Senatorial vote won’t be calculated until the Lower House vote is determined, and that may take weeks. It’s certainly possible, but it could even be that Family First Senator Steve Fielding is re-elected.
The Sex Pardy was in with a shot in Victoria, Brother @ndy. Look at this:
http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/svic-results.htm
Family First – 66,111 – 2.68% – 0.1877
DLP – 55,043 – 2.23% – 0.1563
Australian Sex Party – 54,935 – 2.23% – 0.1560
The counting goes right down to the wire. The money shot comes in the 25th round of counting when Julian McGauran dumps his load of votes.
What I wanna know is, wtf was the Socialist Equality Party doing not preferencing the Sex Party? I mean, Trotsky was a playa…
SEP and Sex party can unite on a “Defend Gerry Healy” platform (with external support by the Sparts), or?
The 2010 Australian federal election campaign in a nutshell.
look at you dweebs. fucken anarchists my arse. more like social democrats at best. no seriously, have a look at your entries. i tell ya, the revolution’s a long ways off if you fucking clowns are at the helm. ha ha ha ha what a bunch of fucking losers.
Meanie.
ha ha sorry mate, jus constructive criticism iz awl.
Pig City? Fuck you.
It’s that attitude that keeps us from getting any votes in Brisbane.
Go back to Socialism 101. It doesn’t discriminate across borders, you moron.
Looking at these results after a few years is funny. Looks like the commies still haven’t got their shit together. Funny how Billy here has his knickers in a twist over Denny boy when the other two clowns he mentions are fucking loony toons. Ever read anything Brenda wrote? Fucking crazy even for a commo! You want super stalinism check her shit out.
Like what has she written mate, Google returns ‘no results’?
Denny … ws fckng dd s tchr, th CP s hs rtirmnt hbby snc h gt strtd bngng nn Ph. Yck.