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Australian ultra-conservatives warn MPs to take heed of Trump's election win Australian ultra-conservatives warn MPs to take heed of Trump's election win Australian ultra-conservatives warn MPs to take heed of Trump's election win
(30 days later)
Australia’s highest-profile ultra-conservatives say the country is not immune to the phenomenon that has led to Donald Trump being elected as the next president of the United States.Australia’s highest-profile ultra-conservatives say the country is not immune to the phenomenon that has led to Donald Trump being elected as the next president of the United States.
The Liberal senator Cory Bernardi, the Coalition backbencher George Christensen, and the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, have welcomed Trump’s election, saying Australia’s political class ought to heed the warning.The Liberal senator Cory Bernardi, the Coalition backbencher George Christensen, and the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, have welcomed Trump’s election, saying Australia’s political class ought to heed the warning.
“Friends, the stunning election victory by Donald Trump last night is validation of all I have been warning about for many years,” Bernardi wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.“Friends, the stunning election victory by Donald Trump last night is validation of all I have been warning about for many years,” Bernardi wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.
“The movement against the establishment political parties, who have consistently and wilfully ignored the mainstream majority in favour of their own power and self-interest, is moving across the globe,” he said.“The movement against the establishment political parties, who have consistently and wilfully ignored the mainstream majority in favour of their own power and self-interest, is moving across the globe,” he said.
“We need to change politics and unite Australian Conservatives to make that change for our Nation.”“We need to change politics and unite Australian Conservatives to make that change for our Nation.”
Christensen told the ABC on Thursday that Australia’s political culture had already begun to change.Christensen told the ABC on Thursday that Australia’s political culture had already begun to change.
“Perhaps we needed some Trump in our political leadership when Ford announced [they were closing] while Julia Gillard was PM and under the Liberal National Coalition that Holden announced it was going,” he said.“Perhaps we needed some Trump in our political leadership when Ford announced [they were closing] while Julia Gillard was PM and under the Liberal National Coalition that Holden announced it was going,” he said.
“We are starting to see that rise in this country, we saw the start at the last election. We have already seen a taste of it and there will be more to come in elections to follow.”“We are starting to see that rise in this country, we saw the start at the last election. We have already seen a taste of it and there will be more to come in elections to follow.”
Hanson said Trump’s election had sent a clear message to the world that people power was happening. “It’s happened in Australia with our election … we’ve had Brexit, and now America, good on your guys, you got it right,” she said on Wednesday afternoon. “I’m so happy that Donald Trump’s there.”Hanson said Trump’s election had sent a clear message to the world that people power was happening. “It’s happened in Australia with our election … we’ve had Brexit, and now America, good on your guys, you got it right,” she said on Wednesday afternoon. “I’m so happy that Donald Trump’s there.”
But Tony Burke, the shadow minister for the environment, said Australians ought to ask themselves what kind of country they want to live in.But Tony Burke, the shadow minister for the environment, said Australians ought to ask themselves what kind of country they want to live in.
“A lot of people I guess feel today like they’re waking up with a pretty bad hangover, trying to piece together what on earth happened the night before,” he told Sky News on Thursday. “In terms of what happened in the [US] campaign itself, I think we’ve got to make sure that as a country, we don’t change who we are.“A lot of people I guess feel today like they’re waking up with a pretty bad hangover, trying to piece together what on earth happened the night before,” he told Sky News on Thursday. “In terms of what happened in the [US] campaign itself, I think we’ve got to make sure that as a country, we don’t change who we are.
“We shouldn’t be so desperate in terms of trying to win favour from the new president-elect that we undermine our values.“We shouldn’t be so desperate in terms of trying to win favour from the new president-elect that we undermine our values.
“We shouldn’t be a country that forgets that in this country if you boasted about sexually assaulting women it would mark the end of your political career. Over there, it’s just marked the launch of one.“We shouldn’t be a country that forgets that in this country if you boasted about sexually assaulting women it would mark the end of your political career. Over there, it’s just marked the launch of one.
But Bernardi said Australia’s politicians had to stop talking to each other in an echo chamber and listen to voters. He said voters were sick of being mocked whenever they tried to talk about their problems.But Bernardi said Australia’s politicians had to stop talking to each other in an echo chamber and listen to voters. He said voters were sick of being mocked whenever they tried to talk about their problems.
He said more needed to be done on electoral reform and disclosures, removing the influence of foreign donations from Australian politics, and stopping the subservience to international bodies to act more in the national interest.He said more needed to be done on electoral reform and disclosures, removing the influence of foreign donations from Australian politics, and stopping the subservience to international bodies to act more in the national interest.
“[Trump] connected with real people,” he said on Sky’s Bolt Report on Wednesday. “He tried to break through the shackles of political correctness.“[Trump] connected with real people,” he said on Sky’s Bolt Report on Wednesday. “He tried to break through the shackles of political correctness.
“He highlighted the differences between him and his opposition, and he successfully played the outsider game. If you continue to ignore those voices, you’ll suffer.”“He highlighted the differences between him and his opposition, and he successfully played the outsider game. If you continue to ignore those voices, you’ll suffer.”
At the last election, he said, 25% of people voted for minor parties, 10% of people didn’t vote validly, and roughly 5% didn’t turn up at all.At the last election, he said, 25% of people voted for minor parties, 10% of people didn’t vote validly, and roughly 5% didn’t turn up at all.
“Forty per cent of the people couldn’t bear to vote for the Liberal party or the Labor party – now that’s an extraordinary indictment on politics as usual in Australia.“Forty per cent of the people couldn’t bear to vote for the Liberal party or the Labor party – now that’s an extraordinary indictment on politics as usual in Australia.
“It says to me we’ve gotta fix something there. I’ve been telling the Libs about that for many, many years.“It says to me we’ve gotta fix something there. I’ve been telling the Libs about that for many, many years.
“Maybe, just maybe, it’s time they started to listen.”“Maybe, just maybe, it’s time they started to listen.”