Attorney-General Michael Atkinson Retiring!

[Nicolai]

As an ignorant American I have a question: Does anyone know who's going to replace him? Also how does he get replaced?

Edit: Just asking because of the chance that whoever replaces him could be worse.

The article states he's making room for younger (and hopefully more progressive) members in important position on the front bench (our big portfolios such as Attorney-General). No doubt, whoever replaces him will still be a little right-wing as Australian politics are messy.

In American terms it's like there's two factions of Democrats, one left-wing with mostly links to Unions and the like, the other right-wing and linked more to church and big business. Atkinson is from the right-wing Labor faction, Unity and I can't see them letting the Attorney-General out of their hands.

So the next Attorney-General will probably be a little politically conservative, but after they see the results of the R18+ paper will probably have to allow it to go through and make sure they remove Atkinson's stupid law about not being able to comment anonymously on political situations.

Politically, this is a very good move by the Labor government as they'll be seen by many people who would otherwise have supported them to be doing the right thing. The fact that the swing against him in his electorate was about 12% of the votes before preferences will help.

Other note on the Australian political system: Preferences exist so an election always comes down to a 2-horse race. If your preferred candidate goes out before being one of the top 2, your vote is sent to the next preference in such a way it still counts as a single vote (it's complicated, but it does the job). You can choose your preferences yourself or if that's too complex, you can believe in your party and just follow their preset by putting a 1 in their box. So for example Gamers4Croydon who were standing against Atkinson in his seat, got around 650 votes, they weren't in the eventual top 2, but they directed their preferences to the other major party, so their 650 votes didn't go to Atkinson later.

Incidentally, if people don't read their forms we end up with silly things like preferences making the difference on who gets in. In Federal politics, my state of Victoria has a hard right-wing conservative from Family First in the Senate because Labor preferenced Family First there where every other state preferenced the Greens. This has led to a climate-change skeptic, religious wacko holding the balance of power in many cases which is very bad for progress in a country.

 

[Blatherscythe]

He's retiring (or at least taking a backseat with less power and influence)? BREAK OUT THE BOOZE! THIS IS A TIME FOR CELEBRATION! Now lets hope his replacment isn't an old man whose hatred for R18+ videogames is set in stone or the cycle may repeat.

 

[Nicolai]

maybe the poll results finally highlighted how out of touch with the community he was becoming. it seems if he had his way SA would be a police state. city of churches and shoot on site 9pm curfew?

Michael "beat me with a Wine magazine" Rann deserves as much if not more blame than Atkinson. He had every chance to rein Atkinson in but didn't either because he agreed with Atkinson, prefered Atkinson getting more bad press than he did, or was afraid of factional fallout. All of which means Rann was a snake, a weasel or a jellyfish.

The breakdown I've read was mostly weasel, Rann is from the same faction as Atkinson (he's the one who got Atkinson's $210,000 in legal fees paid for by SA taxpayers). Whether he agrees with Atkinson on all policy matters is uncertain, but there's definitely factional loyalty, both are members of Labor Unity, the right-wing Labor Faction which holds the majority in most Labor governments around Australia (including the Federal one).

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

In Federal politics, my state of Victoria has a hard right-wing conservative from Family First in the Senate because Labor preferenced Family First there where every other state preferenced the Greens. This has led to a climate-change skeptic, religious wacko holding the balance of power in many cases which is very bad for progress in a country.

I knew my pathological hatred of Victoria would one day have some basis in reality other than having lived in Packenham for 3 months!

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

The breakdown I've read was mostly weasel, Rann is from the same faction as Atkinson (he's the one who got Atkinson's $210,000 in legal fees paid for by SA taxpayers). Whether he agrees with Atkinson on all policy matters is uncertain, but there's definitely factional loyalty, both are members of Labor Unity, the right-wing Labor Faction which holds the majority in most Labor governments around Australia (including the Federal one).

Factional 'loyalty' is the jellyfish option. Atkinson is the Right's powerbroker in the SA ALP so Rann would have had to have grown a bigger pair than he has ever shown to try and muzzle Atkinson.

Personally, I haven't trusted the ALP since the Centre-Left imploded.

 

[mstickle]

Now all we have to do is hope that the next AG for South Australia isn't just as bad.

But for now it's a step forward

 

[Misterian]

He's retiring?

Thank goodness for that, all that's left is for Washington State school districts to stop being beurucratic and remind themselves their supposed to be part of a nation about equal oppotunities, for the Pucca francise to update for once in it's existance, and for the Al Queda to be put into complete and utter defeat!

sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[Nicolai]

The breakdown I've read was mostly weasel, Rann is from the same faction as Atkinson (he's the one who got Atkinson's $210,000 in legal fees paid for by SA taxpayers). Whether he agrees with Atkinson on all policy matters is uncertain, but there's definitely factional loyalty, both are members of Labor Unity, the right-wing Labor Faction which holds the majority in most Labor governments around Australia (including the Federal one).

Factional 'loyalty' is the jellyfish option. Atkinson is the Right's powerbroker in the SA ALP so Rann would have had to have grown a bigger pair than he has ever shown to try and muzzle Atkinson.

Personally, I haven't trusted the ALP since the Centre-Left imploded.

I was going with weasel because he's actively done underhanded things for Atkinson, but is not so politically aligned with him as to be called a snake. Though from over here in Victoria, there may be things I don't know about. Jellyfish for me would more have been passive support of the factional loyalty and lipservice than actively throwing money at him, but I do agree with your point.

 

[Layz92]

He probably wanted to claim he retired rather than losing his seat in an election.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I was going with weasel because he's actively done underhanded things for Atkinson, but is not so politically aligned with him as to be called a snake. Though from over here in Victoria, there may be things I don't know about. Jellyfish for me would more have been passive support of the factional loyalty and lipservice than actively throwing money at him, but I do agree with your point.

I can see points in favour of calling him a weasel or a jellyfish. On political actions he's definitely a weasel. In other arenas, I'd say a jellyfish. I propose a compromise where we refer to him as a 'jellyweasel'.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

He probably wanted to claim he retired rather than losing his seat in an election.

Next election isn't for 4 years. Unless you mean the election held yesterday which, despite a 13% swing against him, he still holds the seat of Croydon by a 13% margin.

 

[Mstrswrd]

I like how everyone is assuming that the next person won't just be Atkinson times 2, or something equally as bad.

 

[theultimateend]

The Next guy will be worse.

Because nobody in the world ever votes for a normal person.

They vote for a religion or a political party.

So far it hasn't worked for the entire history of elected officials so I figure the strategy is "Just keep trying till it works."

Major changes end up happening because people finally snap and revolt for a bit. They wouldn't have to do it so much if they'd just stop electing Atkinson's. Elect the best teacher you had in high school.

That shit will get you places.

 

[(whitty name here)]

YAAAY HES GONE

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I like how everyone is assuming that the next person won't just be Atkinson times 2, or something equally as bad.

If the final vote count matches the current numbers, the ALP will have a grand 1 seat majority so they can't afford to have 'worse than Atkinson' in such an important portfolio with risking alienating some ALP backbencher so much that they cross the floor and create a hung parliament.

 

[The Jasenator]

Now we hope who ever replaces him isn't a crackpot. Someone who might get rid of the stupid laws he introduced.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Now we hope who ever replaces him isn't a crackpot.

Early word is either Rau or Weatherill.

Someone who might get rid of the stupid laws he introduced.

Doubtful. Well, okay the internet commentary one might go... but things like the anti-association laws are a big part of Rann's "I R tuff on Lor'n'Ordah" platform and with the ALP looking to retain government, he's not going to suddenly turn it around.

 

[Weaver]

four years is a LONG time guys.

 

[newuseforvintage]

It looks like Michael Atkinson has reached...Game over [http://ingresstech.com/~bernard/instantCSI/]

BRILLIANT!

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

four years is a LONG time guys.

Yeah but he's put himself out of the running for a cabinet position (going on the probability that the ALP will form government) when the caucus thrashes the selections out and there won't be a cabinet reshuffle within the next 12 months at the earliest where he could put his hand up again for a cabinet job.

12 months is enough time to get the R18+ rating passed and to overturn a few constitutionally questionable laws.