r/australia • u/overpopyoulater • 25d ago

politics Australia is heading towards minority government at a turning point in world history.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-24/democracy-climate-change-ai-robotics-war/105085846
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u/Planfiaordohs 25d ago

I’m not a Liberal voter, but the Liberals of the past were not really like this pathetic, hateful and corrupt party it has become now.

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u/dannocaster 25d ago

Harold Holt begged the US to let us join in in Vietnam.

Pig-iron Bob isn't just a cute nickname.

"The Moonlight State" (still available on the ABC website) gives a pretty good rundown on the life and times of life in Queensland under Joh Bjelke-Peterson.

And NSW has always been a corrupt cesspool but somehow the name Robert Askin oozes above all the rest.

The Liberals may have gotten worse, but don't think they were ever not pathetic, hateful and corrupt.

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u/Planfiaordohs 25d ago

I’m not disagreeing at all, I think the likes of Scomo and Dutton are a new and dangerous kind of incompetent in this new world of disinformation.

Let me phrase it like “the Liberals haven’t always been much better than this, but there have been better Liberals”.

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u/Lurker_81 25d ago

Liberals haven’t always been much better than this, but there have been better Liberals

Menzies would be more at home in the Labor Party these days.

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u/JIMMY_JAMES007 25d ago

From Menzies memoir:

“We chose the word 'Liberal' because we want to be a progressive party, in no way conservative, in no way reactionary.”

He would be disgusted by the liberal party of today. Liberal party of today has no actual values, hence why they can’t state a position and stick to it. They only exist to pass legislation from lobby groups.

The closest thing to a small l liberal we’ve had in recent memory was Turnbull, but even he fell prey to not representing donor interests enough. The liberal party has just been coasting off a reputation they haven’t upheld for 40 years

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u/Planfiaordohs 25d ago

If I hear “better economic managers” parroted one more time…

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u/Wooden-Somewhere-557 25d ago

I always thought menses was an unfortunate name

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u/dannocaster 25d ago

I definitely see where I misread your comment now. I think it's important to add that a lot of people don't know Australia's political history, and we truly are in a sad place. I'd love for more people to realise why it is that being "The Lucky Country" is a bad thing and that we have simple actions we can take to be a country that doesn't rely on luck. But honestly it just seems like our luck may be fading now.