The isolationist, anti-Asian One Nation polled up to 20 percent in some constituencies in Queensland state elections yesterday, while the ruling Labor party swept back to power with a landslide victory.
Rob Borbidge, leader of the conservative coalition opposition, conceded defeat with just over 75 percent of the vote counted.
"I would like to take this opportunity to extend to [Labor leader] Peter Beattie and his government my sincere congratulations on what has been an outstanding victory," Borbidge said. He then promptly announced he was quitting politics.
The result underlined the political resurrection of One Nation, the party led by former fish-and-chip restaurant owner Pauline Hanson, following a strong showing a week ago in Western Australia's state election. The party was expected to win at least two seats in the 89-seat parliament.
With over 75 percent of ballots counted, Labor was predicted to win more than 62 seats, up from 42, according to results collated by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. The coalition plummeted from 32 to a predicted 15 seats.
The resurgence of One Nation and another strong showing by Labor -- which also won in Western Australia with a huge swing to the left -- is bad news for federal Prime Minister John Howard, whose conservative coalition faces national elections later this year and is also badly lagging behind the Labor party in polls.
Federal Labor leader Kim Beazley said the result was good news for the party nationally.
"Clearly, there is a mood for change around the country," he said.
One Nation, which is anti-immigration and advocates cutting down welfare payments to Aborigines, went into the last Queensland state election, in 1998, at the peak of its popularity and took almost 22 percent of the vote, winning 11 seats.
But within months, the party had all but disintegrated following personal clashes and disputes with the party leadership. One lawmaker resigned and later committed suicide, four became independents and the remaining six formed the breakaway City-Country Alliance.
Overall, One Nation was polling about nine percent yesterday, the ABC said, despite fielding only 39 candidates.
"I am very pleased with it," Hanson said. She said she would now concentrate on winning a seat for herself in the federal senate.
Accepting victory, Beattie took a swipe at One Nation's racist posturing.
"One of the great things I love about Australia ... is that we judge people on what's in their heart ... not the color of their skin or their religion or their gender," Beattie said.
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo on Friday expressed concern over the rate at which China is diversifying its military exercises, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Saturday. “The rates of change on the depth and breadth of their exercises is the one non-linear effect that I’ve seen in the last year that wakes me up at night or keeps me up at night,” Paparo was quoted by FT as saying while attending the annual Sedona Forum at the McCain Institute in Arizona. Paparo also expressed concern over the speed with which China was expanding its military. While the US
‘FALLACY’: Xi’s assertions that Taiwan was given to the PRC after WWII confused right and wrong, and were contrary to the facts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday called Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) claim that China historically has sovereignty over Taiwan “deceptive” and “contrary to the facts.” In an article published on Wednesday in the Russian state-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Xi said that this year not only marks 80 years since the end of World War II and the founding of the UN, but also “Taiwan’s restoration to China.” “A series of instruments with legal effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Declaration have affirmed China’s sovereignty over Taiwan,” Xi wrote. “The historical and legal fact” of these documents, as well
RSS