Australian election at a distance

Australian election day Saturday 21 August - 7.30 am Sat morning here - 11.30 pm Brisbane ...
Just checked the ABC election site http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/ - what extraordinary election results! Currently 72 Liberal/National coalition, 70 Aus Labor Party. And what political disarray the results signal for Australia with a hung parliament.
The Greens seem to be the real winners - good on them! What a huge mistake ALP made in dumping K Rudd, despite his personal failings. What a shame Julia G was in such a hurry to becom PM. I'm so disappointed that Maxine McKew has lost her seat - to a tennis player??

It's interesting that following news of the Australian election from this distance has diminished its personal relevance - I'm viewing it more through a social impact frame. Submitting my postal vote on Thursday lacked the sense of occasion of attending the local school to vote along with other members of the community. I missed running the gauntlet of the party pamplet wavers and bumping into people we haven't seen for ages. And checking the results via laptop loses the immedicay of watching the results unfold with Antony Green on the ABC, whilst sharing the tradional family election night chips and drinks. 

It will be fascinating to compare this Aus election experience with that of the US elections for State Governors and Senators in November. Already I've noted a much longer lead time here than in Aus - the candidates' posters are already out in many people's gardens and some people have already cast their vote. For US voters the decision would seem a good deal easier to make with only 2 real choices (Dem or Rep) - unlike the 80 possible candidates listed on the Queensland Senate ballot paper.