And The Winner Is...

Kevin Rudd for Australia’s Prime Minister.

Natalie Gauci for Australian Idol.

This was a big election weekend; Saturday was the Government election and Sunday was the Idol finale.

Fun Facts about the Australian Government:

1. It’s compulsory for eligible citizens to vote. Failure to vote results in a fine.


2. Australia uses a Preferential Voting System. If you don’t know (as I didn’t), preferential voting is when you rank candidates in order of preference. If your first choice is knocked out of the race, your vote goes towards your second choice. This continues until the winner is determined.


3. Australia is a parliamentary style of government. The citizen’s vote the candidates to Parliament, then the government votes for the Prime Minister.


4. There is a political party called “What Women Want”. I have no idea if they have anyone in political office, but the name cracks me up.


5. An election for Prime Minister must be held at least every 3 years.


6. The former Prime Minister, John Howard, was the PM for 11 years (the 2nd longest serving PM in Australia). He was head of the Liberal Party and ran under the Coalition, which is a joining of the Liberal and National Parties.


7. Kevin Rudd is part of the Labour Party.


8. Rudd’s major agenda items are:
   
   1. Ratify the Kyoto Protocol. The papers like to point out this will leave the US as the only major industrialized nation not to do so.
   
   
   2. Withdraw 550 Australian troops from Iraq.
   
   
   3. Put more money into education.
   
   
   4. Remove the workplace agreements.


9. (Legal) Betting on the election paid AU$3.70 for a $1 bet that Howard would be re-elected.


10. During campaigning, a news story broke that while in the US, Kevin Rudd got drunk and visited a strip club in NYC. Campaign analysts have said this story actually helped Rudd and made him seem more approachable and more like the “common man”. I think it's pathetic that this came out as a news story and even worse that it helped his campaign.

Fun Facts about Natalie Gauci:

1. Her 26th birthday is tomorrow (Nov 26th). A recording contract is an amazing birthday present!


2. She’s from Melbourne.


3. She used to sing with a Jazz group.


4. She plays piano and writes her own songs.


5. The winner’s single is titled Here I Am and is available as a download now. It will be in stores on Wednesday (Nov 28th).


6. The Winners Journey album and DVD will be in Australian stores on December 8th.


7. Natalie starts the Australian Idol Tour on January 2nd.


8. (Legal) Betting paid AU$2.35 for a $1 bet on Natalie versus AU$1.57 for a $1 bet on her competition, Matt Corby.


9. She was my personal favorite from the first episode. (What can I say… when you don’t have cable, there isn’t much TV to watch.)


10. The judges had negative things to say about her wardrobe choices and I agree with some of their comments. I hope Sony gets her a good stylist.