Even the politics make it feel like 2000

This past Saturday was the major election and as of this morning, there is still no winner.  If only I better understood how a winner was chosen, it might make sense.  Let me back up and little and explain how I think it happened.

About two months ago, the previous Prime Minister was challenged by his own party.  In the span of 12 hours, the Prime Minister was out and there was an election with a new Prime Minister elected.  It almost seemed like a challenger walked into the PM's office at night, challenged him to an "Over the Top" style arm wrestling match and in the span of 30 seconds, there was a new Prime Minister.

Then, the ruling party that just ousted their Prime Minister apparently felt that their party was in a good place, so the new PM Julia Gillard, scheduled a general election for August.  There wasn't a set election, they just decided that they were in a good place with Australians and felt they could win, so they announced an election.  Well, that apparently wasn't the case.

So Saturday the country was forced to go to the polls, literally.  Apparently, if you're a registered voter you're REQUIRED to vote in all elections or face a fine, about $400 for a federal election.  Imagine the voting results of everyone in the US was forced to vote.  But what this also does, it allows anyone who wants to run to pretty much create a party and run.  Now, you're not fully voting for a particular person, but rather their party.  And if that party wins enough seats, the person running becomes the Prime Minister.

What apparently is going on is that neither of the two major party's won a simple majority of the lower house seats to be declared winner, a hung parliament.  I think they're split at 73 a piece and needing 76 (I think) to "win".  There were a few seats that went to the smaller, grass roots party's.  Now, apparently both major party's are trying to convince these smaller party seat winners to sway to their side to get the majority so that one of them can be appointed the Prime Minister.

And that's where Australian politics is at the moment, from my eyes at least.  Another interesting bit is that one city elected a 20 year old to be a Minister of Parliament.  Not sure what this role is, but I think it's the lower house.  That's right, they have their own Doogie Howser politician.  I still haven't figure out if the kid graduated college early, or never went.  But either way, he won.