Theoretically yes he could. Its called duumvirate. In 1972 Gough Whitlam had the GG swear him and Barnard in as the government so as they could get started on their agenda on December the 5th. Official vote counting did not end until December 15th.

I can guarantee if Abbott took this unusual step it would have nothing to do with online poker.

While providers have been banned it's never been enforced and to the best of anyone's knowledge sites have never been specifically asked to withdraw by the govt.

In this day and age and after witnessing Stars cooperation with DOJ etc, player pool segregation in Europe etc and obviously trying to portray a squeaky clean image, post BF and . I'm leaning towards if they're asked by AFP, Office of the prime minister etc to stop providing services to their citizens as it's in violation of our laws, we'll probably be locked out immediately.

I'm firmly in the favour of not speaking or contacting any politicians in regards to poker and winging it under the radar until we have a more direct and definite threat. Honestly we don't need this **** brought up in Question time and screened on the ****ing ABC for the whole country to hear about, so Nick X and Abbott can have a witchhunt together and **** all of our lives up.

Agree

+ 1

The Liberal Party today announced they were going to impose an internet filter on Australia.

Previously, when the Labor Party said they were going to introduce a filter (they since abandoned this policy) I did some research for an article on what sites would be blocked. I found the list on wikileaks - it included all the major poker sites.

The Liberal policy looks slightly different, and it is unclear what would be blocked. It could just mean that you need to 'opt-out' of the filter if you wanted to play online poker. It may not filter online poker at all.

But I should note that the Labor party previously said their filter would only apply to the worst sorts of p0rn. The wikileaks list disproved this. The problem is that once a filter is introduced, the government of the day can keep adding to the list of banned sites.

As noted, the IGA already bans online poker. The Department of Broadband has argued that the legislation needs to be amended before the ban can be enforced, but others on this thread have made good arguments here as to why even amendments to the legislation might not be needed.

An internet filter only further compounds the risks to online poker in Australia.

Costings were released today. The ACT pokies trial (a trial for technology reducing problem gambling) have been discontinued to save money which is a good sign. Someone mentioned something earlier about regulating gambling a waste of money in these times of debt which I think is going to happen as the liberals have backed themselves into a corner of finding as much cuts/savings as they can for a surplus.

Even more worryingly they released this filter on the internet policy (apparently based on the UK model) after the media blackout period commences.

STOP PRESS

Steve Price reports that Turnbull has just explained that this was a mistake through poor wording. A filter is not the policy – the coalition plans to facilitate the provision of filter software to parents who request it. Seems Facebook and Twitter went crazy over the policy of a internet filter and the coalition have backpedalled fast.

Yeah, that was a weird one. The policy was posted on the internet and Lib politicians were out there saying it was a mandatory filter. Then it looks like Malcolm Turnbull (shadow Communications Minister) was angered by it and now they are backpeddling. A huge ****-up.

No internet filter gives poker players some hope

lol at how quick turnbull backpedals after twitter went into meltdown after the leak of a potential internet filter.

Reassuring words from Aussie poker pro Roy Bhasin (GodlikeRoy):

“I'm personally not very concerned simply because there has been talk of this for years and nothing has happened,” explained Bhasin.

“And I don't expect anything to change any time soon.”

“Of course anything can happen and nobody saw the UIGEA coming nor Black Friday, and there are certainly some bad signs, but by and large I feel like the community in general is over-reacting to the news,” said Bhasin.

“Be cautious and concerned, as you should always be, but I've noticed reading some forums an attitude that suggests as soon as the election is over there's a 95% chance online poker is going away.

“That just seems ridiculous to me.”

http://www.pokerlistings.com/roy-bha...ime-soon-73074

Is he basing that on some inside info he has or is it just his personal opinion?

Sounds like opinion.

"I'm personally..."
"I don't expect..."
"I feel like..."
"seems ridiculous to me..."

I tend to agree in the short term though - but again that's just opinion.

From what i understand with regards to the internet filter it was going to be a mandatory default setting for the isp to install but could be opted out of by the customer.

Abbott has described the bungled internet filter plan as a "typo"... Hmmmm

Guys, everyone is overreacting. Online Poker will remain in the same grey area it always has been.

yeah cheers nostradamus

The accidental release of the internet filter plan is a clear indicator that the LNP have a suite of policies which they are keeping under wraps but will gradually foist upon us if they win office.

The sad thing about any concerted effort to enforce the IGA is that it would force out a responsible and trustworthy operator like Stars, but have almost no effect on the sketchy, fly-by-night online casinos/poker-room companies which will spawn new URLs faster than the govt. can ban them. And from my limited tech knowledge I understand that govt./ISPs would have limited ability to prevent an individual playing on such sites once the client has been downloaded. (Perhaps someone who understands how the interwebz works can expand on this).

I love how a whole policy which would have been through several reviews before being released is a "typo". I guess even his carefully prepared scripted remarks can't be taken as gospel truth any longer.

The internet filter idea would have gone nowhere - again political party ideologies dictate this; same with poker. Nothing to worry about folks

This internet filter typo fiasco adds a very interesting dynamic to this. Let's say the Coalition get in, do they dare bring in a restriction like shutting down Stars and Full Tilt here in Australia after yesterday's social media meltdown? The answer is probably not. Yes, online poker players are not the majority by any stretch of the imagination, but it would get large news recognition and non-poker players will start replying with "They promised they wouldn't filter the internet. What are they going to filter next?" type logic. It would also make Malcolm Turnbull's popularity go through the roof, and there may even be a Leadership Spill over it. Abbott is running scared, he knows the majority of Australia has different beliefs than him, and he can't touch social issues like he wants too without backlash. This large blunder from the LNP may just be the thing that saves online poker if Abbott moves into the lodge.

Election today.

The Liberal National Party is really sad tbh. They're meant to be libertarians by definition, and support peoples choice and free, the free market, let the private sector flourish, and believe in small government. Sadly it's really the opposite, they are against gay marriage, trying to ban people from online poker, had that weird thing about an internet filter that lasted for like 2 hours, they're trying to give money to employers to hire people, essentially everything they're against. Then after 5 years of saying how Labor has put us in this horrible debt and been so wasteful (after the International Monetary Fund found their last government was the most wasteful in 200 years worth of financial documents of 55 leading economies) they come up with a poultry $6b of savings (or 0.035% lolcat).

I consider myself very much a libertarian and I'm not even supporting these muppets, I'm also very much right wing and I want the (supposed) left wing party to win lol.

hmmm

http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/appt/2...de-141322.html

:/

also does anyone know what is the best way to sweat the election results ?

Turn on the TV maybe?