The most dark and frightening universe of them all.
Let's suppose that Joh doesn't go to Disneyland in 1987 after all. At the announcement of the election, Joh announces his candidacy. With a Liberal Party beset by warfare between Peacock and Howard, his populist style begins to take effect. The voters who, ten years later, swept to Howard embrace Sir Joh as a stand against the elitism and inbred nature of both major parties. (After all, the Nats are the only party that's ever held government in Australia that isn't directly descended from a party that was around at Federation; to most voters, it's seen as a breath of fresh(er) air). Also, some rather creative financing from 'the white shoe brigade' ensures that Joh's face blares out across the nation. A populist right wing mood is in the air.
11 July, 1987. Election night. Howard's Liberal Party is devastated by the Nats, with its agenda usurped and enfeebled by Bjelke-Peterson's radical agenda. In the end, the results are 54 seats to the Nats, 23 seats to the Libs; a bare majority. Over the next few days, Hawke admits defeat, and Howard negotiates a new coalition with the Nationals.
A few days later, Joh's face grins from every TV in the country, as he is inaugurated as our 24th Prime Minister (or 29th, if you like)...
How would this change Australia? For a start, Mabo's fight for justice would almost instantly be scrapped; judgements like Wave Hill in the Northern Territory would be taken backwards. Multiculturalism would lose its biggest defenders, and Whitlam's social revolution would take an even bigger beating than it's taking now.
But, of course, the rest of the scenario is up to you to decide. Yes, it is slightly implausible, but it's sure fun to guess at.
Let's suppose that Joh doesn't go to Disneyland in 1987 after all. At the announcement of the election, Joh announces his candidacy. With a Liberal Party beset by warfare between Peacock and Howard, his populist style begins to take effect. The voters who, ten years later, swept to Howard embrace Sir Joh as a stand against the elitism and inbred nature of both major parties. (After all, the Nats are the only party that's ever held government in Australia that isn't directly descended from a party that was around at Federation; to most voters, it's seen as a breath of fresh(er) air). Also, some rather creative financing from 'the white shoe brigade' ensures that Joh's face blares out across the nation. A populist right wing mood is in the air.
11 July, 1987. Election night. Howard's Liberal Party is devastated by the Nats, with its agenda usurped and enfeebled by Bjelke-Peterson's radical agenda. In the end, the results are 54 seats to the Nats, 23 seats to the Libs; a bare majority. Over the next few days, Hawke admits defeat, and Howard negotiates a new coalition with the Nationals.
A few days later, Joh's face grins from every TV in the country, as he is inaugurated as our 24th Prime Minister (or 29th, if you like)...
How would this change Australia? For a start, Mabo's fight for justice would almost instantly be scrapped; judgements like Wave Hill in the Northern Territory would be taken backwards. Multiculturalism would lose its biggest defenders, and Whitlam's social revolution would take an even bigger beating than it's taking now.
But, of course, the rest of the scenario is up to you to decide. Yes, it is slightly implausible, but it's sure fun to guess at.