The Independent Factor – The Diplomat https://www.byteseu.com/872491/ #Australia #AustraliaElection2025 #AustralianIndependents #AustralianLaborParty #LiberalNationalCoalition #Oceania #Politics

2025 “He didn’t come during his first term as president, but American presidents will always be welcome here, as are other international visitors.” — Australian PM

VS

1966 “Outside Melbourne Town Hall, a carefully prepared civic welcome was swept aside in a minute. Civic dignitaries and their wives were crushed, bruised and pummeled by surging people.

Fist #fights broke out, and police, soldiers and American security men fought desperately, but vainly to keep the frenzied crowd clear of the President.

A number of people #fainted but the crush was so great they could not collapse underfoot…. Plastic bags of paint were #thrown at the President's car as it pulled slowly away from #ElmTree House. A bag burst over the windscreen and the canopy, splattering paint over three of the President's security guards.

The President's comment was: "I guess he just couldn't stand the size of that turnout." — referring to the size of his car.”

The “Bubble top” was down.

#AnthonyAlbanese / #labor / #AustralianLaborParty / #LBJ / #Vietnam <https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/mar/26/australia-politics-live-budget-reaction-chalmers-labor-coalition-election-us-trump-ntwnfb?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-67e396028f08134b916f2759#block-67e396028f08134b916f2759> / <https://archive.md/9V8vF> / <https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/from-the-archives-1966-melbourne-goes-wild-for-president-lyndon-johnson-20191018-p531yz.html> (paywall)