Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
as an american i dont quite know why this is the case. How come this relatively smaller city that is very VERY isolated from the rest of the country, not as diverse as the other major Aus cities, come to be so lefty? I read that the South Australian government was controlled by the labor party for 16 years straight until recently. and it even earned the title “greenest city in Australia” in terms of their eco friendly policies and actions
Im just confused by this because cities of this size with the same geographic isolation from the big cities like this in my country end up being a little more to the right politically
as an american i dont quite know why this is the case. How come this relatively smaller city that is very VERY isolated from the rest of the country, not as diverse as the other major Aus cities, come to be so lefty? I read that the South Australian government was controlled by the labor party for 16 years straight until recently. and it even earned the title “greenest city in Australia” in terms of their eco friendly policies and actions
Im just confused by this because cities of this size with the same geographic isolation from the big cities like this in my country end up being a little more to the right politically
Interesting question and one that I have rarely thought about. One factor is that the way people vote in federal and state elections can be completely different. Another is that Adelaide is not really all that isolated by our standards. It is quite close to Melbourne and not nearly as isolated as Perth.
Must ask my cousins who lived in Adelaide most of their lives!
I believe SA has now totally withdrawn coal from its power grid? Adelaide itself is a planned city, the CBD (Downtown) Grid is surrounded by parks which I am sure help make the city feel green.
I have never been to the city myself (only the surrounding hills), I do have a couple of friends who have visited the city, and said its a lovely. Of course, living in it is an entirely different perspective.
To clarify the original post I made, the city itself is not really known for being progressive.
No right at the moment it has a reputation as the capital with high unemployment where many young people leave to find jobs elsewhere. Where the insecure power network is a hindrance to attracting industry to compensate for the closing of the car industry there. A pleasant place to retire.
Really, in Australia I think that cities in themselves are not really liberal or not liberal in attitude. The election results clearly showed that there are inner suburbs in all the main cities with a high vote for the greens and other similar parties. The feeling is that these more wealthy voters do not need to worry about the bread and butter issues of job availability and the cost of power to the same degree as your typical suburban voter.
On issues such as gay rights, availability of abortion on demand, assisted dying, prevalence of organised religion, I am not aware of a difference between the main cities overall.
Adelaide being so progressively left? Where on earth did the OP arrive at that? Perhaps sixteen years, from memory of 'centre left' State Government? Now in the hands of conservative Coalition Party.
Hardly the 'hotbed' of progressive thought. Although going back in time, way back to the seventies the local scene was enlivened by what would have been by far, the most progressive state leader in Australia, in the form of Don Dunstan.
A bit of a show pony but rather unique in Australia. He wanted to make Adelaide the 'Athens of the South'. He reformed restricted liquor laws, legalised homosexuality, started a process around handing back land to the Original inhabitants , so yes he was certainly progressive as well as being flamboyant in style and taste. (wore pink shorts to Parliament, rather famous for)
I personally find Adelaide a pleasant city, a little staid, does not attract the diversity of other cities in Australia with low immigration levels, I imagine rather cliquey, some good cultural events, as well as producing some good wine. nothing has pointed to anything standing out as 'progressive' on my visits there.
South Australia also had a fair number of German Lutherans migrating there in the mid 1800s, escaping what they considered to be religious persecution in the old kingdom of Prussia. That probably introduced a libertarian strand to the state’s psyche.
Adelaide would definitely have the highest amount of German ancestry like bakery hill said.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
