Vote of No Confidence tabled as government walks back anthem changes

The Member for Denison, dyljam, has moved a no-confidence motion in the riley8583 government as Australia briefly had a new national anthem.

President RunasSudo made the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution (National Anthem) Proclamation 2020 yesterday, but it was in effect for just over seven hours before a further proclamation reverted the national anthem to Advance Australia Fair.

The anthem, entitled I Am Australian, was unrecognisable to many as the anthem that they had voted for in the plebiscite. Instead, it appeared to be a creation of Treasurer AussieConservative's, borrowing many of its lyrics from I Am Australian.

Australians all let us rejoice for we are one and free
With golden soil and wealth for toil, our home is gift by sea
Our land abounds in nature's gifts, it's beautiful, rich and grand
In history's page, let every stage
Sing I am Australian

We are one, but we are many
We'll toil with all our hearts and hands
We share a dream, and sing with one voice
I am, you are, we are Australian.

The government's decision has been roundly criticised by the opposition and the crossbenches, while the Liberal National Party tumbling more than 8 percentage points in the most recent poll. Despite attacks from all sides, the Prime Minister remains confident in the government's ability to survive the vote.

LILY HAIL: Your government is now facing a no-confidence vote after the handling of the result of the anthem plebiscite. Do you think your government can survive the vote?
RILEY8583: I don’t think we can, I know we will, the current composition of the house is 4 SDP, 3 independents, 7 LNP. It is not possible for a vote of no confidence to pass. The Leader of the Opposition should have counted his chickens before sponsoring a reckless motion that will ultimately fail.

The government surviving the vote would surely be a setback to NGSpy, although it is possible that he felt compelled to sponsor the motion at a vulnerable time for the government. However, he seemed to entertain the possibility that the government could still be toppled.

LILY HAIL: The Prime Minister is confident in his ability to survive a vote of no confidence. Do you see it passing?
NGSPY: There are so many variables that can swing it either way, and I am a firm believer in not predicting the future when there are many variables at play, so I don't feel it would be wise to comment.

If the government is toppled, it could see Australians head to the polls for the third time in recent weeks, though instead of picking a new anthem, they will likely elect a new government. The Leader of the Opposition said that if the vote did pass, he would attempt to form a government, though its success would be contingent on the crossbenches.

LILY HAIL: If the vote of no confidence passes, do you see the Social Democratic Party forming a government, or is a snap election likely?
NGSPY: It really depends on how the independents and the Australian Democrats feel. If they do not wish to cooperate with the SDP in this manner, then it will probably result in a snap election, if they do cooperate, it will obviously not result in a snap election. It would be preferred if the Social Democratic Party did form government with the members of the cross-bench but I cannot force them to join us.

While the government have reversed the decision to change the national anthem, the switch to I Am Australian will not be immediate. The government have announced the establishment of the Australian Anthem Council, led by "Special Correspondent for Anthem Transition" AussieConservative. However, even this move has not been without controversy. Leading politicians such as Youmaton and General_Rommel have denounced the council's existence and are calling for a boycott. The Prime Minister defended the necessity of the council by stating that it was necessary to draft an abridged version of the anthem to be adopted.

LILY HAIL: Yesterday, President RunasSudo issued a proclamation changing the national anthem before changing it back. Some people have stated their intentions to boycott the Australian Anthem Council. How do you respond to the question of whether or not the council is necessary?
RILEY8583: As the government has stated in the press conference that was released last night, the council will draft an abridged version of I am Australia because the current song is far too long.

Additionally, the Leader of the Opposition confirmed that the Social Democrats would engage with the council:

LILY HAIL: Some have called for the Australian Anthem Committee set up by treasurer AussieConservative to be boycotted. Will the SDP participate in this committee?
NGSPY: A member or more of the SDP shall participate in the committee as it is important to get the anthem right for the Australian citizens. Even though one may disagree with the whole process that the government has done, we shall comply in order to enact the change in a way that is better for Australia as a whole.

The next few days will be crucial for the government – regardless of the outcome of the no-confidence vote, their management of the public outcry over the anthem will dictate whether they will recover in the polls or limp towards the next general election fatally weakened. The Prime Minister acknowledged that the government had made mistakes in managing the implementation of the plebiscite, but expressed an eagerness to move past the debacle.

LILY HAIL: The LNP's popularity has fallen in recent polls - do you believe that this committee will restore the public's confidence in the government?
RILEY8583: The popularity of the party has fallen for numerous reasons and I did not expect any different reaction from the Australian people who I sympathise with, and sincerely apologise to. We must move on now and continue delivering the Australian people with good governance and leadership which will see us through the jobs and health crisis that this nation is current experiencing. I hope that the Australian people can accept the governments mistake and I do hope that the formation of a transition council does ensure that the Australian people have confidence in this government.

Lily Hail is the editor-in-chief of the Independent. She was bored enough to try her hand at journalism in AusSim.