考拉与澳大利亚政治

每个人都喜欢考拉。很多人担忧考拉的数量正在不断减少。当去年夏天大火在澳大利亚的东海岸肆虐的时候，一些人冒着生命危险去抢救它们。因此，奇怪的一点是，一场关于考拉保护的争论几乎让新南威尔士州一个本来融洽的联合政府分崩离析。

Its two contingents, the Liberals and the Nationals, have governed in a conservative partnership for generations. This falling outwas triggered by an obscure policy which makes it somewhat harder for landowners to cut down trees in which koalas might live. The rules came into force months ago and greens view them as far too weak. But to the Nationals, who represent farmers, they are “ the epitome of overbearing bureaucracy”.

该政府的两个代表群体是自由党和国民党，它们在过去数代人的时间里面以保守主义的理念联合执政。这一分歧是由一项模糊的政策引起的，对于那些考拉可能居住的树，该政策使得地主砍伐这些树木变得更加困难一些。这些法规数月前生效，而且绿党人士认为它们效力太弱。但对于代表农民群体的国民党来说，这些法规是“霸道的官僚主义的缩影”。

On September 10th their leader in the state, John Barilaro, announced that his MPs would stop voting with the state government until the policy was pared back. That would have left the Liberals in the minority in the state assembly. The mutiny crumbled when the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, threatened to strip the Nationals of their ministries. But the underlying problems persist.

国民党在新南威尔士州的领导人约翰·巴里罗在9月10号宣布，在政策被废除之前，他的议员将停止跟随州政府投票。这将会使自由党在州议会中处于少数派。这场叛变以州长格拉迪斯·贝雷吉克利安的宣告而瓦解，州长威胁说要剥夺国民党的任职资格。但潜在的问题仍然存在。

As a pair, the Liberals and Nationals win more elections than the opposition Labor party. But support for the Nationals is waning. Their rural strongholdsare scorched by drought and compete with one another for water from near-dry rivers. Many supporters feel ignored. Populists have exploited these frustrations for years. The latest threat comes from the prosaically named Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party.

作为一个党派联合，自由党和国民党比作为反对派的工党赢得更多次选举。但国民党获得的支持正在减少。他们在农村地区的票仓遭受了严重的干旱，这些地区之间还从近乎干涸的河流中争夺水资源。很多支持者觉得自己被忽略了。多年来民粹主义者一直在利用选民们的这种挫败感。最新一轮的威胁来自射手，渔民和农民党（这一党派的名字有点缺乏想象力）。

Mr Barilaro’s answer is to shout more loudly that “we cannot allow city-centric politics to dictate our way of life in the bush”. Rural Australians have never liked being preachedto about the evils of felling trees and the like. But concerns about such things are growing in more populated, suburban Liberal-voting areas. Neither side can win elections alone. But it is getting harder, says Paul Williams of Griffith University, “to maintain the façade of a happy marriage”.

面对其他党派的威胁，巴里拉罗的回答是更大声地宣称“我们不能让以城市为中心的政治决定我们在野外的生活方式”。澳大利亚的农村人从未喜欢这一套说教：砍伐树木以及其他类似行为会带来罪恶。但在自由党投票区（那里是人口更加稠密的郊区），人们对这类事情的担忧正在增加。任何一方都不能单独赢得选举。但格里菲斯大学的保罗·威廉姆斯说：“想要维持一个幸福婚姻的表象正在变得越来越难了”。

表达积累

1. bode well for somebody/something: to be a good sign for the future（对某人/某事）是吉兆，例句：The opinion polls do not bode well for the Democrats. 民意调查的结果对于民主党不是个好兆头。

2. the epitome of something: the best possible example of something 某事物的典型（典范），例句：Even now in her sixties, she is the epitome of French elegance. 即使现在已经年届花甲，她仍堪称法国人优雅风度的典范。

3. falling out: a serious argument or disagreement 严重的争吵或分歧，例句：Rachel and Fi have had a falling-out and they're not speaking to each other. 瑞吉儿和菲吵了一架，现在互不理睬了。

4. stronghold: an area where there is a lot of support for a particular way of life, political party etc （某一生活方式、政党等）备受支持的地方，大本营，例句：The area is a Republican stronghold. 这个地区是共和党的大本营。

5. preach: to give someone advice, especially about their behaviour, in a way that they think is boring or annoying 唠叨地劝诫，令人烦厌地说教，例句：They preach the abolition of established systems but propose nothing to replace them. 他们竭力鼓吹废除现行体制，但没有提出取代方案。 返回搜狐，查看更多