The Cranky Country AUSTRALIA'S major political parties have been put on notice after all were given a thumping during coast-to-coast elections held over over the weekend. 'There were a lot tears. I told the Premier it's a mistake' NATHAN REES declared the "soap opera is over" yesterday, but then Frank Sartor played a starring role in the next sordid episode. On the notion to retire, councillor's 'aye' has it LEFT-WING outsider or Labor Party machine man? Militant unionist or property developer? Effective politician or architect of the biggest ALP blunder in the history of the inner west? A shock to the system UNTIL only a year ago Australia was the Contented Country. Governments, state and federal, just kept getting re-elected, no matter how bad they were. Noisy ships drown out ocean serenity NOISE pollution is posing an increasing threat in oceans by deafening marine animals, forcing global shipping regulators to find ways to solve the problem.