Bolt from the blue

Conservative pundit Andrew Bolt has shut up shop on his prolific Herald Sun blogging activities with a cryptic “announcement from the seat of Higgins”:

Stephen Mayne has been onto this story for a while, and for once he’s close to the truth (from the linked article, written in 2006: “Maybe Bolt’s main chance will be in Higgins if Costello ultimately decided to spit the dummy and walk”). Given that I’m told he’s planning to write about this again, probably as soon as this morning, I want to say something here first before he does. This is it for the blog, at least for now. I can’t pre-empt the announcement that my local member and friend, Peter Costello, is about to make, but it would clearly be a conflict of interest for me to continue to write about politics here if I’ve privately agreed to become a player.

An April Fools’ Day joke would, of course, be highly out of character.

UPDATE: On the stroke of noon, Bolt reveals himself to be more fond of a jape than I had realised. He is however Still Not Sorry, at least with respect to me (see the third update on his post).

Other news: The chances of a rematch in McEwen have surely been greatly boosted by the disclosure that eight people in the electorate voted twice, although the case does not return to the Federal Court until May. And for those whose interest runs in that direction, Antony Green offers a post on contentious changes to electoral legislation in the ACT, which will make like difficult for independents wishing to run group tickets.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

360 comments on “Bolt from the blue”

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  1. So all the lerks and perks company directors get, hence claim on as a tax deduction and someone here talks about abolishing leave loading, what planet does this person live on?

  2. Dear Bludgers,

    Can someone, preferably a Victorian, please help me comprehend the thing known as Andrew Landeryou.

    I am aware that his old man was a Victorian ALP state MP. I am also aware that he is financially bankrupt and a failed businessman. I am further aware that he is not a big fan of Solly Lew (who, it appears, stole poor little trusting Andy’s hard earned), Stephen Mayne, left wingers or The Age.

    Landeryou’s blog, at a quick glance, is nothing more than an organ for him to vent his hatred for his fellow man.

    He comes across as a very bitter and twisted soul.

    The question I ask is: Is Landeryou a Tory loving ALP turncoat, or is he just an average garden variety bitter shite-stirring schmuck?

  5. So the Bolt spiders crawled out of their dark lairs today did they, pity I had to miss the fun. God it must have been hilarious to have seen their faces after all their outpourings of grief at losing their beloved, only to find the wan*er was having a lend of them. Too, too funny. And pathetic!

  7. I thought it was good that Jack Kerry and a few others from Bolts blog found their way over here to have a chat. I don’t agree with a lot of what he said, but it sure did make it abit more interesting around here., a nice change from the usual “the OO said this, don’t the Libs get it?. Howard was an arse” type posts that usually flood this blog.

    Beat the crap out of reading Glen’s regurgitated tripe

  11. Classified.

    I enjoy Glen’s “regurgitated tripe” which on reflection it is not. At least he has the good grace to realise the situation.

    I welcome other original points of view, but the Bolters who appeared today are fighting old battles that they have lost.

  12. To each their own I guess ruawake…

    I can see your point I guess…Like in the election runup, all those “at least Howard doesn’t eat his earwax” posts were quite insightfull, original and well…

    na… twas tripe

  16. I must say I was dying to type a p.s. along the lines of
    p.s. You lost the election! You lost the election! Nah-nah-na-nah-nah.

    But obviously I am too mature for that, so i didn’t 🙂

  17. Well, I suppose I should have been hoist on my “tragedy” reference – twas not smelly (“reeks”) but disasterous (“wrecks”), but was instead hoisted on…nothing…. While interesting, I am left wondering why the Bolter’s wandered in if the line was simply to abuse and then leave. Perhaps some will come back and debate more throughly.

  18. Seems the attention span of most of the bolters is over, William.

    Oh well. So much for your gracious welcome.

    Looks like a bit of fun, while it lasted.

    Maybe one or two may stay, for a while. Maybe one may be back.

    I think, William, it unlikely that they would have been aware of you, until Bolt was kind enough to point you out.

    Difficult though, Bolt. Not that I have ventured on to his site until today. He runs so many ‘issues’ that even the most ardent of his devotees would have little time or inclination to gaze outside.

    Bolt needs his clickers. Its all about the money. Tough world out there, as his respondents attest. I wonder what the $ per click value is?

    Have you lined a pocket, William?

  20. “To the best of my recollection annual leave loading was introduced by the Whitlam Govt. as compensation for the fact that business had imposed holiday surcharges.”

    Leave loading was introduced by Clyde Cameron of the Whitlam govt. It was meant as compensation for the drop in pay when shift workers went on leave. Back in those days shift workers got paid an allowance on top of their normal weekly wage for the shift work. When they went on leave there was no shift allowance as the leave was classified as ordinary earnings, so the leave loading was meant to compensate for this.

    But, as Cameron himself admitted in the late 80’s, he got snowed by the public service (yes it was happening back then and to labor govts also) and the leave loading was introduced for everyone as a type of holiday bonus.

    The leave loading was generally one of the first things to be bargained away in collective agreements and awards, and most awards and agreements now have a clause that shift workers get their loadings whilst on leave. Thus bringing it in line with what was meant to happen.

  21. Correct you are, Rod at 170.

    However, I disagree (a little) in terms of public servants.

    At a certain point, high interest rates met enterprise bargaining met low wage increases met huge unpaid overwork, over a very long period of years.

    The leave loading was essential in my life, at the critical moment.

    As is no doubt, such compensation as the baby bonus.

    I recall my declaration, one day, finally, that I was fed up with trying to save Australia, single handedly.Paul Keating, love you dearly, but I have done enough. With no reward in sight. Perhaps ungratefully. But I don’t think so.

    Handouts are cyclical. As you say, they are bargained out. As should happen to the baby bonus, as I say.

  22. I think Rod @ 170 is basically right about leave loading.
    If people want it and employers will pay it, so be it, but I must say (having not had it for the past 14 years) that I really haven’t missed it.
    But yes, its absence does mean saving up a bit extra for holiday time.

  23. Crikey

    Those comments re being “snowed by the public service” were Camerons own words, not mine.

    I also enjoyed the leave bonus, thought it a bit of a rort, as I didn’t do shift work, but also a nice bonus.

  24. The latest rumour about any by-elections is interesting. The story is the AEC is not interested in doing a super Saturday due to some cost factors and would requests the writs be issued for different days. I think they would happy to do one byelection per state on the same weekend but as there could be up to four in Victoria (McEwan, Higgins, Gippsland, Menzies) and maybe two or even three in NSW (Lyne, Berowra and even North Sydney if Hockey goes to lead at state level) that means hiring more casual staff than normal for a byelection.

  25. Understood, Rod 173. About Cameron.

    ‘Enjoyed’ though is not the correct word. Necessary, until as I say it ultimately became a bit of a handout as order was established. In terms of reasonable salary, for example.

    Then, the loading was gone. As should be the handouts I speak of. Especially not means tested.

    And I was not a shift worker, merely working my guts out. Before 8.00 am and beyond 8.00 pm. For no money. Even the time unclaimed.

  33. Any little bit extra that working people can get is a bonus, in an era of CEO’s earning large salaries and their salaries having increased significantly and business people being able to claim significant tax deductions for company cars, lunches and other business perks. Leave loading is something which working people deserve and should get especially from the big businesses who have being doing quite well for themselves.

  34. You know, rude people aside. I just heard the tail end of the repeat of Life Matters, whilst waiting to hear Philip.

    Richard Adey (spelling?) is sooooo funny, modest, self deprecating.

    A must hear person. As is Ramona Koval. And Mike Mackenzie on Bush Telegraph. The latter program used to be so wan and deadly serious. Exhausting. Well intended, sure. But these days.

    The fun injection works. The topics are serious, but leavened.

    PS. I do not work for the ABC. If I did, I would jerk their TV into real life.

  35. My ears were burning, thought I’d pop in. Continued respek to Mr William who does such a fine job here.

    To answer Fagin, (an interesting choice of name which I hope doesn’t make an unpleasant and anti-semitic point) my site of freedom merely offers my views of the world and my news of the screws loose and hard in local politics.

    Am sorry that a description of me had to be deleted because I would happily have responded to whatever filth was advanced. Why do leftistes have such foul mouths? Was it an absence of breast-feeding or perhaps too long a period of same?

    While I can figure out a bit about politics and report on it with patriotic fervour, I can’t answer deeper questions like that.

    I was a member of the ALP for twenty years and retain great respect for both major political parties. (I acknowledge though as we all should the perfidy of the Greens party menace) I just figured it was a bit of a stretch to retain party membership while dishing out free character assessments on many within, so I lapsed (to use the jargon for not renewing membership) at the earliest opportunity after starting the blog.

    I am thrilled that we have an excellent mixture of sources within the parties, particularly factions and fractions that often get unfairly treated by mainstream media agenda-pushing journalists. They range from the hardheads of the NSW Liberal Right to even the occasional brave Socialista Leftist in the Victorian Labor party. We aim to love all and serve all patriots.

    It is true that my blessed online publication is a bit of an acquired taste yet I hope is nutritious on occasion.

    For those who find it distasteful, I strongly suggest going cold turkey.

    Go in peace,

    Game on.

  38. Andrew L. Interesting and pleasing to see you here. (The Bolt effect?)

    One thing:

    ‘Am sorry that a description of me had to be deleted because I would happily have responded to whatever filth was advanced. Why do leftistes have such foul mouths’?

    Why do you think them ‘leftistests’ ?

  40. Willam,

    Speaking of State Polls, did you record last night’s Ten News where they discusssed a Newspoll with Keith Patterson ? I missed the start, but it said something about Buswell being on 18%.

    If you have it on tape, a Youtube would be appreciated :-).

  43. Kev cave’s, to the MSM.

    Breaking news, Lateline. Visit to Japan, earlier than anticipated. No further details given.

    Anticipate, Kev, anticipate.

    They are out to getcha.

  44. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Steve.

    Frank: no, I know nothing of what you speak. Do you mean Westpoll though? Not sure why Patterson would know about a Newspoll that wasn’t publicly available.

  45. [Frank: no, I know nothing of what you speak. Do you mean Westpoll though? ]

    Yeah, Westpoll. It was a story about some Liberal briefing with stgakeholders such as the CCI, AMA etc.

  48. The point with things like leave loading is that they’re part of a package – the oncosts of employing someone.
    When you’re talking about employing someone, it’s the total cost to you as an employer – leave loading, holiday pay, sick leave, super etc – that you should look at, not just the weekly wage.
    Of course, you could work out an hourly rate that factored in compensation for all those costs but if it makes no overall difference to your wages bill there’s no real advantage in doing so – the only way you win is if you are shortchanging your workers in some way.
    The implication of posts like Jack’s is that you pay someone an hourly rate and then suddenly! out of the blue! holidays strike and you have to dish out extra money.
    This – and concerns with ‘unfair dismissal’ (how can anyone argue that they SHOULD have the right to dismiss someone unfairly??) – raises the question of business competence.
    If you can’t work out the true costs of employing someone and you need legal protection so that you can dismiss workers unfairly, then you are obviously not competent to run a business.

  49. My academic background is not economics; a fact I have actually been proud of through my adult life. My grounding is very much in develop theories from an evidential basis that explains what happens. My long-term view has been that if you cant predict accurate outcomes from the theory throw it away. What I have seen over 30 years is that economists cannot predict outcomes using their theories nor can they adequately explain the recent past.

    My point is that the conversation regarding workchoices or any other industrial model is a waste of time because empirical measurements are flawed and thus any conclusion that is made from these measurements will also be flawed.

    Jack Kerry can make his comments and not feel the heat of being misinformed because there is no definitive argument. There is no argument because there is no definitive theory that encompasses all the parameters.

    Marks and Engels got it wrong, don’t expect to get it right here. The economy is an uncontrollable beast driven by greed, on the part of both employers and employees it is just employers tend to be more greedy.

    Arguments over leave loading are irrelevant the discussions should be at the deepest level as to how our markets operate and how we all benefit from the existing system with some equity.

    What we should all recognise is we live in the world together and should benefit equally from the continal growth in wealth.

    This goes beyond politics and petty arguments on irrelevancies.

    We need to be discussing new horizons.

    I enjoy the intellectual banter provided here and have at times participated but maybe as respect for this site grows based on it’s political analysis so should the analysis of other conversations be consistent with those concerned with the analysis of voting intentions.

    I think we should all keep a healthy skepticism of political intentions of those we vote for.

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