• Roy Morgan has released a survey of 1255 respondents from face-to-face polling conducted over the past two weekends, showing the sitution unchanged in every respect from the previous poll released a fortnight ago. Labor leads 55-45 on two-party preferred, and by 45.5 per cent to 39.5 per cent on the primary vote.
• Another poll that slipped through the cracks was Newspoll’s quickie survey over the weekend of 564 respondents in Queensland, regarding attitudes to Lawrence Springborg, Mal Brough and the Coalition merger.
• To mark the demise of Channel Nine’s Sunday program, here’s a fascinating Laurie Oakes retrospective of the events of 1975 which some kind person put on YouTube, which I’m guessing dates from around 1990.
Gary Bruce
#388
“How odd, you go to Morgans site and that poll doesn’t show and yet the link James gives works. What is going on?”
Gary , 55% to 45% is excellent result , also hav had same problem with Morgan Polls in past Think reason is commerically based , to prevent free accress to latest Morgan Poll data for….time for others who ar paying perhaps to see On one occasion faced with this , whilst I did not had th thread James supplied today , I had (or worked out) th lqtest Morgan “poll number” , and went back into Morgons site & altered th poll nuber from Morgans previous poll that obviously was there , & then clicked & up came th new one as belied Morgons system may use those sequences
The ANZ has decided to lead the way by cutting fixed mortgage rates so the political landscape could change significantlyly from now.
[Earlier today, ANZ managing director for mortgages Michael Rowland today a federal parliamentary committee hearing in Melbourne that there was no certainty the bank would pass on in full any cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia.
”We would like to cut those interest rates but we will have to assess what is happening to our funding costs at that time,” Mr Rowland told the committee.
The House of Representatives Economics Committee is examining whether competition in the financial sector has been reduced following the global credit crunch.
The ANZ’s move was prompted by a sharp reduction in the cost of funds that it borrowed on the short-term money market.
Mr Rowland told the hearing the cost of short-term funds had fallen dramatically in recent days.]
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/anz-lowers-fixed-mortgage-rate/2008/08/08/1218139062869.html
Morgan has become erratic is the release of their polls, it used to be consistent Fri lunchtime.
But before the election the polly bludgers often crashed the site. Maybe they are doing this now to stop the site crash, too late.
steve
ANZ may just be trying to get people to lock into fixed rates knowing the variable will be lower.
As a very wise person said to me, you cannot beat the banks on fixed rates. Fixed rates are a mugs game. 🙂
You certainly would think that the variable rate is the one people want to see reduced and no doubt that is where the argy bargy will be greatest ruawake.
Steve
With slowing activity one would expect a lower variable rate next month or in October , as forcast by many ANZ’s actions aprt from obvious profiteering on unknowing clients by fooling them th current variable vs now lower fixed gap is reality , ar uncomfortably nibbling at margins of Fed’s prior absolute control of rates (this is a nuance , but seperate cost of funds increases were not)
ANZ are lowering their fixed rate because there has been a huge drop in the number of new applications for fixed rate home loans, as you would expect with interest rates tipped to fall soon
What! What the hell is Rodente doing in Beijing?
Coconut actually looked happy and at peace. I’m sure Cossie would be so pleased to know. LOL
What about Rudd! What a statesman! The liberal supporters like Akerman, Milne and Bolt had better get used to it. He is going to be there for a very long time. 🙂
Now, you see, that’s what I can’t stand about the top-end-of-town. They pay themselves whatever they like, and they are worth nothingl.
I’m referring to Suncorp Metway. What a shocking performance by it management. They are useless. A monkey could do a much better job. Medium income earners are being ripped off with their super. They should give back their pay. I wouldn’t even give them the doll.
Centre@ 7
I think the answer is senility. Rodent thinks it’s the 2000 olympics, that he’s in Sydney and he’s still PM.
But what about Kev, walking the streets of Beijing, eating takeaway, shopping, posing for photos with the locals, stopping for chats, shaking hands and looking like he’s having a ball. How lay back and relaxed is he? Then to top it all off he gets special treatment at the big banquett for the 80 world leaders!
“Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, on the next table over, was seated beside Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, in a sign of unusual favor to the Mandarin-speaking Australian.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSPEK12906520080808
Yes Vera, and what about Dubya? The Americans should take a good long look at our Prime Minister. They have had a clown in charge for the last 8 years.
Shades of Crocodile Dundee. “That’s not a leader, that’s a leader!” LOL
Dubya is cringeworthy material. Kev is a statesman, damn! make’s ya proud to be Aussie
Channel 9 web site doesn’t even mention Rudd
So Kev was put on the top spot on the second table – pretty good assessment of Australia’s position in the world.
Yes, all the commercial media could go on about was Princess Mary.
Can you people get a grip?! Rudd is being given favourable treatment by the Chinese because he is one of the few Western leaders who has been playing nicely with the Chinese. He is going to the Opening Ceremony, he’s talking up what a great job they are doing MONITORING the pollution and smog, he’s silent on the internet censorship and seems largely unconcerned by their human rights abuses.
China has a human rights record worse than almost any country. Why the hell are we so pleased that they like us?
Grog “So Kev was put on the top spot on the second table – pretty good assessment of Australia’s position in the world.”
But in sport , we’ll be on th number one table Grog in medels won , but maybe down list a long way with our ‘convict’ uniform
15
Diogenes Says:
“he’s silent on the internet censorship and seems largely unconcerned by their human rights abuses.”
If you are going to tell Fibs at least make sure the internet isn’t full of articles like this that make you look like a fool.
“Mr Rudd said he raised the issues of human rights, Tibet and religious and internet freedom with Premier Wen during a 45-minute meeting in Beijing.
“I said to the Chinese leadership that on questions of human rights, of religious freedom, of Tibet, of internet freedom, that these continue to be concerns, that we would continue to prosecute these concerns, both through the discussions we have just had and through the bilateral human rights dialogue which lies ahead between Australia and China,” he told reporters in Beijing.
“We agreed that these matters will be pursued further in the continuation of Australia’s bilateral human rights dialogue between Canberra and Beijing, and we believe the next round of that dialogue will be scheduled for later this year.”
http://news.smh.com.au/world/rudd-to-pursue-rights-talks-with-china-20080808-3s5r.html
Good point the USA likes us too – and we are willing to castigate Bush and the USA for the death of hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq over oil but not China in the Sudan. We are willing to remonstrate over the working poor and poverty of minorities in a ‘rich’ country like the USA but not so those left behind in China, especially ethnic minorities. We are willing to be offended by the USAs cynical intervention in South America politics but not China’s intervention in Africa.
Probably because we know the USA is likely to always be a friend no matter the criticism but China is new to all this and needs to get used to being criticised thoroughly over its actions. Though criticism never changed the behavior of the USA.
However if the USA wasn’t our friend we would be happy if they did become our friend, regardless of the above.
Reality is if your are tiny and are surrounded by strangers it is good to have some big friends especially if your economic future is likely to depend on them in some large way.
As happy as some may be it is guaranteed that Rudd is under no illusion as to what China is and how it operates.
vera
I am fully aware of Rudd’s comments. And what a lecture he gave them! He even voiced “concerns” and talked about having a “dialogue”. I think he got wet piece of lettuce out and hit them with it afterwards.
China are abetting the genocide in Darfur amongst countless other atrocities which make Mugabe’s Zimbabwe look like a walk in the park.
If the Rodent was PM and kowtowing to them the way Rudd has, we’d all be bucketing him for putting pragmatism ahead of principle.
vera
That quote of Rudd’s looks suspiciously like the script of The Hollowmen from a few weeks ago.
Diogenes,
It is apparent that Kevin Rudd is laying the seeds of his future demise in his actions in so many ways. Such cynicism is breathtaking.
Thanks for the video clips William.
Interesting the bit about Hayden bringing in a responsible budget, blows the whole liberal excuse of Whitlam had to be sacked for economic mismanagement. Likewise Lynch, the deputy lib leader, later quit over land deals, but the press didn’t see this as a reason for the GG to sack Fraser or the same in later years when Howards ministers were falling like ninepins. Different standards for labor govts over lib govts.
Still recall the Pickering cartoon, the scales of justice, that showed Gough on one scale and Sinclair being loaded onto the other, following the letter writing incident, to join a heap of others associated with the whole dismissal. Kerr, Fraser, Sinclair. Lynch et al. all tainted in someway later in life, even little Johnny, very late, losing his own seat.
And Whitlam’s speech, Men and women of Australia, you have the chance to decide the future of this country. Unfortunately we got 7 years of do nothing conservatism, until Hawkeating got us moving again. Howard was worse though, 12 years of do nothing intersparsed with trying to take us back to the 50s. Now we have another labor govt to move us forward.
ESJ
How much difference does our Government’s relationship with the Chinese make to our economic ties with China? Won’t they still need our steel, coal etc? As hard nosed capitalists, won’t they just but the cheapest and best product?
Obviously we don’t want to be at each other’s throats. The Chinese and US still hate each other but are irretrievably intertwined economically now so it’s quite possible.
Diogines, I’m sorry but that’s just crap. You may want Rudd to publicly tear strips off Hu right now, but that would get Australia and human rights absolutely NOWHERE. Diplomacy my friend. Diplomacy.
Dario
I’m not asking for Rudd to tear strips off China. He could be trying a bit harder though. Diplomacy has its limitations. It’s very easy to ignore if you want to.
I agree with TP. We seem to have double standards. There are endless streams of abuse levelled at Bush and the US, quite rightly IMHO, but China seems to be a sacred cow because they don’t take criticism well.
Oh looky pooky, at least Rudd IS criticising both the US and China. Howard never dared to do anything other than ask how high they wanted him to jump.
Not sure that Howard criticised ANY foreign government, and certainly not to their face (and certainly not unless the US had done so first).
“There are endless streams of abuse levelled at Bush and the US….” By who? Rudd, our government? I don’t think so.
“……. but China seems to be a sacred cow because they don’t take criticism well.”
Ok, knowing that, our government should then do what they don’t do to the US and go for it with China? Making enemies is not a good way to bring about change, not unless you plan to fight and beat them into submission. Get real.
Also it’s hard to get too high and mighty – at least it is for me, as I just turned over my keyboard and saw “Made in China”…
[I’m not asking for Rudd to tear strips off China. He could be trying a bit harder though. Diplomacy has its limitations. It’s very easy to ignore if you want to.]
So what should we use instead of diplomacy? Our F-111s?
Gary
The “endless streams of abuse” and “sacred cow” comments refer to political commentators such as those on PB, not Rudd. The leaders of quite a few democratic countries think that it is “real” to make a more robust protest.
zoom
I’m not making an argument that the Rodent would have done better. That’s why he was a rodent. I’m saying that we are giving Rudd a free ride that we would not have given Howard.
ShowsOn
I was using the term “diplomacy” as used by Dario. He suggested diplomacy rather than criticism should be used, and therefore differentiated the two.
[I was using the term “diplomacy” as used by Dario. He suggested diplomacy rather than criticism should be used, and therefore differentiated the two.]
Ahh, OK. I think diplomacy sometimes INCLUDES public criticism.
Thomas Paine
#18
WE are willing to castigate Bush and the USA for the death of hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq over oil but not China in the Sudan
who is th “we” Thomas ?
ronster
You’ve gotta help me out here!! Remember the wonderful great politician Hillary Clinton calling for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics?
ShowsOn
I think the confusion arose because “diplomacy” need to be “diplomatic”.
Edward StJohn
#21
” Diogenes It is apparent that Kevin Rudd is laying the seeds of his future demise in his actions in so many ways. Such cynicism is breathtaking.”
You know very well Diogene’s coment is consistent with th anti Rudd views of Gilligan’s posters They see Rudd as NOT being a “progressive” and disengenuously softly snip at Rudd They see there oiliness phoney as a ‘progressive” , th greatest of all time , th antithesus of Rudd Clearly Diogenes got ship wrecked and end up there , escaped , but had partial indoctrination
But there is no excuse for you ESJ ! You’ve jumped in here on Olmypic opening Cermony night , when our Sir Kevin is on th world stage , and Vera at #17 clearly shows Sir Kevin DID stand up for principal , he didn’t need to bring our 3 F11’s as suport
[Ahh, OK. I think diplomacy sometimes INCLUDES public criticism.]
Precisely
ronster
Do you recognise this statement? It was made by Hillary Clinton. Do you support it or not? Do you back Rudd or Hillary? Time to make a choice.
[You’ve gotta help me out here!! Remember the wonderful great politician Hillary Clinton calling for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics?]
Went so well for her too didn’t it
We=some
My point was that we have the necessity of being ‘friends’ with the likes of China, the USA because the health of our economy is linked to them in some large part.
But I tend to support Rudd’s approach, and he ought to know if anyone does. He will get further with the Chinese through diplomacy than castigating them face to face in public which will have an opposite effect. I recall the Chinese guy at the UN? not long ago basically told the USA to go f** itself over something they said about Chinese military increases.
The Chinese seem extremely sensitive to criticism, maybe something cultural behind that or maybe they think if they make a big enough tantrum people will be too scared to say too much too loud. I leave it up to the experts to deal with.
Historically though the average person in China has never had it good and have always been exploited and abused in one way or another.
Dario
I followed “his oiliness” but Hillary’s stand on China was one of the few times she was supported by the US PBers.
I’m trying to wedge Ron as an example of someone who supports Sir Kevin and all his policies, but who has previously supported a stronger stance on China’s deplorable human rights record. I think that exemplifies my double standards argument. I look forward to Ron’s reply.
[The Chinese seem extremely sensitive to criticism, maybe something cultural behind that or maybe they think if they make a big enough tantrum people will be too scared to say too much too loud. I leave it up to the experts to deal with.]
I think if a country with 1/100th our population started publicly flaying us we’d tell to royally f**k off as well
Dario
Not if it was the Vatican. They’re bucketing us all the time and we haven’t told them to f**k off yet. 😉
Dario
#38
Correct , she’s a b.tch , with ticker and 4 reel ‘Labor left’ policys
Her ‘yes we can’ opponent Obama talks pretty , but was & is all bullsh.t and phoniness and has no reel ‘Labor left policys at all
.
Diogenes
#37
Do you recognise this statement? It was made by Hillary Clinton. Do you support it or not? Do you back Rudd or Hillary? Time to make a choice.
my reply to Dario said it all Pretty easy choice beteen th 2 US Candidates But to ask me to compare Sir Kevin an Aussie AND far dinkum ‘left’ Politican , to any Yankee none of whom ahv a full kit of ”Labor left’ principals , get seriuos
Neither McCain , Hillary or Obama would even make Rudd’s 10th eleven , maybe there interchange bench if bullsh.t content free ‘left’ policy is needed for morale
Any idea why the opening ceremony skipped past the cultural revolution? 😀
[Not if it was the Vatican. They’re bucketing us all the time and we haven’t told them to f**k off yet]
They don’t bucket our government… just the Catholics
ronster
I would think that “Labor left” principles would place human rights protests ahead of trade. Rudd’s stand is “Centre” if you must use those terms. Or you could use his description of himself as an “economic conservative”.
[I would think that “Labor left” principles would place human rights protests ahead of trade. ]
But doesn’t it help human rights in China by trading with them so they can develop their economy and get more people out of poverty?
Diogenes, firstly, boycotting the games would achieve absolutely nothing. In fact it would make things worse. The games give us a chance, in a diplomatic way, to express our views over their human rights abuses.
Secondly, as Rudd said, (a worlds expert in their culture) with the Chinese it’s two steps forward and one step back.
Hillary was just playing simple little opportunistic politics. She would have a better chance beating Liesel Jones in the breaststroke than ever making more progress with China than Rudd.
Yes ShowsOn its all about a buck hey?
Diogenes
#40
“I look forward to Ron’s reply.’
You ar not going to like it IF you reread your own quote in #37
“I believe President Bush should not PLAN on attending the opening ceremonies in Beijing, ABSENT major changes by the Chinese government
As th STRONGEST Nation on earth , thats what cowardly Pres Bush SHOULD hav done , shown guts and integrity for human beings getting bad treatment A public statement pro human rights no less ! IF th strongest Nation on earth has not th decency & humanity to do this , then what hope is there Make a stand USA for humans liberties where there is NO oil supplies !! ( instead of for your greedy oil intersts)
Once he’s said it , th message is out to whole world’s 3 billion under suffferage , be courageous , that there is hope Naturally through back channeling ,
“concessions” would be made by both USA and China , as both would reely want USA to attends
.
ie. diplomacy would then start , but Chinese and th world would know , ‘freedom is not dispensible only where there is oil (and of course th USA ulktimately would hav attended , but th public mesage to World would be out there , can not take it back out of 3 billion under sufferage peoples ears
So ? for mine , nothing wrong with th b.tch having ‘ticker’ Diogenes
Oiliness man ?Lets look at mr oiliness phoney’s response to Hillary’s unambiguous committemnt . tell you what , oiuliness spent th next week making FIVE differing reponses , mr houdini with pretty words , different nuanced stanses to ‘catch’ votes Bullsh.i man th Chinese wuld sneer at without respect
Sir Kevin ? we ar NOT th strongest Nation on earth , our approach had to be clever to get an improved result , so Sir Kevin needed an ‘oz’ approach and he DID STAND UP
READ VERA’s excellent #17 to prove this
READ THOMAS PAINE’s excellent #37 as to why Rudd for an ‘oz’ country is th correct approach
So i stand by what i said , no doubles theres , and of course as Vera said Sir Kevin has done as proud again