The Australian reports no change in Labor’s Newspoll lead from last fortnight: 58-42. Kevin Rudd is steady on 67 per cent as preferred prime minister, while Malcolm Turnbull’s is up one to 19 per cent. More to follow. Otherwise:
• Essential Research has Labor’s lead down from 61-39 to 60-40. Bonus questions on financial stimulus payments and how they will be spent; who will benefit from the national broadband network (everybody, it seems); and some no-brainers on the banks.
• Antony Green offers a thorough overview of results from the Western Australian election courtesy of the WA Parliamentary Library, which has assembled a page compiling all manner of helpful electoral paraphernalia. Antony calculates the two-party result as 51.9-48.1 to the Liberals.
• Ben Raue at the Tally Room has posted the nominees for Greens Senate preselection in New South Wales, where state MP Lee Rhiannon is presumably the front-runner, and Victoria, where previous candidates Richard di Natale and David Risstrom stand out in a crowded field. A productive comments thread ensues.
• Also from Ben Raue, Christian Democratic Party MLC Gordon Moyes says he “may accept an invitation from Family First” after falling out with Fred Nile.
No 1341
I kinda thought the same thing as that blurb at the time. The problem is that Malcolm has gone soft and has no policies.
Reminds me a lot of the Crean period for Labor. Whingeing & whining but no substance.
I still respect Bomber, despite my admiration for Howard.
Oh please bring on comrade Cossie……the workers friend
[I still respect Bomber, despite my admiration for Howard.]
Yes Bomber was not a good opposition leader, but I think would’ve been a good PM.
Turnbull’s problem is that he is not a politician. You just get the feeling he’s in parliament as a bit of a hobby – he’s like an actor trying to be a musician. He may be Russell Crowe the actor in the business/legal world; but he’s Ruseell Crowe the musician in the political world.
[I do think that if the government has some idea that it can get of scot free if it doesn’t introduce an ETS or introduces a rubbish one and that somehow everyone will stop caring they need to wake up.]
Oz, you totally misunderstand and therefore misrepresent Rudd and Wong on this. They fully understand what needs to be done, they are determined to do it, and they have a plan to do it. But we have a massively carbon-dependent economy, we have rising unemployment, we have a powerful carbon lobby, we have a totally cynical and unscrupulous opposition backed by the lying Murdoch press, and we have a Senate where the swing vote is dim-witted Christian loon. This is difficult terrain to traverse. You need to have faith my son.
[Oh please bring on comrade Cossie……the workers friend]
Pretty sure the ACTU would have a campaign strategy ready to go if the worker’s friend should be coaxed out of his hammock.
[Pretty sure the ACTU would have a campaign strategy ]
Pretty sure the ALP does as well…
No 1353
Perhaps, but on any reasonable assessment, he is simply not cutting through. So either he needs to dramatically change his act or be consigned to further political misery.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, there are some interesting things going on with the young liberals. A new initiative: http://www.rebuildthelibs.com – will be launched on 10 May. Open to anyone who wants to rebuild the Liberal Party. I think this is really good and follows in similar footsteps to the Rebuild the Party movement the Republicans have started.
[ he is simply not cutting through.]
Yep, just like 30 Odd Foot of Grunts.
Julie Bishop! Q n A!
Lord love er.
“We will come out of this recession”
Shining eyes, looked a little less mad, ie less troubled. She believes.
No better an endorsement of Labor Govt policy!
Oz this article says what I’m not clever enough to 🙂
[While many Australians (including the current author) may be disappointed regarding the currently low level of emission cuts targeted and the high degree of compensation offered, there are obvious explanations as to why this has happened. Those explanations are far less sinister than the Greens sometimes imply. The Rudd Government is attempting to manage the transition from being a carbon-intensive economy to a low pollution one, in the middle of a major global capitalist financial crisis that is the worst since the 1930s Depression.
Any Labor government in that situation is going to be concerned about the implications for jobs and the possibilities of capital flight overseas. Any Labor government in that position is also likely to be worried about the possibility of a major business campaign against them at the next election. After all, Labor governments have repeatedly lost office when faced with major business opposition (and one of the reasons is that such opposition raises questions regarding Labor’s ability to manage the economy, encourage investment and generate jobs). Consequently, Labor has made some transitional concessions, while still retaining the original intent of its scheme. It is still facing business criticism, even from more “progressive” organisations such as the Australian Industry Group (PDF 13KB). The mining industry remains vitriolic in its opposition.
In short, the Rudd Labor Government is genuinely trying to bring in a major economic reform while facing the real structural power of business in a capitalist economy. It is a dilemma that all Labor governments have encountered and one that I have explored in depth in my book, The Labor Legacy. Consequently, the Greens and other sections of the left also need to realise that this ETS scheme may essentially be the best one that they are able to get from a Labor government in the current circumstances, and that there may be relatively little room in which they can manoeuvre to improve it.]
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=8792
[A new initiative: http://www.rebuildthelibs.com]
[I say, protect the values that are still relevant but do not be afraid new ideas and techniques.]
Pity they no speak Engrish real good.
should start off at renamethelibs.com.au
Thing is, Liberal ideology changed so much from Fraser to Howard, exactly what is the underlying ideology of people who support Rebuildthelibs? Who knows.
[Oz, you totally misunderstand and therefore misrepresent Rudd and Wong on this. They fully understand what needs to be done, they are determined to do it, and they have a plan to do it.]
How can us lefties be sure of that when it looks so much like Rudd and Wong are just trying to do the bare minimum that will get them re-elected?
[How can us lefties be sure of that when it looks so much like Rudd and Wong are just trying to do the bare minimum that will get them re-elected?]
You really think those who supported an ETS in 2007 will switch to the Libs next election?
HAHAHAHA
It’s not a vote changer.
Hahahaha…….this at the bottom of the page
“PS – A contribution of just $10 really will make a big difference to the success of this site. Donate now!”
They left off “,ooo”
[I still respect Bomber, despite my admiration for Howard.]
Yeah, unlike Costello, Beazley had the spine to take on a hopeless task
The Brethren no doubt will help out
[How can us lefties be sure of that when it looks so much like Rudd and Wong are just trying to do the bare minimum that will get them re-elected?]
So you would prefer Labor to be subject of the mother of all scare campaigns by the Libs and the Liberal Leader standing side by side with the leader of the CFMEU ala Tasmania 2004 then ?
[You really think those who supported an ETS in 2007 will switch to the Libs next election?]
They will support the Liberals if they think the ETS is SO onerous that it increases the risk of them losing their jobs. That is the scare campaign the Liberals are going to run.
Dio
Dont know if you caught Catalyst tonite
they had the CSIRO project on making solar cells on polymer film
without going into details it looks extremely promising,mention was made of increased Gvt funding
🙂
bob1234
Exactly. Rudd knows he can get away with doing nothing and there will be no consequences. No-one’s going to change their vote to Turnbull because his CC policy is better than Rudd’s. So we get as close to nothing as humanly possible.
No 1363
Well the point of the initiative is to have an open transparent discussion about the future of the party. I think there has to be honest self-assessment before anything can move forward.
Part of the reason why this was started is because our hopelessly out of date Secretariat is still risk averse when it comes to embracing the Internet. It is pretty shameful. This is why the movement is not officially affiliated with the party, but it will hopefully encourage the luddites at head office to realise that the Internet is the future of campaigning. Obama, and to a lesser extent, Rudd, proved that. Heck, even David Cameron saw the light.
[How can us lefties be sure of that when it looks so much like Rudd and Wong are just trying to do the bare minimum that will get them re-elected?]
You lefties need to get over your ingrained cynicism. Wong *is* a lefty anyway, a very highly principled one and a very smart one. This line of yours is totally illogical anyway. The politically safe thing to do is nothing, blaming the GFC and saying it’s all too hard (see Turnbull, M.) Rudd is running huge risks trying to get a CPRS in place, in this climate, in the teeth of very powerful opposition, including sections of the union movement. He is doing it because he is convinced that it must be done.
The first thing they should do if they are serious about “rebuilding” is lose the adoration of Howard. Sure, he kept them in power for 11.5 years, but at what price? In that time, they lost every state bar NSW. At the end of his time, they were in power nowhere above a city council level. He was kicked out of his own seat. The parlous state the party is in today is largely down to Howard: his failure to countenance leadership succession, the annihilation at the election, the likely defeat at the next election, voter distaste for his policies of mean nasty-spiritedness. He’s got an awful lot to answer for, yet they still fall to their knees in homage. That’s “true believers” for you.
Golly, Vera.
We might not know the motivation behind actions but can generally guess at them from what we know from the past. There is the simple fact that I believe that anything other than a basic scheme will not make it through the Senate and even this might not get through.
And if it doesn’t make it through you will end up with nothing until after the next election, should Labor win with the Greens increasing in the Senate.
However getting something in now and getting the numbers after the next election then makes it possible to implement some genuine stuff on the back of something that has been up and running. And like Howard, get it in early so the whingers run out of steam before the following election.
Gusface
Rudd won’t invest enough in it because it’s not coal. Unless you can dig it up, it’s just lip-service from Rudd and Wong.
[Liberal Leader standing side by side with the leader of the CFMEU ala Tasmania 2004 then ?]
Boy, you Labor guys really hated that one, didn’t you! It seems to have been etched into the Labor Party’s soul. It didn’t lose you/us the election though. Choosing a boofhead like Latham did.
[Rudd won’t invest enough in it because it’s not coal. Unless you can dig it up, it’s just lip-service from Rudd and Wong.]
I wasnt refering to the politics as such, more a statement that in regards to Solar we are kicking ass.
The implications for “cling wrap” solar cells are humongous
Coal or no coal
[Boy, you Labor guys really hated that one, didn’t you! It seems to have been etched into the Labor Party’s soul. It didn’t lose you/us the election though. Choosing a boofhead like Latham did.]
well that image helped.
SNIP: Intemperate comment deleted – The Management.
dult = duly
No 1379
Solar on every house. That is a bold vision. I’ve been saying it for a while. The $23 billion should have gone there instead of Westfield Shopping Town.
No 1381
Adam it is so beneath you to use expletives.
Rudd had a free pass with $50B of Stimpac money and chose not to spend any on RE infrastructure. Our RE industry is moving off-shore because Rudd is neglecting it in favour of coal. I’ll become less cynical when I see Rudd actually make a serious effort on renewables.
Re 1365,
Oz,
[
bob1234
Posted Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 11:09 pm | Permalink
How can us lefties be sure of that when it looks so much like Rudd and Wong are just trying to do the bare minimum that will get them re-elected?
You really think those who supported an ETS in 2007 will switch to the Libs next election?
HAHAHAHA
It’s not a vote changer.
]
I’m with bob on this one. I’m on the far left of the Labor party (actually having Greens positions on a few issues) and while I’m pleased as punch that Rudd & co. are doing something, anything on climate change (I’ve read An Inconvienient Truth); I’m far more concerned on how they take care of the people vis a vis the GFC, immigration/refugees and the Republic to name just 3 issues much higher on my priority list. Climate change is probably about somewhere in the area of #6 to #10 of issues I want them to deal with in a prioritized order. In a hypothethical world, if we could have a perfect greenie type world right now instaneously BUT it was still a monarchy, I would be one mean and unhappy camper 😀
Oh no! Now I’ve inadvertently agreed with GP!
[The $23 billion should have gone there instead of Westfield Shopping Town.]
Why not both.
BTW did you see catalyst?
Effectively a film that could be used as an evaporative cover for a dam BUT also as a solar panel
The tech is home grown (our banknote=polymer film) and the efficiency level is at 10+%
Normal silicon cells are 20+% but are X times more expensive.
Pure economys of scale will (hopefully) lead to an extremely cheap portable and versatile power source
It’s very common for the far left and the right to agree with each other in attacking the broad centre which the Labor party occupies. Both are consumed by spite and jealousy at being so totally marginalised. So you and GP are welcome to each other’s company.
[It’s very common for the far left and the right to agree with each other in attacking the broad centre which the Labor party occupies. Both are consumed by spite and jealousy at being so totally marginalised. So you and GP are welcome to each other’s company.]
your heater is still not working
😉
Adam, you more than anyone knows it doesn’t matter Wong is a lefty – all Labor MPs are bound to the party’s policy.
[Adam, you more than anyone knows it doesn’t matter Wong is a lefty – all Labor MPs are bound to the party’s policy.]
And you’re saying that Wong isn’t partly responsible for developing party policy? I mean, she’s only a cabinet minister.
[all Labor MPs are bound to the party’s policy]
*rolls eyes at the increasing cretinosity of this discussion*
That is indeed so, bob. And here it is:
“Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Labor will cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent on year 2000 levels by 2050. Labor believes that establishing a long-term target for greenhouse gas emission reductions provides certainty for energy companies and helps industry make informed decisions about which technologies they should be investing in—allowing the economy and society to adjust in a reasonable timeframe.
Labor will establish a National Emissions Trading Scheme to deliver a price signal for carbon. Labor believes a National Emissions Trading Scheme will provide a long-term incentive to cut emissions further and act as a mechanism for trading, so that energy is allocated efficiently in the economy and greater private investment in clean energy technology is encouraged.”
That’s what we said we’d do, and that’s what we’re doing.
Adam
I’m glad I’ve got rid of that free idiotic comment Get-Out-Of-Jail card. It was hanging over my head like the Sword Of Damocles.
Have any of you people ever actually met Penny Wong? Have you seen her speak? Have you watched her dealing with Joyce, Boswell, Abetz and similar pondscum in the Senate? She knows more about climate policy than any of you could learn in a year, she is exceptionally smart, she is extremely tough-minded, she has a razor-sharp political mind, and she knows exactly what she is doing and why. These criticisms are coming from a position of complete and utter political ignorance and naivete.
[Labor will cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent on year 2000 levels by 2050.]
Yes. We’ll bravely cut emissions by 5% over the first 10 years (0.5% a year) and then someone else can do the easy bit by cutting the next 55% over the thirty years after that (2% a year).
Glad to relieve you of the burden, Diogenes. I forget what happened to Damocles when the sword actually fell on him.
[Have any of you people ever actually met Penny Wong?]
Yes I have! At The Greek on Halifax St.
Just wait and watch, Diogenes. All will be revealed.
Then you will know what I mean.