The first Roy Morgan face-to-face poll to catch the full force of the OzCar aftermath shows Labor’s two-party lead up from 55-45 to 58-42. Conducted over the past two weekends from a sample of 1190 (smaller than usual from a poll covering two weeks), it has Labor up 0.5 per cent on the primary vote to 46.5 per cent and the Coalition down a sharp four points to 35 per cent. The slack has been taken up by the Greens, up 3.5 per cent to 11.5 per cent.
Here’s an incomplete sampling of the past week’s action. This site’s normal energy levels will resume in about a week or so.
• Monday’s weekly Essential Research survey had Labor’s two-party lead up from 58-42 to 59-41. Supplementary questions showed a spike in confidence in the economy, but a somewhat paradoxical increase in concern about employment; Joe Hockey favoured over Malcolm Turnbull as Liberal leader by 17 per cent to 13 per cent; and the Labor Party viewed more favourably than the Liberals on 11 separate measures.
• The South Australian Liberals have a new leader in Heysen MP Isobel Redmond. Redmond succeeds Waite MP Martin Hamilton-Smith, who was mortally wounded after accusing the government of doing favours for an organisation linked to the Church of Scientology using what proved to be faked emails. Hamilton-Smith called an initial spill last Friday after Mackillop MP Mitch Williams quit the shadow ministry, which was universally interpreted as an attempt to undermine Hamilton-Smith ahead of a future pitch for his job. However, Williams declined to put his name forward at the ensuing spill, at which the sole rival nominee was deputy leader and Bragg MP Vickie Chapman. After inital expectations he would comfortably survive, Hamilton-Smith emerged from the vote without the support of a party room majority: while he won the vote 11 to 10, one member had abstained. Hamilton-Smith called another spill to clear the air, but when Redmond (who had been newly elected in place of Chapman as deputy) said she would put her name forward he announced he would stand aside. The result was a three-way tussle between Redmond, Chapman and Williams, in which Redmond defeated Chapman by 13 votes to nine after Williams was excluded in the first round. Goyder MP Steven Griffiths won the vote for deputy ahead of Williams by eight votes to six (since only lower house MPs get to vote for the deputy, whereas members from both houses have a vote for the leadership).
• Antony Green crunches some electoral numbers to conclude that, contrary to widespread belief, Labor’s position in the Senate would be better if the next election were for half the chamber in the normal fashion, rather than a double dissolution.
• Against his better judgement, Peter Brent at Mumble enters the world of blogdom. He’s also written a piece on Inside Story which delivers on what I emptily promised a few weeks back, namely to review the report of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters report into the 2007 election.
scorpio, why not say how you really feel??!!!
i would suggest a briefer comment and less vitriolic. They may not let it through if its too negative although I’ve been surprised in the past
Chris firstly we based our system of governance on the British/US model…both these nations and our common friends and nations in NZ and Canada do not have CV.
We shouldnt have it…
Complusory voting was a Benite solution to voter apathy, people are still apathetic about voting and many would not vote if they had the choice.
Why should elections be decided by people who know nothing about politics, the policies of the political parties?? If people dont care that is sad and we should do something about that in our education system but we shouldnt force people to vote, we’re a democracy for crying out loud.
Also NCV would make political parties actually have to do something to inspire people to vote ala Obama.
DFAT tells – seems like it might have been the first time it would have been played after a Grand Prix:
[The quest for an Australian national anthem continued. In 1974 a public opinion poll sampled an estimated 60 000 people to select from three possible anthems: ‘Advance Australia Fair’, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘Song of Australia’. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ polled 51.4 per cent. Following this result the then Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, announced that ‘Advance Australia Fair’ would be the national anthem, except on specifically Royal occasions, when both it and ‘God Save the Queen’ would be played.
In 1976, after a change of government, ‘God Save the Queen’ was reinstated for Royal, vice-regal, defence and loyal toast occasions, with ‘Advance Australia Fair’ to be played on all other official occasions.
In May 1977, however, a national poll was conducted to ascertain the public choice of a national song. This time more than seven million people were issued with ballot papers. The results were: ‘Advance Australia Fair’ 43.2 per cent, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ 28.3 per cent, ‘God Save the Queen’ 18.7 per cent and ‘Song of Australia’ 9.6 per cent. Despite the poll results, adoption of the new national anthem met widespread opposition.
It was not until April 1984 that the Governor-General issued a proclamation that ‘God Save the Queen’ was designated the Royal Anthem, to be played at public engagements in Australia attended by the members of the Royal family. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ was finally declared to be the Australian national anthem.]
http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/nat_anthem.html
[Complusory voting was a Benite solution to voter apathy, people are still apathetic about voting and many would not vote if they had the choice.]
How many people here Glen, do you think know who Tony Benn is?
[Can you se what I did wrong on the quote example at 473?]
Text after the bracket. it doesn’t like that.
[Family First MP Dennis Hood wants to scrap compulsory voting]
There’s something quite ironic about Dennis Hood accusing anyone or anything as being out of step with the rest of the world.
Glen,
Compulsory voting predates Tony Benn. You don’t mean “Benthamite” do you?
I do not see the relevance of the system on which we based ours as we should not close out minds to ides that come from elsewhere.
People should be better educated about politics, but I don’t think we really want a stated education standard before the right to vote, so I am not willing to leave it to voluntary voting, which simply cuts poorer people out of consideration, the real reason certain people, perhaps not yourself, advocate it.
Not many Grog but I like using that Applebyism whenever i can 😀
Glen,
I must admit that I haven’t seen any definitions of ‘democracy’ making specific mention of the compulsion (or otherwise) to vote…
Julius Caesar closed his mind to “ides”, and look what happened to him. We should not close our minds to ideas either.
I am a supporter of compulsory voting. Well it’s not actually compulsory ‘voting’, more compulsory ‘turning up and having your name checked off at a polling booth’.
But internationally, parties spend so much time and money getting people out to vote. It lends itself itself to more extreme appeals to motivate ‘the base’ to get out and vote.
My view is, voting is like jury duty, a necessary part of a functioning democracy. You don’t have to vote, but you are forced into making a conscious decision not to vote. To me, that’s more responsible than not bothering to register and turn up at all.
For a democracy to work properly it needs all its participants actively involved, even if it means giving a a few of us, bit of a boot in the date.
I’ve played over Webber’s joy from the cockpit, his words as follows:
“WaaaghrHoo Hoo HOO! Yeeehah!!!
PHARKEN BEWDDY !!!
Yes!
Yes yes yes yes yes Yerrrrrrrrsss!
Thasss rite!!! weaahh (not sure about this bit, he’d just about blown the michrophone out at this point)
..followed by…
Yeesss (slightly sobbing now), Yes, yes, yes YES!!!!!… (radio link switched off)
Millions would have seen and heard this, ….the best thing for Australia in ages.
God Save The Queen was definitely used for the 1980 Olympics, and we didn’t win any gold medals in 76. Before that I can’t imagine anything other than God Save The Queen being played. Very interesting bit of trivia though.
At least I could remember the words to God Save the Queen …
On another note, does anyone else think Stern Hu looks like Jackie Chan?
I am still waiting for the first call to be made of:
China born Chinese Businessman
So far the discipline has been good. it is still:
Australian Rio Executive
Maybe if he was to “confess” that he did done to the Motherland.
I hope Al tells him how much of an utter tool he is
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25774114-29277,00.html
[ CLIMATE Steve Fielding has introduced himself to world-famous campaigner Al Gore to ask for a personal meeting on climate change.
The former US vice-president has won a Nobel Prize and an Oscar for his work highlighting the dangers of climate change.
Senator Fielding, on the other hand, is concerned there is not enough evidence that mankind is causing the world to warm.
Senator Fielding approached Mr Gore during a launch in Melbourne today to ask for the one-on-one meeting.
“(Mr Gore) said look, the schedule’s tight but hopefully we can work something out,” a spokesman for Senator Fielding said.
“Al Gore’s very aware that Steve has a crucial vote in the Senate.”
Senator Fielding wants to present a graph to Mr Gore which shows temperatures over the last 15 years. ]
Steve Fielding wants a personal meeting with Al Gore, presumably to show him the graphs the Heritage Foundation gave him.
[CLIMATE Steve Fielding has introduced himself to world-famous campaigner Al Gore to ask for a personal meeting on climate change.
The former US vice-president has won a Nobel Prize and an Oscar for his work highlighting the dangers of climate change.
Senator Fielding, on the other hand, is concerned there is not enough evidence that mankind is causing the world to warm.
Senator Fielding approached Mr Gore during a launch in Melbourne today to ask for the one-on-one meeting.
“(Mr Gore) said look, the schedule’s tight but hopefully we can work something out,” a spokesman for Senator Fielding said.
“Al Gore’s very aware that Steve has a crucial vote in the Senate.” ]
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25774114-5005962,00.html
Dario
That’s TWICE today !!!
SNAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😀
Praise be the brave Senator Fielding standing up against the massive worldwide conspiracy of climate change.
[The former US vice-president has won a Nobel Prize and an Oscar for his work highlighting the dangers of climate change.]
Wrong – any trivia quiz nut will tell you that honour belongs solely to GBS.
[It is often erroneously claimed that Al Gore himself won the Oscar for An Inconvenient Truth; in fact, Davis Guggenheim was the Nominee and Recipient of the Academy Award. The Oscar statuette was handed to Mr. Gore briefly during Guggenheim’s acceptance, which may be the source of the confusion. – Wikipedia]
Oh Winston – never let truth get in the way of good reporting 😉
Compulsory voting:
1) It removes from authority the temptation of making it difficult for certain demographics to vote; for example, consider the USA.
2) It removes the excuse, “don’t blame me, I didn’t vote”, we are all equally responsible for the outcome.
Compulsory voting was a very smart innovation, the the rest of the world hasn’t caught up, big deal.
521
Even if it’s inconvenient.
Esential Research 57/43 http://www.essentialmedia.com.au/Media/Essential_Report_130709.pdf
Oh Dear, Colin Barnett has had a complaint made against him at the CCC.
[On Tuesday 30 June, I was informed in writing by the Corruption and Crime Commissioner, the Honourable Len Roberts-Smith, that the CCC had received a complaint against me.
The complaint alleges that there has been some form of misconduct in relation to my role in seeking the removal of ‘The Cliffe’ – a property in Peppermint Grove in my electorate of Cottesloe – from the Register of State Heritage Places.
By way of a grievance in the Legislative Assembly on 30 August 2007, I argued the case for the removal of ‘The Cliffe’ from the Register of State Heritage Places. I did so as the Member for Cottesloe in representing a constituent.
On 14 May 2008, I moved a motion in the Legislative Assembly for the removal of ‘The Cliffe’ from the Register of State Heritage Places. The Legislative Assembly agreed to that resolution. A similar motion was passed in the Legislative Council on 29 May 2008. Removing a property from the Register of State Heritage Places requires the consent of both Houses of Parliament.
These actions are all on the public record and I stand by them.
The allegation appears to suggest that my motivation to have ‘The Cliffe’ removed from the Register of State Heritage Places was in some way designed to benefit my son, Russell Barnett, who is Chair of a public company. Mr Mark Creasy, the owner of ‘The Cliffe’, is a shareholder of that company. I have only become aware of this association since this complaint has been made and knew nothing of it at the time of taking action in relation to ‘The Cliffe’.
This allegation is false and I refute it unequivocally. I take particular exception that this allegation involves my son who is not a public figure and played no role whatsoever in my actions with respect to ‘The Cliffe’. ]
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=132198
[Even if it’s inconvenient.]
Especially if it is inconvenient!!
[Esential Research 57/43]
Very interesting numbers on the tax cuts with 60% approve and only 23% disapprove. Fighting the GFC also the top response for most important government action since election.
46% say the Libs need a new leader, and only 29% say Malcolm should stay 🙂
My ageing parents used to love non-compulsory voting in the UK, they could always get one party or another to drive them to the polling booth and back home. ( a big deal when many people did not own a car).
I have an open mind on compulsory voting, if it was not in place candidates would be forced to work the electorate much harder.
I receive a lot of flak in my party for supporting compulsory voting, but I very much believe that a true democracy requires all people to participate, not just those who decide to show up on polling day. I also have little faith in governments who’ve secured a “mandate” based on the votes of less than 50% of the electorate.
No 501
Just because people are ignorant about the political process is not an argument against compulsory voting.
Good to see we agree on something GP
Crikey, strewth, blimey, a fair suck of the oyster sauce bottle, these cobblers could just be right here:
[Australians’ obsessive need for government action to address each and every problem used to be confined to domestic politics. Now Australians appear to want Government responsiveness to extend to each and every Australian overseas. In non-anglophone countries only, of course.
There’s an air of colonialism about this attitude, a “don’t they know who we are” tone that suggests foreigners are out of line when messing with Australians. We’re white, we’re friends with the Americans, and we play sport well. Don’t get uppity with us, we’re serious world players.]
http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/13/crikey-says-40/
[Foreign Secretary: In the old days we’d have sent in a gunboat.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Yes.
James Hacker: I suppose … that is absolutely out of the question?
Yes, Minister]
Socrates
Irrigation has increased considerable in the Riverland, I have watched it grow. There has been large plantings of grapes ( resulting in the current oversupply), however the serious problem is almond growing, it is a crop that takes considerable water because of the growing season. I can’t see that industry surviving.
Cotton growing in Queensland; it may survive; you do have to remember they get to the water before it flows a 1000 miles through desert country. As you have correctly pointed out, the large water purchases by the government isn’t going to make much difference to the lower lakes, the water isn’t going to get there. We have taken those areas out of production to increase the flow into the desert slightly, really it will keep a few load mouths happy but little more.
Rain in the Victorian and NSW’s alps is the only solution. Angry words are not going to make it rain. The sad thing is, climate change is probable real and the rain isn’t going to come. Southern irrigation areas will have to close and food production will have to move north.
That is just the way it is, nature wins.
In addition to my earlier post, it’s worth noting that one of the virtues of our compulsory-voting system is that our elections don’t descend into the farce that is the US system.
Socrates 449:
[A lot of those allocations were only made in the 1980s, wheereas the Riverland has been farmed a lot longer than that. I don’t think you can blame those farmers for failing to predict the incompetence/corruption of upstrema governmetns 20 years later. What NSW and Vic are doing to SA farmers now is no fairer than what Cubby Station in Qld does to NSW farmes on the upper Darling. i.e. not fair at all.]
As you say, these problems date back more than 20 years.
So that’s where the blame lies; with governments 20 years ago.
The Murray Darling agreement has been in place since well before the 90s. It was a response to the over allocation of water and it placed a cap on the States. Victoria has a long history of compliance with the cap – and has taken political damage as result, for example losing the state seat of Benalla largely over issues surrounding the drainage of Lake Mokoan.
Victoria also has been well ahead of the pack on water policy, with the Bracks government doing a major review/revamp of this in the early 2000s (basically started as soon as it was elected). It was recognised as leading the States in its approach to water.
Unfortunately, it started the water review in about the third year of the drought, when no Victorian drought in recorded history had gone much longer than that. We’re now in about Year 12 of drought (my youngest son, aged 12, said the other day, “You keep calling this a drought. It’s my life.”)
You can write the best water saving policy in the world; if there’s no water to save, it’s irrelevant. (Zero water allocations are just that…)
Also recognise that once the water hits the Murray, Victoria has no say in what happens; it becomes NSW water.
Even John Howard recognised that the States to point fingers at in this argument are NSW and QLD, who have made little or no efforts to meet their responsbilities under the cap.
Given the drought, therefore, I think it’s unreasonable – or ignorant – to blame current governments. Action taken five years ago in NSW and QLD might have had some effect, but action now is a bit like action on climate change – too late to make any real difference.
We can, however, plan for it never to happen again, but that’s a different story.
BTW, there is an argument that cotton farms are inherently more environmentally friendly than permanent orchards; you simply don’t grow cotton when there isn’t water, permanent crops require water regardless.
Just be careful when you read this not to confuse your Mr Smiths. It provides an interesting and not very promising outlook for Mr Hu. And someone really needs to sack the subeditor working for the ABC. The headline distorts and sensationalises an interesting article.
[Mr Smith says in China, “diplomacy takes a back seat when you talk about national security” and “the Chinese are clearly saying this is a case of national security”.
The former attache says Mr Hu’s past week “has been probably the most awful experience in his life”.
“He is being detained by the ministry of state security, where he would have been subjected to all sorts of, I guess, what people would consider to be Cold War interrogation techniques. You know, sleep deprivation and so forth,” Mr Smith said.
He says Chinese authorities have made the point they have lots of evidence, “so I think he’s going to have a very, very difficult time and I’d imagine he’s going to spend quite some time in jail”.]
[Spy row: ‘We will dance to China’s tune’]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/13/2624519.htm
GP I would argue that NZ, Canadian and British elections do not decend into the farce of the US system GP 😀
[‘We will dance to China’s tune’]
you cannot dance to “The East is Red”, it aint got beat or rhythm.
No 537
On the other hand, the travesty of NZ, Canada and Britain is that their governments scarcely command meaningful mandates.
zoomster
Mrs D’s essay said that rice was easily the worst crop in terms of $ earnt per litre of water used.
We should all stop buying Australian rice. I did years ago. Our rice is crap anyway.
If we did not have compulsory voting then the political parties and independents would need more money and volunteers so they could have get out to vote campaigns.
Already run by Possum, but here for your convenience is the Essential Research report (Labor lead down from 59-41 to 57-43). I probably won’t be reporting on Newspoll in good time this evening, so make your own fun here.
[Spy row: ‘We will dance to China’s tune’]
ABC online are on the ball.. Their current ‘just in’ ‘top story’ is an interview from last week.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/asiapac/stories/200907/s2622882.htm
I almost feel sorry for ABC, seems they are trying their hardest to keep ‘weak Rudd won’t buck evil Chinese’ in the headlines but 10 News only gave it passing mention in their finance report and I don’t think 7 even mentioned it.
As was the same with the last China spy beat up this one doesn’t seem to interest the general public.
So, sorry ABC, it ain’t working you won’t bring Kev or his ratings down no matter how long and hard you try to keep this as your main newstory. 🙂
Forgot there was a Newspoll tonight.
I’m not surprised the ABC might go the xenophobia route given their Liberal flag wavers but it is curious The Age seems to have picked up a racist somewhere along the line, and can’t get enough of whistling on the evil Chinese. Maybe one of the guys there had a nasty split with a Chinese girlfriend or something.
The TV have got it right, nobody is interested in xenophobia and racism just at the moment, the last Government over used that tactic and we have become bit bored with it.
[Forgot there was a Newspoll tonight.]
Blasphemy!
Throw rocks at the bugger!!
SBS News is catching the ABC disease of sensational headlines. At its 6:30 World news, it said:
* Australia has lodged a formal protest over the Hu arrest – no such thing
* President Hu personally authorised the arrest of Hu – no such thing.
[Blasphemy!
Throw rocks at the bugger!!]
Forgive me, Sir. I have been on holidays – in QLD, so what do you expect? 😀