The latest weekly Essential Research survey finds the two parties still gridlocked at 50-50. Both parties are up a point on the primary vote – the Coalition to 45 per cent and Labor to 40 per cent – with the Greens down to 9 per cent. Both leaders’ personal ratings have improved slightly since before the election: Julia Gillard’s approval is down a point to 45 per cent and her disapproval down three to 37 per cent, while Tony Abbott is up two to 43 per cent and down seven to 37 per cent. However, Gillard’s lead as preferred prime minister is almost unchanged, up from 46-35 to 47-35. Fewer respondents now rate an election within 12 months as desirable – it’s now 43 per cent all, compared with 52 per cent supporting and 33 per cent opposed a fortnight ago – and there also fewer who deem it likely, although it’s still a clear majority at 59 per cent (down from 70 per cent a fortnight ago). More voters thought the media did a good (32 per cent) than a poor (23 per cent) job reporting the election and its aftermath, while Coalition supporters were found to be more likely to believe the media wasn’t fair to their side.
UPDATE: Some fine print reading from Bernard Keane in Crikey:
But in the wake of Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor deciding to back Labor, there’s now a much stronger party split on that issue, with 75% of Liberal voters calling for another election, compared to 65% a fortnight ago, whereas support for another election among Labor and Green voters has fallen dramatically, with more than 70% of Labor and Green voters not wanting another election.
[Uhlman has come down step by step in my estimation in recent months. He is now ranked alongside Shanahan in my book. Only one more step and it’s Ackers, Bolt and Jones territory!]
Too true. He blatant partisanship and cheer-leading for Tony Abbott during the 2010 campaign was totally inappropriate. He is a DLPer from way back (hence his running on the utterly discredited Osbourne/Rugendyke ticket in the ACT elections some years back).
The 7:30 Report has lost a lot of creditability in recent years in line with the general decline of the ABC.
I agree with my say:
[do away with show who needs it]
If the Speaker leaves the chair the sittings are suspended as well I think.
Laocoon @ 3942
Good question. It would be surprising on something as important as the Red Books if the Treasury Secretary did not at least have a conversation with the Minister. IMHO, given the state of the economy, there would be little to fear from publication, and perhaps some points to gain for the Government.
OTOH, there are potential flow-on impacts. All Departments, and not just Treasury, prepare incoming government briefs. I imagine these would cover interesting topics such as closure issues surrounding pink batts.
Others would simply be no-go… for example the incoming govt briefs on Afghanistan would be highly unlikely to be successfully FOI’d.
There may be two of these: one brief for the Government, if returned, and one for the Opposition, should it win government.
I imagine that Wilkie in particular, but Bandt, Wilkie and Oakshott would be interested in ensruing greater freedom of information.
Ron
The Deputy would still have the casting vote, I believe. So Katter would not come into play, necessarily.
OTOH, if the current arrangements look to be enduring, despite the best efforts of Abbott the Wrecker, then I imagine that Crook (ex the Mining Tax) and/or Katter, would be a bit more interested in talking turkey about a deal.
Kerry O’Brien’s retirement will hopefully free up some much needed funding (his salary was reportedly in the hundreds of thousands of dollars) so that they can hire several journalists to start preparing content again, rather than cutting and pasting from News Ltd and wire services.
Thanks Boer; as always, the blanked out bits are the tantalising parts
Itep 3948 – sounds logical but still isn’t watertight. Contempt of House is better than losing no conf, or better still: adjourn sitting and then inform clerk you’ve got laryngitis and can only sit in chamber.
please excuse the errors/typos in post 3951
DL @ 3958
OK, if you feel you need it. I wouldn’t sweat it.
I reckon Somlyay really wants the Dept Speaker job. He has been boned by Abbott as Opposition Whip, or is entsched the correct term?
Abbott has probably said “Hey Alex, hang on. We will vote for you in the Party Room, you get the gig without having to enter any pairing crud”.
If he loses the party room vote, he will go with the Govt. deal.
rua
Yeh. Somlyay probably got it all from Abbott in writing. Just to be sure.
Remember that it was Uhlmann who let Abbott get away with two lies in quick succession on the 7.30 Report. Talking about the benefit of the second stimulus package.
7.30 Report, Their ABC, 06 January 2010:
[CHRIS UHLMANN: But certainly that money was necessary and it appears to have done the trick.
TONY ABBOTT: But at high price. And if you look across the Tasman, New Zealand has done just as well it seems as Australia without going into anything like the same level of debt and deficit that we have.]
Now Uhlmann should have stepped in at this point, and, to avoid letting untruths go to air across the nation unchallenged, should have said:
1) New Zealand has had more than a year in recession, Mr Abbott.
2) New Zealand has a much higher per-GDP debt ratio than Australia, Mr Abbott
But what did Toolman say …
[CHRIS UHLMANN: Now you say the Government has done nothing but of course they’ve completely remade the industrial relations system…]
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2786905.htm
Yes, I think you can see, the Abbott-preferred Uhlmann will be the new host of their 7.30 Report.
A PS mate told me the general rule for briefing preparation prior to an election was that they were expected to produce 3 briefs – one for a returning minister, one for a new minister of the same side, one for a new minister from the other side. I’m not sure how the first 2 would go into producing the ‘red books’ etc – and fundamentally I would have assumed that the brief for a returning minister was simply the same as for a new minister but culled for convenience to remove things the minister would already be familiar with…
Boerwar
Posted Friday, September 24, 2010 at 5:27 pm | Permalink
“Ron
The Deputy would still have the casting vote, I believe. So Katter would not come into play, necessarily.”
yes he will
i was thinking of perception actualy of MSN playing up a labor Chair deciding on a tie to further MSN narative that I expect for WHOLE term of a govt on ropes and on edge crisis , which where Katter can play a role I feel
Jackol
So, the really interesting thing would be to get all three briefs FOI’d and then do a compare and contrast….
K’OB being interviewed on PM as we type…
[Yes, I think you can see, the Abbott-preferred Uhlmann will be the new host of their 7.30 Report.]
Yep, sadly Cuppa he’s been positioning himself for the job for some time.
Credibility, impartiality and accuracy must not be part of the selection criteria for the position given his recent form.
[blue_green, the most interesting part of that article was discovering Brandis is Pyne’s best friend in Parliament!]
I’m not surprised! Is Alan Jones also part of the circle?
Ron
OK. We agree. Katter could play a role if he wanted to. He would have to deal himself back in which would leave him looking a bit silly. But he is used to that.
Just by the bye, the opposition whip gets a 23% salary loading as well, so Somlyay is looking at a pay cut no matter…to 20% to Deputy Speaker, or to scratch if he gets no parliamentary office
Boewars , I think i meant two yes’s there Yes Chair will get casting , and yes Katter can hav a role in avoiding a MSN Govt crisis perseption to avoid such casting vote being needed
Interesting that the talk here as to the person most suitable to replace Kerry on the 730 report has become an exercise in trying to ascertain who can be impartial from amongst a very poor bunch of Liberal loving journalists controlled by a Liberal loving ABC Management. As I no longer trust or watch anything ABC I await Ruperts decision as to the next anchor. I have always thought that Cuppa was right and nothing in the last two years has altered that perception.
Is Somlyay dampish, wet, dryish or arid?
“He would have to deal himself back in which would leave him looking a BIT silly. But he is used to that.”
you is voice of gentle moderation , I would hav left out “bit”
Hard to see Ulhmann as the next 7.30 anchor because he looks so sleepy all the time. He’s a side-kick, not a host.
PoK
Most of the talk here is by folk who have already given up on the IQ, determination, agility and preparation of most of the so-called professional MSM journalists.
Collectively they ask a question from their folders. Get an answer. Then ask the next question. Get an answer. Then ask the next question.
Kezza was one of the very, very few who appeared to be able to think on his feet sometimes.
[Is Somlyay dampish, wet, dryish or arid?]
As my local member I think invisible is the correct term. 😉
[Someone on the government benches should be hammering the point that Abbott’s dishonesty has reached a new low:]
I reckon Labor should get PJK to come up with some really good lines that are harsh but funny. Making fun of him may be the way to go.
Ron
*grins* I is ever the gentleman? Not.
itep – does there have to be a second deputy speaker? Why give the opposition anything? I assume that when Harry or the Deputy is not in the chair they get to vote like everyone else. Don’t be afraid to call me ignorant.
rua
I can understand the visibility quotient but it is actually part of a larger question. Do the new additions to the Coalition add to the deniers and/or to the Dries? Have they lurched Tea Party-wards? I have seen no analysis about this.
Trust Abbott? Sure can!
Clearly the government is going to (and should) only have three ways of describing Abbott.
“The Wrecker” Tony Abbott;
Tony “The Wrecker” Abbott; and
Tony Abbott “The Wrecker”.
I think they should use all of them, for variety.
Tone Deaf to the average voters concerns!
Could Alex Somlyay get elected DS and then change his mind about the pair? If he’s already agreed to a deal with Labor but doesn’t want to reveal until Tuesday, he could give Abbott a taste of his own medicine.
Tony Jones is not everyones cup of tea , but he and Ali and Leigh to me is fine for 7.30
Report , and always found them good interviewers
it is biased intro done pior to each 7.30/LL interview has always been my nobjection , because it follows same odor flavor as ABC Radio and ABC TV News
like to see Andrew Denton regular interviewer of Abbott and any Liberal , Denton is far to fast in mind for Tony
ruawake, quite a pair you’ve got up there on the Sunshine Coast, Somylay and Slipper!
rosa
For completeness I prefer,
‘Abbott the untrustworthy, dishonourable and lying wrecker.’
Kick the ‘abbott before he kicks you!
[Could Alex Somlyay get elected DS and then change his mind about the pair?]
Er yep. 🙂
In fact it would be an offence to try to influence the way he decides to vote.
Lenore Taylor for me.
[ruawake, quite a pair you’ve got up there on the Sunshine Coast, Somylay and Slipper!]
Plus they hate each other, maybe Somlyay is just playing a blocking move against Slipper (who was on the Speakers Panel).
[I have always thought that Cuppa was right and nothing in the last two years has altered that perception.]
I was like ltep and a few other since discredited folk around here before the campaign who considered themselves ABC bias sceptics.
This election showed me how right Cuppa was and I have since apologised for my naivety.
[ABC? No thank you!]
I finally switched off after the 2PP count debacle. Haven’t watched since – and wont be going back. Feel much better now – and more informed that’s for sure!
My OH said Red Kerry was pushed.
Comparing the latest Morgan Sep 18-19 farce-to-farce (misspelling intentional) with the previous F2F from Aug 28-9 and Sep 4-5, Labor is steady on primaries, Coalition up 1.5, Greens down 2, Ind/Other +0.5, ALP 2PP down 1 (by 2007 prefs), or down 0.5 (by respondent).
Think ALP will win next Fed Election down 5.5, Coalition up 6 and now leading that measure.
Aus heading in right direction up 2.5, can’t say down 3.
rua
Is Somlyay a “Liberal” LNP or a “National” LNP?
Whoever gets the 7.30 reportland gig should look out for flashers!
[
Viewers of ABC 24 nearly got more than they bargained for today after a man wearing nothing but a robe and his underwear attempted to flash on live television.
The man is understood to have walked straight past the station’s security in the front foyer, towards the windows at the back of the set, before undoing his robe and revealing his underwear.
]
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/abc-flasher-attempt-20100924-15q98.html
Rosa
I prefer:
“The Welsher” Tony Abbott;
Tony “The Welsher” Abbott; and
Tony Abbott “The Welsher”.
AHEM
{@Pollytics @Colvinius The previously understood info about Somlyays position. Apparently the Coalition’s released statement was a mistake}
[I reckon Labor should get PJK to come up with some really good lines that are harsh but funny. Making fun of him may be the way to go].
mockery is the best option for abbotts unmasking