The latest weekly Essential Research survey has Labor maintaining its 51-49 lead from last week, but with the Coalition gaining a point on the primary vote to 44 per cent, Labor stable on 42 per cent and the Greens down a point further to an undernourished 8 per cent. When asked whether Tony Abbott was “unfairly putting roadblocks in the way of Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s programs”, 46 per cent rated him too obstructive while 54 per cent believed his actions “appropriate” for an Opposition Leader (not sure where the don’t knows went). A surprisingly large majority agreed there should be a new election, perhaps owing to the question’s rather odd qualification that such an election would allow us “a Government with a working majority”: 55 per cent agreed with only 23 per cent disagreeing. Findings on “attributes to describe the Prime Minister” have Julia Gillard deteriorating on all measures since the questions were last posed on July 5. Her worst reversal is a 15 per drop on “good in a crisis”, which forcefully makes the point that there’s no accounting for taste. The figures for Tony Abbott are little changed, with a general pattern of very slight improvements. Gillard remains better placed than Abbott on each measure, being well ahead on “down to earth” and well behind on “narrow-minded” and “arrogant”.
bemused
“In many respects Brumby is simply Kennett-lite”
that is slogan-lite
back it up with specificalitys
Just on abc bias just heard the following lead news item on abc774 radio.
“The State Opposition has matched the government’s announcement to build a new $250 million dollars children hospital”
when the news actually is
Government announces the building of a $250 million childrens hospital, perhaps followed by the measure has the support of the opposition.
ABC just cant have the opposition not being the lead voice in any positive news.
Does anyone have the latest odds for the Vic election? My work filters it when I google them.
[ Jesus does not defend big business, nor lying or bullying, all on clear demonstration by Mr. Abbot. ]
Yeah, he had a healthy disdain (backed up by direct action) against the money-changers.
lizzie
I’m an ex Healesville girl myself. My mum, mother in law and sister all live there…sister teaches at the High, where we both were educated. And my bro in law drives one of the buses you refer to.
H’ville line closed long ago, even before Kennett. All those ricketty wooden bridges were simply unsustainable given the usage. But I miss it. It was gorgeous.
And yes, the development of good arable land is a crime against humanity, and the planning laws don’t allow it. As someone who helped write the policy, I know that the labor party is committed to ongoing land suitability tests, so that land has to be proven to be unsuitable for agriculture before it can be subdivided.
Local councils have been dragging their heels on this big time – I know for a fact that our local council commenced the process over five years ago.
Planning laws insist that land cannot be released if there is a significant bank of unused residential land – and this includes potential subdivisions of existing large blocks – in the area.
As a former local councillor, I know our council regularly knocked back proposals to subdivide rural blocks and encouraged the infilling of residential land, despite strong resistance locally to both.
I agree that there should be more encouragement of high density living, but it is difficult to legislate for and the demand does not seem to be there (which means there isn’t political pressure for it to happen).
Yes, it’s been Jeff’d, and never reinstated. And that’s exactly my criticism of Brumby. He’s Kennett-lite.
But Liberal-lite seems to be the way to go for Fed and State Labor.
Hence the drift towards the Greens, I think, as a protest.
Antony Green on the number of former AFL players contesting the coming Victorian state election
http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2010/10/afl-players-contesting-the-victorian-election.html
OPT @ 3450
See my 3449 which I think answers some of your questions.
The problem pre-dates Jeff but his privatisation madness certainly made matters worse. The biggest single problem is a half century or more of under-investment, mostly under Liberal govts.
The Public Transport Users Association and various academics continually comment on the absence of any overall co-ordinating authority so trains and bus timetables don’t meet up.
[On public transport, the major ones I remember were reopening many regional railways which K had closed – most of which has happened – and revamping lines like the one to Ballarat (which people who use regularly rave to me about).]
Yes, zoomster. Add to that the reopening of the rail link between Bendigo and Eucha. It’s now a very popular service. It was heart breaking during Kennett’s time to see rail tracks ripped up, the sleepers sold as firewood. It still makes me very angry indeed.
Dong,
A serious question.
A while ago i was passing the time watching a show on Foxtel about christianity and the origins of the bible.
One section of that show sticks in my mind and twigged my interest. It was suggested that the bible had been subject to a type of “censorship” in that only certain gospels had been included and others ignored. Even those that were included had in some cases been, shall we say, ammended in some form.
I have never heard this theory before and I was a bit surprised. Is this a theory that holds some basis in the real world or complete rubbish ?
By the way I had a catholic upbringing and have always believed that being a christian ( good person) was more about how you lived your life and treated other people than what church you knelt in. There was a article in todays CM re right wing ”christian groups” in the US protesting at the funerals of Ameriacn soldiers killed in Iraq and Afgan. that really put this into focus for me. Here in Australia, Abbott may go to church but he going on his actions he is not a good person.
[land has to be proven to be unsuitable for agriculture before it can be subdivided.]
I’m really talking about Werribee, the Mornington Peninsula (particularly the vegetable farms), not the Yarra Valley.
[I also honestly wonder whether this will really be a negative for Oakeshott at the next election]
But will be used against both he and Gillard as part of the continuing negative campaign against the ALP-led minority government in the hope of upsetting it.
I will point out one improvement to public transport that has occured under Labor (at least in my area). Buses in my area now run every day of the week. And they come more frequently and for a longer period each day. Additionally, we now have nice new bus shelters that are lit and actually have concrete where you stand, rather than gravel. There have been some improvements!
Doyley
[It was suggested that the bible had been subject to a type of “censorship” in that only certain gospels had been included and others ignored. Even those that were included had in some cases been, shall we say, ammended in some form.]
The RC Bishops who put the testaments together chose which to add and which to leave out in the (which century? 3rd?)
Doyley @ 3460
[One section of that show sticks in my mind and twigged my interest. It was suggested that the bible had been subject to a type of “censorship” in that only certain gospels had been included and others ignored. Even those that were included had in some cases been, shall we say, ammended in some form.
I have never heard this theory before and I was a bit surprised. Is this a theory that holds some basis in the real world or complete rubbish ?]
Nope, that’s pretty much the case – check our Council of Nicea [AD325] which was convened by Roman Emperor Constantine and basically sifted through the competing Gospels and decided which was ‘in’ and which was ‘out’.
A good book to read is “The Rise and Decline of the Christian Empire” by Ian Guthridge.
Great headline 😆
[
$A overvalued, say parity party poopers
]
http://www.theage.com.au/business/markets/a-overvalued-say-parity-party-poopers-20101008-16ax1.html
Must go, everyone. The garden calls. Sun shining, birds singing.
Thank you for the conversation.
You’ll have my say onto you lot if you keep the Bible bit going.
madcyril – haven’t read Antony yet re AFL players, but there’s an interesting trend to get more “stars” into seats to boost chances – Bennelong is the classic example.
bemused
I model transport for a living. You are right, induced demand in car travel is an observed phenomena. It works out at about 2% of total travel – less than one years growth. In an Australian context, it is not what is choking up our freeways and trains – that is population growth.
Labor has spent more on public transport in Victoria than the Liberals did, but there was a huge catch up needed (yes, Kennett’s fault), and the population growth has been so high that the new services have barely kept pace with it. So there has been no observable improvement from a passenger point of view, and many outer suburbs remain unserviced. Only money will fix that, plus a tighter reign on outer urban sprawl.
I would agree spending was skewed towards roads. I am not defending that, just pointing out that even if all the road money was reallocated to rail, we would still have a problem because we haven’t allocated enough funds to cater for new infrastructure needed for population growth. We are growing faster than Mexico; travel demand follows suit.
BTW I walk to work and catch the bus home, and I pay the fare 🙂
Harse @3462
I can see it being used but why I have no idea.
Firstly, it must be obvious to Oakshott where the details originated. Straight from Abbott and the coal. This will only enforce his decision to stick with Julia.
Secondly,the claims will be thrown out with ” no case to answer” stamped on the file. This will reflect straight back to the coal. and if they try it again will be seen as just further attempts to discredit Oakshott and lose its impact. Cry wolf too often.
Thirdly, as pointed out in earlier posts, this attempt will not go over well in the electorate especially as Oakshott was acting as a local member on behalf of a large company in his electorate.
I really can’t understand the shortsighted and banal attempts by Abbott and co to continue to poke the indies. He has no other way apart from attacking.
Also, thanks lizzie.
also thanks bemused @3465
[The only problem is that the Labour government has simply adopted the mad ideology of Kennettism and continued to run things his way rather than taking it back under public control and running it properly. In many respects Brumby is simply Kennett-lite. That is the problem!]
Good-oh, bemused. Labor was stuck with a privatised system. It’s my understanding it would have cost many millions to break the contracts. But I do agree to the extent that Labor, instead of propping up the private transport companies, should have let ’em go bust – then stepped in to fix the system.
I fear that people have short memories and will simply blame the present Government for the present transport woes.
Oh, to call John Brumby Kennett-lite is very wrong and very naughty. Tut, tut. Kindly disinfect your typing finger! Brumby is nothing like Kennett, both as a man and a politician. John Brumby has a social conscience.
lizzie
I am talking about the over arching State planning laws, which govern all subdivisions. I have no personal knowledge of the Yarra Valley council.
And the Healesville line was closed in 1980. So it wasn’t Jeff’d, and not re opening it does not make Brumby equal to Jeff.
Our local railline also closed in the 1980s. It would be very costly for any government to replace it, because the land was sold to private operators very quickly. There’s a huge difference between re opening a closed line and building one from scratch, which would now be the case at Healesville.
[Yes, it’s been Jeff’d, and never reinstated. And that’s exactly my criticism of Brumby. He’s Kennett-lite.]
Privatisation was politically easy & approved in the NeoCon 1980-90s.
Renationalisation – which is what “de-privatisation” involves – is well out-of-date as an ideology; very hard to do politically and commercially, and few electors would approve the huge expenditure involved.
Effectively, the only way the government could go is to build an alternative service; but the Competition commission (or whatever) wouldn’t approve, nor would the Fed gov, and there are better ways the Vic government could spend your taxes.
Latest from the great state of NSW:
[The state ALP member for Drummoyne, Angela D’Amore, admitted today that she had signed forms – later found to have untrue statements – without reading any of them…]
So this seems to be the line of defence.
And also, never admit to anything:
[Ms Adamson {counsel assisting ICAC} asked: “You accept that some of the claim forms are false?” Ms D’Amore: “No”.
Ms Adamson said that information on most of the forms was false in that it stated that a person from her office had been working at state parliament when that person had not been.
Ms D’Amore replied: “No, I did not think it is false.”
She said that despite hearing evidence at ICAC this week that people had been listed as working at parliament when they were really working in her electorate office.
Ms D’Amore said that a lot of the information “does not properly reflect what occurred that day.”
Ms Adamson said that focussing just one of those forms for August 29, 2006: “It says something that is false?”
Ms D’Amore: “It says something that is wrong.”
“You appreciate that it is false? – It is not right.”
When Justice Ipp questioned her on why she was apparently avoiding the word “false”, she said: “It seems it is incorrect.”
Justice Ipp: “I don’t understand your conception of the word ‘false’.
Ms D’Amore: “I just think the information is not right.”
“Do you think it was legitimate? – I did not fill out the forms.”]
If it weren’t so typical, there would be a comical monty python/fawlty towers air to that cross-examination
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/i-didnt-think-claims-were-false-damore-tells-icac-20101008-16az5.html
Scringler @ 3472
The privatised metropolitan rail network was in 2 parts – M-Train and Connex. M-Train walked away from their half giving the govt the opportunity to take it back, but they didn’t, it went to Connex.
Recently Connex lost the franchise [up for renewal] and it went to MTR Another lost opportunity to take it back at near zero cost.
[Oh, to call John Brumby Kennett-lite is very wrong and very naughty. Tut, tut. Kindly disinfect your typing finger! Brumby is nothing like Kennett, both as a man and a politician. John Brumby has a social conscience.]
I agree that possession of a social conscience does differentiate Brumby from Kennett, but that social conscience is in need of further growth and development, and in many other respects he mimics Kennett albeit in a more subdued way.
[“The State Opposition has matched the government’s announcement to build a new $250 million dollars children hospital”]
gough1. That’s straight out boosterism. A disgrace.
Laocoon
The information obviously wasn’t false; it was just incorrect and wrong.
@Doyley.
Been off having lunch. Look it is true that there were a number of gospels around, it is also true that after the council of Nicea certain were chosen. Two factors dominated the choice, when was it written. It needed to have been either by eyewitnesses or those who were around and talked with those eyewitnesses. Hence Luke, a gentile but who according to his introduction interviewed eyewitnesses. Second was how well it was accepted by the majority. So it was not in trying to determine the theology but which versions were being used in the most churches and being viewed as credible.
Some versions were of limited use by one or two sects, some were written later and unable to be verified and some were just plain wrong, in contradiction to eyewitnesses.
There is a lot more but I hope this helps. There is a good series by the history channel. I don’t agree with all they say but thats the nature of academics.
Dong @ 3479
None of the Gospels were eyewitness accounts. They were written many decades later which rules out talking with eyewitnesses.
My understanding is that the earliest [New Testament] writings were those of Paul who most certainly was not an eyewitness.
Mmm, as far as public transport goes, it depends very much on where you are in Sydney or Melbourne.
Neither are as good as they should be.
As far as rail goes, when I first came to Melbourne (for regular visits in the 1970’s) its rail network was certainly better than Sydney’s by a substantial margin – more routes, better trains, better maintenance etc. These days I suspect Sydney has passed it.
The decline was under way for decades in Melbourne, though, rather than being the sole responsibility of any single government.
The core infrastructure was allowed to run down substantially all the way through the Hamer , Thompson, Cain, Kirner and Kennett period. Under Bracks and Brumby there have been moves to at least get the existing track back into shape and to replace ageing rolling stock, but it has been more a matter of not letting things fall apart any more, rather than real improvement, other than the development of better car parks at some of the stations.
Here in Hurstbridge, at the “end of the line” out past Eltham, we get a train every 40 minutes, just as we did when we moved here from Heidelberg in 1992. The new subdivisions out around Doreen have increase passenger numbers at Hurstbridge quite substantially but there has been no change in service frequency. Unfortunately no bus service connects the subdivisions to the station, so the parking problems there are significant, and the resulting traffic increase comes right past our own door. No doubt many others head to the “other line” at Epping.
In theory this wasn’t meant to happen, because a rail line to South Morang was promised by the Bracks government when they were elected in 1999. THis was then subsequently postponed to to be built between 2016 and 2021. Under pressure it is now back on the “current work” list, and building it has finally begun, but it is a long time since 1999!
To be fair to Bracks and Brumby there are some other minor rail extensions planned, and if Kennett had remained in power I suspect it would still be going backwards fast. But there is no doubt that it needs significant further infrastructure investment to be as effective as it should be. If Baillieu gets in I suspect such things will be put “on hold” again, in favour of “feeways” (the “r” seems inappropriate given the way these things operate these days).
So on rail, I’ll give Bracks / Brumby a bare pass of five out of ten, compared to the 2 or 3 out of ten that I’d give their predecessors!
‘Tis as I mused, Hockey on Sky just now made it clear that WorkChoices does not equal all IR.
I am sure that Bludgers can figure out the rest for themselves. IMHO we can expect a fair bit of fuss and feathers around unfair dismissal laws and small business.
BTW, Hockey was unclear, IMHO, about whether or not he was differentiating himself from Abbott on the issue.
Dio
obviously indeed 😀
Rewi
You have my backing on your call against sexism on PB.
I would support the call against ageism of the aged, but I must confess to having form in relation to dissing the young.
bemused @ 3476
The Government infrastructure to run them was probably non-existent by then and would cost a fortune to re-establish. The damage was done. The omelette was on the plate.
Anyway, nice to chat. The vegie patch calls …
Meanwhile, in a Hemisphere far away …
Media Wars
The Beeb Strikes Back!
Rupert Murdoch-owned BSkyB open to abuse of power, says BBC boss Mark Thompson warns of ‘loss of plurality’ in interview that will increase pressure on coalition to veto Murdoch’s BSkyB bid
[Thompson’s decision to enter the debate will heighten hostilities between the BBC and News Corp. Relations between the two organisation have been strained since August 2009, when Murdoch’s son James, who runs News Corp’s businesses in Europe and Asia, launched a scathing attack on the BBC.
He used his MacTaggart lecture at last year’s MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival to call for a “far, far smaller BBC”, accused the corporation of mounting a “land-grab”, and described its ambitions as “chilling”.
Two months ago, Thompson used the same annual MacTaggart lecture to hit back, claiming News Corp had grown too powerful. He argued that allowing the Sky deal to proceed would lead to “a concentration of cross-media ownership that would not be allowed in the United States or Australia”]
Another lucky escape for Oz, by the looks of it!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/oct/08/rupert-murdoch-bskyb-takeover-bbc
All a far cry from homewards plods the ploughman his weary way.
Interesting that Oakeshot is under attack from the Fibs. It appears to be counterproductive for Abbott to do this given the current circumstances, but its really not when you consider that the Fibs wont settle for anything other than a new election.
They really cant conceive of anything other than the govt having an absolute majority in the HoR. Any other concept seems to induce brain-lock, blubbering, and unhappiness for them.
Even if there was some issue arising that lead to a “baton change” the Coalition would go to an election asap. If that “baton change” happened then the ALP would likely be on the nose and the Coalition would see it as too good a chance to pass up to go to an election and get a majority.
I’m sure there are going to be Government bills that will get defeated in the HoR this term, but the Green and the Indies aren’t stupid. They will be well aware that for them to continue to be relevant and get ANY part of their agenda’s up, the HoR has to be seen to be working and actually getting things done.
I suspect that Abbott will not be leader for much longer. He may last till budget reply next year maybe?? He has blown the whole negotiations thing over the last few weeks and proven he just isnt PM material.
If the ALP/Green/Indies actually start to get things done, AND get the message out as to whats happening, then id say by mid next year the Coalition should start to wake up, change leaders, and be constructive.
Maybe??
I agree, I think it would be mid next year before a Coalition change of leader, the only other possibility will be the last sitting week of Parliament before it breaks up for Christmas – as per the tradition…
I heard on some news last night(mayby Ch 9) that a coalition member had sent a letter to ICAC, re Rob Oakeshott, the comment was there is deep hostility between the Nats and RO, Did anyone else hear that?
As another unofficial record falle in Delhi: Real life in the athletes’ village, as only a Brit would say it 😆
Huge Commonwealth Games cock-up leads to condoms blocking drains Delhi event’s organisers ‘working around the clock’ to remove thousands of condoms obstructing plumbing at athletes’ village
[Games organisers have said they will work round the clock to clear the prophylactics from pipes at the accommodation blocks housing more than 7,000 athletes and officials.
Mike Fennell, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, sought to put a positive spin on the story at a news conference, saying: “If that is happening, it shows that there is use of condoms and I think that is a very positive story. Athletes are being responsible.”
“If they are so active then that’s very good,” a spokesperson for the organisers said. “We are promoting safe sex.” …
Distributing thousands of free condoms to athletes has been a tradition since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. At the Sydney Olympics in 2000 athletes quickly used up the 70,000 free condomsprophylactics, forcing organisers to supply another 20,000, while in Athens four years later the provision was doubled to 130,000. At both the Beijing Games in 2008 and the Vancouver winter Olympics in February 100,000 condoms were provided.]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/oct/07/commonwealth-games-delhi-condom-drains
thanks Dong @3479.
this has got my interest. Love history but this is a area that I have not considered before.
The way the gospels were chosen sounds a bit like the process governments go through to determine certain policy decisions !
[ I heard on some news last night(mayby Ch 9) that a coalition member had sent a letter to ICAC, re Rob Oakeshott, the comment was there is deep hostility between the Nats and RO, Did anyone else hear that? ]
I don’t know about this instance, but my relos in Port Macquarie tell me the Nat’s last federal campaign in Lyne against RO was vicious. Not just the official campaign (which was bad enough), but the nasty whisper campaign carried out under the radar.
There’s no doubt the next election campaign in Lyne will be ramped up by several orders of magnitude.
Rod Hagen @ 3481
Not a bad account from your perspective at Hurstbridge but your scoring is too generous to both parties. Kennett deserves a negative score and the present govt deserves less than 5 / 10.
Two issues that puzzle me:
The new trains in Melbourne are being imported with some local fitting out.
Why can’t the states get together and support local industry in building carriages here? There surely is scope for some degree of standardisation of the basics with appropriate local variations to accommodate different requirements such as air conditioning / heating and track gauge. I undoubtedly simplify and am interested in what others can offer.
Second point is the layout of the Melbourne system.
It is all radial and except at the centre nothing connects. Sydney has various points where lines connect but Melbourne is purely radial. Surely planning should encompass the linking of existing lines so that across suburb journeys are more feasible? Singapore provides a good model and note that it has all been built since the mid 1980’s so serious progress can be made in a couple of decades or less.
[I have a relative who is so confused by it all that he won’t even try any more. I’m sure there must be others like him.]
Lizzie – is this an age related thing. OH and I hate having to use the ticketting system in Sydney. We watch the young ones just punching away and doing it so easily while we stand trying to work it all out. We usually ask someone to do it for us but I don’t blame the Govt. for it – I blame us. If we did it every day then I’d write it down what to do and after a few goes I’d be OK – just as I did when I started using the computer.
I hear people moaning about the trains in Sydney but I think they’re fantastic. If they’re a bit late, so what – they might have been helping someone aboard or somebody was ill. I think we’ve all become too whingy and inconsiderate.
For the photographers & nature lovers. British wildlife photography awards 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2010/oct/06/british-wildlife-photography-awards-2010#/?picture=367388626&index=9
An interesting little mystery. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2010/oct/07/steve-bell-david-cameron-conservative-conference Whatever did it say?
*
ABBOTT4LEADER
7 October 2010 4:07PM
This comment has been removed by a moderator. Replies may also be deleted.
* sheepshank
7 October 2010 4:19PM
ABBOTT4LEADER
We bow down to your shining wit.
BH @ 3495
I cannot understand the problem lizzie refers to. MYKI is extremely simple to use and it seems to cause less problems than the old cardboard tickets which seem to regularly jam in readers or get rejected.
The only issue I would have is charging MYKI through the website which may deter the less computer literate. The recharging machines at stations can be slightly confusing the first time too, particularly if paying with a credit / debit card. But these are relatively infrequent events if you load enough credit for a few journeys each time.
I keep my MYKI in my wallet and simply touch the wallet on readers and in almost all cases it is read much faster than an old Metlink ticket.
The old ticketing system was rapidly approaching it’s use by date and had to be replaced. A lot of criticism of the cost of MYKI rests on the invalid assumption that any alternative had zero cost.
OPT
As a set, very good, but not great, IMHO.
to Doyley 3492
The Koran was decided in much the same way. they gathered all the existing copies of the Koran took out any parts that the current leaders didnt like or were contradictory and they burnt the rest so there would not be an argument afterwards. I read this in a great book by an Islamic scholar while in teaching in India.