Newspoll has conducted its usual fortnighly poll from a normal sample of 1151, but for some reason The Australian only provides results for preferred Labor leader. This offers yet more evidence that Julia Gillard is now less popular than Kevin Rudd, with the former favoured by 29 per cent against 36 per cent for the latter, with 10 per cent opting for Wayne Swan. The Australian’s report leads with the news that “only one in 10 voters back Wayne Swan as their preferred Labor leader”, which hardly comes as a surprise. Swan’s inclusion in the mix distinguishes the poll from previous Newspoll efforts six weeks ago and early last year, as does a six point hike in the undecided rating from 19 per cent to 25 per cent.
Today also saw the weekly Essential Research poll, which had Labor slipping another point on two-party preferred to trail 54-46. The Coalition is up a point on the primary vote to 47 per cent, with Labor and the Greens steady on 35 per cent and 11 per cent respectively. Contra Nielsen, the poll finds a slight increase in support for the carbon tax, with support up five points on a fortnight ago to 39 per cent and opposition down two to 49 per cent. If “the money paid by big polluting industries was used to compensate low and middle income earners and small businesses for increased prices”, support is 51 per cent (down three points) and opposition 33 per cent (up three points). Support for the National Broadband Network has increased since a dip in February, up six points to 54 per cent with opposition down three to 28 per cent. There are also two questions on Israel-Palestine which do not to my mind prove terribly illuminating.
[and Victoria
It isn’t that big a deal. Just a small example of generally poor judgement in my opinion. If I were an adviser in Gillard’s office, I would have advised saying nothing and letting Windsor handle it – it isn’t as if he needs help. Gillard has much bigger issues on which she needs to be seen as far more effective.]
and if she was ask about and stood there like abbott did on ch, 7 you would be complaining,
Julia, did not call a NEWS CONF., over it she was ask.
so what jv do you suggest she should of did a tone and wallked off.
my say@187
Most humour has a victim of sorts – especially in politics. Billy MacMahon as the volkswagon with the doors open (that got another run in the Ita/Packer story); Gough’s voice; Margaret’s appearance. What about the merciless Max Gillies parodies of Hawke and others? I’m sure many didn’t like some of those.
Satirists and cartoonists are continually offensive to someone, somewhere. In fact they are entitled to be. It’s an implied term in their artistic licence. Everyone understands that, as the ABC said to you in their reply.
With respect, the last people to be listened to about taking offence to cartoons and satire are those taking offence on behalf of someone else; and the very last of those are people taking offence on behalf of a politician they have an emotional attachment to.
If you start saying humorous material cannot be ‘offensive’ in the eyes of anyone, then that’s the end of cartoonists, satirists, and a great slab of what is best in life. If you can’t have humour, what’s the point of anything? Let’s all go and live in a Gulag.
Good Morning, Bludgers.
Up here in the mountains, the Q Flood Inquiry brings back memories we’ve been trying to lose; especially when, Out West, Roma is threatened with another flood. To think – All that fuss about Noah and his flood lasted only 40 days!
BB Thanks for your (P?1) post. Tough Cheddar, GP, the NewsLtd scandal, far from going away, will just get bigger – and much better!
[I am intrigued that you get could get HANSARD mailed to you. And that you were interested.
What was your politcal involvement at the time?]
The post-war decades (well into the Hawke era) were intensely political: Cold War, “Communist” Referendum, The Split/s, Vietnam, conscription, “Aboriginal” referendum, revocation of White Australia Policy, roll-back of censorship (I didn’t watch Paper Giants I remember it. Somewhere in my memorabilia tin trunks is the first copy – centrefold intact). Demos, demos & more demos, hippies & love beads – to die for rock music, Holt, Gorton, Whitlam, Phil Lynch, Fraser, Hawk … Great controversial TV “current {political} affairs” progs on commercial TV as well as ABC …
And media that was still decades away from post-Pat Buchanan-GOP Great Dumbing Down, especially in Australia, where there is no longer a semblance of quality print/TV MSM journalism.
Remember that “dumbing down” was, in fact, a deliberate Buchanan-Rove-Cheney strategy to ensure continuing Republican control of USA’s political systems aided & abetted by Murdoch media and televangelists! It helps get Murdoch’s USA, UK & Aust efforts into perspective; however Australia, unlike USA & UK, had NO independent, quality press with the national clout to counter NewsLtd’s propaganda.
That’s a very big issue indeed! If Murdoch suddenly switched sides, and became as relentlesly antiLiberal & Abbott as it now is antiLabor & Gillard, you, GP, and the other proLib PBers would be screaming your heads off – as well you know! And you’d be obsessive about reporting it on PB! So argue the issue & bin the spin, will ya!
gee Julia can never win with you lot,
can she,
some times when caught on the trot, we say things and then think gosh should not have said that.
or should of said abc.
[ didn’t watch Paper Giants ]
i have the the same recolection at oz poll thats why i didnt watching it
i never bought those mags or any they have put out.
[Equally likely is, he’s incapable of changing the record. This isn’t a character who is know for originality. His whole motivation as an ultra-conservative is about staying in a groove, where nothing changes, and the same old dirge gets rerun again and again.]
Cuppa@116 – I notice this with Joyce as well. When he is asked questions which stray from the usual line he finds it difficult to come up with the cliches and the absolute trash that he usually runs with. Altho he did speak well about the ADF issue on Insiders but the volume and the trashy stuff returned when Cassidy mentioned carbon tax.
Windsor’s comments in the ABcOnline article were interesting. wtte that nobody in Qld Party is all that enamoured with Barnaby and won’t stand aside for him.
[
The same tired arguments have been trotted out by FPTP proponents worldwide. Has anyone seen any polling into the referendum?
]
UK Polling Report has all the latest polling
[
The monthly ICM poll for the Guardian shows a solid lead for the NO campaign in the AV referendum. Excluding don’t knows and won’t says, and weighted by likelihood to vote, the topline figures are YES 42%(-7), NO 58%(+7). Changes are from February.
Without turnout weighting and repercentaging the figures are YES 33%, NO 44%, Don’t know 23%.
This is the biggest lead we’ve so far seen for the no campaign in a question asking the bare referendum question, but is very much in line with the “No-wards” trend we’ve seen from other pollsters. The only company still showing YES ahead in recent polling is Angus Reid.
]
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/
[That’s a very big issue indeed! If Murdoch suddenly switched sides, and became as relentlesly antiLiberal & Abbott as it now is antiLabor & Gillard, you, GP, and the other proLib PBers would be screaming your heads off – as well you know! And you’d be obsessive about reporting it on PB! So argue the issue & bin the spin, will ya]
Murdoch has changed sides several times in his lifetime. Odd man he is.
As I said it isn’t a big deal in itself. But in my view the correct response for her as PM was to brush talk of Joyce aside as the most trivial, irrelevant and uninteresting matter since Paris Hilton went to a party.
In fact she could have said that – and then gone on to talk about the exciting work of the MPC and Garnaut on carbon action using Joyce’s denialism as the springboard.
While I don’t think credit rating agencies have any credibility left after the GFC, this story has some validity: S&P is threatening to downgrade the USA’s sovereign credit rating from AAA to AA+:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/19/3195358.htm?section=justin
If any other country had the USA’s budget deficit stats in recent years, they would already have been downgraded. Effectively, the USA is quietly devaluing their dollar now. Don’t expect the Aussie dollar to go back down any time soon. This will affect our exports; it is the real problem for them – not the carbon tax.
jaundiced view@158
jv….feeling sorry for someone doesn’t make me a “supporter”……I feel sorry for Barney Rubble FFS…..doesn’t make me a supporter….
I’ve been on the receiving end in one of Frank’s flame wars…..and I’m certainly not supportive of that kind of nonsense…..whoever starts/perpetuates it…..
Bludgers, for those of you who watched Paper Giants. There was an inaccuracy that should be highlighted.
When Gough Whitlam started his speech with “Men and Women of Australia, the whole future of Australian democracy is in your hands” that was not from the May 1974 election as depicted in the show, but from the December 1975 election following the dismissal. You can see the docu-drama clip of it here http://bit.ly/g1kpLp
I knew Ian from different fora, and, BK,, you’re right about certainly won’t hold back
I’m also happy to see a medical researcher at the helm. It’s one of this nation’s greatest strengths. I also hope Ian will ensure those scientists who win the “brain” equivalent of Olympic Gold Medals get the same recognition as our athletes & sports persons. After all, are not those dedicated men and women to whom we own penicillin, perinatal care (Q once led the world in reducing mother & child neonatal deaths) a leading role in transplant surgery & recovery (esp kidney), Cancer treatment, IVF, research into cancer prevention and cure (check out the Nobels & patents in this group), burn treatment (world leader – ta, Fiona!) … and many others … at least as worthy of street parades as winning International cup teams and Gold Medal Olympians?
I’ve a feeling Ian was in a group whose ears I bent on just that subject during the 1990s.
PM responds to claims by SA AWU
[
JULIA Gillard has hit back at a fresh union attack on her planned carbon tax, rejecting claims that two South Australian industrial cities would “wiped off the map” if it went ahead.
As steel barons meet in Canberra today to discuss industry compensation, Australian Workers Union state secretary Wayne Hanson warned thousands of jobs would be lost in Whyalla and Port Pirie in the event of a carbon price.
The Prime Minister responded by arguing the moral case to tackle climate change.
“Strong words don’t make it right, and that’s completely untrue,” she said in Canberra of Mr Hanson’s warning.
“We will be protecting Australian jobs.
“Carbon pricing is the right thing to do for this nation’s future.”
]
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/politics-news/bhp-billitons-48bn-iron-expansion-defies-carbon-tax-uncertainty/story-fn59nqld-1226041438816
Aristotle,
You are dead right. I noticed it as well ( the show was ordinary). Freudenberg wrote the speech for Whitlam to capture the high ground – a great speech, but no one was listening. Gough may have watched last night.
[Has anyone seen any polling into the referendum?]
There was a report of a poll on Sky News UK this morning. I think it was 58-42 against, though the reporter seemed a bit doubtful about it. The No campaign is worried that Yes supporters will be the far more motivated to get out and vote, and they probably will be. I also heard even David Cameron rattling on about the need to preserve “one person one vote” by voting No. It’s so easy to dismiss that rubbish that I don’t understand how it could be getting any traction so close to the referendum.
George Wright officially endorsed as ALP national secretary
[
FORMER union movement tactician George Wright has been unanimously endorsed as ALP national secretary in a ballot today.
Mr Wright beat unknown candidate Dr Fayed Khatab 21-0 in a vote of the ALP national executive this morning.
]
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/george-wright-endorsed-as-labors-national-secretary/story-fn59niix-1226041433352
Thanks Socrates. The latest Guardian article is on Worst since Pearl Harbor: debt blow for US economy S&P cuts its long-term outlook, citing deficit and gap between parties on how to tackle it. (Note lead uses front page headline; the article still carries an earlier one)
And knowing most of that debt is owned by China makes it even less comforting!
Thanks, Ken Henry! Thanks, Kev Rudd! Thanks, Wayne Swan! Thanks Pete Costello! Thanks Paul Keating! Thanks Bob Hawke (who set the whole reform process in motion).
An economy and financial regulation the rest of the “Western world” wishes it had – often in print!
Pity media and political spite, and power-envy, tries to make us forget that fact!
Youse ‘ave all done us proud.
[
There was a report of a poll on Sky News UK this morning. I think it was 58-42 against, though the reporter seemed a bit doubtful about it.
]
triton
I gather that would be the ICM Guardian poll I referred to earlier
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/3475
They set up a real contest there. 😀
Shouldn’t that be Sayed Khatab?
So why no 2PP or JG v TA in last night’s Newspoll?
Maybe the OO held off publishing those results until this evening to avoid fighting for the same air time as the Neilsen poll and to extend the anti ALP talk over 3 days rather than 1 or 2 days.
[Our mate Kieran Gilbert believes the protests against the budget cuts have worked in the cases of the child care subsidy and the medical research. I wonder if they were actually in for the chop in the first place.]
We laughed at this in our house. We both said, when Penny had finished, that Gilbert’s next piece will be about the Govt. backing down because the media campaign and the rallies worked.
Wong virtually told him that the media was running its own campaign and the rallies were for nothing but Gilbert was having none of that.
OH just brought ‘Concert for George’ DVD back from Library so we’re going to veg out with lunch on our laps and watch it … bewdiful to be retired!!
I’d say so, madcyril. I didn’t read that till afterwards. BTW, I meant that the reporter seemed unconvinced that No really has such a strong lead.
[When Gough Whitlam started his speech with “Men and Women of Australia, the whole future of Australian democracy is in your hands” that was not from the May 1974 election as depicted in the show, but from the December 1975 election following the dismissal.]
Malcolm Farnsworth on twitter made the same observation as well.
[the Barney-Tony battle is wonderful _ but is it all about bluff and counter bluff? Pity they’re enemies _ so well matched.]
Has Barnaby confirmed he’s running in New England? The election is a long way off yet. There might be a Qld seat become vacant.
Good Morning Bludgers,
It is a late check in this morning, after a sleep in and a promise to watch Narnia with my kids this morning. Then knowing I had a late start discovered my laptop would not power up!
After a heart attack (to keep promises about watching Narnia I was pushing back some very tight deadlines!) I took a bet on the laptop having its knickers in a knot and removed the battery and power so it would go back to factory default.
Yeah, it worked! 😆
OzPol,
Soooo glad you are back. I love your clear spoken sense when it comes to all things political!
Well, the Packer/Ita show wasn’t a documentary. Historical accuracy is optional for that genre. The problem with the production for me was that Ita was two dimensional. That wasn’t the actor’s fault, but the script didn’t give us any insight into what she was really like; her weaknesses and foibles. It was just a continuum of success and mutual admiration.
My (Timely lol) response from ABC about Uhlmans bias on 7:30.
[Dear Ms Name
Thank you for your email regarding 7.30. In keeping with the Corporation’s complaint handling procedures, it has been referred to me for response.
Your concerns have been investigated by Audience and Consumer Affairs, a unit which is separate to and independent of program making areas within the ABC.
5.1.6 of the ABC Editorial Policies states; Context, analysis and comment included in news and current affairs content should be backed by demonstrable evidence, and based on the professional expertise and judgement of staff and not on personal opinion. The public expression of personal opinions of staff has no place in news and current affairs content.
Having reviewed the broadcast, we are satisfied that the host and chief political reporter were qualified to provide analysis of the Prime Minister’s comments, that the analysis was backed by demonstrable evidence and the segment is in keeping with the Corporation’s editorial standards.
It is Mr Uhlmann’s role on the program, as its chief political correspondent, to provide analysis on the day’s political events. Given that 7.30 is a national current affairs program that focuses on Federal political issues, we are satisfied that the program’s audience clearly understand his role. On review, we have not been able to identify a single instance in the broadcast where the presenter or chief political correspondent attempted to tell the audience what its opinion should be.
For your reference, the ABC Editorial Policies are available online at the attached link;
http://abc.net.au/corp/pubs/documents/EdPols07_updateFeb09_FIN%20tools.pdf
For your reference, the ABC Code of Practice is available online at: http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/documents/200806_codeofpractice-revised_2008.pdf
Should you be dissatisfied with this response to your complaint, you may be able to pursue your complaint with the Australian Communications and Media Authority http://www.acma.gov.au .
Please note that while the ABC Code of Practice makes reference to the Complaints Review Executive and Independent Complaints Review Panel, these avenues of review have been discontinued as a result of changes to the ABC’s self-regulatory which came into effect on 11 April 2011. For more information about the changes the ABC has made to its self-regulatory framework, please refer to the report available here – http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/documents/review_of_the_abc_self_regulation_framework_1009.pdf.”
Please be assured that your comments have been brought to the attention of ABC News management.
Yours sincerely
Kieran Doyle
Audience and Consumer Affairs
]
[Has Barnaby confirmed he’s running in New England?]
Not quite confirmed yet I think. He said he’d go where the party thought he’d do best.
BTW, I thought Insiders really let down their standards on Sunday having that buffoon on as their feature interview. He belongs on the populist media. Surely they could have found someone of more substance.
The other point Al, was that the show had a shot of a headline that read HUGE SWING to the ALP in the 1972 election. It was 2.5%. Not what you’d call huge.
Headline writers never change, it seems.
Confessions, I hadn’t noticed Malcolm Farnsworth’s comment on twitter, but It’s clear it stood out to a few of us.
Such a silly mistake, but then most of the production crew may not have been even born in ’74 or ’75.
[Mark Tobin MarkTobinSydney NSW Govt stripping RTA, Railcorp and Sydney Buses of powers for major procurement, long term planning and policy. #nswpol ]
Ooooohhh. Policy.
[Please note that while the ABC Code of Practice makes reference to the Complaints Review Executive and Independent Complaints Review Panel, these avenues of review have been discontinued as a result of changes to the ABC’s self-regulatory which came into effect on 11 April 2011.]
How convenient!
Space Kidette, My Say,
In my experience and observation the ABC has never upheld a single complaint about bias, partiality or whatever. They are always right and every complainer is wrong.
Aristotle:
Farnsworth had two tweets about Whitlam anomalies in the show. One was made after watching the first ep, and the other was last night. I can’t remember what the first one was though.
[ Please note that while the ABC Code of Practice makes reference to the Complaints Review Executive and Independent Complaints Review Panel, these avenues of review have been discontinued as a result of changes to the ABC’s self-regulatory which came into effect on 11 April 2011.]
Couldn’t cope with the volume of appeals so shut down the mechanisms?
[#PaperGiants – superb. I’ll even forgive the incorrect Whitlam policy speech chronology at the beginning…
7:31 PM Apr 17th via Twitter for iPad]
This was the Farnsworth tweet I was thinking of from Sunday night. Don’t know if it refers to the same thing though.
OMG!
http://twitpic.com/4meuy4
Can you imagine headlines like that now?
We should put an immediate hold to further investment in mining infrastructure. It is mostly owned o/s, the profits are mostly expatriated, and the iindustry is hollowing out the rest of Australia.
When the stuff is gone we will be stuffed.
Let’s just say the Government fails to get a majority in the House voting for its proposed carbon tax.
What then?
[KevinWilde Duncan Gay says “arrogance” of RTA will need to change. #nswpol 1 minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® ]
Tis true. The NSW Roads and Traffic Authority have the same reputation as Fed Defence in the level of control a Minister can exert over them.
No matter how many times the Minister or Head of Department is shafted it remains business as usual.
[Boerwar
Posted Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 12:23 pm | Permalink
Let’s just say the Government fails to get a majority in the House voting for its proposed carbon tax.
What then?]
JG has said, we’ll do nothing for 20 years.
My Response to the ABC BS
[Sorry, Keiran, but I find your response to my complaints beyond comprehension.
I note that not a single complaint lodged by my peers has actually demonstrated any kind of change as a result of repeated complaints made to the ABC. Please provide an example where a complaint has rendered a change in programming and I will happily retract this part of my complaint.
The degree of bias displayed by Mr Uhlmann was further demonstrated when in a subsequent interview of Mr Abbott, he pretty much let him state whatever he wanted unchallenged, despite many of the statements made by Abbott being known to be factually incorrect. Compare this to the treatment of the Australian Prime Minister who is repeatedly disparaged and attacked when making factual statements. Why? Is not the ABC supposed to be a neutral reporter? Are they not supposed to correct statements they know to be incorrect?
I also notice that there is now no reference to the Complaints Review Executive and Independent Complaints Review Panel, these avenues of review have been discontinued as a result of changes to the ABC’s self-regulatory which came into effect on 11 April 2011. Could you please explain why this change was made and who authorised the change?
]
[So why no 2PP or JG v TA in last night’s Newspoll?
Maybe the OO held off publishing those results until this evening to avoid fighting for the same air time as the Neilsen poll and to extend the anti ALP talk over 3 days rather than 1 or 2 days.]
TomH, I’m all but certain there used to be an agreement not to publish Newspoll & Neilsen in the same week unless an election had been called; but can’t recall if that was limited to “Silly Season” long breaks. I do seem to remember reading comments wtte Newspoll broke that agreement at least once.
William or Possum would be sure.
So, sorry, there may not be any reason for conspiracy theories – that we know. But I wouldn’t bet real money on it.
Boerwar@239
The point of the current negotiations on the MPC is to work out something acceptable to all parties, so there are no surprises at the vote. There is no need for any problem. The Greens are already with Garnaut.
The only way the wheels can fall off is if the Ferguson/ right get their way and lock Labor into rejecting Garnaut for some weak watered-down position like the old CPRS. That’s the only possible problem for Labor as I see it at present. We will know well before any vote though.
You watch this one get not upheld….
Dear ABC,
I am writing to complain about the wording of a headline on the ABC News Online site, 18 April 2011:
[“Labor support slumps amid carbon tax revolt”]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/18/3193914.htm
Where did the ABC got the term “revolt” to use in the context of the carbon tax (proposed)?
Obviously you got it from the leader of the Coalition, who has in the past couple of months been spinning up the prospect of a, quote: “carbon tax revolt”.
What the ABC has done here is quote a Coalition political slogan, word for word, incorporating same into the wording of a headline on its so-called news site.
This is blatant political propagandising and right-wing spinning from the ABC. A shift in an opinion poll (which is supposed to be the subject of the accompanying story) does not equal a “revolt”. Please note the definition of “revolt”:
[ • rebellion: organized opposition to authority]
If the ABC cannot be honest, factual and excellent in its “news” coverage, could you at least try to be impartial and politically-neutral?
I guess the ABC in its current deplorable state is concerned with neither standards of editorial rigour, nor its requirement for political non-favouritism.
I fully expect a reply from Audience and Consumer Affairs laced with spin as always (spin being the ABC’s chief commodity these days), finding no basis for my complaint, finding that the revolting headline is above board in every respect, and suggesting that it’s me who’s got the problem, not the debased, charter-breaching right-wing propaganda machine the allegedly public broadcaster has become.
Yours sincerely
etc
You wont believe it! I have aKookaburra about three feet from me sitting on my outdoor furniture facing me. What a wow experience! It looks like it is a baby!
Cuppa,
I am sick to death of the ABC but I refuse to give up. Eventually the weight of complaint has to account for some change, however small.
Goodonya SK. Evil flourishes when good people do nothing.
SK
Lucky you. My big excitement for the morning was picking up a dead Frogmouth on our street. Killed by a car last night.
Boerwar,
How sad! They are beautiful birds. What a shame.