GhostWhoVotes tweets that the latest fortnightly Newspoll has the Coalition’s two-party preferred lead at 55-45, from primary votes of 32 per cent for Labor (up two on last time) and 46 per cent for the Coalition (up one). The personal ratings are good news for Tony Abbott: his approval rating is up four to 36 per cent and his disapproval is down three to 52 per cent, and he has opened up a lead over Julia Gillard as preferred prime minister of 40 per cent (up three) to 37 per cent (down three). Julia Gillard is respectively up down one to 32 per cent and up two to 57 per cent. Newspoll also ran a teaser last night showing Abbott favoured over Gillard for economic management 43 per cent to 34 per cent, and Wayne Swan and Joe Hockey in a statistical dead heat for preferred Treasurer (38 per cent to 37 per cent).
We also today had yet another 54-46 result from Essential Research. After losing a point on the primary vote over each of the two previous weeks, Labor was back up one to 34 per cent, with the Greens down one to 10 per cent and the Coalition steady on 47 per cent. Essential’s monthly measure of leadership approval found both leaders’ personal ratings essentially unchanged – Julia Gillard down one on approval to 36 per cent and up one on disapproval to 53 per cent, Tony Abbott steady on 35 per cent and up two to 53 per cent – but contrary to Newspoll, Gillard made a solid gain as preferred prime minister, her lead up from 39-36 to 41-34. However, only 31 per cent expected her to lead Labor to the next election against 47 per cent who said they didn’t (hats off to the 22 per cent who admitted they didn’t know); while for Tony Abbott the numbers were 47 per cent and 25 per cent.
A question on government control of media ownership has support for more control and less control tied on 24 per cent, with 34 per cent thinking it about right. There was also a question on the impact of Gina Rinehart on the independence of Fairfax newspapers, which I personally find a little odd – the issue would mean little outside of New South Wales and Victoria. I also had my doubts about the question on whether Australia is “fair and just”, but the question asking for comparison with other countries is interesting: Canada and New Zealand are seen as Australia’s main partners in freedom, the UK does less well, Japan and France less well again, and the United States worse still. China however sits well below the rest of the field.
Mick Collins @ 9287
Reverted to kindergarten days?
Pricing carbon emissions has been Labor policy since 2007. If they ditch it again as Rudd did in 2010, it will look as though they are incapable of sticking to anything for any stretch of time.
Sorry this runs contrary to almost everything we are told about PM Rudd.
TLM
Why the hell do you keep quoting the Australian, most of us has realised it is one paper full of CRAP!.
bemused and blue-green
I guess for you guys/girls any conviction religiously held, unless it’s atheism, and particularly if it’s Christianity, is bigotry?
Jenauthor- blah blah blah, apparent this and that.. who cares? 99% don’t really give a rats ass about politics in this country. It play’s 10th fiddle to sport and anything else like my kitchen rules or the biggest loser.
The people liked Rudd so much so at one stage that the man was untouchable. All they saw was the person they elected was knifed.
How could the PM ever govern with that hanging over her.
Now what you say may well be true but it doesn’t matter. Perception is everything. Rudd is the only chance that the ALP has of winning at the next election. (be it slim,)
TLM
[Darren Cheeseman isn’t changing his mind:}
I think he will be looking for a new job next year!.
I think that’s another thing that changed – he and wife are Anglicans these days, I think.
So you’re recommending a by-election in Labor’s most marginal seat, all because the local MP has the temerity not to support Saint Julia?
Hilarious!
BK @ 9291
I am far from a one-eyed Rudd supporter. He is human and has weaknesses.
But he is currently the best on offer as a leader for reasons such as blue-green cited.
Gillard is a good parliamentary performer but otherwise largely hopeless.
Confessions @9296
Don’t ditch it – go to the electorate and campaign honestly for it – legislation in place, starting date 2013. And where was this “Labor policy since 2007” in the cowardly and ridiculous 150 people’s assembly of 2010?
I think the government has decided to play the media game.
It’s all going to be brought to a head. There was never going to be any peace otherwise.
Everytime the government has a win in parliament it’s all about Ruddstoration.
What I would dearly love to know is how Downer & Bishop were 100% certain that Rudd was leaking against Gillard during the election.
Journos were also stating that Bishop’s overly clever question to Rudd on the Maldives had his paw prints all over it.
bemused has switched sides?
centaur009
The caucus KNIFED him, dumped him, wanted him GONE, she was offered a position she counld not refuse, because she was told if she did they would find someone ESLE!. EOS
You people should wake UP!.
9308
she did + not
Mick77 @ 9299
Mick, do pay attention. blue-green and I are on opposite sides of that argument.
I am not religious but have no trouble working in common cause with rational elements of all religions and have done so, particularly with Catholics. I shun extremists.
There, fixed that for ya, Tone.
By the way, that preparing for govt business, any policies involved in that, or just a few more factory visits?
Mick77
I think I get the gist of your post, but just for clarification atheism is not a religion
Bill Maher explains it best:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101710381
For those that seem to be struggling to understand why Gillard rolled Rudd.
Let me explain something about Women.
They expect men
– To be confident
– Have firm principles and beliefs
– Be able to defend themselves
– Be open to learning
– Be able to manage themselves
etc
Looking back at 2010, I don’t recall Kevin ticking any of those boxes therefore Gillard as a women and equally passionate ALP person saw that Rudd was slowly losing it, if he hadn’t already had lost it.
1934pc – Yep.
But are you surprised?
Mck 77Visiting from menzies house
There are other people in the ALP other than Kevin Rudd who are committed Christians, so according to the logic here, a good proportion of Labor MPs are disqualified from having seats in parliament. 🙂
CTar1 @ 9302
Tone and Maggie converted to Anglicanism?
Must get on the blower and let George Pell know about that.
Just double-checked my source re Chris Bowen. It appears he is playing both ends against the middle. So, Vex News and I are both correct!
1934pc- who care about caucus- a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down. think com cars and junkets, and their jobs that is the motivation.
They hated him then and they will hate him now, but he has the best chance of winning the next election!
I wo der who LLL is.”is he say for examp,e a’journa.ist
Seems’to write like one
He could even be a journalist lectuere,
What i am sayi ng .eople appearing outof no’where some
Agenda
Out and about this morning,
I did here a whisper rudd actually has very few , all a big beat up
His numbers
I wo der who LLL is.”is he say for examp,e a’journa.ist
Seems’to write like one
He could even be a journalist lectuere,
What i am sayi ng .eople appearing outof no’where some
Agenda
Out and about this morning,
I did here a whisper rudd actually has very few , all a big beat up
His numbers
Mick77:
If you don’t want carbon pricing then at least have the honesty to admit it rather than use Rudd’s white-anting as a cloak for your true intentions.
A carbon price is scheduled to come into force this year. To those who insist the govt should back out now, I repeat what I said about lily-livered hand wringers who lack the intestinal fortitude to see things through.
TLM @ 9317
Pardon? Who has argued anything even remotely like that?
Personally I don’t care about what strange beliefs they have privately so long as it doesn’t affect their performance.
Abbott’s affected his performance as Health Minister and I don’t like them mixing their religious beliefs with their role as a politician.
catmomma,
I’d always suspected that Bowen was using Rudd to advance his own personal position. Bowen can probably be bought off with a new Ministry. He wants Treasury but might accept Foreign Minister.
After today I think he’s a goner, will he resign to cause a by election to cause the government more pain, that we be a test of him as a real supporter of the ALP?.
Dee the muldives, question
At the time looked like a stage play
Could not put my finger on it,
Just seemed odd i think’it wasthe body language
William finns and iwant toswap emails
Please his request is in the morning area
I wonder if the MSM will find the time in their leadershit nonsense to focus on this important report. After all, the future of our kids is what it’s all about.
What’s the betting the first question will be about Rudd?
Bemused – You confused me like you often do 🙂
Why isn’t your branch meeting before sometime next week? Seems sort of ‘leave it and see’. Won’t a major point be next Monday? Curious.
You know, thinking back… Rudd’s farewell speech did an excellent job of setting up later support for him. Look at how ‘faceless men’ and ‘lurch to the right’ keep getting used as reasons to support him, despite his actual behaviour.
If Labor were so concerned about getting clean air they wouldn’t be going out and making provocative statements like Crean did.
The premier post at The Daily Derp
Read more – http://bit.ly/A6OlFV
I wonder if the MSM will find time in their leadershit crap to focus on this important report. After all, it’s about the future of our kids.
What’s the betting the first question will be about Rudd?
Chamber of comnerce here are not thinly disguised
Sorry about the double post. Thought the first one had disappeared.
If you were Rudd and you lost the caucus vote(and your position in cabinet), why on earth would you want to languish on the backbench for the next 18 months or so?
If I was him in that position, I’d pull the plug entirely, let Gillard fight a by-election in Griffith, and not assist her in any way.
Or he could become an Independent, and force Gillard to negotiate with him to keep her government in power.
Oops, that should be premiere post @9332.
Good points. I don’t think she’ll call for it. It would lend weight to her looking over her shoulder themes even with a comfortable win. Leave the running up to Rudd. I’m certain he can’t get 50%+1. He can certainly court the media, but he’s damaged his nice guy image with that Wilkie – NSW MPs duplicity.
I did hear mr rudd did not mnd the media co ing to church on sundays
But he doesn’t want to even change policies that much, he just thinks his inherent awesomeness is needed to rule the country. 😛
Itep
We are entitled to expect that our MSM can fart and chew gum at the same time. This is an important report and it is their job to report it to the public, whatever else is going on.
CTar1 @9329
Apologies for any confusion.
Like all other branches I know of, we hold regular, scheduled, monthly meetings. Ours is 4th Monday each month so Monday 27th Feb is our next.
Andy Dolt, the manchild :monkey:’s friend has made his list:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/how-kevin-rudd-can-kiss-it-all-better-again/story-e6frfifx-1226275149807
what KRudd should do as temporary PM before he graciously hand over the batton to the real :monkey: in waiting
Ahh who would have thought it, Dolt showing concern over the welfare of the Labor Government 😆
Bowen imo is average minister,