This week’s Essential Research shows no real change in voting intention on last week, with the Coalition up a point on the primary vote to 49 per cent, Labor and the Greens steady on 31 per cent and 11 per cent, and two-party preferred steady at 56-44. The poll also measures Bob Brown’s approval rating at 42 per cent and disapproval at 34 per cent (including very favourable figures among Labor voters of 60 per cent and 15 per cent); has 31 per cent favouring Kevin Rudd as Labor leader over 16 per cent for Julia Gillard (Gillard leads 40 per cent to 33 per cent among Labor voters); and 30 per cent favouring Malcolm Turnbull as Liberal leader with 23 per cent for Tony Abbott (Abbott leads 39 per cent to 26 per cent among Coalition voters). Further questions on the mining boom have 66 per cent believing it has benefited them “not at all”, 51 per cent supporting the mining tax (down one on mid-March) and 29 per cent opposing it (down five).
Federal preselection happenings in New South Wales:
• The NSW Liberal Party state executive has voted to dump Garry Whitaker as its candidate for Craig Thomson’s seat of Dobell. He has been replaced by Karen McNamara, a WorkCover public servant who reportedly has backing from the party’s right, who was defeated by Whitaker in the original preselection vote in December. Whitaker has since been struggling with allegations he had lived for several years without council permission in an “ensuite shed” on his Wyong Creek property while awaiting approval to build a house there.
• More proactivity from the NSW Liberal state executive in neighbouring Robertson, a seat the party was disappointed not to have won in 2010. Local branches have had imposed upon them Lucy Wicks, who herself holds a position on the executive by virtue of her status as president of the party’s Women’s Council. Wicks was identified by the Sydney Morning Herald last year as a member of the “centre right” faction associated with federal Mitchell MP Alex Hawke, which in alliance with the moderates had secured control of the state executive. Like the Dobell intervention, the imposition of Wicks occurred at the insistence of Tony Abbott – local branches in both seats have called emergency meetings to express their displeasure.
• Michelle Hoctor of the Illawarra Mercury reports Ann Sudmalis, the candidate backed by retiring member Joanna Gash, won Liberal preselection on Saturday in Gilmore with 16 votes against 10 for her main rival Andrew Guile. Rounding out the field were Alby Schultz’s son Grant, who scored four votes, and Meroo Meadow marketing consultant Catherine Shields on one. For those wondering about the small number of votes, the NSW Liberals’ preselection procedure involves branches being allocated a number of selection committee delegates in proportion to their membership, rather than a massed rank-and-file ballot.
• Imre Salusinszky of The Australian reports the Nationals are in the “‘initial stages’ of discussions with popular independent state MP Richard Torbay about endorsing him for a tilt at independent federal MP Tony Windsor in New England”. Torbay has been the independent member for Northern Tablelands since 1999, and served as Legislative Assembly Speaker during Labor’s last term in office.
[The only thing I have seen or heard is that he was cuddling someone in bed. Drake seems to know more, but there is still nothing in Drake’s post that is either a civil or criminal matter.]
The Mod,
I would have thought allegations of Slipper having entering a young employee’s room through a window, “cuddling” them in bed and then pissing out the window were serious allegations. They went to a potentially serious breach of the standard of conduct expected of a member of parliament and therefore warranted further action by the Coalition.
You don’t agree?
[If there is a political catastrophe for the Libs, fine. We just go with a Plan B.]
Which is what?
Elect Morrison or Hockey as leader?
Please, please, please let it be so.
Give it a break!
Good night all.
[The allegations of sexual harrassment.]
I haven’t seen any allegations of sexual harassment. Just allegations of a photo with him cuddling someone. If there was another complaint of sexual harassment that should be released as well.
If any media outlet has any such document I can’t understand why they wouldn’t release it. Otherwise, it is just an attempt to “out” someone against their will.
If there was no formal complaint from an individual that Slipped had sexually harassed them, the Liberal Party did exactly the right thing to do nothing.
This is a good example of what doesn’t happen in Australian politics.
Sometimes the POMS get really ticked off and this sort of enquiry gets away from the politicians – the origin of ‘don’t have a royal commission unless you know the answers’.
Paste it into word and do a character count and don’t forget the additional “anti”.
[The Mod,
I would have thought allegations of Slipper having entering a young employee’s room through a window, “cuddling” them in bed and then pissing out the window were serious allegations. They went to a potentially serious breach of the standard of conduct expected of a member of parliament and therefore warranted further action by the Coalition.
You don’t agree?]
For me it all boils down to consent. If the two individuals were in a consenting relationship then I don’t want to know anything about it, whether the parties involved are hetero, homo or bi (or any other option), whether they are married or single, whether they are old or young, I simply don’t care and don’t want to know.
If you are suggesting we should know every bit of bad behaviour from every politician then we are going to need more bandwith… (when does that NBN start?)
CTar,
That “oath” bit is a biggie.
[Rummel, do you have any basis on which to be reporting this as fact?]
WB,
Yes. I have a very good contact. I am 100% posisitive that a stat dec was signed today. it is now a question if the stat dec makes it to the media or police authority. that is the question.
ModLib:
Ashby’s main claim against the Commonwealth is that Slipper’s behaviour in 2003 should have been acted on. If, as you say, there is nothing in the 2003 allegations, then Ashby really has no claim against the Commonwealth – and his allegations about Slipper’s recent behaviour kind of falls apart too. They look very flimsy indeed on their own, if he can’t establish a pattern of behaviour.
If I’m reading his claim correctly, he seems to be trying to make the case that, in the light of previous behaviour by Slipper, his recent communications with Ashby had serious undertones. He’s trying to tie it all together.
So if you think Slipper’s squeaky clean in his previous dealings with his staff, you’re likely saying Ashby hasn’t got a case.
Mr Jay keeps having to say “Do you understand that?”
Bemused you sound like a defeatist … Understandable, but chin up. Dark days now and ahead but remember 18 months … a long long time…..
I have great faith in the Australian community’s good sense to eventually see through the crap beneath the surface of The Rt. hon T Abbott
[I haven’t seen any allegations of sexual harassment. ]
Then you haven’t been watching or listening to the news.
Perhaps we’ll file that under selective watching and listening? I really don’t care.
Skipped lot of posts – Jay hacking now.
Aguirre,
ModLib is a random argument generator. How you choose to engage is up to you, of course.
[For me it all boils down to consent. If the two individuals were in a consenting relationship then I don’t want to know anything about it, whether the parties involved are hetero, homo or bi (or any other option), whether they are married or single, whether they are old or young, I simply don’t care and don’t want to know.
If you are suggesting we should know every bit of bad behaviour from every politician then we are going to need more bandwith… (when does that NBN start?)]
The Mod,
I’d prefer members of parliament didn’t climb through or piss out of hotel windows, but that’s just me.
Aguirre:
As you will see from my posts I am not making any determination as to whether he is “squeaky clean” or pig sty dirty. I am just stating my opinion that unless there is an issue where something has happened without consent then there is no sexual harassment. The only person to be accused of a consensual relationship in recent times is Julian Assange, but lets not get that peccadilo started tonight as I am about to head off to bed- early start tomorrow!
Ashby may well make the case that Slipper has a history of employing young men on his staff for reasons other than their typing skills. Good luck to him, let him make that case. For me, if there was consent, I don’t want to know about it. Its a matter for Mr Slipper, his wife, and the third party, not me.
TLBD – Haven’t done the paste but is 31 the answer?
Some people talk and make sense. Some people talk.
If the inquiry wasn’t trying to improve the conduct of the “press” this bloke would have been sent to the knackers.
Yeah, I know. He likes to fight on his own turf, though. Only going on my previous dealings with him, but if I ever make a good point he just drops the topic entirely.
Jimmy giving the water jug a hammering again! 😉
[Yes. I have a very good contact. I am 100% posisitive]
William,
There it is. Incontrovertible.
Ctar,
42.
ModLib – Are you hacked off as well?
Be back – I’ll still talk.
[So if you think Slipper’s squeaky clean in his previous dealings with his staff, you’re likely saying Ashby hasn’t got a case.]
Yep. My thoughts exactly.
It must be tricky for Liberals. On the one hand they want to go the attack angle against the govt, but on the other, can’t go too hard because Slipper served as deputy speaker as a Liberal for all that time, as well as a frontbencher, and nothing was ever mentioned about his background, or the allegations we now know the LIberals knew about.
Awkward.
Labor’s only chance is for Abbott to do something very stupid in the next 18 months or so, assuming this government lasts that long.
(ModLib is a random argument generator. How you choose to engage is up to you, of course.)
Thats why i dont lbd,
I read the posts about her, but not her posts,
scorps,
Weird images loom.
http://m.urbandictionary.com/#define?term=trolling
Rossmoe @ 2363
Where on earth do you get that idea from?
Couldn’t be further from the truth.
Drake
I have no way to prove my claim unless it hits the press. So be it.
TLBD – Oh well. 32 is my limit (so 1 more beer possible – lucky other thing salted away for today).
👿
Oh dear, when wexnews are suggesting the LIberals might have a problem, they may have a problem.
http://www.vexnews.com/
[but if I ever make a good point he just drops the topic entirely.]
In the immortal words of my fearless leader tonight:
“I can’t recall”
my say,
Is Mod Lib a female of our species?
Hope you, daughter and grandson are doing OK.
Isn’t PB just the best for good vibes?!
I agree with drake about the type of behavior we should expect from out MP’s however that doesn’t seem to apply as much is kept in some secret pact between politicians and the media allegedly. However I would have thought there should be a high standard required of those who hold higher positions? That certainly seems to be the position the media is taking on the Slipper issue. Even Tingle held this position in the FR today.
The problem with Poll Bludger: It’s now little more than a virtual branch meeting of Gillard lovers, who all agree with each other, and engage in increasingly fanciful wishful thinking about the imminent downfall of the Liberal Party/Tony Abbott/News Ltd/Kevin Rudd etc.
I find the self-delusion here either amusing or a little sad.
CTar,
Might have a chat to you next week about whites if Leveson is still a joint project.
Rummel, it’s not really good enough to come on here under a pseudonym and announce that another anonymous person has accused a person who isn’t anonymous of fraud, when you can provide absolutely no details and are telling us evidence to support what you’re saying might never emerge.
[However I would have thought there should be a high standard required of those who hold higher positions? ]
Yes, yes. So why was Slipper allowed to hold LNP endorsement for the entire time he served as deputy speaker? Why wasn’t he disendorsed when the allegations were first put to Howard;s office?
[rummel
Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 10:35 pm | Permalink
Driver of Slipper was in at Queanbeyan court house getting a JP to sign a stat dec on further alligations of slipper fraud.]
Be a bit carefull with your random crap rummal, the Australain can afford the Lawyers, you can’t, and if the Australian won’t touch it, the fish really does stink.
Re Singapore
Boerwar 2330
________
Yes Singapore aitrport is better run than any in Australia
We went there recently to see their astonishing Garden Festival….as good as Chelsea’s and as you said the arrival hall experience at the airport was friendly and swift..as it always has been
As for haircuts S’Pore is more relaxed than it was once long ago,and the young seem very smart and with it
I think LBD is going on experiences pergaps gained in the 1980ies ??
By contrast the return at Tullamarine …as usual was unwelcoming and just plain slow…and now they X Ray all incoming baggage…not done in many places in my experince certainly not in S’Pore
Moddy and BW seem to have ‘left’ for the night while other interesting people have stayed.
I hope I’ve not challenged anyone or been offensive ?
[Elect Morrison or Hockey as leader?
Please, please, please let it be so.]
No, No, No!!! I have been burning incense and making sacrifice of small animals such that the Dogs will make Julie Bishop the next leader of the Fiberals.
The farce is strong with that one!
[Thornleigh Labor Man
Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 11:24 pm | Permalink
The problem with Poll Bludger: It’s now little more than a virtual branch meeting of Gillard lovers, who all agree with each other]
How in the hell did you get through the door.
The Mod,
Are you saying that a member of parliament’s behaviour is irrelevant unless it is unlawful?
CTar1
I am certainly not offended, I just didn’t think there was anything you actually wanted me to reply to was there?
I am planning to head off to bed now though, so we can re-engage anon!
Good night.
Perhaps those paid from the public purse should be above reproach?
Feel free to propone the whys, wheres and wherefores. I shall not engage on that sophistry.
Bemused: How reliable is your “source”?