Morgan has released its regular fortnightly face-to-face plus SMS poll covering 2955 respondents over the past two weekends. On the primary vote, Labor is down half a point to 34%, the Coalition steady on 38.5%, Palmer United steady on 5% and the Greens up a point to 13% – which, while well short of Nielsen, makes it a third pollster showing the Greens vote at its highest for at least this term, or in this case since July 2012. Labor leads 52-48 on both measures of two-party preferred, compared with 51.5-48.5 on respondent-allocated and 52-48 on previous-election preferences last time. Essential Research will be with us tomorrow.
UPDATE: Essential is with us sooner than I thought, the report having been published on their website. This shows the Coalition down a point to 41%, Labor steady on 37%, the Greens at their highest for the current term with a gain of one point to 11%, and Palmer United also up one to 5%. Labor has recovered the 51-49 lead on two-party preferred it had lost with last week’s shift to 50-50. Also featured are “most important election issues”, showing economic management and health policy have gained in salience since before the election while “political leadership” has declined; a finding that 61% oppose funding cuts to the ABC, with 21% supportive; 45% expecting the government’s motivation to reduce ABC funding would be overall spending reduction rather its dislike of ABC news coverage (45% to 28%); 71% disapproving of raising the pension age with 20% supportive; 58% favouring 65 as the pension age; 64% disapproving of including the value of the family home in asset testing for pension eligibility, with 26% supportive.
Have a look at this eerie!
http://www.smh.com.au/national/gallipoli-ghost-captured-at-soldiers-cemetery-20140423-372w7.html
Three repeats – not required my finger must be over active.
It is nonsense. See earlier discussion.
imacca
[ The sustainment on F22 seems to be the killer and while the US can afford it, virtually no-one else can.]
Severe airframe problems seem to have the US AF limiting their flying time.
Our original Hornets had a similar problem.
WWP
My apologies. The Vietnam war hits a nerve.
“@MariamVeiszadeh: MT @bkjabour: PM says no knowledge of Aus ambassador to Croatia summoned over comments reportedly made on his behalf re: fascist anniversary”
I think some is being left out on a limb
Speaking of the JSF, this appears to me to be a mis-step from Shorten:
Ok, maybe I’ve got the timeline wrong, but wasn’t the JSF first “committed to” by Howard. From 2007 to 2013 the ALP government tip-toed around this, not scrapping Australian involvement but refusing to greatly increase our exposure.
So the ALP haven’t really been engaged with this very much at all.
If the JSF works out a treat down the track then maybe that’s the time to try to get some reflected glory, otherwise why stick your neck out now? Does the ALP really need to give the LNP some bipartisanship on this issue to take the heat out of hard questions they may get asked about this decision? If the JSF turns out to be an expensive lemon wouldn’t it be more prudent to be able to lay the blame basically solely at the feet of the LNP?
I see no upside to the ALP “claiming” anything about the JSF and effectively supporting the LNP on this, and plenty of potential downside.
Jackol
Yep. The right decision was the one they made when in Government: let’s wait and see and dip our toe in the water on a couple for test purposes.
Shorten should have maintained that line.
Jakl, Rudd signed off for the first 14 F35’s. We were promised then that the first would be delivered in 2014. Had Rudd not signed off, we would have been liable for a 500 million payout because of the original agreement signed by the Coalition
Mr Nice Guy : arrogant a$$hole ….
Morrison dismisses UN concerns
IMMIGRATION Minister Scott Morrison has rubbished suggestions the government’s boat turn-back policy is breaching international law.
The UN’s refugee agency claims the policy is in breach of the refugee convention and that the government has not responded to its request for information.
http://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/un-warns-boat-turnbacks-no-long-term-fix/story-e6frfkui-1226892856534
CTar1@505
Do what I do. Reserve your righteous anger for the crooks who got us into that mess, resulting in the death of over 500 young Australians.
At least they clarified my thinking on politics. I can never vote for that scummy lot.
Jackol@507
There was another item on RN which claimed JH made the first move in 2002 and another decision in 2006. Rudd made some sort of limited commitment in 2008 but I don’t recall the detail.
I am happy to stand back and let the Libs take full credit for this one and I suggest Shorten should do the same.
Allegations of “no balls” in Cabinet made by Denis Jensen
[Liberal MP Dennis Jensen has launched an extraordinary attack on the Abbott government’s multibillion-dollar purchase of fighter jets, suggesting his colleagues lacked the competency and the courage to stop the order.
“It’s a dud decision,” said Dr Jensen, a former Defence Department analyst, on Wednesday after the Abbott government revealed it had ordered 58 Joint Strike Fighters at a cost of $12 billion.
Dr Dennis Jensen has attacked the purchase of Joint Strike Fighters as a ”dud” decision
“No one has had the balls to call a halt to it or to even call for a full capability analysis against requirements.”]
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/liberal-mp-dennis-jensen-attacks-joint-strike-fighter-order-as-a-dud-decision-20140423-zqy6a.html#ixzz2zg1cnj7R
CTarI
[Domestic valance – no excuses. Full stop.]
That is a hard line…personally I don’t mind being able to see the bed posts 🙂
BTW, agree totally that there are no excuses for domestic violence.
bemused
You dont have a clue what you are bloody talking about.
How about you listen to Rosie Batty in her own words
http://www.2gb.com/audioplayer/39651#.U1cx-ucaySM
bemused
[Do what I do. Reserve your righteous anger for the crooks who got us into that mess, resulting in the death of over 500 young Australians.]
I can try. It was a blessed day when the last were recovered (SAS guy Fischer) and then the Canberra Bomber Crew!
They were all ‘have a drink days’
Over now I think.
imacca: Talk of the F-22 is irrelevant – the US never seriously considered selling them to anyone else, and the production line has long since shut down anyway.
caf Yep. Seriously flawed in basic design. Barrel twist.
Fly only when necessary.
Jolyon
The laptop did a hard ‘correct’ on me. 😀
victoria@515
I have watched, heard and read a lot that Rosie Batty had to say and I don’t disagree with her.
She had some terrible experiences before the ultimate one.
But you are not looking at what drove her ex-husband to do what he did. Do you think it is the act of a perfectly normal person?
CTar1@516
Have you ever been to the RAAF Base at Wagga? They have a small museum with a display telling the story of the recovery of the Canberra crew.
I hate to bring this up but I think Rudd has done an interview on the agreement he reached with Gillard back in 2010 only for Gillard to renege just 10 minutes later and choose to challenge for the leadership.
Yep Julia, one of your very best, nearly as good as giving the Greens their carbon tax.
Back to current topic – fat chance of that 😆
Paul Ham quotes a “senior coalition” figure in his book on the Australian involvement in the Vietnam War, who said defiatenly, “We never had a strategy to get out of the Vietnam War, we only had one to get into it”.
Our most senior Officers were never told by the Government what they expected to be achieved nor were they even briefed and as a result each replacement Commanding Officer change priorities to his own.
The Country Party sought US trade concessions in return for the deployment but the US refused to grant anything, while giving some modest concessions to NZ for their involvement.
Initially, Australian dead were not intented to even be returned home for burial, but intered in the closest Commonwealth War Cemetery in this instance, Malaysia but the uproar was such that they eventually backed down, but not before trying several times to stick to the original decision.
Sydney businessmen paid to return bodies of dead Australian soldiers before they finally caved in. The death of Major “Dasher” Wheatley in battle and his being awarded a Victiria Cross settled the argument and policy was changed finally.
A final important point, the commitment to Vietnam was heavily supported by public opinion – to start with anyway, and that made it all the more easier for the tories to get us into it all.
Hmmm, the Monkey is going to take us further into debt and deficit with his massive purchase of planes that are going to sit around like white elephants and do nothing.
Joke of a waste of money!
Boys & their toys….
Same stupid grin & thumbs up….. 10 years apart….
Flight Lieutenant Abbott
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/liberal-mp-dennis-jensen-attacks-joint-strike-fighter-order-as-a-dud-decision-20140423-zqy6a.html#ixzz2zg1cnj7R
Bomber Beazley
Former US defence secretary Caspar Weinberger said Mr Beazley was one of the finest defence ministers he had ever worked with and former secretary of state George Schultz said he was outstanding.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/12/1089484304980.html?from=storylhs
Centre
That’s not news. Why is he suddenly bringing up “history” in interviews…
Abbott gave the journos a lecture on “new money” and “old money” and insisted this money was already set aside.
http://kevinbonham.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/nielsen-greens-17-what-is-this.html
Updated comments on the federal Greens vote in light of this week’s polls; I’m considering the Nielsen 17% from last week to be probably rogue.
My 2PP aggregate is 50.9 to Labor, going up to 51 if no new polls by end of week.
Think of the trillion$ saved if citizens voted out/overthrew their country’s warmongering leaders.
Crikey gremlins gone crazy.
bemused
[elling the story of the recovery of the Canberra crew.]
No. But I’ve driven past many times.
just that they’re at home works for me.
bemused
You could argue that All those who murder, assault rape, steal, threaten, etc are mentally unwell. On that basis, we should just do away with prisons. Seriously…
oh and if you bother to listen to Roaie batty, her ex partner was charged with being in possession of child pornography.
Any parent who harms their child has a screw loose.
The Age reports on the missing plane
http://www.theage.com.au/world/mh370-search-rethink-if-plane-not-found-within-days-20140423-zqy47.html
I demand that journos provide Abbott’s definition of “commitments”. Apparently they are not the same as promises or policies, but they are the ones he’s now promising he will keep. Repeated several times in presser today.
Rex Douglas@533
Simply assuming that anyone who does this must be mentally ill ignores the fact that there are some perfectly sane, rational and completely evil bastards out there.
lizzie@535
Did anyone ask him if they were “core” commitments?
Re 535: is a ‘Commitment’ the same as a ‘Core Promise’? In any case Abbott should be able to list them.
Player & Steve
No one questioned him about it. Perhaps they were waiting for him to talk some sense.
Player One
Sorry but in my opinion being evil is neither sane nor rational.
Rex Douglas@540
The problem is that evil people don’t generally worry about other peoples opinions. They just be evil.
Knights and Dames, Military, Religion, etc, all display of the old times, about a few centuries.
zoidlord@542
They don’t call ’em “Conservatives” for nothing!
CTar1@531
Well I know it brings comfort to some but I have never quite understood.
No-one was ‘brought home’ from WWI or WWII. Now the lowest ranking soldier is met by the PM and LOTO. Vastly different world.
[533
Rex Douglas
Any parent who harms their child has a screw loose.]
On the face of it, this is a natural conclusion to draw. But then, so what? It depends what importance you attach to having a “screw loose”. Being of unsound mind is a legal defense in criminal matters. If harming one’s child was always taken to be evidence of having an unsound mind, then no-one could ever be convicted of crimes against their children.
There is a difference between being, say, losing control of one’s temper and being unable to comprehend the consequences or the nature of one’s violent act/s.
We could easily say that all violent acts are the products of irrational minds or an inherent lack of self-control. But this would leave us in the position of having to treat the all offenders in the same way. Surely this would be at odds with an essential principal of the legal process, which is to ensure that each case is dealt with on its particular merits.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/22859998/mh370-relatives-reject-malaysian-conclusions-on-plane
Abbott is like a “dog with a bone” won’t let go
victoria@532
victoria, you seem to overlook that eventually almost all are released from prison.
What state do you want them in when released?
Also, if serious violent behaviour was properly dealt with, some of these tragedies might be prevented. Locking them up or fining them just doesn’t work.
If someone kills and is found to be mentally ill, they can be detained in a Forensic Psychiatry facility for the rest of their lives if they remain a danger. e.g. the recently deceased Derek Percy.
briefly
Sometimes we can all over-think some things…
Player One@541
You are describing a psychopath. They just have no empathy for others.
Most are not physically violent but just go through life creating a trail of havoc and ruining the lives of others.
Those that are violent are extremely dangerous.
[548
Rex Douglas
briefly
Sometimes we can all over-think some things…]
duh