Newspoll has given the Coalition its best result since early April, with Labor’s lead at 52-48 from primary votes of 40% for the Coalition (up four), 34% for Labor (down two) and 13% for the Greens (up one). This amounts to a two-point shift to the Coalition’s favour on two-party preferred – although it should be noted that last fortnight’s result was above trend, whereas this one is right on it. Tony Abbott’s 41-37 lead as preferred prime minister puts him ahead of Bill Shorten for the first time since early May, the result a fortnight ago having been 38-38. This reflects a worsening in Shorten’s personal ratings, with approval down two to 36% and disapproval up three to 44%, rather than an improvement in Abbott’s, which are little changed at 36% (steady) and 54% (up one).
Also out today was a result from Roy Morgan that supports the proposition that Newspoll’s fluctuations are largely statistical noise. Both major parties are down fractionally on the primary vote, the Coalition by half a point to 37.5% and Labor by one to 38%, with the Greens and Palmer United both gaining half a point to 11% and 5.5% respectively. An improvement in Labor’s respondent-allocated preferences gives them an impressive headline lead of 56-44 on two-party preferred, up from 54.5-45.5 a fortnight ago, but the two-party result based on preference flows from the previous election is unchanged at 54-46.
UPDATE (Essential Research): Also a quiet result from Essential Research, which has the major parties steady on 41% for the Coalition, 39% for Labor and 51-49 to Labor on two-party preferred. The only change is that the Greens are down a point to 8%, and Palmer United up one to 5%. We also get Essential’s monthly leadership ratings, which are the first to record Tony Abbott’s MH17 bounce – up three on approval to 37% and down four on disapproval to 54%, and back in front on preferred prime minister for the first time since April at 37-36, compared with a 37-34 deficit last time. Bill Shorten’s personal ratings are little changed, his approval down two to 34% and disapproval up one to 40%.
The most interesting finding from the supplementary questions is that 51% oppose the government’s internet surveillance proposals with only 39% in support, while 68% profess little or no trust in the government and ISPs to protect the stored information from abuse. The survey also asked respondents to rank a series of environmental issues as either important or not important, and while all scored strongly, it’s perhaps curious to note that climate change scored lowest at 71% important and 27% not important, with protecting the Great Barrier Reef highest at 91% and 7%. Respondents were also asked to assess the government’s record on asylum seekers according to a range of criteria, with pleasing results for the government in that responsible and fair (along with “too secretive” and “just playing politics”) topped the list at 45%, while “too hard” and “too soft” were bottom at 29% and 26%.
I wonder how the NSW Parliament compares with the House of Commons?
[If poor people don’t drive cars, how can funding for public transport be cut?]
Centre goes GREEN. 😀
Bw
[‘Französisch frites mit mayo’.]
Lagging much behind. Is this ‘Show us your chips’???
Victoria
[Hockey is seriously trying to stuff up his govt!]
No, I wouldn’t give him the credit of being able to do so if he tried.
Hockey…look at him, he even looks like a dope!
For those who saw the recent ‘super moon’ check out the photos a Russian cosmonaut took of it from space. Click to enlarge
https://twitter.com/OlegMKS/status/498389226841722881/photo/1
Socrates @832
The other reason poor people need cars is because jobs for labourers etc. ALWAYS require that the prospective employee has a licence and their own transport. There is a strong correlation between low pay and lack of qualifications. I have a son with bi-polar (and autism) and I have spent many fruitless hours trying to help him find work. Lending him the family car does not help. The work is casual, and we end up paying for petrol for about three weeks, he does not get paid, and they just do not contact him again. Also, we had to shell our ~$175 for an ABN, because for these jobs they will only take you on as a contractor. When the ABN came up for renewal – it only lasts a couple of years – i just threw the renewal away. He is now more stable, and just about to start a course in Audio engineering. Hopefully he can get through it, and then he will be able to get a paying job. The problem is, that paying for medications and specialists visits, and the job searches, and all the one day safety courses have just about sent us broke. Very few families would be in a position to provide this level of support, and I really fear for the underclass we are creating.
Centre
Surely even a dope like Joe knows that those on the lower socio economic ladder are pushed to the outer suburbs, have to travel further for work, and therefore use more fuel.
[Centre goes GREEN.]
I must move to eradicate any such silliness…
The RBA has stated that the removal of the carbon tax will slow the rate of inflation, hence increasing the likelihood of a next interest rate cut.
Abolition of the carbon tax…BEAUTIFUL thank you Greens.
CTar1
[
Bw
‘Französisch frites mit mayo’.]
So you thought you’d escape from Mit luftpudefartøj er fyldt med ål sort of stuff in the Bludgers lounge 🙂
[If you read all the internet chatter on the polls this week without looking at the numbers, you’d think Labor were getting thumped.]
It seems everyone wants the LNP back in 2016 with Abbott at the helm. Not me.
Victoria
No, I don’t think he has a clue.
Importantly, those that are pushed to the outer suburbs are on lower incomes to boot.
Douglas and milko
[Very few families would be in a position to provide this level of support, and I really fear for the underclass we are creating.]
This govt is a heartless mob
I’m so glad it’s gone (carbon tax).
Labor can’t even reinstate anything like it! It’s now proven (according to the RBA) that it adds inflationary pressures.
Where do the Greens go now? Bring in more boats 😆
swamprat@839
I have trouble interpreting the difference. Would need to hear it so I will take note any time I listen to Shorten.
Bank of England says it will increase inflation.
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/bank-of-england-inflation-report-2014-8
poroti:
Stunning.
I also loved the image that Murchison farmer caught of his wife and dog walking a ridge on their property with the supermoon rising behind them. Beautiful.
Centre
[Importantly, those that are pushed to the outer suburbs are on lower incomes to boot.]
Too true
confessions
Lucky farmer. The air out that way would be crystal clear and no light pollution, perfect conditions.
My big NRL tip for the final 8?
The Cows to miss the eight!
You read it first 😀
P, CTar1
Piecing it all together, Cormann has had a narrow escape from luftpudefartø hymfanny.
Just need to read how he is supporting the IPA. He’s ticking all the items on the list
1 Repeal the carbon tax, and don’t replace it. It will be one thing to remove the burden of the carbon tax from the Australian economy. But if it is just replaced by another costly scheme, most of the benefits will be undone.
2 Abolish the Department of Climate Change
3 Abolish the Clean Energy Fund
4 Repeal Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act
5 Abandon Australia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council
6 Repeal the renewable energy target
7 Return income taxing powers to the states
8 Abolish the Commonwealth Grants Commission
9 Abolish the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
10 Withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol
11 Introduce fee competition to Australian universities
12 Repeal the National Curriculum
13 Introduce competing private secondary school curriculums
14 Abolish the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
15 Eliminate laws that require radio and television broadcasters to be ‘balanced’
16 Abolish television spectrum licensing and devolve spectrum management to the common law
17 End local content requirements for Australian television stations
18 Eliminate family tax benefits
19 Abandon the paid parental leave scheme
20 Means-test Medicare
21 End all corporate welfare and subsidies by closing the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
22 Introduce voluntary voting
23 End mandatory disclosures on political donations
24 End media blackout in final days of election campaigns
25 End public funding to political parties
26 Remove anti-dumping laws
27 Eliminate media ownership restrictions
28 Abolish the Foreign Investment Review Board
29 Eliminate the National Preventative Health Agency
30 Cease subsidising the car industry
31 Formalise a one-in, one-out approach to regulatory reduction
32 Rule out federal funding for 2018 Commonwealth Games
33 Deregulate the parallel importation of books
34 End preferences for Industry Super Funds in workplace relations laws
35 Legislate a cap on government spending and tax as a percentage of GDP
36 Legislate a balanced budget amendment which strictly limits the size of budget deficits and the period the federal government can be in deficit
37 Force government agencies to put all of their spending online in a searchable database
38 Repeal plain packaging for cigarettes and rule it out for all other products, including alcohol and fast food
39 Reintroduce voluntary student unionism at universities
40 Introduce a voucher scheme for secondary schools
41 Repeal the alcopops tax
42 Introduce a special economic zone in the north of Australia including:
a) Lower personal income tax for residents
b) Significantly expanded 457 Visa programs for workers
c) Encourage the construction of dams
43 Repeal the mining tax
44 Devolve environmental approvals for major projects to the states
45 Introduce a single rate of income tax with a generous tax-free threshold
46 Cut company tax to an internationally competitive rate of 25 per cent
47 Cease funding the Australia Network
48 Privatise Australia Post
49 Privatise Medibank
50 Break up the ABC and put out to tender each individual function
51 Privatise SBS
52 Reduce the size of the public service from current levels of more than 260,000 to at least the 2001 low of 212,784
53 Repeal the Fair Work Act
54 Allow individuals and employers to negotiate directly terms of employment that suit them
55 Encourage independent contracting by overturning new regulations designed to punish contractors
56 Abolish the Baby Bonus
57 Abolish the First Home Owners’ Grant
58 Allow the Northern Territory to become a state
59 Halve the size of the Coalition front bench from 32 to 16
60 Remove all remaining tariff and non-tariff barriers to international trade
61 Slash top public servant salaries to much lower international standards, like in the United States
62 End all public subsidies to sport and the arts
63 Privatise the Australian Institute of Sport
64 End all hidden protectionist measures, such as preferences for local manufacturers in government tendering
65 Abolish the Office for Film and Literature Classification
66 Rule out any government-supported or mandated internet censorship
67 Means test tertiary student loans
68 Allow people to opt out of superannuation in exchange for promising to forgo any government income support in retirement
69 Immediately halt construction of the National Broadband Network and privatise any sections that have already been built
70 End all government funded Nanny State advertising
71 Reject proposals for compulsory food and alcohol labelling
72 Privatise the CSIRO
73 Defund Harmony Day
74 Close the Office for Youth
75 Privatise the Snowy-Hydro Scheme
Douglas and Milko
My sympathy, and sadly your conclusion is inarguable. My own sister had a long term illness and my parents spent a fortune trying to get her engaged in a normal life, but it was a hard road.
Laborers and tradies are well known in transport planning circles to use public transport much less and cars more than average. Most of their job sites are away from established centres with good public transport, and start times are often too early for any more than a skeleton PT service.
Anyway, like I said, Hockey’s claim that poor people use cars less than the rich is just plain false. He should be asked what he based it on. Watch him backpeddle. Good evening all.
I guess Abbott has left the UK and its safe for Cameron to return.
[BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking 14s
PM @David_Cameron returns to UK and will chair today’s Cobra meeting on situation in #Iraq]
Socrates
[He should be asked what he based it on]
He had a quick chat with his mates in Point Piper, Bellevue Hill, Vaucluse, Double Bay and Toorak and they all said they see very few poor people driving on their roads.
p @ 874
Who needs stats when you have the evidence of your own eyes?
[He had a quick chat with his mates in Point Piper, Bellevue Hill, Vaucluse, Double Bay and Toorak and they all said they see very few poor people driving on their roads.]
No wonder he is out of touch if that is where he is doing his vox pops!
Jesus, have now found the Hockey-car comments.
[Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has accused Treasurer Joe Hockey of being an “arrogant”, “cigar-chomping” politician over his remarks that poor people will not be affected by the increase to the fuel excise because they “don’t have cars”.]
If the Nationals actually represented rural people I’d expect them to be all over this. SAdly however, the federal Nationals gave up representing the interests of rural people long ago. The reality for many people who live in rural and regional Australia is that if you don’t have a car you simply don’t get anywhere without relying on friends or family or taxis if you can afford them. Surely Hockey is aware of this?
@MikeCarlton01: OMG ! The peasants are driving cars ! Next they’ll be smoking cigars or something, the greedy sods. http://t.co/FgCm2onPtn via @smh
Tomorrow night I’m being dragged off to the Entertainment Centre where combined primary schools have a concert. Our 10 year old granddaughter will be among the hundreds of performers.
A few minutes ago Mrs BK rang her up to wish her luck and young Emma cheekily asked if Granddad was going to take his iPad with him.
Joe doing “cuddly” didn’t last long it’s back to surly Joe .
[Joe Hockey threatens ’emergency’ austerity action if budget measures are rejected.
….he may be forced to take “emergency action” and deliver Queensland-style austerity ]
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/joe-hockey-threatens-emergency-austerity-action-if-budget-measures-are-rejected-20140813-3dm4o.html#ixzz3AGh8g1P6
[Tomorrow night I’m being dragged off to the Entertainment Centre where combined primary schools have a concert. Our 10 year old granddaughter will be among the hundreds of performers.
A few minutes ago Mrs BK rang her up to wish her luck and young Emma cheekily asked if Granddad was going to take his iPad with him.]
Are you suggesting reading Poll Bludger would be better than her show? 😉
“The peasants driving cars!”
Dammit, we pay them too much. Where’s that Work Choices paper? Get Eric onto it would you. Ta.
Is it possible that one of Hockey’s staples has made its way to his brain?
Where’s Dr Diogs?
Darren
I will not be taking said article with me. But it was quite a justified piss take from Emma.
No mention of 7.30 on PB. No mention of ICAC on 7.30. However, a puff piece for Essendon that managed to finish without having asked one even vaguely critical question of the Bombers fella on the show. Not bloody one.
Remember BK – you are not allowed to take concert photos with the iPad. They’ll be watching……
guytaur:
Perfect response to Hockey from Carlton!
[Remember BK – you are not allowed to take concert photos with the iPad. They’ll be watching……]
Perhaps I’ll take a pillow.
Of the increase in the fuel excise won’t increase to costs of all the goods delivered including food.
But then the poor in Hockey’s world don’t eat as well don’t drive cars
BK
Remember smartphones are small tablets 🙂
And no mention I saw tonight of the efforts of Kurdish fighters in opening up escape routes for Iraqi refugees, just a vague assertion that some are escaping, which wasn’t the line a day or so back. Is it because it’s yet to be decided whether the Kurds are Goodies or Baddies?
BSA Bob
Now that sarah ferguson has departed 7.30, i have not bothered tuning in
Perhaps I’ll take a pillow.
To sit on, of course.
Well it apears Mr Carlton agrees with a few of us.
“@MikeCarlton01: Increasingly so, the Abbott government is all over the place like a mad dog’s breakfast. Looking more and more like three years and out.”
Mr Treasurer is displaying a Born to Misrule mentality.
[BSA Bob
Posted Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at 9:02 pm | Permalink
And no mention I saw tonight of the efforts of Kurdish fighters in opening up escape routes for Iraqi refugees, just a vague assertion that some are escaping, which wasn’t the line a day or so back. Is it because it’s yet to be decided whether the Kurds are Goodies or Baddies?]
It is because the Kurds who did the fighting to open the corridor were PKK – a proscribed terrorist organisation.
So we have Russian Su-25s fighting side by side with US FA-18s while Kurdish ‘terrorists’ are fighting on our side to save some Yizadis.
Deblonay’s brain must be how explodement.
[It was the closest anyone but cabinet and a select few public servants have come to seeing the business case for the East West Link.
The most contested document in Victorian politics was wheeled into court on Wednesday, like a child in a custody battle. A big white box with a bright red lid, wrapped in tape, it sat in plain sight but closely guarded by the government’s legal team.
Inside the box, the court was told, were three ring-bound folders containing the full business case for the multibillion-dollar road project, including two volumes of technical annexures.]
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/contested-east-west-link-business-case-tantalisingly-close-20140813-103r2q.html
As always, the commentariat is hopelessly wrong while Hockey is spot on:
Boerwar@896
I doubt deblonay is having any more difficulty with that than anyone else here.
The difficulty the US will be having with the Kurds is a desire not to upset Turkey.
Boerwar @ 896
Thanks for providing this vital clarifying point (sarcasm not directed at you. So they are in fact Baddies.
I’m sure that if this important distinction were explained, the refugees would willingly return to their persecutions to await rescue by a more reputable organisation.