This week’s fortnightly rolling average result from Essential Research has both major parties up a point on the primary vote (the Coalition to 40%, Labor to 38%), both minor parties down a point (the Greens to 9%, Palmer United to 5%), and two-party preferred unchanged at 52-48 to Labor. The poll also has 57% saying the threat to Australia from terrorism has increased over the past few years with only 6% saying it has decreased, and 33% opting for stayed about the same; 56% approving of government spending to reduce the threat of terrorism versus 24% disapproving; 57% rating the contribution of multiculturalism to Australian society as positive versus 30% negative; 63% believing prospective migrants should not be rejected on the basis of religion versus 21% who say they should; and strong support for a greater emphasis on solar, wind and hydro power in providing for domestic energy, a neutral result for gas, and highly negative results for nuclear and especially coal.
Federal electoral news nuggets:
• John Ferguson of The Australian reports Senators Stephen Conroy and Kim Carr are facing opposition within their respective Right and Left factions over their determination to seek another term at the next federal election. Partly at issue is Labor’s affirmative action requirement that at least 40 per cent of winnable seats go to women. Under a party rule to take effect on January 1, a spill of all preselections will occur if the requirement isn’t met. Rosie Lewis of The Australian reports that some in the ALP believe the Carr and Conroy preselections are being fast-tracked to lock them in before the rule takes effect. Carr is quoted saying the requirement will be satisfied by giving the third position on the ticket to a woman, but the result of the last election suggests the winnability of a third seat for Labor is doubtful for as long as the existing electoral system remains in place.
• The Courier-Mail reports that“federal Liberal and National MPs unhappy with the performance of Nationals deputy leader Barnaby Joyce” are planning to thwart his succession to the Nationals leadership by drafting Lawrence Springborg, the Queensland Health Minister and former Opposition Leader. This would be achieved by having Springborg succeed Bruce Scott as member for Maranoa, a seat Joyce had his eye on last term as he sought to make his move from the upper house to the lower.
• Andrew Probyn of The West Australian reports a Labor internal poll of 600 respondents by UMR Research shows it leading 54-46 in the eastern Perth electorate of Hasluck, held for the Liberals by Ken Wyatt on a margin of 4.9%. Primary votes are cited of 40% for Labor and 37% for the Liberals. Aggregated polling for the three months after the budget, from May to July, is reported to show swings to Labor in WA of 12 points on the primary vote and 7.7% on two-party preferred.
• The Financial Review reports results from Coalition pollsters Crosby Textor showing a surge in support for the Renewable Energy Target, an increase in the salience of the environment as a political issue, and a decline for immigration.
And the talentless little shit does it again!
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-03/bieber-faces-more-assault-charges-in-canada/5714796
I see Manus is being shut down, as several of us predicted after the riot.
Ricky Muir has indicated he is willing to support changes to De regulate higher education
Kim Williams will be speaking with Jon Faine on the conversation hour shortly
http://www.abc.net.au/melbourne/programs/listenlive.htm
24 Abbott Howard and Brandis seated together.
:shudder:
Poor Joe O Brien.
Starts doing a cross and another presser speech etc. Earning his money today. Does show the ABC dysfunction of running 24 on the smell of an oily rag
It all seems to come back to the usual Coalition argument that workers losing pay rises will lead to a “stronger economy”.
[But Mr Hockey accepted employers could choose to keep the saving rather than pass it onto workers but said that scenario would still lead to a stronger economy.
“If it stays with employers the best way to grow superannuation in Australia is to have a stronger economy because ultimately superannuation is invested back into the economy,” he said.]
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/super-delay-would-almost-inevitably-mean-higher-wages-treasurer-joe-hockey-defends-deal-with-clive-palmer-20140903-10bp2g.html#ixzz3CD7fGOFh
[Jolyon Wagg
Posted Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at 12:05 am | PERMALINK
I guess you would expect the appeal of NRL to be demonstrated by the numbers flocking to see it. But hang on..
In 2013 the average attendance at AFL games was 32,163 while the average attendance at NRL games was 15,940.
Perhaps the appeal of NRL is shown by the way it has taken off in the AFL states. But no! The average attendance for a Western Force game in 2013 was a laughable 12,630 (about a third of the average attendance of the two WA AFL teams). BTW, I had to quickly check if there was a WA team in the NRL…I have never heard anyone discuss its fortunes. The Melbourne Storm aren’t doing much better…their average attendance is less than all of the Victorian AFL teams.
By contrast, the Sydney Swans have an average attendance that is greater than all but one of the NSW NRL teams. Similarly, the Brisbane Lions have an average attendance that is greater than all but one of the Queensland NRL teams.
No accounting for taste I suppose 🙂]
What extraordinary stats, especially the ones showing that the Sydney and Brisbane AFL clubs have higher average attendances than nearly all of the local rugby clubs. I was totally unaware of that.
What a great bit of ammo to use against any over zealous rugby supporter who needs a bit of a reality check.
@victoria/453
So what did Ricky Muir get bought with?
SMH also said Ricky Muir was open to co-payment.
Me thinks that Ricky Muir has something to benefit him personal.
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/clive-palmer-cold-on-ice-bucket-challenge-storms-off-the-project-20140903-10boar.html
I don’t blame Palmer for not going the Ice Bucket. An icy shock like that could kill a fat man.
[victoria
Posted Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at 11:05 am | PERMALINK
Ricky Muir has indicated he is willing to support changes to De regulate higher education]
If PUP, the Greens and Labor vote against it as expected Muir’s vote shouldn’t make any difference. Then of course there is senator x. I would be surprised if he voted for it.
Darn
The govt dont need the support of all the x bench to get these reforms through
Zoidlord
The senators all have a price
[victoria
Posted Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at 11:20 am | PERMALINK
Darn
The govt dont need the support of all the x bench to get these reforms through]
Vic
Just check me on these figures
Labor = 25 senators
Greens = 10
PUP (minus Muir) = 3
TOTAL 38 (enough to block the legislation)
Am I missing something?
The point of compulsory superannuation is that it’s to force people to save.
Once upon a time, children, we didn’t have it.
As a result, the majority of people with super were those who worked in industries where it was compulsory. There were very few ‘self funded retirees’ a couple of decades ago…
Governments intervene when people aren’t acting in their own (ultimate) best interests.
So delaying the introduction of 12% super will see less invested in super, and more people reliant (on whole or in part) on a public pension in the future.
Vic
Not all Senators have a price. Maybe some of the cross benchers do but that doesn’t mean all do.
lizzie@460
Too well insulated. Wouldn’t even feel it. 😛
“@ABCNews24: #BREAKING: Australia’s growth rate has slowed to 3.1% in the June quarter from 3.5% in the March quarter #GDP #ausbiz”
[I don’t blame Palmer for not going the Ice Bucket. An icy shock like that could kill a fat man.]
Walruses thrive in cold weather.
Darn
Pup have said they will not support education reforms, but clive tends to say one thing and do another
Super Industry presser now 24
Jolyon Wagg and Darn
Why don’t you both send Foxtel and the commercial TV networks an email to discover which code (NRL V AFL) attracts the highest viewing audience?
Do yourselves your own reality check!
One attracts larger crowds, the other larger viewing audiences. Both codes are popular. To argue pedantically which is better than which is stupid and always comes from the Mexicans south of the border.
One footy division is for the men and the other for the women.
Get over it 😯
“@ABCNews24: Industry Super Australia CEO: 3.5 million of Australia’s lowest income earners will be affected by #superannuation freeze #auspol”
@guytaur/471
Super Industry via SMH says warns of price increases.
So it would wipe out any savings from MRRT/Carbon “Tax”.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/super-funds-warn-future-rises-in-peril-20140902-10bkum.html
Could be a sleeper issues.
Centre provide the the TV audience numbers or are you just guessing?
“@ABCNews24: Industry Super Australia CEO: #superannuation changes could mean $100,000 less for an average 25-year-old on average earnings #auspol”
“@ABCNews24: Industry Super Australia CEO: #superannuation should be well above the political cycle, it should be well above the Budget cycle #auspol”
Off topic (if there is one), but I can’t resist laughing at this article in the Oz today (paywalled, but we all know how to avoid that right?)
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/fiscal-stimulus-not-europe-to-blame-for-economy/story-e6frgd0x-1226232857308
In summary, the Minerals Council has commissioned a long-time critic of stimulus spending to prepare a report about the effectiveness of the stimulus. For information about the author’s views, here is an example http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/fiscal-stimulus-not-europe-to-blame-for-economy/story-e6frgd0x-1226232857308
The report, no doubt to the amazement of all involved found:
•the stimulus – far from assisting the economy – actually weakened it!
• The real saviour of Australia following the GFC was the mining industry
• the country really needs spending cuts rather than tax hikes to repair the deficit, together with labour market “reforms” (well OK, that could be any report mentioned in the Oz).
This is naturally all reported with a straight face despite the interests and motives behind the report and the fact that it is so obviously contradicted by scores of other reports done in far greater detail by disinterested parties such as the IMF and OECD. The same cherrypicking strategy used in respect of climate change reporting.
And yet there are still people – important, intelligent people – who take this paper seriously! It truly boggles the mind.
He took Aussie citizenship for Rhodes scholar purposes. It did not require him to forsake his UK citizenship.
Is the Abbott dual citizenship question gathering steam?
http://www.change.org/p/tony-abbott-show-us-your-papers-renouncing-your-british-citizenship-before-you-were-elected
https://www.change.org/p/tony-abbott-show-us-your-papers-renouncing-your-british-citizenship-before-you-were-elected?recruiter=11859944&utm_campaign=twitter_link_action_box&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition
Lizzie
Put your comment re TA Citizensship on Twitter amazing response including the above Get Up petition
The other surprising thing is like here with one exception (ESJ)the Trolls seem to have disappeared for me on Twitter. Used to average at least one a day if not more, but for weeks now nothing 😀 Interesting and other tweeters are telling me same thing
BU
[And yet there are still people – important, intelligent people – who take this paper seriously! It truly boggles the mind.]
Important, but not necessarily intelligent.
Very strange how a report commissioned by the mining lobby found that the mining industry saved the Australian economy… who would have thunk it?
[ He took Aussie citizenship for Rhodes scholar purposes. It did not require him to forsake his UK citizenship.
Is the Abbott dual citizenship question gathering steam? ]
Don’t worry, Abbott will release details of his renunciation of UK citizenship as soon as the ink dries.
I don’t think the Western Force plays in the NRL 🙂
Gary
Go find out for yourself.
Renewables are the ONLY price competition in the power market.
The LNP wants to crush that competition – this will have the effect of keeping coal-fired power at RECORD HIGHS.
The public know this – pollsa re screaming to cinrease renewables,
TAKE ADVANTAGE ALP.
Bread and butter issue this one. The LNPs approach is to protect vested coal-fired interests so they can more effectively rob punters blind.
http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/general/news/poll-shows-surge-in-support-for-ret/2710572.aspx
[“@ABCNews24: #BREAKING: Australia’s growth rate has slowed to 3.1% in the June quarter from 3.5% in the March quarter #GDP #ausbiz”]
So no negative growth in the June quarter.
dividwh
Don’t be surprised if WA and SA have NRL teams soon:
– Western Bulldogs
– Adelaide Sharks
You read it first 😎
It’s been tried before Centre but not with much success.
Those crazy Sandgropers don’t appreciate good football 🙂
[
Western Bulldogs
]
Considering there is already an AFL team called the Western Bulldogs, I highly doubt any NRL team in WA would be called that.
I think Centre meant the Western Bulldust Cyril.
davidwh@485
Patience grasshopper, Tone and Joe will get us there soon enough.
So now Napthine has decided to move to expel Geoff Shaw, citing that he was being disrepectful by making comments after the apology.
Or is this really about Geoff Shaw reconsidering his support for the EW tunnel by asking the government to present a business case?
As expel now would probably mean the government retaining the casting vote by the speaker.
I am always patient comrade and in no hurry to arrive at that outcome.
Canterbury Bulldogs are the most likely team to be relocated to Perth for expansion in the NRL.
Who gives a rats what they will be called?
Do you think anyone would care that two teams have the same name but in different codes anyway.
Centre at least one of those Western Bulldogs has a history of winning finals 🙂
The Western Bulldogs in the AFL will just have to revert back to Footscray like it or not 😆
[
Do you think anyone would care that two teams have the same name but in different codes anyway.
]
I reckon the current AFL based Western Bulldogs would care quite a lot. Personally, I couldn’t give a shit.
davidwh @ 494
Too true there!
East Timor is Australia’s largest international donor, argues this author:
[“Since 1999, Australia has taken more than $4 billion in oil revenue that should rightfully belong to East Timor. Having taken a large portion of the wealth of one of the poorest countries in Asia, the Australian government has given back about $0.4 billion in bilateral and multilateral assistance, and about $0.5 billion in military assistance. This means that East Timor, believe it or not, is Australia’s largest international donor. This is not a typo.”
http://www.crikey.com.au/2014/09/02/our-land-is-girt-by-oil-rich-sea-that-we-steal-from-east-timor/
According to my information, the NRL would prefer to relocate Sydney teams instead introducing new teams heavily dominated in areas by the AFL.
Bulldogs and Sharks are the two most likely to move.
davidwh@492
You voted for it.