The latest fortnightly Newspoll has Labor leading 51-49, which is down a point on last time and equal with the time before (and also the same as the ReachTEL poll conducted on Thursday). Primary votes are 41% for the Coalition (up two), 34% for Labor (down one) and 11% for the Greens (down three on last time, back to where they were the time before). Tony Abbott has enjoyed a big hike in his personal ratings, up six on approval to 41% and down two on disapproval to 52%, and he has gained a 41-37 lead on preferred prime minister after being level at 37-37 last time. Bill Shorten is up one on approval to 38% and steady on disapproval 43%. Hat-tip to GhostWhoVotes, and of course The Australian.
Also out today was the regularly fortnightly Morgan poll, covering a sample of 2922 respondents from two weekends of face-to-face and SMS polling. This recorded next to no change for the major parties on the primary vote – the Coalition on 38.5% and Labor on 37.5%, both up half a point on last fortnight – but has the minor parties moving in accordance with recent trends, the Greens being up 1.5% to 12% and Palmer United being down half a point to 4%. The previous poll was the only one recently published which failed to record a lift for the Greens, no doubt because half the survey period predated the bipartisan commitment to send military forces to Iraq. Labor gains half a point on both the respondent-allocated and previous election measures of two-party preferred, respectively leading 54.5-45.5 and 53.5-46.5.
UPDATE (Essential Research): Essential Research is steady at 53-47 to Labor, with Labor up a point on the primary vote to 39%, the Coalition steady on 39%, the Greens down one to 10% and Palmer United steady on 4%. Also featured is a biannual gauge of attributes of the various parties, recording little change for Labor since March apart from a six point drop on “clear about what they stand for”, while the Liberal Party has weakened across the board, particularly with respect to “keeps its promises” (down nine points), “divided” (up eight points) and “looks after the interests of working people” (down six points). The poll adds further to a somewhat confusing picture on the public attitudes to the Iraq commitment, with 52% expressing approval for sending military personnel versus 34% disapproval. However, 51% say doing so will make Australia less safe from terrorism, versus only 15% for more safe. Questions on industrial relations laws indicate broad satisfaction with the status quo, 30% saying current laws balance the interests of employers and workers, and a fairly even 23% and 17% believing they favour employers and workers respectively.
Player One@747
Evidence please?
As opposed to your standard fabrications.
“@ABCNews24: The Grand Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed to speak on #endeavourhills shooting LIVE on #abcnews24 shortly”
bemused
[ As opposed to your standard fabrications. ]
Yes, that’s right – I fabricated your offensive comment here to Puff today.
[I think you’ve consistently shown yourself to be pretty damn unaware, bemused
Maybe it is all the morphine I was dosed up on…]
Whatever, that’s great and all, but I was making a more general point.
At least the guy didn’t have a gun. If we had US style gun laws he probably would have.
Remember how bullies act? After the event, it’s “What’s wrong with you? What did I do?” Finally, “But I was joking. You just don’t have a sense of humour.”
bemused
[Ummmm well maybe no credible threats to Abbott, but if reports are correct, sticking a knife into a couple of cops is rather threatening to said cops.]
According to reports, they’d been keeping an eye on him for some months. If that’s the case, you might wonder why they simply invited him down to the police station rather than apprehending him. What was their threat assessment at the time they invited him down?
If he was volatile and given to rages you might think they’d have been a little more cautious. While a potentially lethal assault on a police officer in circumstances where non-lethal force is not feasible suffices to warrant a lethal response, I do wonder about the adequacy of the management that led to this event.
Player One@753
If Puff chose to take offence then that is her problem.
There have been ample instances where she has made statements which provide substance for my relatively mild comment.
So take all your pious huffing and puffing and stick it where the sun don’t shine.
Steve777 @ 749, exactly right.
Libertarian Unionist@754
Provide the evidence.
bemused
[ If Puff chose to take offence then that is her problem. ]
So you make a deliberately offensive comment, and then claim it is the victim’s fault if they take offense?
[If Puff chose to take offence then that is her problem.]
Wow! Straight out of the conservative male playbook. Come on down, Mr Abbott.
What the hell is RBA doing?
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 1m
If RBA is thinking of imposing Macroprudential changes for mortgages, hold on for rate cuts and AUD falling further
I missed the interview last night, and cant seem to find it anywhere online
[Julia Gillard may have left politics, but the former prime minister woke today to an odd polling victory: she is more popular than both John Howard and the residents of Summer Bay.
That’s the verdict, at least, of Australian television viewers, who delivered a timeslot victory to Ray Martin’s interview with Gillard on Channel Nine last night.
The half-hour 7pm broadcast drew 1.19 million viewers in the five major capitals – compared to the 1.06 million who watched Janet Albrechtsen interview Howard on Seven’s Sunday Night]
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/julia-gillard-more-popular-than-john-howard-and-home-and-away-20140924-10l7yl.html#ixzz3EC7kMCfm
[Provide the evidence.]
You’ve done that for me, sunshine 🙂
Bemused has form..
Like all bullies he hones in on someone (usually a female) …and belittles them with offensive responses ..such as: “not taking your medication I see..” or:”you are delusional”
..of course, other PBers also use offense in the place of reasoned argument. But Bemused uses it more than anyone else here. He was particularly insistent with his cruel bullying of MySay some time ago. So much so that she rarely posts here now..
Bemused is also permanently banned from ThePUB blog because of his behaviour..
Fran Barlow@757
Well it is self evident that the cops mis-judged the seriousness of the threat that he posed and that is very unfortunate.
But I think the police were correct in taking a low key approach and, apparently, inviting the young fellow down for a chat without heavy handed theatrics with helicopters and hundreds of cops raiding at dawn.
I will be interested to find out why the guy apparently got enraged so suddenly when apparently a cop was going to shake his hand. His behaviour seems more like what one hears described in relation to ice users.
zoidlord
The RBA are concerned fhat banks are engaging in risky lending practices for investment ppty
Player One@761
What comment was offensive?
Puff has repeatedly made comments indicating she has problems with men.
Bemused has repeatedly made comments indicating he is a dick.
@Victoria/768
That’s always been the case, but the two major parties have done pretty much nothing to solve that.
bemused
[ Puff has repeatedly made comments indicating she has problems with men. ]
Just one, from what I can see.
markjs@766
Now we really have something that should be withdrawn.
Straight out lying.
And my banning from the ‘blog of batshit insanity’ was for no valid reason, just at the whim of the proprietor.
Karen Middleton on twitter
[Re incident at Endeavour Hills last night RT @BrendanDonohoe7: Police confirm there was no specific threat against Prime Minister Abbott.]
And yet the ABC just reported otherwise
[Steve777
Posted Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at 11:47 am | PERMALINK
On the facts that have emerged to date, it appears that a deranged young man attacked police officers with a deadly weapon during the course of an apparently informal interview (i.e. In the car park). If that is the case, the police were entitled to use proportionate force to defend themselves. So the use of a gun on the part of the police officer is regretable but probably appropriate in the circumstances.
This young man may have latched on to fantasies about the ‘Islamic State’, I suppose to give him some sense of purpose and importance. For others, it might be gangs, race hate or conspiracy theories.
I don’t think that there are any security implications, certainly no cause to change our laws.]
The problem in dealing with this incident objectively is that the whole issue is clouded in political and media grandstanding. Only a completely independent judiciary can arrive at the facts.
Roger Miller@770
I would be offended if your opinions meant anything to me. 😀
I would be offended if my opinion meant anything to you.
victoria
[ And yet the ABC just reported otherwise ]
Yes, I heard that as well. Sounds like another “well-timed” beat up, to me – except that this time Abbott and his team of fanatics have actually caused a confused young man to lose his life.
Hey guys
Leave it up to William to consider Puff’s request
All piling on slamming one person is bullying even when you think its appropriate.
Muslim Community presser now on 24
[763
zoidlord
What the hell is RBA doing?
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 1m
If RBA is thinking of imposing Macroprudential changes for mortgages, hold on for rate cuts and AUD falling further]
Falling national disposable income, very weak demand for credit from business, declining per capita demand for labour, terms of trade shock….naturally the RBA would like to cut rates. The problem with lower rates is the boost that would give to already over-heated property markets in Sydney and Melbourne.
Macroprudential restraints on property loans are seen as a way for us to get a “best of all worlds” result – lower rates and stable housing prices.
Of course, quite a lot of people (net savers) lose when rates fall but there’s no doubt that a cut in rates will accentuate a drop in the currency.
For mine, a better way to restrain lending for housing is to change the risk ratios used by the banks, which would require them to increase the capital they hold against housing loans. This will help drive lending into other parts of the economy – into business investment – and away from consumption. It would also help if -ve gearing were reformed.
guytaur
I have buttoned my lip hundreds of times, but my personal knowledge of Puff’s circumstances forces me to defend her.
Roger @ 777
😀
lizzie
Defend Puff yes. However when it becomes an attack on bemused rather than a defence of Puff its bullying.
I do understand why many feel the need to say something. I was just pointing out when reasonable response can become the very thing you are protesting.
Roger Miller@777
Good! Then we have a modus vivendi where we can both be blissfully happy. 😉
Time to watch Albo on Press Club.
The ABC not retitled the link on its front webpage – sloppy editing, ‘click bait’ or another motive?
The link is still titled:
[Man who made threats against PM shot]
However the article says:
[Police said it was unclear whether earlier reports that the man made threats against the prime minister were true.]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-23/one-person-shot-dead-two-stabbed-endeavour-hills/5764408
guytaur@779
Yes, I was going to make a comment about your second point myself.
But I think the true bullies here just lack any self awareness.
[769
bemused
Player One@761
bemused
If Puff chose to take offence then that is her problem.
So you make a deliberately offensive comment, and then claim it is the victim’s fault if they take offense?
What comment was offensive?
Puff has repeatedly made comments indicating she has problems with men.]
Puff has expressly denied having any “problem” with men. I’m inclined to take her at her word. Puff does take have a highly impassioned reaction to violence against women. She’s not alone in that. Many others express themselves with the same intensity. I don’t think anyone should be faulted for their feelings when hit by news of violence – news that can be deeply shocking in many ways.
I also have quite strong reactions to violence, but usually my feelings result in silence and sorrow more than a desire to publish my outrage. We are all entitled to our own expressions in this as in other things and should respect the differences we encounter.
Surprise!
[ http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-24/government-argues-intelligence-agencies-need-increased-powers/5765638 ]
Not even dead 24 hours, and already being used by Brandis as a justification for his draconian law changes – when it is probably him and Abbott that led to this young man’s desperate behaviour in the first place.
What a disgusting bunch!
ABC should be hit up on the Press Council.
Suck it up Bemused. You only get bullied because you are a male. I get bullied because I am both a male and a Lib 🙂
Crazy scenes in the Senate. The Liberals’ Senator Macdonald has moved an amendment that belongs to the Greens – one that he doesn’t like or agree with – because the Greens won’t move it until a report is tabled so they can ask questions about it (the report).
Player One@790
You have summed it up with crystal clarity. I just think your insult is too polite but understand you probably don’t want to go to jail.
Sorry and naive 🙂
bemused
[ But I think the true bullies here just lack any self awareness. ]
You are so right.
“@SBSNews: Lebanese Muslim Association president Samier Dandan: Four Australian mosques have received threats”
Albo now at the NPC
@BernardKeane: Surely it’s time to deploy the army on Australian streets and declare martial law? http://t.co/5B4D4AzGAR
Markjs
As I remember it Bemused was a marked man on that site and was banned because when asked by another poster “how stupid are you?” replied “not as stupid as you” or words to that effect. The moderator deemed the reply offensive but not the question. With that logic I wouldn’t be surprised if that moderator subscribes to conspiracy and tin foil hat theories 🙂