This was one of those alternating weeks where all we get in the way of a new poll is Essential Research, and there being nothing remarkable about that result one way or another, BludgerTrack records only the tiniest of changes this week. Such movement as there is favours the Coalition, which is as much to do with the trend momentum created by last week’s Newspoll and ReachTEL results as the very slight shift to the Coalition in Essential. This causes the seat projection to tick over another seat in the Coalition’s favour, the gain coming in New South Wales. Nothing new this week for the leadership numbers.
Speaking of Newspoll, conspiracy theory pre-emption time: I can state with confidence that there will be no poll this weekend, based on the gap that appears in the pollster’s national phone polling schedule. This reflects the Labour Day holiday on Monday in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT. No, Newspoll doesn’t always let public holidays in a few states stop it, but this time it is, on the basis of a decision made quite a long time ago.
The Australian has been tiding us over with a few state polls, so far coming out with quarterly figures for Queensland and South Australia. Early next week, it will presumably follow with a result for Western Australia – a big occasion, WA being the state that polling forgot – and the July-to-September quarterly aggregates of federal polling broken down by state, age and gender. The latter is also eagerly awaited by myself, as the state breakdowns in BludgerTrack are in an unusually unreliable place at present, it being three months since they were last fed with any Newspoll data.
UPDATE (3/10): Roy Morgan has published one of its occasional telephone polls gauging leadership ratings, this one being a survey of 503 respondents conducted from Tuesday to Thursday. The findings concur with other recent polling in showing Tony Abbott’s standing having substantially improved since the last poll in early June, his approval rating up ten to 44% and disapproval down twelve to 47%. Bill Shorten’s ratings are also slightly improved, his approval up two to 37% and disapproval down three to 42%. However, Abbott has taken a 44-37 lead on preferred prime minister after trailing 43-38 last time.
The poll also inquires about preferred Liberal and Labor leaders, finding a big lift in support for Julie Bishop since June (up nine points to 16%), Tony Abbott (up four to 19%) gaining ground on the still-favoured Malcolm Turnbull (down six to 38%), and Joe Hockey down five points to 6%. There is only slight change for Labor, with Bill Shorten down a point to 21%, Tanya Plibersek up two to 18% and Anthony Albanese steady on 15%.
briefly
But has it gone badly awry for them, or exactly as planned?
Dee
If this person does indeed believe that Shorten has a case to answer, she could pursue legal avenues. The fact that she has engaged the Murdoch press and our very own shockjock here in Melbourne to spruik her claims makes me rather suspicious
briefly@996
Wearing a burqua for added effect?
I should have added
About her motives
confessions, Elder is completely correct.
Imagine what will happen if visitors to the Parliament start wearing veils, or (you never know) if Senators and Members start to do the same thing. Without uttering a word, they would be openly challenging Abbott and Bishop on civil liberties grounds. It would be very powerful and there would be nothing that could be done to prevent it.
980
Player One
Posted Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 3:16 pm | PERMALINK
victoria@974
bemused
The article i read was on the front page of Thursday’s paper (2nd oct), which canvassed matters repeated in the article you linked.
This woman is not satisfied with the 9 month police investigation coming up with nothing, and will now take it further
[Things not going so well for Team Abbott, methinks!]
Abbott has improved in the polls and so has the party
briefly@1005
Ahhhh brings back memories of my high school days when students resisted wearing ties.
The headmaster unwisely make a plea at a school assembly, “if you don’t have a school tie, wear any tie!”
Soon a conspiracy was afoot and the next day, a whole class rolled up wearing the most lurid silk ties they could scavenge from their fathers wardrobe or anywhere else!
Management did not see any humour in this and, as was the custom in those days, the cane was wielded with vigour. 😆
Victoria
She is considering legal action but I bet that will only occur if the public crowing doesn’t finish Shorten off.
IMO, there’s money behind this move.
She claims, had he been an ordinary bloke the police would have pursued him. Fact is, they did!
The other way to look at this is, he was an ordinary bloke but she chose not to pursue him before he became established in politics.
Re Veils
_________
In the Melb Cup season when High Fashion is a big an isssue as horses…many well dressed /behattted woman will turn up at the Course in very expensive hats…many with various coloured veils My wife has one similar which she wore a while ago to the wedding of one of our sons
Does this now constitute a face covering ?
Dee
[The other way to look at this is, he was an ordinary bloke but she chose not to pursue him before he became established in politics.]
Irresistible conclusion.
1003
bemused
If I were in Canberra, I’d be planning it right now.
Once upon a time, an Aboriginal Embassy was set up outside old PH. A Free Speech Embassy could be set up near the new PH and veils could be given away to visitors. They wouldn’t need to do anything more than wear a veil while in the Public Gallery. It would recall the King of Denmark, who wore a Star of David in solidarity with Jews during WW2.
The Muslim population in Australia is very, very small, and the number of women who wear veils is absolutely tiny. They should not be expected to carry the burden of fear. The rest of us should be prepared to “speak up” against that.
Dee
She came forward when he become LOTO. Remember he became very well known during the Beaconsfield mining incident
What tosh, a fascinator is now apparently the same as a a head to toe burqa with a mesh covering the eyes. That’s the problem with the left – there are no truths and everything is relative.
Actually briefly the Muslim populations are about 4 per cent in Sydney and Melbourne.
briefly:
Or imagine if a media outlet employs a burqa wearing woman as its reporter to parliament house? The whole proposal was just ridiculous and kooky crazy.
[1007
bemused]
Speaker Bishop might like to wield a cane…but somehow I think she will not get the chance
🙂
From a few days ago!
[I personally find the sight of Tony Abbott in budgie smugglers “confronting” but I would defend his right to wear them]
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/its-a-niqab-not-a-burqa-ban-20141002-10osjh.html#ixzz3F9vkPrJD
1014
Edwina StJohn
Posted Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 5:27 pm | Permalink
Actually briefly the Muslim populations are about 4 per cent in Sydney and Melbourne.
Yes…about 2.2% of the population in all…less than 1 in 40..
[The intervention of Senator Fierravanti-Wells into this debate is designed to make the government look reasonable.]
When Fierrvanti-Wells is nominated to be the fake lament voice of reason someone is seriously having a lend!
Why not contact your local MP and ask them if they’ll wear a hijab into Parliament next week?
But very unassimilated briefly.
…sorry, next time it sits.
Ah, the good old days, when all we had to worry about was whether a minority government could pass legislation. Life was so simple then!!
Yes zoomster – do you think penny Wong could be persuaded to wear a burqa in solidarity with Muslim women’s rights? Maybe tania plibersek too!
lizzie
This govt is conducting itself exactly as predicted by many on this blog.
[1015
confessions
briefly:
Or imagine if a media outlet employs a burqa wearing woman as its reporter to parliament house? The whole proposal was just ridiculous and kooky crazy.]
They really have brought the Parliament into disrepute…shameful betrayal of trust.
Come to think of it – jenny macklin in burqa too – it’s important the alp shows it’s support for the burqa is geographical too!
Edwina StJohn@1027
I am sure you would look rather fetching in one Edwina.
I think some MP’s wearing burkas would improve the visual effect of parliament but they wouldn’t all have to be women.
[Ah, the good old days, when all we had to worry about was whether a minority government could pass legislation.]
Or whether the Prime Minister could accurately recall every last nuance of detail arising from meetings she was in, or documents she saw nearly 30 years ago.
[1021
Edwina StJohn
But very unassimilated briefly.]
Well that’s a terrible generalisation and, in any case invites the question, what does assimilation mean?
In Parliament House, the rule is official dis-assimilation. Some will be isolated by fear and bigotry. Cowards now rule in Canberra. It is a disgrace.
davidwh@1029
Not thinking of George Christiansen perchance?
If anyone should be tricked out in a burqa it’s George Christensen.
Yeesh!
Then the alp could sing a chorus to the tune of you can’t touch me I’m part of the union ” you can’t touch me in a burqa too – till the day I die” in the federal parliament! It would be a stirring moment.
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/10/02/comment-war-photo-no-one-would-publish
This article contains a photo which some may find distressing.
On #Insiders this Sun Oct 5, Barrie Cassidy plus panel @ToryShepherd Mike Seccombe and Gerard Henderson. 9am ABC and @ABCNews24 #auspol
On #Insiders this Sun Oct 5, Barrie Cassidy interviews the Defence Minister David Johnston 9am ABC & @ABCNews24 #auspol
victoria@1006
Obviously not as much as they wanted or expected … or they wouldn’t be trotting this crap out again right now – instead, they’d save it for when it might actually get some coverage. The more times they use it, the less interest it will generate.
ESJ
exactly.
Player one
The timing is rather curious. Nonetheless, they are trying it on. The AWU matter and JGillard was a slow burn.
I maintain the view that this person has every right to pursue the matter as she sees fit. But doing an exclusive with the tabloids and shockjock radio makes me very suspicious of her motives
victoria@1039
Yes. I agree. But if she initiates any legal proceedings, it will be interesting to see who backs her financially.
Perish the thought that the woman be speaking the truth eh PL 1 and Vic ?
Edwina StJohn
And the number of of face covering women is probable in the hundreds (making it a case by case problem if it was a problem); making the speakers behavior even more unacceptable.
These people are so dangerous they have to be parked with our children? What a load of codds-wollap!
Hopefully this is one dogs whistle to far.
Edwina StJohn@1041
After exhaustive investigation, the police have found that Shorten has no case to answer, ESJ.
If you know differently, I’m sure they would be thrilled to hear from you.
No PL 1 the police found that a prosecution had no reasonable prospect of success – a very different determination comrade !
[
Edwina StJohn
Posted Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 6:15 pm | Permalink
Perish the thought that the woman be speaking the truth eh PL 1 and Vic ?
]
Dirt, smear, and the dog whistle, the Liberal’s only strength. Hardly a good reason to put, or keep them in power.
As to the truth of the matter, that is why we have courts.
Well fredk people will make their won judgements including on the alps support for the burqa lifestyle choice.
Edwina StJohn@1044
Only in your tiny mind, Eddie.
[
Edwina StJohn
Posted Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 6:21 pm | Permalink
No PL 1 the police found that a prosecution had no reasonable prospect of success – a very different determination comrade !
]
Ya I suppose.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/17/1089694611809.html
lizzie@952
It did get some amount of Twitter attention but not that much. It may not have really broken out of the converted preaching to the converted.
A useful site for looking at Twitter usage trends is topsy.com, if you pick the right search terms. So, for instance, “shorten rape” has had 748 tweets indexed in a month, peaking at 290 on Oct 1st. But “abbott burqa” has had 6896 indexed in the same time.
A lengthy interview with the accuser appeared on the Pickering Post just before the tabloid splash, hardly a venue conducive to increasing credibility.
Don’t get nasty PL1 it will get better once burkey is leader.