Another rough weekend for the conservatives (vid. the Fisher by-election) gets even worse with the latest Galaxy poll for the Sunday News Limited tabloids. This one has Labor leading 55-45 on two-party preferred, compared with 51-49 in the last such poll in early October, and 41% (up five) to 38% (down four) on the primary vote. The poll also finds that 41% would prefer Malcolm Turnbull be Treasurer against 21% for Joe Hockey.
Next cab off the rank should be Ipsos in the Fairfax papers this evening.
BW
[There is not even much of a point to being a crook in the Australian Greens Party.]
Very true. That is one of the realities that protects us, discouraging those with anti-social intent from considering our party. While I am keen for us to lead public policy design in this country, and recognise that as we approach that position, our processes will need to become more exacting, it is a great thing that we have the luxury of having discussions over party policy without having to wonder if our peers are quite what they seem. It’s refreshing to be amongst people whose desire for this to be a more just and environmentally sustainable country is untrammelled by the desire for personal gain.
The LNP are creating the environment for another Inependent in Mogill.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bruce-flegg-dumped-again-as-lnp-candidate-for-moggill-20141207-1224lf.html
[Posted Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 7:13 pm | PERMALINK
As much as I am loathe to post a link to Andrew Dolt’s show, his ripping Pyne a new one is worth watching.
]
I couldn’t get through Bolt’s intro. Please don’t post any more of his tripe, thanks in advance!
GG – when this first blew up I presumed it was so Newman could “parachute” to Moggill. I hope that isn’t the case.
But talk about the LNP just bringing more adverse publicity on themselves!
And goes without saying – Bob Katter is not easily predictable
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/small-but-vocal-antivlad-protest-in-brisbane-20141207-1222sb.html
sprocket,
Agree. I had the same experience.
I tried. I really did!
[450
bemused
The WA Branch of the ALP inflicted him on the rest of us.
You are in WA and I acknowledge you have disavowed being a Green and identify as mainly a Labor supporter.
It is up to Labor members & supporters in WA to deal with him.]
IT isn’t that simple, bemused. Bullock got into the Senate as a result of a deal between United Voice and the SDA. I seriously doubt that the members would ever have simply ‘allowed’ Bullock to get the no. 1 spot, given Louise Pratt was popular with the party, in WA and the rest of country. What’s needed is serious rule reform to preventing this kind of deal-making. Let’s not forget the SDA tried to do this in SA by putting Don Farrell in the no. 1 spot over Penny Wong. If Gillard hadn’t intervened then Farrell would’ve been the sole Labor Senator elected from SA in 2013, not Wong.
[Very true. That is one of the realities that protects us, discouraging those with anti-social intent from considering our party. While I am keen for us to lead public policy design in this country, and recognise that as we approach that position, our processes will need to become more exacting, it is a great thing that we have the luxury of having discussions over party policy without having to wonder if our peers are quite what they seem. It’s refreshing to be amongst people whose desire for this to be a more just and environmentally sustainable country is untrammelled by the desire for personal gain.]
So it’s more like a book club or basket weaving society, where you need not fear anyone’s motives since you’re not there for any wider purpose other than academic entertainment?
Borewar might be a repetitious bore, but he has the Greens pegged, that’s for sure.
Boerwar
Another achievement by The Emperor.
[WA prisons ‘bursting at the seams’
…………….The ABS report also showed that WA has overtaken the Northern Territory to now have the highest incarceration rate of Aboriginal people in Australia, with Septembers figures showing WA has an average 3672 Aboriginal prisoners per 100,000 Aboriginal people, compared with NT’s rate of 2851 per 100,000.]
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-prisons-bursting-at-the-seams-20141207-121zle.html
Rocket,
A see a bad moon arising………
Former Lib leader @BruceFleggMP – had increased LNP margin in #Moggill since 2004 win – up from 0.9 to 23.8% @9NewsBrisbane #qldpol
[IT isn’t that simple, bemused. Bullock got into the Senate as a result of a deal between United Voice and the SDA. I seriously doubt that the members would ever have simply ‘allowed’ Bullock to get the no. 1 spot, given Louise Pratt was popular with the party, in WA and the rest of country. What’s needed is serious rule reform to preventing this kind of deal-making. Let’s not forget the SDA tried to do this in SA by putting Don Farrell in the no. 1 spot over Penny Wong. If Gillard hadn’t intervened then Farrell would’ve been the sole Labor Senator elected from SA in 2013, not Wong]
Well yes, but both Branches should be more ashamed that they could only win 1 seat out of 6! Appalling – more like a minor party or indy result. Labor winning a bare minimum two seats would make such deals of less consequence of course.
I suppose it is Christmas.
https://twitter.com/travellingpeas
Patrick Bateman@326
Patrick, you are making no sense.
You wanna post, post. Go for it.
If you find the best place for political tragics in Oz an unappealing place, then piss off. You won’t be missed.
William does not delete posts except for unusual circumstances, and for good reasons.
Labor’s strength in the electorate is growing? Diddums.
[I urge you keep them under control to ensure that there is some diversity in the views expressed here.]
Sounds like Abbott’s “Guided Democracy”.
Simply appalling that Mr Bateman feels he needs to be “protected” from certain political views, especially when there is increasing popular support for them.
Jimmy Doyle @ 445
Being able to distinguish between Lib and Lab is not a problem, but their closeness on too many counts is disturbing to say the least.
DL @ 460 – a separate issue from the point I’m making, but yeah it was a poor performance by Labor.
pritu – Labor’s past commitment to neo-liberalism is something I’ve complained about many times, including on PB. But I do think Labor is moving away from it. As for refugees, yes Labor has been shameful on this issue, but as many on here have pointed out, the Australian voters are sadly xenophobic on this issue.
Christopher Pyne is rapidly turning in to this Governemnt’s Comical Ali.
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/dec/07/christopher-pyne-tells-colleagues-to-hold-tongue-but-cant-control-andrew-bolts?CMP=share_btn_tw
from Jimmy
[If Gillard hadn’t intervened then Farrell would’ve been the sole Labor Senator elected from SA in 2013, not Wong.]
Dog what a potentially horrible outcome, a right wing ideologue instead of one of the ALP’s best performers.
I was so pleased when Weatherill called Farrell’s bluff before the state election and I reckon it won the party a lot of votes.
A commenter on The Guardian has described the LNP as The Keystone Cops with Basil Fawlty in charge.
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/dec/07/labor-in-election-winning-position-with-10-point-lead-in-galaxy-poll#comment-44652765
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
Pyne states outright what we all know about Bolt:
[“They also need to understand that – present company excepted of course – the media are not trying to help the government be re-elected, they are trying to get a story, therefore disunity is always a story.”]
Bolt might be “looking for a better performance” but only because it increases the coalition’s chances of re-election.
Bushfire would love this Chris Kenny talking about how the government are going . Lots of lines like ,”Labor and the media are portraying….” ,”the media , who are largely left wing” . Good thing Kenny has nothing to do with that media , the one over there.
Putting Bullock at the top of the Labor ticket in WA was a massive own goal that lost a lot of votes. They would still have lost votes having him second but not nearly as many. Labor has to stop seeing Senate positions as factional prizes and start fielding candidates that can attract votes. The Senates rerun was a very different election to a regular election, but is an indication of how elections are changing.
Apparently, the SA Libs are blaming the “canoe” comment for the loss of Fisher. Johnston is toast!
fredex – it was disgraceful treatment of someone who was a top- notch Minister in the Rudd/Gillard Government and who continues to be one of Labor’s most valuable performers in opposition.
I think you’re right in saying that Weatherill’s gamble won him votes, just as the nonsense with Bullock cost WA Labor votes.
Fran
It is a fine thing that you fulminate against Murdoch.
Who wouldn’t?
But remind me what the Australian Greens Party has actually done to curtail the power of Murdoch…
pritu@464
I see you sing from the Greens song sheet pretty well.
A pity for you that reality is different.
Boerwar,
They buy his newspapers and click on his organisations links.
That’ll show him!
poroti
Yep. And herding them off the communities into the urban fring concentration camps will increase the number even further.
[But remind me what the Australian Greens Party has actually done to curtail the power of Murdoch…]
What have you done? What have the Labor party done? Boring people shitless will likely send them back there.
[Boerwar,
They buy his newspapers and click on his organisations links.
That’ll show him!]
The irony is that Labor hacks read Murdoch to fulminate against him and are one of their key constituents.
FarQU @ 479 – Gillard tried to get reforms that would create an independent media monitor and would limit media mergers and acquisitions. They were dumped just before Rudd challenged.
472
The leak of his comments about his colleague, the day before the election, is what really cost them the seat. Without it the ALP would likely have won 2 seats and the Government would have a much harder time in the Senate. Those comments were months old, they had been sat on by Limited News until the point of maximum damage to the ALP. Had they been published before the close of nominations, the ALP could have done something about it.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1504560806462587&fref=nf
From Penny
[For months the Abbott Government has told Australians its new $7 GP Tax will improve hospital finances. Today in Senate estimates, a senior Treasury official confirmed it would do nothing of the sort.]
Watch [it’s only a minute and a bit] Penny gently and politely but emphatically back the official into a corner where he can only confirm that the $7 GP tax is for revenue and not to improve health.
Strange it didn’t get a lot of publicity.
Pure class.
JD, remind me which party’s media reforms contributed to the rise of Murdoch’s power? A bit of window dressing is too little too late.
FarQ,
I don’t know about that.
You seem to have plenty of shit to give!
Thanks Tom, I’d forgotten about Bullock’s borderline anti-gay and explicitly anti-Labor comments.
FarQU – you asked what Labor had done, and I provided an answer. And I genuinely don’t know what you’re referring to, and I’d be interested to hear what the reforms you’re referring to are.
[pritu
Posted Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 7:01 pm | Permalink
Re. The brouhaha about the Greens from BW etc. calm down fellas. The Greens aren’t going away anytime soon.]
That remains to be seen.
The $64 question is how long Australian Greens Party voters want to keep voting for a Party that delivers nothing much more than good feelings, important though such feelings might be.
[Especially as it has been harder and harder to distinguish between Lb and Lab for ever so long now.]
This is one of the Australian Greens Party’s favourite Big Lies.
[ It is easy to decry sticking to principle as a weakness.]
Comrade, I think it is noble to stick to principles.
OTOH, and here’s the rub, it is ignoble to stick to principles while the Liberals smash the environment, the poor, the sick, the elderly, the young, university students, Indigenous people…
[But that is exactly how the slide down to the kind of generic foulness we now have as our politics comes into being.]
My advice would be to stay well away from it lest some of it rubs off on you.
[Think Whitlam and then look at how his party is now.]
Whitlam was lucky enough to rule at a time when Australalian Greens Party BOPmailers did not exist.
[Without the Greens holding the line…]
The Australian Greens Party does not hold substantive lines because it rarely has the power to do so.
[…they may well be where the Mad Monk is now.]
I am not sure what your point is here. If you are saying that Rudd and Abbott were two rotten apples, that we have got rid of one of them and have one to go, we are in 100% agreement.
[Bert Evatt @DocEvatt · 51m 51 minutes ago
The Abbott government is like a Telstra iPhone plan, the phone turns to shit within 6 months and you’re stuck with it 3 years. #auspol]
Have to say this level of hubris is concerning. There is still time for the coalition to turn things around, win voters’ confidence, and get re-elected.
FarQU@480
Say what?
TTFAB
Why didn’t Labor do something about them at the time? Not fixing it and hoping that no-one finds out is not exactly a winning strategy.
[FarQU
Posted Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 8:25 pm | Permalink
But remind me what the Australian Greens Party has actually done to curtail the power of Murdoch…
What have you done? What have the Labor party done? Boring people shitless will likely send them back there.]
Fran waxes antilyrical from time to time on a theme that Labor and Liberal are both the same because they are both catspaws for Murdoch.
The implication is that the Greens are not beholden to the evil newspaper magnate Great Satan.
My quite reasonable question, in the circumstance, was and remains, ‘What have the Greens ever done about Murdoch to curtail his power?’
It is, of course, a rhetorical flourish.
Because the answer is, as with the implementation of most of the Greens Party principles, policies, theories and programs:
Zip.
Let’s face it comrades, the Greens are a truk.
confessions@489
‘Fess, seriously? With the present leaders? (I use the term loosely!)
There is a world of pain out there for the LNP. Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of people.
I have put by a plenteous supply of popcorn. Wouldn’t do to run out in times like these.
Things are looking better by the day, we have had more than 100 mm of rain here in Armidale in the last week.
And Christmas is coming.
Eat too much, drink too much, what the hell, you are only young once!
http://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2013/november/1383224400/robert-manne/why-rupert-murdoch-can-t-be-stopped
Here is one version [there are many telling much the same story] describing how and why Hawke and Keating, back in the late 80’s helped gift Murdoch the media power he has today.
I remember it well.
I assume it was Keating’s fault that Murdoch does not own the 10 Network, some people’s view of media ownership history is crap. 😛
Thanks fredex for the link.
don:
The last few years have shown that anything is possible. Who knows, the Liberals may change leaders and get a shot in the arm simply because rotten apple Abbott is out of the picture.
I’m just saying it isn’t wise to take this recent polling as a given all the way to the next election.
Bemused @ 476
And you are not singing from any song sheet? And that is why so many of us have to scroll through or past so many of your posts. Sigh.
A write up in the guardian of Pyne’s appearance on thr Bolt report: http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/dec/07/christopher-pyne-tells-colleagues-to-hold-tongue-but-cant-control-andrew-bolts
So you don’t have to watch the video
confessions 489 and 497 – I totally agree with you. Labor needs to outline (and I recognise that it plans to next year) it’s own positive plan for government, not just depend on Abbott continuing to make a hash of this governing thing.