On top of everything else, the News Limited tabloids offer a lethal Galaxy poll for Tony Abbott, showing Labor leading by 57-43 on two-party preferred and 43% to 36% on the primary vote, with the Greens on 11% and Palmer United on 3%. Bill Shorten now has a commanding 44-27 lead over Abbott as preferred prime minister. Perhaps a little superfluously, we are also told that 70% opposed the Prince Philip knighthood, with 14% of diehards in support.
UPDATE (Ipsos): The Fairfax papers report that their latest Ipsos poll has it at a more modest 54-46 based on 2013 election preferences, which becomes 56-44 on respondent-allocated preferences. On the primary vote, Labor is on 40% (up three), the Coalition is on 38% (down two). Minor party and personal ratings presumably to follow this evening. The latter should be particularly interesting, as they will provide the first straight approve-disapprove numbers for Tony Abbott since the Prince Philip folly.
UPDATE 2: Those Ipsos ratings for Abbott don’t disappoint: he’s down nine points on approval to 29%, and up ten on disapproval to 67%. Apart from the undecided rate, preferred prime minister is similar to Galaxy, with Shorten’s lead out from 47-39 to 50-34. It would seem Shorten himself is being increasingly flattered by comparison with Abbott, as his approval rating is up two to a strong 48%, with disapproval down three to 38%.
When Labor restores the Australian Public Service it has a chance to do some root and branch reform.
So some good may come out of the mess
Boerwar:
I thought it looked odd as well.
I just hope that Hockey gets taken out along with Abbott. Hockey is in way over his head.
Even if Hockey stays in the ministry he has to be moved on from Treasurer. He’s hopeless.
Watching Lenore Taylor on Insiders. As usual, she is absolutely spot on. Don’t treat voters like mugs. How hard is that to get? Unless you are so arrogant as to think that you are always right and the people are too stupid to get it and you have to reduce it to simpler slogans.
Lenore Taylor on Insiders telling it like it is. Govts are to blame for the votes they get. Dennis Atkins blames the voters and says they are treating Govts like a smartphone new model. What a dill.
[Even if Hockey stays in the ministry he has to be moved on from Treasurer. He’s hopeless.]
Expect Hockey to jump ship early, e.g. back Turnbull, if it means he gets to stay as Treasurer.
Ratsak @ 477
[So much fun to see the shills and dills who boosted and polished the Tony Turd frantically pushing the button trying to get him to flush.]
😀
Captain Calamity headline in one of the Sunday papers! 😆
Brandis is hilarious. Do you really think that Brandis will be in the loop before Abbott gets knocked off?
[Latika Bourke @latikambourke · 11m 11 minutes ago
Scott Morrison dumps Kevin Andrews relationship vouchers scheme. (No-one had taken them up!) ]
A sensible move!
[Simon Banks
Of course the LNP would never replace a first term election winning leader, just ask @TedBaillieu, @terrykmills and @barryofarrell]
[Expect Hockey to jump ship early, e.g. back Turnbull, if it means he gets to stay as Treasurer.]
A new leader would be mad to keep Hockey as Treasurer. He opens his mouth only to change feet. He needs a low profile portfolio where he can’t get into strife.
Insiders panel all dissing Brandis.
Bill Shorten up now
Shorten now being interviewed
http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/childcare-rebate-scheme-is-failing-with-big-business-facing-15-per-cent-tax-levy-to-pay-for-reform/story-fnii5s3x-1227203533226
[Childcare rebate scheme is failing, with big business facing 1.5 per cent tax levy to pay for reform
February 01, 2015 12:00AM
Samantha Maiden National Political Editor
The Sunday Telegraph
CHILDCARE rebates face a shake up amid warnings the current system is as inflationary as the first home buyers scheme.
In a stunning admission that the $7 billion-a-year scheme isn’t working for parents or providers, Social Services Minister Scott Morrison has conceded that spending has failed to boost to workforce participation.
But in a move that will anger big business, the Abbott Government will ask Australia’s 3000 largest companies to help pay for the overhaul by keeping in place the 1.5 per cent levy that was designed to pay for paid parental leave.
Declaring low and middle income earners must be the “centre of gravity’’ for the scheme, Mr Morrison also hinted that wealthy parents could be asked to pay more for childcare.]
http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/tony-abbotts-taxpayer-funded-200-marriage-counselling-voucher-scheme-will-be-scrapped-within-days/story-fnii5s3x-1227203482191
[Tony Abbott’s taxpayer-funded $200 marriage counselling voucher scheme will be scrapped within days
February 01, 2015 12:00AM
Samantha Maiden National Political Editor
The Sunday Telegraph
TONY Abbott’s taxpayer-funded $200 marriage counselling voucher scheme is getting a divorce and will be scrapped within days.
But warring couples have until February 9 to register for a free sex and relationship counselling session before the doors close on the scheme. Couples already registered will have until June to use their $200 vouchers.
Critics of the scheme, which even offered to deliver “sex and desire’’ lessons for intimacy starved lovers, had dismissed the program as a bad joke.
The brainchild of the former Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews, dubbed the Minister for Love for his efforts to reduce the nation’s divorce rate, the government had struggled to give the free marriage counselling sessions away.
Stamping his own authority on the portfolio, his replacement Scott Morrison will today announce that the Stronger Relationships trial will be scrapped on Monday, February 9. The $17 million funding will be redirected into what he described as frontline social services. Mr Morrison said at a time when the government was making some tough budget decisions spending had to be prioritised.]
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/2015-02-01/6052302
[Home ownership dreaming
Sunday 1 February 2015 8:05AM
As of 1 January 2015 residents of Indigenous towns in Queensland have the option to buy their homes and convert communal land to freehold. Many want ‘the great Australian dream’, but it will extinguish native title and may expose communities to the open real estate market for the first time. Ian Townsend reports. ]
ShowsOn
After a clip of Brandis it was 😆 to see the panel’s immediate reaction when Cassidy asked what they thought of Brandis’ analysis.
Shorten is so wooden, measuring every word, though he’s beginning to loosen up now. It’s like he’s been trained how to speak.
Shorten campaigning very hard to keep Abbott in place in PM. As well he might.
Watching the qld election last night it was so refreshing to see Kate Jones & other women Labor candidates be so open , engaging & relational . Not taking the voters for idiots….. & what to we get on Indiders… An unless set of platitudes delivered by Bill… useless
When was the last 57-43 result federally?
Shorten did well in that interview
Who are the federal Liberals who have publicly backed Abbott’s leadership? Brandis and Andrews are two. Is there anyone else?
Ronaldson is a third.
I am so happy today. The Newman cockroach squashed and the Socceroos winning the Asia Cup in a match that had a multicultural crowd where both sets of spectators were honoured by incredible gutsy football by their respective teams.
The only blight is we look like losing Abbott as PM. I really want him to lose and election and be forced to give a concession speech. 👿
Insiders doing leadershit
Puff, the Magic Dragon.
A quick exit would also be good for the ignominy of not lasting as long as Rudd or Gillard.
Reminded of the end of the film “Sunday Too Far Away”.
It wasn’t the money, it was the insult.
This is the message about the knighthood for Prince Phillip.
And as for a “Sheila with a foreign sounding name shaking Queensland …..”
A new leader would do well to abolish the knights and dames thing altogether.
Fallout from Qld
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/the-pulse-live/politics-live-fallout-from-queensland-election-threatens-tony-abbott-20150131-132zut.html
Poroti
Yes, there is that.
Of course there are many Ministers who want Abbott to remain. They know that many of them would lose their jobs if there’s a new PM. New PMs want to appoint their own people to ministerial posts. It isn’t surprising that the backbench and the ministry have different perspectives on a leadership change.
[
When was the last 57-43 result federally?
]
I’d hazard a guess (well, I looked at Williams Bludgertrack) and say just before Gillard was chucked for Rudd in 2013.
Just heard a great snippet on Newsradio about low security prisoners from the two prisons near Ararat in Western Victoria helping in the cleanup after the recent bushfire.
Farmer interviewed was very happy with their help, and prisoner interviewed was very happy to be doing something for community in need. Tory politicians take note – this is called community, or “society” (ps Maggie Thatcher was wrong, there is such a thing as society!)
Didn’t Morgan have a 57 post budget?
The extract of Turnbull in USA could have been spoken by a Laborite. I wish I trusted him more.
“That agenda has been frustrated in the Senate because many of the good things we wanted to do we haven’t been able to,” he said
The words of Warren Truss. What good things have been frustrated in the Senate. They just don’t get it do they. Paying $20 to see a GP or $100,000 plus to go to uni. These are good things!.
George Mega on twitter
[The Oz electorate is not volatile. It is less tribal. Problem is the parties and media responded to that change by becoming more tribal.]
rocket rocket
That sort of thing is very good for rehabilitation by improving connections to the community. Tories don’t believe in community.
Has anyone given the greens a serious chance in wentworth next election?
BW re noddy niddy
I noticed that but I will give her the benefit of the doubt and say she was trying not to cry.
Has Abbott popped up today to comment on the Qld election
George Megalagenius is spot on again.
I see no evidence the electorate is becoming more volatile.
Rather, as it ever was, they are not prepared to tolerate lies, broken promises, arrogance and general bastardry from their politicians. Conservative governments have these qualities in abundance and are being punished accordingly.
victoria:
Not that I’ve seen.
confessions
It was a rhetorical question. 😀
Abbot just a statement victoria in his typical cowardly fashion.
Spoke to Campbell, wished him well and all governments can learn from this result yada yada yada.
Henry
Yep the commentariat have no bloody clue
released a statement that is…
Re greens and wentworth, I found my answer in a PB article late last year. Thanks William, good stuff.