Another week in which the BludgerTrack aggregate has essentially shrugged its shoulders in response to a headline-grabbing opinion poll surprise, in this case the narrow 51-49 lead recorded for Labor by Newspoll. With Roy Morgan and Essential Research both going fairly solidly the other way, the Coalition records a gain of only 0.3% on two-party preferred, yielding a dividend of one seat in Western Australia on the seat projection. The Coalition and Labor are both up on the primary vote at the expense of the minor parties, with Palmer United notably hitting a record low in the wake of Glenn Lazarus’s resignation. Interestingly enough, both Labor’s two-party vote and seat projection are exactly as they were at the 2007 election.
Newspoll provided a new set of numbers for the leadership ratings, and as usual the trend reading is highly responsive to the latest seat of results. That means another improvement for Tony Abbott’s net approval rating, which is now back to what had previously been his career-worst result before the Prince Philip knighthood. Bill Shorten is down too, and it’s now clear that the change in dynamics after the Liberal leadership spill vote has taken a bite out of his approval rating. On preferred prime minister, Tony Abbott is now rating very slightly better than he was prior to Australia Day. Full results on the sidebar, further down from the very similar looking display for the New South Wales state election.
confessions
I cannot remember clearly but seem to recall it as being Kate Lundy.
Ha BB @ 40 – true!
guytaur:
Yes, you’re right. It was Lundy.
guytaur@45
I haven’t seen Fran post for a while TBH.
[“…the Abbott government has been leading international resistance to White House moves to strip back subsidies for fossil fuels.”]
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-government-resists-us-moves-against-coal-power-20150325-1m7mxr.html
[8
Raaraa
briefly@1255
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/bomb-device-attached-to-mosman-schoolgirl-was-a-very-very-elaborate-hoax-20110803-1icbe.html
I’m reliably informed this crime was solved by the use of metadata.
This was solved using the existing pre-amendment legislation.]
It was solved in real time using metadata shared between Australian and US authorities. The point is that without the data it could not have been solved. This illustrates why retention of the data, provided for by the bills, is a good idea. No data, no investigation.
It has been put to me that in fact all our metadata does exist already, going back forever, and that it includes not only the level of information defined in the bills, but all the content as well. This data is said to be collated on a system called “Prism” that is housed by the US, who make free use of it. I’m not sure where the servers are located, but presumably not in this jurisdiction.
Is this true? It would be good to know. Perhaps it relates to international communications only.
Perhaps Fran became bored with some of the static and repetitive arguments.
briefly
The point remains. That case was solved before the new legislation passed. Unless you have a time machine thats just a fact you cannot change.
briefly
As for the metadata existing before the metadata laws passed it is simple. NO.
Average retention due to billing cycles 3 months. Requirement under metadata 2 years. Big difference in time collected there.
I believe Fran was annoyed by the ads.
adblocker does work so hopefully she will be back.
Briefly
However for a bit of political reality. The Bill has passed. Now those people in favour of citizens having rights including to privacy should be advocating for a human rights bill.
Do you agree that is more constructive?
zoomster@17
I disagree with the need to argue along party lines. I don’t adhere to any party ideology though I admit I stand left of centre.
The fact that this legislation is supported by two blocs, one leftish, one rightish, means that this issue transcends parties.
I’ll give you that I made that mistake of dismissing it as a right-wing ideology. I did so because to my observation, security-related legislation is usually pushed by right-wing parties (though I can be disputed for sayng that).
I just don’t think security is a good enough reason to try out this legislative amendment.
And as for the last statement, I was hoping that discussion goes beyond PB. Yes, there’s only a handful of posters here who we may consider as right-wing. There may be many more readers. For a “populist” argument, it doesn’t seem to get much talk in general.
I’d like to ask you honestly though, bludger to bludger, if this has had much discussion in the party membership, and if you’re privy to it and don’t mind sharing, what are the discussions raised that are for and against it? Just out of curiousity. I’m not putting you up to a test.
g…yeah, no data, no investigation…
Ten percent of the brain power of Poll Bludger walked out the door when Fran stopped posting. I wish she were still here.
Abbott Presser now
I need some computer advice please.
I recently purchased an HP computer with Windows 8.1 and Word 2013 installed. I’m gradually getting used to the programs, which seem unnecessarily complicated, but something in the keyboard commands is driving me up the wall.
I have changed keyboards, thinking that would fix it, but it must be the computer.
Shift + double quote mark gives me @, whereas @ gives me ”
It seems that the top line has been altered.
How do I find the keyboard controls, please? Or do I have to live with it?
“@danielhurstbne: PM names Angus Campbell, who headed Operation Sovereign Borders, as new chief of army”
Raaraa
[I disagree with the need to argue along party lines.]
I do, too. That’s why I waited until I’d looked at the arguments before I decided on a side of the fence.
[The fact that this legislation is supported by two blocs, one leftish, one rightish, means that this issue transcends parties.]
Exacty so. Which means that it’s not a matter of ideology but of practicality.
[I’ll give you that I made that mistake of dismissing it as a right-wing ideology. I did so because to my observation, security-related legislation is usually pushed by right-wing parties (though I can be disputed for sayng that).]
Fair enough…but as you say, this issue transcends parties.
[I’d like to ask you honestly though, bludger to bludger, if this has had much discussion in the party membership..]
I live in virtual isolation atm (alas). I haven’t talked directly to a party member for probably a month. Email exchanges (daily) have focussed on organisational matters.
My ALP facebook friends haven’t mentioned the issue at all.
As always, my opinions are my own, arrived at by myself. (I do tend to start with the assumption the party has good reasons for doing what it’s doing…)
lizzie
I don’t know Windows well. However I would assume keyboard settings in control panel would be a place to start
[I believe Fran was annoyed by the ads.]
The only ones that bug me are those that start yabbering at you unbidden.
That shit should be banned.
62
Raaraa
For the remarkably little it’s worth, my views on metadata are not party-political. They are informed by my own very regrettable experiences with serious crimes and the genuine public and private good that results from solving them. These benefits are real and my beliefs about them are genuinely held. By contrast, the fears evinced about the use of communications data seem to me to be irrational and out of all proportion to the benefits available from the measured use of this material in criminal investigations.
There. Last time.
@wikileaks: RELEASE: Analysis of Trans-Pacific Partnership Investment Chapter https://t.co/CiDjAT7ZfG
guytaur
The helpful little gnome in the machine simply reports that ‘this device is working properly’. 🙁
briefly@56
In in current form, I would think so. The US passed similar legislation not too long ago, and they may have access to such details, but I have not looked into their regulation so I can’t say.
Was his capture in the US obtained through the use of metadata? I can’t recall now. If it was, it was purely in their jurisdiction I would think.
I do remember one of the points raised in the Senate was that it needs to ensure that metadata information doesn’t leave out borders and currently there is no legislation for that.
I am aware that there are privacy information that pertains to how our government body stores information, and that it needs to be kept within Australia.
I don’t believe the storage of metadata we currently have over time are consistent. Some are discarded, some are kept over months, some over years, and maybe a rare few from when metadata was first kept (in its entirety).
Like I said in my earlier comments, storing of it doesn’t bother me. I’m aware, it does get pretty expensive to maintain their storage (The data backup we do at my work on a daily basis is in terrabytes and we get an external company to store it for us for years). Retrieval of such information without a warrant, I object.
I find it ironic & mildly amusing that Fran Bailey has forsaken the vast pages of this blog with almost unlimited space for her often unreadably long posts ..for the confines of the Twittersphere which offer her only 140 characters..
She doesn’t seem bothered though, as she tweets regularly.. 🙂
> Fascinating how hitherto strident attackers of this government suddenly morph into acquiescent supporters of dangerous legislation, just because the ALP is too weak to seriously challenge it.
Some people are just incapable of changing their minds. They vote labor. They’ve always voted liberal. Only idiots vote liberal. Only dole-bludgers vote labor. All criticisms are just ‘greens ideology’.
The battles of elections aren’t won by convincing them. They’re won by convincing the people that are capable of looking at two arguments, regardless of the value of each side, and then changing their minds about either the ideas, or the people giving them.
I’ve been a supporter of the ALP for 15 years. That has stopped as a result of this weak-as-piss cave-in. They don’t deserve government, they don’t even deserve opposition. Until they grow a back-bone, they deserve everything that’s coming to them.
zoomster@68
Thanks. This is exactly the kind of discussion I was looking for.
I asked because as far as parliamentary party member is concerned, Albanese did raise some concerns, but I’ve yet to hear any more. I know maybe through the whip they could be limited with what they can say, but surely some party members would have something to say about it.
Raaraa@54
My bad.. Looking through the discussion, I’m doubting we are talking about the same Fran?
[@wikileaks: RELEASE: Analysis of Trans-Pacific Partnership Investment Chapter https://t.co/CiDjAT7ZfG%5D
Go read the first page.
This isnt about ‘free trade’ : its a massive effort at regulating economies in favour of large foreign businesses.
Australian companies dont get to sue the government offshore for completely undeserved things like “expected future profits”.
In a democracy, those profits cease to be “expected” the moment a duly elected government regulates an area of economic activity in the public interest.
There is no such things as “future profit” at that point, so go screw yourself.
Like the MAI before it, the TPP should end up straight in the bin.
There is an excellent discussion of public debt on Bill Mitchell’s site today:
Fran can be found on Twitter here:
https://twitter.com/fran_b__
briefly@71
Alright, we’ll agree to disagree.
In summary, putting my stance on the principal of it aside, my position is that you could take any number of measures in criminal investigation and prosecution, though it could be really expensive and bothersome just to get that last few percentages.
Raaraa
[I know maybe through the whip they could be limited with what they can say, but surely some party members would have something to say about it.]
From memory, there were more ALP MPs than Albo expressing concerns – I think Melissa Clarke and Doug Cameron.
However, this was in the discussion about the amendments – it’s quite possible their concerns have actually been dealt with.
As for ALP MPs speaking out, once caucus has made a decision, they’re not supposed to – and remember, also, that Labor had a similar proposal kicking around when they were in government, so it’s likely that the arguments were well and truly thrashed over then.
@DrRimmer: . @WikiLeaks reveals local health & environment rules under threat: Big scoop by @ausflatfish @SMH @TheAge #ISDS #TPP http://t.co/zl0JKN1XIs
Raaraa
‘Our’ Fran isn’t Fran Bailey, who is a retired Liberal pollie.
“@joshgnosis: I think Brandis effectively admitted the stored data will be accessible through the court for copyright infringement cases.”
Lizzie – I can’t talk specifically about Win8 (I’m using Win7 atm). It does sound like your computer has been configured for a European language keyboard layout.
On my version of Windows there is a “Region and Language” setting in the Control Panel – perhaps check that, there may be a tab in that for “Keyboards and Languages”, which may allow you to change/add/set the keyboard layout to one that matches your actual keyboard (probably US English).
“@joshgnosis: “No civil litigant other than through a notice for third party inspection or subpoena could have access to metadata”. So yes, then.”
@lizzie
The problem is in your language settings. Keyboards sold in Australia generally have the USA layout, so you will need to go the languages under the control panel and from there you can change the keyboard layout to US English from its current UK English setting.
Fran Barlow, not Bailey.
[I find it ironic & mildly amusing that Fran Bailey…]
Maybe you do but I was referring to Fran Barlow…
> Like the MAI before it, the TPP should end up straight in the bin.
And because of the weak-as-piss ALP in opposition, we’ll wind up wearing it.
guytaur
I suspect it has something to do with the language installed. I’ll live with it 🙂
lizzie/sohar..
..my bad, of course it’s Fran BARLOW.. 🙁
“@joshgnosis: I think Brandis effectively admitted the stored data will be accessible through the court for copyright infringement cases.”
“@joshgnosis: “No civil litigant other than through a notice for third party inspection or subpoena could have access to metadata”. So yes, then.”
So all that BS that briefly waxed on about yesterday as not being the intent of the bill, or possible under the legislation, actually, wait for it… wait for it… IS. Foreign companies through the TPP will be spying on your using the meta-data collected as a result of this legislation.
And the ALP let it happen. Say sayonara to the next election, and any election after it until you turf these wet-tissue pollies. At least abbott knew how to be an opposition leader.
Jackol and Marty
Thank you both. I had just reached the same conclusion myself. It seems I’m stuck with US English, which I don’t like. Even Aus language accepts Amer spellings.
Oh SH*T!!
Breaking News Feed
@PzFeed
BREAKING NEWS: One pilot of Germanywings plane was locked out of cockpit, tried to smash down the door before it crashed – NYT
Comments about Kevin Rudd becoming Prof. Rudd says more about the value of titles such as “Professor” or “Dr.” these days than about Rudd.
Methinks such nomenclatures have been devalued somewhat.
Sometimes one needs to differentiate the title from the role.
A doctor doing medicine means something. A Dr. Ilovepets for a vet is meaningless.
No disrespect for vets by the “Dr” bit, but it adds nothing to quality at all.
Our host, for instance, is working on his PhD, but the quality of what he does not related to whether the magic Dr exists or not.
None of my comment is to decry the effort put in, the quality of, or satisfaction of a higher university qualification.
It is just the charlatans have made such hard won goals debased value as a moniker.
More here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/26/world/europe/germanwings-airbus-crash.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
“@joshgnosis: Greens amendments voted down again. Leyonhjelm now moving an amendment to define content in legislation. #dataretention”