The Guardian Australia reports the latest result of the Essential Research fortnight rolling average has two-party steady at 53-47, with the Coalition down two on the primary vote to 35%, Labor down one to 36%, One Nation up two to 11% and the Greens steady on 9%. There is as always a bunch of other stuff in the poll, which you can read about in the report, or here when I get around to writing it up tomorrow.
There was no BludgerTrack update last week for reasons that should be apparent if you scroll through the last few posts, but here it is now. To be clear, this is what I should have run last week, and does not include this latest result, which I’ll include in my next run later in the week.
political_alert: Opposition Leader @billshortenmp will join @BOConnorMP, @LMChesters & @SusanLambMP to launch Labor’s Australian Jobs Taskforce, 10am #auspol
fulvio sammut @ #3256 Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 2:39 am
I’ve been thinking (yes, yes, I know, but still).
The established religions have little credibility or ethical authority left after the as yet unfinished Royal Commission, and will have even less after the findings are handed down.
The new age tongue babblers/evangelical happyclappers /cum commercial enterprises, are largely right wing money funnels for conservative parties, or dangerous loonie cultists run by demented megalomaniacs intent on deflowering virgins, accumulating wives and generally ruining the lives and bank balances of their half witted believers.
OK, that might be a slight, teenie weenie exaggeration, but there is a substantial kernel of truth in my cynical assessment of them and their intentions.
They will never be of any benefit to any society I would chose to live in, and will never do any good for the Labor Party or any even moderately left of centre political organisation.
Tax them.
The States Constitutionally have the ability to impose income tax as they see fit, and even if they have delegated the collection and assessment of that Tax to the Commonwealth, they still retain the right to impose their own. Indeed, Turnbull was suggesting just that to the States only a few months ago.
At the same time remove their exemption from the payment of Local Government rates, land tax, payroll tax, transfer duty and any other exemptions and concessions they receive.
Labor shouldn’t be concerned by the pathetic fulminations from their pulpits and in their churches and halls. They are only preaching to their converted, and those people never voted Labor in the first place.
I’ve put a fair bit of thought into this over the years because I agree that most churches are little more than commercial enterprises these days.
The High Court ruled years ago that the following of a religion was in and of itself a charitable activity, which confirmed the existing law/practice rather than set a new precedent. I don’t agree it is a charitable activity and I think they should be stripped of their Deductible Gift Recipient Status as it relates to their purely religious activities, however its a public policy position that I can live with.
I’m happy for them to retain Deductible Gift Recipient Status for their actual charitable work. They can donate the profits from their taxed businesses to their charitable arm and claim a tax deduction, just like anyone else.
Where I most definitely do not agree with them being tax free is their commercial services, there is no good reason that their interests in hospitals, retirement villages, retail chains, engineering businesses, food manufacturing or outsourced government services should be treated as tax free. None of their competitors in those fields have tax free status and it is a significant distortion of the market for the churches to have it.
Yabba,
You commented earlier about obsessive behaviour by others e.g. Pokies Players. But, don’t you just think your behaviour on this blog is obsessive, abusive hectoring and really a manifestation of all those things you claim to abhor. I mean, how many times do you need to come on and post exaccly the same diatribe of hate and bile before you are sated?
I’ve had plenty to say about the issues. I really don’t have this driven desire to keep repeating myself. I’m not particularly concerned about your opinion of me, my faith and my motivations. I don’t need to have the last word.
In many ways your behaviour is counter productive to the causes you espouse. Recently, we had a number of fellow posters offering me support and asking you to tone down your contributions.
But hey, if you can’t control yourself, please carry on.
bk @ #49 Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 9:13 am
Resentment?
barney in saigon @ #54 Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 9:35 am
Respectful understanding.
grimace @ #52 Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 9:22 am
I agree, well said.
GG Sorry, and I mean it. At least you have your faith to fall back on, and the magnificent, wondrous institution that is your church, in all its glory and power over the minds of such as you. I have nothing, of course. I will cease and desist, unless your hypocrisy reaches even greater heights.
Another one of those annoying “report cards” on government by a business lobby group. (Give us everything we want and we’ll give you a 10 out of 10).
Yabba,I honestly believe that the RC should summons the Pope and other leaders of instiutions to appear. As Head of their organizations they can explain why the organizations they currently lead in many cases, deliberately witheld for decades evidence of crimes and the coverups of the those crimes.
Religions are nothing more than a collection of humans who ascribe to a certain belief system. They are not above the law. Just because you call yourself a muslim,christian,bhuddist or whatever else doesn’t disqualify them or their organizations from the laws of the land based on a religous belief.
Yabba,
My only gift to you is that I can accept your apology.
Sukkar won’t last long if he praises a Labor government like this:
From the previous thread …
b.c. @ #3255 Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 12:59 am
This is an excellent article. It explores why Trump is successful, despite the fact that nearly everything he says is an easily refutable lie. The author hypothesizes that it’s because he taps into a mythos that some people are desperate to believe. Simply responding with facts is of limited use against such tactics.
This is very relevant to Australia because it helps us understand the rise of One Nation.
Murdoch condemns Abbott’s intervention in Australian politics but praises his involvement in UK politics. Perhaps Murdoch could offer Abbott a job at his UK tabloid The Sun.
Libs’ latest rejection for Abbott
SAM BUCKINGHAM-JONES
The former prime minister’s pick to replace Mike Baird has been dealt a crushing blow.
Abbott has best recipe for Brexit
MATT RIDLEY
Britain should take note of Tony Abbott’s advice for Brexit; make it about trade, not corporate interests.
First the mining industry knocked off Kevin Rudd because he wanted to tax it. Now it’s knocked off Brendon Grylls. And what is the response of the WA Labor Party? It’s running shit-scared of the mining industry. In other words, it will have to trim services to protect mining industry profits. Fortunately, though, it will pay for its cowardice. McGowan should remember what happened to another politician who took office with great popular support and sat on his arse and refused to make tough decisions. His name is Malcolm Turnbull.
Justice Department asks for more time after Trump fails to provide wiretap evidence
The Department of Justice said on Monday it had requested more time to respond to a request from lawmakers on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee for evidence about President Donald Trump’s allegation that then-President Barack Obama wiretapped him.
The department requested “additional time to review the request in compliance with the governing legal authorities and to determine what if any responsive documents may exist,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/justice-department-asks-for-more-time-after-trump-fails-to-provide-wiretap-evidence/
Anton,
That’s a Government that hasn’t yet been sworn you’re criticiing for lack of action?
Really?
What Sydney needs is definitely not more roads.
GG – McGowan has already said he won’t tax the miners. I hope he was lying. But I’m taking him at his word.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/they-died-of-thirst-extreme-conditions-wipe-out-forest-over-1000-kilometres-20170313-gux252.html
Shit. 🙁
Grimace @ 9:22
Hear, hear.
Anton,
Well then that makes him committed to implementing his election policy which is generally regarded as a good thing by voters these days.
Anyone like a South Australian government owned nuclear powerplant with their coffee this morning?
No? How about some locally sourced batteries, solar farm, a change to the market regulatory system and gas supply rules with oodles of icing and marzipan?
@ GG – you are deliberately missing the point, stop it.
WA Labor took a shit policy to the election, because they were afraid of the mining lobby. Feel free to argue that the end justifies the means, few here will stop you.
But you must acknowledge that a scheme that reduces the amount that Singapore and the Caymans get from our mineral resources and increases how much the Australian people get is a good one, and that Labor promising to maintain the status quo is bad policy, even if it is good politics.
Voice Endeavour,
What point would that be?
I reckon the new Government needs to review the situation first, then act on the matters and issues they can deal with immediately. The Government also needs to pick its fights and their timing. The aim of any Opposition is to achieve office. Saturday’s result may well indicate that voters are up for significant change and ready for some unpleasant medicine to restore the economy. Time will tell.
Regardless of your point of view, the Goverrnment needs to build alliances with major stakeholders like the Mining Industry. Wasting their popularity and goodwill on breaking promises is hardly something that should or will be at the top of the new Government’s agenda.
This morning I put my address into Telstra’s “NBN Availability” search engine & this is what I got:
“The nbn™ isn’t available in your area yet, but you can get a head start..”
PS: I’m posting this via my new NBN Fixed Wireless broadband connection which went live on March 1st & for which TPG organised an NBN technician to install my connection equipment within a week of my application on March 2nd..
PPS: Former Telstra ADSL gave me: 6.5mps down / .30mps up (on a good day) ..new TPG Fixed Wireless now gives me a rock solid 23.0+mps down / 4.5mps up..
PPPS: Cost of installation: $0.00 on an 18 month contract..
Don’t worry, Scotty has a plan for housing affordability.
“Real estate investors borrowed $13.8 billion in January, more than the $13.6 billion that was lent to owner occupiers. Of this, only $1.2 billion was lent for building new homes.”
The banks have a different plan.
http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/reserve-bank-signals-tighter-standards-unless-banks-rein-in-lending-20170313-guxd74.html
The By election for the NSW State seat North Sydney will be heavily influenced by the forced LG Council amalgamations. North City Council is fighting this after having run up the white flag there for a while.
The tories will expect a flogging – the question is just how much.
There is plenty of noise on the Council Amalgamations but I haven’t seen any polling etc to see just how strongly voters feel.
There is the sense that this Government are proxies – Compradors – for property developers, the Hotels Assn, James Packer and the big end of town in general.
All major decisions seem stitched up with outcomes favouring the group above with the community have bugger all say and so called ‘consultations’ being a farce and an insult.
Occasionally such has come unstuck eg banning greyhound racing and others are bubbling away like privatisation of the lands title office, very shoddy and unjust compensation for property resumptions for the Westconnex.
The retiring member Jillian Skinner recently sent out her final newsletter proclaiming “A Tunnel at Last – Traffic solution in the Pipeline” to link the Northern Beaches from the Burnt Bridge Deviation in Balgowlah to the Warringah Freeway – which is the Northern approach to the Harbour Bridge and the existing Harbour Tunnel.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Burnt+Bridge+Creek+Deviation,+North+Balgowlah+NSW+2093/@-33.8254655,151.2422314,14.14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x6b12abb8fa2d21cd:0xb57656413e7e5d!8m2!3d-33.789537!4d151.2569008?hl=en
This is a distance of about 8 km which would bypass the parking lot that is Military Road along Mosman, Neutral Bay etc.
No doubt this will be the ‘big’ announcement for the by election campaign but I doubt details of funding, construct timeframe will be announced – just ‘soon’ – “we have a plan” I’d expect.
It will probably be a so called Public Private Partnership with a hefty toll both ways and probably changed traffic conditions to make people use it and pay.
So the question remains – how hard will voters kick the tories ?
To me Gladys is a continuation of the OFarrell/ Baird government and her daps are all over many of the majority decision during that time.
The tunnel contract will probably be signed and locked in before the State General Election though – so that Labor would have difficulty unwinding contractoral arrangements – but I’d still expect fireworks commensurate with the level of spivvy contained in any contract etc.
Interesting times as usual, a huge cost which won’t do much to address the Harbour crossing bottlenecks but there is suppose to be a second harbour tunnel somewhere else in the mix and well as the new rail harbour tunnel for the metro.
From the previous thread, just before changeover:
….And amidst the cheers, the whispering-campaign to roll Truffles and the “Is he gawn? Is he not-gawn?” over Brendan Grylls, one milestone was passed today. The Cashless Welfare Card “trial” in Ceduna was concluded, after its 12-month period. True to form, Tudge has praised it to the skies, stated that the Indue funny-money cards will be a fixture of life in the “trial” sites, and flagged more “trials” in other communities.
Look for enabling legislation to be snuck in the back-pages of a “must-pass” bill, to evade scrutiny. Either that, or this’ll be one of the 30% of bills that Labor actually votes with the Coalition on…either way, if you’re on any form of income support except the old-age pension, get used to having no money. Because it’ll become the norm.
@ GG – as I said, argue political realities as much as you like.
It doesn’t change the fact that WA Labor are refusing to take action in a situation where action is sorely needed and where the solution is clear.
Turnbull has plenty of political excuses for his lack of action too.
GG – His election policy is based upon being shit-scared of the miners. He should now show some balls and tax them.
Speaking of NBN, does anyone know what this means, and is it good or bad:
nbn™ Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC)*.
I’m perfectly happy with my current service, but am apparently going to get this in a couple of months.
As the NBN is rolled out in Mayo, Briggs should be thankful he lost his seat. People hereabouts were mighty unimpressed with the delay but are now unimpressed with the problems getting connected (losing phone line for weeks or months) and the poor speeds once they are connected.
Adrian – I don’t think you’re really going “get” anything. They’re going to do something “fancy” at the exchange to make your foxtel cable work faster!
Comparing McGowan to Turnbull is ridiculous. Doubly so if the criticism is that he is keeping his election promises.
Turnbull has fallen in a heap largely because of disappointment that he has turned out nothing like the “Real Malcolm” people thought they were promised. His entire popularity rested on this deception.
The fastest way for McGowan to follow Turnbull into the toilet is to break his election promises. We might wish for someone to kick the miners in the nuts and regret McGowan didn’t take them on. But it’s too late for that now. He has made his bed on this and now he has no choice but to lie in it.
Anton and Voice,
Yes, there are always simple clear and easy to understand answers to every complex problem. Mine is, “Don’t waste political capital on ideological battles”. Identify the issue, build momentum, build your constituency, pick your time and then proceed.
Labor won the election off the back of ex-Lib voters. They will not be impressed with broken promises and outright lies by a newly minted Governments.
adrian @ #81 Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 10:51 am
It is a service using the Telstra cables put in for cable TV which also provided an Internet service. Probably better than FTTN but not as good as FTTP.
I fear I am destined for the same.
In other words, people’s standards have dropped so low that we’re basically fucked because any sociopath can tell blatant lies about basically everything and millions of people will support them anyways?
Speaking of NBN, does anyone know what this means,
It means you’re screwed.
adrian @ #81 Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 10:51 am
……………………………………………………………………….
Its the existing ‘Foxtel’ cable (mostly) which is owned by telstra.
Optus are decommissioning their HFC to use it as backhaul from mobile phone towers.
Thanks Anton and Bemused. So, since I’ve never go anywhere near Foxtel, it’s basically the same as my existing Telstra cable service?
Most voters in WA won’t give a s… about breaking promises to mining coy if they know they will get better services. But wait until McGowan has to start cutting services to protect mining industry revenues. His popularity will go down like a lead balloon. In six months time he will own everything broken in WA, including the budget deficit. At that point, he’ll just be running a protection racket for the mining industry. Good luck, Mark.
@ Ratsak – the comparison to Turnbull is that both of them are making their decisions based on politics rather than policy. Nothing to do with disappointment or promises. No-one is saying McGowan and Turnbull are exactly the same in every possible way. Just that they have one similarity.
I’m not even particularly criticising him for taking the political reality approach of continuing to allow virtually all the benefit from Australia’s resources too flow to tax havens – it is necessary to have a left party that is willing to compromise their beliefs for power.
Adrian – yup. Brilliant huh? 35% of the population with cable really don’t get anything new at all.
A R
Who can blame them ? For several decades people have been told how fantastic this economic reform is or that trade deal is going to be for you by “serious” politicians and all people have got was decreasing job security, stagnating and reduced wages, increasing inequality, housing become less affordable etc. etc . Can’t believe what the “establishment” tells you so why not believe in a fantasy ? You are screwed either way but at least one gives hope for a while.
Is this some sort of record?
McGovern not even sworn in and honeymoon is over
adrian @ #90 Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 11:09 am
I think they will upgrade it to a better standard. Same cable, but different stuff at the other end.
I am currently on Optus Cable so if I get NBN HFC at some point I will be disconnected from the Optus HFC onto the former Telstra HFC.
Itzadream
“The $17 Billion being spent on WestConnex might just have been enough.”
A bridge link to Warringah, whether carrying road or rail or both, would cost $1-2 billion max. To put things in perspective, this was built in France (comparable labour costs) for under $700 million in 2015 Aussie dollars. What we pay for tunnels here is insane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDi0kg6_nek
a r @ #87 Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 11:05 am
Well, yes. But I don’t think it is as bad as that. In a way, Trump is just using tactics that have worked for sales and marketing departments for decades – i.e. it is a dream/vision/lifestyle you are selling, not a product. In fact, the product hardly matters if you can tie the campaign into reinforcing people’s cherished beliefs (whether the beliefs are true or not doesn’t matter).
It works for Apple and it works for Trump. He is not a politician, he’s a salesman. This tactic has simply never been tried on such a scale in politics before. Trump may or may not know that most of what he says is untrue – he doesn’t care. He just knows it works, so he will keep doing it. These tactics can be beaten, but not by simply asserting the facts and hoping people will see reason.
America, of course, is a consumer-oriented society that was uniquely ‘primed’ to fall for this trick. But we shouldn’t be complacent – some Australians will vote for Hanson, who uses (badly) a tactic similar to Trump – whether she knows it or not.
Often it’s only in the aftermath of an election that we get some honesty. Or more lies.
https://thewest.com.au/politics/state-politics/wounded-libs-find-more-to-blame-ng-b88413444z
One more quick comment. Politicians rarely get the credit they deserve after they leave office. As we contemplate the shambles that is our national energy policy, I though it was worth remembering who created the national market, back in 2003? Yes it was Howard government Minister for Tourism, Industry and Resources, Ian MacFarlane, noted economic intellect. No, sorry, he was a farmer. He rarely talks about power prices these days. Thanks Ian!
http://www.efa.com.au/Library/MinCouncilonEnergyRpttoCOAG.pdf