This week’s reading of BludgerTrack, supplemented only by the usual weekly result from Essential Research, is another big load of nothing, the only movement being a gain for the Coalition on the seat projection in Western Australia, balanced by a loss in Victoria. One Nation has bumped downwards for the second week in a row, but this is very likely a statistical artefact. BludgerTrack is making no effort to bias adjust for One Nation, which is recording stronger numbers from Newspoll (11% in the last poll) than Essential Research (down to 6% this week). Since Newspoll hasn’t reported for three weeks, Essential’s numbers are presently carrying greater weight. If the Newspoll that will presumably be out tonight or tomorrow is true to form, expect One Nation to tick back upwards on BludgerTrack next week. Nothing new this week on leadership ratings.
Also:
• Latika Bourke of Fairfax reveals that leaked nomination papers reveal the five contestants the Western Australian Liberal Senate vacancy of Chris Back, whose resignation took effect in the middle of last month. The front-runner out of an all male line-up is said to be Slade Brockman, a former staffer to local conservative heavyweight Mathias Cormann. Also on the list are David Barton, a physiotherapist; Gabi Ghasseb, a Lebanese-born and Bunbury-based businessman; and two entrants on the Liberals’ Battle of the Somme-length casualty list at the March state election: Michael Sutherland, former Speaker and member for the Mount Lawley, and Mark Lewis, former Agriculture Minister and upper house member for Mining and Pastoral region. Noting the absence of women, Bourke reports that Erin Watson-Lynn, a director of AsiaLink said to be aligned with Julie Bishop and the moderate tendency, was considering nominating but failed to find support.
• As the federal parliamentary term enters its second year, we’re beginning to hear the first murmurings about preselections for the next election. Tom McIlroy of The Canberra Times reports Liberal nominees for Eden-Monaro will include former Army combat engineer Nigel Catchlove, and that “international relations expert and Navy veteran Jerry Nockles is considering a tilt”. Nationals federal director Ben Hindmarsh says the party is considering fielding a candidate in the seat for the first time since 1993. State upper house MP Bronnie Taylor is mentioned as a possible contender, odd career move though that would be.
• With the retirement of Thomas George at the next state election, the Byron Shire Echo reports that the Nationals will conduct an open primary style “community preselection” to choose a new candidate in Lismore, which they very nearly lost to the Greens in 2015.
• The Australian Parliamentary Library brings us a review of last year’s election and a look at what would happen in the event that an early election required a mini-redistribution, both by Damon Muller.
• If you’ve ever been wondering what happened to content that used to be accessible on the website before the redesign removed the sidebar, you might find now an answer on my newly reupholstered personal website, pollbludger.net. At the very least you’ll be able to access the historical BludgerTrack charts, comment moderation guidelines and links to all my federal, state and territory election guides going back to 2004 (albeit that some of these have lost their formatting and are a bit of a dog’s breakfast). I hope to use this site a lot more in future for things the Crikey architecture can’t accommodate.
Vogon Poet
To some extent it reduces the need to have expensive gas idling in the background.
For example: The SA government is now mandating gas be turned on when wind power generation exceeds a certain percentage. This is wasteful, and means that consumers cannot benefit from the lower prices of energy generated at this time.
With the 100MW battery installed, they can start to wind this regulation back.
Here is a detailed explanation:
http://reneweconomy.com.au/new-back-up-rule-means-end-of-cheap-wind-power-in-south-australia-60119/
For full effect we need more battery storage and changes to the market rules.
On Insiders they did comment on the dystopian 2019 DT front page and made the point that Labor’s policies are quite popular.
Labor does have a wide suite of policies, subject to review before the next election.
If Shorten were ‘Steve Bradbury’, then he would be running a small target, and leaving it up to the Libs, I can’t see him doing that, the policy process and the town halls will continue.
“Looks like George Pell’s health is holding up well enough for him to travel to Singapore”.
Saw a pic of him in Thailand yesterday (a bit of last minute fun?)
———
If Sohar you are suggesting that the Cardinal is molesting boys as last minute fun in Thailand that is unkind.
I think the only thing George Pell is guilty of is being a coldish/detached type personality and not understanding the suffering of sex abuse victims in the beginning, and could not respond with empathy. I don’t think for a minute he molests or rapes boys.
I doubt he will get a fair trial, as there is a book on sale outlining how he raped or molested some boys in a Vestry back around 40 odd years ago. To me, I think he will be found guilty so that he becomes the focus for punishment of all sex crimes against children by Catholic priests from eons ago. Very unfair, but my thinking after reading the media reports is that is what will happen. He is to be offered up, so to speak, so that all victims and from decades ago, get closure.
Re ‘The leaders of 19 of the world’s 20 largest economies have reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris climate accords, putting on record their differences with President Donald Trump’s administration.’.
I wonder if Trumble, with one eye on his right wing, was torn between the G19 and the G1?
He did get a ride in the presidential limousine.
JayWeatherill: Elon Musk said Tesla could build Australia a power storage system in 100 days. Now we’ll see – LA Times google.com.au/amp/www.latime…
http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-tesla-australia-battery-20170707-story.html
Prettyone
I thought empathy and concern for your fellow man were supposed to be at the heart of Christianity. You know, Jesus and all that stuff.
If so, how come the fucker rose to such prominence in the Australian church?
sohar @ #83 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 10:35 am
So the ABC should cut normal programming and talk about nothing else?
Bemused
NO ONE said not to talk about anything else.
The complaint is not ONE question on the Tesla battery. Not that it was the ONLY subject covered
Well now there is an indepth report on the battery on ABC News 24
Same information as available at the presser. By Sunday experts had weighed in. No excuse for Insiders not to ask a South Australian Senator a question about it. An hour later an in depth report on the tele.
No excuse for Cassidy not to ask about it. Also no excuse to spend just a minute on the subject on an hour long programme
trog sorrenson @ #87 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 10:38 am
What was your complaint? About Uhlmann?
I think he is a combination of ideology and ignorance.
Oh LOL the Pyne leaks a deliberate subversion of the Liberal party! You gotta watch the video for the full impact.
https://www.facebook.com/SkyNewsAustralia/videos/10154720706971728/
prettyone @ #103 Sunday, July 9th, 2017 – 11:06 am
Perhaps he doesn’t. That’s what the trial will sort out. However his RC testimony made it abundantly clear that he helped cover for people who do.
Pell’s entitled to the presumption of innocence in regards to these latest charges, you’re right about that; however he burned his benefit of the doubt long ago. I’d be happy to see him jailed for his role in the Church cover-ups alone, no matter whether or not he personally molested anybody.
If you think Pell’s hands are clean, you’re being entirely too charitable.
Bemused
It was about failure to cover the battery installation. I also noted that Penny Wong was an SA senator, and Uhlmann’s history of misreporting the SA blackout.
guytaur @ #108 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:17 am
She is the Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister.
A good topic to discuss with Mark Butler.
All the whinges here because the ABC does not operate exactly as you, as an individual, wish are just incredible. Grow up children.
marrowing: this unhinged rightwing conspiracy theorist is the political editor of the national broadcaster. not just some fringe oped columnist
Bemused
In that case no question about domestic politics to Julie Bishop is ever valid when she is appearing on Insiders as she is the Foreign Affairs Minister.
Your claims are just ridiculous
trog sorrenson @ #113 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:25 am
Your priorities, and perhaps mine, are not those of the general community and it seems not those of the people making editorial decisions at the ABC.
Can’t satisfy all the people all the time.
Bill Shorten’s problem and not getting enough time on ABC and Fairfax and other media is due to the top of the line journos there admiring and feeling comfortable with Malcolm Turnbull. I suspect Leigh Sales etc, Mark Kenny etc, are all long term friends with MT and wish him the best, and do their utmost to guide and advise and put a positive outlook on anything the LNP does. They are birds of a feather – as I’ve mentioned before. Cultured, art lovers, opera goers, progressive thinkers, wealthy and comfortable.
Friends stick together. Bill Shorten is not in the circle, poor fellow.
guytaur @ #116 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:34 am
Not what I said sunshine. Just on this occasion, with G20 and all that, Cassidy prioritised things differently to what you would have. Get over it.
The continual bleating about Pell not being able to get a fair trial reeks of nothing more than the nagging fear that he will be found guilty. Well he wants his day in court doesn’t he, albeit kicking and screaming all the way past the Singaporean ice cream shop, so **** and let him have it.
He is to be offered up, so to speak …
Whatever that means, with its sacrificial lamb references to innocence and purity regardless. Salvation through sacrifice is very much at the core of Catholic thought, so I am sure he will welcome his turn on the altar. So to speak.
Bemused
Insiders is an hour long program which is supposed to feature the politically significant events of the week. I’d say that SA awarding the largest battery project in the world, particularly given the political contention between Frydenberg and Weatherill, and the huge debate over the politics of power prices and AGW, is a darn sight more important than a segment on some shit for brains red head flying a drone off the balcony of her flat.
Bemused
Yes that is exactly what you said. This issue is important in the national sense as well as very important to South Australia. This is not reckless ABC bashing. Its a direct result of the political judgement of the national political editor C Uhlmann of the wind turbines are to blame for blackouts fame. When we all saw it was tornadoes striking down electricity towers
trog sorrenson @ #121 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:38 am
Yes, the Hanson piece was a bit of trivia, but you could say the same about ‘Talking Pictures’ each week and many other things.
The editorial decisions made don’t align with your preferences. Nor mine for that matter, but we are not the whole audience.
guytaur @ #122 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:39 am
I must have blinked and missed that on Insiders this morning.
Bemused
Ah ok. Now you are trolling on this. However thanks for keeping the discussion going so people think about the editorial judgement of ignoring such an important national and state issue in an interview with a South Australian Senator.
Now ignoring you on this
bemused @ #114 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:32 am
guytaur @ #125 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:45 am
You are a total dingbat.
The ABC is more than one program. Over a period of time, all things tend to get coverage.
Bemused
How many times does an Australia let alone a State infrastructure project get coverage in the LA Times?
Bemused
How big a deal is climate change politics in Australian politics?
Bemused
How big a deal is it that a new industry is taking off in South Australia.
Compare contrast reporting on the demise of the car industry and the building of submarines in the state.
Guytaur
Read my @127 and reflect on it.
On the Musk ‘100 MW battery’:
OK –
*Musk ‘supplies’ the working in place battery,
* A French company supplies the gear to connect the battery to the Grid, and some wind generators as a part of the battery charging,
* 70% of the output is reserved for SA use, and
* 30% of the output can be sold to other states.
Q1. Who owns the actual battery?
Q2. Who owns the solar panel installation (the French company)?
Q3. Who owns the output (both components) for sale?
Bemused
Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:49 am
Guytaur….
You are a total dingbat.
!!!!!
ROFLOLHMSTRDMF
B
‘Brexit: German business warns May its priority is to protect single market, not a good trade deal with UK Carmakers in Germany were expected to lobby their government for a free trade deal to help them sell into the British market, but they say protecting the single market is more important’
Thousands of British companies have called for an indefinite delay on Brexit…
But the clock is ticking.
Four months of the 24 months of the mandatory negotiation time frame have gone with no progress at all. In fact, given that the British Cabinet is absolutely riven with discord on what should be sought from the negotiations, things have probably gone backwards during the first four months. While the Brits are muddling to the starting line the hard liners in the EU are gaining strength.
The prospects of a significant lose lose continue to grow.
guytaur @ #100 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:02 am
Why would you think that? The article seems fairly even-handed about the pros and cons.
If renewables are to inernalize storage costs then coal and gas should internalize the economic, social and environmental costs on a per unit basis.
This done, renewables would kill coal and gas any way you like.
I haven’t watched Insiders, but Wong delivered her/Labors major foreign policy platform on Thursday at the Lowy.
On Friday she did a lot of press on it.
The Insider’s interview segment is a ‘stand alone’ item and was likely to have been recorded on Friday.
So no question on the SA battery announcement. Did it get mentioned by the other reptiles or Cassidy in their general coverage?
Bemused
You shouldn’t call Guytaur a dingbat – he was simply pointing out your attack of amnesia over Uhlmann’s reporting of the SA blackouts, and his BS about synchronous generation and other things he knew nothing about.
The editorial focus of the ABC – particularly the news – has shifted in the last couple of years.
This is not a figment of the left-wing collective imagination, it is a response to funding pressure, editorial elections, and ultimately from relentless pressure by Murdoch and his Coalition cronies. Michelle Guthrie worked for Murdoch for 13 years prior to her appointment as CEO, and thinks all broadcasting is for is to make a buck. She doesn’t understand public service, maybe because it’s not in Rupert’s lexicon, but it’s certainly not in hers.
P1
My apologies.
itzadream @ #120 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:37 am
If Pell is well enough to holiday in Singapore, perhaps he could have his trial there.
I believe they still have the death penalty.
I am not a fan of Chris Ulhmann, but this 2 minute video by him is an excellent summation of the G20 conference and Trump’s contributiom. It absolutely hits nail on proverbial head
https://mobile.twitter.com/JeffreyGuterman/status/883836920522035202
ctar1 @ #132 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 11:55 am
Excellent questions! I would love to know the answers because it is not clear in anything I have seen.
CT
The Battery installation got about a minutes mention
CT
Also the announcement of the battery was on Friday. Nick Harmsen was on twitter early tweeting about the upcoming announcement. They knew it was coming
trog sorrenson @ #138 Sunday, July 9, 2017 at 12:01 pm
Please quote me accurately. I called him a “total dingbat”.
Ct
In fact its for this very reason that the interviews are supposed to be live. After all how could Wong comment on Trump’s G20 outcomes if the interview was recorded on Friday
Just a reminder for ABC and Michelle Guthrie apologists and sundry other frogs who haven’t noticed the rise in temperature.
A snippet:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/14/michelle-guthrie-the-abc-and-the-turning-of-a-once-shining-jewel-into-mainstream-sludge
Following from CT’s points, from the article linked by GT :
“Dr Dargaville believes the system may in fact increase energy bills if it is privately owned, because whoever owned it would need to find a way to make money on their investment. The battery station would be unlikely to generate significant profit by itself, he said.
“It’s not designed to save consumers money on their bills – it’s designed to help keep the lights on during a 45-degree day in Adelaide.”
Trog @ 138:
Well said!
‘fess
I don’t think based on the outcomes of her being Home Secretary she thought she had much chance of becoming PM/Tory party leader.
But once she realised that Phillip Hammond would settle for being Chancellor of the Exchequer and that the field consisted of idiots like Gove and Boris then she decided to have a real go based on a simple platform – keep doing what ‘Dave & George’ were doing domestically and implement the BREXIT option that the majority had voted for.
It worked.