The first ReachTEL poll of the year for Sky News is one of the Coalition’s better results of recent times, with Labor’s two-party lead down from 53-47 to 52-48 from the previous poll on November 28. On the primary vote, the Coalition is up a point to 34%; Labor is steady on 36%; the Greens are steady on 10%; and One Nation is down one to 8%.
Malcolm Turnbull also records a strong improvement on his personal ratings, being rated good by 30% (up six), average by 37% (up two) and poor by 32% (down eight). Bill Shorten is on 31% good (up one), 32% average (down four) and 36% poor (up three-and-a-half). Turnbull has increased his lead on ReachTEL’s all-or-nothing preferred prime minister measure, which typically produces closer results than other pollsters: last time it was 52-48, this time it’s 54-46.
The poll also finds 32% support for a cut in the company tax rate for businesses with a turnover of more than $50 million, with 44% opposed. Thirty-nine per cent of respondents rated that trade deals were good for employment, compared with 20% for poor; but 49% said Labor should vote against the Trans Pacific Partnership if it “doesn’t protect jobs”, with 20% taking the contrary view.
I’m not exactly sure what the field date was for the poll, but ReachTEL uses robopolling with samples of typically around 2300.
In other news, Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman today called an election for March 3, which means there will be no clash with South Australia this time, as there was in 2010 and 2014. I hope to have a full election guide posted later today, so stay tuned.
Boewar
If you were a fucking whale, you wouldn’t want high pitched screeching noises fucking up your sex life either.
Trog Sorrenson @ #547 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 3:33 pm
For some, high pitched screeching during sex (or tennis) seems to be a feature, not a bug.
Trog
When it comes to Australia, the Greensbots are remarkably insouciant about defence. They oppose every single particular acquisition. Every time. Incessantly.
When it comes to whales they are suddenly remarkably precise.
You do get the point?
Boerwar,
Do you think Albanese’s intervention / proposal, as posted, is helpful and/or has merit?
https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/australia-spent-10-billion-us-weapons
Boewar
Maybe it’s because most of the defense acquisitions have been financial and strategic disasters.
It’s over for coal – and Newspoll Snowy 2.0
http://reneweconomy.com.au/plunging-costs-make-solar-wind-and-battery-storage-cheaper-than-coal-83151/
https://www.sipri.org/research/armament-and-disarmament/arms-transfers-and-military-spending/military-expenditure
https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2017/world-military-spending-increases-usa-and-europe
Pegasus
That sounds right. I think we only take what is unique that the US can’t supply from their inventory there.
So we don’t take 2,000 bombs, 300 missiles, small arms and ammunition with us. The Yanks provide that and we use whatever contract they have in place for food and other stuff.
We pay them after use/consumption.
https://www.sipri.org/commentary/blog/2016/opportunity-cost-world-military-spending
Thoughts and prayers for my almost new frost free fridge (20 plus years) required.
Would whoever borrowed my bread knife please leave it at the front door while I pretend to be asleep.
Thanks all.
☮☕
Simon Katich @ #526 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 3:00 pm
Is that a meeting of The Fairies At the Bottom of the Garden Party that he follows? 🙂
rhwombat @ #548 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 3:35 pm
😛
Trog Sorrenson @ #547 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 3:33 pm
Trog,
Maybe it turns them on? 😆
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-23/humpback-whale-population-increasing-like-crazy-say-scientists/7872122
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/28/opinion/editorials/white-house-religious-freedom-doctors.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region
Trog Sorrenson @ #553 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 3:46 pm
I realize you are only interested in solar panels and batteries, Trog. But stop conflating residential and utilty scale – pumped hydro is much, much cheaper for utility-scale storage than batteries. There is really no contest.
C@t
If it turns them on to this extent then they might all die. An orgy, followed by a population explosion, and then mass deaths from starvation.
P1
The article was about utility scale i.e. coal fired power stations versus wind/solar with batteries. Read the article and look at the data.
Trog Sorrenson @ #564 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 4:19 pm
I did. It’s advertorial drivel for a specific company, as usual.
C@tmomma
Thanks for your courage. Good article. (I’ve been asleep.)
P1
You are such a fucking liar P1.
Clearly betting that no other PBers have read the article, which is about a major tender process for a US electricity utility.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/29/buyers-remorse-australias-sorry-record-on-defence-hardware
I wish one of our journos would ask Turnbull if a nationalised broadband network is good enough for America, why isn’t it good enough for Australia?
KayJay – ‘fridge on the ‘edge’ I guess you mean.
My A/C in same mode. It’s 7 yrs old but with me home it’s used summer and winter for most of the day so I shouldn’t whinge to much about it.
Bearings in fans in both indoor and outdoor unit dodgy to say the least. They fans are available ($800 gets both) but, of course, nobody wants to come and fix at this time of the year. All they want to do is install new ones …
I just know the bloody thing is just not going to start one day not to far away … I’ll be out about $3,500 but I guess I’ll just have to bite the bullet otherwise I’ll end up with no ‘blast cool’ for a week or so not an attractive idea.
Your ‘fridge much easier!
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-29/awe-takeover-bid-heats-up-as-mitsui-joins-in/9370722
The bidding war for oil and gas producer AWE has developed into a three-way tussle between Australian, Japanese and Chinese interests.
Key points:
Japan’s Mitsui enters bidding war for AWE with 98 cent cash bid for oil and gas producer
It trumps bids by Australian and Chinese rivals, but market expects more action
AWE is a joint venture partner with WA’s Waitsia gas field, which could supply 10 per cent of Perth’s future gas needs
lizzie @ #566 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 4:23 pm
I think it’s fantastic news! Exactly what we thought would happen if whales were left alone by the Japanese. Long may they make sweet whale music! 😉
KayJay,
Look on Gumtree for a 2nd hand fridge. We got a beaut little Samsung from someone moving interstate for only $100! Goes like a real winner.
Ctar1
Poor choice of words on my part – I meant of no political consequence … i.e. stuff that deserves to be waved through
Trog Sorrenson @ #567 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 4:30 pm
It’s a breathless rehash of a rehash of a rehash of a report from XCel Energy, combined with some unrelated advertising for some company called ViZn Energy Systems (for no apparent reason). However, I accept that this is not your fault – your article is just a rehash of the original rehash with unrelated references to Snowy 2.0 added (again for no apparent reason).
Also, note that the original report had all the comparative figures for non-renewables blacked out, so you couldn’t actually compare the price of renewables with non-renewables. However, it is clear that the generator sources were ordered by price, and that therefore combined cycle gas was cheaper than all of the dispatchable renewable generation options. And by the way, pumped hydro was not included in the report at all. Somebody just made all that stuff up.
Also, it is worth pointing out that coal was still the cheapest source. The company is simply looking to replace their most expensive coal generators with renewables. They are keeping the cheaper ones.
In other words, your article it takes a fairly unremarkable report that demonstrates that CCGT is cheaper than renewables for dispatchable generation, and beats it up to an article that has a lot of hype and a little substance, and draws conclusions not supported by the original report.
But you’d never guess all that from the headline, would you?
C@tmomma @ #566 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 4:47 pm
Thanks indeedy. I have spent considerable time cleaning and abusing the fridge and currently the device is functioning in a reasonable manner.
I think it probably needs the ministrations of a proper service person to replace the thermostat and/or the defrost timer.
I have considered what I laughingly refer to as my finances and will be happy to pay for appropriate repairs and if necessary a new fridge.
If the fridge keeps my paddle pope nice and firm I will be pleased.
Au revoir. ❤
I have a recently acquired replacement room air conditioner.
I hope the fridge last a little longer, good size, 530 litres. Room for lots of splices and paddle pops.
Be good to yourself. ♡
kayjay:
Yes I second C@t’s recommendation of Gumtree, not just for a new fridge but anything second hand.
Also if you’re on facebook you can probably find groups in your area where people buy and sell used goods. We’ve got a good one here where I found some kitchen appliances last year – basically all pretty much brand new but being sold because the couple got wedding gifts of new appliances even though they’d updated their kitchen stuff only the year before. I got a bargain!
Ctar1, in my experience, for what it is worth, bearings that grumble can keep working for some time, albeit noisily.
Hopefully, the quote to install a replacement will be a little cheaper, because the second time around, the electrical connections, holes in walls, brackets etc are already there.
‘Trog Sorrenson says:
Monday, January 29, 2018 at 3:39 pm
Boewar
Maybe it’s because most of the defense acquisitions have been financial and strategic disasters.’
I note the critical difference between your ‘most of’ and the routine criticism of ALL defence spending the Greens. And the total lack of support by the Greens for ANY defence spending over the past quarter of a century.
The net result of following what the Greens say in public would be that we would still be trying to operate Centurions, Mirages and Oberons.
Confessions,
We also have plenty of those local Buy, Swap and Sell groups on facebook. I got a free 3-seater over-stuffed suedette couch just because the lady was moving to a smaller villa from a house, and anyway, it was dirty from her son’s feet and she didn’t want to have to clean it up to sell it for cash money! It cleaned up very well and it still holds pride of place in our lounge room. 🙂
You have to be quick though to get the best bargains.
I’ve been trying to work out how to respond to this (or deciding if responding to Rex has any utility at all; not sure on that).
The answer, and reasoning, has a number of considerations.
Do I think that Australia needs a good defence/military capability – yes, and increasingly so. Particularly if we are to take a more independent approach to foreign policy, which I think we will have to do to walk a more nuanced line with China, India and the US.
Do I support an Australian defence manufacturing capability – yes, because if push comes to shove and we have to survive WWIII then we need to have some self reliance as far as producing the weapons and tools needed to defend ourselves or those friends and neighbours who we would want to be able to help out in a time of need.
Do I support exporting weapons to make a buck – no. It’s a dangerous slippery slope leading to compromised national decision making. The UK’s significant arms export business seems to frequently led the British government to turning a blind eye to what major purchasers do. Having a manufacturing capability is necessary IMO; exporting should not be ruled out where it can be stringently assessed as being in our national interest, but also ethical; focusing on it to make us rich … that’s problematic.
Should we be spending $50 billion on subs – I don’t have the expertise to make that judgment. What I want from our government with regards to defence is to get good quality non-compromised advice and to follow that advice as much as is practical. Does Australia get good quality non-compromised advice? The record would seem to suggest not. If spending $50 billion on these subs built in this way is what good quality non-compromised advice would suggest then I support it. I cannot know whether that is true or not. And I doubt that Rex Douglas or many other commenters on here would be in any better position to make that judgment.
I fully support making our defence procurement decisions better. I don’t know how to do that. How do you separate out the technical aspects from the economic aspects from the domestic political aspects from the geopolitical aspects? How do we get informed advice that isn’t captured by the big defence industry players in the USA or elsewhere? How can we as a public feel like these decisions are being made properly when we get so little transparency (and how does transparency fit into the secrecy surrounding military capability?)
We do need to pay for military hardware. We do need to have the capability to make as much as we can here for when things really turn pear shaped. Knowing that the decision making process is undoubtedly inherently flawed in a number of ways I’m still going to side with the informed decision makers who think that $50 billion subs is the way to go over Rex Douglas who doesn’t appear to be informed of much at all.
Apparently the 11,ooo Indigenous prisoners (out of a total prison population of around 39,000) are going to be glued to their radios to see whether Day 15 of the Massive National Campaign to Change a Date will force reform to our fundamentally racist ‘justice’ system.
We should all know whether the Bwana has finally pulled it right off by this time tomorrow.
C@t:
I’ve only bought a few things off our buy and sell group, and I agree you gotta get in early.
I haven’t yet worked up the courage to sell stuff through the group though.
‘Jackol says:
Monday, January 29, 2018 at 5:22 pm
Hands up those who are happy with the Lib-Lab policy of spending $50,000,000,000 on a bunch of subs that will do a few exercises now and then ?
I’ve been trying to work out how to respond to this (or deciding if responding to Rex has any utility at all; not sure on that).’
There are three issues here.
1. The first is whether the technical response, money for value, etc, etc, etc mean that the sub decision is a good decision.
2. The second is that the Greens will never publicly support any defence spending unless, possibly, it reduces ear damage to the whales. The inescapable practical conclusion is that they want to gut our defence capability.
3. Rex is a bot. Nuff said.
SA seat polling for 3 seats where SAB is running.
2 Lib seats, including the one NX is running in, will go to SAB.
The one Labor seat polled will depend on Liberal preferences and be close.
And Federal polling showing Mayo staying with NXT.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-29/nick-xenophon-sa-best-leading-in-key-seats-poll-shows/9370674
Jackol @ #582 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 5:22 pm
One problem Australia faces, or so it appears to me, is that we are dismantling the kind of industrial capabilities that can be turned to manufacturing defence equipment should the need arise.
By way of example, in WWII, GMH was producing 25 pounder field guns, Chullora railway workshops was capable of casting tank hulls, Henderson Springs were manufacturing components for Beauforts and Beaufighters and so on.
Having got rid of much of our civilian manufacturing capability it seems to have dawned on our genius LNP Govt that we do need some sort of manufacturing capability for defence independence and all that is politically acceptable to them is the armaments industry which is, in any event, now largely foreign owned.
PeeBee
I was on to the istallation bit.
The existing air con/heater is a Daiken and he was saying he’d do Daiken but he thought another close to same price was a ‘better’ one at the moment but it was shorter and I need to have the wall patched a bit.
At that point I decided I’d stick to Daiken.
Bemused
‘One problem Australia faces, or so it appears to me, is that we are dismantling the kind of industrial capabilities that can be turned to manufacturing defence equipment should the need arise.
By way of example, in WWII, GMH was producing 25 pounder field guns, Chullora railway workshops was capable of casting tank hulls, Henderson Springs were manufacturing components for Beauforts and Beaufighters and so on.
Having got rid of much of our civilian manufacturing capability it seems to have dawned on our genius LNP Govt that we do need some sort of manufacturing capability for defence independence and all that is politically acceptable to them is the armaments industry which is, in any event, now largely foreign owned.’
While I am sympathetic to the principle, in practice autarchy in defence equipment is simply not possible for Australia. (It was much more possible when the actual technical range was a lot narrower, for example in WW1 and WW2). Nowadays the technical range is immense, both by specific equipment types and by the sheer range of equipment types.
We can focus on a very narrow range of specializations but that would be about that.
PeeBee – ‘he’ above means a guy that visited to give me a quote.
CTar1 @ #588 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 5:47 pm
If it is a split system, then I think he’s having a lend of you. The “head unit” of split systems needs a hole only large enough to feed the pipes through (i.e. an inch or two). The size of the head unit you see on the wall has nothing to do with that. Your wall should not need patching just because the head unit is smaller.
Bw
Yep. Let’s face it we are not going to design and build fighter A/C and only just able to build with a lot of guidance a submarine.
But building things like Armoured Personal Carriers are with-in capability for now (as bemused said, but due to the domestic vehicle close downs may not be in a decade or so).
The base Radar detection stuff we do, we do well, and they are saleable to other countries for military uses and some systems for commercial use.
Our chemical industry has the skill and knowledge to do batches of artillery for the field artillery or ships main guns.
I think the Armies previous infantry rifle – the 7.62 SLR -was actually supplied design from the UK and manufactured in a govt owned factory we had at Lithgow and a local company providing the ammunition. We could possibly still do this with the right equipment and enough people trained to run the equipment but the manufacturing capability would have been from, again the vehicle building companies.
If we got ourselves involved in some major conflict we do need to be able to manufacture basic ammunition. Sophisticated missiles and the like we’d have no choice other than to buy o/s.
Petrol, Oil and Lubricant (‘POL’) for an emergency situation would be a very real problem for us and its shortage would be almost instant. We should have some sort of emergency storage reserve of all of them.
So sales of base ammunition to o/s countries that Turnbull is going on about is just about making a dependable ’round’ and supplying it at a competitive price.
Hands up those who are happy with the Lib-Lab policy of spending $50,000,000,000 on a bunch of subs that will do a few exercises now and then ?
If we are going to buy those French subs we need to buy them with the nuclear engine they were designed with.
Not an expert on military hardware but I am an expert in the pitfalls of purchasing a package and then customising it. If it’s not a 90% fit then it’s going to cost you more to modify it than it would be to design from scratch. Or you end up with unusable expensive junk
Tim Minchin
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/jan/29/it-was-unbearable-tim-minchin-on-life-under-trump-and-the-collapse-of-his-100m-movie?CMP=share_btn_tw
Boerwar @ #537 Monday, January 29th, 2018 – 12:20 pm
Like the JSF plane that has yet to have a successful flight and if it ever does will be outmanoeuvred by the Russian equivalent which Indonesia has seen fit to purchase.
But, hey yeah, let’s continue to throw money into a black hole.
Boerwarmonger – never saw a piece of military hardware he didn’t want to waste billions of dollars of taxpayers money on. All part and parcel of his Blairite view of the world.
Oh mercy!
http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/miranda-live-trump-getting-on-with-the-job-says-malcolm-turnbull/news-story/7f6e48eb0a8cdd1ea75b56358bf9d1cc#.vw2b7