As related by The Australian, the first Newspoll of the year has Labor’s two-party lead at 52-48, which is down from 53-47 at the previous poll in mid-November, and the narrowest it’s been since April last year. On the primary vote, the Coalition is up two to 38%, Labor is steady on 37% and the Greens are steady on 10%. One Nation is on 5%, which is down two on a result that was already their weakest showing since Newspoll started publishing results for them last February. Personal ratings bring good news for Malcolm Turnbull, who is up five on approval to 37%, and has widened his lead as preferred prime minister from 41-34 to 45-31. Bill Shorten is up two on approval to 34%, but it seems we will have to wait for the disapproval ratings (UPDATE: Good news for both on the latter score, with Turnbull down seven to 50%, and Shorten down four to 52%).
UPDATE: Newspoll also has preferred Labor leader numbers which have little separating Bill Shorten, Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese, who are on 22%, 25% and 24% respectively.
Lizzie
I agree. If Australia Story wanted to focus on Marriage Equality they should have followed another couple not associated with a particular party. To me its just another promotion of the LNP.
Gives Abbott an excuse to say see I was not so bad in campaigning against human rights.
“The content was good and his delivery keeps improving.”
Yup, and there is the thing about Shorten that it seems to take him a few minutes to settle in to a speech or interview. A little awkward to begin, but then slips into the mode and does well.
I reckon a lot of this is him doing the unscripted town hall meetings and the experience he gets from that.
imacca @ #151 Monday, February 5th, 2018 – 10:24 am
Not in a ‘naff off’ mood today? Not feeling well?
Seems we pretty much agree on Shorten. He seems to be working on it and improving while Turnbull is certain he is Gods gift to oratory and continues to waffle on and gets worse than ever.
Shorten should slay him in any debate in any forum or format.
Turnbull has some positives that he can point to even though they are policies adopted from labor.
ME has been legislated, though it was a divisive expensive strategy that still has the Ruddock inquiry to run its course, this inquiry will likely be used as a wedge against labor for religious freedoms. Greens and others will go overboard about it.
House prices are starting to ease due to restrictions on foreign ownership, removal of deductions for travel and certain capital expense items. But CGT reduction is big one still out there.
Snowy 2 renewable policy comes across as Howards MDB napkin plan he drew out in desperation. Many questions and doubts whilst at the same time Turnbulls colleagues are attacking renewables and labor in the states are breaking new ground.
Nothing on wages and rights at work, the FWC, ABCC and ROC appear as organisations to suppress workers, unions and dig dirt on labor, not as independent bodies.
NBN SNAFU belongs to Turnbull, health is getting worse, no environment policy, clueless on manufacturing with only initiative one of giving $4 billion to arms manufacturers.
Turnbulls main attack lines against labor are when RDN opens his mouth and boats.
GreenJ: How does serious media fight back against politicians who’ve learned to game the process? Why are lies reported straight faced? Why is self serving bullshit tolerated? eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?a…
http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=54592
Ben ElthamVerified account
@beneltham
The federal government’s ABCC has banned the display of the Eureka flag by union members, even as a badge
Morons.
1. Every Union member will get themselves a Eureka Flag and proudly display it at all times.
2. ABCC (if they are even more stupid than they appear) impose penalties.
3. CFMEU end up probably in the high court and it gets smashed as a breach of implied right to political communication.
Seriously. Of all the dopey shit Rightards pull this is in the top 10. Sir Prince Duke Phil was probably a less stupid idea.
grimace says:
Monday, February 5, 2018 at 9:30 am
Bennelong Lurker @ #100 Monday, February 5th, 2018 – 6:06 am
Keen observers of the ABC’s “Insiders”will have noticed that Laura Tingle has not been wearing any rings on the fourth finger of her left hand for more than twelve months.
You’re referring to a matter which is absolutely none of anyone’s business except Ms Tingle and her family.
No doubt, but that didn’t stop many here commenting about Barnaby Joyce’s family arrangements.
Not wearing a ring is, in Ms Tingle’s case, a public statement, albeit a subtle one.
Lizzie
“This is a very petty government, sweating the small stuff while the country goes to the (fascist) dogs.
The federal government’s ABCC has banned the display of the Eureka flag by union members, even as a badge.”
Nothing being done about deaths on building sites, unless the ABCC has found some sort of causal link between the display of the Eureka flag and deaths, if so they should release their findings.
Don
We should not be commenting on Tingle. At best its celebrity gossip. No public interest. Her work is constrained by her choice to work for the Financial Review and take the editorial direction of Mike Stutchbury.
Joyce was of public interest. Deepening on which rumour was correct. With #metoo being such an issue at the moment. Is there a story of abuse of power to initiate an affair with a staffer is of public interest. Ignoring the other rumours.
lizzle
I think I said same yesterday. Abbott was up to his neck in trying to stop legal SSM – That was politics and He lost.
If he didn’t attend the family event that’d be news. Other than that the ABC’s persistence in running this is boring as batsh#t.
guytaur @ #143 Monday, February 5th, 2018 – 10:12 am
I’d question the use of the word ‘unofficial’.
I really hope the ABCCC, aka Liberal’s Union Bashers, try to enforce that rule.
What are they going to do about the CMFEU members who have or get Eureka Flag tattoos?
The ABC went at Rudd over the cabinet papers with the implication he was warned beforehand.
Yet the increase in truck deaths and deaths on building sites draws no response. Truck deaths would be worthy of an investigation for any causal link from the LNP abolishing labors legislation and the subsequent increase.
The RC into batts was payback for labor increasing company directors responsibility, basically if directors can be held responsible then so should ministers. But as the RC found responsibility rested with the states. It did though set a precedent, a RC into the revocation of the legislation and subsequent increase in deaths would be a good move. Not as payback but for examination of cause, effect and decision making, hopefully taking political considerations and any favours out of such future like actions.
If I was a CFMEU member and I didn’t want a permanent tattoo I would put a temporary one on my face every morning before I went to work.
Interesting piece by Jonathan Green on how the MSM has allowed itself to be traduced. His view seems to be we need more discerning journalism and less trolling.
http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=54592
GT:
At best its celebrity gossip. No public interest.
____________________________
If that criterion were applied on this blog, there would be a lot less posted.
Witness the discussions of footballers and cricketers and Trump’s peccadillos, including what part of his hair is real, and how it is kept bouffant and coloured, as well as how Melania must be feeling right now, or which politician has put on weight or taken it off, and why.
Not to mention the sniping of the night shift at each other, and how much they have had to drink, or not.
If I didn’t want a permanent tattoo I would put a temporary one on my face every morning.
🙂 was just going to suggest that puffy, permanent tattoos likely ordered covered up by the ABCC, temporary ones could be viewed same as a badge though.
Maybe a campaign similar to YRAW and the badges where supporters could sport a temporary tattoo?
May have been linked earlier – dodgy dealings: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/the-minister-the-money-and-the-mine-how-a-rotten-deal-was-hatched-20180202-p4yzbm.html
ESJ will probably conclude that the Liberals are unfit to ever hold office.
boris: “Shorten does have the unfortunate association with Rudd in teaming up with him to get rid of Australia’s first female PM..”
Albo had heaps more to do with getting rid of Gillard than did Shorten, who only very reluctantly decided to support Rudd at a point at which his persistent undermining of Gillard had made her leadership untenable.
Don
I did not say don’t discuss it. Just pointed out a fact.
guytaur: “If Australia Story wanted to focus on Marriage Equality they should have followed another couple not associated with a particular party. To me its just another promotion of the LNP.”
Come one now. TA’s sister getting married to her same sex partner is a massive story. Of course that was going to be the one that the ABC would choose to cover.
workmanalice: Cory Bernardi has today’s MPI in the Senate. pic.twitter.com/snn5AuZswu
http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=54592
The only thing Green has wrong is the idea that the media ever were really worth a pinch of shit. The gross falseness of their cynicism and outright betrayal is just more obvious now.
meher baba @ #168 Monday, February 5th, 2018 – 10:52 am
Yes, it was really terrible the way the insidious Rudd caused events like:
– The idiotic Citizens Assembly policy
– The even more idiotic Cash for Clunkers policy
– The disastrous campaign opening speech
– The issue with the Aboriginal Embassy people in Canberra set up by her staffers
etc.
fess: “Giving the president too many options, the officials said, could increase the odds that he will act.”
It’s comforting to see that the US bureaucracy operates according to the same philosophy to ours (and other countries operating under the Westminster system: cf: Yes Minister). That is, it’s always safer if all decisions are left in the hands of unelected officials, rather than the people’s elected representatives!!
Albo had heaps more to do with getting rid of Gillard than did Shorten, who only very reluctantly decided to support Rudd at a point at which his persistent undermining of Gillard had made her leadership untenable.
yep
I remember Turnbull had devastating poll leads in late 2015, like 58-42, and he barely won with 50.3%. He needs to get a lead before campaigning, because he is crap at it.
Are Melbournian’s expecting much change in the city itself with both Robert Doyle and Ron Walker gone?
mysay gets it:
There’s lies, lies and damned Newspoll statistics! Until you parse them correctly. 🙂
MB
The only reason for this story is celebrity. There are plenty of other examples to show how the two sides come together after the debate.
Its the celebrity of Mr Abbott that was used to bring down Julia Gillard.
For some reason give a politician celebrity and we question them lots less. See Malcom Turnbull leather jacket era.
In the past the ABC would have avoided the politicians to highlight the issue.
They would have gone with the ordinary person instead. Going with celebrity political wedding is just a ratings grabber.
bemused: “Yes, it was really terrible the way the insidious Rudd caused events like:
– The idiotic Citizens Assembly policy
– The even more idiotic Cash for Clunkers policy
– The disastrous campaign opening speech
– The issue with the Aboriginal Embassy people in Canberra set up by her staffers
etc.”
Sigh: I don’t deny that all those things were silly, and you haven’t mentioned the silliest of all: ie, admitting that what she was introducing was a “carbon tax”.
But all governments do some stupid stuff. However, most don’t have to deal with a ruthless internal fifth column working in close partnership with the MSM and the Opposition: a fifth column that was not driven by any ideological or policy differences with Gillard, but simply by untamed ego.
ratsak @ #175 Monday, February 5th, 2018 – 10:58 am
Does the name, Ian Macdonald ring a bell? Because ‘Albo’ was up to his elbows in getting that guy into a prominent position in the NSW State Labor government and that bell would be rung long and loud by the Coalition and the media if ‘Albo’ became FPLP leader.
guytaur: “Going with celebrity political wedding is just a ratings grabber.”
Australian Story is a ratings grabber. It’s hardly a serious current affairs program: more like This is Your Life with a few added pretensions.
Personally, I’m far more likely to watch this particular episode than I would be one about some random same sex couple getting married. The element of having a leading campaigner against SSM having to attend the wedding because it’s his sister adds a lot of interest.
Rudd v ABC was not a big story and would have had little to no impact on this poll. Rudd has every right to go after the ABC.
hughriminton: Reporter: “What advice would you give @billshortenmp for the start of the sitting year?”
Bob: “Good try, son.”
#auspol pic.twitter.com/K3EH5fIfdS
Giytaur
The rule says you need 2/3 of Labor MPs for a spill, doesn’t it?
mb and ratsak
Yep. Clarity of thought required by all those prejudiced against Shorten.
MB
I don’t dispute any of that. I do however point out the difference between the ABC of the past and the ABC of now.
Before that would have been on a commercial current affairs programme instead of the ABC.
Shorten #leadershit isn’t an issue at this point in time. People pretending it is look silly.
Diogenes
Yes thats my recollection as well.
Murdoch media nowhere near convincing MP’s of such a shift.
Cat has pointed out why Murdoch could be promoting Albanese. I will never forget the Daily Telegraph going all out to back Mr Albanese in the last election.
You don’t have to be a Greens supporter to wonder why such a right wing tabloid did that.
You know its not to support Labor.
c@tmomma: “Does the name, Ian Macdonald ring a bell? Because ‘Albo’ was up to his elbows in getting that guy into a prominent position in the NSW State Labor government and that bell would be rung long and loud by the Coalition and the media if ‘Albo’ became FPLP leader.”
100% agree. If the ALP is ever lured by the MSM into putting the supposedly popular, “good bloke” Albo into the role of party leader, we can expect a barrage of stories reprising Albo’s past connections to Macca, along with others emphasising some of Albo’s way out political positions such as fight to keep having public tenants housed in multi-million dollar apartments.
Outside of the people’s republic of Victoria, where an old Socialist Left hand like Andrews seems to be acceptable, Labor is always best-placed with a moderate leader: either coming from one of the right factions or the increasingly endangered moderate part of the left faction. Albo, and Plib for that matter, are too far to the left on many issues to make it to the top in as conservative a society as Australia.
MB
“Albo had heaps more to do with getting rid of Gillard than did Shorten, who only very reluctantly decided to support Rudd at a point at which his persistent undermining of Gillard had made her leadership untenable.”
That’s true MB, but Shorten is still seen as the one whose support was crucial. I noted before that Shorten had a choice of supporting Gillard with Rudd continuing to undermine her at the election they would lose resulting in Rudd getting the leadership after the election. Labor would have been stuck with him for at least another 3 years. Or Shorten could support Rudd at the election they would lose, giving Rudd his revenge, but resulting in him leaving soon after the loss.
It was a decision for the party not for loyalty or what was right. Similar to the situation with Gough after 75, realistically after such a loss he should have gone, but they could not do it to the big fella.
“Come one now. TA’s sister getting married to her same sex partner is a massive story. Of course that was going to be the one that the ABC would choose to cover.”
True, especially given Tony is an ex PM and has strong religious views which he goes on the record with.
C,
And that’s why having a ballot between S and A was such a poor choice.
Neither were ‘cleanskins’, meaning too many readily available attack lines for their detractractors.
In the long run S was the better choice….
“Not in a ‘naff off’ mood today? Not feeling well?”
No, just an acknowledgement that you are not being so much of a dickhead of late. 🙂
Bask in the balm of my conditional approval!! 🙂
guytaur: “I don’t dispute any of that. I do however point out the difference between the ABC of the past and the ABC of now. Before that would have been on a commercial current affairs programme instead of the ABC.”
I keep reading people complaining about how fluffy ABC current affairs has become: and, indeed, I’m sometimes guilty of this myself.
But I was reflecting recently on this view, and thought back to what This Day Tonight was like back in the day (you’re probably too young to remember it). And, on reflection, it was typically full of exactly the same sort of fluff we seen on 7.30, etc. nowadays: ie, one political story up front followed by a lot of flim flam. Plus ca change and all that.
C@t
‘Bill should ditch the pre-prepared lines and wing it because he always does better in interviews when he does’
Agree 100%
(And if I don’t really support the ALP – a bit snide – don’t know what on earth possessed me to make such a generous donation to Tasmania Labor in response to an email from Rebecca White……?)
MB
Australia is not conservative by nature.
Thats a right wing myth.
Australia is progressive and fair by nature.
Howard had to work hard to change that. The current LNP are working hard to change that.
Its why we have strong unions. The industrial relations system we have had.
See the Harvester Court decision.
Thus the total rejection of the Abbott government Budget with Hockey and Cormann smoking cigars.
Thus Labor campaigning on equality.
We are back to the tin tac basics of equality for everyone. Not the wealth at the top 1%
How many primary votes did new Liberal senators Jim Molan and Lucy Gichuhu poll between them?
CTar1 @ #177 Monday, February 5th, 2018 – 11:00 am
Should we? Why? Cemeteries are full of men who were indispensable.
Highlighting the small number of primary votes Molan and Gichuhu may have received really is a bit silly.
If the High Court chucks out a Labor Senator the replacement from down the ticket will be open to the same criticism.