The BludgerTrack poll aggregate is drifting back towards the Coalition as other pollsters fail to replicate their particularly bad result from ReachTEL a fortnight ago. There is no change on the seat projection, though this is due to the correction of an error that short-changed Labor two seats in Queensland last week. The is balanced by Coalition gains of one seat apiece in New South Wales and Victoria. Newspoll’s latest numbers have taken a big chunk out of Malcolm Turnbull’s readings on the leadership trends, while Bill Shorten holds even on net approval. Enjoy all the results in detail by clicking on the image below.
Note that there’s a post below this one on Newspoll’s latest state voting intention result from Victoria.
Dee MadiganVerified account @deemadigan · 10h10 hours ago
“As the Minister for Jobs, an awful lot of people connected to Michaelia Cash seem to leave theirs.”
[Another key government official connected to the union raid media leak controversy that rocked the office of Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash has quit, blaming intense media scrutiny of his involvement.
Mark Lee left his role as media director for the Fair Work Ombudsman on Friday last week, five months after the scandal first erupted and sparked an Australian Federal Police leak investigation that is still ongoing.
Mr Lee said his departure was “my decision”.
“In recent months, my professional and personal reputation has been repeatedly questioned through the media,” he told Fairfax Media.
“After consultation with my family and medical professionals, I came to the conclusion that it is no longer in my best interest to remain in such an environment and I have decided to pursue options outside of media and government.”]
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/official-connected-to-michaelia-cash-media-leak-controversy-quits-20180307-p4z36r.html
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
Now Mark Kenny tells us that Nationals officials were warned of an impending “avalanche of allegations” about Barnaby Joyce and were expecting so many women to complain some MPs considered asking a former governor to hold an inquiry.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nationals-were-warned-of-an-impending-avalanche-of-allegations-against-barnaby-joyce-secret-review-20180307-p4z3a7.html
And the woman who made a sexual misconduct complaint against former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce says the way she has been treated since making that allegation shows why people in that situation do not come forward.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/03/07/barnaby-joyce-catherine-marriott/
The Turnbull government has stepped up talks with Japan and other countries to resist Donald Trump’s new steel tariffs, as the shock resignation of top presidential adviser Gary Cohn fuels fears of a trade war. Davids Crowe and Wroe tell us that Trump and Pence are not taking calls.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/malcolm-turnbull-julie-bishop-open-new-talks-on-trump-tariffs-20180307-p4z38q.html
The Turnbull government has warned a merger of the militant construction and maritime unions will inflict “chaos” on Australian industry, claiming the 144,000 member-strong group will have unprecedented power over the economy and the financial firepower to shrug off fines for lawbreaking.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/turnbull-government-warns-of-chaos-as-powerful-super-union-takes-shape-20180306-p4z33r.html
John Warhurst opines that Australians are turning back towards the major parties.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/are-australian-voters-returning-support-for-the-big-two-parties-20180307-h0x4oi.html
This must stop!!
https://www.smh.com.au/education/sydney-private-schools-millions-taxpayers-20180307-p4z38j.html
Peter Martin explains how the gig economy is driving down wages and will keep doing it until the government intervenes.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/the-gig-economy-is-endangering-wages-economists-say-20180306-p4z329.html
Another key government official connected to the union raid media leak controversy that rocked the office of Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash has quit, blaming intense media scrutiny of his involvement. By the way, where IS Cash? I thought she’d be screeching all over the place over the big union merger.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/official-connected-to-michaelia-cash-media-leak-controversy-quits-20180307-p4z36r.html
Kirsty Needham writes that old fashioned diplomacy to avert a war has roared back, achieving a breakthrough in the North Korean nuclear crisis that Donald Trump’s twitter barbs of fire and fury could not.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/south-korean-diplomacy-catalyst-for-breakthrough-not-trump-tweets-20180307-p4z38u.html
The economy is adding lots of jobs but not many of them are highly paid or very productive, according to the national accounts. National productivity has fallen for the first time in seven years. Google.
/news/economy/productivity-falls-for-first-time-in-7-years-20180307-h0x5s2
Mehajer says he doesn’t deserve to be in jail and that it’s “spoiling his lifestyle”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/i-don-t-deserve-to-be-here-salim-mehajer-makes-fresh-bid-for-bail-20180307-p4z3aq.html
The busty porn star who allegedly had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump is suing the US President, alleging the “hush” agreement that silenced the story was invalid.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/adult-film-star-files-lawsuit-against-trump-alleging-hush-agreement-invalid-20180307-p4z3bn.html
Peter FitzSimons has an interesting look at the counterintuitive way in which Norway approaches elite sport. Well worth reading.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/our-vision-is-sport-for-all-i-know-crazy-stuff-right-20180307-p4z3by.html
Turnbull’s son Alex claims he was sidelined from his position at a global bank after blowing the whistle on allegedly dodgy deals. Google.
/business/financial-services/turnbulls-son-i-was-sidelined-for-blowing-whistle-on-1mdb-bank-scandal/news-story/9449ed1379b382f9e4ac7208a6ed3401
A pro-gun lobby group that helped to bankroll One Nation’s push for seats in the Queensland state election has links to a far-right anti-Islam group whose leader once advocated for Adolf Hitler’s portrait to be hung in classrooms. Just what we need!
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/07/gun-lobby-group-that-helped-bankroll-one-nation-linked-to-anti-islam-group
Jill Abramson is seeing a democratic wave in the US primaries.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/07/primaries-democratic-wave-2020
Stephen Koukoulas explains ha=ow Trump could cause the next global recession.
https://thekouk.com/item/587-trump-could-cause-the-next-global-recession-here-s-how.html
An EPA (NSW) approved Santos CSG waste water experiment near Narrabri has gone ahead despite limited assurances and little evidence as to its safety.
https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/is-the-santos-csg-waste-water-experiment-safe,11268
The SMH editorialises that we have a long way to go before equality is something applied across the sexes. However, there may be reasons for cautious optimism.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/awareness-of-gender-equality-heightened-but-a-long-way-to-go-20180307-h0x62k.html
Health fund Bupa has admitted it went a step too far amid anger over changes to its gap cover scheme and will now wind-back elements of its controversial plan.
https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/bupa-tweaks-controversial-gap-cover-plan-following-public-outcry-20180307-p4z39x.html
Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school clashed with Betsy DeVos on Wednesday after the US education secretary toured the campus where 17 people were shot dead last month. According to at least two teenagers who were present when DeVos arrived for her morning visit, no students were allowed to ask her questions. One claimed DeVos refused to meet or even speak with them. This hand-picked education secretary of Trump’s is a shocker.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/07/betsy-devos-florida-shooting-students-marjory-stoneman-douglas-school
Retail Food Group could shut as many as 460 stores over the next 2.5 years as it tries to not breach its agreements with its bankers, according to a leading analyst.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/460-stores-could-close-analyst-tips-more-pain-for-donut-king-owner-20180307-p4z38p.html
It is hard to think of another single environmental issue with the level of community backlash currently reserved for the Adani Carmichael coal mine.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/stopping-adanis-dirty-mine-our-politicians-love-affair-with-fossil-fuels,11270
This stinks!
https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/accused-child-sex-abuser-malka-leifer-freed-from-jail-on-house-arrest-20180307-p4z3c1.html
Why aren’t Australia’s environment laws preventing widespread land clearing?
https://theconversation.com/why-arent-australias-environment-laws-preventing-widespread-land-clearing-92924
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe sees trouble ahead for the good ship Trump.
You’ll find David Pope’s latest here.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/david-pope-20120214-1t3j0.html
Mark David has a couple of political KPIs for us.
Peter Broelman really goes after Mesma here!
Zanetti has another swipe at Shorten over the Adani mine.
As does Sean Leahy.
John Shakespeare with Andrew Constance.
A trio from Matt Golding.
Mark Knight with Dan Andrews and the firemen.
Jon Kudelka hits the spot with this one.
Another from Kudelka.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/1918adce4eae3cd4fcded0d12d9c65d4
One more for BK’s cartoon collection. It’s a Maurice Newman.
MAURICE NEWMAN
Recent research suggests a mini ice age may be a greater threat to the planet.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/chilling-fact-is-most-climate-change-theories-are-wrong/news-story/3d289daa5d31ec3e93fce74853dc8de0
poroti
The Australian was at its “best” this morning.
Thanks as always, BK. You do a fantastic job.
Just got a “you’ve reached your monthly limit” message from a smh link.
Got in with the incognito google trick, but it is a sign of the times (or, in fact, the smh!)
don
As soon as you hit the thirty close the incognito window and start another up from your native browser.
“we’ve created a perpetual motion, rat wheel machine, force-fed by empty calories.”
https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/03/australias-rat-wheel-economy-spins-control/
<blockquote Saskpower, owners of Boundary Dam, has stated that it is “highly unlikely” they’ll pursue any further carbon capture and storage projects in the foreseeable future because they are too expensive at an estimated cost of $140/MWh. In an earnings calls of the Southern Company, owners of the Kemper Project, make it clear that Southern’s C-suite wishes they’d never heard of the technology.
No other CCS projects are on the drawing board in the US (or Canada or Australia for that matter), so there’ll be nothing more delivered there this decade. And with the Trump administration cutting CCS funding by 85% (both Petra Nova and Kemper received significant grants) nobody expects another CCS plant in the US before 2030 either. By that time the Parish Station will be 53 years old and in line for a gold watch.
Turning our thoughts back to Australia, if we wanted to capture all of the emissions of Loy Yang A and B in Victoria, we’d need a plant 30 times bigger than Petra Nova. With currency and Australian labour rates, but allowing for some significant economies of scale and ‘learnings’, that could cost AUD$30–40bn. To put that number in context, it’s 150 times bigger than the largest loan made by the CEFC to date.
https://www.quora.com/Does-the-best-CCS-power-station-in-the-world-provide-a-model-for-Australia
It’s not easy being green
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/08/richard-di-natales-former-chief-of-staff-takes-legal-action-against-nsw-greens
The AWU police raid scandal claims another victim! When does Michaelia fall on her sword?
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/official-connected-to-michaelia-cash-media-leak-controversy-quits-20180307-p4z36r.html
Vogon Poet @ #9 Thursday, March 8th, 2018 – 8:09 am
PvO has seen the Coal/Lib agreement?
Morning bludgers
GG
What is your view on the Green/Lib blocking the Westgate distributor?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-08/pauline-hanson-staffer-james-ashby-investigated-for-flying-plane/9524516
Victoria @ #13 Thursday, March 8th, 2018 – 8:21 am
Bad for Victoria. Good for the Andrews’ Government!~
Shows that BW is right all the time about the Lib/Green cabal being a handbreak on the effective development of the State.
I’d expect the Libs and or the Greens to back down in the near furure.
Latest polls show Andrews and his Government are surging ahead despite all the alleged contrived issues propagated by the Blue/Green alliance.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/andrews-on-the-rise-as-coalition-faces-strategy-doubts/news-story/88c95026a802a99b4e6db707aa6feb2d
Morning all and thanks BK for today’s wrap. Meanwhile Republicans finally reveal their red line for Trump.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/finally-trump-does-something-republicans-cant-stomach/2018/03/06/dba3eb44-2181-11e8-86f6-54bfff693d2b_story.html?undefined=&utm_term=.ac473784e42e&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1
Victoria,
GG
The Greens/Lib alliance obviously think that it is good for them politically.
Otherwise they would not have made such a stupid move.
The latest poll was good for Andrews and govt. this is despite the constant negative reporting by the Herald Sun and the Age.
The scourge of the drug ice is continuing to be a problem in the community, especially if it involves home invasions and carjackings etc.
The Andrews govt have given unlimited resources to Vic Police, but there must be some more structured services in place to deal with the drug issue.
Vic,
Apparently, Guy is unconcerned about being 52/48 behind!
GG
Matthew Guy was a local from our end of town, but he really is an annoying pip squeak!!!
Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 7:10 am
One more for BK’s cartoon collection. It’s a Maurice Newman.
MAURICE NEWMAN
Recent research suggests a mini ice age may be a greater threat to the planet.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/chilling-fact-is-most-climate-change-theories-are-wrong/news-story/3d289daa5d31ec3e93fce74853dc8de0
The above link uses two nutters to make its case, Willard Watts and Piers Corbyn.
Wikipedia:
Willard Anthony Watts (born 1958) is an American blogger who runs Watts Up With That?, a popular climate change denial blog that opposes the scientific consensus on climate change.A former television meteorologist and current radio meteorologist, he is also founder of the Surface Stations project, a volunteer initiative to document the condition of U.S. weather stations.
The link quotes:
Solar expert Piers Corbyn, of British forecasting group WeatherAction and famous for his successful wagers against the British Met Office forecasts, predicts Earth faces another mini ice age with potentially devastating consequences. He notes: “The frequency of sunspots is expected to rapidly decline … reaching a minimum between the years 2019 and 2020.” Indeed, the present decline in solar activity is faster than at any time in the past 9300 years, suggesting an end to the grand solar maximum.
Piers Corbyn is Jeremy Corbyn’s elder brother, and he fights the good fight against those who think that carbon dioxide is warming the planet.
From: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/24/piers-corbyn-other-rebel-in-the-family-jeremy-corbyn-climate-change
Piers Corbyn has a faith, even at 68, that if he states his beliefs often enough – though it might seem no one is listening – his day will surely come. He takes comfort in this not only from the recent elevation of his brother, but also from the example of Galileo, and of John Harrison and his measurement of longitude. “It is unfortunately not the case that the truth always prevails in the short term,” he tells me, with some conspiratorial conviction, “there are often vested interests to prevent it.”
The particular “truth” that Corbyn has in mind is perhaps the least fashionable proposal currently available in enlightened debate: it is the belief that changes in the Earth’s climate and its weather are dictated primarily by cyclical activity on the surface of the sun (and not, pointedly, by the effects of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere). It is a cause even more thankless than the return of 1980s socialism to British parliamentary politics seemed (until very recently). Corbyns have little fear of pariah status, though. What of the “settled opinion” of climate scientists and governments around the world, sealed in the recent Paris accord? “For one thing science doesn’t do settled opinions,” Corbyn says. “And for another they are all wrong.”
that cartoon of Shorten at the altar reads more like the Cash slurs, Shorten getting married while winking at a young staffer, note the briefcase she is holding.
Don,
The limitation problem with many sites (incl. SMH) can be fixed by removing the appropriate cookies.
GG
That’s one spivvy looking bloke!
And Maurice Newman himself is a climate change denier:
Wikipedia:
In an opinion piece in September 2013 Newman said: “The CSIRO … and the weather bureau, continue to propagate the myth of climate change …”. More recently, he called climate change a delusion, stating that: “[The IPCC] progressively has applied mass psychology through a compliant media to spread the delusion that wicked Western industrialists are causing irreparable damage to the climate.”
Newman wants the current Australian target for electricity generated by renewable sources dumped because he does not accept climate change science and says renewable energy is pushing up prices.
In August 2014, Newman was widely criticised by leading scientists and newspaper journalists for stating that the earth is undergoing “cooling” rather than warming. Furthermore, he has suggested that climate change is propaganda aimed at bringing about a one world government controlled by the United Nations.
Maude Lynne says:
Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 8:42 am
Don,
The limitation problem with many sites (incl. SMH) can be fixed by removing the appropriate cookies.
___________________
Thanks for that, I’ll have a look. I thought I had made all my machines delete cookies as they appear, but maybe not in that laptop’s case.
Fess
I look back on the Obama years, and I keep remembering the outrage when he wore a tan suit. Yep. Acres and acres of reporting on Obama wearing a tan suit.
But as per article you posted, Trump’s rap sheet is so long and so pathetic, and yet the GOP are now getting antsy about the tariffs.
I maintain that the GOP were happy to stick with Trump as long as they got everything they wanted. But the Trump presidency was always a ticking time bomb.
Cosying up with Foreign adversaries for personal gain, money laundering etc., and the kompromat being held against him, which I believe is nasty deviant stuff. And if that ever comes out, the GOP will be left holding the can, Seriously, what were the non corrupt GOP thinking was going to be the outcome with Trump at the helm? It is cray cray
nats have done well.
troublesome leader who was affecting their image and votes sidelined, sheila who made complaint put in her place, other sheilas who may have been thinking of following put in their place, sheila who leads party in west likely gone.
good results all round for the boys
ABC Breakfast just had a story about Trump being all over the shop with his trade war. Maybe Australia will be exepmt?
We will suffer from a trade war even if we are exempt, but with Trump nobody knows what will happen, or if it was just a distraction, or a gambit, a passing mood that gripped him, or perhaps even what will actually happen (who knows?).
Which is why a few days back all that stuff about “Trump lied, broken promise etc” from the government was a bit odd. Since they decided to suck-up to trump (and feeding his ego seems as good as plan as any for dealing with him) you’d think they’d wait to see what actually happens before undermining their sucking up.
Vic:
The Republicans have prostituted themselves with Trump.
In August 2014, Newman was widely criticised by leading scientists and newspaper journalists for stating that the earth is undergoing “cooling” rather than warming.
It does feel cooler this morning, a little bit brrrrr.
Trump continues to live in a fantasy world of his own making.
Reality is gonna bite soon
Good Morning
I see the Greens are allies of the LNP has gained another deluded soul. Just because the Greens in balance of power situations to block Labor legislation have to vote with the Liberals.
I personally have no idea if its a good decision by the Greens becauseI don’t know enough about the road being installed other than to say always ask can rail be a better solution first.
My point is the Greens obviously think its not and to block it they have to work with the Liberals. This is mathematical reality. This is what an independent party does. It votes with the opposition to achieve outcomes for its policies.
That does not make the Greens “allies” or Tories.
It just means they are acting as an independent party.
Fess
Yes they have, and some of them are seriously corrupted. McConnell, Ryan, Nunes, Pence, Mcunchin, just to name a few. Their time will come.
guytaur
Or could it be that they are playing opportunistic gesture politics?
Guytaur
If you know anything about the road they are stopping construction of, you would realise that the Greens are idiots
Vic,
If the lib/Green alliance believe what they read in the media, then they are idiots.
I understand why the drugs and violent crime issue resonates with you because of your recent family experience. This was terrible and I sympathise with you over the ordeal.
However, focussing on the political only, yours is an anecdotal experience and not necessarily representative of what is happening in the community more broadly.
As we head towards an election, the voters appear to be judging the government on it’s overall performance which seems to be approved by the voters.
The other aspect is, as you point out is that the Government are trying to address the vexing issues through better policing and better education. I believe the voters are mature enough to understand there are no “Magic” policies that will solve these social problems overnight.
The blue/green alliance can yell, scream and finger point to their hearts content. However, do they have policies that will resonate with the community? Does anyone believe they have better solutions?
It’s easy to bitch and scream from the sidelines. However, having believable policies is a different kettle of fish!
BK
Maybe.
Vic.
Idiots because they are not following Labor’s plan? I have seen long discussion here on a trucks only tunnel to be built to ease congestion.
The first rebuttal to that is trains. They move more freight more efficiently.
If its that project then the Greens may have a good reason to block.
guytaur says:
Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 8:50 am
….the Greens obviously …. have to work with the Liberals.
Yes. And how they must enjoy it. Both arms of bourgeois politics unite to frustrate Labor. We’ve seen it all before. We will see it again. The Blue Tories and the Alt-Tories are political allies.
GG
Nah. My view on the drug problem and crime is reflected in what has happened and is happening in the community at the present time.
Drug affected crime sprees are upsetting people, and Andrews needs to address it. You may think it is not a big problem, but it is one that is resonating with the community.
It is not just crime against people, but traffic dramas. If you are out on the road around town, you will observe those under the influence causing traffic mayhem. Just a few weeks ago, some guy crashed into a pedestrian crossing in the south east. Luckily only one person was seriously injured, the rest were minor injuries. The guy was off his head.
Briefly
Labor works with the Liberals all the time.
That hare does not run
Guytaur
Maybe it is simply that the Greens are a party of idiots.
It’s worth noting that the Blue Tories attract all kinds of political dependants. In WA, the Lib clones include the Nationals, ON, the Lib-Dems & The Shooters. The Gs make common cause with these ratbags in order to harm Labor. This is their business plan.
Victoria
GG is right about the good policies and the popularity of the Andrews government.
The solution to the drug problem is early intervention to stop addiction.
Ultimately the only way we are going to address drugs is to at the least go the Portugal solution.
Money has to be taken away from the criminal class. Its the only way to reduce the drug problem. We have had 40 years of proof that the current jail everyone does not work. The drugs keep coming.
Until that changes all the talk about tackling drugs is empty rhetoric and a waste of taxpayer resources
Vic
You may be right. As I said on this issue I don’t know enough. However just because they disagree with Labor does not make them idiots. They obviously think they have good reasons no matter your or Labor’s opinion.
Yep, not just the fact they are leaving but the why they are leaving.
lizzie @ #7 Thursday, March 8th, 2018 – 7:26 am
I love it! ‘The Fake Left’! C’mon down, ‘The Knowledge Class’ Party, aka The Greens! 😀
Also, this bit:
rent-seekers in the narrow benefiting sectors get easy (if diminishing) profits growth;
You could add the growth of Consultancy to this. No wonder the Public Service, offering it’s ‘frank and fearless advice’, is diminished. Who needs that!?! Especially as far as the Coalition government is concerned. Consultants give them the advice they want. Which feeds into this:
pollies get to point at headline numbers and claim that they are good economic managers
Just like our useless Treasurer did yesterday.
But it’s good to see we’re all getting hip to their jive.
Confessions says: Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 8:49 am
Vic:
The Republicans have prostituted themselves with Trump.
****************************************************************
Tea Pain @TeaPainUSA
Trump didn’t want #StormyDaniels’ silence about havin’ sex. He didn’t want it to get out he actually paid a vendor.