Mid-week miscellany

Federal electoral news nuggets, sourced from Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

We are having one of the poll-free weeks that have occasionally bedevilled us since Essential Research moved from weekly to fortnightly, with Newspoll having one of its occasional three-week gaps so its next poll coincides with the resumption of parliament. So here’s some random bits of electoral news:

• A polling nugget I forgot to relate a fortnight ago: according to a report by Nick Butterly of The West Australian, a Labor internal poll recorded a neck-and-neck result in the Perth seat of Stirling, which Michael Keenan holds for the Liberals by a margin of 6.1%. After excluding the 10.8% undecided, the primary votes were Liberal 40.2% (49.5% in 2016), Labor 37.6% (32.2%), Greens 9.0% (11.7%) and One Nation 5.3%. The poll was conducted by Community Engagement from a large sample of 1735.

• Gareth Parker in the Sunday Times reports that Matt O’Sullivan, who ran unsuccessfully in the lower house seat of Burt at the 2016 election, has narrowly won preselection for the third position on the Liberals’ Western Australian Senate ticket, behind incumbents Linda Reynolds and Slade Brockman. O’Sullivan emerged with 56 votes to 54 for Trish Botha, co-founder with her husband of an evangelical church in Perth’s northern suburbs. The closeness of the result surprised party observers, especially given Christian conservative numbers man Nick Goiran backed O’Sullivan. As Gareth Parker noted in his weekly column, Botha appears to have attracted support from “non God-botherers” opposed to Goiran’s alliance with Mathias Cormann and Peter Collier, who may not have been aware of the messianic language employed by Botha’s church.

• Katy Gallagher has announced she will seek preselection to recover the Australian Capital Territory Senate seat from which she was disqualified last month over Section 44 complications, after speculation she might instead seek the territory’s newly created third lower house seat. However, it appears she will face opposition from the newly anointed successor to her Senate seat, David Smith, former local director of Professionals Australia.

• As for the lower house situation in the Australian Capital Territory, Andrew Leigh will remain in Fenner and Gai Brodtmann will go from Canberra to the nominally new seat of Bean, leaving a vacancy available in Canberra. Smith appears set to run if he loses the Senate preselection to Gallagher; Sally Whyte of Fairfax reports he will be opposed by Kel Watt, a lobbyist who has lately made a name for himself campaigning against the territory Labor government’s ban on greyhound racing. Other potential starters include John Falzon, chief executive of the St Vincent de Paul Society; Jacob Ingram, a staffer to Chief Minister Andrew Barr; and Jacob White, a staffer to Andrew Leigh.

• Occasional Poll Bludger contributor Adrian Beaumont has launched his own website of local and international election and polling news.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

1,992 comments on “Mid-week miscellany”

Comments Page 35 of 40
1 … 34 35 36 … 40

  1. boomy1 @ #1695 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 5:29 pm

    OK – I’ll try another analogy. A man and a woman have consensual sex. They both know that neither is using birth control. As a consequence, the woman falls pregnant and later gives birth. Riddle me this. Who is responsible for the child. The man or the woman?

    Labour.

    I am drawn to the idea that the LNP was impregnated by the Greens Party and the result will be Labor, but I suspect the woman represents us all. Australia bears this child. It will grow.

  3. citizen
    Josh will say what ever needs to be said to keep his backers happy and hence his well paid job. Principles and beliefs, meh, they don’t pay for the Grange.

  4. C@tmomma @ #1656 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 4:54 pm

    …and of course we have no responsibility for refugees from Iraq and Syria or Afghanistan?

    Come in spinner! 😀

    I deliberately left that bit vague to see if anyone from teh Greens’ camp bit, and there you go!

    Of course we should, and have, taken refugees from the Afghan and Iraq wars. However, to my point, those wars are over now, despite continuing civil unrest, but that’s not the same thing. So, we no longer need to take any more other than those who are in the pipeline legitimately. Syrians deserve our attention more at the present time.

    Afghan and Iraq wars over?
    Tell that to the citizens of both countries.

  5. “Labor”

    Of course. Walked right into that one. Silly of me, lol.

    Yes, GG it drowned at Sea. The LNP threw it overboard. … sigh.

  6. AE

    My point is crystal clear. The Greens are not responsible for LNP punitive detention policies.

    Not even their vote against the Malaysia solution was. Until Labor accepts this they will continue to be wedged by the whole drowned at sea red herring.

    The Greens voted for human rights by voting against the Malaysian Solution. The LNP used tactics to entrench the opposite.

    Ever since we have had Labor blaming the Greens. Now its up to the stupid point that Mr Shorten could not even state the time limit on detention he want Labor to stand for.

    90 days Six Months a Year Five Years? What definite detention time limit does Labor want?

    This could not be answered because the Cambridge Analytica strategy of emotions over rules facts in the Asylum Seeker debate in this country.

    So much so its back to the past to blame the Greens instead of looking at solutions that could work.

    This is my point. Labor has to ignore the Greens. Let them say what they like. What Labor has to do is be strong on its AS policy and not let the LNP run the debate. That includes ignoring the whole the Greens are running Labor’s AS policy to avoid the pointing out of human rights abuses by this government under their cloak of secrecy.

    A reminder of why Labor opposes indefinite detention and why it has to be strong and really punish the LNP on this

    https://www.justsecurity.org/53775/working-group-indefinite-detention-gitmo-detainee-violates-human-rights-law/

  7. Guytaur – own it

    The greens voted with the LNP

    The fact that Gillard worked in minority with the greens should have happened are you saying in hindsight it shouldn’t have?

    If you and the greens owned that decision would have respect that has been lost, now we have Dutton playing on it.

    Own it

    I

  13. Mine at 5:31
    The imminent declaration was not for a natural disaster which has a limited definition but for “Code Yellow – prepare for disruption of hospital business”

  15. I wonder if it is the Greens Party that has been more hurt by the AS issue than the Labor Party. In talking with Greens Party supporters in my family they are embarrassed by their personal role (voting Greens) in the outcome.

  16. guytaur @ #1685 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 5:17 pm

    Scout

    Fact. I am not denying that.

    Fact voting against the Malaysia solution does NOT make the Green responsible for LNP actions and policies.

    Saying that the Greens are thus responsible for the actions of the government of the day are in fact Labor myth. Except perhaps for supporting the Gillard government with confidence of course.

    The Greens so anti Labor they kept Labor in power for three years.

    As part of his campaign, Bandt committed to supporting a Labor Govt.
    So all he did was honour his commitment.
    Unusual for a Green I suppose.

  17. Boerwar

    Richmond are 20 points up, three minutes to play and you bitch about free kicks.

    Savour the win, not harp on negatives.

  18. The Afl umpires and the whole umpiring system and the current player conspiracy with the umpies has Richmond up by 21 points. Which, come to think of it is about 21 points DTT failed to make convincingly.

  20. Let’s face it. Talking about what the umpies are doing wrong is far better than reading posts by Guytaur, Rex and DTT about what Labor is doing wrong.

  21. Outside Left @ #1689 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 5:22 pm

    OC, most of the oldies down here had their flu shots last year ,as prescribed. So many of them went down with the flu it was comical [in a deathly way]. My aversion to needles somehow got me through unscathed.

    Try becoming a blood donor. Guaranteed to end your fear of needles. 😐

  22. Selwood looked totally shocked after he ducked his head twice and then pretended to have his head driven into the ground. Inside the 50 that normally gifts him a goal.
    Sic transit gloria mundi, pal.

  24. Selwood looked totally shocked after he ducked his head twice and then pretended to have his head driven into the ground.

    Yep, the old pretend to have your head driven into the ground is a tactic taught to all prospective AFL players.

  26. Wow so many Labor people have bought the LNP red herring about drownings at sea. The LNP are still using that to say Labor is soft on people smugglers and wants people smuggling.

    News Labor people. Your policy is boat turn backs. You know the thing the LNP claim stops the boats.

    Stop falling for the drowning at sea red herring. Remind yourself go watch Dutton at question time see how many times he says Labor is for people drowning at sea and people smuggling for opposing indefinite detention.

    I repeat this because it seems not to have sunk in yet. The facts don’t matter to the LNP. They will use the emotive drowning at sea to make out Labor is weak for standing up for human rights.

    Until Labor stands up to this like it has with the Uluru Statement and Treaties Labor will keep falling for the same thing.

    That also means stop blaming the Greens for Drownings at Sea. That was Abbott manipulation.

    Instead concentrate on the reality of now. Blame the LNP for their human rights abuses. Don’t let their cruelty go unpunished. Make it really really clear how unfair indefinite detention is. Fight the Tories not the Greens.

    While you keep blaming the Greens you are letting the LNP get away with it. Don’t take my word for it. Take the word of Professor Gillian Triggs with her report.

    The FACT is the Greens are no more responsible for a drowning at sea than a Democrat is for a death in Mexico for someone travelling from Venezuela to the US.

    Until they reach our borders they are in international waters and our responsibility is that of the search and rescue only.
    Thats the fact.

    That Australians want to prevent deaths is great. Lets use that to point out how responsible the LNP is for the deaths by indefinite detention.

    Stop letting the LNP manipulate you over your very sane response on wanting to stop deaths at sea.

  28. The historic role of ABC radio stations and its original television channel plus the more recent children’s channel remain essential public services.
    Nevertheless, as Paul Keating said 18 months ago, “In the case of the ABC news, if you want to watch a good news service, watch SBS news……”. I reckon Paul’s famous barb at Nine’s former ABC interviewer Richard Carleton would accurately characterise a fair few current ABC News celebrity pundits who don’t even need to pull a Carleton or an Uhlmann and jump ship anymore: “You had an important place in Australian society on the ABC, and you gave it up to be a pop star and now with a big chequebook.”

    Of course, ABC news pundits are no worse than the non-Murdochian mainstream media, but at least we’ve got the option to impact most commercial outlets through circulation/ratings/clicks. Spending our tax dollars on the heavy promotion of ABC news celebrities doesn’t seem like an ideal strategy to obviate it sliding toward infotainment.

    Hopefully, this comment won’t be taken as being in support of the ABC selloff resolution passed by those Liberal conference henchfolk of Murdoch, Rinehart and IPA etc… Catch y’all later.

  31. bemused

    Or the members of the ADF in Operation Highroad.

    Around 300 ADF members from the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Air Force and Defence civilians are deployed in Afghanistan as part of Operation HIGHROAD.”

    https://www.airforce.gov.au/operations/middle-east/operation-highroad
    Or Iraqi civilians, still killing after all these years.

    Iraqi newlyweds feared killed by Australian airstrike on Mosul

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-29/raaf-airstrike-likely-killed-newlywed-civilians-in-mosul-iraq/9598106

  32. Rex Douglas @ #1729 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:03 pm

    Boerwar @ #1718 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 5:52 pm

    Let’s face it. Talking about what the umpies are doing wrong is far better than reading posts by Guytaur, Rex and DTT about what Labor is doing wrong.

    It’s so much easier to turn away from the reality of the torture/death camps and watch football

    You like to watch and promote victim porn. But,you never do anything but whinge about it on PB.

  33. Guytaur – now you are losing me,

    The LNP have policicies i detest, expect you know that and are olaying silly politics,

    Answer this did the greens vote WITH the LNP against the Malaysian Solution.?.?

  37. SCOUT @ #1733 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:07 pm

    Guytaur – now you are losing me,

    The LNP have policicies i detest, expect you know that and are olaying silly politics,

    Answer this did the greens vote WITH the LNP against the Malaysian Solution.?.?

    Why anyone bothers engaging with guytaur when he goes in to full rant mode is beyond me.

    It’s like the terrier that constantly brings the same ball back to you neverendingly and then insists you throw the ball again. You’ll die before he is sated.

    Ignore the cretin.

  38. Bemused

    Was asked and answered.

    Not my fault if Scout wants to continue claiming falsehoods. You can even check my replies to Andrew Earlwood to see that too.

    I just say the LNP voted with the Greens on this vote. For their own political purposes because I am not denying facts of the reasons why the LNP did that.

    It was to defeat Labor.

  39. Greensborough Growler @ #1730 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:05 pm

    Rex Douglas @ #1729 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:03 pm

    Boerwar @ #1718 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 5:52 pm

    Let’s face it. Talking about what the umpies are doing wrong is far better than reading posts by Guytaur, Rex and DTT about what Labor is doing wrong.

    It’s so much easier to turn away from the reality of the torture/death camps and watch football

    You like to watch and promote victim porn. But,you never do anything but whinge about it on PB.

    I won’t be preferencing the enablers of the death camps. You…?

  41. Outside Left @ #1736 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:11 pm

    Bemused, I have an aversion to needles, not a fear of them! Even GG’s needles.

    I used to be a little squeamish, but they don’t bother me at all now.
    It’s kinda funny when a doctor or nurse about to give me one assumes I will be averse to it.
    A few times I have said something like: “Here, give it to me. If you are afraid to do it, I will.” Breaks the tension and gets an occasional laugh.

  42. Rex Douglas @ #1739 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:13 pm

    Greensborough Growler @ #1730 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:05 pm

    Rex Douglas @ #1729 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:03 pm

    Boerwar @ #1718 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 5:52 pm

    Let’s face it. Talking about what the umpies are doing wrong is far better than reading posts by Guytaur, Rex and DTT about what Labor is doing wrong.

    It’s so much easier to turn away from the reality of the torture/death camps and watch football

    You like to watch and promote victim porn. But,you never do anything but whinge about it on PB.

    I won’t be preferencing the enablers of the death camps. You…?

    So, you’re not voting Greens this year?

    Thanks for the support of Labor’s sensible policies.

  43. guytaur @ #1738 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:13 pm

    Bemused

    Was asked and answered.

    Not my fault if Scout wants to continue claiming falsehoods. You can even check my replies to Andrew Earlwood to see that too.

    I just say the LNP voted with the Greens on this vote. For their own political purposes because I am not denying facts of the reasons why the LNP did that.

    It was to defeat Labor.

    You simply keep repeating variations of the same stale falsehood.

  45. GG

    Back to the personal abuse and bullying tactics I see.

    It may surprise you but I am trying to point out a Labor myth that has grown that helps the LNP wedge Labor.

    I am doing this because I want Labor to win the election and not fall for the LNP manipulation.

    That means not thinking the Greens voting against the Malaysia solution makes the Greens responsible for deaths at sea or for the current punitive indefinite detention that Labor opposes.

    I want Labor to be strong on this because the accusations are coming and Labor has to be ready for the LNP attack. They are going to use exactly the same tactics of Labor is soft etc. They will use those deaths at sea that were so visceral to do this.

    This is why the secrecy at the camps is so vital to them. To avoid giving people the emotive emphatic response we are seeing Trump getting from US media where he can’t do what Abbott did and hide everything under a cloak of secrecy.

  46. Vogon Poet @ #1744 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:18 pm

    Greensborough Growler @ #1740 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:15 pm

    Outside Left @ #1736 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:11 pm

    Bemused, I have an aversion to needles, not a fear of them! Even GG’s needles.

    I’m the acupunturist from hell!

    Better than being told you’re just like the dentist,
    Just a little prick and you’ll hardly feel a thing !

    How did this discussion get to Donald Trump?

  47. Vogon Poet @ #1744 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:18 pm

    Greensborough Growler @ #1740 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:15 pm

    Outside Left @ #1736 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:11 pm

    Bemused, I have an aversion to needles, not a fear of them! Even GG’s needles.

    I’m the acupunturist from hell!

    Better than being told you’re just like the dentist,
    Just a little prick and you’ll hardly feel a thing !

    I try to go without the needle if the dentist thinks it’s possible.
    Much better.

  48. Greensborough Growler @ #1749 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:20 pm

    Vogon Poet @ #1744 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:18 pm

    Greensborough Growler @ #1740 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:15 pm

    Outside Left @ #1736 Sunday, June 17th, 2018 – 6:11 pm

    Bemused, I have an aversion to needles, not a fear of them! Even GG’s needles.

    I’m the acupunturist from hell!

    Better than being told you’re just like the dentist,
    Just a little prick and you’ll hardly feel a thing !

    How did this discussion get to Donald Trump?

    It’s the new Godwins law

  49. Paul Edbrooke MP‏Verified account @paul4frankston · 2h2 hours ago

    That day you think it’s a great idea to tell the Kenyan national TV audience during a dawning unemployment crisis of 7 million + people unemployed that your $200k wage is ‘not a lot of money’. Liberals are out of touch in any country.

Comments Page 35 of 40
1 … 34 35 36 … 40

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *