We seem to be going into an ill-timed poll drought, so to keep things ticking over, here’s a post focusing on Senate preselection news. Please note there’s a post below this one on this Saturday’s Wagga Wagga by-election, which is developing into a fairly interesting contest.
• Queensland Labor’s state conference determined its Senate preselection on the weekend, having been hurried along by a national executive concerned the Liberal leadership crisis might bring on an early election. In doing so it bypassed a vote that was granted to the party membership under rule changes in 2013. The top position has gone to Nita Green, a former staffer to Senator Murray Watt and the favoured candidate of the CFMMEU and United Voice. The position is reserved to the Left, and is being vacated with the retirement of Claire Moore.
Green’s ascendancy has been contentious because party rules reserve the position for a regional representative and she lives in Brisbane, though she says she will move if elected. Supporters of rival Left candidate Tania Major, a Cairns-based indigenous youth advocate and protege of Cape York leader Noel Pearson, have further complained of being ambushed by a process for the factional ballot in which a three-day nominations period was followed immediately by the start of voting.
The second place on the ticket, which is reserved to the dominant Labor Forum sub-faction of the Right, has been retained by incumbent Chris Ketter. The cancellation of the party membership vote saw off any threat from rival nominee Pat O’Neill, former army major and candidate for Brisbane in 2016, although he was reportedly unlikely to win in any case. Number three goes to Frank Gilbert, a former Mackay councillor and candidate for Dawson in 2016, and a member of the Old Guard sub-faction of the Right.
• Matthew Denholm of The Australian reports Tasmanian Labor’s union establishment has again lined up against Lisa Singh for Senate preselection, undeterred by the success of a below-the-line voting campaign in overturning her demotion at the 2016 election. Singh will presumably dominate the party member component of the vote, but is reportedly unlikely to do any better than the loseable third position. This is because the dominant Left wants places for an incumbent, Carol Brown, and John Short, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union official for whom Singh was relegated in 2016, while the Right is defending incumbent Catryna Bilyk.
• Tasmania’s Liberals are also conducting their Senate preselection vote on Saturday, and there are suggestions they too may repeat unhappy history from 2016. Richard Colbeck is again under pressure from conservative forces associated with Senator Eric Abetz, despite having almost matched Lisa Singh’s feat after being dumped to number five in 2016. He found his way back in the recount that followed Stephen Parry’s disqualification in November, and was promoted last week to the outer ministry, making him the only Tasmanian at that level of seniority. Brett Worthington at the ABC reports conservatives want the top position to go to Brett Whiteley, veteran of three winning and three losing campaigns at both federal and state level in Braddon, or alternatively to a woman. Further demotion beyond that would be particularly remarkable for Colbeck, as he is the only one of the four Tasmanian Liberal Senators facing re-election, the others having scored six-year terms. The other nominees for the preselection were detailed in an earlier instalment.
AL
So which was your preferred maniac?
Dutton has just announced that he is a person of integrity. So now we know.
poroti @ #203 Monday, September 3rd, 2018 – 9:20 am
🙂
c@tmomma: “Don’t forget that we found out recently that it was ScumMo who advised Howard and Reith to say that asylum seekers had thrown their kids overboard.”
Where exactly was it we “found out”? The only source I can find on line is an article in Independent Australia, which states “At Morrison’s urging, asylum seekers and national security were at the centre of the campaign, with the Government falsely claiming that asylum seekers had thrown their children into the water to force Australian authorities to rescue them.”
If you read it carefully, that sentence does not actually state that Morrison came up with the children overboard story. And I am highly sceptical that, as NSW President of the Liberal Party, Morrison had very much, if anything, to do with strategy for the 2001 election campaign.
Was Independent Australia the outlet for umpteen stories defending Craig Thomson on the basis that all the accusations against him were part of a dark conspiracy?
Boerwar @ #206 Monday, September 3rd, 2018 – 9:24 am
Self praise is no praise.
How many others would agree! 🙂
Player One: “I think all this crap about Morrison having some long-term scheme to wrest the PMship from Mal is just a form of post-coup justification.”
I assume you and others are referring to this.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-03/morrison-backers-plotted-for-some-time-fierravanti-wells-says/10193190
It certainly doesn’t ring true to me. I’m sure that Morrison, like any ambitious parliamentarian, had done some soundings from time to time to find out where he might stand in the event of Turnbull falling under the proverbial bus. But it was clearly the organised conservative faction of the Libs that was doing most of the plotting in the lead up to the coup against Turnbull.
It reminds me of the Rudd camp’s pretty flimsy claims in 2012-13 that Gillard had been plotting for months in the lead up to the events of 2010. It’s an attempt to say “don’t blame us for our appalling behaviour because they started it.”
Speaking of phone books… I used to receive four at one point. Yellow Pages x 3 (Melbourne, local and ‘in the car’) plus the inevitable White Pages.
My library here in Windsor hasn’t received any books in the time I’ve been here (although we do have some in our archives). I receive a very much downsized local directory for the Macedon Ranges area.
There used to be at least two others (a blue pages) and Local Pages both of which have disappeared.
BW:
Rudd.
For all his faults, he at least believed in the existence of climate change, wasn’t a bigot, and advocated policies I could stomach.
More importantly, he led a party whose policy platform and record in government I vastly preferred to that of the opposition.
And – possibly most importantly – by polling day, had become increasingly obvious that Labor had very little chance of winning, and that Rudd would be gone from the leadership once that happened. A vote or preference for the ALP wasn’t a vote for their candidate for Prime Minister, but for the individual Labor MPs, for the incoming Labor opposition, and for Labor’s presence in the Senate, the latter being a crucial factor in whether or not an incoming Abbott government could enact their own agenda or not.
Your argument might have held a little more weight if the election looked really close, a’la 2010 and 2016, but voting informal in the 2013 election when you broadly agreed with the Labor platform (which I imagine you did) is a great example of the perfect being the enemy of the good.
And this was the Liberal Party’s moderate candidate!
Hey Grimace
How about doing a William here and giving us a regular update of the average ( not the mean, preferably the mode or the median. The mean is so overrated.) of the polling prognostications of the final seat count? Thanks.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-03/morrison-foreshadows-attempt-to-ban-the-cfmeu/10194260
This is ScoMo responding to Peta Credlin’s suggestion that he start picking some fights in the lead-up to the election.
The CFMEU is a great target, in that they are quite likely to respond in a way that will be damaging to Shorten and the Labor Party.
A blast from the past – 2011:
“THE opposition immigration spokesman, Scott Morrison, urged the shadow cabinet to capitalise on the electorate’s growing concerns about “Muslim immigration”, “Muslims in Australia” and the “inability” of Muslim migrants to integrate.”
https://www.smh.com.au/national/morrison-sees-votes-in-anti-muslim-strategy-20110216-1awmo.html
meher baba,
You are wrong about Scott Morrison. From his Wikipedia page:
He was also state director of the New South Wales Liberal Party from 2000 to 2004
Not president. The state director IS in charge of the campaign and liaises with the MPs on strategy.
meher baba,
The CFMEU is a great target, in that they are quite likely to respond in a way that will be damaging to Shorten and the Labor Party.
They aren’t that stupid. They know a trap when they see one.
Al
Rudd delayed action on global warming (with the idiot help of the Greens) for a decade.
Rudd’s Office was a dysfunctional nightmare. Anyone at all close to the action at the time, as I was, found what was happening with governance to be totally chaotic and crazy. Calling the Chinese ‘rat fuckers’ still stands as one of the most purely destructive bit of self-indulgent lunatic behaviour by any Austalian prime minister. Ever.
Rudd is STILL writing self-justificatory books which drop bombs all over the Labor Party… as if doing wrecking damage on behalf of Morrison and Dutton does not really matter in the real world.
I hope that Labor at least has learned its very, very hard lesson: don’t choose someone mad in the hope that you will be able to control them once they get you into government.
ScoMo: “I mean my great, great aunt, Dame Mary Gilmore, was the first female employee of the Australian Workers’ Union…”
That’s an interesting tidbit that I didn’t know. Mary G was a scion of an important squatter family in the Riverina, who, as an adult, came to believe in (and then to become somewhat disillusioned with) a whole lot of far left utopian claptrap, but who also had relevant views on a range of subjects of contemporary significance: including the rights of Aborigines and women. Her poetry is so so, but her non-fiction writings on rural Australia are gold IMO.
We can only hope that some of her good thinking has trickled down to ScoMo.
BTW, I don’t agree with de-registration of unions other than under extreme circumstances. But I do agree that its time for militant unionism to be placed in the dustbin of history.
I agree with Player One and Meher Baba. Nothing whatsoever about this clusterfuck of a leadership coup strikes me as being the result of a cunning master plan, unless it perhaps emerged that Bill Shorten was pulling the strings the entire time.
Which doesn’t mean I believe Morrison was the innocent, devoutly loyal Turnbull supporter reluctantly drafted in at the last minute either. I think it’s exactly what it looks like – Dutton was recklessly gunning for the leadership, terminally damaging Turnbull in the process, but when it became obvious that Dutton never actually had the numbers, Morrison (and Bishop) saw an opportunity and struck.
meher baba @ #211 Monday, September 3rd, 2018 – 12:43 pm
I think they are showing admirable restraint in recent times. All the negative stories about them are just coalition politicians saying how horrible they are.
Now I would be worried if the MSM were credibly reporting that they were beating up scabs and employers within an inch of their lives or using explosives to blow up worksites. We don’t even seem to see reports of them interrupting concrete pours these days.
Employers are always going to be claiming they were strong armed by militant unions when what has actually happened is a union negotiating a good deal for the workers and facilitating projects. Much easier to explain the wage bill to shareholders.
The we have this grab-bag from the first days of Turnbull’s Premiership:
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2015/09/20/15-things-didnt-know-scott-morrison/
Number 11 is interesting: “11. Peter Hartcher of the Sydney Morning Herald suggested that Morrison was “the greatest grub in the federal parliament” for stoking xenophobic and racist fears for political advantage. Pauline Hanson said she would prefer him as PM to Tony Abbott”.
BW:
I don’t particularly disagree.
I just don’t think those considerations mattered much at a time when Rudd was incredibly unlikely to still be leader after the election.
c@tmomma: “Not president. The state director IS in charge of the campaign and liaises with the MPs on strategy.”
OK, my bad: he was director rather than President.
But, even as state director, I still think it is a stretch to credit him with the strategy of the 2001 election campaign. I doubt he was anywhere near influential enough at the time. It just looks to me like another of Independent Australia’s many assertions.
ajm: “I think they are showing admirable restraint in recent times”
Would you consider Setka’s tweet to be an instance of “showing admirable restraint”?
Asha Leu says:
Monday, September 3, 2018 at 12:50 pm
I agree with Player One and Meher Baba. Nothing whatsoever about this clusterfuck of a leadership coup strikes me as being the result of a cunning master plan
There’s the old saw….when the choice is conspiracy or stuff-up, better to go for stuff-up.
BW “Rudd delayed action on global warming (with the idiot help of the Greens) for a decade.”
No, the one person most to blame for that shameful sutuation is Tony Abbott. It was Tony Abbott who insisted that the Coalition renege on their commitment to support the CPRS, it was Abbott who tore down Labor’s Carbon price and ensured that there will be no effective action on climate change until about two years after the Coalition leave office, so a lost decade 2011-2020.
Rudd has his faults and made mistakes, but credit (and blame) where it is due.
Yes, best workers just lay down and accept the generosity of militant business.
steve777: Number 11 is interesting: “11. Peter Hartcher of the Sydney Morning Herald suggested that Morrison was “the greatest grub in the federal parliament” for stoking xenophobic and racist fears for political advantage. Pauline Hanson said she would prefer him as PM to Tony Abbott”.
Peter just can’t seem to forgive ScoMo for coming between his beloved JBish and the prize.
Could someone please advise how John Setka has allegedly used his children and in what context. Thanks
what did deleted tweet say?
John Setka
John Setka
@CFMEUJohnSetka
·
46m
Mea Culpa. Was emotional on Father’s Day after tough year on family. Shouldn’t have included kids. Now deleted.
Be advised, the LNP’s prime argument for the next federal election is a load of rubbish. Empirically false, demonstrably incorrect rot.
“The cold, hard numbers show that new renewable energy is supplying cheaper electricity than new coal-fired power plants could and will continue do so.
No less an authority than the Australian Energy Market Operator agrees.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-03/angus-taylor-energy-minister-power-price-solution-curious/10188496?pfmredir=sm
A vote for the LNP is a vote for higher power prices.
Sarah Ferguson seems to have fallen for the spurious ratbaggery of the racist scoundrel, Bannon. Not much of a surprise, sad to say.
Asha Leu…”Which doesn’t mean I believe Morrison was the innocent, devoutly loyal Turnbull supporter reluctantly drafted in at the last minute either. I think it’s exactly what it looks like – Dutton was recklessly gunning for the leadership, terminally damaging Turnbull in the process, but when it became obvious that Dutton never actually had the numbers, Morrison (and Bishop) saw an opportunity and struck.”
Apart from the sources coming direct from members of cabinet – I think probably the most compelling argument for the Scomo conspiracy, is the fact that Dutton got 35 votes from a standing start. It seems inconceivable that he would have that much support after virtually no campaigning. Far more likely that the numbers were artificially boosted by Scomo’s backers – in order to send the message that Turnbull was finished.
“what did deleted tweet say?”
This article covers the John Setka Tweet
https://www.9news.com.au/2018/09/03/09/55/scott-morrison-consider-deregister-cfmeu-john-setka-union-attack-fathers-day
“Peter just can’t seem to forgive ScoMo for coming between his beloved JBish and the prize.”
That link was from 20/9/2015.
Bushfire bill@10:29lm
ScoMo a Machiavellian puppet master? It is hard to believe that. I think Abbott-Dutton forces are trying to deflect attention from their disastrous campaign to install Dutton
Gecko
“The Victorian secretary of the CFMEU, John Setka, issued a Father’s Day message to the Australian Building and Construction Commission, featuring his children holding up a sign saying “go get fu#ked”. “
I don’t know if anyone already linked to this interesting book preview in The Guardian :
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/03/rusted-off-the-divide-between-canberra-and-the-neglected-class#comment-120011245
There are some good comments below it, but the best is this from “Lawrie Griffith” –
My father was a farmer. I have run (successful) businesses in a regional city.
I have had a fair bit of exposure to people from the ‘bush’.
The problem, it seems to me, is cultural.
Small town thinking, parochialism, ignorance of the lives of ‘city folk’. Petty resentments.
And one big one:
A pathological loathing for ‘blow-ins’.
This last is fanned relentlessly by National Party politicians for their own advantage.
(Joyce is a particularly egregious offender.)
Another force, that is constantly overlooked, that fan resentments and a sense of victimhood is the travelling rural company representative.
These people travel from town to town, farm to farm, pub to pub, social group to social group.
They tell people what they want to hear for their own self interest.
They reinforce prejudice and spread gossip in an endless negative loop.
It is pernicious and damaging. This effect should not be underestimated.
Local papers also inflate local resentments and magnify stories of perceived neglect to sell advertising.
This has all lead to a culture of bitterness and intransigence that is unwarranted but deeply entrenched.
Bragging about self reliance while demanding endless assistance.
There are multiple feedback loops at play in rural and regional areas that have led to a ‘bush’ culture of separateness.
This is worked hard by conservative politicians for their own advantage.
The Hawke Labor government worked very hard over a number of years to reach out to rural constituencies and assist with managing the structural changes affecting rural and regional communities.
The bush folk took everything, and the money, on offer, resisted change, held onto their old culture of resentment and treated Labor as ‘blow-ins’.
City folk don’t hate the ‘bush’, as rural folk like to believe. That’s a self serving falsehood.
Until the ‘bush’ stop blaming others, see the city as an ally, and stop voting for bumpkin populists, their problems will continue.
With farming and non-farming rural relatives on both my side and spouse’s side – this pretty eloquently sums up my experience.
briefly
When even Republicans can’t stand Bannon, it is difficult to believe Sarah Ferguson has fallen for his crapola
I am reserving judgement
meher baba @ #226 Monday, September 3rd, 2018 – 9:56 am
The way this Government is attacking Unionism I’d say anything short of actual violence is showing admirable restraint! 🙂
Ok got it… thanks 🙂
Victoria @ #197 Monday, September 3rd, 2018 – 12:19 pm
Yep – He was too much a RWNJ and an embarrassment – even for trump that he sacked him.
Maybe 4corners thinks fomenting hate and division in the US is so great that it should be shared around ?
Or maybe he will be taken apart by 4corners in the actual program.
I don’t know – but will be pretty disappointed with ferguson if she is all RaRa RWNJ and tear the place down ‘some’ of which bannon advocates.
Some of his other stuff of standing up to China before they rule the roost completely is on the right track IMO.
Diogenes
Is that all. Big frickin deal.
Once again the fiberals and their boosters make a big deal out of any little thing anyone else does. But of course no matter how big they stuff up it is “meh”.
They are disgusting!
Dave
China and Russia are working hand in glove.
In point 5 of the article linked above, Laurie Oakes said “When people like Scott Morrison give us the finger when we ask tough questions, we’ve got to shine a light on that and expose it because it’s not acceptable.”
Morrison hasn’t improved in the last 3 years, if anything got worse. He doesn’t answer questions and just keeps talking over the top of people in his circular-breathing way.
poroti: “Yes, best workers just lay down and accept the generosity of militant business.”
No. Best that unions work with businesses to try to make them more competitive and profitable in a way that benefits both sides.
It’s easy for a union like the CFMEU to be “militant”. A high proportion of its employees work in sectors that are either so profitable (eg, mining) or so heavily-subsidised by the government (eg, much of construction, forestry and now shipping) that uncompetitively high wages can be absorbed up to a point.
The AMWU, on the other hand, has a record of achieving brilliant pay and conditions outcomes for its members in sectors that are struggling, and – despite ever-escalating government subsidies – eventually go under.
Compare these outcomes to the situation in Germany, where unions that are far from militant have worked closely with employers to keep the German manufacturing sector globally competitive against all the odds. If we want to live in an Australia that still “makes things”, then they’re the sorts of unions we want here. The AWU is closer to this model than the CFMEU, AMWU, etc.
Boerwar @ #202 Monday, September 3rd, 2018 – 12:24 pm
The Scots have an expression which goes –
“The more he spoke of his integrity – the more we check counted the silver”.
Self praise is so ‘believable’ after all.
/sarcasm.
Morrison seems to be a dud. His answers on issues are evasive. Sniping and undermining in the government seems to be ongoing. His authority is weak.
We really need a change of government because this 9 months look set to be a massive waste of time at best.
steve777: “That link was from 20/9/2015.”
Oops. I’m having a bad day getting my facts straight. Got a bit of a cold, if that’s any excuse.
meher baba @ #222 Monday, September 3rd, 2018 – 12:56 pm
The one he’s apologised for and deleted you mean? I didn’t even see the original and I’m a bit of a twitter tragic. I believe his family has been subjected to considerable vilification over the last year and I see he said he became a bit emotional over that so don’t know how that connects with the subject of the tweet.
In any case, a tweet? How many employers or scabs lost their lives over that? Compared to the number of construction workers losing their lives due to employer negligence.
It really gets up my nose that so many people are ready to ascribe evil motives to anything a unionist does but make all the excuses in the world for someone form the business world. Reeks of ingrained class prejudice to me.
Steve777 @ #228 Monday, September 3rd, 2018 – 9:58 am
But it was Kevin Rudd that helped create the environment that made Abbott seem like a credible alternative!
A Johnny Howard legacy. Gosh th0se Tory PMs are expensive to run.
https://outline.com/vduxPd