The Australian reports this fortnight’s Newspoll is even worse for the Coalition than last time, with the Labor lead now at 55-45. Labor now holds a five point lead on the primary vote, being up one to 40% with the Coalition down one to 35%, while the Greens and One Nation are steady on 9% and 6% respectively. Despite/because of last week’s charm offensive in Queensland, Scott Morrison’s personal ratings continue to deteriorate, being down two on approval to 39% and up three on disapproval to 47%. His lead as preferred prime minister has also narrowed, from 43-35 to 42-36. Bill Shorten is down two on approval to 35% and steady on disapproval at 50%. The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from a sample of 1802.
Also out today are the federal voting intention numbers from the YouGov Galaxy poll of Queensland, for which state voting intention numbers were provided yesterday. This has the two parties level on two-party preferred in the state, which is unchanged on the last such poll at the tail end of the Malcolm Turnbull era. The Coalition is up a point on the primary vote to 38%, with Labor steady on 34%, One Nation down one to 9% and the Greens steady on 9% (also included as a response option is Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party, scoring all of 1%). The poll also finds 29% saying they would be more likely to vote Coalition now Scott Morrison is Prime Minister, with 25% opting for less likely and 42% for no difference. The poll was conducted Wednesday and Thursday from a sample of 839. The Courier-Mail’s report on the poll can be found here, though I wouldn’t bother if I were you.
UPDATE: The Australian also has Newspoll results on becoming a republic, which records a dramatic ten point drop in support since April, from 50% to 40%, with “strongly in favour” down from 25% to 15%. Opposition is up from 41% to 48%, although strong opposition is steady at 22%.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
David Wroe tells us that ASIO would have to add at least 9000 staff – a six-fold expansion of its current size – at a cost of at least $1 billion a year to watch all potential terrorism suspects such as the Bourke Street killer round the clock, security experts and sources have said.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/asio-would-need-to-grow-six-fold-to-watch-all-terrorism-suspects-experts-say-20181112-p50fiz.html
And he reports that Scott Morrison is turning up the heat on Muslim leaders.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/they-can-t-look-the-other-way-scott-morrison-turns-up-heat-on-muslim-leaders-20181112-p50fhh.html
An AFR contributor explains how the Liberals have been shooting themselves in the foot.
https://www.outline.com/HC2ehp
Jennifer Duke reports on the 4 Corners exposé on the ABC debacle.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/first-came-from-her-ex-abc-chair-says-sacking-alberici-was-guthrie-s-idea-20181112-p50fjs.html
Every day Trump demonstrates what an ignorant idiot he is!
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-urges-florida-to-halt-vote-recount-and-hand-races-to-republicans-20181113-p50fm7.html
And stung by criticism for not attending an event honouring US military dead, the White House says President Donald Trump didn’t want to disrupt Paris roadways for a last-minute motorcade to a cemetery in northern France.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/world/north-america/white-house-defends-trump-s-cemetery-no-show-20181113-p50fm6.html
Henry Olson explains how the midterm elections have revealed a starkly divided America.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/12/what-did-the-midterms-reveal-a-divided-america
Peter Hartcher tells us Trump is not a bad dream and that we need to deal with his America. He says some experts have called for a “coalition of the responsible” to supply the leadership that the Trump administration will not.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/trump-is-not-a-bad-dream-how-australia-can-deal-with-trump-s-america-20181112-p50fgm.html
But Greg Sheridan writes that Morrison has mounted the strongest defence of any allied leader so far of Donald Trump’s trade policies, denying that Washington has turned protectionist because of its imposition of tariffs on China.
https://www.outline.com/H4Fp7P
It’s looking increasingly likely that Bill Shorten will become Australia’s next PM. That’s hardly a frightening prospect, writes Richard Tuffin.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/prepare-bill-shorten-for-our-next-pm,12089
How can the Uber Tuber take issue with such a studied contribution as this one from Anne Aly?
https://www.smh.com.au/national/more-laws-won-t-stop-terrorism-but-effective-prevention-is-complex-20181110-p50f9p.html
The spiritual leader of the Islamic youth centre where Bourke Street terrorist Hassan Khalif Shire Ali attended prayer sessions has accused Scott Morrison of making the Muslim community a scapegoat to distract from the failure of police and intelligence services to prevent Friday’s attack.
https://outline.com/rza8Lj
Security expert Professor Clive Williams explains how our health system could be used to help fight terrorism. He says that if Australia wants to be better positioned to anticipate and prevent lone-actor attacks, we need to put more resources into our mental health management systems, particularly in Muslim migrant communities that may not trust security authorities.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-australia-s-health-system-could-help-fight-terrorism-20181111-p50fer.html
Morrison wants Muslim leaders to do more to prevent terrorism, but academic Greg Barton asks what more can they do.
https://theconversation.com/morrison-wants-muslim-leaders-to-do-more-to-prevent-terrorism-but-what-more-can-they-do-106776
Gillian Triggs has criticised the PM’s comment that there can be no mental health excuse for a terrorist in the wake of the Bourke Street terror attack. The article also provides a good outline of what else was discussed on Q and A.
https://www.outline.com/EMKqtM
Peter FitzSimons says that Morrison should have made the trip to France an heard Macron’s magnificent speech.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/morrison-should-have-been-by-macron-s-side-20181112-p50fgp.html
And Paul Bongiorno says that Morrison’s absence shows he is a prime minister in caretaker mode.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/11/12/scott-morrison-missing-action/
Nicole Hasham tells us that the economic viability of a multibillion-dollar infrastructure project supporting the Snowy 2.0 expansion should not be publicly tested because the project is nationally significant and the analysis might cause delays, Snowy Hydro says. Sounds a bit hubristic?
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/snowy-hydro-says-multibillion-dollar-energy-project-doesn-t-need-cost-benefit-test-20181112-p50fir.html
Elizabeth Knight welcomes us to the post-royal commission era of borrowing. Heightened scrutiny by banks of the financial position of borrowers will be the new order and responsible lending will get a whole lot more responsible.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/from-netflix-to-nannies-banks-on-warpath-over-every-dollar-you-spend-20181112-p50fjm.html
Meanwhile mortgage borrowers unable to get a loan from a major bank were given clear instructions on how to take advantage of the soft underbelly of home loan regulation by a group of experts at the UBS Australasia Conference in Sydney on Monday.
https://www.outline.com/Zshc7s
Housing experts say it’s a matter of time before regulators are forced to step in and take action as more first home buyers and investors desert the property market. As auction clearance rates fall toward historic lows, fears are growing a so-called ‘credit crunch’, as banks respond to the royal commission by tightening lending standards, is starting to bite.
https://www.outline.com/e39z8v
And Greg Jericho says that housing’s lost some heat – but first-time buyers will still get burned. As usual his contribution is laden with factual data.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/grogonomics/2018/nov/13/housings-lost-some-heat-but-first-time-buyers-will-still-get-burned
Michael Pascoe weighs in on the subject saying that what’s much less understood is that we’re being driven to the top of the debt pile by government policy. And, in the process, it is effectively government policy to make our housing among the world’s most expensive.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/finance-news/2018/11/12/record-household-debt/
Sally Whyte reports that outsourced call centre workers are telling Centrelink customers incorrect information, transferring calls unnecessarily and making errors, according to a union survey of Human Services workers. What a shambles!
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/in-their-own-words-centrelink-staff-reveal-contractor-woes-20181109-p50f5y.html
Michael Koziol writes that the country’s biggest universities say they are “under assault” and have launched an extraordinary attack on the Morrison government over a fresh round of cuts to academic research.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/we-are-under-assault-major-universities-go-to-war-with-morrison-government-over-research-cuts-20181112-p50fih.html
The TWU’s Michael Kaine writes that the recent Foodora case demonstrates why government needs to regulate the on-demand economy so that the swindling of workers and tax revenues ends. But we must regulate it in the right way.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/celebrations-in-foodora-case-may-be-short-lived-20181112-p50fjq.html
Scott Morrison’s plan to divest the assets of electricity companies could face a High Court challenge. Major energy operators are threatening to adopt the legal defence used in the Australian film “The Castle”.
https://www.outline.com/aCE4d8
Katharine Murphy also writes about the big energy companies pushing pack.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/13/energy-companies-push-back-on-coalition-threat-to-break-them-up
The SMH editorial looks at the government’s handling of the My Health Record issue.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/uncertainty-looms-over-myhealth-deadline-20181109-p50f64.html
Retired senior police officer Nick Kaldas warns citizens of the dangers of intervening in incidents such as what happened in Bourke Street.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/brave-he-may-be-but-trolley-man-should-not-be-a-model-20181112-p50fgq.html
Energy users and the renewables industry said a Victorian Liberal Party plan to underwrite construction of 500 megawatts of “firm” power would likely lead to wind or solar energy backed by storage rather than coal or gas plant.
https://www.outline.com/5tKVgd
Adam Morton writes that Australia’s carbon footprint has expanded for the last three years straight – and the coal industry is not to blame. The biggest driver has been liquefied natural gas, known as LNG.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/13/problem-in-waiting-why-natural-gas-will-wipe-out-australias-emissions-gains
Global warming will fundamentally change the habitability of Earth. Steve Bishop tells us that a recent article in The Australian on climate change has many errors and misrepresentations. It continues to publish rubbish about global warming he says.
https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/the-australians-continued-support-of-climate-change-denialism,12088
The former head of safety at Dreamworld parent company Ardent Leisure told the inquiry that deficiencies in the park’s corporate structure was at the heart of its safety issues.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/qld/2018/11/12/safety-boss-faces-dreamworld-inquest/
Investors have deepened Lendlease’s rut bringing the total value destroyed at the building giant over the last two trading days to almost $2.2 billion as debate continued on whether it should ditch its troubled engineering division.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/lendlease-loses-2-2b-in-two-terrible-days-20181112-p50fif.html
And for “Arsehole of the Week” . . . .
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/man-accused-of-killing-girlfriend-karate-kicked-ex-partner-court-20181112-p50flx.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe and bellhop Morrison.
Mark David with an inspired PM.
Some perspective from Peter Broelman.
Zanetti on the Bourke Street response.
Johannes Leak needs to lift his game.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/johannes-leak-cartoons/image-gallery/2403b703a84c4deb3bbc4247796b447f
David Pope with an awful looking Spud.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$width_828/t_resize_width/t_sharpen%2Cq_auto%2Cf_auto/2d64b1e5a524fd50cf3fa217205b2a7507d89551
More in here.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/best-of-fairfax-cartoons-november-13-2018-20181112-h17too.html
phoenixRED @ #696 Tuesday, November 13th, 2018 – 6:38 am
Why don’t people just say that he’s afraid that the rain will deflate his fairy floss hair do and he’ll look ridiculous!?! Well, more ridiculous than usual.
France’s army appears to mock Trump for not wanting to go out in the rain to pay tribute to vets
President Donald Trump once again won’t be paying tribute to American veterans amid rainy weather — and even France’s military appears to be calling him out for it.
The official Twitter count of L’Armée de Terre — a.k.a., the French Army — on Monday posted a photo of a French soldier crawling on the ground in the pouring rain.
The photo came with the following message: “Il y a de la pluie, mais c’est pas grave — on reste motivé.” According to Just Security editor Kate Brannen, this translates to, “It’s raining, but it’s not a big deal. We’re staying motivated.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/11/frances-army-appears-mock-trump-not-wanting-go-rain-pay-tribute-vets/
Neil Young one of many to lose their house in Malibu
“In a post on his website, Young responded: “California is vulnerable – not because of poor forest management as DT (our so-called president) would have us think. We are vulnerable because of climate change; the extreme weather events and our extended drought is part of it.”
: “Imagine a leader who defies science, saying these solutions shouldn’t be part of his decision-making on our behalf. Imagine a leader who cares more for his own, convenient option than he does for the people he leads. Imagine an unfit leader. Now imagine a fit one.”
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/nov/12/neil-young-donald-trump-california-fires-climate-change?CMP=share_btn_tw
Memory of a Trump:
‘However, I do point out that you’re own criticism was not even a complete sentence.’
‘I don’t think I’ve had a go at anyone’s grammatical errors on here.’
Another Lie, Another Day:
The Conversation
Verified account @ConversationEDU
35m35 minutes ago
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said “you can’t reflect society if 90% of your members of parliament were chosen from trade unions and worked in trade unions”.
Let’s take a look at the numbers.
Zoid
So what are the numbers?
I wrote a post supporting this report, but was ‘thrown off’. Can’t be bothered typing it all out again. 🙁
You’ve got to wonder, how many Coalition MPs were members of ‘Associations’, another word for Unions of people in the same Trade, before they went into parliament? 🙂
lizzie,
I simply copy every post now, in order to avoid having them evaporate before my eyes. WordPress has a lot of bugs that never seem to be ironed out. You have to devise workarounds for all of them.
C@t
It only happens very occasionally, which naturally catches me unawares. At the same time the little “Howdy, lizzie” at the top fools me into thinking I’m still logged in. Now that’s a bug I’d like fixed!
@Zoomster
1/3 of Labor Mps are from Union backgrounds.
zoomster @ #651 Tuesday, November 13th, 2018 – 7:22 am
Yeah, he tries to get away with accusing others of exactly the thing he has done!! Just like Trump.
Trump is a cancer on the world. He has allowed semi-smart people like himself, to think that they can get away with that sort of garbage. Bullying buffoons just love it, he’s a walking, talking textbook for them.
@Lizzie
This so surprising ?
UK already went through the whole “outsourcing”.
The crazy thing is that it’s the unions that make the labor party a mass participation party. The Liberal Party is just a clique of right-wing crazies.
Zoidlord
I have never known ‘outsourcing’ or ‘contracting’ contribute anything to the happiness and efficiency of existing staff. Writing out specific duties in a contract invariably leaves out the human component and the local experience. Service to clients is invariably compromised.
Yes, a little bit of ‘unionism’ amongst the Liberals wouldn’t go astray.
The fact that Morrison sees mental health as an *excuse* says everything about his deplorable prejudices.
Employee of the month (France).
https://twitter.com/i/status/1061884881461043200
“Erm, I’m not Madame Macron, I’m … the chancellor of Germany”
https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1062004314393190407
Lovely story about a prominent Australian, his family and the directions life can take us all.
https://t.co/PmpDQXURZa
The impression I got from Michelle Guthrie is that she spoke haltingly so that she had the time to run through in her mind what would be the best non-answer to give to the question.
Which she then follows up with weaponising rules and regulations and employs a phalanx of lawyers to get back into a position of power, in order to keep her CV without blemish, such as she is doing now with her legal action against the ABC.
These people are despicable. They have perverted the concept of merit determining who should ascend to the top jobs.
A good graphic here re. US state parties in power:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/10/upshot/republicans-dominate-state-politics-but-democrats-made-a-dent.html?smid=tw-share
C@tmomma says:
Who wouldn’t knowing that every Orc in the Rupertarium would be waiting to pounce on any opportunity to misquote,misconstrue,take out of context what you say ?
poroti
I think ‘haltingly’, that is, repeating words and appearing to stumble, is Guthrie’s normal manner of speaking. Even in written speeches.
How many on the Coalition benches come from a background of representing employees?
Indeed, as a solicitor, who did the likes of Bishop and Costello represent?
How many of the solicitors on the Coalition benches have a CV including pro bono representation for community?
Then you get to organisations such at the IPA and their representation on the Coalition benches
lizzie
Thanks, I have not seen much of Guthrie so had not noticed.
Finally, Scott has reversed the cut to the Foodbank.
See, he does have empathy & a heart after all.
booleanbach
No he has focus groups and a back bench full of people starting to think………..
poroti
Guthrie does not give confidence in speech, but is apparently very succinct in excel and similar!
booleanbach
How many backflips is that now?
The question should be turned on Birmingham
Google is a wonderful thing!!
His employment includes less than one year with the AHA
His remainder employment has been with Liberal Party parliamentarians – starting with Robert Hill who was a long serving Liberal Senator representing SA
SA certainly throws up some interesting Liberal Party representatives – from Andrew Jones, son of Tom onwards until today
And they do not understand that a Downer does not represent Mayo
In the smoke filled premises of the Adelaide Club and the Tattersalls Club it is just not good enough
lizzie @ #722 Tuesday, November 13th, 2018 – 4:07 am
BINGO!!!!
Trump is behaving more unhinged than usual
Surely he knows there are such things as umbrellas.
Something gives.
RIP Stan Lee
lizzie @ #711 Tuesday, November 13th, 2018 – 7:38 am
What irritates me is the ‘Howdy’. A needless yankee salutation. All it needs is
‘Howdy Pardner!’ and it would be complete.
What is wrong with ‘Hello’ ?
Or even ‘Gday’ ?
Which is how I always start my informal emails.
Good Morning
On Morrison. He is a figure of ridicule because he has no substance. He has started at Abbott’s Knight and Dames type of governing and gone on from there.
don
I’m resentful of the ‘Howdy’, too, but decided it was tactful not to criticise the Master when he devotes so much time to us. 😉
Thanks again BK for the Dawn Patrol
I have looked through the items and as a result the yard looks like getting a good work over.
Und zo – mesdames et monsieurs – I vill be carefully assessing each passer by – especially that little ball of fluff that masquerades as a cuddly, playful and friendly (did I mention gorgeous ❓ ) creature par excellence (otherwise known as a small dog).
No fast moves, alert to an escape route, aware of danger from the doves, magpies and other terror implements.
Is the postman who he pretends to be – a man of a certain age interested in assisting his blind niece and collecting and playing with old toys (possibility of bomb making there) – even the Post Office Delivery Lady who calls a couple of times a year to gladden my, and my neighbour across the road, heart. Is she an advance agent scouting for likely targets of opportunity.
Warning, warning – those black helicopters with the midnight camouflage are here to assist. Do not attempt to impede the progress of either the flying machine or the rapid response troops. (Recommended by UK expert). – Is the full stop in the right place – always a problem for me.
Prepare to make a run for it ❓ Not likely for we septuagenarians ❗
Aaargghh fuggit. Boil the kettle – fresh coffee – business as usual.
Save this load of ***** using clipboard manager and prepare to meet the day.
E & OE
Morning all.
We went to see Bohemian Rhapsody last night. It was fantastic! If you love Queen and their music you will love the movie.
The Finnegan’s nails it here
@realDonaldTrump tried his best to scare voters with his Caravan of terrorists, gangs and criminals heading for USA. I didn’t work. @TheDemocrats has a 40 seats #BlueWave .
You @JoshFrydenberg will also be swept away by 40 too 55-45 ALP. https://twitter.com/Thefinnigans/status/1062102265685696513/photo/1
@Guytaur
The outsourced Minister of Finance would say that.
Victoria:
This is what gives me hope for 2020 that the Democrats will win back the presidency and retain the House (Senate make up makes it harder for Democrats to win).
…
https://www.weeklystandard.com/michael-warren/they-dont-like-him-that-much
The Australian Government should be spending big on new public housing stock instead of subsidising private “Mum and Dad” landlords.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/finance-news/2018/11/12/record-household-debt/
When is someone going to ask Josh,
“So fucking what?”
Not one of these people will be effected by Labor’s policy under their current circumstances.
I get a pleasant, ‘Welcome, C@tmomma’ every day! 🙂