Courtesy of The Guardian, the final Essential Research poll for the year moves a point in favour of the Coalition, who now trail 53-47. We are also told the Coalition primary vote is at 37%, down one on a fortnight ago, and Labor is on 36%, down three. Which minor parties have taken up the slack will remain a mystery until the full report is published later today.
As it does in its last poll every year, Essential asked respondents to nominate if it had been a good or bad year for various political principals and politics in general, finding 65% rating it a bad year for Australian politics, compared with 54% last year, and 57% a bad year for the federal government.
There is also Essential’s occasional question on leaders’ personal qualities, which provide a more nuanced picture than the usual approval ratings of a decline in Scott Morrison’s popularity. Other findings: only 21% expect the Coalition will win the election, compared with “over half” for Labor; and 27% want an early election, with 52% preferring a full term.
The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from a sample of 1026.
UPDATE: Full results here. Greens up one to 11%, Labor up one to 7%.
frednk @ #1298 Wednesday, December 19th, 2018 – 7:19 pm
Yes, as a child traveller back in the days of smoking on airlines it always struck me as odd that airlines would designate certain seats as smoking when you could be seated at opposite ends of the aircraft and still be affected by bloody smokers.
Clem Attlee
says:
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 10:19 pm
I’m a democratic socialist, I believe that minerals, energy, health, education and transport should be controlled by the state. Social democracy what is that? What do they believe in? it’s just a wishy washy slogan.
___________________________________________
It’s not a wishy washy slogan, it’s best way to achieve equality in a capitalist system.
Actually, not having the interwebz, I checked out the Today Show with my son this morning, and the guy that they had on in place of Stefanovic was actually quite good! I hope that they stick with him, as he interviewed guests intelligently and didn’t seem to take himself too seriously.
I haven’t seen him around before, so I suppose 9 has hauled him in from a regional affiliate somewhere as he stood out.
The best slogan I have heard recently is,
People before Profits.
That’ll do me.
I haven’t seen this posted here, but it seems very undemocratic.
http://www.unionsnsw.org.au/high_court_challenge
Bushfire Bill says:
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 10:15 pm
Yes Fred, I was struck by the number of passengers who paid a premium for an extra 40mm arm room and 60mm leg room, while up the rear of the plane we lounge lizards could have played a game of indoor cricket, what with all the empty seats.
Did I mention the smoking and drinking that went on? No-one wanted to sit with the smokers, so we cracked extras on the extras.
Now a reformed smoker, I am, but I sure miss those days.
I only have to fly the Pacific return once a year. But I put the case for the back of the bus this way. You sit up or sleep fitfully overnight (15 hours) southbound and then on the northbound return fly back during the day (14 hours) not requiring a sleeping pod. Then when you get off the plane, someone hands you $6,000 or $12,000 for a couple, the difference between economy and business class. Call me a cheapskate if you will. But for those numbers, if you’re paying for it yourself, you could strap me to the wing. I think you’d find better things to do with that money saved. And it’s only one night and one day flight FGS.
BB, SK
I have been down the back of Emirates A-380s on the bottom deck on long flights – and yes often with very many empty seats. Had three on the window side once, and the woman next to me had four across the middle. Probably the one time I have slept more than four hours in a row, and all for the cost of one economy seat.
It frightens me how long I smoked, and amazes me how easy it was to give up (OK, technically cheating with vaping, but getting all the respiratory and cardiac benefits of abstinence).
It’ll probably get me in the end, but so far the only detriment has been weight gain. Gradually shedding that too (a lot slower than I put it on, unfortunately).
And a big “Sorry” to all those I discomforted with my addiction over all those years.
‘fess,
Did you notice that Business Unions, er, Associations, are not part of the remit for that legislation? Funny that.
I met a lady at lunch the other day who had never smoked a day in her life, but her husband was a heavy smoker, long since passed away. She, sadly, has contracted Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease as a result of breathing in his side smoke during their married life together.
BB
Great to hear you have given up. I believe studies show things like your VO2 (?maximum rate of oxygen takeup) can improve quite quickly once you give up, giving you better endurance.
C@t:
Is that so? How unsurprisement. Poss put it best:
Frednk
Yeah, I think you need a mix of grant and institutional funding, it’s too skewed to the former but there are equally big drawbacks to the latter.
In health and medical research, remember that affiliated research institutes (Garvin, WEHI, Victor Chang etc) have very good records and also that other parts of the health system also should be partly driving the research questions that are asked.
Finally, we really need to reform postgraduate degrees. In addition to foreign students, Universities have worked out that Master’s courses are also rivers of gold. But they’re often repackaged undergrad courses when by coursework for students whose marks weren’t good enough to get in the course initially, or when done by research can be pretty dire quality. “Charge ’em more, teach ’em less” is not a sustainable philosophy.
Nath, it’s a meaningless term devised by do nothing right wingers to excuse inaction on real left (socialist) policies. Socialism is public ownership, social democracy is weasel words and motherhood statements.
Anyone watching pickering on ABC tonight? doGs but they are doing over the Liberal Leadership thing. 🙂
Credlin is a Catholic, and has been seen attending church on occasions. I have no ide3a if she is a regular attendee, nor do I care.
Bushfire. I have a similar tale to tell of travel to the US in the early 80s. I was travelling with Qantas in business as a Govt employee when I spied that the stewards had loaded up the empty back middle seats of economy with tubs of ice and drinks both soft and hard. The plane was barely half full and I spent a happy several hours between Auckland and Honolulu drinking my share.
Clem Attlee
says:
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 11:29 pm
Nath, it’s a meaningless term devised by do nothing right wingers to excuse inaction on real left (socialist) policies. Socialism is public ownership, social democracy is weasel words and motherhood statements.
______________________________
I believe in public ownership in a lot of areas. Moves towards full socialism were rejected at referendums again and again. I think it’s hard to argue that the social democratic Nordic countries have provided the best terms of equality under the capitalist system.
nath @ #1318 Wednesday, December 19th, 2018 – 11:04 pm
Huh? I think it would be very hard to argue that they’ve done worse at providing equality than a more heavily capitalist nation like, say, the United States.
I think from context nath meant “it’s hard to argue [with the proposition] that the…”
beguiledagain @ #1306 Wednesday, December 19th, 2018 – 7:45 pm
You have not lived until you’ve flown international business with one of the sky bed pod things.
It was the first and only time I’ve received a free upgrade.
caf
says:
Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 12:49 am
I think from context nath meant “it’s hard to argue [with the proposition] that the…”
___________________
Yes thanks, that’s what I meant. Time for bed!
Why Hasn’t Australia Had a Recession in Almost 30 Years?
The U.S. should take a page from the island nation.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/12/what-australia-knows-about-recessions/578482/
What does “getting policy right” look like? Lesson one: Fight recessions right. Australian policy makers combated the 2008 global financial crisis more adeptly than ones in the United States or in Europe, implementing fiscal stimulus quickly and not turning to budget austerity as the economy recovered. As a result, Australia’s growth rate dropped without the economy actually shrinking, let alone contracting and then stagnating, or contracting for years on end, or contracting over and over again.
nath says:
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 10:22 pm
Clem Attlee
says:
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 10:19 pm
I’m a democratic socialist, I believe that minerals, energy, health, education and transport should be controlled by the state. Social democracy what is that? What do they believe in? it’s just a wishy washy slogan.
___________________________________________
It’s not a wishy washy slogan, it’s best way to achieve equality in a capitalist system.
You cannot achieve equality in a capitalist system.. Capitalism is based on inequality, it would not work if everyone was equal. Social democrat was a term developed for the wimps in Labor who were not willing to stand up for democratic socialism. It is self evident that you cannot have a true democracy unless the means of production are democratised.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
John Hewson delivers a Christmas message to politicians.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/so-this-is-christmas-why-pollies-need-to-make-it-a-better-new-year-20181219-p50n50.html
Greg Jericho writes that this government has decided that a tax cut bribe is the best hope of staying in power and he asks what the chances of a budgetary hangover are.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2018/dec/20/the-government-has-been-hit-with-a-surplus-but-what-if-the-good-times-dont-last
In an interesting contribution John Warhurst examines what makes Morrison tick and how he is a creature of the NSW Liberal party.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/morrison-s-narrow-view-of-the-world-to-be-tested-next-election-20181219-p50n73.html
Shane Wright explains how Michael McCormack has flayed leakers within the government as selfish promoters of their own agenda who do not understand the cold desolation of opposition.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/leakers-don-t-know-the-cold-desperation-of-opposition-warns-acting-pm-mccormack-20181219-p50n7a.html
The states and territories may go it alone developing their own electricity and greenhouse gas emission policy after a fractious meeting of energy ministers ended in acrimony directed at the Morrison government. Not a good day yesterday for Canavan and Taylor!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/federal-government-facing-energy-uproar-as-nsw-distances-itself-from-canberra-20181219-p50n9g.html
The Australian tells us that Barnaby Joyce says he received reports when he was Nationals leader of alleged sexual indiscretions by Andrew Broad, undermining a claim by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack that he was unaware of “allegations of impropriety” against the now disgraced Victorian MP until this week.
https://outline.com/NKA2a2
And the New Daily reports that a social media post has emerged showing disgraced Nationals MP Andrew Broad was confronted with claims about use of “sugar daddy” dating sites nearly a year ago.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/12/19/andrew-broad-sugar-daddy-year-ago/
Tony Burke is not impressed with the arrogance of Pyne with respect to electronic voting for divisions.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/swipe-left-labor-hangs-up-on-christopher-pyne-s-electronic-voting-20181219-p50nb9.html
Kevin Rudd has labelled it a “minor badge of honour” to be attacked by CFMEU official John Setka and has slammed Mr Setka’s Victorian division of the union as a blight on both Labor and the trade union movement.
https://outline.com/RrdkjR
Samantha Hutchinson reports that Victorian Liberal heavyweights exchanged text messages that used homophobic and racist references to describe party members and supporters in the lead-up to this year’s and last year’s state conferences. Charming!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/liberal-powerbrokers-in-racist-and-homophobic-text-furore-20181218-p50n2b.html
Christian Porter losing the fight on family law reform.
https://outline.com/FkamCf
Jane Gilmore tells us why she went on a mission to fix the media framing of domestic violence.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/why-i-went-on-a-mission-to-fix-the-media-framing-of-domestic-violence-20181218-p50n1b.html
Ben Weir reports that according to environmental experts entire ecosystems are under threat due to warming oceans with parts of the Australian coast stretching from Sydney to Adelaide experiencing the most stress.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/greater-warming-different-species-under-threat-20181219-p50n7k.html
The Grattan Institute says that taxing inheritances might be unpopular, but it’s fair.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/taxing-inheritances-might-be-unpopular-but-it-s-fair-20181219-p50n5b.html
For a full eight minutes, US District Judge Emmet Sullivan read aloud an inventory of Michael Flynn’s lies, describing his “disgust” that President Donald Trump’s national security adviser sought to deceive FBI agents while “on the premises of the White House”.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/judge-gives-michael-flynn-and-trump-a-lecture-on-the-law-20181219-p50n6n.html
Elizabeth Knight was at yesterdays MAB AGM where investors sent a huge message to the board.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/shareholders-haven-t-just-spoken-they-have-shouted-20181219-p50n85.html
Michaela Whitbourn tells us that our friend Salim Mehajer is busy representing himself in court from prison. She saw a very different Ken Henry than the pontificating, pompous and often uncooperative seen from him at the royal commission.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/guest-of-her-majesty-mehajer-represents-himself-in-court-from-jail-20181219-p50n8j.html
Australia is experiencing more extreme heat, longer fire seasons, rising oceans and more marine heatwaves consistent with a changing climate, according to the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO’s state of the climate report. Stand by for more budgetary cuts to those two organisations!
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/20/australia-experiencing-more-heat-longer-fire-seasons-and-rising-oceans
The Coalition has unleashed further budget cuts to university funding, throwing bad policy after bad. Professor Margaret Gardner reports.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/morrison-governments-myefo-raid-on-inventions-ideas-and-talent,12216
UNSW Sydney has published the results of work that can transform clothes into products such as flat construction panels for acoustic and thermal insulation. Later, it expects, they may be modified for flooring and walls.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-to-make-new-buildings-from-old-clothes-20181211-p50lgh.html
Stephen Koukoulas delivers some good news on health – Australians are smoking less with the amount of tobacco consumed dropping to a record low in the September quarter 2018, and this includes data back to 1959 when Australia’s population was about 60 per cent below the level of today.
https://thekouk.com/item/658-smoking-levels-continue-to-plummet.html
A 10-year-old boy who now lives in Sydney was allegedly raped three times in an immigration detention centre as the Federal government failed to protect him, lawyers argue in a new claim.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/lawsuit-claims-security-failures-on-nauru-led-to-rape-of-boy-20181219-p50nap.html
A report the Department of Home Affairs warned it might try to suppress has found significant failings in the management of a coastal patrol fleet Australia uses to intercept asylum seekers. Internal documents released last month showed the department had warned the auditor general it might try to suppress parts of his investigation of the Cape-class patrol boats on “national security grounds”.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/dec/19/auditor-report-finds-significant-failings-in-fleet-used-to-intercept-asylum-seekers
Doug Dingwall wonders just what it is that Home Affairs wants to hide.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/audit-under-censorship-threat-reveals-home-affairs-patrol-boat-tensions-20181219-p50n7v.html
Sam Maiden serves it up to the vacuous and dangerous anti-vaxxers.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/wellbeing/2018/12/19/critics-no-jab-no-play-anti-vaxxers/
If a silver lining emerges from the troubling Majak Daw episode, it should be this: that there will be a better understanding and less cynicism about the mental health challenges facing the contemporary AFL player.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/daw-incident-may-reduce-cynicism-over-footballers-mental-health-20181219-p50nav.html
Meanwhile Dana McCauley writes that the head of the peak body for general practitioners says the Medicare system is failing to address the burden of mental health on the profession, while rewarding doctors who rush patients through consultations.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/stop-pressuring-us-to-rush-mental-health-patients-say-gps-20181219-p50nao.html
Virginia Haussegger tells us how Australia slid backwards on the gender-equality league table.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/retreat-australia-fair-we-ve-slid-backwards-on-gender-equality-league-table-20181219-p50n62.html
The United States is planning a total withdrawal of US forces from Syria. Trump has previously expressed a strong desire to bring troops home but his defence officials fear it’s too early.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/us-plans-complete-withdrawal-of-troops-from-syria-trump-declares-isis-defeated-20181220-p50nbe.html
How the world has fought back against the violent far-right and started winning.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/19/how-the-world-has-fought-back-against-the-violent-far-right-and-started-winning
A husband and wife duo are behind bars after a long-running investigation targeted them as ringleaders of a scheme that has been issuing fraudulent construction industry trade qualifications to unqualified people for a fee since at least 2015. A definite nomination for “Arseholes of the Week”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/fake-tradies-husband-and-wife-alleged-ringleaders-in-qualification-fraud-20181219-p50n5k.html
Cartoon Corner
David Pope goes to town in the Nats!
As does Andrew Dyson.
And John Shakespeare.
Cathy Wilcox sees through MYEFO.
John Shakespeare and a Coalition Christmas.
From the prolific Matt Golding.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$width_828/t_resize_width/t_sharpen%2Cq_auto%2Cf_auto%2Cdpr_auto/fd0974d280aa64679d3b3a4aa8e7fc2fe9c764a0
Jon Kudelka explains the Coalition’s energy policy.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/5b3820c693ae53b9527ee8f8efc4f593
This year we must all be on the alert for the most clear and present danger to our civilisation and general well being that has ever existed.
Trump rails against ‘sleazebag’ NY investigators who forced him to shut down his sham charity foundation
President Donald Trump on Wednesday went on a bitter tirade against investigators in New York who forced him to shut down his shady charity foundation.
One day after the Trump Foundation announced that it would dissolve in the midst of allegations of self-dealing and fraud, the president lashed out at the New York Attorney General’s Office for slamming the foundation with a lawsuit alleging years’ worth of illegal activities.
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/12/trump-rails-sleazebag-ny-investigators-forced-shut-sham-charity-foundation/
Long Post but well worth a read for those interested :
‘Very strong’ case Russians swung the 2016 election for Donald Trump: ‘Cyberwar’ author Kathleen Hall Jamieson
The Russian government’s campaign to interfere in the 2016 American presidential election in order to install Donald Trump in the White House may be one of the greatest intelligence operations in modern history.
What is publicly known is damning. Russia intelligence operatives and other foreign parties working in conjunction with them were able to influence (if not infiltrate) the highest levels of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign staff and other parts of his inner circle. Many of those relationships may have continued well past his election as president. The apparent goal was to manipulate Trump and by extension America’s foreign policy in order to advance Russia’s and Vladimir Putin’s interests to the disadvantage of the United States and the West.
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/12/strong-case-russians-swung-2016-election-donald-trump-cyberwar-author-kathleen-hall-jamieson/
EX-NSA John Schindler’s latest thoughts on Michael Flynn and implications :
John SchindlerVerified account @20committee · 51m51 minutes ago
If only somebody could come up with a catchy phrase and accompanying hashtag to explain what happened yesterday. It’s almost like everything Trump touches….dies.
Mike Flynn’s Disastrous Day in Court Blows Apart Trump’s Deep State Conspiracy Theory
Every day of Donald J. Trump’s presidency, his White House has been dogged by allegations surrounding his 2016 campaign’s illicit involvement with Russia. For almost two years, his administration has been under scrutiny by the press and the Justice Department over suspect ties to Moscow.
In the cold, hard light of a Federal courtroom, up does not actually turn out to be down, Mike Flynn was never set up or entrapped, the Mueller inquiry is real and closing in, and there’s nothing the White House can do to make it stop. Enraged “modern presidential” tweets insisting that the mounting evidence of Trumpian collusion with Moscow does not exist may still persuade true-believers, but they will have no impact whatsoever on the judicial realities now approaching the White House at speed.
MORE : https://observer.com/2018/12/mike-flynn-robert-mueller-sentencing-trump-deep-state-conspiracy-theory/
Douglas and Milko @ #1264 Wednesday, December 19th, 2018 – 9:09 pm
I think that private schools are far more flexible with regard to this – even having a maths/physics teacher to come in to relieve someone who is away for whatever reason would be a welcome addition to the books, I suspect.
BK, thank you as always for the forensic trawl through the MSM. I especially like the report that Barnyard knew about Broad’s philandering when he was leader, yet the new hayseed was oblivious to the Mallee Bull’s adventures. Could it possibly be that MickMack is telling porkies?
“Barnaby Joyce says he received reports when he was Nationals leader of alleged sexual indiscretions by Andrew Broad, undermining a claim by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack that he was unaware of “allegations of impropriety” against the now disgraced Victorian MP until this week.
Mr McCormack yesterday defended his handling of the “sugar babe” scandal, and attacked “anonymous” critics who said he should never have appointed Mr Broad as his assistant minister.
The Nationals leader said if he had known the full facts of the case he would have handled it differently, but said: “I was not aware of any allegations of impropriety by the member for Mallee prior to Monday.”
Multiple Nationals MPs told The Australian Mr Broad’s conduct had long been cause for concern in the party, with a number of women coming forward to make allegations against him.
Mr Joyce said he had heard the allegations when he was leader, but none were substantiated. “Issues were brought to my attention but no complaints were ever made, so there was nothing to pursue because you can’t go chasing rumours,” Mr Joyce told The Australian.
Another Nationals MP said Mr McCormack had placed the party and the government at risk by failing to conduct sufficient due diligence on Mr Broad before appointing him to the frontbench.
“This is basic stuff,” one MP said. “When there is that much smoke, you need to give someone an absolute working-over to ensure it isn’t true.”
BK
There are no stories on the Karl Kapers Krisis.
Surely this demands maximum coverage not least a RC into Breakfast Television.
Thanks
Trump undermines his entire national security team on Syria
On Monday, the U.S. special representative for Syria engagement publicly pledged that the U.S. commitment to Syria would not waiver. The very next day, Trump reportedly decided to rapidly withdraw all U.S. troops there. Trump appears to be discarding his entire Syria and Iran strategy at a single stroke, giving up any and all U.S. influence in the region — and disregarding the advice of his top national security officials.
If he follows through, Trump’s decision will have devastating and dangerous consequences for the United States, the region and the Syrian people.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2018/12/19/trump-undermines-his-entire-national-security-team-syria/?utm_term=.c9cd7757bec7
Good luck democratising the means of production in the 21st century of Apple, google, facebook, Samsung…. I could go on.
That’s the problem with ‘democratic socialists’ today, their mindset is back in the 20th century. Today’s biggest businesses ‘produce’ content and the hardware to transfer the software to us. Not to mention the fact that most of the hardware is, these days, manufactured in nominally Communist countries, clothes in Vietnam, just about everything else in China, or in poor, highly stratified societies, like India and Bangladesh. You are not going to win a battle to socialise the means of production there anytime soon.
Not in Australia, either. Howard and Costello already sunk that ship for good and all by introducing the ABN and turning workers into their own bosses overnight.
The Rose Gold ute driven by a young Tradie that passed me by the other day, told me that in bright neon lights.
frednk @ #1273 Wednesday, December 19th, 2018 – 9:22 pm
Me. Putting in every %^*&^&&(_)* rock wall foundation (a lot of them) and concrete step and piers for a couple of pond bridges. And mixing it in the first place. I’d rather do it myself, the suppliers simply refuse to use very high strength concrete if they think the job doesn’t warrant it. My foundations never crack or move. Doing it in cool weather is best.
But I am not a tradie, by any stretch of the imagination, and I do not remember them using a barrow for concrete, except when I was a kid, a long time ago.
And where’s Scotty?
One desultory tweet in 2 days, no appearances or media. But judging by his website, he is packing boxes moving to his harbourfront pile – living the Sydney dream..
“As some of you may know my family and I live in the Shire in a typical family home. It has a mortgage, it needs a bit of work and no front fence. Neighbours and friends have always been able to just walk up and say hello as we’ve sat on the front verandah. That’s how we like it.
Our home is where our best family memories are. BBQ’s, birthdays, curry nights with friends and family.
While our house in Port Hacking has been great for us as a family, sadly we can’t make it work in my new role as PM. For security and convenience, the sensible thing for us to do as a family is to relocate to Kirribilli House, which is set up for the job. This will also be more convenient for our neighbours, who we will miss.
While our address will change, our home will remain in the Shire. Our involvement in the local community will continue. Our church, the girls‘ sport and school, swimming at Wanda, Shark Park, movies at Miranda, all of this will stay the same.
It’s has always been an incredible honour to be the member for Cook, and to now serve as your PM is incredibly humbling. I will take the lessons and values of our community into the job.
Finally, as a family, Jen and I are very appreciative of all the kind notes, texts, letters, emails, cards and hugs we have received wishing us well. I won’t let you down.
Cheers, Scott
don
Never had a tradie for concreting around the house, base of the chook pen, etc. Always male DIY. 🙂
BK
Thank you for the “added value” you bring to the Dawn Patrol through your incisive comments. 🙂
Morning all. Thanks BK. Still wall to wall stories exposing the character flaws of National MPs and Liberal party office holders in Melbourne. The nation is run by a bunch of racist, sexist, homophobic men.
Obviously no women problems here:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-19/andrew-broad-social-media-post-emerges-lnks-sugar-daddy-sites/10636394
And it looks like the Victorian Liberals are much like Sydney Liberals:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/liberal-powerbrokers-in-racist-and-homophobic-text-furore-20181218-p50n2b.html
At least these stories smash the myth that the COALition is run by evil geniuses. These people thought they could put in print views like this in non-private social media, and nobody would ever find out?
Both stories expose that at their core, the Liberals and Nationals stand for nothing but the self interest of their MPs. The liberals have killed off Liberalism, and even conservatism, in their party. The nationals have given up any pretense of caring for rural communities in their pursuit of mining company cash.
An interesting aspect of voting in the HoR by Tony Burke.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/swipe-left-labor-hangs-up-on-christopher-pyne-s-electronic-voting-20181219-p50nb9.html
Thank you BK
You missed the single most important moment in the entire history of Brexit. The whole of the UK is transfixed about whether Corbyn said ‘Stupid woman’ or ‘Stupid people’.
Professional lip readers have been deployed, the Tories are utterly outraged, the Speaker thinks that Corbyn’s word on the matter should be believed…
The Brits have gone nuts.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/jeremy-corbyn-forced-to-apologise-over-stupid-woman-slur-to-theresa-may/news-story/1ce3dd2257372d63dceaf8b471f20ae9
lizzie, Don
After some recent problems with transport infrastructure projects in Australia, I am tempted to wonder if we also have some fake engineers.
Assuming Labor wins office, skills training is something that I am sure Labor will fix. The best way to deter fake tradies is to have enough real ones.
The need for more training also extends to some professions. In transport infrastructure there is a big shift in the need to build urban rail and light rail lines, compared to the previous trend to only build freeways. We have a shortage of people who know how to plan, design, build and operate rail lines. Even in university engineering faculties in Australia, only a couple teach rail engineering subjects. This needs to be changed.
Some national design standards for new rail and light rail lines wouldn’t hurt either. There are none now, and it shows in some glaring project errors occurring around the country.
Boerwar
The more I hear and read of May’s intransigence over her Brexit ‘solution’, the more I am in sympathy with Corbyn’s “stupid woman”.
Socrates
You remind me that years ago, when I worked for the (then) Country Roads Board, there were standard templates for the design of road curves, intersections, etc. This was in the days when roads were everything and rail a poor cousin, of course.
Backbenchers can’t speak to Ministers unless it’s during a Division!?!
What are we, a democracy or an elitocracy!?!
No wonder idiots like Andrew Broad think they’re all that when they become Ministers!
Thanks BK, phoenixRed and others for today’s news.
What is at Shark Park when there’s no footy?
C@t
There have been several journos who have described the splendid isolation of a newly minted minister who is suddenly endowed with their own private suite. Easy to lose touch with reality, I think.
Akubra
I studiously avoid any story about so-called “celebrities”.
Boerwar
I saw the “stupid woman” coverage. Corbyn should have come out and said that he did quietly utter those words that he believes, under the circumstances, were entirely apt. If it were, say Boris Johnson speaking it would have been OK to utter “stupid man”I would think.
Boerwar @ #1341 Thursday, December 20th, 2018 – 7:23 am
When the reality is difficult and complex focus on the trivial and unimportant.
Very perceptive, GG!