The New South Wales state election is likely to struggled for news space over the next few days, with implications that are not easy to read. Recently noted:
• Andrew Clennell of The Australian today reports that “momentum” is “said to be moving away from the Coalition in key marginals”. The remainder of the report largely reiterates conventional wisdom about the state of play, but says the strength of Shooters Fishers and Farmers may be a problem for Labor in its bid to gain Upper Hunter from the Nationals.
• The Sydney Morning Herald reports Balmain, which the Greens have held for two terms, is “strengthening for Labor”, with the Greens’ recent internal warfare making it difficult for them to recruit volunteers.
• The Liberals have been showing a lot of interest all of a sudden in Heathcote, located on the southern fringe of Sydney and held for the Liberals by 7.6%, which has been targeted by robocalling featuring messages from Gladys Berejiklian.
• The Australian had additional results from last weekend’s Newspoll on Wednesday regarding best party to handle various issues, which produced fairly typical of such exercises, although perhaps with narrower margins than is typical. Labor led 44-35 on health, 42-36 on education, 41-30 on environment and 37-34 on energy; the Coalition led 39-33 on law and order, 41-34 on infrastructure, 39-31 on the economy and 37-36 on transport.
Queensland’s big banana? Coffs couldn’t wait for the election and seceded?
This time next Saturday………
Hey, I’m from WA.
We don’t care where you stuff your bananas.
I’m going to enjoy 9pm next Saturday.Once people start asserting that the “figures are fudged” its a sign of desperation.
Just remind me guys, what were the unemployment figures (fudged or otherwise) under Carr/Iemma/Rees/Keneally. Let me know the real stats, leaving your own obvious bias out of the response!!
Moderate what happens at 9pm….. the result was decided an hour earlier oh yes Daley’s victory speech
Yep. The employment figure is historically good. But the stupid method used to measure it fails to read the movement from full to underemployment. The people that are affected however are well aware of the change in their circumstance.
The ABC did a good fact check on the claim about the NSW unemployment rate – the long term average under the current two terms and previous two terms is actually the same. Plus, it’s debatable how much credit (or blame) either government can take for it:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-06/fact-chec-nsw-votes-jobless-rate-46-per-cent-higher-under-labor/10867388
Also, the ABS put out a useful article on the number of employed people who only work one hour a week – it’s only about 0.1% of employed people.
http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6202.0Main%20Features3Jan%202019
The ABS also publishes monthly statistics on underemployment and underutilisation, as well as the employment to population ratio, which I’d argue is a better measure of how many people are employed than the unemployment rate.
So what’s the percentage of “employed” people who only work 2 to 20 hours a week, compared to 37 -40 hours per week which is considered standard full time employment.
Could any “average” person exist, bring up a family, pay rent etc. etc. on the magnificent income thus derived?
Well based on the table in the article around 85% of employed people work more than 20 hours per week. What exact hours people need to work would depend on their situation I guess. Not everyone has kids, a lot of people live in households where more than one person works and of course their actual income would depend on their hourly pay. When I was a single student I definitely didn’t need (or want) to work 38 hours per week.
Query how much the unemployment rate affects state politics. Most people look to the federal governemnt in regards to this metric.
Most people look to the state government for services and amenities. People don’t like privatisation. People know that their power bills have gone up 60% since the liberals came to power and privatised electricity.
People don’t understand while natural monopolies like the Land Titles Office and desal plant have been flogged off. They don’t understand why heritage buildings have been flogged off. Many people are scratching their heads about why the government demolished not one Philip Cox internationally awarded public buildings, but three.
People do not understand the purpose behind the government’s infrastructure splurge and rightly suspect that – other than the good north west metro project – most of it is the wrong project in the wrong area built and operated by liberal party mates and that the punter will end up paying twice for it because of private sector price gouging.
The arrogance of demolishing a perfectly good stadium in the middle of an election campaign is emblematic of the political clusterfuck that is this government.
I strongly suspect “moderate” that all of those reasons are why Labor is competitive in Sydney seats this election.
However, it is much much worse for the LNP in the bush where local MPs are seen as mere lick spittles for the obsesssions of Sydney, especially the top end of town. Insofar as these MPs even bother with local politics they are seen to be in the thrall of big mining, big agribusinesses (which are increasingly foreign owned) and large irrigators. Having visited much of country NSW recently for work I am staggered at just how hated the state LNP are. It’s “game on” for next Saturday, even if the tragic events of Friday deprive Labor of campaign oxygen and some late momentum.
• The Sydney Morning Herald reports Balmain, which the Greens have held for two terms, is “strengthening for Labor”, with the Greens’ recent internal warfare making it difficult for them to recruit volunteers.
This sounds dubious. It isn’t all that hard to bring volunteers across from other electorates to a key electorate.
Andrew you are picking up exactly what I am….. but I have not travelled to country nsw
in the Bush if all went bad for the nationals they could lose to alp shooters and independents in excess of 10 seats. Against the liberals labor could win Bega Goulburn Kiama and South Coast.. with Goulburn and Bega being the most likely
Now you need to look at the Metro seats…. in North shore an independent could win same with Wollondilly…… The dynamics of Hawkesbury probably make it a close run thing… despite its demographics being safe liberal is that why the treasurer is now contesting Epping?
past the 3% on the swing chart there are many seats held by the liberals in the 6 to 10% range mainly which are seat by seat propositions as is Riverstone which is slightly beyond.
Don’t forget Bathurst Mick. Could be the biggest boilover of the night.
I live in Balmain. So does my sister. She and all of her family have voted green for a number of elections. She told me last week that they are all “going home” to Labor. I was pretty shocked. At that point, I knew the Greens were dun.
Question.. how is Greg Piper doing in his seat of Lake Macquarie?
Now the wife (another staunch green) has said she’s not voting for Parker. Jeez, he is so dun it’s not funny.
Hopefully the terrible terrorist attack in New Zealand last Friday will at least have one positive result and the Liberal party with their leader Morrison who fuels hate against Muslims will be voted out. Presumably forever
Gabrielle Chan talks to electors in seats the Nationals are at risk of losing.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/17/farmers-feel-let-down-rural-nsw-seats-suddenly-up-for-grabs
NSW Libs have invented a non existent preference deal in an attempt to use Christchurch events to save Gladys.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-17/michael-daley-threatens-to-resign-if-nsw-gun-laws-weakened/10909658
The Shooters HTV is not recommending any preferences in either house.
http://www.shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au/how_to_vote_sff_nsw_state_election_2019
Gladys should be asked to explain the alleged deal as Labor isn’t receiving any preferences.
Andrew have always counted Bathurst. as competitive….15% margin includes a 54% vote in lithgow… less than 55% alp in Lithgow and less than 40% in Bathurst is unusual ignoring Blaney Kandos and Oberon. a relatively poor vote. Say 54% alp Lithgow and 48% Bathurst equal s an alp win
NSW Nationals HTVs look interesting.
In the Legislative Council, Nats are recommending 2 for David Leyonholm’s Liberal Democrats.
The Nats HTV’s can be found here:
http://www.nswnationals.org.au/page/3/?s=htv
The Liberal Democrats are running candidates in four seats that the Nationals are also contesting (Barwon, Coffs Harbour, Orange, and Upper Hunter).
LDP are recommending 2 for Nationals in Barwon, Coffs, and Upper Hunter. In Orange, LDP are recommending Nationals be placed above both Shooters and Labor.
LDP’s HTV can be found here:
http://www.ldp.org.au/htv_nsw
This looks like a preference deal to me. LDP receives Nats 2nd preference in upper house to help elect Leyonholm and in return Nats receive preferences in lower house seats they are struggling to retain or regain.
The Liberal Democrats firearms policy includes the following:
– There should be no registration of long-arms.
– There should be no prohibitions or special limits on semi-automatic firearms.
– Impediments to children participating in safe shooting activities should be removed.
The full policy can be found here:
https://www.ldp.org.au/firearms
If Gladys wants to make claims about preference deals weakening gun laws, she should explain why her coalition colleagues have done a deal with Leyonholm’s Liberal Democrats.
The lower house LibDems are an odd proposition. In Coffs, they’ve drawn the top spot on the ballot, but the ballot draw was the first anyone had heard that they were running, and as far as I know their candidate has done no public appearances at candidates’ forums or the like or taken out any advertising (although I don’t listen to local radio or watch local television, so I could be wrong there). Nobody seems to know, nor care, who he is, so I’m not sure what his preferences are worth.
It does look like a deal, though, and perhaps simply standing and directing preferences to the Nats is all they’ve agreed to, and they don’t intend to actually campaign.
Any idea why Ladbrokes is offering juicy odds on Kogarah? $1.40 for ALP in what would be a shoo-in?
Probably just to balance their book after taking a bet on the Libs.
Does anyone know how much these bookies turn over on, say, betting on a seat like Oxley or Kogarah?
I change the odds with $500, so the book is not that much. Wouldn’t take another $500.
BSF
Let it ride
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRJ3eovuzcc
How is it looking in Wagga Wagga?
Cud Chewer @ #78 Sunday, March 17th, 2019 – 8:52 pm
Like Wagga Wagga always looks at this time of year I imagine. 🙂
Watson Watxh
The Liberal Democrats firearms policy includes the following:
– There should be no registration of long-arms.
– There should be no prohibitions or special limits on semi-automatic firearms.
– Impediments to children participating in safe shooting activities should be removed.
The full policy can be found here:
https://www.ldp.org.au/firearms
If Gladys wants to make claims about preference deals weakening gun laws, she should explain why her coalition colleagues have done a deal with Leyonholm’s Liberal Democrats.
I think Labor should be shouting this from the rooftops tomorrow morning.
New thread.
In campaiging in this last week – Labor should just turn this LDP/Nats ‘stitch-up’ back onto the Coalition every day. You just repeat and repeat and repeat – eventually someone in the media takes up the story. They should ask John Howard what he thinks of the LDP gun ‘reform’ plans!
Watson Watch @ #69 Sunday, March 17th, 2019 – 4:45 pm
—
This cute TWITTER post from the SFF confirms no deal has been made with Labor at all; its all bollocks from the Fibs.
https://twitter.com/sffAustralia/status/1107214808657465345
The various Federal Coalition parties seem unable to learn that each time a party knifes its leader it loses votes under the replacement leader. Each time. Rudd, Gillard, Rudd; Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison; so with that fine record of successes the Nats are talking about changing leaders. Next, every party that descends into internal quarrelling and recrimination loses votes. If it’s a small party it may disappear or at least lose most of its seats — see the Australian Democrats, the Palmer United Party, One Hanson. Even if it’s a big party it’s likely to lose the next election – once again see Rudd, Gillard, Rudd, see the Libs cut to a one seat majority under Abbott/Turnbull. So the great hope of the environmentally conscious in our most populous state decides to descent into internal quarrelling and recrimination right before the state election. Good one Greens. At least there won’t be many of you left to continue the quarrelling after the election. If any.
Libs have form on (lack of) gun control!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/states-fail-to-reach-agreement-on-classification-of-adler-shotgun-current-ban-remains-in-place-20161021-gs7pnx.html
EB @ #83 Sunday, March 17th, 2019 – 11:23 pm
–
That is what the SFF said on the weekend yes as shown in the video. . But today I found they have preferenced Labor ahead of the Coalition in 15 seats and the Coalition ahead of noboby in any of them on their registered HTV material.