Federal election minus whatever

A new venue for general discussion of matters political, as the New South Wales election sucks the oxygen from the federal sphere.

Reflecting its confidence about its prospects in Victoria, Labor has traded in its existing prospect for the seat of Higgins, Josh Spiegel, for a higher profile model in the shape of barrister Fiona McLeod. That’s all I really have to relate at the moment, but a new federal politics and general discussion thread is required, and here it is. Note the new Brexit post from Adrian Beaumont below this one and, naturally, the latest New South Wales election post above.

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.

606 comments on “Federal election minus whatever”

Comments Page 9 of 13
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  1. “Bill Shorten has promised to work co-operatively and constructively with business, pledging that he will not be a “handmaiden” for trade unions if Labor wins the federal election in May.”

    Unlike the Coalition who are handmaidens to Big Business, especially the miners and fossil fuel interests.

  4. The SMH, true to form, has recommended a vote for the Tories. How surprising.

    Let this political shock inform the minds of those here who commenced wringing their hands at the first negative article, oh, about a week ago. One – who, amazingly, likes to tout himself a Labor apparatchik around here- even said he could rest easy with a Daley loss now that he’d stuffed it up so badly. Why had he stuffed up? Because the effing SMH and their temporary pals at the Tele said so, that’s why.

    In a textbook bootstrap exercise, SMH and Tele journos have started out with a “blunder” on “Race” , segued over to a “slip” on TAFE, then onto couple of other non-events supposedly “bad” for Daley, commenting on each others’ columns, backing each other up with wise insights and nodding agreements, and telling us what “the public” will think (as if their public – the people they regularly associate with – extended any further out than Glebe, Darlinghurst or Milson’s Point).

    It culminated in yesterday’s editorial, and today’s “horror week for Daley”. And it was ever thus with expecting the SMH to do anything else but parrot platitudes about “finishing off the job” and “steering a clear course”… as regards recommending the Tories, that is.

    What is the Course? Flogging off as much of the state’s infrastructure to your mates and donors as can be prised off the walls, with or without a crowbar. THAT is “the Course”.

    On the same page as the description of Daley’s completely fabricated “horror week” – in fact in the same article – comes news that the numbers are so tight that neither side can claim an edge.

    That’s a real horror week, after all the billions Gladys has had at her disposal to bribe a leery public, but not for Michael Daley.

  5. Several long-run trends are combining in the Shooters’ favour. Foremost among them is the inexorable rise of the gun lobby in Australia – funded by the annual fees shooters are required to pay in order to be licensed under Howard’s gun laws. According to GCA, this is why the Howard era reforms carried “the seeds of their own destruction”. The Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA), established in 2014, has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to political parties in recent elections.
    ….
    The advent of SIFA marked a big change in Australia, says Lee, from club-based organisations such as the Sporting Shooters, to something that more closely resembles America’s National Rifle Association. “This new group has huge deep pockets and they’re able to fund these political campaigns, but they’re also very well connected in government, because they are the companies that actually have quite extensive contracts regarding defence, police and law enforcement, and supplying firearms and weaponry to government.”

    A second trend aiding the Shooters election tilt is the broad decline of the base of the National Party, which is losing its rusted-on franchise in rural NSW, Queensland and Victoria. Shrinking support in country towns plays a part in the troubles facing the Nationals, as does voter rejection of the major parties in general. Recent elections have also seen the rise of country independents and rivals such as One Nation, Katter’s Australian Party and the Shooters. Election analyst Ben Raue, author of The Tally Room blog, rates the Shooters a chance in the key western NSW seats of Orange, Barwon, Murray and Cootamundra.

    There may also be a broader cultural shift under way, marked by the increased popularity of shooting and the explosive growth in membership of gun clubs. NSW recently cracked a million licensed firearms.

    https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2019/03/23/shooters-party-set-wield-power-nsw/15532596007887?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The%20Saturday%20Briefing%20245&utm_content=The%20Saturday%20Briefing%20245%20CID_14916236b0281051c16ca31584bff024&utm_source=EDM&utm_term=Shooters%20Party%20leader%20Robert%20Borsak%20says%20the%20Howard%20campaign%20is%20the%20best%20thing%20they%20couldve%20done%20for%20us

  6. The Australian @australian

    MEDIA WATCH DOG: It appears Waleed Aly believes his views are more significant than those of the PM, writes Gerard Henderson

    What arrogant tosh from a hasbeen.

  7. Good luck to all NSW people today, and thank you especially to those working at the polling booths.

    The sound of early morning thunder here in Melbourne just as I am going to work. Early morning thunderstorms are unusual, though it looks a pretty small line of storms on the Bureau website.

  8. @barriecassidy
    10h10 hours ago

    And a bit rich coming from the Oz when Murdoch has always operated on the basis that his views are more significant than those of PMs

  9. lizzie

    Looking forward post-election to some who were at that shadow cabinet meeting tipping the bucket on Morrison. The longer things go the more it seems that he actually did have a ‘cunning plan’ to bring down Turnbull – the truth will come out eventually.

  10. outline.com/TLsC3Z Pauline Hanson quits regular Sunrise spot over ‘treatment’ during David Koch interview …….pushed or jumped?

  12. @slpng_giants_oz
    12m12 minutes ago

    CONSIDER THIS:

    NSW looks set to elect Mark Latham & David Leyonhjelm to the Legislative Council for the next EIGHT YEARS.

    Latham anonymously trolled Rosie Batty online. Leyonhjelm is a misogynist who doesn’t believe in gun control.

    That’s one hell of a democracy sausage

  13. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/safety-bollards-no-barrier-to-ugly-vitriol-of-political-left/news-story/afb138102553df2fe89869e025cd2dc3
    https://outline.com/e3n4Ze

    Is Mr. C. Kenny Esq. talking Bollards again I ask myself ❓

    He gives a reasonable summation of the horror of the murderous attack by our home grown monster in New Zealand

    and then —–

    But we can’t avoid the repulsive and counter-productive response from the political Left that has set Australian against Australian and our nation against others.

    Eh ❗ Wot ❗

    The so-called progressives have always been squeamish about confronting the palpable threat of Islamist terrorism but at least have always understood — or claimed to understand — the rationale behind ensuring that not all Muslims were blamed for the actions of extremists. Yet this week they have recklessly, vindictively, cruelly and dangerously sought to blame right-of-centre politicians, commentators and media organisations for the cold-blooded killing of innocent Muslims. They try to equate any discussion of issues related to Muslim extremism, any criticism of Islamic fundamentalist prac­tices, with inciting white supremacist extremism.

    Oh Magoo Kenny , you’ve done it again!”.

    Bollards to you Mr. Kenny.

  16. The Hill @thehill

    Pompeo: It’s “possible” God planned Trump to save Jewish people
    http://hill.cm/Ei3ZcP8

    This is the essence of self-aggrandisement. These people think that they own “God” and He exists to serve them. . That is how religious wars begin.

    And Trump stands arrogantly beside Pompeo. ‘Yeah, that’s me. I’m here to save (rule) the world.’

    :large

  17. It’s go time!

    Shimon ProkupeczVerified account@ShimonPro
    1m1 minute ago
    Special counsel Robert Mueller has finished his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mueller’s confidential report has been delivered to Attorney General William Barr, the Justice Department announced Friday.

  18. Now the fun begins.

    Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has submitted a confidential report to Attorney General William P. Barr, marking the end of his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by President Trump, a Justice Department spokeswoman said.

    The Justice Department notified Congress late Friday that it had received Mueller’s report but did not describe its contents. Barr is expected to summarize the findings for lawmakers in coming days.

    The submission of Mueller’s report marks the culmination of his closely held inquiry, a case that has engulfed the Trump administration since its inception and led to multiple guilty pleas from former advisers to the president. With the closing of his investigation, Congress and the newly empowered Democratic House majority will soon assess his findings – and determine what steps to take next.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mueller-report-sent-to-attorney-general-signaling-his-russia-investigation-has-ended/2019/03/22/b061d8fa-323e-11e9-813a-0ab2f17e305b_story.html?utm_term=.168dc60bc972

  19. Rick Wilson’s latest unloads on Senate Republicans.

    Damn near every elected member of the Republican Party failed another easy test this week as Donald Trump lost his grip on reality and spent days attacking the late Sen. John McCain. They tripped over their own dicks in the face of Trump’s egregious bullying, racing for political cover and sacrificing their few remaining shreds of dignity because they fear this mad president more than they love their own honor.

    Starting this weekend, Trump has tweeted six days’ worth of escalating insults on Twitter and in person at a rival who died seven months ago. Like I said, it’s an easy test: As elected leaders, as Republicans, as conservatives, as Americans, this was a moment to honor McCain and to call out the president by name for failing to do so.

    Party loyalty isn’t a suicide pact… or is it?

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-spits-on-john-mccains-american-greatness-and-republicans-respond-with-profiles-in-chickenshit?via=twitter_page

  21. A group of prominent Australians has united in calling for a stop to the national war memorial’s planned expansion, saying the $498 million project is unjustified.

    Novelists Tom Keneally and Richard Flanagan, author and speechwriter Don Watson, Australia’s first female premier Carmen Lawrence, historians and a group of ex-senior public servants and diplomats are among 83 signatories to an open letter saying the money could be better spent.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/prominent-australians-call-for-stop-to-war-memorial-expansion-20190315-p514ip.html

  23. Last Newspoll in Victoria: 53.5-46.5, going by that Labor will get about 53-47 in NSW. Newspoll only gets the oldies polled (landline and answer their mobiles from strangers). No-one under 35 is voting for Glad Bags 😡

  24. Shimon ProkupeczVerified account@ShimonPro
    19m19 minutes ago
    A Justice Official says “only a few people” have seen the report so far. DAG Rosenstein is planning to call Special Counsel Bob Mueller and thank him for his work, the official said. @LauraAJarrett

  25. Laura JarrettVerified account@LauraAJarrett
    10m10 minutes ago
    Special Counsel Mueller is not recommending ANY further indictments am told

  26. Special Counsel Mueller is not recommending ANY further indictments am told

    Oh noes, does that mean we got a……………..

  30. poroti:

    Mueller’s investigation has resulted in charges laid against 34 individuals, with 5 of Trump’s closest confidants pleading guilty to criminal acts. You can pretend this amounts to nothing, but the public record says otherwise.

  33. Confessions @ #425 Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 – 9:00 am

    Laura JarrettVerified account@LauraAJarrett
    10m10 minutes ago
    Special Counsel Mueller is not recommending ANY further indictments am told

    I’m not an expert on this … 🙂 … but it is possible that there will be no further indictments because all the necessary indictments have been issued but are still “sealed”

  35. Player One says: Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 9:37 am

    Confessions @ #425 Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 – 9:00 am

    I’m not an expert on this … … but it is possible that there will be no further indictments because all the necessary indictments have been issued but are still “sealed”

    ******************************************

    Yes Player One – as I understand it , there MAY be any number of indictments still “under seal”

    Also it is believed that Robert Muller has passed a number of cases to SDNY and NY AG – which they MAY act on when appropriate ….

    Bill Palmer : Again, we don’t have any way of knowing what indictments might be under seal at this moment, or when they might be unsealed and carried out. But now that Robert Mueller has managed to safely submit his report without getting fired first, the clock starts today on those indictments. That doesn’t mean they’ll be unsealed today, or tomorrow. But it does mean that if they’ve remained under seal so Mueller could file his report, we’ve reached the part where they can be unsealed, as soon as prosecutors are strategically ready.

  36. Confessions

    Look at who has actually been charged. Look at the actual charges. Compare and contrast with the collusion-treason hoopla we were promised. No further charges,if true, means a big fat nothingburger.

  38. Morning all. I fear I followed BK down the wrong thread too. I posted there my reasoning for why I do not believe ScumMo’s denials in his interview with Waheed Aly. ScumMo has made a career out of demonising muslim refugees. Now it has caused a massacre of innocent people in another country, he is in damage control mode. As the trial of the unnamed attacker begins, it will not get any less embarrassing. Even after Christchurch, ScumMo is still trying to restart a boats scare campaign. It isn’t that he has learnt nothing. He just doesn’t care.

  39. poroti @ #436 Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 – 9:44 am

    Confessions

    Look at who has actually been charged. Look at the actual charges. Compare and contrast with the collusion-treason hoopla we were promised. No further charges,if true, means a big fat nothingburger.

    Or, it could be that Mueller believes – as many others do – that he cannot indict a sitting president.

    In that case, Mueller may mean what the police generally mean when they say WTTE “no other suspects are being investigated” when they cannot charge their prime suspect for some reason.

    We will know when – and if – his report is made public.

  40. On fast rail to Geelong:
    “Fast rail to Geelong? Do they really think we’re that stupid?”

    Yes they do. But it is they who are stupid. This will require new trains as suggested, track work in Melbourne (to allow capacity to get the faster trains into the city), more level crossing removals (a good idea either way) and of course the line upgrade itself. Say 5 years, and ten billion to do it. So thanks for the $2 billion ScumMo.

  41. the trollsters and pollsters are out in force, spewing the tory bullshit and twisting the truth to suit their own ideology while scummo has now convinced himself he`s not partially responsible to the right wing nut cases red neck vitriol and is in fact a picture of racial and religious harmony thats not only uniting Australia but the world, while climbing into hansons political bed for an ideological threesome with porleen and Latham. and dear old glad is standing at the foot of scummos bed waiting for her turn with the dynamic duo of fatman and dobbo, god new zealand looks better and better, but if they have any brains they`ll shut the borders to Australian less they contaminate their flock with rednecks.

  42. poroti:

    Yes, looking at the charges and the convictions we can see deep into the turgid underbelly of the Trump world. Cheating, lying, scamming and colluding with foreign powers to achieve financial gain and political advantage.

    I strongly disagree with you that the Special Counsel investigation has been for nothing.

  43. The Mueller Report Is Done, But The Investigations Into Trump Aren’t Over

    Here’s what prosecutors are looking at when it comes to the president and his campaign.

    After months of speculation and dozens of indictments, special counsel Robert Mueller finally wrapped up his investigation on Friday evening. As Mueller delivered his report to Attorney General William Barr, he ended a crucial phase in the incredibly contentious probe into the president and Russia.

    But even though Mueller’s investigation into 2016 U.S. election interference is over, there are several different ways inquiries into President Donald Trump, the Trump Organization and the Kremlin will continue. Here’s a look at what’s next for investigators.

    Campaign Finance Investigations
    Congressional Investigations
    Trump, Deutsche Bank And The Buffalo Bills
    Investigation Into Trump’s Inaugural Committee

    Federal prosecutors subpoenaed the inaugural committee in February for documents on how it spent the $107 million, requesting a wide range of materials that include records of payments to the Trump International Hotel or Trump Organization.

    The subpoena was the most revealing incident to date related to the investigation and indicated that investigators are looking for a wide range of possible crimes. It’s likely that the SDNY, which issued the subpoena, will take the lead in the probe. Much like the other inquiries into Trump’s operations and inner circle, there’s no immediate end in sight for the investigation.

    https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/trump-investigation-campaign-finance-charges_n_5c952574e4b01ebeef0eface

  44. Player One

    Or, it could be that Mueller believes – as many others do – that he cannot indict a sitting president.

    But he is guilty of treason and collusion with Russia, how could that be so ? LOL

    We will know when – and if – his report is made public.

    We sure will, although as someone commented re Bernie Sanders’ call for it to be released in full to the public.
    .
    .
    Replying to
    @BernieSanders
    The American people deserve to see it, which is probably why we won’t

  45. Confessions says: Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 9:54 am

    poroti:

    Yes, looking at the charges and the convictions we can see deep into the turgid underbelly of the Trump world. Cheating, lying, scamming and colluding with foreign powers to achieve financial gain and political advantage.

    *******************************************************

    I am still of the belief that the whole Trump CrimeFamily will get taken down for ‘stuff’ that happened BEFORE the Presidency …… and it still has a long ways to go in that with the SDNY/NYAG investigations and charges …

  47. phoenixRed:

    Plus as you pointed out, there are still about a dozen other investigations ongoing into various aspects of the Trump campaign, finances and so on.

  48. Confessions says: Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 10:12 am

    phoenixRed:

    Plus as you pointed out, there are still about a dozen other investigations ongoing into various aspects of the Trump campaign, finances and so on.

    *************************************************

    I have heard/read that is at least 17 investigations running ……. and people like Sater, Stone Manafort etc etc are still to be investigated further

  50. The skid in the 10 Year Bond Yield indicates that the Bond Market views Australia is in recession.

    At the very best you could argue that it sends the signal Australia is in pre-recession.

    Meanwhile this dysfunctional Right-wing “government” plays its politics.

    I do note that the ill thought out headline of a 200kph train between Geelong and Melbourne (stopping where on the 70 km trip at 200kph?) includes that funding will be required from the Victorian State Government, whose infra-structure spending is keeping the economy of Victoria afloat.

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