If you’re reading this on Tuesday morning, the results of the Essential Research poll should be available at The Guardian, but I’m on Sydney time right now and thus unable to post it overnight like I normally would (UPDATE: See below). What we do have is the latest quarterly state breakdowns from Newspoll in The Australian, which aggregate the four polls published so far this year. Some of these results seem a bit quirky this time out – the political class will be looking askance at the finding that the Coalition has recovered three points in Victoria, and that the Greens vote is lower there than that it is in New South Wales and Queensland. Nonetheless, let the record note that poll has Labor’s lead steady at 54-46 in New South Wales, but down from 56-44 to 53-47 in Victoria, 54-46 to 53-47 in Queensland, 53-47 to 51-49 in Western Australia, and 58-42 to 56-44 in South Australia. Labor’s national lead in this period fell to 53-47 from 55-45 in the previous quarter. The Australian has packed the full results into one report, rather than rolling out state and then age, gender and region breakdowns like they sometimes do. Apart from the age breakdowns (not to mention the leadership ratings), you can find the primary vote numbers in the BludgerTrack poll results archive.
With the Newspoll numbers in hand, I have finally done what I would regard as a proper full update of BludgerTrack for the first time since the start of the year. Up to now, I have just been updating the national numbers, leaving the state-level relativities as they were at the end of last year. This is because I have hitherto had only the data provided by Essential Research to work with for the current year, and this was a shallow pool for the smaller states, where there was rather too much noise mixed together with the signal. Now that it’s all in the mix, the national seat projection is unchanged, but this comes from Coalition gains in Victoria and Western Australia (two seats apiece) cancelling out losses in New South Wales and Queensland (also two apiece).
Essential Research: 52-48 to Labor
The Essential Research poll records a one-point move back to the Coalition, reducing Labor’s lead to 52-48. The Guardian’s report notes this may have been assisted by static from the New South Wales state election, since it records an increase in the Coalition primary vote in the state from 39% to 41%. The national primary votes were Coalition 39% (up two), Labor 36% (down two), the Greens 10% (up two) and One Nation 7% (steady).
Other findings related directly or indirectly to the Christchurch attacks, including approval ratings for a range of international leaders which had Jacinda Ardern on 71% favourable, compared with 41% for Scott Morrison, 36% for Angela Markel, 31% for Teresa May and 19% for Donald Trump. High uncommitted responses were recorded for Merkel and May, at 42% and 38% respectively. Sixty-nine per cent of respondents said social media platforms should be required to prevent the broadcast of violent material; 49% believed media outlets that have provided platforms for extremist and racist views bore some responsibility for the Christchurch attacks; 42% believed major party politicians in Australia had deiberately stirred up anti-Islamic sentiment; 40% believed Christchurch was an isolated act rather than being connected to broarder debates; 37% reported regularly hearing racist or Islamaphobic statements.
Questions on the federal budget produced typical responses with respect to budget spending priorities, with health, education and pensions most favoured, although it’s perhaps telling that affordable housing came fourth out of a list of 14. Fifty-eight per cent expected the budget would be good for the well off and 50% believed it would benefit business, but only 19% expected to benefit personally, and 34% thought it would be bad or very bad. Other than that, “ a majority of voters want more spending in health, education and aged pensions”.
Bolt is gentle with Pauline, but she still betrays her total lack of logic.
MORE: https://bit.ly/2HX29Kv
Edit: I gave up watching the ON film after 10 mins. Shudder.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/29/scott-morrisons-latest-stunt-continues-a-trend-of-captains-calls-replacing-policy?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=soc_568&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1553798512
Months after the State Election, the Greens work out why they had their arses served up to them on a plate.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/victoria/greens-election-review-points-fingers-at-enemies-and-own-goals-20190328-p518m2.html
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
Peter Hartcher drops truth bomb number 4. This time he goes into Dutton’s patient, careful game as part of Turnbull’s inner circle. This has been an excellent series of articles and we can look forward to another one tomorrow about the final days of the Turnbull government.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-s-patient-careful-game-as-part-of-turnbull-s-inner-circle-20190326-p517sy.html
Michael Koziol tells us that Morrison has set up a high-risk clash with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson over preferences at the upcoming election which threatens a number of marginal Coalition-held seats in the important state of Queensland.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/key-seats-at-risk-after-scott-morrison-sets-up-clash-over-preferences-with-pauline-hanson-20190328-p518ku.html
Former NSW premier Barrie Unsworth has nicely bagged Hanson and her presser.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/you-came-here-baying-for-my-blood-hanson-s-denial-and-defiance-on-guns-scandal-20190328-p518oj.html
Tony Wright’s piece today is about Pauline Hanson and the ooze of Port Arthur conspiracy mania.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/pauline-hanson-and-the-ooze-of-port-arthur-conspiracy-mania-20190328-p518js.html
The SMH editorial declares that it’s time to isolate Pauline Hanson and One Nation. It also says that Morrison should drop the offensive and divisive claim he made on Thursday that the Greens are the moral equivalent of One Nation.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/time-to-isolate-pauline-hanson-and-one-nation-20190328-p518h7.html
David Crowe has a good look at the appalling Tina McQueen, how she got there and what it says about the party.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/minor-star-or-major-embarrassment-the-baffling-rise-of-teena-mcqueen-20190328-p518ge.html
Nicky Ison says that Morrison’s latest stunt continues a trend of captain’s calls replacing policy.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/29/scott-morrisons-latest-stunt-continues-a-trend-of-captains-calls-replacing-policy
Katharine Murphy gives us the story of how Scott Morrison finally got off the fence over One Nation scandal
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/28/scott-morrison-sat-on-the-fence-with-the-one-nation-scandal-finally-he-has-acted
Dana McCauley reports that a plan to deliver cheaper medicines to millions of Australians by doubling the number of tablets that can be dispensed in a single trip to the chemist has been scrapped by Health Minister Greg Hunt after lobbying by the powerful pharmacy guild.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/greg-hunt-shelves-plan-for-two-month-scripts-after-pharmacist-backlash-20190328-p518gw.html
Michelle Grattan tells us how Morrison is struggling to straddle the south-north divide.
https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-scott-morrison-struggles-to-straddle-the-south-north-divide-114461
Richo says that, unlike One Nation, minor parties are not all stupid.
https://www.outline.com/9BuDVx
Politicians – particularly Scott Morrison – weren’t welcome in Australian Muslim communities last week. They went anyway. Michael Brull explains.
https://newmatilda.com/2019/03/28/muslims-australia/
The Prime Minister’s moves to regulate social media should alarm all who cherish their democratic freedoms, says the Institute of Public Affairs.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/let-s-not-forfeit-our-own-freedoms-in-the-rush-to-silence-terrorists-20190328-p518cl.html
Pauline Hanson has declared Scott Morrison has “handed the keys to the Lodge to Bill Shorten” by resolving to put One Nation below the Labor party on Liberal how-to-vote cards. Katharine Murphy looks at Hanson’s presser.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/28/one-nation-says-liberal-preference-decision-hands-bill-shorten-keys-to-the-lodge
Paul Karp reports that today Penny Wong will say that “racism is a threat to our democracy” in a speech taking aim at those who see “political or commercial advantage” in increased cynicism towards public institutions.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/29/penny-wong-warns-racism-and-hate-speech-in-parliament-threaten-democracy
If you have private health insurance, or are considering getting it, a series of changes coming into effect on April 1 are worth knowing about. These include the annual premium increase, a small decrease in rebates, the introduction of a new tiered system designed to simplify things for consumers, and some premium discounts for young people.
https://theconversation.com/premiums-up-rebates-down-and-a-new-tiered-system-what-the-private-health-insurance-changes-mean-114086
Bilal Cleland examines the role played by the media in the Islamic immigration discussion and the rise of white supremacy.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/white-supremacist-terror-the-new-australian-export,12513
An independent political expert says explosive footage of One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson questioning the Port Arthur massacre may be the one act that loses her loyal followers.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/qld/2019/03/28/pauline-hanson-port-arthur/
The dangers presented by political parties stirring anti-Islamic sentiment can be prevented when it comes time to vote, writes Noely Neate.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/extremist-political-parties-are-a-danger-we-can-end,12516
James Adonis exposes the harmful practice of workplace “hazing”.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/workplace-hazing-how-it-arises-20190328-p518fr.html
Forget Trump – anti-vaxxers are the clear and present danger, writes Emma Brockes.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/28/anti-vaxxers-measles-new-york
Investors will have just over six months to beat new curbs on negative gearing and capital gains tax if Labor wins the May election.
https://www.outline.com/9Hq6gs
The world’s ocean heat content reached a record high last year and extreme weather events affected the lives of about 62 million people, displacing more than two million of them, the World Meteorological Organisation said.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/great-concern-world-meteorology-agency-reports-bad-climate-tidings-20190328-p518hz.html
David Crowe reports that the Morrison government will create a $44 million foundation to mend relations with China as it sends a new ambassador to Beijing after tensions over trade, the South China Sea and foreign interference.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/new-ambassador-and-44m-plan-to-mend-fences-with-beijing-20190328-p518me.html
Nicole Hasham reports that mercury levels near coal-fired power stations in Victoria and NSW have skyrocketed since the facilities opened despite assurances from their operators, and have urged the federal government to curb emissions of the lethal substance.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dangerous-mercury-has-skyrocketed-since-coal-plants-built-20190328-p518iw.html
According to Fairfax journalists (I can’t bring myself to say Nine!) senior government ministers blocked the appointment of a close friend of Malcolm Turnbull as chief executive of the $50 billion NBN project over fears the move would be politically damaging.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/turnbull-s-yachting-buddy-was-blocked-from-nbn-s-top-job-20190327-p517ya.html
Wendy Touhy says that one legacy of the sexualised trolling of Carlton footballer Tayla Harris is that a line was drawn by a shocked community: such vile misogyny online is intolerable. Another is the understanding that for women – the main targets of gendered abuse – any remnants of a safety barrier between online and “real life” have gone; as far as potential impact is concerned, it’s all the same thing.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/for-women-what-happens-online-is-not-virtual-20190328-p518ov.html
Jenna Price blasts Graeme Samuel’s comments about women on boards.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/the-world-according-to-samuel-men-are-better-than-women-20190328-p518j5.html
Stephen Bartholomeusz explains that when investors rush to pay governments to hold their money, something is rotten in the state of the global economy.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/barometer-of-fear-manic-bond-investors-send-a-chilling-signal-20190328-p518fk.html
More than a dozen South Australian groups are being monitored for their extremist views as authorities boost the state’s counter-terrorism firepower.
https://www.outline.com/dSZmEK
Andrew Wu writes that multiple sources have confirmed that star bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon were intending to withdraw from the fourth Test of last year’s infamous series if Warner had been free to play.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/revealed-australian-bowlers-considered-test-boycott-if-warner-wasn-t-banned-20190328-p518m9.html
Dr Ben Koh is concerned about sporting concussion injuries and how players self-diagnose after head clashes. He says it’s time for change by sporting bodies.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/when-will-we-stop-butting-heads-over-sporting-concussion-20190328-p518ci.html
An election budget looms Tuesday, surely chock with goodies. Is your marginal rate what you really think it is? There are really eleven tax brackets, not four. Michael West reports. This is interesting.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/bizarre-your-true-pay-brackets-revealed/
Jordan Baker writes about the lengths some parents got to in order to enrol their kids in certain schools.
https://www.smh.com.au/education/very-suspicious-the-schools-cracking-down-on-enrolment-fraud-20190328-p518hs.html
Sally Whyte reports that Defence can’t show that its program to monitor underperforming procurement projects actually has any effect on bringing budgets and timelines under control, an audit report has found. The program has become less transparent at the same time as a greater emphasis has been placed on maintaining good relationships with industry, the report said.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/defence-s-management-of-troubled-projects-trades-rigour-for-industry-20190327-p517zy.html
Kate Aubuson reports that a critically compromised computer-based test meant to determine the futures of aspiring physicians was signed off by a low-level employee, triggering a disastrous IT meltdown.
https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/infamous-junior-doctors-exam-meltdown-caused-by-high-level-stuff-ups-investigation-reveals-20190328-p518dv.html
Wages for the pharmacy giant Chemist Warehouse’s distribution centres will rise by as much as 22 per cent as part of a deal with the union following a two-week strike.
https://www.outline.com/7vrUW4
Disability groups, Labor and some states are demanding the government rule out using unspent funding on the National Disability Insurance Scheme to bolster the budget bottom line.
https://www.outline.com/Aa7v5N
Beginning next week, adultery and gay sex will be punishable by death in the Brunei as strict new laws take effect. Should Australia react?
https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/tiny-asian-nation-to-punish-gay-sex-and-adultery-with-death-by-stoning-20190329-p518qi.html
Nick Miller says that Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson have a large meal of words to eat after throwing their lot in with Theresa May’s ‘still-doomed’ Brexit.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/once-brexiters-vote-for-brexit-they-lose-their-brexit-cred-20190328-p518cb.html
Nick O’Malley writes about a triumphant Trump and a worried America.
https://www.smh.com.au/please-explain/a-triumphant-trump-a-worried-america-20190327-p5180t.html
A Sydney magistrate earns a nomination for “Arsehole of the Week”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/he-broke-me-court-hears-evidence-from-graeme-curran-s-alleged-victim-20190328-p518ld.html
Cartoon Corner
Two from David Rowe today.
Simon Letch and Teena.
John Shakespeare has Frydenberg hosting a new game show.
From Matt Golding.
Cathy Wilcox has been in great form lately!
A nice depiction of the Liberal party by Andrew Dyson.
Mark David with an NBN history lesson.
Peter Broelman goes after Hanson’s principles.
Sean Leahy was at the Hanson presser.
From the US.
Do you want to know what my guess is?
Pauline Hanson hasn’t read the ‘blue book’, although it probably should be yellow due to the nature of its ‘journalism’, conspiracy theory publication about the Port Arthur massacre, nope, I reckon she has learned about the conspiracy theory and its main points, that’s all, and then added it to her grab bag of populist nonsense as she tours her freak show around her One Nation redoubts, currying favour with her incredibly incredulous followers.
Andrew Bolt last night tried his best to feed her some lines from the book but came up empty with the empty-headed redhead. I think that’s why.
Thank you, BK, as ever. 🙂
From the BK files we find Josh Freydenberg could be planning to cook the books next week at the expense of people with a disability –
“Two weeks ago, Deloitte Access Economics forecast a narrow deficit of $2.1 billion for the current financial year, but its partner Chris Richardson said on Thursday a multibillion-dollar NDIS underspend would make a balanced budget or small surplus possible in 2018-19.
“If some cash drops into their lap because the newest, biggest program is proving harder to nail into place than thought, then the government could take the politics and announce a cash surplus. But if the bulk of it is money that is owed to NDIS suppliers and not paid it yet, then that is an entirely temporary saving.”
Shadow finance minister Jim Chalmers said Labor would be watching the budget closely.
“If the government’s surpluses are built on massive underspends in the NDIS they can’t exactly claim they’re because of good economic management. It would say it all about this government if their surpluses come at the expense of Australians with a disability.”
https://www.outline.com/Aa7v5N
This leaves my son waiting and waiting for the Government to give him a pittance to improve his quality of life. You reckon I’m not angry about this exploitation of disability…I would not put it past Scomo to do this to preach a “surplus” = responsible pork barrel agenda ahead of the election; – Who cares about people with disabilities; they don’t vote do they? Oh they do, well bugger me. Fark.
Morning all. Thanks BK. The One Nation gun money debacle gives way to ShameMos preferencing debacle. At this point the former Yugoslavia is less divided than the Liberal party, with less chance of producing right wing despots.
The Vales Point power station deal with St Baker is a scandal. First give away a run down $200 million power station for $1 million, then give the buyer government money to fix it up. Meanwhile the buyer is a long time Liberal who can donate money back to the party. How is this even legal?
A trumpet looks nothing like a gun, either.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/city-loop-trains-disrupted-due-to-police-operation-20190328-p518ck.html
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/who-is-the-barefoot-trumpeter-of-southern-cross-station-20190109-p50qf1.html
EB,
Not to mention the fact that Scott Morrison, Josh Frydenburg and the rest of the scurvy Coalition crew would rather dump Billions of $ into the laps of healthy, well-fed Self Funded Retirees and anyone else they think they need to buy the votes of with their pork barrel. It’s reprehensible stuff. It stinks! Their pork is off from the get-go!
Jaeger @ #1459 Friday, March 29th, 2019 – 7:49 am
You know it wouldn’t surprise me if this whole affair was just another one of the ‘lolworthy’ schemes cooked up in the bowels of 8chan by the Disruptors of the White Supremacist Movement of Australia to prove how much they have us all by the short and curlies.
C@tmomma @ #1460 Friday, March 29th, 2019 – 7:51 am
—
It sure stinks Cat but like you say what else could we expect from mob. My son just needs a bit of help to develop more independence so he can deal with life when his parents are gone.. not much to ask is it.
This is so hysterical, from the Hartcher Article. This is what, in the Liberal Party, goes down as “flashes of humour.”
He told himself that there was time to broaden his public appeal once he became leader. His followers, taking heart from his occasional flashes of humour behind closed doors, believed. For instance, Dutton would sometimes tease Pyne privately for his camp manner and love of the limelight. “Mate, you should buy the Dame Edna Everage franchise when Barry Humphries is finished with it,” he told Pyne. “You’d be perfect for it.” Pyne would just laugh.
He wasn’t just laughing Pete, he was wondering where to stick the knife when he got the chance
C@tmomma @ #1455 Friday, March 29th, 2019 – 7:25 am
—
Worse still Cat the loyal air heads voting for HANSON will lap it up; fake news; conspiracy by all and sundry to destroy a voice for “the people”; like Trump in the USA. Even the Port Arthur conspiracy thing will make sense to the Hansonites. Her goal is more Senate seats as the preference whisperer Glenn Drury observed yesterday. Making a mess of Scomo’s re-election prospects in a side show.
Off to the quack. Have a good day comrades.
Cat EB
I agree with your points. While I do not defend the Eddie Obeid era in the former NSW state Labor government, what is happening now in both NSW state and federal Liberal governments seems no better. If it is not corruption, then the law needs changing.
Perhaps the NewDaily or Crikey should hire Kate McClymont?
A seat poll for Warringah shows Steggall 54/46 in front.
https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6000354272001
C@tmomma @ #1459 Friday, March 29th, 2019 – 7:54 am
The dude had a didgeridoo in a cover. Someone thought it might be a long arm rifle.
EB,
The rise of Teena McQueen tells you all you need to know about the values, if you could call them that because they hold no value for me, of the Liberal Party.
GG, that article on the Green’s election self-analysis demonstrates how useless the exercise was as its full of the same stuff that caused their downfall in the first place.
The PHON debacle highlights a few points as well given that PHON sees the Greens as the ‘Devil Incarnate’ yet most commentary I’ve seen over the years shows the Greens (probably unintentionally, yet this is a major part of their problem ) have helped conservative politics further their agenda, and yet the Greens see Labor as the enemy (which really demonstrates that all the Greens care about is seats in parliament, not environmental policy).
Dog’s Breakfast @ #1467 Friday, March 29th, 2019 – 8:16 am
The review also did not ask “Why Labor spent a lot of time and effort in stitching them up”?
For a May 11 election, Morrison will need to call an election on or before April 9. That would be on or before April 16 for May 18: https://www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/Events_Calendar/Events_Search_Result#range=yearly&display=calendar&from=2019-01-01&to=2019-12-31&senate=1&house=1&estimates=1&sb=1&sa=1&ss=1&committees=0&sh=0&hh=0&jh=0&sc=0&ir=0&visit=0&tr=0&se=0&ex=0&od=0&general=0&pubhol=1
May 11 would allow the Budget on April 2, a reply on April 4 and a couple of days of Senate Estimates. Estimates scheduled for April 9-12 (likely 8-12) would have to be cancelled, which I’m sure would suit Morrison fine.
House sittings for April 16-18 (most likely 15-18) would have to go for either date. Morrison might discover a sudden need to ram through some ‘urgent’ ‘security’ legislation or piece or pork-barrelling or some other wedge, but I think he would want as little scrutiny of the Budget as possible.
I think he’ go for May 11.
Scott Morrison explaining his principles regarding One Nation.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1111148467693342727
jaeger
It does if you sit around playing Donkey Kong 🙂
Dutton to Pyne
“Mate, you should buy the Dame Edna Everage franchise when Barry Humphries is finished with it,”
Actually, there’s an idea for Pyne’s post-Parliamentary career.
Not a good time to be asking the NRA for dosh:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/national-rifle-association-fundraising-letter-we-could-shutter-very-soon?ref=home
Except it wasn’t him – and the Yidaki in its case looks nothing like a sports duffel bag.
A brass tube – trumpet, sans mouthpiece – sticking out of a sports bag might look vaguely like a gun barrel:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/g00/news/article-6858011/Armed-police-swarm-Melbourne-train-stations-man-spotted-gun.html
It’s all a plot to get buskers out of the city. For ‘security’ reasons.
Can’t argue with this.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/e60fa7ccaa85ebfb912aff7d88bc4c42?width=1024
Scomo will not be happy with the Member for Banks.
https://twitter.com/chrisgambian/status/1111188823042486272
Watching the second of the Al Jazeera exposés I realised it was more about how f****d up America is than it was about the pathetic One Nation who just happened to be sucked into the investigation.
‘In Northcote, Labor “maliciously” targeted Greens MP Lidia Thorpe, the review found, while the Greens’ own aggressive campaign against Planning Minister Richard Wynne in Richmond failed to sway voters and was undermined by some members’ hostility towards the party’s own candidate, Kathleen Maltzahn.’
Ah. So when Labor campaigns against a local member it’s malicious, when the Greens do it’s an ‘aggressive campaign’. And this suggests the most malice came from within the Green party itself.
‘Preference swaps between micro parties – engineered by “preference whisperer” Glenn Druery – also hurt the party badly in the upper house, where its primary vote dipped to 9.25 per cent, its lowest level in many years, the review found.’
Druery has been around a while. Nothing he does is rocket science. Maybe the Greens need to learn to negotiate with minor parties itself. And they would have a huge advantage – they could refuse to charge for the service.
‘He found the party did an inadequate job of vetting its candidates…’
This points to the flaw in giving members the deciding vote in preselections (Labor has a system whereby the membership vote is usually upheld, but can be overturned by State admin).
Firstly, members of any political party are, almost by definition, not representative of the electorate as a whole. (I tell our members that, by defintion, we’re all loonies).
Secondly, preselections tend to be a popularity contest, rather than an objective assessment of who will make the best candidate.
Thirdly, people tend to vote for people they identify with. When Tim Fischer retired up here, saying it was time for a younger representative, the old men in the National party branches preselected someone older than Tim Fischer. A young woman won the seat.
Fourth, for a whole variety of reasons, including the laws of defamation, it’s often impossible to give individual members full information about a potential candidate.
There are good reasons to balance a popular vote of the members with the more objective view of the party administration.
‘… enabled Premier Daniel Andrews and other Labor ministers to attack the Greens for a perceived “women problem”.’
Was it just ‘perceived’? And it wasn’t only Labor attacking the Greens on this – some of their own members did, too.
‘Cr Leppert said Labor’s attacks were deliberately timed to do the most damage.
“Almost all attacks by Labor on our brand and people were prepared before close of nominations, and released after close of nominations to exact maximum damage,” Cr Leppert wrote.’
Well, yes. It’s a bit pointless to attack someone before they’re nominated, because they may not be the candidate. Of course, the flipside of this is that the Greens had open slather to attack Labor MPs in the period BEFORE nomination. If they weren’t able to make use of that time to make an impact, that’s a failure of their campaigning.
‘Cr Leppert said there was “no reason to believe the Greens have a disproportionately large problem with misogyny among its male candidates and members” but the party should also accept that its performance was lacking in many areas.’
No, there isn’t. But the Greens are supposed to be the party where there is LESS misogyny amongst its male candidates and members. They’re not aiming to be ‘just like the majors’, after all.
‘The Greens sought to target Labor over its policies on toll roads, forestry and brown coal, but with little success.
“The Andrews government brand was strong, and our criticisms of Labor did not stick,” Cr Leppert wrote.’
Which suggests that the Greens were running on the wrong policies.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/victoria/greens-election-review-points-fingers-at-enemies-and-own-goals-20190328-p518m2.html
….and yes, it might be the reporting, but there is no mention of the Liberal party at all.
Abbott and Kelly’s statements on PHON preferences shows they have given up on retaining government, but want to see a conservative majority within the parliamentary Liberal Party.
Morrison is trying to paper over the cracks and Blame Labor & trade; until May.
Re Sohar @8:43
That’s why the political and media wings of Big Money make such an effort to convince us that no, it’s the Migrants’ fault. Or “Dole Bludgers”. Or Asylum Seekers. Maybe “Union thugs”, Political Correctness, greenies, leftist acedemics…
Anyone or anything except themselves.
Z
Good anlysis, IMO.
The good thing about that Greens Party Report is that they no longer bother pretend to be the friends of Labor while at the same time sticking political knives in Labor’s back.
Lib/Lab/Greens are not same same same.
“Dutton left the cabinet room with a victor’s swagger; Bishop, humiliated, was on the verge of tears.”
Who are the biggest leakers of this government? Was it ‘Yes Prime Minister’ TV show where it is mentioned that the biggest leakers are PMO? I would add Deputy PMO to that.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-s-patient-careful-game-as-part-of-turnbull-s-inner-circle-20190326-p517sy.html
‘zoomster says:
Friday, March 29, 2019 at 8:51 am
….and yes, it might be the reporting, but there is no mention of the Liberal party at all.’
Good pick up.
GG, Chicken and Egg question…..”The review also did not ask “Why Labor spent a lot of time and effort in stitching them up”?”
Good morning and thanks to BK as usual for the Dawn Patrol.
From the BK files.
Somewhere, somehow (♫somebody loves♪ me) the magic words from song lyrics come to me ♫speaking words ♫of wisdom, ♪let it be. ♫
The casual observer (moi) would have noted that Mr. Dutton presented, in his public appearances as, – let’s be blunt – , an unmitigated, unreconstructed arsehole well worthy of a regular mention in dispatches in the BK Files. I am thinking of his many public utterances concerning his disdain for much of humanity and his contempt for the public generally.
My question, to myself, is this
Is Mr. Turnbull so blinded by………………. (I cannot, for the life of me, think what he is blind to) that he somehow thinks that his confreres are good blokes maybe a little misunderstood by the lesser voting citizens that he then invites this obvious SH into his home where the regular left of the axis intelligent citizen would man the barricades -have the backup wife and children loading the potato gun and preparing to repel boarders ❓
Question 2 – is the radiation from the heads of the members of the current government visible in the dark of the moon ❓
And so, on the lovely sunny day in Newcastle in the poorest postcode of the nation – now head off for some mowing and edging.
I wish a good day to all – 😇🕊😇🕊☕
E & OE
‘
zoomster says:
Friday, March 29, 2019 at 8:50 am
‘Cr Leppert said Labor’s attacks were deliberately timed to do the most damage.
“Almost all attacks by Labor on our brand and people were prepared before close of nominations, and released after close of nominations to exact maximum damage,” Cr Leppert wrote.’
Well, yes. It’s a bit pointless to attack someone before they’re nominated, because they may not be the candidate. Of course, the flipside of this is that the Greens had open slather to attack Labor MPs in the period BEFORE nomination. If they weren’t able to make use of that time to make an impact, that’s a failure of their campaigning.
”
zoomster
Good analysis
Dog’s Breakfast @ #1489 Friday, March 29th, 2019 – 9:08 am
Hint: In Parliament the Greens are totally disingenuous, spend all their time criticising Labor and grandstanding and are basically a waste of space in the Parliament. Contrast their behaviour with another Independent, Fiona Patten who has pushed a social reform agenda. But, has been co-operative, respectful and prepared to compropmise. Post the election, Patten looked like losing her seat. Andrews was complimentary about her approach and was prepared to offer up opportunities to work with the Government in future. She eventually was elected. So, that became moot. However, it shows that the Greens attitudes are at heart the main problem for their lack of influence.
‘Dutton left the cabinet room with a victor’s swagger; Bishop, humiliated, was on the verge of tears…’
I wonder if she really was, or whether that’s just the way you report on a woman losing?
KayJay says:
Friday, March 29, 2019 at 9:10 am
I am thinking of his many public utterances concerning his disdain for much of humanity and his contempt for the public generally.
”
He even mentioned his contempt for parliament by saying that it puts ‘constraint’ on what he wants to do.
He got the best when MT was PM and he was/is constrained by Abbott & Morrison
Imagine a huge poisonous tree, which we allowed to grow although it is affecting our well being. What do we do? We dug deep & remove it with every single on of its roots. That is what we have to do with government.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-s-patient-careful-game-as-part-of-turnbull-s-inner-circle-20190326-p517sy.html
GG, “…..it shows that the Greens attitudes are at heart the main problem for their lack of influence.”, exactly.
zoomster @ #1493 Friday, March 29th, 2019 – 9:18 am
The revelations about the Dutton/Cormann jogmatery might tell you about the source of the information. Just think about a few pre-selection battles in WA recently and who was on opposing sides.
Mumble on how Morrison is hostage to his inflammatory rhetoric from his time as shadow and then Immigration Minister.
http://insidestory.org.au/hostage-to-fortune/
”
BK says:
Friday, March 29, 2019 at 8:48 am
Watching the second of the Al Jazeera exposés I realised it was more about how f****d up America is
”
BK, I am sorry you came to the party so late. It was f***ed up since Reagan (or was it Johnson?) was elected as POTUS but accelerated since Bush Jr was “elected”
BK, I used YouTube to watch selected bits of both and couldn’t believe that this wasn’t a ‘Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure’ re-run. What must the NRA/Repugnants have thought of these two idiots fawning over them and blythly proclaiming $10 million, no …..make that $20million will be fine, fully expecting that someone would then just write a cheque!
As for Pauline, she’s lucky that the PHON supporters I know are ‘dumb as rocks’ because that’s the only audience that will swallow her idiocy.