Happy trails: episode two

Another look at where the campaign has taken the two leaders, and what that might tell us about the state of play.

Click on the image at the bottom of the post and you will see an updated account of the electorates visited by the leaders during the campaign, more or less (there is an element of subjectivity as to what constitutes a visit). One of the salient points to emerge is the rather intensive focus on Tasmania, which remarkably played host to both leaders yesterday. Scott Morrison has spent three days over two visits – exactly equal to his record for Victoria, where he has targeted the five Liberal-held seats on margins of up to 6.4%, but not wasted effort on Dunkley, which is Liberal-held but notionally Labor. Bill Shorten’s visit to the state was likewise his second, but so far he’s spent two days in the state to Morrison’s three.

Western Australia also logged up some points this week, but this is largely due to the debate having been held there on Monday, and the practicality of hanging around afterwards given the distance involved. Nonetheless, it is notable that Morrison spent fully three days campaigning their compared with Shorten’s two, and that Morrison felt it worth his while to conduct a street walk in the electorate of Canning, situated well up the pendulum at 6.8%.

Bill Shorten is overdue for a visit to New South Wales, where he hasn’t been since he spent the first three full days of the campaign in Sydney. Nonetheless, the prize for the most targeted seat of the campaign so far would appear to be the Sydney seat of Reid, which has been visited three times by Scott Morrison, most recently on Sunday, and was also visited by Shorten on each of his three days in Sydney.

And while you’re about, note also the other new post below this one: episode three of Seat du Jour, covering the Melbourne seat of La Trobe.

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.

1,298 comments on “Happy trails: episode two”

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  1. I think a good leaders debate should be a full day from 8 am – 8 pm ,with the leaders of Labor,Greens,liberal and National partys

    And let them go at each other , I can not see Morrison or McCormack lasting past 12 pm

  2. 43 to 41 is pretty much a tie, not an embarassing defeat for either side. I have to say, watching that clip that Shorten did come across as arrogant and Morrison rattled and unsure of himself. Luckily nobody watches these things.

  3. On Credlin just now:

    @aclennell
    : The concept that
    @billshortenmp
    is about to hurt the economy and that his plans are half baked is a real winner for
    @ScottMorrisonMP

    God give me strength!

  4. Glad to see someone has made the Trump connection (and Clinton regretted not saying “Back off creep”)

    Ryan Hopprich

    @zinoviev1
    2m2 minutes ago
    More
    @ScottMorrisonMP pulled a real Trump move with the attempted personal space intimidation.

  5. “2 halves make a whole. Beats an infinity of fuckall.

    Mantra for a Greenie’s reality check.”

    A whole also makes a whole. Beats an infinity of a fked planet.

  6. Ok, moving on……..

    Anyone know where, when the proposed ABC or NPC debate scheduled??

    And….Shorten doing a solo QANDA monday. Is ScoMo?

    If he doesn’t he’ll get the “in the interests of balance and fairness we have invited the PM to appear on QANDA but…..” treatment. 🙂

  7. Murray doing his best to convince everyone that Shorten didn’t win. Now introduces a rabble of far right Murdoch nutters.

  8. Fess I’ve given up hope of Abbott going. He is in to $1.45 and Steggall out to $2.70.

    Still hoping for Dickson though.

  9. “Shorten did not lose. That is all that counts”

    Somewhat true. Its always a relief when these finish and the forces of light and goodness have NOT screwed up. 🙂

    The Space Invader thing will be a theme though that ScoMo will suffer from. Not as bad as the Latham Shake moment, but wont help him.

  10. It just goes to show, doesn’t matter how good Shorten is he’s got to work ten times harder than Scrott to get a meagre win….May 18 here we come.

  11. The IAREM score
    The Independent Australia ranking on economic management (IAREM) is a composite index which measures the performance of all national economies on eight key indicators.

    These are income, GDP growth, median wealth per person, jobs, inflation, tax levels, net debt and economic freedom. It is a simple formula, easily replicated by econometrics nuts or anyone with the internet, spreadsheet software and too much spare time:

    IAREM = ip + gr + mw + j – in – t – nd + ef

    Data comes from tables published annually by the World Bank, Credit Suisse, Heritage Foundation, Eurostat, the CIA Factbook and tradingeconomics.com. It is the world’s only multi-variable index of overall economic performance.

    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/iarem-2016-switzerland-and-singapore-sail-ahead-leaving-australia-adrift,9783

  12. Cracking debate! I thought it was actually genuinely entertaining. Lets scrap QT and just have these two go at it in this forum.

    Bill’s good when he goes on instinct. Even Blowhard was pretty good I reckon. He would be a good match for Bill if he had a product to sell! Reckon Blowhard is running out of puff though.

    Keep talking franking credits and climate change. Blowhard thinks he is winning on those issues but every time he raises them he loses.

  13. No, what counts is that Shorten has the measure of Morrison.
    Whether these debates do anything more than seek validation for “your” side or whether any votes actually change hands, is beside the point.
    At this point in time, Shorten has now twice been into bat on a surface (to coin something from cricket) which has been prepared by the home side in Perth by the Stoke’s outfit and by the Murdoch outfit tonight. On both occasions he has not only shown himself more than capable of dealing with Morrison’s shouty, talk-you-down style, but has taken the piss out of Morrison – again.

  14. 1892CFC pica nath

    A good night for Shorten then.

    I have no personal grudge against Cronulla-Sutherland, but it will be interesting to see how they go tonight v Melbourne Storm – currently 6-6.

  15. For someone who is supposed to be unpopular according to the pro coalition media and news ltd/corp hacks , Shorten seems to come out on top when the pressure is on

    The by-elections , debates , Labor gaining 14 seats against a very popular prime minister , the pro coalition media and news ltd/corp hacks predicted Labor would lose seats at the 2016 federal election under Shorten

  16. “But we won’t be apart for long. We’ll be back on Sunday, to bring you the day’s events, including Labor’s campaign launch in Brisbane.

    That will be repeated next Sunday, when the Liberals are (most likely) to hold their campaign launch. No word on where that one will be as yet. ”

    I see the ALP doing their campaign launch (so off the public funding for travel) on sunday…….. earlier than the Libs. Theme for mondays reporting all set to go then?? 🙂

  17. Appreciate the commentary on debate.

    I have sky channel, but was caught up with other commitments

    Agree that David Speers is wasted at Sky. The rest of them are nutjobs.

  18. I’d love to know how many people were actually watching tonight’s debate. That it was on Sky News would mean very few people actually saw it, compared with the miniscule numbers who might ordinarily see it had it been on a FTA TV channel.

    Peter BrentVerified account @mumbletwits
    36m36 minutes ago

    Generally known that at first American TV pres debate in 1960s, modest majority watching tv reckoned Kennedy won against Nixon.
    Radio listeners were split.
    But not long afterwards, big majority of everyone said Kennedy won. Was now a “fact”. 1/2

    Peter BrentVerified account @mumbletwits
    35m35 minutes ago

    I reckon split these days, in Oz, is “studio audience” of “undecided voters” (lol), watch in the flesh, at distance, v several 100k (used to be millions) watch on tv.
    “who won” is generally a vote of studio audience. 2/2

    Peter BrentVerified account @mumbletwits
    35m35 minutes ago

    (Disclaimer: no correlation between “winning” debate and winning election anyhoo. 2/2)

  19. davidwh

    If Abbott stays as a member of Parliament , it will be interesting to see if the Turnbull’s ramp their attack up against him

  20. imacca,

    Newscorp were salivating for a Morrison win tonight. Headlines ready to go. I live in Brisbane and the Courier Mail is feral. Just as the MSM were long forward to a Morrison win on Monday to set the agenda for this week. It did not happen. The result tonight is just as good for Shorten. Remember the MSM narrative of Morrison being so much more popular than Shorten and a better salesman etc etc.

    Two debates two wins for Shorten. Good week.

  21. Has anyone here noted that May 18th is the 45th Anniversary of Labor’s federal win in 1974 – the one that led to the historic Double Sitting which introduced the first universal healthcare system in Australia (the original Medibank) ?

  22. Having agreed with myself that the audience may well be representative.

    43 to 41 would represent 52% to 48% to Labor.

    N’est-ce pas ❓

  23. Scott Abbott still in parliament would be a plus for Labor. If he is still there I think Labor can count on at least two terms as long as they don’t mess up big time.

  24. It is one thing to slag off in the theatre of parliament, another to do it up and sweaty in a TV studio with 100 voters right in front of you. Morrison wasn’t bad, but his lack of policy, his lack of practice out on the hustings and his used-car-salesman personna are now starting to show him up. It clearly also shows that Shorten has worked very hard in the last 6 years and has now shown his cool temperament.
    Quite frankly, I don’t know why Shorten would bother with another one of these manufactured events………..he can do them, he has proved it and his is better than his opponent.

  25. “Still hoping for Dickson though”

    “With you there davidwh.”

    ***

    We all are. I know the Greens have been campaigning there for the entire term to help make it happen. We know we can’t win Dickson but we sure can help get France get rid of the disgraceful Dutton. We’ve been going hard on him over his mistreatment of asylum seekers, which is something that Labor can’t do. I’m Greens through and through but I’ll be cheering if France gets up. Good luck to her.

  26. “I’d love to know how many people were actually watching tonight’s debate. That it was on Sky News would mean very few people actually saw it, compared with the miniscule numbers who might ordinarily see it had it been on a FTA TV channel.”

    It was also on the regional FTA Sky News on WIN channel and streamed on Murdoch news websites.

  27. I want Dutton out because it will result in another Labor seat, however, i want Rabbott right where he is now. have it go right down to the wire, have so he a tiny margin to defend at the next poll. having him in parliament will be a big plus for Labor, because at heart, he is a wrecker. anyway Steggall is a Tory anyway and if she wins will eventually take the tory whip.

  28. Rocket Rocket @ #1187 Friday, May 3rd, 2019 – 6:24 pm

    Has anyone here noted that May 18th is the 45th Anniversary of Labor’s federal win in 1974 – the one that led to the historic Double Sitting which introduced the first universal healthcare system in Australia (the original Medibank) ?

    Please let that be a good omen for May 18 2019!

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