The latest of Essential Research’s fortnightly polls, which continue to limit themselves to issue questions in the wake of the great pollster failure, focuses mostly on the Israel Folau controversy. Respondents registered high levels of recognition of the matter, with 22% saying they had been following it closely, 46% that they had “read or seen some news”, and another 17% saying they were at least “aware”.
Probing further, the poll records very strong support for what seem at first blush to be some rather illiberal propositions, including 64% agreement with the notion that people “should not be allowed to argue religious freedom to abuse others”. However, question wording would seem to be very important here, as other questions find an even split on whether Folau “has the right to voice his religious views, regardless of the hurt it could cause others” (34% agree, 36% disagree), and whether there should be “stronger laws to protect people who express their religious views in public” (38% agree, 38% disagree). Furthermore, 58% agreed that “employers should not have the right to dictate what their employees say outside work”, which would seem to encompass the Folau situation.
Respondents were also asked who would benefit and suffer from the federal government’s policies over the next three years, which, typically for a Coalition government, found large companies and corporations expected to do best (54% good, 11% bad). Other results were fairly evenly balanced, the most negative findings relating to the environment (26% good, 33% bad) and, funnily enough, “older Australians” (26% good, 38% bad). The economy came in at 33% good and 29% bad, and “Australia in general” at 36% good and 27% bad. The poll was conducted last Tuesday to Saturday from a sample of 1099.
Also of note:
• A referendum on indigenous recognition may be held before the next election, after Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt’s announcement on Wednesday that he would pursue a consensus option for a proposal to go before voters “during the current parliamentary term”. It is clear the government would not be willing to countenance anything that went further than recognition, contrary to the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s call for a “First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution” – a notion derided as a “third chamber of parliament” by critics, including Scott Morrison.
• A paper in the University of Western Australia Law Review keeps the Section 44 pot astir by suggesting 26 current members of federal parliament may fall foul by maintaining a “right of abode” in the United Kingdom – a status allowing “practically the same rights” as citizenship even where citizenship has been formally renounced. The status has only been available to British citizens since 1983, but is maintained by citizens of Commonwealth countries who held it before that time, which they could do through marriage or descent. This could potentially be interpreted as among “the rights or privileges of a subject or citizen of a foreign power”, as per the disqualifying clause in Section 44. Anyone concerned by this has until the end of the month to challenge an election result within the 40 day period that began with the return of the writs on June 21. Action beyond that point would require referral by the House of Representatives or the Senate, as appropriate.
L’arse was doing the old drive by.
Everyone knew that when they voted, and they still voted for it.
Bushfire Bill says:
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at 8:28 pm
____________________
Lighten up! Next thing we know you’ll develop an imaginary friend too!
BW
I’d be very surprised if even the most anodyne indigenous recognition referendum got up.
There are a whole lot of racist scum that want dual UK-Aus, SA(very white) – Aus, Israeli-Aus dual citizens, but try telling them we should have Iran-Aus, Sudan-Aus, China-Aus, even Malaysian-Aus dual citizens in our Parliament and their evil racist minds will explode.
I agree Howard started feeding the evil racist scum element in Australia, and the LNP since has been feeding them super-steroids, we are now a truly evil and disgusting country.
We are headed for guillotines, not a peaceful evolution. Only question is who will be manning the executions.
Diogenes @ #1854 Tuesday, July 16th, 2019 – 6:44 pm
Mumble has said previously it could only happen under an LNP govt, and I tend to agree. If the coalition were in opposition and it was Labor proposing constitutional recognition for indigenous Australians, it would fail before it even got to the vote stage because the coalition MPs would instinctively oppose it.
That said, I’m dubious that it will happen under this current mob. There’s already too much division and crab-walking away by senior ministers, including the PM. I reckon Ken Wyatt would be extremely pissed off at Scotty and some of his colleagues.
https://www.pollbludger.net/2019/07/12/the-tribes-of-israel/comment-page-37/#comment-3220840
It is not the definition of owing allegiance that has changed. It is the definition of foreign power that has changed through the separation of the crowns and Ireland and most members of the Commonwealth of Nations becoming republics. That is a lot harder to reverse than do in the first place. There is a very faint far outside chance that New Zealand, maybe PNG, the maybe Solomon Islands and the UK might consider reunifying the crowns, however I think it unlikely Canada or others would and none of the republics would consider switching back to the monarchy for us.
Josh FryThePlanet’s main problem is that he tells lies when it suits him.
Lies about carbon emissions when Environment Minister, lies about non-existent death taxes during the election, lies about his personal history regarding his citizenship.
In fact his time as Environment Minister was a veritable Liberal Party of Lies:
– GBRF $444m was proposed by his department
– no involvement in Angus Taylor’s clearing of endangered grassland approval
– SA blackouts caused by renewables
And his performance as Treasurer indicates more of the same.
guytaur says:
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at 6:18 pm
Rex
Nah. Fines after the fact don’t count much. Except maybe for unviable status.
We are talking about a Labor party refusing to advocate for a $75 Newstart rise. Spine. Nowhere in sight.
The Greens may have prevented Labor from taking power, but that is no reason for Labor to make a lot if useless noise over policies they are not be in a position to implement. The Greens do that really well, why would any sane party try and compete.
Relieved and happy to see Labor joining ACOSS in the “raise the rate” battle:
The reactionary right will axiomatically oppose anything that resembles de jure recognition of First Peoples.
The Reactionaries are neither of nor for these Peoples. The Reactionaries question the competence, rights and even the very existence of all Others. The concept of First Peoples is a singularly disruptive one for the Reactionaries because they see themselves as the Pre-eminent People. They are the First. This is an exclusive idea. There can be no other First Australians. They see themselves as practically the only people who should be acknowledged, enfranchised and rewarded. In their minds, it has been ever thus. And thus must it ever be.
The lands and seas and the power over them has been usurped by conquest. The Reactionaries know this. If the First Peoples are acknowledged as the traditional custodians of the lands and the seas – as their eternal children and keepers – it will be very obvious that the lands and the seas have been stolen from them. It will be obvious that the birthrights of the First have been repudiated and annulled. This would invalidate the self-understanding of the Reactionaries. They will never permit this. They have always been First. They always will be. This is the premise of their dominion. This is the just and natural and god-given order.
Speaking of memes..
The Liberals will not increase New Start. They will instead try to abolish it. The unemployed will be politically exploited by the Liberals in the same way that asylum-seekers, the young, the poor and the sick are politically exploited. The Liberals do not believe in the social democratic idea of the safety net.
They believe in hardship. They will deliver more of it. They will blame the sick for their illness and the poor for their poverty. They will blame the workless for their idleness and their dependence. Count on it.
frednk
” that is no reason for Labor to make a lot if useless noise over policies they are not be in a position to implement.”
But Albanese and Labor are making noise over Newstart.
As I posted earlier in the day….I guess it’s okay for Labor to make demands….
Labor says Coalition must take action on Newstart ‘right now’ after pensioner boost:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jul/15/labor-says-coalition-must-raise-newstart-right-now-after-pensioner-boost
You responded quite differently to my initial post.
Now, you seem to be making the same well-worn excuse for Labor currently trotted out on a regular basis….oh gee, Labor are in opposition and don’t have the numbers…what do you expect them to do.
How about standing up and prosecuting an inclusive vision that will inspire change for a more equitable society.
The unemployed don’t seem to be very well served by any lobby group. There are enough unemployed voters (about 700,000) that they should be able to get more politicians to take notice. I realise that unemployment is often a phase so it’s hard to capture their attention for longer term goals but they seem to go unheard.
“Acoss launches ‘raise the rate’ campaign urging rise in Newstart and youth allowance by at least $75 per week
:::
While declining to nominate a dollar figure for the proposed increase, Chalmers said the government needed to take up Labor’s pre-election pledge for a review into the Newstart payment, given action was needed “right now”.”
The Greens party has advocated a $75 per week increase in line with Acoss for some time.
For the past 25 years under successive governments of both major stripes there has been no real increase to Newstart.
Why. There has been bipartisan support to pander to those aspirational swinging voters in marginal electorates who don’t want to give any of their hard-earned to those ‘dole-bludgers’.
Post-election, Labor is now “making noises” in response to a concerted community campaign. How opportunistic of them.
briefly
says:
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at 9:32 pm
The Liberals will not increase New Start. They will instead try to abolish it. The unemployed will be politically exploited by the Liberals in the same way that asylum-seekers, the young, the poor and the sick are politically exploited.
___________________________________
Oh great Oracle. Tell us more of what they plan.
🙄 over who gets to claim the brownie points over who asked first to raise Newstart. Is it really that important!?!
Peg,
It is not opportunistic – they are responding to pressure from their members, like me.
I would be very pissed off if they did not.
All I’ll say is thank god something is going pear-shaped for the Coalition for once, between them and one of their staunchest supporter groups:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/insurers-hit-back-at-government-as-building-dispute-deepens-20190716-p527ql.html
You remember the Coalition, don’t you? The real enemy of Progressives in Australia?
Douglas and Milko @ #1871 Tuesday, July 16th, 2019 – 9:57 pm
Pegasus has never seen a Labor position that she can’t construe negatively in some way.
Donald is watching TV and threatening digital behemoths. We are lucky he’s not a PB subscriber..
D&M
Before the election was a bridge too far, wasn’t it. Now it’s politically ‘safe’ for Albanese and Chalmers to join the chorus in order to hammer the Coalition.
Opportunistic.
Do as I say, not as I do.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/greens-exposed-as-bob-brown-baulks-at-turbines-in-his-backyard/news-story/04b617906ce5e77e3a13dd4ddef0ddd0
Re Diogenes @8:44PM.
“I’d be very surprised if even the most anodyne indigenous recognition referendum got up.”
The dominant Right of the “Liberals” want nothing to do with it. Nifty do the IPA. I doubt that there’ll be a referendum at all. If there is, it would be little more than a bland statement that Aborigines were physically located here before 1788 and worded such to e ad inflexible as possible. That will be unacceptable to First Nations, who will campaign against it. Even the Right of the “Liberals” and the Murdochracy might campaign against it, like they did against recognition of local Government in 2013 even after the then Opposition had voted for it.
No chance.
Within the context of Hungary’s role in WWII and the Cold War, trying to ping Frydenburg as a Hungarian is a particularly low act.
Will the real Albo please stand up?
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/will-the-real-albo-please-stand-up,12902
“While a certain amount of caution is expected from a newly minted opposition leader, especially after a shock election defeat, a large part of the Labor Party’s pre-election agenda has already been effectively jettisoned in favour of political expediency.
This move has left political commentators and supporters of the Labor Party scratching their heads, wondering why the Labor leadership would throw away key parts of the pre-election policy book in favour of a clean slate when the next election is still almost three years away.
:::
But perhaps the most harmful betrayal of the Labor faithful and the downtrodden peoples of Australia came when Labor was asked to vote on Greens Senator Rachel Siewert’s non-binding motion (effectively a symbolic vote) to raise the rate of Newstart Allowance.
Rather than taking their chance to stand up for the “little guy” and display their new leader’s genuine commitment to old fashioned left-wing values, not only did they not vote in favour of the motion, they chose to vote with the Coalition to defeat it.”
In 1988 the Australian people voted 70% against a constitutional referendum which would ensure that their property could only be resumed by the government at market price.
I very much doubt that any referendum that apparently favours aboriginal people will ever pass
The Greens sure are learning how they can be Trumpian too.
Rule #1: Find a way to criticise your opponents for doing what is essentially a good thing so as to take the shine off them.
For example. Before the election Labor promised a Review into the Newstart payment. I imagine this was for the reason of ending up with, after expert input, a payment that was fit for purpose.
After the election, as Labor was not in government, so unable to institute a review, they have joined with ACOSS in their campaign to raise the rate of Newstart.
Not good enough for the ever-sanctimonious Greens.
This punctilious petifogging makes my blood boil. Just like Trump.
C@t:
The best thing Labor can do is let the Greens be the Greens and simply ignore them.
And here we go again. Hanging a condemnation of Albanese over his seeming ‘failure’ to not vote for The Greens parliamentary Newstart stunt.
The Greens truly are shameless. Just like Trump.
Confessions @ #1883 Tuesday, July 16th, 2019 – 10:15 pm
It’s not so easy to ignore when the blog gets spammed by them.
However, the Trumpian conundrum then ensues. Do you ignore the outrageous provocation, or do you try and correct it?
Sprocket
Trump ticks another dictatorship box in that statement, ie that if you oppose him you are guilty of treason.
I really don’t care who he loses to as long as he loses.
Peg,
Nope, not at all. Most people, including the Greens, believed the opinion polls and thought Labor would win. If Labor had won, then they could have taken action.
Things have materially changed – we have an L/NP government for the next three years, and so now we need to do things differently.
C@t:
Greens activists posting here are simply preaching to the rusted on. They are not winning over any new audiences, nor are they converting Labor or Liberal voters to their cause. They are anonymous, ideological dilettantes and culture warriors who garner no attention in the mainstream.
Trump as Potus is a very different beast and in no way comparable to the anonymous Greens voters who comment here.
Peg,
The cynicism of the Greens in moving a “symbolic” motion without discussing it with Labor, and then negotiation putting to parliament at a time when it would have put maximum pressure on the Government is breathtaking.
This sort if stuff is why Possum Comitatus suggested the “Greens need to stop being a political instagram account”.
‘fess,
I was only commenting on similarities of style, not power. 😀
D & M,
While you’re here, do you know that apartment building in Zetland that had to be abandoned because it was falling to bits?
C@t:
If zoomster is right and Dan Andrews’ govt simply ignores the Greens then he’s doing something right and that could become a model for how Labor ‘engages’ with the Greens nationally.
Fess,
Ignoring the Greens zealots here and in the wider world is the way to go, and I usually do.
Just felt that Peg criticising Labor for joining ACOSS rather than being happy about it was a bit more hypocritical than I could take.
Very condescending and demeaning to us (we if your a grammar Nazi) hard-working ALP members who spend so much time trying to both help the party form government AND put together good policy.
In a democracy you need to get a majority of seats to form government.
D&M:
Hope your travels are going well.
Pegasus was condescending and demeaning and full of zealotry? Colour me surprised 😀
Yes, ignoring the Greens fan shit show is absolutely the way to go.
https://www.pollbludger.net/2019/07/12/the-tribes-of-israel/comment-page-38/#comment-3220878
Section 44i is xenophobic in its design and is thus low acts are to be expected.
If Frydenburg is found to be a Hungarian, which the Canavan decision shows could be hard to prove in the even of unclear foreign law, it would significantly increase the chances of a referendum on section 44i, possibly including other parts of section 44 as well.
Confessions @ #1892 Tuesday, July 16th, 2019 – 10:34 pm
Yes, he has engaged well with Reason/Fiona Patten and the Animal Justice Party. Which just goes to prove that, unless they are the swing votes, it’s safer to ignore The Greens than to give in to their demands, as tomorrow they will only come back and demand more!
C@t,
Yes, it is one of the ones in Victoria Park, a bit south of the corner of O’Dea ave and Gadigal avenue, on Gadigal avenue. It would be about 1o years old I am guessing.
Thanks Fess!
Dan Andrews has got The Greens pegged, you could say. 😉