In New South Wales:
A row over a bill to decriminalise abortion is prompting murmurings about Gladys Berejiklian’s leadership just five months after she led the Coalition to an impressive election victory, with tremors that are being felt federally. The bill was introduced by independent MP Alex Greenwich, but its sponsors included the Berejiklian government’s Health Minister, Brad Hazzard. It was headed last week for passage through both houses of parliament, before Berejiklian bowed to conservative outrage by pushing back the final vote in the upper house by nearly a month. Claiming credit for this concession is Barnaby Joyce, whose high-profile interventions have angered his state Nationals colleagues, most of whom support the bill (prompting Mark Latham, who now holds a crucial upper house vote as a member of One Nation, to tar the party with the cultural Marxist brush). Following suggestions the party room had discussed expelling him from the party, Joyce said he would go of his own accord if four of them publicly called for him to do so. It doesn’t appear that is going to happen, but if it did, the government would be reduced from 77 seats in the House of Representatives out of 151, costing it its absolute majority on the floor.
In Tasmania:
Labor MP Scott Bacon’s decision to end his state parliamentary career, citing family reasons, represents an unwelcome turn of events for an already understaffed state opposition, owing to the manner in which parliamentary vacancies are filled under Hare-Clark. This will involve a “recount” (as officially known, though “countback” is the generally preferred term for such procedures) of the votes that got Bacon elected to his seat in Denison (which is now called Clark), either as first or subsequent preferences. The procedure is open to any unsuccessful candidates from the previous election who care to nominate, among whom is Madeleine Ogilvie, a former incumbent who was defeated in 2018 – possibly because progressive sentiment had been alienated by her social conservatism.
The problem for Labor is that Ogilvie has since parted company with the party, to the extent of running as an independent for an upper house seat in May. If she wins the recount, and no reconciliation with the party is forthcoming, there will be nothing to stop her sitting as an independent, reducing Labor from ten seats to nine in a chamber of 25. As explained by Kevin Bonham, we can see from the 2018 results that this will produce a “first preference” count in which 33.1% of the vote goes to Madeleine Ogilvie and 28.4% to Tim Cox, a former ABC Radio presenter who ran unsuccessfully, and has confirmed he will nominate for the recount. More than half the remainder went to candidates who are not in contention because they’re already in parliament, so it will assuredly be one or the other.
In Victoria:
John Ferguson of The Australian reports the Liberals have been conducting internal polling for former party leader Matthew Guy’s seat of Bulleen, prompting speculation he will shortly quit parliament. The Liberals retained the seat with a 5.8% margin even amid the debacle of last November’s election, and the polling is “believed to show the Liberal brand holding up”.
When you need a crucial correct decision made right at the end you don’t wanna turnaround and see Joel Wilson
How nice it was to read a more sensible discussion after William joined the conversation last night. And wouldn’t “moving more to the centre” for Labor be following the example of Hawke/Keating, who are lauded for their longevity in office? Since the Libs have slid to the right and the Nats are away with the fairies, it sounds feasible.
Morning all. I agree with shellbell. Joel Wilson should not be a test umpire (and captaincy should go back to Smith; Paine lost the plot.)
Sport exists to distract us from bad politics. It is perfectly suited to these roles, given these clangers :
Shame on every AG (including Labor) who did not stop this trial:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-26/xanana-gusmao-offers-to-give-evidence-in-witness-k-trial/11436286
And can Labor please sort out its bickering in private.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-25/anthony-albanese-speaks-at-wa-alp-state-conference/11446134
Gladys Berejiklian has just given time for Dominic Perrottet to organise his numbers in order to roll her. Bad move on her part. She should have just pushed the Abortion Legalisation vote through the Upper House and dealt with the fallout afterwards.
The majority of the people of NSW are with her. I thought that’s who majority governments represented?
Socrates,
Did you have to start the day kicking Labor when they are down, again? Some of us are trying to be constructive about the way ahead for the party.
Sure, there are going to be fights between different groups as the way ahead is fought over, but that’s a natural consequence of a party that is trying to determine the way ahead.
lizzie @ #5 Monday, August 26th, 2019 – 6:55 am
Morrison is not going too well so far:
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/trump-accused-of-secretly-blocking-move-to-quell-internet-extremism-20190825-p52kgk.html
Donald Trump is quite happy to have the violence that abets his cause streamed.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/church-backs-climate-strike-for-its-10-000-students-20190823-p52k52.html
C@t
Morrison is still on the “terror and violence” shelf that he finds the most comfortable, so that he can pretend climate change and refugee problems are nothing to do with him.
lizzie,
I’m sure Trump will praise Morrison’s role in inspiring him as to how to deal with refugees. It might be a turning point actually as the link to Trump’s policies in the US will be explicit and maybe, just maybe, it might lead to a more humane response from the Morrison government to those who remain on Nauru and in Port Moresby. I think they have suffered enough.
I get that they can’t come here, Morrison and Dutton won’t allow it, but I would hope that they could go to New Zealand.
This is a more realistic overview of the WA State Labor Conference:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-25/anthony-albanese-speaks-at-wa-alp-state-conference/11446134
It was bloody plumb.
See? No sooner does he take a position on something, a minute later he flips again.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-for-first-time-signals-regret-china-trade-war-has-escalated/2019/08/25/c942ea78-c67a-11e9-b5e4-54aa56d5b7ce_story.html
Regardless of whether he is Captain, or even just a player, Paine should not be making the final call on Reviews. Both his reviews were speculators. While the bowler should consult with the keeper and slips cordon, the final decision being made by someone else. Can’t be Warner or Smith for obvious reasons (although their opinions would be persuasive). I reckon that perhaps Wade should make the call.
Trump has another primary challenger. I listened to a podcast with Joe Walsh the other day and had a feeling he’d run.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/former-congressman-joe-walsh-announces-primary-challenge-against-trump/2019/08/25/595cce96-c73c-11e9-be05-f76ac4ec618c_story.html
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
In an intervention that risks irritating corporate heavyweights and investors, Josh Frydenberg will suggest boardrooms that prioritise short-term shareholder returns above long-term investments are hurting national productivity rates and warn changes are needed if Australians are to “continue to make our own luck”. Some chance!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/frydenberg-challenges-corporate-australia-to-rein-in-share-buybacks-and-dividends-20190825-p52kki.html
Nick Miller says that the Queen is reported to have confided in Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that Donald Trump ruined her lawn with his big helicopter.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/trump-s-big-chopper-ruined-my-lawn-queen-told-scott-morrison-20190825-p52kna.html
Jennifer Duke tells us how thin the ice has really become under Alan Jones.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/just-how-thin-has-the-ice-really-become-under-alan-jones-20190825-p52kgn.html
No decision has yet been made on whether Cardinal George Pell will appeal his child sexual abuse convictions to the High Court, a spokeswoman for the cleric says, despite reports to the contrary.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6347649/pell-appeal-still-pending-spokeswoman/?cs=14231&utm_source=website&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=latestnews
Meanwhile Kristina Keneally has blasted Melbourne’s Catholic archbishop for his response to Cardinal George Pell losing his appeal against child sexual abuse convictions.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6346893/labor-senator-blasts-catholic-archbishop/?cs=14350
Noely Neate writes that the Victorian Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold George Pell’s historical child abuse convictions should have been the end of a long saga to hold this man to account.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/pells-appeal-rejected-dont-forget-victims-of-church-sex-abuse,13040
With Trump there is no bottom and it looks like Australia will follow him all the way down says Greg Jericho. Scary stuff.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2019/aug/25/with-trump-there-is-no-bottom-and-it-looks-like-australia-will-follow-him-all-the-way-down
Tony Walker opines that dipping our toe into the Gulf is fraught with risk.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/dipping-our-toe-into-the-gulf-is-fraught-with-risk-20190823-p52jz8.html
The SMH editorial lets fly at the government over what it is saying in support of its attempt to reverse the medevac legislation.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/medevac-repeal-piles-on-the-cruelty-20190825-p52kl1.html
Ross Gittins begins this article with, “As if Scott Morrison didn’t have enough problems on his plate, we learnt last week that government-administered prices are rising much faster than prices charged by the private sector.”
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/big-rise-in-government-controlled-prices-shows-pollies-have-much-to-do-20190825-p52khu.html
Now NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey has accused the Natural Resources Commission of having a potential “conflict of interest” as reforms to the drought-stricken Barwon-Darling river system threaten to cause another split between Liberals and Nationals in the Berejiklian government.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/water-fight-minister-attacks-river-scientists-20190825-p52kir.html
Fergus Hunter outlines the Grattan Institute’s blueprint for improving outreaching stock.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/80-000-payrises-in-plan-to-tackle-low-status-of-teaching-in-australia-20190823-p52k6j.html
The Gonski 2.0 proposals are flawed, heavy in bureaucracy and will stifle creativity in children, writes classroom teacher, Paul Johnson .
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/gonski-2-0-a-sausage-factory/
Climate scientists now find themselves in a quandary similar to medical doctors who need to break the news of a grave diagnosis. How do they tell people that the current spate of cyclones, devastating islands from the Caribbean to the Philippines, or the flooding of coastal regions and river valleys from Mozambique to Kerala, Pakistan and Townsville, can only intensify in a rapidly warming world?
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/the-amazon-fires-and-the-dilemma-for-climate-scientists-20190825-p52kiq.html
The Nine Network’s A Current Affair has dodged questions over who paid for One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s controversial trip to Uluru.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/2019/08/25/nine-uluru-pauline-hanson/
Australian workers could be caught in the crosshairs of the country’s biggest industrial relations shakeup in over two decades, according to the Labor Party and union insiders.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/industrial-relations-overhaul-could-hurt-unions-and-workers,13035
Incarceration rates have risen 130% since 1985, according to new research by Labor MP and economist Andrew Leigh
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/26/australia-entering-second-convict-age-as-imprisonment-rates-soar
It took decades to build an effective Indigenous legal network but now it’s under threat writes the Law Council’s Charles Moses.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/it-took-decades-to-build-an-effective-indigenous-legal-network-now-it-s-under-threat-20190815-p52hfo.html
The Australian Taxation Office has hit the British-Dutch oil giant Shell with a bill estimated at $755m as it continues to pursue multinational resources giants over claims they have avoided paying tax on offshore gas projects. Good!
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/25/ato-slugs-shell-with-755m-bill-in-fight-against-multinational-tax-avoidance
The Guardian continues to uncover the horror stories. This time a severely ill woman in her 60s who cannot leave the house without a mobility scooter was wrongly judged as fit for work by Centrelink and denied the disability support pension.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/26/centrelink-wrongly-denies-disability-support-pension-to-severely-ill-woman
And The New Daily reveals that Centrelink is using evidence of domestic violence as proof that women are in legitimate relationships, linking their access to vital support to their abusers’ wealth.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/finance-news/2019/08/25/centrelink-domestic-violence/
Will Trump block the move to quell internet extremism?
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/trump-accused-of-secretly-blocking-move-to-quell-internet-extremism-20190825-p52kgk.html
And Trump has rowed with his fellow G7 leaders over his demand that Russia be readmitted to the group, rejecting arguments that it should remain an association of liberal democracies, according to diplomats at the summit in Biarritz.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/25/g7-trumps-demands-for-russias-readmission-causes-row-in-biarritz
The IMF thinks the trade war might be at its tipping point.
https://outline.com/Xd7kLG
Boris Johnson has declared that the UK can easily cope with a no deal Brexit. Will these words come back to haunt him?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/25/britain-can-easily-cope-with-no-deal-brexit-claims-boris-johnson
The UK Guardian says that a bumpy no-deal Brexit could turn panicking MPs against Johnson.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/25/brexit-no-deal-mps-panic
Chris Uhlmann expresses concern over Chinese influence in Australia.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/instead-of-floating-the-white-australia-bogey-let-s-be-honest-about-chinese-influence-20190825-p52kkb.html
Deloitte is facing a rebellion from its young auditors who are frustrated that as their wages stagnate, the latest crop of graduates is coming in on more money.
https://outline.com/krRYEv
There have been fears that the Hong Kong protest movement would be violently suppressed since the first demonstrations in late March because of the 1989 massacre at Tiananmen Square. Lee Duffield, who covered the collapse of the Eastern Bloc in Europe at the same time as Tiananmen Square, says there are many links with this year’s events.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-hong-kong-protests-haunted-by-violent-precedents,13041
Cartoon Corner.
David Rowe at the G7.





Pat Campbell and the apartment building fiasco.
Jim Pavlidis with Morrison’s adventurism.
Mark David and Morrison’s hat infatuation.
Zanetti takes us to the G7.
From the US
Oz is trending the same way with the punitive attitude toward the poor.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1165514544292274177
Just begging for a caption!
Thanks BK. Sometimes I wonder at what passes for news in Australia!
Confessions @ #18 Monday, August 26th, 2019 – 7:53 am
Johnson to Trump: “Teach me oh great master of the pussy grab, how you do it and don’t have the lady yell at you to get away and leave her alone!?!”
Fess
I was just wondering whether they had just descended the stairs, and if so did Boris hold Trump’s hand.
Andrew E
Politics cannot stay the way it is. We can’t bury our head in the sand, the hairless monkeys have to stop burning fossil fuels. If we don’t out ports are stuffed, that is easy to predict, 2 meters, that is all it going to take. God knows what is going to happen to agriculture.
We need a solution that provides people with a vision for the future, that makes sense. Running around telling people you are going to destroy their life is not going to make it happen, and this is what the Greens have on offer.
Pretending the Greenland ice is not melting is head in the sand stuff. The Liberals want to pretend the 50’s will last for ever, they are not part of the solution. Actually I think it has got worse than that, there now seems to be an attitude, lets plunder the place before it fails.
Labor are in the best position to move the economy as it needs to move. They are have done that once in my lifetime and our only hope is they can do it again. The problem is you have the Green and the Liberals trying to stop it.
lizzie:
I was thinking Boris was asking Trump how he manages to keep his hair in place.
So, Frydenburg has told companies to rein in their dividends? Won’t that hurt the Franking Credits class of government welfare dependants? 🙂
The LNP have formed government and hold the voting power in both houses. (don’t point out the obvious)
Morrison is the accidental PM.(don’t point out the obvious)
What the LNP intend to do with this power is unknown.
We do know it is a corrupt government.
We do know the Morrison government supports unfairness, poverty and homelessness.
We do know the Morrison government encourages tax avoidance and members of the government practice this activity.
We know that this government refuses to accept climate change as a fact.
We do know that the LNP government is disengenerous and plays on mistruths and obfuscation.
If the LNP have managed to gain enough seats to hold the power of government than they should be held to account for their decision making.
All the other assorted elected representatives, including Labor and the Greens should not be the focus of political commentary and examination.
PB for whatever reason has been sidetracked and is a lesser place for its misplaced focus.
Good Morning
FredNK
You are part of the problem. Denial of reality doesn’t help. Understanding and accepting the science means you stop expanding the mining of coal. Until you do that you are not understanding and accepting the science.
It’s physics. In this case we had the industrial revolution fire the first shot of the war. Then fossil fuel companies found out. Then they decided to use the same tactics as Tobacco companies.
Labor needs to treat coal like it did tobacco. Accept you need to tax it to death. Use the same tactics. Highlight the damage. Promote the benefits.
Labor has done this and won. Labor can do it again. First thing is not calling the Greens out for truth telling.
Trump?
Caligula without the despatching with extreme prejudice bit.
Washington horses had better be on the qui vive.
FredNK
It would also help if Labor started acting like that lost the election by one seat.
We know the right is splitting. We know that going to minor parties is the first step on the road for people changing their votes long term.
Labor can win those voters but it has to make the case to the voters.
Expanding coal mining by giving a green light to Adani is not how you win voters over on climate change
Extinction Rebellion and civil activism:
https://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/rising-force-how-extinction-rebellion-hopes-to-make-a-difference-20190820-p52iz5.html
By Jack Nicholls, a Melbourne author and a volunteer with Extinction Rebellion.
Morning bludgers
Much thanks BK
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/security-breach-fears-raised-over-china-backed-company-mining-sa-military-range-20190825-p52kk1.html
https://amp.theguardian.com/business/2019/aug/25/rba-chief-warns-of-little-capacity-to-protect-global-economy-from-political-shocks
If the RBA is coming out saying the economy is fucked then we are fucked.
Goll @ #25 Monday, August 26th, 2019 – 8:13 am
We know also that the ALP seems oblivious to all of this.
I’m not into cricket generally.
OH is. But last night we were both enthralled watching the 2nd innings. Incredible and bewildering
Corruption watchdog ICAC begins public probe of Labor donations
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-26/icac-inquiry-into-alp-fundraising-donations-begins-in-sydney/11443558
Mundo is same same with rex
I always laugh at Shinzo Abe’s expressions whenever he has to share the press conference spotlight with Resting Orange Face.
https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1165604281686192128
Steve Cannane’s investigation, Secrets, Spies and Trials, tonight on Four Corners at 8:30pm on ABC TV and iview.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-26/xanana-gusmao-offers-to-give-evidence-in-witness-k-trial/11436286
Did you actually read it @Peg?
“On the face of it, the donations were perfectly legal. They were declared.”
Just another allegation (innocent until proven GUILTY).
Zoidlord @ #36 Monday, August 26th, 2019 – 8:29 am
‘We do know it is a corrupt government.’
So you’ve heard Albo making a case for an investigation into the corrupt government?
We do know the Morrison government supports unfairness, poverty and homelessness.
Jim Chalmers is on to it? Never shuts up about? Dog with a bone?
Mundo
Yes. Labor appears to have Stockholm Syndrome
Vic:
I didn’t watch it, but have caught up with reports this morning. Wish I’d watched it now.
The Extinction Rebellion will go nowhere in Australia while the Greens Party has the environmental vote locked up.
Wage theft
https://www.smh.com.au/national/ripped-off-by-7-eleven-worker-s-back-pay-treated-unfairly-by-tax-man-20190825-p52kk0.html
Mundo as you know the Greenies on here like Peg are reporting the Government are too busy looking into Labor Fund raising.
Not that Greens actually give a shit to do a joint investigation into Liberals and more specifically the nationals.
If I was Labor and not accepting coal donors I would point out the damage fossil fuels do to the environment
https://psmag.com/environment/air-pollution-kills-more-people-than-smoking
Fess
The most weird thing of all, was that with another 70 odd runs required, it seemed very doable with Stokes at the helm. He absolutely played a blinder.
Reforms to Abortion laws via passing legislation in parliament is something a state Liberal Party government cannot do, the same goes for marriage equality. Because there are going to be people inside the party, that are anti-abortion and can do significant damage to the government.
Personally I believe that Gladys should have put the proposed abortion laws to a plebiscite, while very divisive it would satisfy the anti-abortion people, because they will think they could get the No case to win a plebiscite, although it would explode in their faces.
Such an approach I admit is very divisive and will inflict a lot of emotional damage, it is the only way I see of putting some sense into the Social Conservatives which dominate especially the Liberal Party at both a state and federal level. Because it tells the Social Conservatives that their views are very much a minority one in Australia.
Also congratulations to WA Labor for declaring at its conference that yes it is a climate emergency
Tristo
They are doing it. By having a conscience vote. Same tactics are being used as with Marriage Equality. Same result. We are just going to have three weeks of an ugly campaign because of the delay.
We know this because of votes already cast. The decriminalise abortion MP’s have already been winning the votes. They say they have the numbers. They said that before the lower house votes.