The Poll Bludger’s popular Call of the Board series, in which results for each individual electorate at the May 18 federal election are being broken down region by region, underwent a bit of a hiatus over the past month or so after a laptop theft deprived me of my collection of geospatial files. However, it now returns in fine style by reviewing the business end of the state which, once again, proved to be the crucible of the entire election. Earlier instalments covered Sydney, here and here; regional New South Wales; Melbourne; and regional Victoria.
First up, the colour-coded maps below show the pattern of the two-party swing by allocating to each polling booth a geographic catchment area through a method that was described here (click for enlarged images). The first focuses on metropolitan Brisbane, while the second zooms out to further include the seats of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. As was the case in Sydney and Melbourne, these maps show a clear pattern in which Labor had its best results (in swing terms) in wealthy inner urban areas (for which I will henceforth use the shorthand of the “inner urban effect”, occasionally contrasted with an “outer urban effect” that went the other way). However, they are also bluer overall, reflecting Labor’s generally poor show across Queensland (albeit not as poor in the south-east as in central Queensland).
|
|
The seat-by-seat analysis is guided by comparison of the actual results with those estimated by two alternative metrics, which are laid out in the table below (using the two-party measure for Labor). The first of these, which I employ here for the first time, is a two-party estimate based on Senate rather than House of Representatives results. This is achieved using party vote totals for the Senate and allocating Greens, One Nation and “others” preferences using the flows recorded for the House. These results are of particular value in identifying the extent to which results reflected the popularity or otherwise of the sitting member.
The other metric consists of estimates derived from a linear regression model, in which relationships were measured between booths results and a range of demographic and geographic variables. This allows for observation of the extent to which results differed from what might have been expected of a given electorate based on its demography. Such a model was previously employed in the previous Call of the Board posts for Sydney and Melbourne. However, it may be less robust on this occasion as its estimates consistently landed on the high side for Labor. I have dealt with this by applying an across-the-board adjustment to bring the overall average in line with the actual results. Results for the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast seats are not shown, owing to the difficulty involved in classifying them as metropolitan or regional (and I have found the model to be of limited value in regional electorates). The coefficients underlying the model can be viewed here.
And now to review each seat in turn:
Blair (Labor 1.2%; 6.9% swing to LNP): Shayne Neumann has held Blair since taking it from the Liberals in 2007, on the back of a favourable redistribution and Labor’s Kevin Rudd-inspired sweep across Queensland. His margins had hitherto been remarkably stable by Queensland standards, but this time he suffered a 9.8% drop in the primary vote (partly due to a more crowded field than last time), and his two-party margin compares with a previous low point of 4.2% in 2010. Nonetheless, the metrics suggest he did well to hang on: he outperformed the Senate measure, and the demographic measure was Labor’s weakest out of the six Queensland seats it actually won (largely a function of the electorate’s lack of ethnic diversity).
Bonner (LNP 7.4%; 4.0% swing to LNP): Bonner was a notionally Labor seat when it was created in 2004, and it says a lot about recent political history that they have only won it since at the high water mark of 2007. Ross Vasta has held it for the LNP for all but the one term from 2007 to 2010, and his new margin of 7.4% is easily the biggest he has yet enjoyed, the previous peak being 3.7% in 2013. Labor generally did better in swing terms around Mount Gravatt in the south-west of the electorate, for no reason immediately obvious reason.
Bowman (LNP 10.2%; 3.2% swing to LNP): Andrew Laming has held Bowman for the Liberals/LNP since it was reshaped with the creation of its northern neighbour Bonner in 2004, his closest scrape being a 64-vote winning margin with the Kevin Rudd aberration in 2007. This time he picked up a fairly typical swing of 3.2%, boosting his margin to 10.2%, a shade below his career best of 10.4% in 2013.
Brisbane (LNP 4.9%; 1.1% swing to Labor): Brisbane has been held for the Liberal National Party since a redistribution added the affluent Clayfield area in the electorate’s east in 2010, making it the only seat bearing the name of a state capital to be held by the Coalition since Adelaide went to Labor in 2004. The city end participated in the national trend to Labor in inner urban areas, but swings the other way around Clayfield and Alderley in the north-west reduced the swing to 1.1%. Trevor Evans, who has held the seat since 2016, outperformed both the Senate vote and the demographic model, his liberalism perhaps being a good fit for the electorate. Andrew Bartlett added 2.9% to the Greens primary vote in recording 22.4%, which would have been the party’s best ever result in a federal seat in Queensland had it not been surpassed in Griffith. This compared with Labor’s 24.5%, with Labor leading by 25.4% to 23.7% at the second last preference count.
Dickson (LNP 4.6%; 3.0% swing to LNP): The shared dream of Labor and GetUp! of unseating Peter Dutton hit the wall of two broader trends to the Coalition, in outer urban areas generally and Queensland specifically. However, as the map shows, there was a pronounced distinction between the affluent hills areas in the electorate’s south, which swung to Labor, and the working class suburbia of Kallangur, which went strongly the other way. Dutton’s result was well in line with the Senate vote, but actually slightly below par compared with the demographic model. It may be thought significant that One Nation struggled for air in competition with Dutton, scoring a modest 5.2%.
Fadden (LNP 14.2%; 2.9% swing to LNP): The three electorates of the Gold Coast all recorded below-average swings to the LNP, and were as always comfortably retained by the party in each case. Fadden accordingly remains secure for Stuart Robert, who had held it since 2007.
Fairfax (LNP 13.4%; 2.6% swing to LNP): The northern Sunshine Coast seat of Fairfax will forever wear the ignominy of having sent Clive Palmer to parliament in 2013, but Ted O’Brien recovered the seat for the Liberal National Party when Palmer bowed out of politics all-too-temporarily in 2016, and was uneventfully re-elected this time.
Fisher (LNP 12.7%; 3.6% swing to LNP): Second term LNP member Andrew Wallace did not enjoy a noticeable sophomore surge in his Sunshine Coast seat, picking up a slightly below par swing. All told though, this was an unexceptional result.
Forde (LNP 8.6%; 8.0% swing to LNP): This seat on Brisbane’s southern fringe maintained its recent habit of disappointing Labor, comfortably returning Bert van Manen, who gained it with the 2010 backlash after one term of Labor control. Reflecting the outer urban effect, van Manen gained the biggest swing to the LNP in south-east Queensland, and was able to achieve an improvement on the primary vote despite the entry of One Nation, who polled 11.8%. His 8.6% margin easily surpassed his previous career best of 4.4% in 2013, when his opponent was Peter Beattie.
Griffith (Labor 2.9%; 1.4% swing to Labor): It’s been touch and go for Labor’s Terri Butler since she succeeded Kevin Rudd at a by-election in 2014, but this time she was a beneficiary of the inner urban effect, which helped her eke out a 1.4% swing against the statewide trend. Of particular note was a surge in support for the Greens, who were up by 6.7% to 23.7%, their strongest result ever in a Queensland federal seat. Butler’s 31.0% primary vote was well below the LNP’s 41.0%, but Greens preferences were more than sufficient to make up the difference.
Lilley (Labor 0.6%; 5.0% swing to LNP): One of the worst aspects of Labor’s thoroughly grim election night was newcomer Anika Wells’ struggle to retain Lilley upon the retirement of Wayne Swan, who himself experienced a career interruption in the seat when it was lost in the landslide of 1996. However, the metrics suggest the 5.0% swing was fuelled by the loss of Swan’s personal vote, showing barely any difference between the actual result and the Senate and demographic measures. The Labor primary vote plunged 8.1%, partly reflecting the entry of One Nation, who scored 5.3%.
Longman (LNP GAIN 3.3%; 4.1% swing to LNP): One of the two seats gained by the LNP from Labor in Queensland, together with the Townsville-based seat of Herbert (which will be covered in the next episode), Longman can be viewed two ways: in comparison with the 2016 election or the July 2018 by-election, which more than anything served as the catalyst for Malcolm Turnbull’s demise. On the former count, the 4.1% swing was broadly in line with the statewide trend, and comfortably sufficed to account for Susan Lamb’s 0.8% margin when she unseated Wyatt Roy in 2016. On the latter, the result amounted to a reversal of 7.7% in two-party terms, with victorious LNP candidate Terry Young doing 9.0% better on the primary vote than defeated by-election candidate Trevor Ruthenberg, recording 38.6%. One Nation scored 13.2%, which compared with 9.4% in 2016 and 15.9% at the by-election. Lamb actually outperformed the Senate and especially the demographic metric, suggesting a sophomore surge may have been buried within the broader outer urban effect. Despite the electorate’s demographic divide between working class Caboolture and retiree Bribie Island, the swing was consistent throughout the electorate.
McPherson (LNP 12.2%; 0.6% swing to LNP): As noted above in relation to Fadden, the results from the three Gold Coast seats did not provide good copy. McPherson produced a negligible swing in favour of LNP incumbent Karen Andrews, with both major parties slightly down on the primary vote, mostly due to the entry of One Nation with 5.9%.
Moncrieff (LNP 15.4%; 0.8% swing to LNP): The third of the Gold Coast seats was vacated with the retirement of Steve Ciobo, but the result was little different from neighbouring McPherson. On the right, a fall in the LNP primary vote roughly matched the 6.4% accounted for by the entry of One Nation; on the left, Animal Justice’s 3.9% roughly matched the drop in the Labor vote, while the Greens held steady. The collective stasis between left and right was reflected in the minor two-party swing.
Moreton (Labor 1.9%; 2.1% swing to LNP): This seat is something of an anomaly for Queensland in that it was held by the Liberals throughout the Howard years, but has since remained with Labor. This partly reflects a 1.3% shift in the redistribution before the 2007 election, at which it was gained for Labor by the current member, Graham Perrett. The swing on this occasion was slightly at the low end of the Queensland scale, thanks to the inner urban effect at the electorate’s northern end. Relatedly, it was a particularly good result for the Greens, whose primary vote improved from 12.7% to 16.8%.
Oxley (Labor 6.4%; 2.6% swing to LNP): Only Pauline Hanson’s historic win in 1996 has prevented this seat from sharing with Rankin the distinction of being the only Queensland seat to stay with Labor through recent history. Second term member Milton Dick was not seriously endangered on this occasion, his two-party margin being clipped only slightly amid modest shifts on the primary vote as compared with the 2016 result.
Petrie (LNP 8.4%; 6.8% swing to LNP): This seat maintained a bellwether record going back to 1987 by giving Labor one of its most dispiriting results of the election, which no doubt left LNP member Luke Howarth feeling vindicated in his agitation for a leadership change after the party’s poor by-election result in neighbouring Longman. Howarth strongly outperformed both the Senate and especially the demographic metrics, after also recording a favourable swing against the trend in 2016. He also managed a 3.4% improvement on the primary vote, despite facing new competition from One Nation, who polled 7.5% – exactly equal to the primary vote swing against Labor.
Rankin (Labor 6.4%; 4.9% swing to LNP): Rankin retained its status as Labor’s safest seat in Queensland, but only just: the margin was 6.44% at the second decimal place, compared with 6.39% in Oxley. Jim Chalmers copped a 7.9% hit on the primary vote in the face of new competition from One Nation (8.6%) and the United Australia Party (3.7%), while both the LNP and the Greens were up by a little under 3%. Nonetheless, Chalmers strongly outperformed both the Senate and demographic metrics. That the latter scarcely recognises Rankin as a Labor seat reflects the electorate’s large Chinese population, which at this election associated negatively with Labor support in metropolitan areas.
Ryan (LNP 6.0%; 3.0% swing to Labor): LNP newcomer Julian Simmonds was in no way threatened, but he suffered the biggest of the three swings against his party in Queensland, all of which were recorded in inner Brisbane. As well as the inner urban effect, this no doubt reflects ill-feeling arising from his preselection coup against Jane Prentice. It is tempting to imagine what might have happened if Prentice sought to press the issue by running as an independent.
ANNOUNCEMENT: If this painstakingly compiled post interested you enough that you have made it all the way through to the end, perhaps you might care to make a donation. These are gratefully received via the “become a supporter” button that appears just below, or the PressPatron button at the top of the page.
re: Isaacs
Another factor to take into consideration is the Liberal candidate last time around. He was disendorsed by the liberals for anti-muslim remarks but it was too late for the ballot paper to change. He saw quite a big drop of 7% on the liberal primary so how much of that comes back will be interesting.
Here’s an interesting fact: Victoria’s Supreme Court has only had 12 Chief Justices since 1852.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_judges_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_Victoria
How come the Sydney trainer blocked the ball and stopped a potential try and his team got to feed the scrum? Why isn’t it an automatic penalty against the team whose trainer touched the ball?
Richard Murphy on the prospect of Scotland becoming independent:
https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2019/10/06/as-close-to-certainty-as-anyone-can-get/
Diogenes:
Apparently the rules treat it the same as if it hit the ref or similar. Some speculation that if you penalised the team the trainer was from, then people might start deliberately targeting the opposing trainers for the penalty.
In AFL it’s a free kick and fifty metre penalty is a trainer interrupts play in any way.
Play is stopped in soccer and the trainer needs permission to enter the field. In soccer Cronks foul would have been a penalty and yellow card. In gridiron it would have been a new try count from 50% closer to the end zone.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/06/trump-ukraine-scandal-second-whistleblower-comes-forward
A second whistleblower with direct knowledge of an alleged plot by Donald Trump to extort Ukraine into producing dirt on his Democratic 2020 election rival Joe Biden has stepped forward, according to Mark Zaid, a lawyer for the first whistleblower in the case.
Zaid told ABC News on Sunday that he was representing a second whistleblower, described as a member of the intelligence community, in the case that has sparked an impeachment inquiry by the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill.
Zaid said he did not know whether his second client was the same “second whistleblower” whose existence was first reported by the New York Times on Saturday.
A colleague of Zaid’s, Andrew Bakaj, confirmed the news Sunday morning on Twitter: “I can confirm that my firm and my team represent multiple whistleblowers in connection to the underlying 12 August disclosure to the Intelligence Community Inspector General. No further comment at this time.”
Dio
Don’t know why they couldn’t reset the tackle count to zero and restart play from the 10m line.
The swing to Labor in Issacs in the 2019 election was 3.45% to Labor, while in neighboring electorates the swings to Labor were the following;
Goldstein it was 4.89% to Labor.
Dunkley it was 1.71% to Labor.
Hotham 1.70% to Labor.
I don’t believe Labor would have too much difficulty holding onto Issacs in a by-election. Although it would be interesting if the Liberals decide not to contest.
Donations totalling more than $100,000 to NSW LNP, which could be seen (if you are cynical) as bribes to smooth the planning process, have been exposed by The Guardian.
Let’s see if they get the same megaphone treatment as the $100,000 donation to Labor, now before ICAC.
Not just Woolies, either.
The law is ignored by the NSW LNP gov’t. I wonder why.
No enforcement = effectively no law, which makes the LNP gov’t complicit. Will they refer themselves to ICAC?
My money is on the “sink without a trace” outcome, but then, I’m a cynic.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/oct/07/political-donations-hidden-from-nsw-planning-authorities-by-big-corporations
Confessions @ #346 Sunday, October 6th, 2019 – 11:05 pm
So, Trump added the attempt to corruptly influence Zelensky bit. Now, THAT makes more sense.
Maude Lynne,
Boosy Boots Berejiklian was up our way last week ordering the Central Coast Council to ‘hop to it!’ and just approve all the developments the Liberals want!
So…Labor-dominated council takes its time to get it right and sensitively-consider developments…and Liberal State Government leader says, bugger that, just overdevelop the place!
That simple country lad Dan Tehan, who often makes things up, is following his usual path in pursuing fantasies. Why would Bill Shorten want to stand for a NSW seat?
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/10/06/31-9million-election-bill-labor/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning%20News%20-%2020191007
lizzie @ #365 Monday, October 7th, 2019 – 6:44 am
Who’s he kidding!?! Bill Shorten would never support the Sydney Swans! 😆
Now that Morrison and Trump are Best Friends Forever, will Morrison tell Trump that his trade war with China is hurting our plantation wood chip export industry. If China can’t sell paper to the US then it won’t buy our woodchips to make said paper.
That can throw quite a few workers in rural industries out of work. It affects truckies, too, mostly in Albany (WA), but also SA and Victoria.
Will Rick Wilson (Lib, O’Connor) be on the phone to Scotty, telling him his supporters aren’t impressed with being collateral damage?
Will Scotty rush in with a ‘relief package’ (‘NOT WELFARE’) à la Drought Relief?
Probably not. Like Trump’s supporters, even when a trade war bankrupts them they’ll still vote for him.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-06/us-china-trade-war-impacts-on-australian-woodchip-industry/11577740
C@t,
Gladys obviously knows who gets the donations, and it’s not the Labor council.
U.S. Seen as Climate Risk With Two-Thirds of New Oil and Gas
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-20/u-s-to-pump-two-thirds-of-world-s-new-oil-and-gas-in-2020s
New Opinium Poll in the UK shows:
– Conservatives stronger;
– Lib Dems much weaker;
– SNP at 5% of the whole UK vote; and
– Conservative and Brexit Parties together have 50%!
Britain-wide voting intentions (Opinium):
Conservatives 38% (+2)
Labour 23% (-1)
Liberal Democrats 15% (-5)
Brexit Party 12% (+1)
SNP 5% (n/c)
Greens 4% (+2)
UKIP 1% (+1)
Scottish sub-sample (unweighted)
SNP 48%
Conservatives 25%
Labour 11%
Brexit Party 9%
Liberal Democrats 7%
An estimated, over 200,000 marched, in the rain, on Saturday through Edinburgh for Independence.
There is some, and growing, tension amongst the SNP membership about the pre-occupation with stopping Brexit over Independence (though the leadership says they are pursuing both). Is the leadership over timid?
Some argue that the neighbours want Brexit and their democratic wish should not be thwarted, as Westminster politicians regularly do to Scottish wishes, and its happening will guarantee Independence.
Who knows 🙂
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
Eryk Bagshaw reports that Marise Payne has warned Hong Kong’s government it “risks inflaming a delicate and sensitive situation” by using emergency laws for the first time in 50 years as thousands of protesters defy orders and return to the streets.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/authorities-risk-inflaming-a-delicate-situation-in-hong-kong-20191006-p52y3g.html
And he outlines how Bill Shorten accepted the blame for Labor’s election loss.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/shorten-i-misread-franking-credits-20191006-p52y29.html
The Labor Party blew nearly $32 million on the campaign to elect Bill Shorten as prime minister in a failed mission that has left the ALP facing a financial black hole reports Sam Maiden.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/10/06/31-9million-election-bill-labor/
More from Bagshaw as he tells us that Richard Di Natale has said Bob Brown’s anti-Adani convoy hurt Labor’s chances at the federal election.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bob-brown-s-convoy-hurt-labor-says-richard-di-natale-20191006-p52y1e.html
Rob Harris reports that the energy sector is pushing for major rewriting of the federal government’s so-called “big stick” laws, warning that without critical amendments the measures will not reduce energy prices or otherwise benefit consumers.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/big-stick-laws-need-major-rewrite-to-avoid-consumer-pain-says-energy-sector-20191006-p52y21.html
Professor of law Luke Beck writes that the right to be a bigot hidden in the government’s religious freedom bill. Beck says that the inclusion is inconsistent with international human rights law and probably unconstitutional. This makes for very interesting reading.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/right-to-be-a-bigot-hidden-in-the-government-s-religious-freedom-bill-20191004-p52xs7.html
An SMH editorial looks at the significant shortfall we face when it comes to mental health.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/disruptive-digital-design-could-help-health-services-reach-vulnerable-20191006-p52y0c.html
And the SMH explains how the loss of bargaining power is leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation. And it’s not just wages.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/loss-of-bargaining-power-leaves-workers-vulnerable-to-exploitation-20191006-p52y3w.html
Some of Australia’s biggest corporations have hidden political donations from planning authorities, which is a criminal offence in New South Wales, a Guardian investigation has found.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/oct/07/political-donations-hidden-from-nsw-planning-authorities-by-big-corporations
Delaying the inevitable move toward net zero emissions makes the inevitable transition more costly and chaotic, says BP’s chief economist, Spencer Dale.
https://outline.com/3LVPDL
Oh no! Tony Abbott says it was Malcolm Turnbull’s ambition and not a divided government that led to him being ousted as prime minister, as he revealed he would consider a return to parliament.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6424066/abbott-would-consider-return-to-politics/?cs=14231
Professor Ramesh Thakur unpacks the nuclear landscape and whether Australia should host U.S. missiles.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/uncertainty-rife-as-us-exits-nuclear-disarmament-treaty,13170
Pharmacists can now vaccinate adults against whooping cough, measles and the flu, but it might cost you more.
https://theconversation.com/pharmacists-can-vaccinate-adults-against-whooping-cough-measles-and-the-flu-but-it-might-cost-you-more-122191
Cardinal George Pell’s malevolent crusade against Pope Francis remains as vigorous as his disdain and notorious self-professed disinterest for victims of child sex abuse says this report in The Independent Australia.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/cardinals-george-pell-and-gerhard-ludwig-mullerv-jesus-v-pope-v-amazon-v-sex-abuse-victims,13172
Nicole Hemmer says that a move towards Trump’s impeachment matters, even if it fails.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/a-move-towards-trump-s-impeachment-matters-even-if-it-fails-20191004-p52xsi.html
The Guardian explains how an erratic Trump is struggling to control the message as the impeachment threat grows.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/06/trump-impeachment-inquiry-threat-grows
According to Andrew Rawnsley Boris Johnson is still gambling on winning his Brexit blame game.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/06/boris-johnson-is-still-gambling-on-winning-brexit-blame-game
This interesting CSIRO study has calculated the water footprint of the foods we eat.
https://theconversation.com/it-takes-21-litres-of-water-to-produce-a-small-chocolate-bar-how-water-wise-is-your-diet-123180
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe really sums things up here!
Jim Pavlidis has a view of where he thinks Trump is headed.
Cathy Wilcox and modern concerns.
From Matt Golding
Matt Davidson and wages theft.
More excoriating poetry from Mark David.
From the US
Lizzie
“U.S. Seen as Climate Risk With Two-Thirds of New Oil and Gas”
We’re doomed, Lizzie.
As Roger Waters sang in Two Suns in the Sunset (The Final Cut)
“Looks like the human race is run”
In 1983 he saw nuclear war as the threat to humanity. But now it looks like we will not go out with a bang, more like a whimper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TSz30Nj2n4
Richard Di Natale is a pain in the neck and a smug little ….:
Greens leader Richard Di Natale told The Sydney Morning Herald that Bob Brown’s anti-Adani convoy harmed Labor’s chances at the federal election because the party failed to articulate a clear position on climate change.
So, a bunch of Inner City dilettantes travelling in EVs to outback Queensland only harmed Labor’s chances at the federal election because that same bunch of care less dilettantes were already strapping themselves to Labor as they loudly proclaimed labor’s victory would be handed on a plate to The Greens and Labor would have to dance to their tune. This, therefore, drove Labor’s vote lower and the LNP’s much, much higher, as people put family and job security above the concerns of inner city dilettantes.
This is an example of the sort of Queenslander The Greens don’t get:
“Car 1. Flock of cockatoos 0.”
LNP SENATOR JAMES MCGRATH PROUDLY SHOWS OFF A PHOTO OF THE DEAD COCKATOO CAUGHT IN HIS ROOF RACK. WHAT A BLOODY GALAH.
Big A Adrian @ #110 Sunday, October 6th, 2019 – 11:23 am
BW: “IMO, Labor should right now be announcing an immediate and major regional drought aid/global warming mitigation/global warming adaptation policy.
This policy should be double digit billions.”
“Labor should because the Greens can’t”, it does get dull.
It seems like Trump is getting into the swing of his line against impeachment:
Over the past week, Fox News and conservative talk radio have relentlessly characterized the House of Representatives’ formal impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump as a “coup d’etat” by Democrats “to try and take our votes away from us.”
Right-wing talk radio hosts have claimed Trump “is not going down without a fight” and questioned “how much longer are we going to endure” the House investigations.
In an October 1 tweet, Trump repeated the dangerous and false rhetoric that the constitutionally protected inquiry “is a COUP” to “take away the Power of the … People.”
The Greens, just another anti Labor Party that needs to accept the policies of it’s senior partner, the Liberals. Given the Greens like to claim every anti Labor stunt it is interesting it is now “Bob Browns Convey”, perhaps Labor has had enough and the message is getting though Natale’s thick skull. But I doubt it.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bob-brown-s-convoy-hurt-labor-says-richard-di-natale-20191006-p52y1e.html
Gee, I hope BK’s alright!
Gee, I hope BK’s alright!
____
I’m here C@t. What made you think otherwise?
Jake Tapper on fire!
https://twitter.com/i/status/1180954865427783680
BK @ #379 Monday, October 7th, 2019 – 8:24 am
My being stoopid and not seeing the Dawn Patrol beneath my post! 😆
Thanks VM BK for the Dawn Patrol.
From your files —👇👇👇👇👇
Cardinal George Pell’s malevolent crusade against Pope Francis remains as vigorous as his disdain and notorious self-professed disinterest for victims of child sex abuse says this report in The Independent Australia.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/cardinals-george-pell-and-gerhard-ludwig-mullerv-jesus-v-pope-v-amazon-v-sex-abuse-victims,13172
I think at last I am beginning to understand
Unfortunately has been superseded by
Und zo ven ze babee fall and sustains damage which includes the obligatory enlarged amygdala the child will grow and grow and eventually be elected to Australia’s Federal Parliament by a grateful populace to enact laws that encourage
laws that have brought a rebuke from Luke Beck as follows 👇 (Thanks BK.
Professor of law Luke Beck writes that the right to be a bigot hidden in the government’s religious freedom bill. Beck says that the inclusion is inconsistent with international human rights law and probably unconstitutional. This makes for very interesting reading.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/right-to-be-a-bigot-hidden-in-the-government-s-religious-freedom-bill-20191004-p52xs7.html
Excerpt from Oscar Wilde’s The Ballad of Reading Gaol.
Late news – time travel has been definitively ruled out.
The evidence – some life still survives – if TT were a reality some arsehole would have invented nuclear weapons in 1939 and wiped us all out.
Here endeth the lesson. I’m glad that BK is all right, although there was never any doubt in my mind. 😎 (That’s me). 😈 (That’s Misters Pell and Muller).
Over and out. The arrant bastardry involved has me a little cranky.
We are not rational.
What drives human behavior? Why do we do what we do? Is free will an illusion? Has civilization made us better? Can we escape our tribal past? These questions are the subject of Stanford biology professor Robert Sapolsky’s new book Behave:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bnSY4L3V8s
SK:
If you’re about, I watched Amy Klobuchar on Jake Tapper’s show last night, the first time I’ve seen her in an interview. She reminds me very much of Tanya Plibersek – hesitant, unsure. But what struck me is she seems to be pitching for the VP candidacy. I reckon she’s given up on president.
frednk (AnonBlock)
Monday, October 7th, 2019 – 9:07 am
Comment #383
Why Can’t You Behave — Ella Fitzgerald.
♫ Why can’t you ♫ behave?
Oh, ♪ why can’t ♫ you behave?
After ♫ all the ♪ things you ♫ told me
And the ♪ promises ♫ that you ♪ gave
Oh,♫ why can’t ♪ you ♪ behave?
In the mould of Huw Parkinson: Trump meets the Honeymooners.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XriXDtfqCg&feature=youtu.be
Tim Wilson is gloating about the ‘admission of failure’ by Bill Shorten. He calls it a “satisfying read”.
Unfortunately I can’t slap his face, I can only despise him. Nasty, deceitful little man, using lies to bring down Labor.
WE. WUZ. ROBBED. BY. SINNY!
C@tmomma @ #373 Monday, October 7th, 2019 – 7:30 am
I don’t think a ‘dilettante’ would travel much beyond the end of their street to support a cause and certainly wouldn’t up and drive to outback Queensland. Silly use of the word and in fact the whole attack on inner city people is wilfully ignorant and divisive. Try to remember that, although the LNP secured a majoritative win in May almost half of the vote doesn’t support them. In a reasonable political system they deserve to have some kind of voice.
lizzie @ #388 Monday, October 7th, 2019 – 9:16 am
You may be pleased to know that, upon completion of my new age voodoo doll (with lifelike ugly appendages) – the aforementioned Mr. T. Wilson will be the recipient of numerous jabs, thrusts, squeezes, pinches (as though he were a resident in a not so good Aged Care Facility). That’ll sort him out.
Hand on heart. Satisfaction assured. 😎
Di Natale’s clear position is to deliver the complete phase out of coal by 2030.
Crystal clear.
Backed by the Greens Convoy to Piss off the Regional Vote and hoover up the wealthy inner urbs vote.
90% of the voters did not buy that. But it was a clear position!
Please explain, Di Natale!
Good Morning
I see the Labor partisan denial is in full flow.
Same old arguments. Another election defeat looming
Can’t stop laughing at this.
RdN…..Greens campaigned against Labor…..true story. The Greens are an anti-worker/anti-Labor expression. It’s satisfying to have this stated by a Top Green. They have reason to be proud of their work. They got what they wanted.
[‘Prince Andrew has reportedly told friends he only visited paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in New York to end their friendship.’]
He could’ve phoned or written to the creep. More exculpation on this man’s part:
https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/prince-andrew-claims-he-only-visited-jeffrey-epstein-to-end-friendship/news-story/df00adf2e5630639efcc410f103d3296
There are now multiple Ukraine whistleblowers. I did say that Trump’s attacks on the whistleblower could have the effect of encouraging more of them to come forward.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/whistleblowers-attorney-says-team-now-representing-multiple-officials/2019/10/06/18b48fec-e83d-11e9-9306-47cb0324fd44_story.html
Happy 1st April everybody.
Having a break from lawn edging and in a moment of automatism my spirit guide directed me to — 👇👇👇
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/david-littleproud-totally-accepts-climate-change-leads-to-drought/news-story/83353537ce42d2beba0f4f9cbd882e04
Why I cain’t hardly believe my eyes —
and, of course, mes enfants —
but
Pride – that’s what’s blowing in the wind.
or maybe pride goes before a fall.
Big prizes (and Elephant stamps) for guessing who belongs to the cut off heads above.
Meanwhile in the real world I have not heard Labor say much about Tim Wilson contrast with Dutton yet. Also not heard much about Morrison’s Qanon friend.
Reality is getting surreal.