The latest fortnightly Essential Research poll still offers nothing on voting intention, though it’s relative interesting in that it features the pollster’s monthly leadership ratings. Contrary to Newspoll, these record a weakening in Anthony Albanese’s ratings, with approval down three to 37% and disapproval up five to 34%. Scott Morrison also worsens slightly, down two on approval to 45% and up three on disapproval to 41%, and his preferred prime minister read is essentially steady at 44-28 (43-28 last month).
Further questions relate to the right to protest, including the finding that 33% would support laws flagged by Scott Morrison that “could make consumer or environment boycotts illegal”, while 39% were opposed. Fifty-eight per cent agreed the government had “the right to limit citizen protests when it disrupts business”, with 31% for disagree; but that 53% agreed that “protestors should have the right to pressure banks not to invest in companies that are building coal mines”, with 33% disagreeing.
The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from a sample of 1075 respondents chosen from an online panel.
D&M the much fabled 2013 Phase 2 HSR Study completely borked its analysis of mode choice between HSR and car usage. There’s a bigger story behind that including the biases of the bureaucrats in charge and the consultants. Plus the fact that their riding orders was to prove that Sydney to Melbourne could be made economic. I’d love to go into this in detail because very, very few people are aware just how bad that Study actually is – and its sad that Albanese still treats it like the Bible.
CC
Thanks for this comment – so the background murmurs about reduced capacity I hear from some people I work with, who now have to catch an extra train to get to work or something, are possibly not objective as they could be?
I should inform myself about this. To me the North-West metro seems to work well so far, but I hardly ever catch it, and so will defer to the experiences of people who are regular users.
D&M some background information about the metro and the Epping Chatswood line..
The Epping Chatswood line was originally conceived as a Parramatta to CBD line but the Parramatta to Epping section was never built. There were a number of failures in the design of this line, including the fact that it was going to take over the Carlingford line rather than tunnel to Epping. Had it been fully constructed it would have been a very slow way to get from Parramatta to the CBD.
There was also the realisation that to make it work properly would have meant an additional crossing of the Harbour and using another corridor under the CBD. But this was never fully worked out. Instead what the Epping to Chatswood line became was a branch of the North Shore line.
Now, branches have their use, but the price to pay for branching is its a zero sum game. The more trains you send down one leg of a branch, the less you send on the other leg. They also screwed up in attaching the Epping Chatswood line to the upper Northern line. Now, the complexity of the Northern line, plus the fact that you need a lot of trains on the northern part of the North Shore line meant that realistically you would never see more than 6 to 8 trains per hour in peak on the Epping to Chatswood line.
Many people who argue about the metro providing less seats (and conflating seats with capacity) are pretending that the Epping to Chatswood line could have been operated as a standalone line and not a branch. That’s intellectually dishonest.
In reality you get roughly 500 seats on a 8 car metro train (the initial service is 6 cars but they can be lengthened easily). Versus 800 odd seats on a typical double deck Waratah. Thing is, you can run the metro at up to 30 trains per hour (that’s a rounded claim, the reality is you can do a bit better). Versus the 6-8 DD trains you could have pushed through the Epping-Chatswood line as it was configured.
Oh and the other thing people don’t often mention is this. Because the Epping-Chatswood line was built as a branch and was directed onto the upper Northern line it had a geometrical issue. It had to swing up north of Chatswood and curl around and then it had to swing south in order to approach Epping from the south. That made the whole thing longer and slower than it had to be. And then there was the debacle where Nimbys complained about a short bridge crossing the Lane Cove River. That meant a deeper path, one less station and a lot more cost.
They didn’t get absolutely everything right with the metro. For one thing it could have been faster. However, there’s been a lot of errant nonsense and its largely political posturing on the part of the rail tram and bus union. Plus certain ex State Rail people who frankly are too old and unable to adapt. In some ways its a religious obsession.
The Pope takes a very different stance to Folau
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-lgbt-hitler/pope-compares-politicians-who-rage-against-gays-to-hitler-idUSKBN1XP1MM
Thanks to
CC, D&M and Steve777
for the nice conversation about trains in yesterdays late evening. A pleasent surprise!
Well, I agree that it’s not fair to make fun of anyone’s deeply held beliefs, whatever they are, as long as they do no harm, so I’m not laughing.
Trump’s alleged ‘checkup’ at Walter Reed was ‘abnormal’ and ‘scheduled last minute’: report
President Donald Trump’s unexpected trip to Walter Reed medical center did not follow “routine” protocols for a presidential medical exam, CNN’s Jeremy Diamond reported on Sunday.
A source familiar with Trump’s visit to the hospital told Diamond that staff was not notified prior to the president’s visit.
During normal circumstances, medical center staff would have received instructions about a “VIP” visit ahead of time.
A second source also told CNN that the trip to Walter Reed was “abnormal.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/11/trumps-alleged-checkup-at-walter-reed-was-non-routine-and-scheduled-last-minute-report/
“That did not happen this time, indicating the visit was a non-routine visit and scheduled last minute,” Diamond reported.
Trump ridiculed after his Louisiana governor candidate goes down in flames: ‘Guess it’s time for another unplanned trip to the hospital’
Commenters on the Internet piled on President Donald Trump late Saturday night after the GOP candidate for Lousiana’s governor seat lost to sitting Governor John Bel Edwards who held his seat in a state that Trump carried in 2016 by nearly 20 percentage points.
Trump visited the states multiple times to support Republican Eddie Rispone, but to no avail.
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/11/trump-ridiculed-after-his-louisiana-governor-candidate-goes-down-in-flames-guess-its-time-for-another-unplanned-trip-to-the-hospital/
With impeachment, Trump has lost control of the news cycle — and he’s not handling it well
We’re still a year out from the election, but a strong early contender for the worst take among the chattering classes was the suggestion that Donald Trump secretly wanted to be impeached in order to fire up his base going into 2020. Not only is Trump’s based perpetually aggrieved–and constantly told by the conservative press that America will come to a nasty end if the “socialist Democrats” come to power–but this storyline also elided the president’s* narcissism.
Trump’s been fuming more than usual since the impeachment process began, which is consistent with someone suffering from narcissistic injury. But his witness-tampering in real-time, which was so egregious that even his most loyal lackeys in Congress were forced to (softly) condemn it, was also a desperate attempt to regain some control over the news cycle, which the public impeachment hearings have dramatically weakened.
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/11/with-impeachment-trump-has-lost-control-of-the-news-cycle-and-hes-not-handling-it-well/
Perhaps Dotard has a job as a TV critic post politics?
The Sunshine Coast got some rain – a bit intense with hail the size of cricket balls. Who could have predicted this?
Cud Chewer says:
Sunday, November 17, 2019 at 11:31 pm
Are any of the regular crowd here interested in high speed rail?
As I use the XPT I would definitely be a happy customer.
In my view it has to be built for the following reasons.
1) planes are not environmentally friendly, nor for that matter is the XPT. High speed rail is if we have a electricity grid ran off renewables. Which despite the best efforts of the Greens and the Liberals will happen.
2) cars and trucks really don’t mix well.
3)It is a lot more pleasant than getting on a plane.
4)To try and keep the economy going we have built a new hospital in pretty much every city. What next?
sprocket_ says: Monday, November 18, 2019 at 6:39 am
Perhaps Dotard has a job as a TV critic post politics?
**************************************************
Alternative Report :
Chris Wallace crushes GOP Whip Steve Scalise’s twisted defense of Trump: ‘We’re not talking about the whistleblower’
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) struggled on Sunday to defend President Donald Trump’s alleged attempt to bribe the president of Ukraine to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
During an interview on FOX News Sunday, Wallace grilled Scalise about reports that U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland was overheard saying Trump only cared about things that benefit him like an investigation into Biden.
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/11/chris-wallace-crushes-gop-whip-steve-scalises-twisted-defense-of-trump-were-not-talking-about-the-whistleblower/
lizzie says:
Monday, November 18, 2019 at 6:20 am
Well, I agree that it’s not fair to make fun of anyone’s deeply held beliefs, whatever they are, as long as they do no harm, so I’m not laughing.
Lizzie there are limits, I think blaming the bush fires on gays crosses the line myself.
Kronomex @ #1380 Sunday, November 17th, 2019 – 10:42 pm
So, how does he explain Dorothea Mackellar’s ‘My Country’ ?
I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
As far as I can remember, in the years 1904-1908 when it was written, there was no Same Sex Marriage or legalised abortion in Australia. But there sure were ‘droughts and flooding rains’. 😐
frednk
Of course, but Folau isn’t very smart. He cherry-picks his bible. Someone has pointed out that it also forbids tattooing.
Scott Morrison is a disgrace.
Adam Curlis
@TAFEeducation
‘ … the PM “had time to meet with 21 religious leaders in August on the religious freedom bill but no time to meet 23 experts on fire season.”
“It would have been good to have extra water-bombers along with those thoughts & prayers.”’
Morning all. Cud thanks for pointing out why Sydney NW Metro made sense and why Epping Chatswood failed, as well as the greater capacity of the Metro vs double deckers. NSW Labor failed dismally to service NW Sydney for a decade. The two billion spent on the Sydney SW line and the rejection of the Parramatta Metro proposal also deserves questioning.
Israel Folau is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he is charismatic and has a high public profile which is boosted by Scott Morrison.
frednk @ #1414 Monday, November 18th, 2019 – 6:49 am
There’s no line.
It’s just stupid.
Laugh at him because he’s funny.
I believe (deeply) god is on Labor’s side and Queensland is copping a hiding for returning the cultist.
Cue laughing and ridicule.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
Now Israel Folau has linked the NSW bushfire crisis and drought to legalising same-sex marriage and abortion, warning the disasters are a “little taste of God’s judgment”. It’s not a rugby field he belongs in. It’s something quite different! At least climate change is off the hook.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/israel-folau-links-bushfire-crisis-to-same-sex-marriage-and-abortion-20191117-p53bf4.html
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/11/17/israel-folau-bushfires-sermon-gods-judgment/
Things have turned quite ugly and serious in Hong Kong overnight.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/17/fire-rocks-and-teargas-fly-in-day-of-battle-at-hong-kong-university
Fergus Hunter reports that federal MPs from across the political spectrum have rallied behind Liberals Andrew Hastie and James Paterson, questioning the Chinese government’s decision to bar the pair from visiting the country.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/shocking-mps-from-across-politics-defend-china-critics-hastie-and-paterson-20191117-p53bdv.html
The editorial in the Canberra Times says that the government is isolating itself on climate change.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6494984/government-isolating-itself-on-climate/?cs=14258
Gladys Berejiklian has tasked the state’s auditor with conducting an unprecedented review of the funding arrangements and management of four key independent agencies, including the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the NSW Electoral Commission.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/berejiklian-calls-for-an-audit-of-four-agencies-including-icac-20191117-p53bda.html
Not one of the top eight projects recommended for funding under the government’s regional grants program was successful across a swathe of Coalition-held seats in Queensland writes Sarah Martin.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/18/projects-judged-most-worthy-of-regional-grants-miss-out-in-coalition-held-seats
A six-year-old SBS article about bushfires that spread online last week shows the importance of truth for policymakers and the economy writes Jennifer Duke. Quite scary.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/the-future-of-the-truth-economy-in-a-web-of-internet-lies-20191114-p53agy.html
The government has unveiled changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme as part of a push to boost flexibility and address concerns plaguing the program. Whenever the Coalition uses the word “flexibility” one can be forgiven for being concerned.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/minister-reveals-practical-changes-to-make-ndis-more-flexible-20191117-p53bc9.html
Nancy Pelosi is amplifying her unfavourable comparison of Trump to fellow Republican Richard Nixon, saying that the disgraced president at least cared enough about the country to leave office before his impeachment.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/worse-than-richard-nixon-nancy-pelosi-raises-spectre-of-trump-resignation-20191118-p53bff.html
Anna Patty writes that the Fair Work Commission will for the first time grapple with whether gig economy workers are independent contractors or employees. This will be closely watched.
https://www.theage.com.au/business/workplace/uber-eats-driver-sacked-for-being-10-minutes-late-seeks-tribunal-appeal-20191115-p53b2f.html
Various moves by power producers to maximise available generation for this summer and a strong response to AEMO’s call for back-up power have dialled back extreme worries about forced power cuts just in time for an overdue meeting of federal, state and territory energy ministers in Perth on Friday.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/victoria-manufacturers-prepare-for-power-crunch-20191117-p53bdp
David Marr reviews the contents of a new book on the massacres that occurred during colonial times in Australia.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/18/blood-brains-and-foul-the-evidence-of-australias-massacres-are-in-its-newspapers
“I know a school auditorium that ranks in luxury and acoustics with Hamer Hall. That’s not fair when another school I know still has urinals open to the sky”, begins Dr Ian Hansen who says that private schools have widened the education divide.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/private-schools-have-widened-the-education-divide-20191015-p530vr.html
The next Harvey Norman AGM should be a doozy!
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/investors-don-t-blindly-follow-proxy-firms-430b-fund-manager-declares-20191117-p53bci.html
Nicole Hemmer examines how seriously we should take the Trump impeachment proceedings.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/investors-don-t-blindly-follow-proxy-firms-430b-fund-manager-declares-20191117-p53bci.html
For those who might be interested Prince Andrew’s long form interview has been describes as a train wreck.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/prince-andrew-s-bbc-interview-like-watching-a-man-in-quicksand-20191118-p53bf9.html
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/17/the-guardian-view-on-prince-andrew-entitled-obtuse-and-shamefully-silent-over-epstein-victims
Questions about the British government’s failure to release a report on Russia’s interference in the country’s politics continue to dog Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/leaked-report-concludes-russia-may-have-influenced-brexit-vote-20191118-p53bfb.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe and our PM in hiding.
Pat Campbell and Morrison not fronting up.
From Matt Golding.
Johannes Leak is quickly becoming stereotypical.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/92fa917ac55aeaaca7f20ccfb42f618f?width=1024
From the US
C@tmomma @ #1419 Monday, November 18th, 2019 – 7:09 am
For someone not very smart he gets a lot of free publicity to promote his causes.
Greensborough Growler @ #1422 Monday, November 18th, 2019 – 7:18 am
Yes, we shouldn’t talk about him at all, really. However, if you don’t he takes that as encouragement to go further because he isn’t challenged.
Morning all.
Someone should ask Scotty if he agrees with Israel Folau. Aren’t they from the same happy clapper religious faith?
Thanks BK. That interview of Prince Andrew was quite something.
From the ‘OMG They Are Still Alive !’ file .
.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3037870/kissinger-warns-us-and-china-their-conflicts-will-be
C@tmomma @ #1423 Monday, November 18th, 2019 – 7:22 am
If the name of the game is breadth of coverage and reach to a mainstream audience then he’s been amazingly successful. Sure, the outrage industry will fill their bags too. But, all that does is fuel the story.
Greensborough Growler @ #1422 Monday, November 18th, 2019 – 7:18 am
For someone not very smart he gets a lot of free publicity to promote his idiocy.
Why did Bill Shorten single out Yaron Finkelstein at the Melbourne Cup for a ‘fuck you’ and a vague threat in ‘just remember, the wheel always turns’? Well it turns out Labor sources insist it is nothing personal and that Bill ‘just hates Tories’. Strange then that he chose to hang around the millionaire infused Birdcage at the Cup. Can we expect more Shorten outbursts at Liberal staffers or even voters? #unhinged
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/media-diary-what-triggered-bill-shortens-spray-at-the-melbourne-cup/news-story/898bfd2ec3fbdf6a38d478cc845826b4
Fess
No, Folau belongs to a ‘religion’ invented and controlled by his own father. And controlled, I think, is the operative word.
This has been too long in coming.
Sounds a bit like a threat to me!
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/casey-councillors-face-grilling-on-business-dealings-with-developer-20191115-p53b5h.html
D&M
Dropsy usually is right heart failure with large amounts of oedema mainly in the legs. There is a bit of ascites but not a lot.
Folau and Morrison would appear to be very much cohabiting in the same bag of mixed nuts.
………….Folau grew up as a Mormon,[64] but moved to being an active member of the Assemblies of God Christian fellowship in 2011.[65] His father, Eni Folau, is a pastor.[66]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Folau#Religious_views
Morrison
…..attends the Horizon Church,[88] which is affiliated with the Australian Christian Churches, the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Morrison#Religion
‘E. G. Theodore says:
Sunday, November 17, 2019 at 10:54 pm
Diogenes:
I found a list of defunct historical medical terms:
– https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/illnesses-ailments-diseases-history-names/
There are several instances of the definite article:
– the horrors (not clear what it is – maybe sepsis/septic shock? “the horrors” seems to be associated with alcohol abuse…)
– the quinsy (painful abscess in the tissue around a tonsil that accompanies more severe forms of tonsillitis)
– the headache
– the blind staggers (this is selenium toxicity in livestock, and might be something to do with alcoholism in humans)
– the dropsy (ascites?)
– the lockjaw (tetanus, fatal in nine days in the case reported)
Of these I have read:
‘the horrors’. Not to be confused with Conrad’s ‘the horror, the horror.’
‘quinsy’ as opposed to ‘the quinsy’
‘a headache’ as opposed to ‘the headache’
‘dropsy’ as opposed to ‘the dropsy’
‘lockjaw’ as opposed to ‘the lockjaw’. In my youth ‘lockjaw’ was a staple for a series of sex jokes.
The point is, I suppose, that several terms have involved the use of both the definite and the indefinite articles.
Update.Apparently the Folau nutters are now “Nontrinitarian” so Scrott is scheduled to burn in hell for eternity along with the rest of us peasants. No ‘rapturing’ for him. 😆
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/why-the-pm-and-most-christians-are-going-to-hell-20190719-p528xx.html
We used to say “I’m learning to play the piano”, yet now I see “play piano”, or “play guitar”. No idea whether this is different in countries.
p
Is Kissinger right when he says that we have never had a global situation like this before?
He defines the situation as one in which two single world powers are each powerful enough to survive the other indefinitely and that, combined, they have the power to cause massive destruction and that they therefore should work out ways of sorting out their problems?
Islamophobic abuse mostly directed at women wearing headscarves while shopping, study finds
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-18/muslim-women-enduring-most-islamophobia-in-australia/11708376
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6494984/government-isolating-itself-on-climate/?cs=14245
The ravings of Folau are best ignored. If Morrison agrees with him, then that is a BIG problem for Australia.
poroti:
I’ll bet London to a brick the Morrisons agree with Folau’s view of climate change.
Natural disasters and domestic violence
https://theconversation.com/domestic-violence-will-spike-in-the-bushfire-aftermath-and-governments-can-no-longer-ignore-it-127018
citizen @ #1440 Monday, November 18th, 2019 – 8:08 am
Every day Morrison gets out of bed is a BIG problem for Australia.
Can’t figure out why Nath is so fixed on Bill Shorten. It’s unhealthy and obsessive. I’m concerned for Nath’s mental health.
Hedging my bets on Trumps medical check up.
Trump had a panic attack In light of not being able to control impeachment narrative
He is preparing ground for medical resignation
Or he is actually crook. Cos he honestly isn’t a healthy looking specimen.
Has Morrison popped up yet?
So, ScaMo is preparing to refocus the public’s attention away from the fires and towards his infrastructure announcement? As it involves more roads, a courageous journalist should ask him whether Climate Change will be taken into account when planning the roads so they don’t melt with the increased summer temperatures that will surely be a result of our inevitable march towards Global Heating.
Folau needs to be challenged and called out every time he goes public with one of his hateful attacks.
One wonders how many others there are like him who share his view that their god started the fires as some kind of punishment.
Some argue against taking serious action on climate change because they are doing the bidding of the fossil fuel industry; some argue against taking serious action on climate change because they care more about their party’s electoral prospects in conservative seats than they do about protecting the environment; and apparently some argue against it because they think their god who is meant to love all his children hates gay people.
Something I’ve never really understood is if their god is all-powerful, controls everything, and truly hates gay people, then why wouldn’t he just stop people from being gay in the first place? Why wouldn’t he just use his powers to change anyone or anything he didn’t like? Creating bushfires after the fact as some kind of cruel and terribly ineffective punishment is just so absurdly stupid that no entity with anywhere near the intelligence of a god would ever do such a thing. You’d think they’d give their god a bit more credit. Like this guy is god – he can do anything he wants – and they reckon his way of dealing with gay people is to create a bushfire? Seriously?
Lizzie – we also used to say ‘impact upon’ and now everyone seems to say ‘impacting’
Bushfire Bill
says:
Monday, November 18, 2019 at 8:17 am
Can’t figure out why Nath is so fixed on Bill Shorten. It’s unhealthy and obsessive. I’m concerned for Nath’s mental health.
——–
There are journalists who also write about Bill Shorten all the time. I’m concerned about their mental health too. Can’t we just let Bill go quietly into the shadows to plot Albos downfall without all this exposure?