The fortnightly Essential Research poll is out and, perhaps unsurprisingly for what will surely be its last survey for the year, it does not break its post-election habit of not publishing numbers on voting intention. What it does have is the monthly leadership ratings, which record little change for Scott Morrison (approval steady at 45%, disappoval up two to 43%) and favourable movement for Anthony Albanese (up two on approval to 39%, down six on disapproval to 28%). There is no preferred prime minister rating, but we do get evaluations on how the leaders have performed since the election: 11% say Scott Morrison has exceeded expectations, 41% that he has met them and 47% that he has fallen short of them, with Albanese’s respective ratings being 8%, 48% and 44%.
Also:
• The regular end-of-year question on for whom this has and hasn’t been a good year suggests people leaned positive about their own circumstances, albeit less so than last year; that it was a much better year for the government, which is hard to argue with on a purely political level; that it was a bad yet still much better year for “Australian politics in general”, the improvement presumably relating to the lack of a prime ministerial leadership coup; and that things were unambiguously positive only for large companies and the Australian cricket team.
• After two years of legalised same-sex marriage, 47% say it has had a positive impact, 15% negative and 38% neither.
• There remains negative sentiment towards unions, whom 49% say have too much power compared with 37% who disagreed. Fully 68% thought union officials should be disqualified merely for breaching administrative laws, with only 18% in disagreement, while 51% thought unions should be disqualified for taking unprotected industrial election, with 32% disagreeing. However, 62% agreed the government was “more concerned about the actions of union officials than the CEO’s of banks and other corporations”.
• Thirty-five per cent thought Scott Morrison should have stood Angus Taylor down from cabinet with 17% supporting his position, while 48% conceded they had not been following the issue.
• There was overwhelming support for the establishment of a federal ICAC, at 75% with only 8% opposed.
The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from a sample of 1035 respondents drawn from an online panel.
BB
That’s been obvious for some time. Morrison never allows a little truth to spoil his version of history.
@tinstargames tweets
The conservative owned media in AU told us Shorten was inept and bumbling and possibly a secret rapist. The conservative owned media in the UK told us Corbyn was inept and bumbling and a secret racist. So when I see “corbyn was bad” from leftists I am skeptical as hell
BB:
And if ever there was a good time for Scotty to pivot on climate change, christmas/new year when people are tuned out would be it. He could start the year afresh as it were.
bakunin @ #1512 Saturday, December 14th, 2019 – 7:47 am
I never said it was, you jumping at shadows Green numpty. I was referring to Metallurgical Coal as something Australia should continue to mine, along with the Rare Earths.
You are very close to going in the bin, bakunin.
This is an excellent article by Katherine Murphy.
I say that because she managed to write exactly what I believe to be true.
So it must be excellent:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/14/australias-democracy-has-faceplanted-and-labor-is-staring-down-some-disturbing-truths
Behind closed doors Morrison is being urged to do this right now: by Business, by many in his own party, by farmers, scientists and choking Sydneysiders. He’s got Labor already hugging Coal ever closer, right where he needs them, tacking so far to the Right they’re mixing with the spectator fleet.
I guess it’s just too easy to refuse the opportunity to put on the hobnail boots along with all the other armchair critics of Labor and not see the fine grain of the actions Labor is taking.
Pegasus @ #1521 Saturday, December 14th, 2019 – 9:05 am
That article is absolutely spot-on.
But it is not just our leaders who live in post-truth bubbles. You see the same bubbles being blown right here on PB. Bubbles inhabited by people who claim to accept the science, but who clearly don’t accept the consequences of accepting the science. “Cheer up – nothing to see here” they say. Or “Of course we can continue to open new coal mines – we contribute so little to global C02 emissions”.
The number of lies these people tell – not just to others, but apparently also to themselves – is simply staggering: “World demand for coal is falling”. “Australian Coal is better for the planet than other coal”.”Opening new coal mines will not affect the supply or demand for coal”. “If they didn’t buy our coal they would just buy it elsewhere”. “Coal mining does not produce greenhouse gases, only burning it does”
We have so little time left to take action – but what does Australia do instead? We prance and ponce and pontificate and generally make ourselves look ridiculous in world forums.
If this was a laughing matter, we would be a laughing stock.
Cat
Labor is doing climate denial too. Its backing coal despite what the scientists have published.
All with the excuse we can’t win the politics.
I think you can’t win the politics when you play in the post truth world instead of calling it out.
So, if Brazil exports iron ore to China and Indonesia exports coal to China, with both emitting shiploads of emissions to mine and transport said iron ore and said coal, and China emits a shitload of CO2 emissions to create computer parts which are then transported to Australia, again using shiploads of CO2 emissions, which are then used by Inner Urbs Greens to run election campaigns, who is responsible for the CO2 emission?
C@tmomma @ #1556 Saturday, December 14th, 2019 – 10:48 am
“fine grain”?
LOL!
@Kate_McClymont tweets
Eddie Obeid has just left Silverwater jail carrying what looks to be a large polystyrene box – a farewell Xmas ham perhaps? Justice Fullerton ruled on Friday there would be no jury for his next trial in February.
This would be a good time for Labor to make very showy noise about real reform to the NSW branch.
“Yes, the numbers went up but the percentage didn’t.”
***
I think I might save a copy of this post on my computer so I can just paste it here every time one of you Laborites make an absurd and factually incorrect claim like this about the Greens vote.
Greens House of Reps Primary Vote
2016: 1,385,650 | 10.23% (+1.58)
2019: 1,482,923 | 10.40% (+0.17)
Change: +97,273
Greens Senate Primary Vote
2016: 1,197,657 | 8.65% (-0.58)
2019: 1,488,427 | 10.19% (+1.57)
Change: +290,770
2016 House: https://results.aec.gov.au/20499/Website/HouseStateFirstPrefsByParty-20499-NAT.htm
2016 Senate: https://results.aec.gov.au/20499/Website/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-20499-NAT.htm
2019 House: https://results.aec.gov.au/24310/Website/HouseStateFirstPrefsByParty-24310-NAT.htm
2019 Senate: https://results.aec.gov.au/24310/Website/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-24310-NAT.htm
Yep and the Greens are always there to help the Liberals stop any action.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/14/australias-democracy-has-faceplanted-and-labor-is-staring-down-some-disturbing-truths
frednk
You are always there to help Murdoch and Bannon and Morrison subvert democracy.
Post truth world is your oyster.
Firefox
You are so proud of the Greens. Insignificant increase in the Green vote, an impotent party still impotent, a difficult issue made more difficult and a Liberal government. Take a bow.
I wonder how you get a golf clap emoji?
Exactly, Katharine:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/14/australias-democracy-has-faceplanted-and-labor-is-staring-down-some-disturbing-truths
‘Nuance’. It seems that some people here, with their ever-ready criticism of Labor, just can’t see the nuanced Labor wood for the trees. Thank goodness they are nowhere near the leadership of our great party.
guytaur
No, the Green party is what the Green party is. Has the Green party done anything to save the wilderness society from their destruction yet? What are you doing to get members a say? Did you go to their secret conference?
frednk
Yes you keep up the Murdoch Morrison and Bannon narrative.
The Greens are evil. Coal is good.
frednk,
The best *golf clap* is this gif:
guytaur says:
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 11:03 am
frednk
Yes you keep up the Murdoch Morrison and Bannon narrative.
The Greens are evil. Coal is good.
Close but not quite.
The Greens are evil, they help the Liberals push coal by opposing the only party that will and could do anything about coal being evil.
Boerwar @ #1559 Saturday, December 14th, 2019 – 10:50 am
This is a meaningless question. It depends on what accounting method you use.
https://mediamanager.sei.org/documents/Publications/Climate/SEI-DB-2013-New-fossil-fuel-economy-2.pdf
A better question is “Who should be responsible for the CO2 emissions”?
For the stooges, no matter which Labor leader, no matter which policies, no matter the election results there is always fine grained nuanced Labor wood.
frednk
There you go again proving my point.
Running the Murdoch Morrison Bannon narrative.
All in a pretence facts don’t matter in your post truth world.
The reaction of Laborites like Frednk when confronted with the reality that the Greens vote is going up…
Player One says:
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 11:07 am
….
A better question is “Who should be responsible for the CO2 emissions”?
Ok in your view who should?
Boerwar says:
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 10:50 am
So, if Brazil exports iron ore to China and Indonesia exports coal to China, with both emitting shiploads of emissions to mine and transport said iron ore and said coal, and China emits a shitload of CO2 emissions to create computer parts which are then transported to Australia, again using shiploads of CO2 emissions, which are then used by Inner Urbs Greens to run election campaigns and to fight flame wars on Bludger, who is responsible for the CO2 emissions: the Brazilians, the Chinese, the Indonesians or the Inner Urbs Greens?
firefox
Pfft.
My anger with the greens is they are preventing action on climate change. It is a serious issue that needs more than Greenstunts.
frednk
Boris Johnson just won an election purely on stunts. You should stop the sneering
guytaur
I’m still waiting for a list of the Green’s achievements.
FredNK
They have been listed. Not by me but others. I don’t need to repeat them. You may hate them but they are facts.
“The best *golf clap* is this gif:”
C@t:
Nice that Murphy has arrived at that realisation which some of us have been pointing out since the election.
It’s largely why I don’t bother with the wailing and handwringing by Greens about Labor’s position. Labor is the only party both willing and capable to do anything to reduce our country’s GHGEs.
guytaur says:
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 11:12 am
frednk
Boris Johnson just won an election purely on stunts. You should stop the sneering
If you wish to stop action on climate change and to 100% support Greens stunts you are fully within your rights to vote Green. But I wish you would do my blood pressure a favor and keep the sanctimonious crap to yourself.
Mark Butler isn’t saying lower ambition. Albanese isn’t saying it. Penny Wong isn’t saying it. Senior New South Wales rightwingers, such as Tony Burke and Chris Bowen, are saying we need to maintain ambition consistent with the science and find a way to do that while reassuring our blue-collar base. Burke and Bowen have floated the New Green Deal, or something like it, as a mechanism that might square the circle.
To complete the square Labor have to cross this big green crayon mark stopping action. It is for sure proving difficult.
FredNK
A long post to say coal is good. Greens are evil.
guytaur says:
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 11:15 am
FredNK
They have been listed. Not by me but others. I don’t need to repeat them. You may hate them but they are facts.
Missed it sorry.
frednk @ #1575 Saturday, December 14th, 2019 – 11:09 am
Indonesia, Brazil, China and Australia, to varying degrees. Figuring out the actual percentages would require a lot more information than is given. Also, the C02 cost of disposal of the computer equipment at end-of-life also has to be taken into account.
From Hartcher’s article re Australia becoming a leader in the digital sphere:
Not gonna happen with a dog’s breakfast of an NBN.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-nation-crying-out-for-leadership-from-scott-morrison-got-excuses-20191213-p53jtn.html
guytaur says:
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 11:20 am
FredNK
A long post to say coal is good. Greens are evil.
Ya it is subtle and longer than a three word slogan. It surprises me you interpreted “coal is evil” as “coal is good”, but there you go.
FredNK
Get Brexit Done is a three word slogan.
Don’t sneer. You just prove you are not good at winning elections.
Idiots have no capacity to learn. The average voter is capable of learning but doesn’t use that capability.
Confessions @ #1582 Saturday, December 14th, 2019 – 11:19 am
Labor is the only party that cares about what happens to the little guy. Full stop.
As well as the other stuff.
I am very angry about this. It strongly supports the view that either the AFP is biased towards supporting Dutton regardless of his (or his staff) behaviour, or they are incapable of intelligent investigation. Or perhaps they put novices on the case when it’s a Labor complaint.
So I send an email titled “What I had for breakfast this morning”, and it’s passed over as innocent in spite of the content, which is ignored. Are these really the people who are “keeping us safe”?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/12/labor-calls-on-dutton-to-explain-if-classified-leak-over-medevac-came-from-his-staff
Cat and Confessions
Lying about reality does not help Labor.
The Greens have their faults. Not looking after the little guy is not one of them
Danama Papers @ #1587 Saturday, December 14th, 2019 – 11:24 am
That’s what I thought. Not one word about our Coalition bequeathed ShitBN. How can you be a leader in the digital world with that!?!
guytaur says:
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 9:38 am
Here its scream extreme Greens.
The problem with the Gs is not their extremism. It is their hostility to Labor. They campaign against Labor relentlessly in order to herd their own supporters. At the same time they threaten to blackmail Labor and this drives voters to the Right.
Their strategy is intended to ensure the LNP remain in office forever and a day.
Whilst this is certainly a big part of the problem C@t, I’m not going to be so charitable. The average human has little capacity to reflect beyond his or her personal situation, is shallow, selfish, drawn to base instincts and has a view of the future that barely stretches 18 months. A lot of the ignorance in voters is driven not by lack of time, but lack of curiosity, empathy and imagination.
RI
Thanks for proving my point.
lizzie,
The obvious follow-up in my mind to that load of old baloney from the AFP is-so, did someone who DID have security clearance and access to the documents in question, pass it to a lowly junior woodchuck in Dutton’s office to pass to Simon Benson?
guytaur says:
Friday, December 13, 2019 at 7:56 pm
…”My campaign advice for Labor”…
Yep.
No thanks.
Time for a female Leader of Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition. Jess Phillips seems a good fit:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/battle-labour-leadership-begun-after-21093958
That they didn’t accept that Corbyn was unelectable will give rise to a long period of introspection. At least Labor will only have two years before it probably rests power from this bunch of fossils.