Not a creature was stirring

Chisholm and Kooyong court ruling imminent; comparison of American and Australian political attitudes; and a merry Christmas to all.

At what’s normally a dull time for electoral news, the Federal Court has decided to beat Santa to the punch by announcing its judgement in the challenges to the Chisholm and Kooyong results at 2:15pm today. I’ll add a dedicated post when that happens, but for the time being, here’s the latest thread for general political discussion, it being long past time for a new one.

Two other items of news I can think to mention: the United States Studies Centre has published a report that compares survey results on political attitudes in Australia and the United States, which reaches the intuitive conclusions that Australians are both less conservative and less polarised by partisanship; and GhostWhoVotes offers a neat presentation of the states’ House of Representatives seat entitlements based on current population numbers, six months out from the final determination.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

782 comments on “Not a creature was stirring”

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  1. Does anyone know if there’s anything to the story I posted earlier from Michael Smith?
    Surely no one could have been that stupid as to do that after smoko’s gift.
    I would also have thought if there was any truth to it the msm would have been falling over themselves to put the boot in.

  3. Aqualung @ #450 Tuesday, December 24th, 2019 – 3:15 pm

    Does anyone know if there’s anything to the story I posted earlier from Michael Smith?
    Surely no one could have been that stupid as to do that after smoko’s gift.
    I would also have thought if there was any truth to it the msm would have been falling over themselves to put the boot in.

    Isn’t Michael Smith the Newscorp (or ex-newscorp) hack that pursued Julia Gillard for years after it was dealt with over the renovations she had done to her house?

    If so, I’d say it was the mere thought of a molehill being beaten up out of all proportion into Mt Everest.

  4. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/dec/24/australia-fires-volunteers-bushfires-new-south-wales-south-australia-victoria-live-latest-updates

    GazzaFromGrongGrong
    He is sitting in the gutter of some distant country town,
    in an ordinary, house-lined, smoke-hazed street,
    and I can’t see his expression, just that he is staring down
    at the scuffed and dirty work boots on his feet,
    and I wonder what he’s thinking in that moment of repose
    as he muses on the horror that he’s seen,
    for the task of fighting bushfires is a duty that he chose,
    but it’s hard to comprehend what that might mean.

    For a wildfire is a demon that you cannot understand
    till you meet its untamed fury face-to-face,
    with a screaming, howling tailwind hurling embers overland
    at a speed that seems to mock both time and space,
    when the treetops flame like torches in the deepest depths of hell
    and the smoke wraps red-hot fingers round your throat
    as you’re stumbling, blinded, choking from the overwhelming smell,
    and your hopes of reaching safety seem remote.

    Yet that scene’s encountered daily by our fireys as they fight
    to subdue this vicious, unrelenting beast
    as it threatens homes and people with its devastating might
    when the climate’s awesome power is released,
    so I marvel at the courage of these selfless volunteers
    as they sacrifice so much on our behalf,
    while the gutless Coalition can’t think past their own careers
    as they’re busy writing nature’s epitaph.

  5. – the fastest-growing age cohorts in Australia are 70 and above

    Which in a few years will become the most “dropping off perch” demographic as the Boomer bulge moves through and father time does his bit.

  11. l;izzie
    Barnyard was hilarious. By golly he doesn’t want the government in his life…Shall we remind him that the next times he and his mates rifle though our wallets and purses pinching money for droughts,subsidies,floods,cyclones,fuel,dams,drought proofing,roads,rail etc etc ?

  16. Fair enough Danama Papers. I was aware of Smith’s reputation. The concern was the quotes attributed to a firey.
    It’s being spread on Facebook and one would hope an official response would be forthcoming denying it.
    We are all aware of the power of social media after May.

  17. Lars Von Trier @ #413 Tuesday, December 24th, 2019 – 4:57 pm

    Scomo is starting to look a lot like Howard. From the misstep of Hawaii to four weeks paid leave you’d have to say he has a knack for spinning the political debate in his favour which clearly deranges the ALP.

    I had thought Albo was a favourite for 2022 but now I think you’d have to bank on Scomo getting 5 years as PM and probs handing over to porter in 2024.

    The question for the alp is whom do they have who is an election winner for 2025? The hope of the side is cryin Jim but they may be better of trying someone from outside parliament to come in 2022 to lead the party at the 2025 election. That’s going to take someone who has got popular appeal, is credible and can overcome factional resistance of the various union/ party hacks.

    Albo May do the alp one last favour and anoint someone from outside and shoehorn them into a safe seat in 2022 – ideally someone from qld whose pro labor but has had a business career.

    The most sensible, grounded in reality post on this site for some time.
    Just saw Scrot on the telly pressing the flesh. Looking a lot like Howard indeed. You could write the script now.
    Anyway, almost all blown over. A couple of days and people will be saying ..’Hawaii?’

    Poor Albo, nice blokes from the Labor party come second….or last.

    Chalk up another kick in the bollocks from Scrot the Miracle Worker.

  18. Just saw Scrot and Jen standing in front of a Xmas tree looking cool calm and collecting and laying it on with a trowl.
    Scrot knows he’s got this.
    Albo showed his soft underbelly and Scrot’s cracked open the Chianti and the fava beans.
    Labor will never learn.

  19. Boerwar @ #440 Tuesday, December 24th, 2019 – 5:55 pm

    ‘Nicholas says:
    Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 5:22 pm

    Only political tragics could possibly think climate change is a ‘political’ problem, and amenable to ‘political’ solutions.

    Acting on climate change (or declining to act) is inescapably political…’

    I think you (and also Nicholas) are confusing ‘requiring government intervention’ with ‘political’.

    As I pointed out, there is no specific ‘political ideology’ that is going to assist us in resolving the problem of climate change. Therefore, it is not ‘political’. That does not mean that it does not require governments to intervene – of course it does.

    This is what Greta Thunberg is pointing out – that government intervention has been sorely lacking … from governments of all political persuasions.

  23. Mundo,

    Howard spent a decade or more purging dissenting voices within his party so when he screwed up there was no one left to complain.

    Abbott never had anything like this level of internal control, and when it all fell apart, bye bye Abbott.

    Turnbull, less so than Abbott.

    Morrison, ditto.

    This has been news for over a week and has dominated the cycle for 3 days, and 3 days is an eternity.

    He is the victim of near universal ridicule.

    He’s fucked.

  25. Hmm, so one troll who encourages Labor to throw in the towel, mundo, approves of a post by another after dark troll, Loser von Trier, who encourages Labor to throw in the towel for the next 5 years at least.

    What a couple of Losers.

  26. I think this is where Greta Thunberg fits in the scheme of things;
    “Speaking truth to power is a non-violent political tactic, employed by dissidents against the received wisdom or propaganda of governments they regard as oppressive, authoritarian or an ideocracy. ”
    More details at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaking_truth_to_power
    The criticism of her for “failing to play power politics” is, I think, totally beside the point. She plays an important role and others also have roles to play as solutions play out (or don’t).

  27. I’ll humour you c@t , so tell me what is the difference between a troll and a dark troll in your opinion?

    Not really sure the distinction is clear.

  29. Of course some on here like steve777 and c@t can only parrot their dogma but can’t actually explain it.

    Reminds one of animal farm two legs, four legs etc etc

    I think it is a form of false consciousness.

  30. Not Sure @ #472 Tuesday, December 24th, 2019 – 7:28 pm

    Mundo,

    Howard spent a decade or more purging dissenting voices within his party so when he screwed up there was no one left to complain.

    Abbott never had anything like this level of internal control, and when it all fell apart, bye bye Abbott.

    Turnbull, less so than Abbott.

    Morrison, ditto.

    This has been news for over a week and has dominated the cycle for 3 days, and 3 days is an eternity.

    He is the victim of near universal ridicule.

    He’s fucked.

    Well, I hope you’re right, but I’m not as sure as you are.
    On the other matter, if someone is to be drafted in at the 2022 election to take the leadership for the ’25 election my choice would be Paul Howes.
    He must be close to a run especially now he can see an opening.

  31. ajm @ #477 Tuesday, December 24th, 2019 – 4:46 pm

    Almost no-one seems to have noticed that Dutton had the briefing leaked that he received from his department after the election on the dangers of climate change: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/24/home-affairs-warned-australian-government-of-growing-climate-disaster-risk-after-may-election

    However, I’m sure Morrison noticed, and that explains some of his nervousness and frantic activity the last couple of days.

    I thought that the information came out because of a FOI request to the Department Of Homeland Security (Heimatschutzministerium).

    Although I suspect Reichskartoffel Dutton had something to do with it being released, and released unredacted.

  32. My tip would be someone with instant profile but transformational –

    I don’t know if they’d be interested but someone like Alan Joyce from qantas or Christina holgate from Aussie post.

  33. ajm, re Greta

    Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t read criticism *of* Greta into the comments I’m reading on PB. Greta has received general approval, well wishes, and encouragement. I certainly didn’t read any criticism of her not playing power politics. What I am reading is criticism of expectations surrounding her, some discussion of “where she fits in” and what might happen next, and for me how “Greta” will soon be used by others. (Time Magazine won’t go unnoticed.)

  34. Lara Von Trier @ #478 Tuesday, December 24th, 2019 – 7:51 pm

    Of course some on here like steve777 and c@t can only parrot their dogma but can’t actually explain it.

    Reminds one of animal farm two legs, four legs etc etc

    I think it is a form of false consciousness.

    Cross dressing for Xmas, Loser?

    If you actually knew what I have done and said both here and elsewhere, what I am doing, what I am organising, what I am criticising in party forums, and outside them, then you would know that what you have just accused me of is a crock of crap.

    I already know that your predictably grubby accusations are a crock of crap. I don’t need a Loser to change their blog nom and try and get to me, yet again, to know that they are full of it and themselves. You should stop trying. You can’t embarrass me as I have right on my side and all you have are slimy tactics, which show the paucity of your commitment to a victory for the only political party in Australia that knows how to adult. Unlike you.

  35. We’re having a father of a thunderstorm on the Goldie at the moment, FauxMo’s prayers having been answered. A shit load of rain, before which we had a moderate amount – bless the Lord!

  36. Oh how I laugh at the attempted serious discussion about who Labor should have as their leader two election cycles from now! How bloody inane.

  38. confusing ‘requiring government intervention’ with ‘political’.

    You are confusing a pejorative concept of political – underhanded, nefarious, selfish – with the neutral sense of the word. Politics is making choices about how to distribute stuff, how to distribute power, what to produce and how. Politics is setting up and maintaining structures and systems for shaping the distribution of stuff, the distribution of power, production processes and so on. Acting on climate change involves making choices in all of those areas. Therefore it is inevitably political.

  40. Watch out South Aussies affected by the bushfires!

    Despite overwhelming public generosity in response to South Australia’s deadly bushfires, scammers are seeking to exploit the unfolding tragedy.

    According to South Australia Police, fire victims have reported receiving phone calls claiming to be from banks looking to pass on disaster relief funds.

    The fraudulent callers have asked for the victims’ bank details, and have also targeted members of the public outside the bushfire regions.

    It follows anecdotal reports of looting in bushfire zones, and police have urged anyone contacted by scammers to notify them.

    “There have been people in the Adelaide Hills targeted by scams,” said Senior Constable Mick Abbott.

    “With the fires widely reported in the media, sadly there are people out there – not necessarily from South Australia, or even Australia – randomly ringing people in the fire zone area.

    “If you do get a call supposedly from your bank regarding disaster relief funds and wanting your bank details, don’t give your details over the phone, give us a call and call Scamwatch.

    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/sa/2019/12/24/bushfire-adelaide-hills-scammers/

  42. Late Riser:

    [‘Stay safe! Thunder rolls in Brisbane.’]

    There are no strong winds, hail with it, just heavy rain, which we really need. Almost to the day, this time last year we had two massive storms on consecutive days, with cyclonic winds, hail the size of golf balls, with much damage done. Thanks for you kind thoughts.

  43. Lars Von Trier:

    [‘Whatever gets you through the night, c@t.

    I hope you can find some peace during the Christmas season.’]

    It’s Christmas Lars. Let’s get with the groove.

  45. Fascinating because Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) tells Pope Benedict that the practice of bishops shuffling pedophile priests around different parishes has to be stopped.

    That, and (he tells Benedict) the Vatican’s finances have to be cleaned up.

    And then, when Bergoglio became Pope, he appointed George Pell as his right hand man.

  46. Danama Papers:

    [‘Although I suspect Reichskartoffel Dutton had something to do with it being released, and released unredacted.’]

    I suspect you may’ve majored in advanced political analysis.

  48. I’m very much at peace with myself. And the Labor Party. We are both imperfect but constantly striving to be better and do right by people. 🙂

  50. Mavis, it hit just after I posted. Thanks for the reply. Strong winds, heavy rain, cracking lightning, all done in 10 minutes. Wet and peaceful now.

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