Poll respondents with attitudes

New poll results from around the place on attitudes towards climate change, Australia Day and things-in-general.

An off week in the fortnightly cycles for both Newspoll and Essential Research, but we do have three fairly detailed sets of attitudinal polling doing the rounds:

• Ipsos has results from its monthly Issues Monitor series, which records a dramatic escalation in concern about the environment. Asked to pick the three most salient out of 19 listed issues, 41% chose the environment, more than any other. This was up ten on last month’s survey, and compares with single digit results that were not uncommonly recorded as recently as 2015. Cost of living and health care tied for second on 31%, respectively down three and up six on last month. The economy was up one to 25%, and crime down one to 21%. On “party most capable to manage environmental issues across the generations”, generations up to and including X gave the highest rating to the Greens, towards whom the “boomer” and “builder” generations showed their usual hostility. The poll was conducted online from a sample of 1000.

• A poll by YouGov for the Australian Institute finds 79% expressing concern about climate change, up five since a similar poll in July. This includes 47% who were very concerned, up ten. Among those aged 18 to 34, only around 10% expressed a lack of concern. Fifty-seven per cent said Australia was experiencing “a lot” of climate change impact, up 14%; 67% said climate change was making bushfires worse, with 26% disagreeing; and only 33% felt the Coalition had done a good job “managing the climate crisis” (a potentially problematic turn of phrase for those who did not allow that there was one), compared with 53% who took the contrary view. The poll was conducted January 8 to 12 from a sample of 1200; considerable further detail is available through the full report.

• The Institute of Public Affairs has a poll on Australia Day and political correctness from Dynata, which has also done polling on the other side of the ideological aisle for the aforesaid Australia Institute. This finds 71% agreeing that “Australia Day should be celebrated on January 26” (55% strongly, 16% somewhat), and 68% agreeing Australia had become too politically correct (42% strongly, 26% somewhat). Disagreement with both propositions was at just 11%. A very substantial age effect was evident here, but not for the two further questions relating to pride in Australia, which received enthusiastic responses across the board. I have my doubts about opening the batting on this particular set of questions by asking if respondents were “proud to be an Australian”, which brings Yes Minister to mind. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the poll is the demographic detail on the respondents, who were presumably drawn from an online panel. This shows women were greatly over-represented in the younger cohorts, while the opposite was true among the old; and that the sample included rather too many middle-aged people on low incomes. The results would have been weighted to correct for this, but some of these weightings were doing some fairly heavy lifting (so to speak).

Elsewhere, if you’re a Crikey subscriber you can enjoy my searing expose on the electoral impact of Bridget McKenzie’s sports sports. I particularly hope you appreciate the following line, as it was the fruit of about two days’ work:

When polling booth and sport grants data are aggregated into 2288 local regions designated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there turns out to be no correlation whatsoever between the amount of funding they received and how much they swung to or against the Coalition.

I worked this out by identifying the approximate target locations of 518 grants, building a dataset recording grant funding and booth-level election swings for each of the ABS’s Statistical Local Area 2 regions, and using linear regression to calculate how much impact the grants had on the Coalition vote. The verdict: absolutely none whatsoever.

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.

2,074 comments on “Poll respondents with attitudes”

Comments Page 35 of 42
1 34 35 36 42
  1. I was also sledging the SDA, and did so without pretext, nor was it intended as an attack on Labor.

    It had nothing to do with their Labor affiliation, although similar attitudes appear to be consolidating inside Labor and I find this to be repellent.

    I would suggest that if a whole bunch of former Labor leaning people no longer feel an affinity, the party itself probably is at fault not those that would otherwise support it.

    I also always considered you the most clear-witted and thoughtful contributor to this site (with the possible exception of that poor bastard who most everybody else hated).
    I would expect that you might soon drag yourself out of the funk that you have been mired in.

    Good night.

  2. RI @ #1699 Saturday, January 25th, 2020 – 3:20 am

    You are not understanding where most of this criticism is coming from.
    And you also don’t seem to understand why it is that many on the left feel disenfranchised and disaffiliated with Labor.

    And you CAN NOT win an election without us.

    The Greens campaign to voters like you all the time by whinging about Labor. They sow hate for Labor. You are their target market.

    You might like to think we cannot win without you. The truth is rather that we cannot win by trying to emulate you. Were Labor to do this their vote would fall to 1/6.

    You have an entirely inflated view of your own worth. This is normal. You’re not alone. But you’re wrong.

    How many people vote Green did you say?

    Pot, Kettle, Black.

  3. Not Sure

    ‘Did you read Nath’s comment where he stated that he invariably voted Labor 1 or 2?
    If you did, then did you not believe him?’

    1. Because nath has made contradictory/obviously false statements about his own life before.

    2. He’s an anonymous poster.

    3. He’s stated before that he hasn’t voted for Labor since around 2010. Given that – if you believe that, you have to believe this, too – he’s also indicated he’s relatively young, that only leaves him a couple of elections where he could have voted Labor regardless.

    4. Even if it were true, it does not negate his present behaviour, which is clearly not that of a Labor supporter. He might (if we disregard 1 and 2) be telling the truth, but many people shift party allegiances over time. It’s perfectly consistent to say “I voted Labor a couple of times” and “I hate the Labor party and all it stands for”. I know an ex-Liberal branch President, who had been active in the party for fifty years, who no longer supports the Liberals, for example.

  4. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    Rob Harris reveals that the embattled Bridget McKenzie signed off on more than $1 million for shooting clubs and associations during her time as federal sports minister, potentially opening her up to further allegation of conflicts of interest.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bridget-mckenzie-signed-off-on-more-than-1-million-for-shooting-clubs-20200124-p53ujm.html
    Nick O’Malley echoes John Hewson in saying that the Nationals have a problem distinguishing between the national interest and the Nationals’ interest. This is a good hit job.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/your-money-is-serving-the-nationals-interest-that-minor-party-with-major-delusions-20200124-p53uh4.html
    Sarah Martin reveals that Bridget McKenzie’s office was told it was ‘not appropriate’ to approve sports grants after applications had closed.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/25/bridget-mckenzies-office-told-not-appropriate-to-approve-sports-grants-after-applications-closed
    Unsuccessful sports grant applicant Martin Smith writes about how unethical the process was.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/24/we-missed-out-on-a-sports-grants-for-our-club-now-we-know-how-unethical-the-process-has-been
    Karen Middleton explains how, following the auditor-general’s damning report on the sports grants scheme, questions are being raised about other programs.
    https://outline.com/VEwTYA
    Sean Kelly is concerned about how flagrantly this government operates outside any conventional sense of accountability.
    https://outline.com/7bWk7q
    Laura Tingle lament the culture wars still going on in Australia,
    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-25/australia-day-2020-do-we-know-who-we-are-as-a-nation/11898652
    Richard Acland says that PR is the place people end up when all other professional options fail, and now Schmo has failed at the failures’ last resort.
    https://outline.com/2ujuvW
    The Saturday Paper’s Nick Feik writes that in recent months the federal government’s position on climate change has shifted. Not in policy terms: the change has been restricted to its rhetoric. It has a new strategy to avoid responsibility.
    https://outline.com/FRxphj
    The Saturday Paper’s editorial says, “What Scott Morrison lacks most is not intelligence or good advice: it’s empathy. He cannot feel what the country is feeling, and so he plays cricket and takes his kids to Hawaii.”
    https://outline.com/AFDfmq
    Paula Matthewson declares that Anthony Albanese has put himself front and centre on the leader board.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/2020/01/24/paula-matthewson-anthony-albanese/
    Elizabeth Farrelly has written a searing article about the choice Australia faces – and that is survival-by-respect or death-by-stupid
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/survival-by-respect-or-death-by-stupid-your-choice-straya-20200123-p53u07.html
    The fires, together with this week’s hail storms, are on track to be one of the most expensive natural disasters in terms of insurance claims on record writes Shane Wright.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bushfires-may-crimp-living-standards-long-term-as-insurance-costs-hit-2b-20200124-p53uen.html
    Bevan Shields reports that in London our Governor-General David Hurley said Australia should have a national debate about whether to ban the swastika amid fresh warnings by world leaders of a steady reawakening of anti-Semitism across the globe.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/governor-general-australia-should-consider-debate-on-reprehensible-swastika-20200123-p53u9i.html
    Ross Gittins gives us a good basic understanding of economics in this contribution.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/economics-isn-t-as-highfalutin-as-the-jargon-makes-it-sound-20200124-p53udk.html
    It was a bit more than the few headaches Trump dismissively mentioned! The Pentagon says that 34 US service members were diagnosed with varying degrees of brain injuries after the Iranian ballistic missile attack in Iraq this month, upping the number of service members understood to be injured by explosions.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/pentagon-says-34-us-troops-were-diagnosed-with-brain-injuries-after-missile-attack-20200125-p53um5.html
    Colin Kruger reports that Crown Resorts’ most senior board member John Alexander will step down as executive chairman of the embattled casino group as part of sweeping governance overhaul.
    https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/crown-s-john-alexander-to-step-down-as-chairman-in-sweeping-governance-overhaul-20200124-p53ug4.html
    Mike Seccombe suggest that in Australia’s quest to become one of the world’s leading weapons exporters, the line between government and industry is becoming increasingly blurred.
    https://outline.com/Ws64V9
    The NDIS would better serve its participants if its workforce had decent pay and good working conditions, writes Nicholas Haines.
    https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/the-ndis-leaves-workers-behind,13526
    Experts have warned that the government’s tree-planting projects may have limited effectiveness as a climate strategy – particularly in the wake of this summer’s bushfires.
    https://outline.com/RChupM
    Richard Ackland talks to Mark Speakman SC, the man leading the charge to update Australia’s lopsided defamation laws.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/25/mark-speakman-sc-meet-the-man-leading-the-charge-to-update-australias-lopsided-defamation-laws
    Wendy Squires ponders over Australians seem to be having quite a lot less sex than previous generations.
    https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/it-s-actually-little-wonder-young-people-are-saying-no-to-sex-20200124-p53ucv.html
    The Saturday Paper reports that as the aged-care royal commission rolls on, community groups fear that the welfare of elderly migrants who do not speak English is being forgotten.
    https://outline.com/G5EwXx
    Rick Morton writes that as the Australian Red Cross faces criticisms over its bushfire efforts, current and former employees question the broad scope of its fundraising appeal.
    https://outline.com/M3km9s
    With the risk of coronavirus being brought into Australia, our government should have taken steps to protect its citizens, writes Tarric Brooker.
    https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/wuhan-virus-the-morrison-government-has-potentially-put-us-all-at-risk,13524
    The US and Europe have clashed over the threat posed by global heating as Donald Trump’s finance minister downplayed the risks of a climate crisis during the final session of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jan/24/us-and-europe-clash-over-climate-crisis-threat-on-last-davos-day
    Trump’s threat to assert executive privilege in his impeachment defence to try to curb testimony by his former national security adviser John Bolton is an attempt to silence a key witness and could undermine constitutional principles, ex-justice department officials and legal scholars have warned.
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/24/john-bolton-donald-trump-testimony-impeachment
    Andrew Bolt and other News Corp associates have begun attacking author Bruce Pascoe and his book ‘Dark Emu’, writes Dr Martin Hirst.
    https://independentaustralia.net/australia/australia-display/how-dark-emu-upset-the-right-wing-media,13523
    Politic professor John Hawkins says that ‘Slow-minded and bewildered’, Donald Trump builds barriers to peace and prosperity.
    https://theconversation.com/slow-minded-and-bewildered-donald-trump-builds-barriers-to-peace-and-prosperity-128840
    Richard Glover outlines 42 ways by which we can tell if we’re truly Australian. Very funny!
    https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/bunnings-snags-and-the-meaning-of-girt-42-ways-to-tell-if-you-re-australian-20200121-p53tam.html
    Christopher Knaus reports that the Catholic church is attempting to stop one of its own priests from suing it for child abuse.
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/25/catholic-church-attempts-to-stop-one-of-its-own-priests-from-suing-it-for-child-abuse

    Cartoon Corner

    David Rowe


    Alan Moir


    Matt Golding



    Andrew Dyson

    Dionne Gain

    Jon Kudelka
    ?
    John Shakespeare



    Simon Letch


    Sean Leahy

    Johannes Leak gets this one right.
    https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/a3440bddcc6e176b12ca479380a016d7?width=1024

    From the US












  5. Not Sure

    ‘I would suggest that if a whole bunch of former Labor leaning people no longer feel an affinity, the party itself probably is at fault not those that would otherwise support it.’

    It’s always been the way, though, and is so with any political party – that’s why governments change hands, after all.

    I’m quite often disenchanted with the Labor party – at one stage, I suggested that that should be a tick box for membership, with anyone who didn’t tick the “I’m disenchanted with the Labor party” being refused membership.

    That’s because disenchantment drives change.

    A party of happy, contented members singing from the same songsheet goes nowhere. Even if it had initial successes, over time it would become moribund.

    If you care about climate change, you need to support Labor. The Greens aren’t going to be elected in any timeframe worth talking about (we’re probably too late for action as it is…), the Glorious Revolution does not seem to be on the cards (and they take a while to bed down, anyway), and the Coalition aren’t going to do anything.

    You don’t need to support Labor by agreeing with everything it says and does, by liking every one of its MPs (I don’t, obviously), or by joining the party.

    No party is perfect, because all parties are composed of imperfect human beings.

    Change doesn’t happen from the outside, either, much as people like to believe it does.

  6. The Chinese this time are being transparent and proactive with respect to taking the coronavirus very seriously.
    No doubt, many people will succumb to the virus, but based on action being taken, it should be managed.

  7. Will Morrison ‘sacrifice’ his staff to avoid any blame?

    Queen Victoria
    @Vic_Rollison
    12m
    Let me explain to you how being a staff member works. You have a boss and you work for them. When they direct you to do things, you comply. What I’m saying is: MORRISON WAS DIRECTLY ENGAGED IN SPORTS GRANT SCANDAL. Let’s just say it.
    Quote Tweet

    Sunrise
    @sunriseon7
    · 18m
    An investigation prompted by Scott Morrison has actually revealed two of his own senior staff members were involved in the $100 million sports program.

  8. Lizzie

    Of course Morrison was directly involved in the sports grants. The administration situation of these grants was a feature not a bug. Hence why the minister in charge doesn’t believe she should fall on her sword.

  9. “Illustrating once again that you can fool some of the people all the time. Working people in England have voted for the restoration of a Victorian fiction. They will regret it. Empire I ended in tears. Empire II won’t get off the ground but the tears will flow nonetheless.

    The English have enjoyed preferential access to the largest integrated market on the planet. They have spurned it. They are absolute fucking idiots.”

    ***

    For once, Briefly, I agree with you.

    Far-right nutters love to believe that they are fighting the establishment, when in actual fact they are the very people who are propping up the right wing establishment and supporting the corporate elites. They’ve been brainwashed into supporting the very thing that they claim to oppose.

  10. The story about Morrison’s staff and sports rorts is also in Murdoch’s Oz. Perhaps Murdoch is angling to replace Morrison with Dutton?

    EXCLUSIVE

    PM staffers linked to rorts scandal

    Two of Scott Morrison’s senior staffers were involved in handling funding appli­cations under the $100m community sports grants program.
    By PETER VAN ONSELEN, JOE KELLY

  11. Byron Kaye @byronkaye
    ·
    15m
    Helen Coonan is now the chairwoman of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority and the chairwoman of Crown Resorts. Have a great weekend.

  12. I see nath conveniently excised the most recent history of the SDA from his diatribe last night. The part where they move on from the de Bruyn past and do great things for the members.

    Which I have pointed out before. But haters gonna hate. They can’t help themselves.

  13. Farrelly was fantastic in the SMH this morning… We are killing this country through exploitation-to -death of its land and people. Been going on since 1788.

  14. Meanwhile Jennifer Rubin says the impeachment trial is writing a slew of adverts for the Democrats.

    The impeachment trial will not result in President Trump’s removal, but it could well result in Republicans’ removal from the Senate majority. A slew of Republican incumbents were below 45 percent approval even before the trial began, including Susan Collins (Maine), Joni Ernst (Iowa), Thom Tillis (N.C.), Martha McSally (Ariz.), Cory Gardner (Colo.) and John Cornyn (Tex.). In their refusal to allow new witnesses and documents, their determination to acquit even before the trial began and their conduct during the trial, they are creating a plethora of opportunities for opponents’ ad makers.

    Think of the ads that may highlight the total lack of professionalism by senators who read books, doodle, wander off, fall asleep and sneer at the House managers.

    NBC News reported: “Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was spotted with a purple [fidget spinner] on his desk, and later Thursday he was seen playing through the entirety of arguments against Trump from Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., frequently making gestures and playfully chuckling with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.”

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/01/24/all-anti-republican-senate-ads-democrats-could-possibly-want/

  15. Firefox fully agree with your spot on post “Far-right nutters love to believe that they are fighting the establishment, when in actual fact they are the very people who are propping up the right wing establishment and supporting the corporate elites. They’ve been brainwashed into supporting the very thing that they claim to oppose.”
    This is then compounded by the old adage “Its much easier to fool someone than it is to convince them they have been fooled”

  16. Not Sure says:
    Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 3:32 am
    I was also sledging the SDA, and did so without pretext, nor was it intended as an attack on Labor.

    It had nothing to do with their Labor affiliation, although similar attitudes appear to be consolidating inside Labor and I find this to be repellent.

    And here you exhibit nothing but prejudice. The SDA has changed. Consequently you berate them for what they once were rather than what they now are. Labor is a force for women’s reproductive rights and equality in general. Labor is a force against homophobia and transphobia. Labor is a force for gender equality politically, economically and socially. Labor is a voice for the rights and dignity of working people.

    But don’t hold back. Whinge about a union and blame Labor for your mistakes.

  17. Zoomster @7.57
    ( an interlude during self-imposed ban)
    “Change doesn’t happen from the outside, either, much as people like to believe it does.”
    Thanks for the well stated and straightforward post

  18. The government is now pinning all the sporting rorts issue on the membership from the shooting club to McKenzie.

    Not about the inappropriate allocation of funds.

    This government is very good at playing dodgy politics not good at actually governing

  19. Andrew Laming on ABC24 has been well coached on every subject “All is normal. Nothing to see here.”

    Tony Windsor @TonyHWindsor
    3m
    This is sufficient reason for the Minister to be sacked.
    ***

    Lenore Taylor @lenoretaylor
    · 2h
    McKenzie’s office approved 9 sport grants that it asked Sport Australia to assess after applications closed, despite the agency warning it was “not appropriate” to fund the projects. Four had not submitted an application when the grants were open publicly. https://theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/25/bridget-mckenzies-office-told-not-appropriate-to-approve-sports-grants-after-applications-closed?CMP=share_btn_tw

  20. President Donald Trump was captured on tape at a 2018 dinner with Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman demanding the firing of Marie Yovanovitch, who was then the US ambassador to Ukraine, according to an attorney for Parnas.

    “Get rid of her!” a voice appearing to belong to Trump says on the recording, according to ABC News, which on Friday first reported its existence.

    “Get her out tomorrow. I don’t care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. OK? Do it.”
    CNN has not reviewed the tape.

    According to Parnas’ attorney, Joseph Bondy, the recording was made by Fruman and shared with Parnas “shortly after it was recorded.” An attorney for Fruman declined to comment.

    https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/24/politics/trump-phone-call-ukraine-ambassador/index.html

    As per usual, Trump says he doesn’t know someone or something, invariably footage or images emerge showing this to be a lie.

  21. Trump’s circle ‘waking up’ to the fact that impeachment is putting him in danger: report

    Republicans are worried that President Trump’s defense team is “woefully unprepared” to defend him against the Democrats’ impeachment efforts against him, and Trump isn’t making the situation any better with his “insistence that Republicans buy in fully to his defense strategy,” Gabriel Sherman writes for Vanity Fair.

    While removing Trump from office is still a tall order, “the dynamics of the Senate trial are clearly shifting in directions that are dangerous for the president,” writes Sherman, adding that “Trump’s circle is waking up to the notion that impeachment is a serious drag on his campaign.”

    https://www.rawstory.com/2020/01/trumps-circle-waking-up-to-the-fact-that-impeachment-is-putting-him-in-danger-report/

  22. As per usual, Trump says he doesn’t know someone or something, invariably footage or images emerge showing this to be a lie.

    _____________________________

    And as per usual 40% of Americans don’t think it matters. Sad.

  23. Former House lawyer explains new recording from Trump would add another ‘abuse of power’ to impeachment

    A recording was revealed Friday of President Donald Trump demanding that his staff “take out” former Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. Former House committee lawyer Jeremy Bash, told MSNBC that it would constitute another “abuse of power” charge.

    “I think it would be another important branch and sequel to the abuse of power allegation if the president used the office, used his own authority to direct that a U.S. ambassador be either removed from that position because she was standing in the way of his political agenda — but it seems like, from the recording, possibly even that physical harm or threats to her should ensue,” said Bash.

    He noted that Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) made the argument in his closing statements Thursday that if senators allow Trump to continue to do this, he will do it over and over again until he is stopped.

    https://www.rawstory.com/2020/01/former-house-lawyer-explains-new-recording-from-trump-would-add-another-abuse-of-power-to-impeachment/

  24. Wyatt said he found it “fascinating” that identity seems to be broadly accepted with every other group, while Indigenous Australians are questioned.

    “No one else gets that question,” he said. “A person who says ‘I’m Italian’, even though you know that they were born in this country but their parents are Italian, we accept that.

    “But in the Indigenous area, it’s always been questioned, partly because of the way governments in the past categorised us, whether we were ‘full-blood’, ‘half caste’, ‘quarter caste’ or ‘quadroon’, and on that basis then made decisions about what people were eligible for.

    “I’ve never questioned another Indigenous person who has said they’re Indigenous. It’s not my place.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/25/ken-wyatt-may-ask-for-resignations-from-indigenous-body-after-bruce-pascoe-controversy?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

    If a “white Professor” had done the same amount of research and written Dark Emu, I suppose conservatives like Bolt would still try to find ways of dismissing the book, because it questions their innate superiority in managing the land.

  25. Trump has always been the responsibility of the Republican Party, they are now forever intertwined.

    The reality is that they will continue to vote with him – including voting him as innocent in the impeachment.

    This is a lesson in the need for separation of powers between judiciary and the executive.

    One person personifies this besides Trump and it is Mitch McConnell

  26. Here’s a bio on Hamish MacDonald as he continues his rise as a media Journalist superstar. While I’m always loathe to be overly interested in the news presenters rather than the news, this piece gives a good insight in to his experience, personality and interests and confirms to me the underlying reasons I appreciate his style and tone whenever I see or hear one of his reports.

    https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/there-s-something-about-hamish-tv-s-it-boy-reveals-how-being-bullied-shaped-his-career-20191128-p53f2d.html

  27. They say if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. Mike Pompeo is just aping the behaviour of his president.

    Daniel DaleVerified account@ddale8
    34m34 minutes ago
    NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly says the following happened after the interview in which she asked some tough questions to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

    :large

  28. I know which way this bloke will vote and influence others in the Republican Party to do so:

    MConnell:

    “I will say I’m pretty sure how it’s likely to end. … If it were today, I don’t think there’s any question — it would not lead to a removal. So the question is how long does the Senate want to take? How long do the presidential candidates want to be here on the floor of the Senate instead of in Iowa and New Hampshire?”

    It is about politics not about a ‘fair trial’

  29. If backing Trump posed a threat to McConnell’s Senate majority, he’d drop him like a hot potato. Trump is in it to continue on corrupting and using the office for personal profit, whereas McConnell just wants to maintain his power.

  30. Thank you BK for the Dawn Patrol.

    Now for an exciting and revelatory item for the “Science and That” seekers of truth among us.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2020-01-25/vampire-white-dwarf-star-feeding-spotted-in-kepler-data/11895080

    A moment to pause and mention gratefully that Newcastle has had a little rain.

    A newly discovered “vampire system” offers a glimpse of what could befall our solar system in a few billion years, say astronomers.

    Key points
    •Astronomers have uncovered a cosmic feeding frenzy that lasted for 30 days
    •The discovery provides new insights into vampire systems known as dwarf nova
    •In a few billion years our Sun will turn into a white dwarf star

    They uncovered the cosmic feeding frenzy while trawling through data from the now-defunct Kepler Space Telescope.

    The astronomers found a white dwarf star — the dense remains of an exploded star — feasting on an object known as a brown dwarf in a system 3,000 light years away in the constellation of Scorpius.

    “Our Sun will turn into a white dwarf,” Dr Tucker said.

    “Our white dwarf will eventually, if it is close enough, feed off Jupiter.”

    While the “Kepler Space Telescope” is now dead the technology still exists and plans are afoot among the scientific resistance to utilise the tecniques and turn a new Earth based model on the “brains” of Orstrayas politicians in an attempt to detect minute waves similar in type and minute presence to “Gravity Waves”.

    Further – the device will then attempt to amplify and enhance the slightest vibble/vobble on the “Sympathy Meter” into usable waves able to be exploited to alter behaviour into something akin to what is known to the common man as “human.”

    Signs of success. Formerly grasping (refer RHWombat) “fuck you I’m alright Jack” characters will be sighted in ragged robes, barefoot and intent on dispensing largess on those less fortunate in the looting, skimming and despoiling of this wide, burnt, brown land.

    Expect to see Bills put forward abandoning previous attitudes to “rich get richer” schemes. Multi billion dollar public housing schemes will be announced and then proceed- proper architect designed and landscaped. Extraordinary measures will be announced to curtain and remove toll roads. Public transport to actually befit the public will be the new model for mass movement. E così via
    Time to wake up —

    ♫ I’ve been ♪ cheated, been ♫ mistreated
    ♪ When will I ♫ be ♪ loved
    ♫ I’ve been put ♪ down, I’ve ♫ been pushed ♪ ’round
    ♪ When will ♫ I be ♪ loved

  31. Confessions – good point, McConnell lead the filibustering of government (Health Care etc) when Obama was in government, McConnell has an extreme agenda for his use of power and Trump is all about Trump and as has been pointed out this will continue.

    Bottom line can not see McConnell disbanding Trump anytime soon and Trump knows that

  32. Confessions @ #1585 Saturday, January 25th, 2020 – 10:22 am

    If backing Trump posed a threat to McConnell’s Senate majority, he’d drop him like a hot potato. Trump is in it to continue on corrupting and using the office for personal profit, whereas McConnell just wants to maintain his power.

    Although there seems to be a majority of voters that support Impeaching Trump, the reality is that 90% of Republican voters oppose it. These are the people that fund, support and endorse the Republican Senators. Voting to impeach would unleash a furious reaction from the base of the Republican Party and likely be career ending for any Senator that turned on Trump.

  33. The Impeachment trial is about reaching the public.

    The Democrats are doing an excellent job of getting vulnerable Trump backers on the record. Bloomberg is getting a lot of material for his campaign advertising

  34. ‘lizzie says:
    Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 9:22 am

    Andrew Laming on ABC24 has been well coached on every subject “All is normal. Nothing to see here.”

    Tony Windsor @TonyHWindsor
    3m
    This is sufficient reason for the Minister to be sacked.
    ***

    Lenore Taylor @lenoretaylor
    · 2h
    McKenzie’s office approved 9 sport grants that it asked Sport Australia to assess after applications closed, despite the agency warning it was “not appropriate” to fund the projects. Four had not submitted an application when the grants were open publicly. https://theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/25/bridget-mckenzies-office-told-not-appropriate-to-approve-sports-grants-after-applications-closed?CMP=share_btn_tw

    What this is about is that there is a basic probity rule that all applicants must receive exactly the same treatment in terms of process.
    In this case, there was a decision to re-open the applications process. This opportunity should have been available to all potential applicants and all existing applicants.
    All additional potential applicants should have been advised of the opportunity.
    All additional potential applicants should have had an equal opportunity to apply.

    Several considerations arise from this:

    1. McKenzie did not follow even the most basic elements of probity.
    2. Some potential applicants were effectively dudded before they could even apply.
    3. Over 1200 applicants who were rejected under the applications progress were gazumped by
    applicants who were awarded favoured treatment in TERMS OF PROCESS.
    4. Two senior advisers in Morrison’s office were actively involved in the process. So a direct link to Scotty from marketing has now been established.

    McKenzie is gone on several fronts. I assume that she has survived so far because she has enough dirt on Morrison and McCormack to sink both of them. (Who knew what and when in her various efforts to corrupt our democracy.)
    She will want her pound of flesh in return for a resignation.

    Questions arising:
    1. Who were the two senior officers who were involved
    2. What did they know about the process in terms of probity?
    3. What did they tell Scotty from Marketing?
    4. When did they tell that to Scotty from Marketing?

  35. Gigsploitation of Australian drivers is set to expand with Amazon to introduce its business management model for deliveries of products sold through Amazon into Australia.

    The legal key is avoidance by Amazon of any employer/employee relationship with the drivers. Amazon is claiming that this is all legal and that all its drivers will get the minimum or better.

    Lots of figures are being thrown around but this will, inevitably, end in tears for Australian workers so that Amazon shareholders (mostly overseas) get fatter profits. One of the figures being mooted for a company employing a similar business model enable deliveries had workers earning $16 an hour BEFORE their vehicle costs were taken into consideration. No overtime. No sick leave. No Super. No fucking nothing but gigsploitation of the vulnerable.

    No wonder the big end of town hates unions! One wonders why some elements of the Left spend more time criticizing the SDA than they do gigsploitation. Unless they are fake Left, of course.

    Further downwards pressure on wages will be one of the outcomes.

  36. [“What Scott Morrison lacks most is not intelligence or good advice: it’s empathy. He cannot feel what the country is feeling, and so he plays cricket and takes his kids to Hawaii.”]

    Even after engaging an empathy coach there have been no real signs of improvement. And although I guess faux empathy is easily discerned, perhaps he should try harder to fake it until he makes it. The poor coach must be at his/her wit’s end though – a pig with lipstick is still a pig.

  37. Regarding McKenzie submitting the 9 submissions late in the process.

    The auditor general also examined the nine projects in his scathing report of the program, finding that McKenzie had put forward the projects by relying on a clause within the project guidelines that allowed it to consider other projects after the assessment process had completed in the event of “emerging issues”.

    But the audit found that while one project had been highly rated, an assessment by Sport Australia did not identify “how these applications reflected ‘emerging issues’ or addressed priorities that had not been met”.

    I disagree with Sports Australia.

    There was a clear ‘emerging issue’;

    a federal election!

  38. Noam Chomsky on the impeachment:
    https://www.alternet.org/2020/01/a-tragedy-noam-chomsky-slams-democrats-for-narrow-focus-of-trumps-impeachment-trial/

    While I think Chomsy’s in fantasy land if he thinks climate change policy can seriously be considered an impeachable offense, he makes a good point that the Dems only decided to go for impeachment after he went after ‘one of their own’ – just like with Nixon.

    I then started to think about why the dems are bothering anyway – when everyone knows there isn’t a snow balls chance in hell of it happening in the senate. And also I just can’t see how it will hurt Trump in the election. Then it occurred to me: Biden is the democrat establishment’s best hope. A pretty damning scandal emerged that could have seriously damaged his election chances. Nothing illegal as we know, but a seriously bad look. So the dems sprung into action to either discredit it, distract from it, or both. And mission accomplished I’d say. No one is talking about dodgy Joe and the cushy jobs he makes for his undeserving kid anymore. But they may well be if impeachment hadn’t started. And now look at Joe – pretty comfortably ahead in the polls.

  39. Bg A Adrian:

    [‘…Biden is the democrat establishment’s best hope. A pretty damning scandal emerged that could have seriously damaged his election chances…So the dems sprung into action to either discredit it, distract from it, or both. And mission accomplished I’d say.’]

    Interesting perspective. I hadn’t considered the rationale for impeachment from that angle.

  40. BW: “McKenzie is gone on several fronts. I assume that she has survived so far because she has enough dirt on Morrison and McCormack to sink both of them. (Who knew what and when in her various efforts to corrupt our democracy.)
    She will want her pound of flesh in return for a resignation.”

    I expect Morrisson and Mic Mac are as we speak working out the details of her “resignation”.

    To be honest it never ceases to amaze me how long leaders stubbornly stand by toxic ministers. If McKenzie had been booted out a week ago, all this would have blown over by now. I suspect you are right, that there are some internal complications that Morrisson needs to sort out first- not least the fact that she is a national, and word is Mic Mac is terrified her resignation will mean a return of Barnaby to the front bench. But in the end she will surely go, and it would simply be astonishing if Morrisson doesn’t yet comprehend this. I guess the next test will be the good old “do you stand by your minister” question.

    It needs to be pointed out too what is probably the reason this whole process was done so shonkily in the first place – which is that the government simply didn’t believe they would be returned in May. They just assumed they would be in opposition by now and therefore not accountable for what they must have known was borderline corrupt. And I am fairly confident this will not be the only case of dodgy porking of liberal electorates/donors/interests that happened on the eve of the election that will emerge.

  41. Big A Adrian

    it never ceases to amaze me how long leaders stubbornly stand by toxic ministers.

    Agreed. It can’t all be for “discussion time”, or for deciding if there really was a mistake made. To the rest of us outside the bubble, the crime may be blindingly obvious.

Comments Page 35 of 42
1 34 35 36 42

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *