I’ll be taking part in the Political Geekfest videocast through Zoom with Peter Lewis of Essential Research and Katharine Murphy of the Guardian Australia at 1pm AEST today, which you can register for here. The subject of discussion will be this:
• The Guardian reports on another Essential Research poll focusing mostly on coronavirus, which would appear to be a weekly thing at least for the time being. The latest poll finds 59% rating the government’s response as about right, up from 46% last week and 39% in the two previous weekly polls; 13% rating it an overreaction, continuing its downward trajectory from 33% to 18% to 17%; and 29% rating it an underreaction, which bounced around over the first three weeks from 28% to 43% to 37%. Respondents were also asked to rate their state governments’ reactions, though with sample sizes too small to be of that much use at the individual level: the combined responses for very good and quite good were at 56% for New South Wales, 76% for Victoria, 52% for Queensland, 79% for Western Australia and 72% for South Australia. The poll also records a surprisingly high level of general morale, producing an average 6.7 rating on a scale of one to ten, unchanged from May last year. The full report should be published later today. UPDATE: Full report here.
• Also apparently a weekly thing is Roy Morgan’s coronavirus polling, which is being conducted online and not by SMS as I previously assumed – indeed, I believe this is the first online polling Morgan has ever published. Last week’s tranche showed a sharp rise in approval of the government’s handling of the matter from a week previous, with 21% strongly agreeing the government was handling the matter well (up twelve), 44% less strongly agreeing (up ten), 23% disagreeing (down ten) and 6% strongly disagreeing (down ten). Respondents had also become more optimistic since the previous week (59% saying the worst was yet to come, down 26 points, 33% saying the situation would remain the same, up 22 points, and 8% expecting things to improve, up four), and, contra Essential, slightly more inclined to consider the threat was being exaggerated (up five points to 20%, with disagreement down six to 75%). The poll was conducted last weekend from a sample of 987.
Coronavirus Pandemic Update 55: How COVID-19 Infection Attacks The Immune System & Differs From HIV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NffZAGELGg
That has me a bit worried as my white blood cell count is always a little low. At my last test, my Neutrophils count was 1.7 L, the year before it was 1.6 L.
‘Socrates says:
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 8:10 pm
Boerwar
I am not in favour of Gosplan. But either way (gosplan or market) you would nevre grow the amount of rice we grow on the MDB given sane, non-corrupt government.’
Rice production around the world is heavily subsidized. I am not aware that Australian rice production is any more subsidized than o/s rice. In fact, from what I know, it is less subsidized than in many other countries.
“ Did someone mention the Ruddster? Never short of an opinion..
https://youtu.be/qSyvU9oMs5Q”
Oh, Captain, my captain!
The fake Govt rescue program is no different to the fake bushfire funds. Scotty from Marketing lies. It is all he does. It is lies all the way down.
You’d have to be MAGA dumb or in Australia’s MSM to think Morrison and the political hacks he wheels out as medical officers are anything but lies and spin. You know they’d use an unverified story of a dinner party at the drop of a hat if they thought there was political milage in it.
They are the kind of leadership (none) we deserve after the last election.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/testing-ramped-up-for-anyone-with-flu-symptoms-in-at-risk-parts-of-sydney-20200413-p54je8.html
sprocket_ @ #1232 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 8:03 pm
Mundo did….it was one of his least irritating appearances……and quite ‘gutsy’….a sadly lacking Labor quality of late……
meher baba @ #1245 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 8:09 pm
I don’t want to be too flippant, but starting a post with a conditional clause which is known to be false kind of makes it unnecessary to read the rest of your post.
If there is one thing that Australia can claim to lead the world in – apart from exporting C02, of course – it would be the complete mismanagement of its water resources 🙁
Obama thinks national leadership needs to be guided by knowledge, honesty, humility, empathy, grace…
Imagine that. Seems so long ago.
Boerwar @ #1252 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 8:12 pm
It is massively subsidized by underpricing water.
player one: “If there is one thing that Australia can claim to lead the world in – apart from exporting C02, of course – it would be the complete mismanagement of its water resources ”
I don’t disagree. But the solution to this is not to abandon an environmentally-appropriate crop and persist with those that aren’t appropriate. The solution is to manage the water properly.
SK
The marginalised under Obama voted for Trump.
Obama made the election of Trump possible. In my opinion Universal Medicare would have prevented that.
Or closing Guantanamo Bay. Or pulling troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Closing the drone programme.
We will never know exactly which one or combination of policy led to the madness of falling for Trump’s con job.
Hard Quiz won by an 85 year old expert on Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.. yay! 🙂
Let me guess ’42’ was the answer to each question?
https://www.smh.com.au/national/testing-ramped-up-for-anyone-with-flu-symptoms-in-at-risk-parts-of-sydney-20200413-p54je8.html
I haven’t watched commercial TV.. but are they advertising to push people to get tested?
Congratulations Guytaur
You just managed to channel DDT’s insanity in one short post @8:32pm.
Chapeau. That takes real talent.
WWP
Nah, but he missed the one about God’s last message to mankind. I knew that one.
“We apologise for the inconvenience”.
meher baba @ #1260 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 8:30 pm
I agree. We differ perhaps only in thinking that rice is an “environmentally appropriate” crop.
Like cotton, we grow rice primarily as a cash crop for export. How we can justify exporting so much “virtual water” in the midst of the worst drought on record, when entire river systems are drying up and towns have no drinking water is beyond me.
But no doubt some people will believe this is justified 🙁
guytaur I think you’ve forgotten how obstructionist the Repugnants were under Obama…
Cud, you are making the mistake of engaging. It can’t be done when Guytaur goes full DTT.
AE
I did say Trumps con job. You can add the rest of the GOP into that.
However don’t be fooled. The US has its faults too. No human is perfect and being the world’s policeman falls into that category.
Of course Obama did not start those. My point was he did not end them.
I emphasise. Voters fell for Trump’s con job.
As for Universal Health Care we won’t know because the Democrats decided not to go that route.
A position they are sticking with Today under Biden.
Japan used too be the standout here. The rice farming lobby, comprised of many thousands of small farmers, was tremendously successful at getting what they wanted and in return keeping the LDP in power for many years. There was (I don’t know the situation now) an incredible gerrymander that would have impressed Bjelke Petersen where a rural vote was worth many times a city vote.
The rice lobby managed to keep out imports of “inferior” rice and it was quite common to see tiny rice plots dotted throughout urban areas as farmers refused to sell their valuable plots which were surrounded by other development.
The rice lobby has slowly become somewhat less influential as elderly rice farmers have died and their offspring have moved on to other pursuits. Three years ago I noticed that various urban rice farms have been converted to other uses, including car parks for the increasing numbers of people who own cars. A number of rice farms in the country are now producing electricity from solar arrays.
Rice is used in many things but its not really a staple of the Australian diet.
I find it hard to believe that over 40% of American voters find President Trump remotely acceptable, let alone that so many are still prepared to vote for him again. The President is a failed businessman, a dodgy developer, a serial liar, a clown, a narcissist, a vulgarian, an imbecile… I could go on. His presidency and administration are chaotic and incompetent, totally lacking in dignity or direction. And now his incompetence is costing tens thousands of American lives and may cost hundreds of thousands.
And right-wingers in Australia, including members of the Government, admire him and suck up to him.
[end rant]
Yes, Obama’s 11 minutes of lucidity is a stark reminder of just how far into despair the US has slipped in just over 3 years.
Biden represents the best chance to Make America Sane Again.
Boerwar
“Rice production around the world is heavily subsidized. I am not aware that Australian rice production is any more subsidized than o/s rice. In fact, from what I know, it is less subsidized than in many other countries.”
Keep shifting those goalposts and I’m sure you will score a point sooner or later 🙂
You seem so anxious to defend this industry I am tempted to ask what personal stake in it you have?
I don’t feel too sorry for the owners of Canberra airport as they have extensive property development interests around town.
“shellbellsays:
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 6:56 pm
Blobbit for most durable poster of the year”
Code for boring
Steve777
It is all about blind partisan loyalty.
MB Rice is now clearly a staple in the Australian diet – that’s why it’s been so hard to get this last month.
P1: As bad as Australian water management is, I think the Aral Sea is clearly several orders of magnitude worse
bc
“ That has me a bit worried as my white blood cell count is always a little low. At my last test, my Neutrophils count was 1.7 L, the year before it was 1.6 L.”
Neutrophil count doesn’t matter as much for viral infections and 1.7 should be fine anyway.
c
Rice production ‘rules’ and rice market manipulation is quite an important government survival consideration in several states. I hadn’t realized that the Japanese rice lobby was receding in power.
While Australia has managed to hurl several hundred billion at the breach during the Virus, Duterte has provided enough subsidies to provide a rice meal a day for Filipinos who are in very real danger of starving while they are locked up. But he has to get lots of it from overseas and countries like Vietnam have banned rice exports. So there are some rice supply chain problems.
Anyhoo, the incoming Australian Greens Government will doubtless find itself a one termer when it finally gets to drive cotton, sugar, dairy products, fish, beef, wool, lamb, mutton, rice, almonds, wine, vegetable and fruit production overseas and consumers are then forced to pay imported prices for inferior products. In the Greens New Deal, these products will not be subsidized, will use no water overseas, will be produced using a minimum of pesticides and will have no environmental impact at all.
Magic happens.
There is an assumption that the products are available at all during times of famine, but hey.
Basically, most of Australia is a crap place to try and make a quid out of non-irrigation farming, other than cereals in a good year.
The inner urbs want guilt-free food. They manage this by fulminating against irrigation food. Then they go to the shops and buy cheap, high quality irrigated food. Win win?
Brian_Boru @ #1212 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 7:48 pm
1. When he did it.
2. That he wasn’t man enough to absorb his losses due to poor decision making and wanted to hand off those losses by making another business wear them, by claiming a refund for themn that didn’t accord with that business’ terms of trade.
Confessions @ #1274 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 7:00 pm
Waddya mean “again”? When was it ever sane?
Of it’s 244 year existence it’s been at war for 227 of them. In fact they love their wars so much, when they couldn’t find another country to go to war with they started one with themselves.
And of course there’s the obvious lack of universal health care, but constitutionally guaranteed universal access to military grade weaponry.
There are many areas of the country that resemble the third world.
Sane my arse.
Blobbitt
Long suffering then
Bushfire Bill says:
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 7:57 pm
I would really like to know the number of times the name “Kevin Rudd” has been mentioned in the world’s highest government offices recently.
link in the 8.19 p.m. post
Australia was at the forefront of successful GFC response in the years 2008-2010.
————————————————————–
Rudd was interviewed this morning by Joe Obrien on the ABC news channel and gave an excellent account of why his government was so successful. He was particularly impressive in rejecting the “pink batts and overpriced school halls” mantra employed by the LNP.
I still think he shouldn’t have thrown Peter Garrett under the bus.
4 cases in Tassie – 38 Oz wide for the day.
Not much point talking about doubling time at the moment
Confessions
Biden being the best chance is the big worry.
He is a weaker version of Clinton 2.0.
So far. Policy wise he can make changes. Hopefully his VP pick will make a difference.
We know like Clinton he will win the popular vote.
The question is will there be a mail in vote.
This is the madness we are going to see sane people will let the mad GOP cult followers go vote in person.
Expect Trump and the GOP to push hard to block mail in voting.
Great way to suppress the vote.
Cud Chewer @ #1261 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 8:41 pm
Exactly that.
‘Socrates says:
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 9:03 pm
Boerwar
“Rice production around the world is heavily subsidized. I am not aware that Australian rice production is any more subsidized than o/s rice. In fact, from what I know, it is less subsidized than in many other countries.”
Keep shifting those goalposts and I’m sure you will score a point sooner or later
You seem so anxious to defend this industry I am tempted to ask what personal stake in it you have?’
FMD. Goal posts?
I’ll go back to the basic point then which you avoided in your second last post.
There are a limited number of high level strategic policy settings.
You can launch an armchair expert top down Gosplan on Australian farming which will trash its productivity and which will increase food costs and the probability of food scarcity. Historically, this is what happens every single time governments try to micromanage farmers and farmers and agricultural outputs. Historically, a lot of people have starved to death in order to demonstrate this truism.
You can let the market sort out which is the best way to use water. Which is happening BTW. It has wiped out irrigated dairy in several irrigation districts and it is giving rice a major hit.
You could ban irrigation farming altogether. After all, Australia is a dry continent, is it not. Simple as that, right?
Or you can let the market generate the most efficient use of water.
I have no skin in the rice farming game. FWIW, long term I can’t see rice farming surviving in Australia. Other water uses are more competitive in the market.
For the fun of it, I fitted a curve to the graph of Australian cases a week ago.. it looked like this..
The zero intercept is on April 23
I repeated the exercise just now with the latest graph. I came up with April 25
C@tmomma @ #1156 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 3:36 pm
Whilst I personally agree with your sentiments, I would have thought in a capitalist system like ours the “dropkick’s” behaviour was exemplary; used his capital to exploit an anticipated need. Just as many legitimate businesses and shareholders do. What am I missing?
C@tmomma @ #1282 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 7:16 pm
Exactly what the current capitalist system we idiots (as a collective) persist in voting for teaches to be virtues. Have no morals except making a dollar, socialise losses wherever possible.
shellbell where do you get your Tas cases from?
“shellbellsays:
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 9:20 pm
Blobbitt
Long suffering then”
Well practiced 😉
CC: “shellbell where do you get your Tas cases from?”
I can’t speak for shellbell, but you can try here:
https://www.themercury.com.au/news/coronavirus/daily-blog-april-15-15-new-cases-confirmed-sixth-death-recorded/news-story/1849944f8d19d4cc35f6a99b7758a4cd
All four in the N-W yet again. Bugger all cases anywhere else in Tassie for more than a week now: in particular, I can’t recall hearing of one in Launceston. If there have been any there at all, it’s no more than a couple.
Anyhoo, time for bed. As usual I wish you all a sound sleep and sweet dreams.
A close relative died earlier in the week. Neither his dying week nor his funeral were/are accessible to us because of the Virus. Quite hard, emotionally, for a close knit family.
We have done some online memorializing and reminiscing.
I did a rough estimate of the amount of food he grew in his life. It was enough for around 15 million meals: an amazing achievement for someone who started life as a rural labourer. He was a major food exporter as well as a supplier of the domestic market.
But none of it would have met the usual inner urbs standards, I’m afraid – except when they picked up his food in the Supers.
It was all grown with irrigation in a low rainfall area.
Brian_Boru @ #1288 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 9:26 pm
Because there are those, who constitute a majority of voters, in a majority of seats, continue to vote for dropkick ideology, and I don’t haver to tell you this, that doesn’t make it right, nor does it mean we should shrug our shoulders collectively and let it through to the keeper without comment.
And herein lies the lesson at the core of this story. Here you have two capitalist businessmen. Mr Profit (Mr Drake) and Mr Profiteer( Mr Dropkick). One simply uses the system, well, to make a profit. The other uses the system, badly, to profiteer. It’s ostensibly the same system we continue to vote for, however there is a stark difference between the two applications of it and I’m sure most reasonable people wish Mr Profit well and Mr Profiteer an untreatable case of boils on his rear end that would make it too painful to use the toilet paper that he has prevented others obtaining.
Do families of Ruby Princess coronavirus victims, esp those who died, have any legal avenues open to them to sue the cruise liner for deficiency of care?
Confessions @ #1294 Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 – 9:36 pm
I think I remember someone saying that it may be quite difficult because the companies that own the ships are headquartered overseas.
Confessions
They can sue for negligence based on Carnival failing to take precautions to protect them from risk of infection, breach of a contractual obligation to do the same, and breaches of the consumer law to do the same.
There is talk about a class action which normally means, IME, a dilution of their entitlements to the benefit of litigation funders and lawyers.