Newspoll state leaders and coronavirus polling

Persistent high ratings all round for state Premiers and the Prime Minister amid the coronavirus crisis, but signs the current Victorian outbreak may have cost Daniel Andrews some shine.

Courtesy of The Australian, Newspoll offers a repeat of an exercise conducted two months ago in which a large national sample is polled to produce state-level results on the popularity of premiers as well as the Prime Minister, both generally and in their dealings with the coronavirus. While the results are positive all round, they find Daniel Andrews falling from a top tier that continues to include Peter Gutwein, Mark McGowan and Steven Marshall, bringing him about level with Gladys Berejiklian but still clear of Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Andrews was down eight on approval to 67% and up ten on disapproval to 27%, while Berejiklian was down one to 68% and up three to 26%. Allowing for small sample sizes in the smaller states, Peter Gutwein took the lead (up six on approval to 90% and down three on disapproval to 8%) from Mark McGowan (down one to 88% and up three on 9%). Despite continuing to trail the pack, Palaszczuk recorded the best improvement with a four point increase in approval to 59% and a four point drop on disapproval to 35%.

However, Palaszczuk remains the only Premier with a weaker net approval rating in their state than Scott Morrison, who according to the poll has strengthened in Queensland (by five on approval to 72%, and down four on disapproval to 24%) but weakened everywhere else (approval down six to 61% and disapproval up five to 35% in New South Wales; down seven to 65% and up four to 30% in Victoria; down three to 67% and up two to 29% in South Australia; down three to 70% and up three to 26% in Western Australia; down four to 60% and up six to 37% in Tasmania).

Andrews’ deterioration on approval is more than matched on the question of handling of coronavirus, on which he now trails out of the Premiers with 72% for well (down 13 points) and 25% for badly (up 14). This pushes him behind Berejiklian (up two to 79% and down two to 16%), Palaszczuk (up four to 76% and down one to 22%) and Marshall (up five to 87% and down two to 9%). Still clear of the field are McGowan and Gutwein, who are tied at 93% well (down one for McGowan, up four for Gutwein) and 5% badly (up one and down three). Scott Morrison’s ratings on this score are little changed, and remarkably consistent from state to state — Queensland and South Australia are his best with 84% well and 14% poorly apiece, but his weakest result, in New South Wales, is still 79% well and 18% badly.

The poll was conducted from a national sample of 2949, ranging from 526 in Victoria to 309 in Tasmania.

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.

1,085 comments on “Newspoll state leaders and coronavirus polling”

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  1. Quasar,
    If you are still around, thank you for the recommendation re Anne Applebaum’s book. May I also back at you with this recommendation:

    ‘Information Wars
    Knowledge Is Power
    Arm Yourselves’
    by
    Richard Stengel
    (former Assistant Secretary of State in the Obama Administration) 🙂

  2. Thank goodness:

    Supreme Court strikes down Louisiana abortion law that would have closed clinics

    The law was virtually identical to a Texas statute the court struck down in 2016. But the court’s membership has grown more conservative, and partisans on both sides of the issue saw the case as a test of whether the court is going to stand by its precedents on abortion rights.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-louisiana-abortion-law-john-roberts/2020/06/29/6f42067e-ba00-11ea-8cf5-9c1b8d7f84c6_story.html

    However, on the other hand:

    Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. just preserved the right to an abortion in America. For now. In a development that was only surprising if you aren’t familiar with how Roberts operates in the Trump era, he joined with the court’s liberals to strike down a Louisiana law restricting abortion rights.

    It was not, we should be clear, because Roberts does not think Roe v. Wade should be overturned. He almost certainly does. He may take the opportunity to do so, if the timing is right. But now is not that moment.

    Roberts has an ideology, but he is not an ideologue. He is an extremely savvy political operator, one who carefully sides with liberals when he determines that it is necessary to save the Republican Party from itself. Which is what he just did.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/29/once-again-john-roberts-tries-save-republican-party-itself/

  3. Lol@ foreign controlled libs/nat propaganda unit newsltd/corp claiming Daniel Andrews facing voters backlash with a 72% approval rating

  4. Scott @ #3 Tuesday, June 30th, 2020 – 7:00 am

    Lol@ foreign controlled libs/nat propaganda unit newsltd/corp claiming Daniel Andrews facing voters backlash with a 72% approval rating

    They do it to create a false impression which they hope will start the inevitable drip, drip, drip erosion of support for him.

    Though, considering his opponent is Michael O’Brien for the Liberals, who doesn’t even know, or doesn’t want to know, the law about charging people in quarantine for their detention, I would agree that he needs all the help he can get from News Corp.

  5. An annual fund worth $50 million, to be used to lessen the impact of natural disasters, remains untouched by the Federal Government on the last day of the financial year.

    Labor secured the money for prevention measures as part of a deal with the Morrison Government to set up the $4 billion Emergency Response Fund at the end of last year.

    But the $50 million for mitigation and $150 million for recovery assistance have not been used.

    Shadow Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said Labor was surprised the money had not been spent.
    …
    The Natural Disaster Royal Commission is expected to include recommendations for bushfire mitigation measures when it hands over its report at the end of August.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-30/natural-disaster-bushfire-mitigation-fund-untouched/12402960

  6. C@tmomma @ #2 Tuesday, June 30th, 2020 – 4:51 am

    …

    It was not, we should be clear, because Roberts does not think Roe v. Wade should be overturned. He almost certainly does. He may take the opportunity to do so, if the timing is right. But now is not that moment.

    Roberts has an ideology, but he is not an ideologue. He is an extremely savvy political operator, one who carefully sides with liberals when he determines that it is necessary to save the Republican Party from itself. Which is what he just did.

    …

    These 2 paragraphs highlight what is so wrong with how the US Supreme Court judges are selected and operate.

    The idea that any judge should base a decision on anything other than the law and the arguments made is an affront to the legal system that they supposedly serve.

  7. The TreasonGate scandal in the US has questions for their allies, like us… Peter Hartcher spells them out.

    “The reason for the Republicans’ concern is obvious. If Trump knew of the suspicion that Putin was paying for American soldiers to be killed yet continued friendly overtures, he’d be deeply unpatriotic at best and a traitor at worst. And if Trump didn’t know about the intelligence while his own National Security Council did, why did the NSC not alert him when his officials saw him offering new concessions to Putin?

    Because it wasn’t credible? That can’t be. Surely if the US thought the reports were sufficiently credible to brief the British government about, they were credible enough to at least flag with their own President. To allow him to pursue his affair with Putin in these circumstances risked making Trump look a complete dupe. Did the American system fail him?

    The Morrison government so far hasn’t wanted to talk about this story. And you can see why. For Australia’s government, the five questions are, first: Did the US, having briefed Britain, also inform other allies that have troops in Afghanistan? Second, did the US brief Canberra? If not, and now that the story is raging in the US media: Have Australian officials asked US counterparts in recent days what the intel was, and whether any Australian personnel are at any risk? And fourth is the overarching question of trust. Can Australia continue to join US military operations trusting that the senior ally will pass on intel affecting the safety of its forces? And, finally, if America isn’t sure that it can trust itself, how can we?

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/the-morrison-government-doesn-t-want-to-talk-about-trump-and-the-shocking-russian-bounty-story-20200629-p55756.html

  8. Bill Shorten again was in full flight last night , the problem with Labor under Albanese is that , those in the labor party are not allowed to go on with a attack for more than 1 or 2 days

  10. Things get more uncomfortable for Republicans. I bet Mitch McConnell doesn’t even let it come to the Senate.

    The House Monday passed the first significant expansion of the Affordable Care Act since its birth a decade ago, providing Democrats a high-wattage platform to castigate President Trump for his efforts to overturn the landmark law during a pandemic and an election year.

    The 234-179 vote, largely along party lines, was a hollow exercise in terms of any chance the bill would become law and reshape federal health policy. Moments after the debate began, the White House announced the president would veto the legislation if it reached his desk, though a wall of Senate Republican opposition to the measure makes that a moot point.

    Still, the vote was laden with political implications. Less than five months before presidential and congressional elections, it forced Republicans to go on the record about the ACA and showed anew the parties’ highly charged ideological differences on health care — an issue that consistently polls as a prime concern among U.S. voters.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/house-democrats-push-through-first-bill-in-a-decade-expanding-affordable-care-act/2020/06/29/350d3046-ba0f-11ea-8cf5-9c1b8d7f84c6_story.html

  11. Good morning Dawn Patrollers

    Anthony Galloway tells us that Australia will recruit 500 new spies to go after foreign hackers, amid rising tensions with China and a growing wave of attacks against the nation’s critical infrastructure.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/offensive-capability-1-3b-for-new-cyber-spies-to-go-after-hackers-20200629-p557bk.html
    Peter Hartcher says the Morrison government doesn’t want to talk about Trump and the shocking Russian bounty story.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/the-morrison-government-doesn-t-want-to-talk-about-trump-and-the-shocking-russian-bounty-story-20200629-p55756.html
    Jennifer Duke reports that Greg Combet has accused Liberal MPs of trying to undermine the superannuation system by pushing for rule changes that could put at risk $19.5 billion of planned investment to boost the economy.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/hugely-disruptive-combet-accuses-liberal-mps-of-undermining-super-system-20200629-p557bg.html
    Shane Wright points to a special ABS survey that shows more than 3.5 million Australians have cut spending or reduced their home loans to survive the coronavirus recession with warnings the economy could take an even larger hit unless immigration levels are boosted.
    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/three-million-australians-cut-spending-as-virus-recession-hits-income-20200629-p5578i.html
    According to Michael Pascoe, Scott Morrison’s plan to deliver the growth Australia needs over the next five years has negligible credibility.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2020/06/29/conversation-economists-coronavirus-pascoe/
    Cara Waters explains how Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, First State Super chief executive Deanne Stewart and former Macquarie Group chair Kevin McCann have backed a plan to create 1.8 million jobs through renewable energy and low emission projects.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/we-need-a-destination-mike-cannon-brookes-backs-plan-for-1-8-million-jobs-20200629-p5578j.html
    Melissa Davey looks at Victoria’s coronavirus spike, what’s causing it and whether anyone is to blame.
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/29/victorias-coronavirus-spike-whats-causing-it-and-is-anyone-to-blame
    Phil Coorey writes that a Victorian barrister and former High Court of Australia associate says former chief justice Murray Gleeson needs to break “the culture of secrecy” and comment about what, if anything, he knows of the alleged behaviour of Dyson Heydon, some of which occurred under his watch.
    https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/barrister-calls-out-murray-gleeson-on-high-court-secrecy-20200629-p5575n
    When unwritten rules among judges protect those who harass women, then it is time for the rules to change writes Kathleen Foley. She certainly gets to the point!
    https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/time-s-up-for-silence-on-what-happens-in-chambers-20200629-p55743
    In a new Newspoll Daniel Andrews has suffered a sharp drop in support for his handling of the coronavirus, with federal author­ities fearing the state could become the source for a second wave outbreak of the disease. It says this stands in contrast to the increasing confidence voters in most other states are placing in their leaders who have all largely succeeded in suppressing the virus and are moving to rapidly phase out social restrictions.
    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/premiers-sky-high-as-andrews-halo-slips/news-story/1ea67f3eb2c1c6df10ac3452358b70c3
    Nick Bonyhady says millions of Australian workers may lose access to unpaid pandemic leave tomorrow, with the existing workplace deal set to expire.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/pandemic-leave-hangs-in-the-balance-as-negotiations-go-to-the-wire-20200624-p555un.html
    The Australian says business owners across the nation are struggling to recruit staff despite surging unemployment, as calls grow for generous COVID-19 assistance measures to be rolled back amid fears people are being deterred from finding work.
    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/jobless-opt-for-dole-as-businesses-struggle-to-find-workers-despite-unemployment-surge/news-story/0ebe5e226775055acdfa90a1bd88751b
    The SMH editorial says one of the most damning revelations during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was how leaders within those institutions were willing to cover up the appalling actions of individuals. It concludes with, “It is no longer acceptable to turn a blind eye, to not give whistleblowers or victims the right to be heard and believed, to not investigate claims of wrongdoing. That must be demonstrated by the actions of leaders, for one simple reason. Because it is right.”
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/true-leadership-means-not-turning-a-blind-eye-to-uncomfortable-truths-20200629-p557d0.html
    It looks like Virginia Trioli was in good form at last night’s QandA.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/30/qa-host-virgina-trioli-rebukes-arts-minister-over-abc-funding-cuts
    Rob Harris tells us how Labor will be urging Eden-Monaro voters to send Liberals messages on JobKeeper.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-urging-eden-monaro-voters-to-send-liberals-messages-on-jobkeeper-20200629-p55791.html
    Just what Albo needs! The Victorian CFMEU and a coalition of other unions have joined forces to challenge the federal ALP’s intervention in the party’s troubled Victorian branch.
    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/industrial-unions-to-challenge-victorian-labor-takeover-in-court-20200629-p557dc.html
    Tim Costello says that Gladys Berejiklian should heed the health advice on gambling just as she did for COVID.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/premier-should-heed-the-health-advice-on-gambling-just-as-she-did-for-covid-20200629-p5577d.html
    Peter Hannam writes that the South Pole has been warming at triple the global average, as natural variability joins with climate change to produce an abrupt shift in temperature trends.
    https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/nowhere-to-hide-south-pole-warms-up-with-climate-change-a-factor-20200629-p55797.html
    Energy titan Trevor St Baker recently warned that if the government doesn’t introduce fuel efficiency standards Australia would become a global magnet for the “world’s dirty cars”. Some say we already are.
    https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/a-global-dirt-magnet-australia-is-losing-out-from-fuel-efficiency-failures-20200629-p5579u.html
    Melbourne’s COVID-19 hotspots are also housing crisis hotspots.
    https://theconversation.com/overcrowding-and-affordability-stress-melbournes-covid-19-hotspots-are-also-housing-crisis-hotspots-141381
    Matt O’Sullivan reveals that owners in Sydney’s Opal Tower are suing the state government after allegedly discovering more than 500 new defects in the 36-storey apartment building at Olympic Park. What a clusterf**k!
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/opal-tower-owners-sue-nsw-government-over-500-new-defects-20200629-p5578w.html
    According to Nick Bonyhady, a report handed to the Morrison government four months ago contains many of the recommendations that would make it harder for powerful men to harass their subordinates.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/heydon-firestorm-sparks-calls-for-action-on-sexual-harassment-report-20200626-p556me.html
    The courage and creativity allowed to grow among public servants in the pressure of the COVID-19 crisis will be a “crucial quality” for the federal bureaucracy moving into a post-pandemic world, a senior public service leader has said.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6811458/permission-for-aps-creativity-should-stay-after-pandemic-david-fredericks/?cs=17318#gsc.tab=0
    According to the Grattan Institute, the $1500 a fortnight wage subsidy, which goes from the government via businesses to about three million workers, is being paid in arrears. The system means businesses are having to borrow to pay the wages bill being reimbursed by the tax office and has discouraged some from signing up. It believes the allowances should be paid in advance.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6811587/jobkeeper-should-be-paid-in-advance-think-tank/?cs=14225#gsc.tab=0
    Australians have been given the green light by the European Union to travel to member countries after their local authorities declared the country ‘safe’. We are one of a select few set to be allowed entry into the EU’s 27-member block from July 1, diplomats confirmed just this morning. Now doubt Trump will get all shitty over America being left off the list.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2020/06/30/european-union-safe-list/
    Doug Dingwall writes about has the ABS has been making changes to keep pace with the fast-moving crisis.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6806307/abs-makes-changes-to-keep-pace-with-fast-moving-coronavirus-crisis/?cs=17318#gsc.tab=0
    Ad Astra tells us how Morrison has morphed into ‘Strict Father’ mode.
    https://theaimn.com/morrison-morphs-into-strict-father-mode/
    Federal Defence Personnel Minister Darren Chester says an ongoing inquiry into war crime allegations against Australian special forces in Afghanistan needs to be completed as soon as possible to stop further speculation over the probe.
    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/war-crime-inquiry-must-put-an-end-to-speculation-says-chester-20200629-p55792.html
    Nationals frontbencher Andrew Gee has warned that the junior Coalition partner will only support the government’s major overhaul of university funding once the party is satisfied regional education institutions are being looked after.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nationals-issue-warning-on-government-s-university-funding-overhaul-20200629-p5579k.html
    The West Australian newspaper is under fire for publishing a cartoon which refers to an Indigenous character using an offensive racial slur.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/utter-disbelief-the-west-australian-under-fire-over-racial-slurs-in-cartoon-20200629-p557by.html
    Virgin Australia could slash up to half of its workforce to rebuild its crisis-hit operations, a former chief economist of Qantas said, as Regional Express tries to muscle into the lucrative “golden triangle” routes between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
    https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/virgin-could-cut-5000-jobs-as-part-of-relaunch-predicts-expert-20200629-p557a2
    Taxpayers have spent $1 million compensating employees who lost wages and entitlements in the collapse of Made Establishment, the restaurant empire founded by celebrity chef George Calombaris.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/george-calombaris-restaurant-empire-s-collapse-costs-taxpayers-1-million-20200629-p557a6.html
    Woolworths’ plan to build a $1 billion B2B business supplying the education, childcare, healthcare, disability and government sectors has triggered alarm among food and grocery suppliers reports Sue Mitchell.
    https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/woolworths-b2b-plans-cause-supplier-indigestion-20200629-p5575b
    Isabella Lane reports that the national broadband network rollout is supposed to be finished by today, but more than 100,000 Australians remain unconnected. Experts say the nation may have to wait years longer to see the project fully completed. FTTN gets a real serve!
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/2020/06/29/nbn-rollout-deadline-june/
    The board of regional airline Rex has approved plans to raise at least $30 million to launch services to compete against Qantas and Virgin Australia.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/travel/2020/06/29/rex-flights-capital-cities/
    Jenny Noyes reports from the inquiry that a senior NSW public health official conceded that passengers on the ill-fated Ruby Princess should not have been allowed to leave the ship before the COVID-19 test results came back.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/passengers-should-have-stayed-on-ruby-princess-inquiry-told-20200629-p557cf.html
    Jenna Price tells us how to stop being a bystander and stand up to racism and sexism.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-to-stop-being-a-bystander-and-stand-up-to-racism-and-sexism-20200629-p557bb.html
    As the fallout from the Dyson Heydon scandal continues, it will contain many lessons for corporate governance and Australian company directors, writes law professor Jennifer Hill.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/misconduct-and-flawed-organisational-culture-can-exist-anywhere-20200629-p5579f.html
    Seven Network US correspondent Amelia Brace has described to a US congressional committee how she was shot by non-lethal projectiles and hit by a truncheon as police violently cleared Washington DC’s Lafayette Square near the White House.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/australian-reporter-testifies-about-police-beating-outside-white-house-20200630-p557f8.html
    Following a A$2 million funding injection from the federal government, the ABC and SBS have introduced an audio description service for audiences who are blind or vision impaired.
    https://theconversation.com/audio-description-finally-comes-to-abc-and-sbs-141276
    The names of all institutions that are yet to sign up to the national redress scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse will be made public tomorrow and may face government sanctions, with the social services minister, Anne Ruston, saying failure to join would be “reprehensible”.
    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/29/government-threatens-to-name-reprehensible-institutions-that-dont-join-child-sex-abuse-redress-scheme
    The future of the AAP newswire is assured with the inking of a sale to new owners who say they are driven by a desire to retain Australian media diversity. A consortium of philanthropists and investors on Monday finalised a deal with current shareholders, including Nine and News Corp, to purchase Australian Associated Press which has been operating for more than 85 years.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/aap-newswire-begins-its-next-chapter-as-sale-finalised-20200629-p557et.html
    Bloomberg explains how China’s financial system is running out of room.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/china-s-financial-system-is-running-out-of-room-20200629-p5575r.html
    From Jakarta James Massola reports that grieving Indonesians are snatching back the bodies of family members who died of coronavirus, so the deceased can be buried in line with religious practice – despite the dead still potentially being contagious.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/body-snatching-families-risk-catching-coronavirus-to-perform-final-rites-20200629-p557aa.html
    The Cirque du Soleil has how gone under and filed for bankruptcy.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/cirque-du-soleil-files-for-bankruptcy-20200630-p557fe.html
    And a double whammy of financial strains, including the COVID-19 crisis, has left The Sydney Theatre Company in a precarious situation.
    https://www.smh.com.au/culture/theatre/auditor-casts-doubt-over-sydney-theatre-company-s-future-20200629-p557ax.html
    China has a new way to exert political pressure and that’s weaponising its courts against foreigners writes law academic John Garrick.
    https://theconversation.com/china-has-a-new-way-to-exert-political-pressure-weaponising-its-courts-against-foreigners-141195
    In yet another classy move Trump has retweeted a video of a white St Louis couple pointing guns at protesters.
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/29/st-louis-couple-point-guns-at-protesters
    Coronavirus infection rates in the US have increased to a record high, putting hospitals under severe pressure and turning election battlegrounds Florida, Texas and Arizona into the latest hotspots.
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/29/trump-biden-polls-battleground-states-coronavirus-impact
    America is too broken to fight the coronavirus. The New York Times says no other developed country is doing so badly. Ouch!
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/america-is-too-broken-to-fight-the-coronavirus-20200629-p557c4.html
    Sort of surprisingly, the US Supreme Court has struck down a Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics, reasserting a commitment to abortion rights over fierce opposition from dissenting conservative justices in the first big abortion case of the Trump era. Chief Justice John Roberts came to the rescue.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/us-supreme-court-strikes-down-strict-louisiana-abortion-clinic-law-20200630-p557f3.html
    This doctor has earned nomination for “Arsehole of the Week”.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/gp-accused-of-indecent-assault-tells-court-he-was-engaging-in-tantric-healing-20200629-p557d6.html

    Cartoon Corner

    David Rowe

    David Pope

    Cathy Wilcox

    Matt Golding




    Mark David

    Glen Le Lievre

    Alan Moir

    Andrew Dyson

    John Spooner

    From the US







  12. Novel swine flu discovered in China — and it has potential to create a second pandemic: report

    The world could be facing a second pandemic as COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe.

    “A new strain of flu that has the potential to become pandemic has been identified in China by scientists. It emerged recently and is carried by pigs, but can infect humans, they say,” the BBC reported Monday.

    “The researchers are concerned that it could mutate further so that it can spread easily from person to person, and trigger a global outbreak. They say it has ‘all the hallmarks’ of being highly adapted to infect humans – and needs close monitoring,” the BBC confirmed. “As it’s new, people could have little or no immunity to the virus.”

    https://www.rawstory.com/2020/06/novel-swine-flu-discovered-in-china-and-it-has-potential-to-create-a-second-pandemic-report/

  13. The New York Times@nytimes

    At least 54,000 residents and employees of nursing homes and long-term care facilities have died from the coronavirus, according to a New York Times database, accounting for 43% of virus-related deaths in the U.S.

    Dr. Anne Schuchat, a top official at the C.D.C., told a leading medical journal that despite “wishful thinking” that the United States would be over the virus by the summer, the recent rise in cases shows that “we are not even beginning to be over this.”

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/world/coronavirus-updates.html#link-c785897

  16. Ignoring all social implications, does Scotty From Marketing’s brilliant idea of raising the cost of Humanities degrees ensure such degrees will be more valuable and prestigious than before the changes?

    That is basic marketing, right, more expensive, more exclusive so more valuable?

  17. Is there anything working properly in this administration?

    George Rennie, a lobbying expert at the University of Melbourne, said the findings were unsurprising and reflected the fact that “the entire lobbying regime in Australia is broken”.

    “There are problems with weakness of the code itself, which is full of holes, as well as with having the code administered by a body – the AGD – that lacks independence,” Rennie told the Guardian. “In other words, even if the code had teeth, it is administered by a body unwilling to use them.”

    Rennie said fundamental change was needed to both the code and its enforcement. That included criminalising breaches of the code, extending it to in-house lobbyists and giving responsibility for oversight to a federal integrity commissioner.

    In the last audit, the department had also been urged to provide advice to government on whether the system was working to a sufficient standard. It failed to provide any such advice.

    The department took over responsibility for the lobbying code and the register from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in 2018, just months after the initial audit.

    The register – the public’s only real window into the activities of lobbyists – has suffered repeated IT problems since.

    The audit was scathing of the department’s handling of the register. It was placed online despite “known risks” and without any proper testing, data migration validation, or having a “back-out strategy” in place.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/29/australian-government-powerless-against-lobbyists-with-hidden-interests-audit-finds

  18. phoenixRED,
    I gather you have a sub to The Washington Post. If so you may be interested in this article:

    The past three months have been a stark reminder that the United States is an aging society. Americans older than 60 outnumber those younger than 15. And this rapidly expanding older population is being devastated by the novel coronavirus.

    But we have also learned a great deal since March about why seniors are so susceptible to this virus — and which symptoms to look for when they present themselves at clinics and hospitals looking for help.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/29/covid-19-sickens-seniors-differently-heres-why/

    Same same in Australia.

  20. Good morning all,

    I was hoping some compassionate poster with far better comprehension ability than I may offer some clarity.

    From reading the introduction to this thread by William above my understanding is approval ratings for Morrison have deteriorated in every state except Queensland.

    If this is the case then how could Morrison have reached new heights in approval ratings nationally in the latest Newspoll and trumpeted by the Australian yesterday ?

    I know I must be missing something but just what I have no idea.

    Thanks in advance for any insight and clarity.

  21. Trump has shown deference to other dictators, including China’s Xi Jinping and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, but even by his standards, his record of obsequiousness to Putin stands out. Trump has never engaged in any tough-guy talk with the Russian strongman, as he has with Xi and Kim. Why? Bolton writes that he didn’t ask Trump what he thought of Putin, because he was “afraid of what I might hear.”

    The only thing we can say with confidence is that Trump’s partiality toward Russia is likely spurred by self-interest, not national interest. As Bolton notes: “I am hard-pressed to identify any significant Trump decision during my White House tenure that wasn’t driven by reelection calculations.”

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/29/america-first-president-keeps-putting-russia-first/

    I reckon Trump’s refusal to confront Putin is because:

    a) he wants Russia’s help with this election too, and
    b) he needs Russia for any financial moves his organisation might make when he leaves office.

  22. ‘lizzie says:
    Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 8:21 am
    Is there anything working properly in this administration?’

    My take is that this is by design, not accidental.
    Anything to retain power.

  23. lizzie @ #16 Tuesday, June 30th, 2020 – 6:21 am

    Is there anything working properly in this administration?

    George Rennie, a lobbying expert at the University of Melbourne, said the findings were unsurprising and reflected the fact that “the entire lobbying regime in Australia is broken”.

    “There are problems with weakness of the code itself, which is full of holes, as well as with having the code administered by a body – the AGD – that lacks independence,” Rennie told the Guardian. “In other words, even if the code had teeth, it is administered by a body unwilling to use them.”

    Rennie said fundamental change was needed to both the code and its enforcement. That included criminalising breaches of the code, extending it to in-house lobbyists and giving responsibility for oversight to a federal integrity commissioner.

    In the last audit, the department had also been urged to provide advice to government on whether the system was working to a sufficient standard. It failed to provide any such advice.

    The department took over responsibility for the lobbying code and the register from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in 2018, just months after the initial audit.

    The register – the public’s only real window into the activities of lobbyists – has suffered repeated IT problems since.

    The audit was scathing of the department’s handling of the register. It was placed online despite “known risks” and without any proper testing, data migration validation, or having a “back-out strategy” in place.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/29/australian-government-powerless-against-lobbyists-with-hidden-interests-audit-finds

    Another reason politicians diary’s should be published in real time online.

    This would highlight all contacts they had with lobbyist.

  24. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/science/flying-snakes-physics.html

    Once in Singapore, Dr. Socha and a group of researchers witnessed a snake jump from 30 feet up and travel over 60 feet in the air on a windless day.

    “It was like an athlete hitting its stride,” he said. “It was like, ‘I know what I’m doing, I’m off and you’ll never see me again.’”

    Not a lot to do with “Newspoll state leaders and coronavirus polling” but very interesting all the same.

    I will (maybe) never again refer to politicians as “snakes” as I doubt those I have in mind come up to the standard of the wonderful creatures mentioned in the above article. 🐍 That’s a snake.
    ☕ That’s my soon to be fresh cup of coffee.

  25. KayJay @ #23 Tuesday, June 30th, 2020 – 6:42 am

    …

    I will (maybe) never again refer to politicians as “snakes” as I doubt those I have in mind come up to the standard of the wonderful creatures mentioned in the above article. 🐍 That’s a snake.
    ☕ That’s my soon to be fresh cup of coffee.

    No need.

    There are a few that start wriggling and take flight at the first sign of discomfort. 🙂

  26. Quasar

    The attitude of Paul Fletcher on QandA last night was smug, arrogant, stubborn and deceptive.
    That leads me to agree with you that Libs’ determination to pursue their ideology over-rides all other factors. Even so, their lack of planning on almost everything suggests to me that they are also lazy and ignorant and can’t be bothered to review decisions in the light of events. They just work out a smart defensive spin and repeat it ad nauseam. Backed into a corner, they get vicious.

  27. lizzie @ #25 Tuesday, June 30th, 2020 – 8:51 am

    Quasar

    The attitude of Paul Fletcher on QandA last night was smug, arrogant, stubborn and deceptive.
    That leads me to agree with you that Libs’ determination to pursue their ideology over-rides all other factors. Even so, their lack of planning on almost everything suggests to me that they are also lazy and ignorant and can’t be bothered to review decisions in the light of events. They just work out a smart defensive spin and repeat it ad nauseam. Backed into a corner, they get vicious.

    Candidates for Liberal pre-selection are screened for these qualities.

  28. Green surge in local elections puts Macron under climate pressure

    https://www.afr.com/world/europe/green-surge-in-local-elections-puts-macron-under-climate-pressure-20200629-p5573i

    The success of the French Greens follows Ireland’s Green Party joining government for the first time last week, as part of an unlikely coalition with the two centrist parties. The Irish Greens’ membership voted through the coalition deal on Friday, installing centrist Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin as Prime Minister.
    :::
    Mr Macron is a strong supporter of the European Union’s Green Deal, released late last year, which aims for climate neutrality by 2050 and could involve carbon border taxes as well as massive investment in green energy programs.

  29. lizzie @ #25 Tuesday, June 30th, 2020 – 8:51 am

    Quasar

    The attitude of Paul Fletcher on QandA last night was smug, arrogant, stubborn and deceptive.
    That leads me to agree with you that Libs’ determination to pursue their ideology over-rides all other factors. Even so, their lack of planning on almost everything suggests to me that they are also lazy and ignorant and can’t be bothered to review decisions in the light of events. They just work out a smart defensive spin and repeat it ad nauseam. Backed into a corner, they get vicious.

    How can anyone out compete it? The truth and reality just don’t get a look in any more when you are faced with an impenetrable wall of sound and all the levers of government, media, social media, lobbyists and their media campaigns and the workforce employed by the government to toil on their behalf arrayed against you.

  30. Victoria never really flattened virus curve

    https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/victoria-never-really-flattened-virus-curve-20200629-p55787

    Victoria is the only state not to sustainably flatten the coronavirus curve, state-by-state data analysis shows.

    Even before the recent COVID-19 outbreaks in Melbourne suburbs and the sharp increase in daily cases, the southern state had not durably flattened the number of new daily cases.

    Victoria is an outlier against the seven other states and territories, which largely suppressed the virus weeks ago.

  33. Private school funding grows 15 times faster than state school funding

    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/private-school-funding-grows-15-times-faster-than-state-school-funding-20200629-p557cy.html

    Funding for students at Catholic and independent schools in Victoria has grown almost 15 times faster than for state schools in the past decade, prompting warnings that disadvantaged students who need the most support are instead being left further behind.

    Analysis of 10 years of school funding data reveals the total amount spent on each child in a state school grew by $178 between 2009 and 2018, compared with a $2333 increase for each Catholic school student and $2612 for students at independent schools.

    The disparity in funding per student between government and non-government schools was also wider in Victoria by 2018 than in any other state or territory, analysis by school advocacy group Save Our Schools shows.

    The group’s analysis shows the average student at a state school in Victoria had $13,663 spent on their education in 2018, compared with $16,303 per Catholic school student and $25,000 for a student at an independent school.

  35. Dumb Blonde @thetopjob
    ·
    54m
    Does anyone else find it extremely comforting to know that the agencies at the forefront of keeping Australians safe & protecting us from terrorism can’t locate the source of an email?

  36. Look at what that precious poodle Alexander Downer tweeted.
    “I’m going to advise the government not to participate in @QandA
    One minister and all the rest are political opponents. Better to leave it entirely as a
    @AustralianLabor@Greensshow. The one @LiberalAus guest is only there to be denigrated.

  38. BK

    Downer complained that there was no one there to ‘balance the debate’.
    How could that have been done? Thinking, thinking…

  39. BK @ #35 Tuesday, June 30th, 2020 – 7:15 am

    Look at what that precious poodle Alexander Downer tweeted.
    “I’m going to advise the government not to participate in @QandA
    One minister and all the rest are political opponents. Better to leave it entirely as a
    @AustralianLabor@Greensshow. The one @LiberalAus guest is only there to be denigrated.

    When has a member of the Government logically defended a policy?

    That’s the problem.

    They normally can’t!

  40. Pegasus says:
    Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 9:01 am
    “Green surge in local elections puts Macron under climate pressure”

    You’re sure about that?

    His last foray into Green stuff created the Gilet Jaune – how’s that work out for Macron and his policy?

  41. Good Morning

    Another day with the right getting kicked in the teeth with reality. Another day no doubt of denial from that same right wing that their austerity neo liberal ideology is the proverbial dead parrot.

    Good to see the Greens making progress in Europe. When President Biden gets elected barring unforeseen events like introducing Universal Basic Income by the GOP, the pressure on the environment is going to be immense.

    Add to that all the economic fallout from the ongoing pandemic and you are looking at real destruction of the neo liberal ideology. The fact is that Keynes is the way to go and again the LNP are going to be forced by the force majuere of the pandemic to do so.

  42. Thanks for your recommendation , C@t.
    Much as I like regular books, Kindle allows me to instantly download for future reading, ensuring I don’t forget.
    For US tragics, Seth Abrahamson’s books are worth a squiz.

  44. You’re going to read and hear a lot of folks talking about treason. We don’t encourage that word’s use because it has a specific legal meaning related to traditional warfare; a formal declaration of war establishing a defined enemy is necessary to accuse someone of providing aid and comfort to that enemy.

    18 U.S. Code § 2381.Treason

    Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

    (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 807; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(2)(J), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)

    We’re not in a formally declared state of war with Russia; they are not a defined enemy.

    _____________________
    https://www.emptywheel.net/2020/06/28/three-things-bounties-bounties-bounce/

  46. Blokey, bossy and unbending. Was Morrison ever any different? I don’t think so.

    Peggy Sanders @peggymel2001
    3h
    Morrison morphs into ‘Strict Father’ mode – » The Australian Independent Media Network

    The basis of the strict father model used by Morrison’s Regime is lack of trust, respect in people & control by fear and deceit. Very patriarchal & very misogynistic.

    https://theaimn.com/morrison-morphs-into-strict-father-mode/

  47. lizzie @ #31 Tuesday, June 30th, 2020 – 9:06 am

    C@t

    I agree. By fair means and foul they have entrenched their power.

    Relentlessly, since Howard, and when Morrison came on the scene as NSW State Director of the Liberal Party. They have grafted every tool to their machine, like one of those Snap On Tools machines. When they need a driver, they put it on to their never-ending battery-powered core. When they need to screw something or someone down they co-ordinate with the other arms of their machine, the conservative mass media, start them up and let them rip. When they need to gloss over a mistake that would kill a Labor government, they apply a coat of paint so thick you see the original flaws just disappear before your eyes, never to return.

    And when they want to win elections they just put their hands in our pockets and pull out the cash to splash around. Back at us.

    What to do to counteract this? Go to your Greek Classics, your Sun Tzu and your Aesop’s Fables and put them in the crucible and craft something new. But it has to be appealing. The 21st century is all about eye candy.

    And that is where COVID-19 has been so helpful. It’s like the rise of Punk against the Rock Dinosaurs. The old world order has become so slick and so gargantuan that it has developed an Achilles heel and a glass jaw that is just waiting to smashed. And the level of Authoritarian control, and Police Brutality, both here and in other countries, has exposed what was subterranean and covered with a surface gloss, as I outlined above, to the light at last.

    And this is where the younger generation, the really smart ones, have to take the ball that has been handed to them and run with it. They have to be David to the Authoritarian Goliath that is spreading its tentacles around the world and they have to blow massive holes in the new Road to Serfdom that is being relentlessly created by the Masters and their minions.

    And it needs to start in November in America and roll on just as relentlessly from there. All around the world. They need to put the ‘humane’ back into human being and be those agile little dinosaurs that took down T Rex and bring about the change we so desperately need.

    Much blood will likely be shed, but now is the season of our discontent that demands a counterinsurgency. Too many bright young people have been co-opted by the conservative authoritarians. Now it’s time for the second wave.

    The Re-Enlightenment.

    Go Zoomers! Go! Go! Go!

  48. How unsurprisement

    The Real Reed Galvin
    @reedgalen
    Here’s the score folks:
    @realDonaldTrump
    knew about:

    #coronavirus and Russian #Bounties in January and did nothing about them. Instead, he went to rallies and played golf.

    #AmericaOrTrump
    Quote Tweet

    Max Boot
    @MaxBoot
    · 4h
    The US govt has known about the alleged Russian bounties since Jan without any response. During that time, Trump & Putin spoke 5 times and issued a joint declaration. Trump also invited Putin back to the G-7 & gushed that “we have this great friendship.” https://wapo.st/38bIcdR

  49. A clip of Morrison’s smug and arrogant “There were no cuts. There were no cuts” comment yesterday about ABC funding should be mercilessly used by Labor and others to hammer him and his government.
    It’s a horrible, though familiar look.

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