A bone for every dog in the federation kennel:
New South Wales
Gladys Berejiklian has backed a move for the Liberal Party to desist from endorsing or financially supporting candidates in local government elections, reportedly to distance the state government from adverse findings arising from Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations into a number of councils. Many in the party are displeased with the idea, including a source cited by Linda Silmalis of the Daily Telegraph, who predicted “world war three” because many MPs relied on councillors to organise their numbers at preselections.
Victoria
The second biggest story in the politics of Victoria over the past fortnight has been the expose of the activities of Liberal Party operator Marcus Bastiaan by the Nine newspaper-and-television news complex, a neat counterpoint to its similar revelations involving Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek in June. The revelations have been embarrassing or worse for federal MPs Michael Sukkar and Kevin Andrews, with the former appearing to have directed the latter’s electorate office staff to spend work time on party factional activities.
Together with then state party president Michael Kroger, Bastiaan was instrumental in establishing a conservative ascendancy with help from Bastiaan’s recruitment of members from Mormon churches and the Indian community. Having installed ally Nick Demiris as campaign director, Bastiaan’s fingerprints were on the party’s stridently conservative campaign at the 2018 state election, which yielded the loss of 11 lower house Coalition seats. Religious conservatives led by Karina Okotel, now a federal party vice-president, then split from the Bastiaan network, complaining their numbers had been used to buttress more secular conservatives.
The Age’s report noted that “in the days leading up to the publication of this investigation, News Corporation mastheads have run stories attacking factional opponents of Mr Bastiaan and Mr Sukkar”. Presumably related to this was a report on Okotel’s own party activities in The Australian last weekend, which was long on emotive adjectives but short on tangible allegations of wrongdoing, beyond her having formed an alliance with factional moderates after the split.
Queensland
There are now less than two months to go until the October 31 election, which is already awash with Clive Palmer’s trademark yellow advertising targeting Labor. Thanks the state’s commendable law requiring that donations be publicly disclosed within seven days (or 24 hours in the last week of an election campaign), as compared with over a year after the election at federal level (where only donations upwards of $14,000 need to be disclosed at all, compared with $1000 in Queensland), we are aware that Palmer’s companies have donated more than $80,000 to his United Australia Party. Liberal National Party sources cited by The Guardian say a preference deal has already been struck with Palmer’s outfit, although others in the party are said to be “furious” and “concerned” at the prospect of being tarred with Palmer’s brush.
Western Australia
I have nothing to relate here, which is worth noting in and itself, because the near total absence of voting intention polling from the state since Mark McGowan’s government came to power in 2017 is without modern historical precedent. This reflects the demise of the aggregated state polling that Newspoll used to provide on a quarterly basis in the smaller states (bi-monthly in the larger ones), and an apparent lack of interest in voting intention polling on behalf of the local monopoly newspaper, which offers only attitudinal polling from local market research outfit Painted Dog Research.
The one and only media poll of the term was this one from YouGov Galaxy in the Sunday Times in mid-2018, showing Labor with a lead of 54-46, slightly below the 55.5-44.5 blowout it recorded in 2017. With Newspoll having recorded Mark McGowan’s approval rating at 88% in late June, it can be stated with confidence that the gap would be quite a bit wider than that if a poll were conducted now. The West Australian reported in late July that Utting Research, which has conducted much of Labor’s internal polling over the years, had Labor leading 66-34, which would not sound too far-fetched to anyone in tune with the public mood at present. The next election is to be held on March 13.
South Australia
I have been delinquent in not covering the publication of the state’s draft redistribution a fortnight ago, but Ben Raue at The Tally Room has it covered here and here, complete with easily navigable maps.
These are the first boundaries drawn since the commissioners were liberated from the “fairness provision” which directed them to shoot for boundaries that would deliver a majority to the party with the largest two-party vote. This proved easier said than done, with three of Labor’s four election wins from 2002 and 2014 being achieved without it. The commissioners used the wriggle room allowed them in the legislation to essentially not even try in 2014, before bending other backwards to tilt the playing field to the Liberals in 2018, who duly won a modest majority from 51.9%.
By the Boundaries Commission’s own reckoning, there would have been no difference to the outcome of the 2018 election if it had held under the proposed new boundaries. Nonetheless, the Liberals have weakened in three seats where they are left with new margins of inside 1%: Elder, where their margin is slashed from 4.5% to 0.1%; Newland, down from 2.1% to 0.4%; and Adelaide, down from 1.1% to 0.7%. Their only notable compensation is an increase in their margin in King from 0.8% to 1.5%, and a cut in Labor’s margin in Badcoe from 5.6% to 2.0%.
Tasmania
Local pollster EMRS has published its quarterly state voting intention poll, which reflects Newspoll in finding voters to be over the moon with Premier Peter Gutwein, who came to the job just in time for COVID-19 to hit the fan when Will Hodgman retired in January. Over three polls, the Liberal vote has progressed from 43% to 52% to 54%; Labor has gone from 34% to 28% to 24%; and the Greens have gone from 12% to 10% and back again. Gutwein now leads Labor’s Rebecca White by 70% to 23% as preferred premier, out from 63-26 last time (and 41-39 to White on Gutwein’s debut in March). The poll was conducted by phone from August 18 to 24.
Northern Territory
With the last dregs of counting being conducted from now through Friday, fully our of the 25 seats in the Northern Territory remain in doubt following the election the Saturday before last, with current margins ranging from seven to 18 votes. However, the actual election result is well and truly done and dusted, with Labor having 13 seats in the bag. You can follow the action on my dedicated post, which includes live updating of results.
Australian Capital Territory
Not that I have anything particular to say about it at this point, but the Australian Capital Territory is the next cab off the election rank with polling day on October 17, a fortnight before Queensland.
New Zealand
Do Kiwi nationalists complain of being treated like the seventh state in Australia? Well, they can now, as I have a new Roy Morgan poll to relate ahead of their election which will, like that of the ACT, be held on October 17, with the originally anticipated date of September 19 being pushed back due to its recent COVID-19 flare-up. If this poll is any guide, this may have knocked a coat of paint off Labour without in any way endangering Jacinda Ardern’s government.
Labour is now at 48%, down from 53.5% last month, with National up two to 28.5%. The Greens are up from 8% to 11.5%, and do notably better out of this poll series than rivals Colmar Brunton and Reid Research, which show them struggling to keep their head above the 5% threshold that guarantees them seats in parliment under the country’s mixed-member proportional representation system. New Zealand First remain well below it at 2.5%, albeit that this is up a point on last month, while the free-market liberal ACT New Zealand party is clear of it on 6%, down half a point. The poll was conducted by phone from a sample of 897 “during August”.
The Scottish government will propose the timescale and question for a second referendum on Scottish independence by next spring, Nicola Sturgeon has said, as she pledged the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic would act as an accelerant and not a brake on the Scottish National party’s ambitions.
Setting out her programme for government – Holyrood’s equivalent to the Queen’s speech – on Tuesday afternoon, the first minister announced a “youth guarantee”, offering a job or a place in education or training to everyone aged 16 to 24 , as she said Covid “will not be the defining experience for this generation”.
She also revealed plans for a £100m green jobs fund, further investment in digital infrastructure, and a review of adult social care, which will set out options for a “national care service”.
In a move welcomed by children’s advocates, the first minister confirmed what she described as “one of the most ambitious pieces of legislation in the 20-year history of devolution”: the full and direct incorporation into Scots law of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/sep/01/nicola-sturgeon-vows-to-set-out-independence-vote-plans-by-next-spring
Urannah scheme: how money for a Queensland dam project flowed to LNP-linked firm
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/02/urannah-scheme-how-money-for-a-queensland-dam-project-flowed-to-lnp-linked-firm
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
In a revealing examination, Ross Gittins describes the pandemic as an inconvenience for the privileged but tough luck for the poor.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/pandemic-inconvenience-for-the-privileged-tough-luck-for-the-poor-20200901-p55r7u.html
Andrew Leigh headlines this op-ed with. “Nobody likes running deficits, but right now creating jobs is priority number one”.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6901066/nobody-likes-running-deficits-but-right-now-creating-jobs-is-priority-number-one/?cs=14264&utm_source=website&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=latestnews
People dipping into their superannuation will be tens of thousands of dollars worse off in retirement and add billions to the cost of the age pension, according to a new analysis.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/future-taxpayers-to-bear-cost-of-early-release-scheme-analysis-20200901-p55rau
The Guardian reveals that the federal government has given $12m towards planning the latest version of a big dam scheme championed by prominent Nationals. Maaaates?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/02/urannah-scheme-how-money-for-a-queensland-dam-project-flowed-to-lnp-linked-firm
Jennifer Duke reports that nurses, CEOs and software engineers wanting work in Australia will be given exemptions to bypass border restrictions as part of a new skilled migration plan.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nurses-ceos-to-be-given-border-exemptions-under-skilled-workers-plan-20200901-p55r93.html
David Crowe writes about the Morrison government piling pressure on the states to accept a new regime to define coronavirus hotspots as a way to ease border controls.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-dislocated-nation-pm-turns-up-heat-on-hotspot-definition-to-ease-border-bans-20200901-p55rg3.html
If the states fail to agree on a COVID-19 hotspot definition, Scott Morrison will strike, using their failure as his justification, writes Dr Jennifer Wilson.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/morrison-versus-the-states-on-covid-19-hotspots,14263
On the subject of recent Newspolls ,John Lord reckons they indicate that things can only get worse for the Coalition. As unemployment increases and the “to let” signs gradually appear on the shop fronts and factories, the Prime Minister’s tendency towards plain bullshit and lying will become ever more present.
https://theaimn.com/newspoll-50-50-will-it-get-any-better/
Brian Touhey tells us how the cost of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and its sustainment costs continue to really blow out.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6897747/problems-with-new-f-35-fighter-planes-shouldnt-fly-under-the-radar/?cs=14350
The Age explains how the royal commission has identified 124 criminal convictions tainted by the double life of Nicola Gobbo that may be set aside. Wow!
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/lawyer-x-royal-commission-final-submissions-released-20200901-p55rfs.html
Victoria Police has admitted it was “profoundly wrong” in permitting lawyer Nicola Gobbo to inform on her own clients, as the Royal Commission into the Management of Public Informants makes public thousands of pages of documents for the first time.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/police-say-using-lawyer-x-as-informer-was-wrong-issue-bombshell-apology-for-breaching-trust-20200901-p55rgq.html
The Australian says senior serving and former Victorian police officers face the threat of criminal charges and the trials of some of the nation’s biggest drug criminals may have been compromised, according to a bombshell report by the Lawyer X royal commission.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/top-police-officers-to-face-jail-for-lawyer-x/news-story/b009a9142a2bf47c0fc73a5a497acd03
Latika Bourke tells us, among other strange things, how Tony Abbott in a speech in London has accused Daniel Andrews of conducting a “health dictatorship” by putting 5 million Melburnians under ”house arrest”.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/unaccountable-experts-tony-abbott-calls-for-end-to-lockdowns-travel-bans-20200901-p55rh9.html
According to Adam Cooper, the Federal Court has heard that Australian Federal Police have confirmed that they obtained eyewitness accounts implicating Ben Roberts-Smith in war crimes while he was an Australian soldier serving in Afghanistan. This means he has been viewed as a suspect, I suppose.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/afp-consider-ben-roberts-smith-a-suspect-in-war-crimes-court-told-20200901-p55rdk.html
Melissa Cunningham tells us how ten times more people than expected have chosen to end their lives under Victoria’s landmark voluntary assisted dying legislation in its first year. Goes to show how much it was needed!
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/euthanasia-laws-used-by-124-terminally-ill-victorians-to-end-their-lives-20200901-p55rav.html
Instead of prolonging life, a dying patient’s final wish is an antidote for our times writes Austalian oncologist, Ranjana Srivastava.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/02/instead-of-prolonging-life-a-dying-patients-final-wish-is-an-antidote-for-our-times
The Reserve Bank will offer commercial lenders up to $200 billion in cheap cash to help bolster the recovery from recession with the depth of Australia’s worst economic downturn since the end of World War II to be revealed today reports Shane Wright.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/banks-offered-cheap-200b-to-help-build-economy-out-of-recession-20200901-p55rcz.html
Education Minister Dan Tehan has blamed his senior media adviser for a misleading media release which suggested humanities, tourism, creative arts and communications students had poor employment outcomes three years after finishing their degree.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6902780/education-minister-promotes-incorrect-graduate-employment-figures/?cs=14329
Euan Black wonders if our economy recover faster than we think.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/consumer/2020/09/01/economic-recovery-stimulus/
Wage subsidies and increases to welfare during the coronavirus pandemic have largely held any increase in inequality at bay, research reveals, but the gap is expected to blow out once JobKeeper and boosted JobSeeker payments are wound back, writes Katina Curtis.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/income-supports-hold-increase-in-inequality-at-bay-for-now-20200901-p55r7i.html
National property prices haven fallen roughly 2 per cent since the beginning of the pandemic, but analysts say the market’s toughest test is just around the corner, writes Matt Johnson.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/property/2020/09/01/house-prices-fall-september/
A raft of new standards for financial advice, enshrined in law, will improve the professionalism of the industry explains John Collett.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/planning-and-budgeting/improved-financial-advice-finally-on-the-way-20200825-p55p3y.html
In its latest effort China said yesterday that it had suspended barley imports from Australia’s largest grain exporter, a ruling that threatens to inflame bilateral tensions.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/china-suspends-barley-imports-from-wa-grain-exporter-cbh-20200902-p55rhn.html
Kate McClymont reports that at yesterday’s trial it was said that the Obeid family stood to make $100m from an allegedly rigged coal deal.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/obeid-family-stood-to-make-100m-from-coal-deal-court-hears-20200901-p55rb0.html
Dana McCauley explains how the TGA has been asked by Mind Medicine Australia to allow psychiatrists to use MDMA and the hallucinogenic psilocybin in therapy sessions.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/regulator-weighs-push-to-legalise-mdma-for-mental-health-treatment-20200901-p55rch.html
The Adelaide Advertiser tells us that claims by the $44 billion residential aged care industry that it is going broke has prompted calls for forensic accountants to be brought in to scrutinise the financial records of residential aged care homes and their wealthy owners.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/coronavirus/aged-care-360-news-corp-launches-campaign-to-sort-out-aged-care-mess/news-story/483141b1d91f971a7b6ae624b1db8431
Stephen Bartholomeusz thinks Facebook and Google might be protesting too much.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/do-facebook-and-google-protest-too-much-20200901-p55rc6.html
But John McDuling says that banning genuine news produced by reputable media outlets will only worsen the misinformation epidemic Facebook has created.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/facebook-s-threat-would-only-worsen-the-misinformation-problem-it-created-20200901-p55rfc.html
Nina Hendry reports that thousands have dropped their private health insurance after questioning its value. A Grattan Institute report has disclosed that unexpected out-of-pocket costs have diminished the value of private health for many.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/planning-and-budgeting/thousands-drop-private-health-insurance-after-questioning-its-value-20200901-p55rci.html
Australia Post has asked its Melbourne staff to volunteer to deliver parcels, as its executives eye $7m worth of bonuses.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/auspost-invites-volunteer-parcel-deliveries-while-executives-eye-bonuses-20200901-p55rf7.html
George Monbiot tells us about No 10 and the secretly funded lobby groups intent on undermining democracy in the UK.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/01/no-10-lobby-groups-democracy-policy-exchange
Chris Uhlmann reckons Donald Trump could win the US election for the same reason he won last time.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/donald-trump-could-win-the-us-election-for-the-same-reason-he-won-last-time-20200901-p55r6r.html
Paul Kelly looks at a divided America as he declares that neither Trump nor Biden is the answer.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/americas-political-tribalism-has-divided-the-nation/news-story/524f8ecd002ea122114fa2fb8c51a325
It appears Troppo Trump will stop at nothing to pull off this election.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-blames-people-in-dark-shadows-for-protest-violence-cites-mysterious-plane-full-of-thugs-20200902-p55rhq.html
Cartoon Corner
Peter Broelman
Andrew Dyson
Cathy Wilcox
John Shakespeare
Simon Letch
Matt Golding
Alan Moir
Johannes Leak
From the US
Biden raised $300mill during August for his campaign. The people seem to be voting with their pockets.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-fundraising-biden-idUSKBN25S5OU?taid=5f4eb08599d1fe00011e1e9b&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
Boris’s Brexit is pish.
Those running/owning aged care homes might be getting lined up for a Rupert jihad against them. Across the op of the top of the ‘Tiser,
MASERATI AND A MANSION: AUSSIE AGED CARE OWNER QUITS
EXCLUSIVE A wealthy director of a COVID-19-riddled aged care facility has quit his role. But he’s not the only industry bigwig to be living the high life as the sector cries poor. SEE THE PHOTOS
.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/coronavirus/maserati-and-a-mansion-australian-aged-care-owner-peter-arvanitis-quits-over-probe-into-wealth/news-story/4923ea46b6d6fe716de025d8eac582b8
MORE AUSSIES DIE AS $44 BILLION MONEY TRAIL GOES UNTRACED
EXCLUSIVE INVESTIGATION The $44 billion aged care industry is facing calls for its finances to be probed amid claims it is going broke, as News Corp launches a campaign to dissect the failings exposed by COVID-19.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/coronavirus/aged-care-360-news-corp-launches-campaign-to-sort-out-aged-care-mess/news-story/483141b1d91f971a7b6ae624b1db8431
Morning and thanks BK. On the ABC the financial shenanigans of the catholic education system with taxpayer funds are finally exposed. Colour me unshocked. This isn’t about souls, as the title of NSW catholic education CEO Dallas McInerney should indicate. Which politician will speak out against this blatant exploitation of the poor to subsidise church schools buying a larger market share with low fees in rich suburbs?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-02/how-the-catholic-school-system-takes-from-the-poor/12588920?nw=0
Jaeger @ #5 Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 – 6:58 am
Nicola has been telling Boris to pish off for years! 🙂
C@tmomma
“Nicola has been telling Boris to pish off for years! “
——————
Boris won’t “grant” permission for a Scottish independence referendum as the English are too scared to go it alone without Scotland to lean on. 🙂
Thanks BK for the Dawn Patrol.
I note that a comment yesterday dealt with “The West” – and the paywall. He suggested that clever players would be able to get around the paywall.
I’m not that clever – ideas anyone ❓
Newcastle today currently 9℃ – feels like 7℃
Projected top temperature of 25℃ – winds NNW at 15 to 30 km/h
William, for your paragraph on the ACT you should have mentioned this event happening today…
ACTCOSS 2020 ACT Election Leaders Forum – 2 Sep, 1pm-2pm
In this live forum, the three ACT leaders present their parties’ positions, commitments and approaches on key social and community issues affecting Canberrans.
Join the conversation: we encourage you to join the conversation with other attendees via the video’s live chat, or post on Twitter and Facebook using the hashtags #CBRVotes and #ACTCOSSForum2020.
Chat etiquette: we want to hear your thoughts during the debate, but please keep this discussion constructive and respectful. Comments in live chat should not contain swearing or offensive language. We’ll be moderating the chat accordingly.
Questions: we only have time to feed one audience question from the live chat to the candidates, but we’ll be monitoring the discussion to inform our ongoing advocacy. We’ll also send a summary of the conversation to the leaders, along with outstanding questions, and we’ll publish responses we receive on the ACTCOSS website.
Participants:
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA (ACT Labor)
Leader of the Opposition Alistair Coe MLA (Canberra Liberals)
ACT Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury MLA.
Facilitator: Dr Emma Campbell, CEO, ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS).
Watch live at 1pm here: https://www.actcoss.org.au/ACTCOSSForum2020
Meanwhile in the Family Court, Judge Andrew had this discussion with the solicitor for one of the parties, leading to a suit of apprehended bias…
http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/FamCAFC/2020/215.html
At Federal level, I wish that all donations could be publicly disclosed within seven days (or 24 hours in the last week of an election campaign). An impossible dream?
The MSM IN Australia, for years publishing their version of the news and lots of their opinion ‘dressed up’ as news are being confronted with the reality that they don’t actually own the news.
The LNP have been co-opted under the guise of ‘fair’ trading, to carry the banner for the remnant “rivers of gold” as they fail to cope with global village technology and the mantra of free trade.
This latest gambit will hasten the demise of traditional news organizations.
Free press? Non?
And the LNP defended it with “It’s their money.” An example of simpletons like Senator Hume who cannot see the consequences of their decisions.
I think that’s being generous – to the Libs in WA.
What’s happening in the Queensland greens ?
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/greens-drop-candidate-for-inner-brisbane-seat-20200901-p55rgp.html
They know the consequences – they just don’t care.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somebody_else%27s_problem
Not only is there no federal integrity commission, there is no federal judicial commission.
“What’s happening in the Queensland greens ?”
***
Nice selective quoting to make it seem as if the problem is with the QLD Greens instead of with just one disendorsed candidate…
https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/greens-candidate-disendorsed-over-misconduct-claim/4090717/
You got to hand to the Libs, always polishing the turd. Never let your guard down.
Corman refers to Abbot as ‘ distinguished former Prime minister..’ just now on the telly….
lizzie @ #15 Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 – 7:56 am
Jane Hume is not a simpleton. She is an ideological warrior against Superannuation. She doesn’t want Industry Super Funds to take business away from the banks and she prefers the wealthy to be able to have their SMSFs and Investment Properties which they fund their lavish retirements with. And the poor elderly people can live in their substandard retirement homes, where the amount of vegemite that you are allowed to have on your toast for breakfast is meted out strictly so as to bring your food budget in under $6/day, while the owners of the homes drive around flaunting their obscenely excessive and gaudy lifestyles in everyone’s faces and the churches clip their tickets generously so that they can fund an ever greater number of church schools that brainwash the little children from day dot of their education!
Jane Hume knows exactly the jihad against Compulsory Super that she is waging. Don’t be in any doubt about that.
Lizzie
For the LNP the only important consequence worth pursuing is the total destruction of Industry Super as a force in the investment market.
They wield such power that they are able to influence boards of large companies to act in socially responsible ways, such as not investing in coal.
It is this power the LNP want to destroy.
Adverse consequences for the workers? Meh.
BK @ #3 Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 – 4:41 am
Adds a whole new meaning to a “trip” to the psychiatrists.
Also, if they do use MDMA, will psychiatrists stop being “headshrinkers” and now become head expanders.
😆
Thanks BK for today’s wrap.
How many of those people sought advice prior to accessing their super? I suspect hardly any.
Quite.
Amy @ TGA:
Very curious!
C@t and Maude Lynne
Lovely responses! The woman is evil. I was being too kind.
Confessions @ #25 Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 – 6:14 am
“new analysis”????
What, it wasn’t an obvious consequence?
Idiots!!!!!
Apparently ‘The Australian’ has a headline castigating ‘Daniel Anderson’ for his incompetence….
mundo
The Cormannator must be the Coalition’s designated defender of the indefensible . Yesterday he was hard at work defending Colbeck. I guess that’s what happens when you have a ticket to the political bone yard.
Written by Tim Smith. Yes, that Tim Smith.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/coronavirus-australia-victorian-premier-daniel-anderson-has-no-faith-in-his-government-getting-this-virus-under-control/news-story/576f77f66a0775599a2d8dfa580d41f5
If Colbeck has been doing such a wonderful job, why have many of his responsibilities been given to others?
He has become the Minister without Responsibilities!
Overnight I have been hearing many reports on the unfairness and in some cases cruelty of some of the decisions for Australians trying to return from overseas. The strict, punitive attitude of the Potato (unless you are rich, influential or a maaaate) seems to have permeated the whole Home Affairs Department. I should like to be persuaded otherwise.
The Irresponsible Minister.
Can i nominate an arsehole of week ?
.
Tony Abbott
Tony Abbott: some elderly Covid patients could be left to die naturally
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/01/tony-abbott-some-elderly-covid-patients-could-be-left-to-die-naturally
Many of us said as much at the time.
poroti:
Tone living down to expectations as usual!
Interesting to see how the Victorian DPP reacts although with a clogged up court system and the time invested in the Pell reporting/contempt case, this may take a while.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/lawyer-x-inquiry-won-t-recommend-charges/ar-BB18A50w?ocid=msedgdhp
Jaeger @ #32 Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 – 6:20 am
Hilarious!!!
A google search gives this.
So 19 hours on and no one’s corrected it. 😆
You can cross “quality retirement homes” off the UK export list.
poroti @ #36 Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 – 6:25 am
He’s ineligible for AOTW as he’s already in the Arseholes Hall Of Fame.
Did I say Arseholes Hall Of Fame? I meant Arseholes Hall Of Shame. Sorry for the typo.
Albo’s appearances on telly have a certain gravitas about them recently.
No nodding around, no twitching, a more fluent calmer delivery…..interesting
Danama Papers @ #42 Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 – 6:30 am
Yes, but there is elevation to the room without mirrors to be considered!
What was it Trump is always saying about Joe Biden? That he’s confused, suffering dementia? Now Trump is making stuff up about people supposedly experiencing violence, so perhaps he ought to look in the mirror!
Vogon Poet says:
Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at 7:59 am
What’s happening in the Queensland greens ?
In a statement issued late on Tuesday after the decision, Queensland Greens convenor Penny Allman-Payne announced Mr Meyer would no longer stand for the Greens.
I am absolutely disgusted with the QLD Greens,” Mr Meyer said.
“The allegations from the QLD Greens against me are a direct result of my reporting possible illegal and unethical conduct in a variety of areas of the law.”
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/greens-drop-candidate-for-inner-brisbane-seat-20200901-p55rgp.html
The Greens are nothing more than a con to rake in public money to use to campaign against Labor.
For the greens campaign funding has become a simple calculation, does the cost of getting it exceed the take. Silly Mr Meyer , he thought it should be spent on his campaign.
I see that as the Greens in Victoria make an intervention in support of Labor and science posters here are still trying to push you cannot work with the Greens.
Cat.
Recognising the odds that Trump May fluke it again is what the 538 website does.
This is a psephology blog.
I find it to America’s credit that an incumbent President going all out to win at huge cost to the American society have Trump behind in the polls.
When we had Tony Abbott and successors Labor lost.
I think the difference is Murdoch propaganda dominance.
Oh and there was the risk that Mr Meyer might take a Liberal seat, could not have that could we.
FredNK
Yes the Greens are nothing more than a con job to backing Labor.
That’s why they voted for Andrews Bill.
Abbott trolling is not the fault of the Greens.
Edit: Sacre Bleu!!!!!
The Greens backed Labor