Miscellaneous developments from the past week:
• The Toowoomba Chronicle reports eight candidates have nominated for Liberal National Party preselection for the Groom by-election, of whom the front-runners are Rebecca Vonhoff, a Toowoomba councillor; Garth Hamilton, a businessman; Sara Hales, former general manager of Wellcamp Airport; and Shane Charles, former Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise chief executive. Also in the field are “Elders Rural Services’ Andrew Meara … race car driver Daniel Cassidy, Australian Lot Feeders president Bryce Camm and Doctor David van Gend”, the latter being a firebrand social conservative whom the outgoing member, John McVeigh, defeated for preselection when he succeeded Ian Macfarlane in 2016. Notably absent from the list is Senator Matt Canavan, despite a decision by the state executive to leave it to the branch membership whether the seat should go to a Liberal, as it has since 1988, or a National. The date of the by-election is yet to be confirmed.
• Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said on Thursday that the government would introduce a bill that will ensure the Northern Territory retains its two seats in the House of Representatives, though by what mechanism is unclear. A Labor-sponsored bill currently before the Senate provides a crude guarantee of a second Northern Territory seat (without extending the courtesy to the Australian Capital Territory, albeit that its population is such that the question does not arise), but when the same issue emerged before the 2004 election, it was dealt with through a technical tweak to the population statistics used to determine seat entitlements. The bottom line is that the Labor-held seats of Solomon and Lingiari, created when the territory first became entitled to a second seat in 2001 and respectively covering Darwin and the rest of the territory, will continue to exist despite enrolments of less than two-thirds the national norm. It also means the House of Representatives
• The Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters is conducting an inquiry into the “future conduct of elections operating during times of emergency situations”, encompassing “restrictions arising from a health pandemic”, “access to polling places during times of natural disasters”, “other potential drivers of social restrictions, such as future civil unrest, or international conflict” and “alternative voting methods including early, remote and postal voting”.
• The West Australian has a Painted Dog Research poll of 932 respondents in WA showing 64% want the state’s hard border maintained beyond December, with 36% favouring a resumption of travel with the eastern states.Hou
Player One @ #200 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 6:43 pm
The glib one proves she is the glib one!
Ged Kearney is very relatable.
Not sure why she’s kept out of the leadership picture.
ItzaDream @ #151 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 2:40 pm
Catching up….
Hmm. I am “hard of hearing”. But it is the people who are speaking to me whose lips I need to read, not they mine. I think I understand (or can rationalise) the context for this exemption, but this list as a whole feels thrown together, and too long. Let’s hope it is rapidly simplified.
This is a pretty good sledge.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1314834734137118720
Mavis says:
Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 1:04 pm
Re. Judge Guy Andrew:
The signs were evident from his conduct on the bench that he was suffering from mental health problems. Timely intervention may have made a difference. Yet he was publicly humiliated by a full bench of the Family Court, no doubt exacerbating his condition.
…………………………………………………………………….
An odd use of the word “yet”.
The full bench owed a duty of fidelity to the law. They owed absolutely no duty of care to a judge whose bullying misconduct had directly caused a miscarriage of justice.
Part of a judge’s pay packet is to award them for potentially becoming the subject of attack within and beyond the legal profession from which they have no avenue of defence.
Rex…….disagree……………the Labor party failed Rudd……………….For me the defeat of Howard, and icing on the cake, Howard losing his seat is still, for me, one of the more happier nights to be a Labor supporter. However, all so much water under the bridge. Much as I like chubby Albo, he is not the answer for Labor…………though, having said this, who would be at the moment?
Player One says:
Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 3:09 pm
Scott @ #148 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 3:07 pm
Labor should return fire to Morrison cronies and the corrupt foreign own libs/nats propaganda units
If they Blame Labor/Rudd for pink Batts , then Morrison and his cronies are to blame for work for the dole deaths
What? Labor should fight to win?
What a novel concept.
It’ll never catch on.
………………………………………………………..
Surely aged care deaths is the obvious target of responsibility for deaths by the lnp during the Morrison recession.
Late Riser
The ‘hard of hearing” exemption was a bit of a LOL. Damned it must be hard to lip read when you are wearing a mask 🙂
Tricot @ #206 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 6:50 pm
Albo is somewhat relatable with his media presentation. His style passes the pub test.
But he has made himself a victim of the Green wedge by appeasing the fossil fuel unions.
The Coalition have the advantage of Newscorp, two of the three commercial TV networks and the major talk radio networks actively campaigning for them.
Labor relying on Deputy Leader Marles the turnip to cut through to the masses is madness.
Tricot
Due to the job I had at the time I took great notice of everything ‘carbon’ . Rudd was consistently white anted and undermined by feckers union and pollie who were “mining friendly” . I commented on the JTI blog that some seemed like they would prefer losing government .
Steve777 @ #210 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 7:05 pm
Those outlets know how to sell a (rotten) message – pass the pub test – to a large proportion of the electorate.
Windhover @ #207 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 6:55 pm
Absolutely. Aged Care will be an albatross around the Morrison Government’s neck.
Greensborough Growler
The Aged Care and Covid-19 issue should be a bigly hammer to ,deservedly, bash Scrott’s government. That aged care homes were a big covid death risk was illustrated and well published from the start when it hit UK homes. They had months to prepare and did ??????
For sale …..
Genuwine three layer …..suitable for lip readers ….
poroti @ #215 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 7:23 pm
It’s one of those issues that cuts across the political divide. All groups have aged parents looking at going in to Aged Care. If the duly responsible group is prevaricating and attempting blame shift tells you that it’s a simmering issue below the headlines and that confidence in the Government is rather brittle.
briefly:
[‘There is nothing so vapid as the whinging of the faux. In fact, the whinging is a script too. It consists of the cliches of the petty-Trumpers.’]
Really, dear, what are you on about(?).
Windhover @ #207 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 6:55 pm
You are behind the times. Morrison has successfully devolved quarantine, border control and aged care to the states.
And according to the media, all of them are now Dan Andrew’s fault. Even in NSW and QLD, apparently 🙁
Greensborough Growler
Yep and rightly so.
Mavis @ #218 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 7:35 pm
Ignore it. It is the mating call of the gibbons.
Greensborough Growler @ #212 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 7:14 pm
Mo it won’t.
Libs push back. Libs smother.
Libs whitwash.
Effectively.
Labor gives in and cries in a corner.
poroti @ #131 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 2:14 pm
There weren’t any big killers, ferchrissake! Four people died, two of which were the result of abject stupidity on the victim’s behalf. What do you think might happen if you fire a metal staple through an electric cable with the power on? What would you think of a prat who did this, despite being issued with non-metal staples, and having been trained about the risks?
Please read this, everybody, and pass it on:
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/we-really-must-talk-about-the-pink-batts,5622
Key point: “The CSIRO’s basic research – developed further by Possum Comitatus at Crikey – found the rate of fires, injuries and deaths was actually four times higher during the Howard years than during the period of the home insulation program.
The correspondence on the public record and tabled at the various inquiries shows the Government was well aware of the risks and had communicated these to the state authorities.”
Possum
Steve777 @ #208 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 7:05 pm
Oh well, that’s it then, Labor needs to accept it’s snookered and give up.
BTW, I’ve read a truck load of press over the past two days that craps all over the coalition’s ‘budget’
Greensborough Growler @ #212 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 7:14 pm
It’ll hang like a dead budgie…..no one gives a shit.
poroti
I went on radio to defend the mining tax. I was almost instantly rung by Rudd’s office.
I received a transcript of my interview, heavily underlined, and was asked to justify my statements – every one of which was based on material supplied to me by Labor.
One of Rudd’s staffers told me that I had just lost Western Australia. He sent me several anti mining tax advertisements during the day, saying that this was the sort of thing my remarks (broadcast on local, not national, radio) would encourage.
I was told that I had to prepare a retraction – a retraction of statements supporting Labor’s mining tax, backed by information put out by Labor – to be put out if the issue was raised in QT. The retraction basically said what I’d originally said but in a far less coherent fashion.
It all came to nothing, of course – but I was far less enthusiastic in the future about challenging anything the Opposition said in the future!
It was a totally insane experience – micromanagement by young staffers who had no experience in campaigning and who didn’t (apparently) understand Labor’s policies, and who ran scared at the very mention of the mining tax.
It gave me a glimpse into the totally paranoid world Rudd operated in.
Yabba
Hey Yabba Dabba Do. Why were the wires live ? Anything to do with Quinceland’s lax laws ?
Morrison was up here today extolling the virtues of Frecklington, money to be spent on the Bruce Highway, everything hunky-dory were there to be Tories in Canberra and in Brisbane. If Palaszczuk loses and the borders open, where will the blame lay? The states and territories who’ve been strong on borders will prevail.
Transgender women may not participate in elite and international women’s rugby, the sport’s global governing body World Rugby said on Friday, amid a heated debate on the issue in sports leagues and LGBT+ communities.
In new guidelines, World Rugby said the naturally acquired physical benefits that trans women receive by going through male puberty and the safety concerns for other female players made trans women ineligible for competition
Player One:
Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 7:36 pm
[‘Ignore it. It is the mating call of the gibbons.’]
Thank Gawd you’ve cleared that up.
The state of age-care is a disgrace, having lost both parents in part to it. The Morrison Government is equally a disgrace. If it could find money to attempt to mitigate the effects of the Morrison induced/C.19 recession, it could’ve found the money to service aged-care.
poroti @ #227 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 7:58 pm
No. To do with the installer not turning the power off at the main switch in the meter box. Are you mentally challenged too? Nobody should ever get into a roof space with the power on. Its also not a good idea when you are changing a light bulb, but in that case you can turn off the power at the switch on the wall. (Have you ever changed a light bulb? ) If you are replacing a power point, you turn off at the meter box, and test that there is no power by plugging in a desk lamp or whatever. Believe it or not, laws do not stop utter blind stupidity, or lack of training, or faulty supervision.
As stated in the quote I provided, the rate of deaths and fires was four times higher during the Howard reign, and ten times higher, if you take into account the number of ceiling insulation installations that were occurring. In other words, the whole ‘pink batts’ story is complete and utter, malevolent, false, foul, stinking bullshit. Please absorb that fact, and cease propagating the falsehood.
Safety outcomes were much, much better during the rapid installation, subsidised insulation installation period, than they were under normal circumstances! Get it? Lives were saved!
Great to see P1 in fine form this evening. Typical of someone who has never held responsibility for anything, they hold all possible positions on any given issue whilst being critical of whatever decision is made by those who do don’t have the luxury of being a know it all.
It’s a terrible time to be in opposition anywhere in Australia. If only it were as easy to be the Labor opposition leader as P1 continually makes out. Perhaps they could get off their arse, join their local Labor branch and show us how it should be done.
…as a candidate, I continually did a ‘I do not accept the premise of your question…’ when a journo kicked off with a ‘failed pink batts’ line.
Sophie M went so far as to run ads quoting me defending the program (lots of red highlighting).
No discernible difference in voting patterns ensued….
The Collywobbles are living up to their name.
Grimace @ #233 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 8:30 pm
I did. It was horrifying.
I won’t ever make that particular mistake again! 🙁
Player Onesays:
Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 8:37 pm
Grimace @ #233 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 8:30 pm
Perhaps they could get off their arse, join their local Labor branch and show us how it should be done.
I did. It was horrifying.
I won’t ever make that particular mistake again!
*****
Obviously you found it challenging being in a position where you had to work with others, make compromises, accept decisions that didn’t go your way then go out and back them publically and do the hard slog involved in actually making a difference in politics.
You’d fit in well with the Greens.
zoomster:
Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 8:30 pm
Indi is not exactly Labor friendly.
Player One @ #236 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 8:37 pm
I doubt anyone in Labor particularly cares.
We’ve seen plenty of glib ones.
Mavis
My point is, there wasn’t a downside in supporting the ‘pink batts’ program.
Grimace, perhaps the ALP needs to open branches for the socially inept, those incapable of listening to and learning from others ~ no doubt because of their superior political acumen – branches with 1 member. P1 and Mundi could move, speak to and pass their brilliant resolutions, pat themselves on the back and prepare the same motions for next months agenda.
Windhover
😆 Labor has already adopted that approach. Does not seem to be working.
Grimace @ #237 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 8:43 pm
No, what I found horrifying is how Labor uses its local membership purely for fundraising. Your opportunity to contribute to policy is absolutely zero. The party is not interested at all in why you joined or what you might think. You are just expected to hand over your hard-earned dollars week after week, and then worship at the feet of whoever the party decides to preselect on your behalf in your electorate. It was quite disheartening.
I know some here are of the opinion that unless you have worked your way up through the Labor ranks over a period of at least 30 years, then your opinion should count for nothing …. and that’s certainly a valid approach … but it also explains why Labor fails to attract new blood, and has ended up so out of touch on so many issues.
Greensborough Growler @ #239 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 8:50 pm
Indeed. You are, in fact, full of it.
Are the Pies playing tonight?
Dandy they are on the field but seem to have forgotten how to play.
Afraid to face the Lions next week, I guess, eh David?
😀
Player One @ #243 Saturday, October 10th, 2020 – 8:09 pm
So Labor should get all its funds from donations from vested interests? Yeah, that’d work.
Anyway, as a Labor member, there are several ways I can get involved in policy formation and I have done so in the past. At the moment I’m not placed to do that, so I don’t. And I have voted in a number of contested preselections and many votes for state and national conference, sometimes on the winning and sometimes on the losing side.
I reckon you’ve never been within cooee of a Labor Branch, or if you were you were the sullen one who turned up to a meeting as a prospective member and wanted to argue with everyone straight away. Just like you do here.
I should perhaps add that I was the youngest member in my local ALP branch, by quite a few years. And while I won’t disclose my age, it is perhaps enough to say that I am no spring chicken! 🙁
Dandy if Geelong play next week like they played the first two quarters the Lions will need to be on their game next week.