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
I can’t argue with that, mundo!
This morning it was mere confirmation.
BK
They would also demand to see JC’s birth certificate to prove he is a citizen.
Like others I tried counting heads in that Trump rally photo. I estimate about 480. Allowing for fringes in the wings outside the camera view there cannot be more than 500-600 people in that crowd.
The news about the Texas postal votes being significant shows just how far behind Trump is. He is facing a landslide defeat.
I am aware in some countries, when a petition reaches a set number of signatures the government is obliged to take action on it.
Is anyone aware if that rule applies here.
I suspect the Rudd petition is going to be massive if already nearly 40,000 signatures
Taylormade
I don’t care. It shows what people think.
And of course Labor wouldn’t dare to upset the great Murdoch. It might work if it were more carefully worded.
How long do you think it will take to de-louse the White House after Trump’s eviction?
“Let’s be honest here”, says Speers to an obfuscating Frydenberg.
Implying that Frydenberg was being dishonest…
Eschew obfuscation.
Actually, that would make a good election slogan for Biden – “De-louse the White House”. I can envision it on baseball caps all over America.
Fulvio Sammut @ #357 Sunday, October 11th, 2020 – 6:44 am
It might be easier to burn it down again and rebuild.
This story highlights that Scomo still seems to believe we can have an announcement led recovery. Waiting a year for Federal infrastructure money will do nothing. I am seeing this pattern in multiple states, including here in SA.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/federal-budget-state-to-wait-for-1-billion-transport-stimulus-20201010-p563v4.html
Announcing distant funding as current news is one of Scomo’s favorite tricks. In one current SA case (Hahndorf) money has been announced before the planning study is even completed.
This recession may last a while.
The Chinese baseball cap industry needs our support in these troubling times.
Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #358 Sunday, October 11th, 2020 – 9:46 am
It’s been tried before.
“On August 24, 1814, after defeating the Americans at the Battle of Bladensburg, a British force led by Major General Robert Ross set fire to multiple government and military buildings, including the White House (then called the Presidential Mansion), the Capitol building, as well as other facilities of the U.S. …”
Given the choice of watching Fraudenberg or doing a water change on a fish tank the aquarium won.
The WH is going to require an extremely deep deep clean when Trump goes.
Socrates @ #355 Sunday, October 11th, 2020 – 9:48 am
Hope so.
The longer it lasts the better Labor’s chances of regaining government.
Given the choice of watching Fraudenberg or doing a water change on a fish tank the aquarium won.
_____
As would cleaning out a septic tank!
Burn the White House Down – the British tried that.
Apparently the claim that it is painted white to hide the scorch marks is an urban myth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_Washington#White_House
Apparently Connman, the finance minister who ran the economy into the ground and made it vulnerable to a recession is a genius and all round top bloke.
So true BK though the aquarium and septic are full of good honest crap!
Message on petition site: “we are aware some users are experiencing difficulties signing petitions. We are working on a resolution. If you are unable to sign please try again later.“
https://www.aph.gov.au/petition_list
I tried to sign but the system hung. Maybe number of people trying to access greatly exceeds normal traffic.
Nathan Albanese is a strapping lad.
Maybe Cormann should join Tony in the UK, if his new International job application fails.
I’m sure as a person eligible to reclaim his European multiple citizenships he would have the right to live in Britain and govern its economic policy.
Oh….wait ….
“Australia’s high concentration of media ownership is eroding its democracy, getting in the way of critical action on issues like climate change and limiting what stories get told, media experts have warned.”
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/2020/10/11/kevin-rudd-murdoch-royal-commission/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Sunday%20Best%20-%2020201011
At Trump’s WH rally, Scott Atlas, a coronavirus advisor appointed by Trump. No mask but apparently he’s a radiologist so not exactly expert in public health or infectious disease.
Confessions @ #372 Sunday, October 11th, 2020 – 10:03 am
Is that a green leg rope?
Greensborough Growler @ #361 Sunday, October 11th, 2020 – 6:51 am
Hence the word “again”.
It seems that the out-of-control bushfire near Sydney was a hazard reduction burn that got away. Cheers everyone.
Mundo
“ Hope so.
The longer it lasts the better Labor’s chances of regaining government.”
I understand the sentiment. But working in the transport infrastructure industry, the sad thing is that people, some of whom will be friends of mine, will lose their jobs first.
Have a good day all.
rhwombat:
It looks like a garden hose!
It seems that the out-of-control bushfire near Sydney was a hazard reduction burn that got away. Cheers everyone.
A hazard reduction burn near Waterfall, 45 km South of Sydney on the metro area’s Southern outskirts, spotted on the other side of the Princes Highway in the Royal National Park and got away – size now 200 Ha (2 sq km).
https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me
EDIT: it occurs to me that a bushfire has similarities to a virus.
“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.”
***
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. The stuffy conservative Boomers from the Labor Right won’t like hearing that though. They can’t face the reality that they have spent their entire lives propping up the establishment and standing in the way of real progress, so instead they lash out in bitterness at the left for daring to raise issues such as climate change, economic inequality, health, and education.
Wasting decades being ineffective, indeed being completely counterproductive by appeasing the right, seems to be viewed as a great achievement by some. Apparently, an even greater achievement is being one of Labor’s failed candidates. Having reached this peak dud Laborite status, they now feel obliged to spend the rest of their days lecturing the left on how to successfully achieve four fifths of bugger all like they did.
Firefox
You spend your time making enormous and generalisations out of your prejudice, and you’re insulting with it.
This webcam from yesterday afternoon show the bushfire smoke from the Royal National Park fire: https://webcamsydney.com/timelapse.php
mundo @ #364 Sunday, October 11th, 2020 – 9:52 am
Hmmm. You can’t see any problems with this … ? 🙁
Firefox
‘Apparently, an even greater achievement is being one of Labor’s failed candidates…’
Actually, I don’t base any of my boasting on that. You might have noticed I talked about policy development.
It’s a different thing.
Hazard reductions have killed and severely injured people in the past. The smoke has broad health impacts and the burn can have adverse environmental impact. And, depending on the circumstances, the burn can also make the hazard worse.
Hazard reduction is not a toy to be played with by culture warriors, propaganda media outlets and politicians with no plan but a plan to spin, hoodwink and stoke fear and loathing in their base. These issues are best left to fire ecologists, experienced professional fire officials, where possible indigenous expertise and, to a limited extent, responsible political leaders (where they exist).
Just a small thing on the ‘Morrison recession’ label that I think Labor could do a bit better on – not only is this recession on Morrison’s watch as PM, but Labor doesn’t seem to bring up the fact that he was Treasurer for the 3 years before that. For 5 years as Treasurer and then PM he is clearly qualified to ‘own’ this recession.
Simon K …[hazard reduction] issues are best left to fire ecologists, experienced professional fire officials, where possible indigenous expertise and, to a limited extent, responsible political leaders (where they exist).
++++1
“Where they exist” – certainly not on the Treasury benches in Canberra.
Re Jackol @11:11. Labor could also point out that the economy was flatlining before the Virus.
With 24 days to go Trump is 1/2% ahead of where he was 4 years ago. Just sayin.
It’s a neo-lib ideological budget that leaves many more people in perilous positions.
Why did Labor rush to the government benches to support it ??
Holdenhillbilly @ #389 Sunday, October 11th, 2020 – 10:23 am
Okay. Now say how many points Biden is ahead of where Hillary was 4 years ago.
Rex Douglas @ #390 Sunday, October 11th, 2020 – 11:24 am
Well, following to the logic of some here, I believe their plan is to make the recession longer and deeper, because that gives them a better chance of winning.
Or something 🙁
Rudd doing Labor no favours with his petition.
Inevitably the next Labor PM will make their peace with Rupert or more likely Lachlan as the price of power.
If it was good enough for Tony Blair why not Australian Labor ?
The number of undecideds is also much less than it was this time in 2016.
I haven’t heard any reasonable argument why Labor shouldn’t simply abstain from certain votes and send the message that the Govt totally owns their contentious legislation.
And for that matter every Labor PM Since Whitlam has cavilled with the Murdoch’s .
They’ll bend the knee – if they sniff a chance.
Hello from a house that has had virtually no electricity since Friday and hence no internet connection except for a dodgy wi fi phone connection that hasn’t been able to connect me to PB until now.
Virtually no electricity due to a wind storm blowing my connection to the power pole on the street clean out of its connection to the house!
We have to wait until tomorrow for a specialist electrician to fix it.
Anyway good to see mundo seeming more reasonable but not good to see Firefox behaving like a 2 year old.
What I have had the opportunity to do is to read the expose in the NYT about Trump’s self-dealing. Wow! Now I know why he has so much’Executive Time’. To manage his influence peddling operation!
I’ll say ciao for now because I don’t know if my phone connection will go on the fritz again. I hope not.
I honestly wish people – including Albo – would stop spouting this “renewable energy superpower” nonsense. I realize it is intended for domestic consumption only, but it’s just embarrassing when you actually compare Australia with what other countries are either planning, committing to, or already achieving.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-11/queensland-cattle-graziers-end-coal-embrace-renewables-climate/12735320
We are not going to be a “superpower”. We are not even going to meet our paltry commitments under the Paris agreement, so we are probably not even going to be invited to sit at the same table as the real “superpowers”. 🙁
Josh Szeps was filling in for Glover on 702 recently. He was doing the political round up with Speers and they were opining how the economy had been derailed by the virus.
I shot off an sms pointing out the economy was effectively in recession before the virus struck it was simply exacerbating it.
To my shock it got read out. Speers laughed. Szeps was slightly less dismissive. This is what Labor has to overcome. Hopefully the charade will be exposed soon but I’m expecting Scotty to call an election the second he thinks he can win and I don’t expect whatsisname to knock him back.
a r,
And in which swing states as well.