Dennis Shanahan of The Australian reckons “two basic assumptions are driving the economic and political debate in 2021”, and that one of these is that there will be an election late next year. The other is that COVID-19 restrictions will start to ease in the coming months; “neither is certain”. The government’s election window opens in the middle of the year, at which point the Senators given six-year terms after the 2016 double dissolution will enter the final year of the terms, the period in which the half-Senate election to replace them may be held.
That will do as a kick-off for a new open thread, which is needed because there are so many other posts flying around at the moment. For convenience, these include:
• Adrian Beaumont’s New Zealand live election count post, which will begin in earnest when polls close at 7pm New Zealand time and 5pm Australian eastern daylight time – to be followed an hour later by my own live commentary post on the Australian Territory election. And if you’re a Crikey subscriber, you can read my collective preview of the two here.
• Also from Adrian Beaumont, a review of the US situation.
• A post on a Newspoll result showing Labor leading 52-48 in Queensland.
• Another post on the Queensland campaigning detailing relevant recent developments.
• A post on a Ten News uComms poll from New South Wales showing strong support for Gladys Berejiklian.
Like others I thought Jacinda Ardern’s victory speech was terrific – well composed, well delivered, moving and emotional but also meaningful. Her choice of wording (e.g. “I… will be Prime minister For you” (not OF you)), and emphasis was brilliant. She articulates values superbly. Worth a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76RjPXr2OZA
That’s them Rakali. Wonder if that’s where the term short and sweet came from?
Scrub that. 12 hours! That’s a marathon
And our Richard didn’t get left out!
““You had an important place in Australian society on the ABC and you gave it up to be a pop star … with a big cheque … and now you’re on to this sort of stuff. That shows what a 24-carat pissant you are, Richard, that’s for sure.” (To Richard Carleton)”.
Gotta love him!
By the way any thoughts from the resident anti progressive line in regards to the resounding progressive wins in the Australasian theater?
My thoughts?
This trend of progressive voting to continue, not only Nationally but world wide, when people finally realise that big mouth blabberism (if that’s a word) and inflated promises does not advance the well being of the community.
Poor grammar at times, but I hope you get what I mean.
Cheers Lars, Taylormade, Mundo, Nath and the rest of the you.
You have seen your future!
Goodnight All!
I have a final thought on this night of elections. The US elections, at least the big ones that get noticed over here, appear every four years. QLD elections now will too, nicely synchronised with the US of A. It’s a bit like the Olympics too, come to think of it.
‘night all.
Basil Zempilas has been elected Lord Mayor of Perth.
Basil Zempilas?
Donald Trump without the malice.
1855 votes. Apparently that’s all you need to wear the gold chain. (A combination of optional voting, first past the post, and an unspectacularly small council.) No doubt the front page of Monday’s West will carry on like the entire Perth metro area voted for him. Future premier, etc. Our Baz.
Signed Rudd’s petition…number 309521
Excellent results in NZ and the ACT.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/wellbeing/2020/10/17/weighted-blankets-anxiety-science/
Morning all. Last night I dreamed that two genuinely progressive Labor governments were handsomely reelected as people realised the neo-fascism that Conservative parties have degenerated into was a selfish, stupid idea. This morning I wake up and realise I was nor dreaming 🙂
Well done Andrew Barr and Jacinda Ardern and all their teams. Also kudos to the Greens in both ACT and NZ for running constructive environmentally focused campaigns that targeted the Conservatives rather than bicker with Labor over the scraps. Both parties are better off as a result.
Will Scomo find some excuse to grant refugee status to ex National staffers from NZ and give them Aussie taxpayer funded jobs? I would not put it past the practitioners of wingnut welfare.
Lizzie
Interesting. A purring cat also makes a nice weight on the blanket and we both sleep quite well. The only drawback of the cat as blanket weight is getting your face licked at dawn as said cat wants to be fed.
Another source of happiness is that Trump is down to a 12% chance of winning, even after allowing for a narrowing and poll bias. The Senate could flip too.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/democrats-dont-need-to-win-georgia-iowa-ohio-or-texas-but-they-could/
#idontwanttoknowaboutthat
I know of a guy who turned a blind eye to corruption in the workplace. He lost his job over it. Banned for a year from his profession and will probably never be captain of the Australian cricket team again.
Purring cats are fine but when they pump or clean themselves for ages at 3am they find themselves hitting the floor like a sack of spuds.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
James Massola says that her victory was an endorsement for Jacinda’s steady hand in unsteady times.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/victory-an-endorsement-for-jacinda-s-steady-hand-in-unsteady-times-20201017-p5661h.html
The Greens seem to have done well in the ACT election.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6973134/absolutely-thrilled-act-greens-big-winners-on-election-night/?cs=14225
Rebecca Gredley writes that a campaign promoting Australian values is on the drawing board as security agencies work to quell the risk of foreign interference.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6970575/australian-values-campaign-on-the-horizon/?cs=14350
Carrie Fellner reveals that Gladys Berejiklian has been sitting on a proposal to create a parliamentary investigator to examine complaints of misconduct by MPs since 2017, when it was put to her directly by the speakers of both houses of Parliament.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/premier-stalled-on-proposal-for-political-probity-inspector-since-2017-20201017-p56628.html
Jacqui Maley has a detailed look at the secret relationship that shocked the state.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/gladys-and-daryl-the-secret-relationship-that-shocked-the-state-20201016-p565t2.html
Kristina Keneally opines that Gladys Berejiklian risks unpicking decades of feminist progress.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/berejiklian-risks-unpicking-decades-of-feminist-progress-20201017-p5660m.html
The Premier’s secret affair with Daryl Maguire is somewhat beige compared with the sex scandals other politicians have been embroiled in, writes Andrew Hornery as he looks back into Australian political history.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/surprise-berejiklian-takes-part-in-a-time-honoured-political-tradition-20201013-p564ju.html
Nine Media tells us that Daniel Andrews has threatened to close his state’s borders unless federal authorities stop travellers who use the bubble from boarding planes for Victoria.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/some-things-have-gone-wrong-here-andrews-wants-help-finding-17-travellers-from-nz-20201017-p56606.html
Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey explains why those who insist the governor must act to refuse assent to bills or dismiss the government should think twice. If they really support the constitution, they should let it operate, leaving political matters to Parliament and legal matters to the courts.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/sack-the-victorian-government-this-is-no-time-to-revive-the-divine-right-of-kings-20201013-p564so.html
Jacqui Maley writes that “Berejiklian and Andrews have one thing in common: they want to brazen out their crises”. She concludes by saying that we mustn’t close our eyes to reality and sleepwalk into a position where we need our leaders so much, we forget to demand the level of accountability they owe us.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/berejiklian-and-andrews-have-one-thing-in-common-they-want-to-brazen-out-their-crises-20201016-p565xe.html
Peter FitzSimons lays out why we need a federal ICAC.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/here-s-why-we-need-a-federal-icac-20201016-p565tk.html
Ebony Bennett joins the chorus of saying that we need a federal ICAC now more than ever.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6972195/we-need-a-federal-icac-now-more-than-ever/?cs=14258
Acting on climate change can get us out of recession. There are no excuses left, writes Greg Jericho.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2020/oct/18/acting-climate-change-can-get-us-out-of-recession-there-are-no-excuses-left
Chip Le Grand reports that, as Melbourne learns what its first significant steps out of lockdown will be, the Victorian government is considering a proposal by some of the state’s most prominent civic and business leaders to return life to our city. He explains a raft of proposals being put on the table.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/government-weighs-plan-for-melbourne-revival-20201017-p565z4.html
Alex Crowe tells us that Canberra households will be among the 100,000 taking part in a trial next month aimed at detecting any potential shortfalls ahead of the 2021 census, as the government looks to avoid a repeat of 2016’s “#censusfail”.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6968997/abs-trial-looks-to-avoid-another-censusfail/?cs=14225
Jewel Topsfield explains how homelessness set to rise in Australia as COVID-19 help gets scaled back.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/homelessness-set-to-rise-as-covid-19-help-scaled-back-20201015-p565ai.html
The coronavirus-induced downturn has changed the way businesses, workers and consumers behave. Our economy will be fundamentally different as a result, results Matt Wade.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/call-it-the-90-per-cent-economy-post-pandemic-it-will-never-be-the-same-20201016-p565u3.html
Next to Trump, even Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison look good, says Van Badham.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/18/next-to-trump-even-boris-johnson-and-scott-morrison-look-good
Dennis Atkins puts it to us that Scott Morrison is a master of spin and, as his reputation suggests, marketing. He can say very little with a maximum number of words, often devoid of any content beyond the rhetorical.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/10/17/dennis-atkins-the-morrison-pitch/
Richard Gillies writes about the irrationality of the Coalition’s obsession with coal and gas.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-irrationality-of-the-coalitions-obsession-with-coal-and-gas-,14421
Anthony Galloway reports that Australia’s peak Muslim group has joined with Andrew Hastie to condemn the Chinese government for its persecution of Uighurs in the remote Xinjiang province.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/proud-australian-tradition-of-calling-out-the-bully-islamic-leaders-praise-andrew-hastie-over-plight-of-uighurs-20201017-p565z3.html
Dana McCauley outlines how experts are calling on the federal government to expand Victoria’s model of one-stop, bulk-billing mental health clinics across Australia.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/call-to-expand-free-covid-19-mental-health-clinics-seeing-amazing-results-20201015-p565kj.html
Idiot President Trump has called for Joe Biden and his family to be jailed, escalating his attacks on his Democratic opponent as he struggles to fix his deficit in the polls.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/lock-up-the-bidens-trump-says-as-he-struggles-to-reverse-his-deficit-20201018-p5663u.html
Peter van Onselen writes that, for decency’s sake, Trump must not be returned.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/us-election-2020-for-decencys-sake-trump-must-not-be-returned/news-story/2aab7bd06105c8aad3259afe6d7a07ba
Donald Trump is the QAnon president. and he’s proud of it writes Richard Wolffe. He says that long after Trump is booted from the Oval Office, his brand of crazy will still linger in the body of his party like the weird symptoms of a dormant pandemic.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/17/donald-trump-is-the-qanon-president-and-hes-proud-of-it
Matthew Knott thinks that Americans might be suffering from Trump fatigue and “turning the channel on Donald’s show”.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-fatigue-are-americans-turning-the-channel-on-the-donald-s-show-20201017-p565yc.html
Goodbye civil rights: Amy Coney Barrett’s America is a terrifying place, bemoans Arwa Mahdawi.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/17/amy-coney-barrett-supreme-court-america
Cartoon Corner
Mark Knight
Reg Lynch
Matt Davidson
Peter Broelman
Matt Golding
Glen Le Lievre
Tom Jellett
From the US
Jonathan Pie is ‘Not Happy, Boris!’ :
https://youtu.be/CYmn76Y50Us
‘Rebecca Gredley writes that a campaign promoting Australian values is on the drawing board as security agencies work to quell the risk of foreign interference.’
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6970575/australian-values-campaign-on-the-horizon/
And leading the charge is Senator Joe McCarthy, otherwise known as Senator Eric Abetz:
What next? School kids back to the Pledge of Allegiance, to Morrison?
Thanks BK. I almost want to see how the Murdochistanian press dealt with last night’s results. But not enough to look at them.
SK
Never mind sporting idols. Every public servant in Australia would have been sacked for failing to declare the conflict of interest Gladys has now been caught out having. Age, gender or marital status would have made no difference.
Captain of the Australian cricket test team isn’t a ‘sporting idol’. It has been called the most important job in the country by the crank who had the second most important job.
Isn’t Idolatry a sin? 🙂
Projection doesn’t come more overt than this:
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/lock-up-the-bidens-trump-says-as-he-struggles-to-reverse-his-deficit-20201018-p5663u.html
SK
Captain of the Australian cricket team probably isn’t a sporting idol any more. The title NSW Premier is fairly tarnished too.
Cat
Certainly, Scomo and Gladys are doing a lit to repopularise the Tall Poppy Syndrome.
Still no congratulations to Nz Labour prime minister or ACT labor chief Minister by Morrison
Jacinda Poppins on “Spitting Image”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJfPhOKZJA8
Certainly, Scomo and Gladys are doing a lit to repopularise the Tall Poppy Syndrome.
And they are Olympic standard when it comes to damage control. A Labor Premier would never have gotten away with what Gladys has, nor a Labor PM supporting her like Morrison has. It would have been cast as dirty rotten scoundrels covering for each other and themselves.
There is no way the media would be protecting Annastacia Palaszczuk if she done the same thing as Gladys Berejiklian
No doubt there would calls of Annastacia Palaszczuk being corrupt and nonstop calls for Annastacia Palaszczuk to resign
lol C@tmomma
you beat me to it
I didn’t realise that Dan Andrews is solely responsible for all unemployment.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/10/17/dennis-atkins-the-morrison-pitch/
Looking like the Republic of Murdochstan has decided not to feed Gladdie to the lions. Check out the deadwood front page.
A ‘cryptic’ message with the choice of the other headline ?
Given the revelations of the last few days, ‘never speaking to him again’ probably means they’ll communicate by text in future.
The more he spoke about “Australian values” the faster we counted the spoons.
Good Morning.
Imagine.
Progressive competent government wins elections. 🙂
Congratulations to both Labour/Labor and the Greens
Two different countries on a good night for progressive politics.
Poor Briefly won’t be able to cope. Being in government with the Greens saw NZ Labour increase its vote.
The Daily ToiletPaper has a puff piece on the ‘unlucky in love’ GladysB, and a poll….
GLADYS HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG AND WE WANT HER TO STAY: POLL
Women have come out in support of Premier Gladys Berejiklian with an exclusive YouGov poll showing the majority believe the Liberal leader has done ‘nothing wrong’ following revelations of her secret relationship with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire. SEE THE FULL POLL RESULTS,
Sadly, the numbers are paywalled with the New York plutocrat clipping the ticket..
I see Gladys is back to wearing Liberal Blue again. All week up until now she has been in Labor Red or Brown clothes.
zoomster and steve777
Nice comments. 🙂
And what does a Murdoch puff piece look like? (Lifted off their Twitter feed)
After shedding bitter tears “in private” during the week, a reserved Premier said she would never speak to Maguire again, such is the personal and professional injury he has done her after she learned, via the inquiry, the extent to which he hawked her name around town to business associates and used government resources in his dodgy sideline enterprises.
“I’m never going to speak to him again,” she said, sounding rattled by the events of recent days. “My life’s changed forever.”
The romantically inexperienced politician’s private life was laid bare before ICAC’s inquiry, something that has left her “embarrassed and humiliated” – a new low for a woman with an impeccable reputation.
“I can formally say to people I’ve given up on love,” she said. “I’m just going to say I have always put my job first, rightly or wrongly, and that will now continue indefinitely.”
Describing the events of the past week as “horrific”, Ms Berejiklian said she spent the week feeling like she was having an out-of-body experience after being called as a witness before ICAC.
“I’m still trying to process it. I feel like it’s someone else living this … It’s like I’m the main protagonist in a movie. It’s like I’m the feature and the film is going to end and my life is going to go back to normal but it will never be normal again.”
For a private woman who has never married and never spoken in public about her love life, being put through the wringer by ICAC in an open session that seemed to unnecessarily plumb the depths of her private life and was much dissected by the media, was a mortifying experience.
Until last week, she had not even told her own family about her years-long affair with Maguire.
She confirmed yesterday she still hasn’t discussed it in any detail with her Armenian migrant parents, Krikor and Arsha, who during her younger years actively attempted to “matchmake” their professionally absorbed daughter.
Sworn to secrecy before giving her testimony last week, the Premier informed her sisters, Mary and Rita, that something was in the wind at the start of the week before asking them to take care of their octogenarian parents.
Still no congratulations to Nz Labour prime minister or ACT labor chief Minister by Morrison
—————
He’s got his rollers in. Give him a moment.
It was a good night, wasn’t it, with conservatives defeated in both NZ and the ACT? Could we possibly be looking at a revival?
The problem for Murdoch is Labor is likely to be re-elected in Queensland.
More progressive politics winning.
It’s Murdoch’s neo liberalism that’s the problem. Murdoch backed the wrong horse. Hopefully the likely turns into reality including of course in the US.
This is a very very bad time to be a Neo Liberal.
Edit: Lizzie. Yes as this post shows I really think so.
I’m sure Rupert won’t mind a bit more being shared in the public interest..
‘When the words “boyfriend” and “partner” are suggested, she winces.
“It was hard to define because it wasn’t of a sufficient status,” she says ambiguously. “It wasn’t a traditional type of relationship.”
What it was, in the simplest of terms, was a friendship that started at parliament 20 years ago and that, according to her, became something more around 2015 when the pair became intimate.
But, with Maguire living in the Wagga Wagga electorate and Ms Berejiklian based in Sydney, the couple saw each other infrequently: “Sometimes if parliament was sitting but very infrequently,” she said.
When asked if she fell in love with Maguire, with whom she admits she only had public service work in common, the Premier stiffened: “I did. That’s all I’ll say. I’m embarrassed now, but I did.”
Good morning Socrates, Should the Palaszczuk government be returned up here I will be tempted to buy my first Sunday Mail in many years as well. It would be interesting to see the sour grapes,hand wringing,despair and embittered apocalyptic Murdoch inspired opinion writing. They would always have some swipe at Beattie when he won another big victory. It would be it straight back to pretending that conservative echo chamber doesn’t exist come Monday though. Here’s hoping and also goodbye Trump the following Tuesday.
Isn’t Idolatry a sin?
Not if it’s object is a sports star.
Simon Katich
After he rises from his morning prayers, Scotty will be consulting his spinners for a suitable sentence in reaction.
Congratulations to Jacinda Ardern and to the ACT Labor government for getting re-elected overnight. Both deserved wins.
This is a pic of Scotty NOT at a Liberal Party fundraiser. Notable to me is the dearth of women.
Tanya Plibersek on Insiders
guytaur
Alternatively, the Greens working with Labor rather than against them increased the Greens vote.
Both results show there is a path to winning seats for the Greens which doesn’t involve pulling down Labor.
lizzie
But look at all the attention the one who was there got!
‘The romantically inexperienced politician’s private life was laid bare before ICAC’s inquiry, something that has left her “embarrassed and humiliated” – a new low for a woman with an impeccable reputation.
“I can formally say to people I’ve given up on love,” she said. “I’m just going to say I have always put my job first, rightly or wrongly, and that will now continue indefinitely.”’
Oh, puke.
Given she’s hidden this relationship for years (wow, the media are good) how do we know she’s romantically inexperienced?
Her success at hiding it suggests some kind of experience.
As for ‘giving up on love’ what is she? An 80s love song?
Victoria has two new cases today and no deaths.