The latest fortnightly Essential Research poll, which is presumably the last of the year, features the pollster’s monthly-or-so leadership ratings: Scott Morrison is down four on approval to 62%, his weakest result since April, and up three on disapproval to 28%; Anthony Albanese is up three on approval to 43% and down four on disapproval to 29%; and Morrison’s lead as preferred prime minister is at 50-24, narrowing from 53-24.
As it does at the end of every year, the pollster asked respondents if they felt it had been a good or a bad year for various actors, which produces appropriately extraordinary results, particularly so for the Australian economy (a net rating of minus 47%), small business (minus 43%) and “the average Australian” (minus 32%). However, the minus 7% result for “Australian politics in general” was quite a lot better than any recorded over the previous seven years.
Respondents were also asked if Australia’s relationships with various foreign players should become more or less closer, or remain the same. This produces a notably negative result for China, with 49% wanting a less close relationship, 15% more close and 20% the same. Closer relationships are generally desired with, in descending order, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Sixty-two per cent considered Australia “the innocent victim of Chinese assertion in restricting trade on certain products, but a non-trivial 38% felt Australia had “made itself a target by publicly criticising the Chinese government”. Fifty-six per cent felt Scott Morrison was right to demand an apology from the Chinese government over the recent Twitter spat, leaving 44% of respondents (the smart ones) favouring the alternative that he “should have let the issue be handled
through diplomatic channels”.
A question on the federal government’s proposed workplace relations reforms finds 52% expecting they will favour employers and businesses, 17% that they will favour employees, and 31% that they will strike a balance between the two. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Monday from a sample of 1071.
PvO hears that the reshuffle is going to be announced tomorrow.
OC:
[‘So I have the substance abuse problem?’]
If you have, there’s help available, dear.
The Shovel
@TheShovel
Credit where it’s due, when Scott Morrison said he was going to stop the boats, no one expected him to be able to stop all trade vessels too
😆
A-E
What are the sanctions for lawyers with substance abuse?
For doctors it is the first of four mandatory reporting offences:
Turn up at work under the influence and any other doctor who has that reasonable belief must report you to the medical board on pain of sanction
The other three are:
2. Sex with patient
3. Other impairment representing a risk to patients
4. Clinical practice so far from the norm that it represents a risk to patients.
The Medical Board has some very well developed ways to deal with these problems but the failure of people to dob in mates, even under the threat of sanctions, is only slowly going
And we’re off and running, again:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/western-australia/mcgowan-opts-for-wait-and-see-approach-on-nsw-hard-border-after-community-cases-emerge-20201217-p56ob6.html
Does a bludger has imminent travel to WA that this will affect?
I’m also guessing I won’t get to see my sister – who is due to arrive from Qld this Sunday – at Xmas after all. Or get to visit her on Stradbroke next February, either.
Spray
Except that no one really knows the limits of detection in sewage. And if you look back at the sewage detections in the past month, Liverpool has shown up, Riverstone – even North Head at one point. Could have been a hidden chain of infection happening in western Sydney and then found a connection to the northern beaches. I’d like it to be a new arrival.
“ What are the sanctions for lawyers with substance abuse?”
Judicial appointment?
Dunno. It would never. I mean. NEVER. Happen with a lawyer. We are all ascetic monks. Dedicated to obtaining a perfect understanding of THE LAW and in service to our fellow citizens. Obviously.
Could this have been any early indicator of the problem we have now on the Northern Beaches?
even North Head at one point.
It’s probably too far south I guess.
C@tmomma:
Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 10:17 pm
[‘That was a bit gratuitous about Mavis, Spray.’]
Not at all. Spray impliedly agreed with OC’s comment that my posts at this time of night are predicated on inebriation on the basis that I belatedly posted Macron had tested positive to C.19 – a pretty cheap shot. Anyway, I’m doing a Pepys, might also have a nightcap.
Victoria
Yes, if you know the index case and can work your way from there. What if genomic testing says it is very likely to have come from overseas, but there’s no identifiable source? That source could have started other chains of infection that may not show up for weeks.
The other thing is that the genomic test results would have been known earlier this evening. The fact that it wasn’t announced as “overseas source” tonight says something interesting.
Winston Churchill.
Just leaving that one out there.
“Could have been a hidden chain of infection happening in western Sydney and then found a connection to the northern beaches.”
Whoever was defending the Spit Bridge that day has a lot to answer for.
Mavis,
Ah, anonymity. Of course if the audience were not aware of someone’s profession, or in that case, ex-profession, it would not be an issue. However, if you identify as a member of a profession, your personal identity is not relevant.
Or do you argue otherwise? All behaviour is acceptable in the dark of the night so to speak?
Meanwhile in NZ.. no cases for 28 days.
Mavis @ #809 Thursday, December 17th, 2020 – 11:05 pm
Well there was also the 9:40pm post about the 17 NB cases.
Nevertheless, I apologise Mavis. Withdrawn.
Pour me one of those nightcaps.
Mavis d’Avis:
You should perhaps clarify what “doing a Pepys” means!
McGowan has, in the last hour or so, further raised the level of restrictions for NSW travellers arriving in Perth. It’s now the full 14-day isolation.
A bummer for me, but also alarming in that he’s been talking to the NSW CHO. Can only assume that the news tomorrow will be very bad.
“ You should perhaps clarify what “doing a Pepys” means!”
Similiar to doing lines in a night club toilet, only involving a straw and the opposite end of the alimentary canal?
Bess (Mrs Pepys) coming up suddenly, did find me imbracing the girl con [with] my hand sub [under] su [her] coats; and endeed I was with my main [hand] in her cunny. I was at a wonderful loss upon it and the girl also….
If things in NSW get worse from tomorrow onwards, it will be interesting to see whether Morrison starts his Xmas holidays early (a la the bushfires).
“ If things in NSW get worse from tomorrow onwards, it will be interesting to see whether Morrison starts his Xmas holidays early (a la the bushfires).”
Bula!
C@tmommasays:
Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 10:40 pm
Plus, we never seem to get the full story when problems occur.
________________
You don’t have to tell us Victorians that. We have been going through it most of year.
Where is Scotty and the so called Credlin the Dan Destroyer ?
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/urgent-covid-19-update
Albo is past it and he dresses like a crap middle manager. The mooted alternatives of Chalmers and Marles are boring bland opportunists. Plibersek is too inner city left for Queensland and Bowen is just a tosser. It therefore has to be someone fresh and authentic. Alternatively, go back to Shorten although he projects as dubious and shifty, probably because he is.
LR
That’s a fairly good response. Of course there’s no evidence that there aren’t people from the same cluster who haven’t been to the northern beaches. See Penrith RSL for instance.
Also they really do need to follow WA’s lead and simply test everyone.
George Senate polls.. very close.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/georgia-senate-polls/
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/new-zealand-boasts-record-growth-after-coronavirus-induced-recession
The Illusionist strikes again. The Northern beaches, a moniker with many interpretations and connotations, is synonymous with the Manly RL team, T. Abbott and a number of beaches with dubious names.
The Illusionist has just announced his “well earned” break to recharge his batteries. This break will occur just after the announcement of the reshuffled Cabinet. The reshuffle will be announced on Christmas Day.
The announcement will treated by the public like any other unwanted Christmas present.
Ths Illusionist will “hole up” south of his southern electorate, on the South Coast, to seperate himself as much as possible from the “how could this possibly happen” and “don’t worry my team is onto it” event on the Northern Beaches and somewhere near the home of T. Abbott.
The Illusionist will ride his “charger” to the rescue, stating clearly that the matter is under control and confined to the Northern Beaches.
Sydneysiders needn’t worry as the tunnel joining the Northern Pennisula to the rest of Sydney is to have a billion extra dollars spent on it and he (The Illusionist) will save the Manly ferries as well.
North Head will be sold off to “developers” to confine the outbreak to the pennisula.
Gladys, the gold standard Premier, in the gold standard state has her team “on to it”.
The end result of all this brouhaha on the Northern Beaches will be a northerly movement in The Illusionist’s approval ratings, a few beers at “Northies” in the Shire to celebrate Gall’s win this week and further preparations for the “well earned” rest.
Most of the Premiers from the other States in the Federation will respond to the outbreak on the Pennisula (in the gold standard state) by imposing a mandantory two week lockdown over Christmas.
The Chinese response to this latest outbreak on ths Pennisula and the Ilusionist’s comments regarding this outbreak will probably involve an increase in the tariff on the import of Speedos to China.
One of the Ilusionist’s Cabinet will take this opportunity to sign a 99 year lease for the Chinese to establish a fishing industry based on North Head, together with a tiny naval base and the promise of 17 new ferries being manufactured in France and due for completion about the same time as The Illusionist is invited to attend and speak about Climate and emissions at the next climate forum.
Some rich nobody, unfortunately named Robb, will be rewarded handsomely to act as an intermediary to secure the selling off of North Head.
This latest brouhaha is of course the responsibility of Mr Albanese, the leader of the opposition. The Labor Party’s policy regarding the North Head Chinese Naval base, the Pennisula in general, the proposed Chinese coal loader on North Head and the future of public toilets at Manly Beach will be discussed in length by the doyens of journalism during the Christmas break, putting Albanese’s leadership under threat.
Due to the outbreak on the Pennisula, the Illusionist will not be making public his Christmas holiday reading material while on his well earned rest on the South Coast.
The fact that the Illusionist is even allowed to travel to the South Coast after the bushfires last Christmas is probably the real news for discussion over Christmas.
Nah, what’s the score?
Boris threatens gunboats in the North Sea to protect “British” (i.e. largely Scottish) fish stocks:
Isn’t it about time that these so called free trade agreements were subject to more intense scrutiny?
In particular the investor-state dispute clauses.
Lardarse is at it again.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/18/clive-palmer-could-seek-unquantifiable-commonwealth-compensation-under-singapore-free-trade-
And the latest poll in Scotland has support for Independence at another high of 58%.
The poll from ComRes by two clear percentage points puts Yes at the highest ever level of support in any poll conducted online by any firm.
Should Scotland be an independent country? (Savanta ComRes)
Yes 58% (+5)
No 42% (-5)
http://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2020/12/truly-staggering-support-for.html
Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory introduced border restrictions with New South Wales late on Thursday night amid concerns the growing Covid-19 outbreak in the state could worsen in coming days.
Western Australia has imposed blanket restrictions on all travellers from NSW, while Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania have have classified Sydney’s northern beaches as a Covid hotspot, meaning anyone travelling from the area will be required to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/17/queensland-western-australia-south-wa-sa-border-restrictions-nsw-covid-coronavirus-outbreak
Hh. Not SA tho.
The whole point in having these Emergency powers invested in the Police Commissioned is that he can act faster than elected officials in ordering closures. On this occasion he is slower in making a decision than all the premiers and/or their Health Ministers.
He wants to wait and see if NSW can contain it first?!
So how many US celebrities got exemptions to home quarantine in their luxury Avalon rentals after arriving on their private jets?
Newsltd hacks are once again on the attack against Annastacia Palaszczuk , claiming there will be delight on her face as she closes the qld border to greater Sydney
sprocket_says:
Friday, December 18, 2020 at 7:05 am
Not sure but you can guess from those who have it:
https://www.vulture.com/article/famous-people-celebrities-with-coronavirus.html
Peta Credlin will be blaming Daniel Andrews for the latest outbreak in Sydney
Daniel Andrews should be thinking about closing the border to NSW or at least greater Sydney
New thread.
timbo
And look at the way it’s reported. The Ombudsman had no problems with the lockdown per se, but with the speed with which it was implemented.
Good Morning
Things are not looking good for Sydney today.
11:00 am we will find out how bad.
It was good to see that Palasczcuk got praise from a Sydney resident for acting in direct contradiction to the LNP politicians on ABC News 24.
https://www.pollbludger.net/2020/12/16/essential-research-leadership-ratings-foreign-and-industrial-relations/comment-page-15/#comment-3527286
Yeah, and nothing is more annoying than politicians with warped lenses focused on development and gaming, trying to communicate health and public safety guidelines, rules or procedures, instead of letting professionals do it.
That and thanking those on the public payroll for doing their jobs, as if volunteers.
Go early, go hard and NFA.