Courtesy of The Australian, the first Newspoll in four weeks has Labor leading 51-49, down from 52-48 last time, with similarly slight movement on the primary vote, with the Coalition up a point to 41%, Labor steady on 38%, the Greens down one to 10% and One Nation up one to 3%. Scott Morrison recovers much of the ground he lost on personal ratings in the last poll, being up four on approval to 59% and down three on disapproval to 37%, while Anthony Albanese is down three to 40% and up two to 43%, though these changes do not alter the general stability of his position over the longer term. Morrison now leads 56-30 on preferred prime minister, out from 52-32 in the last poll and identical to the result in the previous poll six weeks ago. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Saturday from a sample of 1514.
Andrew_Earlwood says Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 10:17 pm
Morrison won the last election for the Coalition. He’ll try the same thing in the next election. Labor really needs to start hitting hard on Morrison’s negatives. Make the election about him. Now is the time to start raising awareness of his faults because it will be too late come the election. Labor really needs to get this message into the minds of the politically disengaged. The last thing Labor needs is voters going into the polling booth with their main impression of Morrison being the daggy dad. If that happens he’ll increase his majority.
. He’s all spin, photo ops, announcements and marketing
. He lies all the time, you can’t trust what he says
. He won’t responsibility
. He has no vision or ideas for the future, it’s all about short term politics (see point one above)
. He’s a former professional actor, and it’s all an act
. He makes promises that he never keeps (vaccines, bush fire support, bringing Aussies home for Christmas, see point one above)
. He has no empathy, it’s all about him (bush fire handshakes)
. He just doesn’t get it (the treatment of women)
. His temper (and go the niggle, try to get him to overreact as often as possible, show that underneath he’s not the daggy dad)
. He’s an international embarrassment (talking on mute, being snubbed by Biden)
Go the man, after all, this isn’t football.
In my memory, the Liberals have lost government federally when their leaders are deeply unpopular (McMahon, Fraser, Howard) and seen as an embarrassment (McMahon) or yesterday’s man (Howard). The Liberals are about their leader. You need to defeat their leader to win.
I think the politically disengaged are at an all time high. Murdoch media always exploits these at election time by going hard against Labor, at the short time of engagement that punters are taking notice .Most punters dont even know who their local member is or what party they represent.
Labor heading towards a reasonable size majority government , the lib/nats combined primary votes needs to be ahead by over 8% of the labor primary for the libs/nats to be in majority
Labor would be very pleased if the primary vote is38%, lib/nats combined primary vote is 41%
Been There @ #37 Sunday, April 25th, 2021 – 10:30 pm
Is mundo awake yet?
Douglas and Milko @ #27 Sunday, April 25th, 2021 – 10:15 pm
However, getting the ALP Curious, which some of the Others are, will. 🙂
The Liberal Party more than the National Party which has to take seats off Labor in the house of reps
Presently , this is the total for Lib/QLD Libs = 60 seats
Labor has 68 seats
if the lib/nats combined primary is not improving , and Labor primary vote is
Labor is going to gain more seats , The liberal/QLD liberal partys going to lose more seats
Here we go:
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/thebriefing/max-opray/2021/04/26/australia-line-cop-us-carbon-tax
Is it not farcical that our federal government representative, Dan Tehan, is suggesting to these countries that, instead of penalising us that they should give us their best CO2 reducing technologies instead!?!
I’m starting to get an impression of Australia in the future replete with the ‘Dark Satanic Mills’ of CO2-capturing factories across our landscape. 🙁
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Here’s Simon Benson’s take on the latest Newspoll.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/newspoll-coalition-lifts-as-support-for-morrison-rebounds/news-story/52748a9ca02213128d48b3e7386162e5
As more Australians become vaccinated, how will our lives change? Many want to return to pre-pandemic times, but things are not that simple, explains Liam Mannix.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-covid-19-vaccines-are-here-now-what-do-we-do-20210325-p57dxt.html
It’s not entirely Scott Morrison’s fault that he managed to look like a dissembling idiot at President Joe Biden’s leader’s summit on climate change last week, says Alan Kohler in writing about Scott Morrison, the Murdochs and the crime of the century
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2021/04/26/crime-of-the-century-alan-kohler/
As global demand for vaccines remains massive, Australia’s currently idle manufacturing facilities could be repurposed in the fight against COVID-19, writes Anne Hyland.
https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/a-vaxxing-problem-why-aren-t-more-australian-companies-producing-vaccines-20210423-p57ls2.html
Abul Rizvi tries to work out why Morrison won’t accept his responsibility for quarantine.
https://johnmenadue.com/abul-rizvi-why-wont-morrison-accept-his-responsibility-for-quarantine/
Melissa Cunningham writes that elderly Victorians too frail to travel to mass vaccination hubs are being put on waiting lists stretching out to September, despite being told it is their “duty” to get immunised.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/big-problem-frail-elderly-patients-forced-to-wait-as-gps-demand-more-vaccine-20210425-p57m5k.html
The Morrison government’s latest stunt – tearing up Victorian government “deals” with China that weren’t really deals – achieved its aims of near-universal positive media coverage, says Alan Kohler as he writes about reds under the wharf and other beat-ups.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2021/04/26/michael-pascoe-darwin-port-beat-ups/
Michael Keating argues that “technology not taxes” is a slogan not a policy.
https://johnmenadue.com/technology-not-taxes-is-a-slogan-not-a-policy/
Cait Kelly explains FOI failure and the tricks our pollies and bureaucrats use to keep Australians in the dark. Rex Patrick is a fine crusader on this issue.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2021/04/25/foi-laws-rex-patrick/
Matt O’Sullivan tells us how aircraft flying through all but a small part of greater Sydney’s airspace would be handled by a control centre in Melbourne under a controversial cost-cutting plan.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/plan-to-shift-half-of-sydney-s-air-traffic-controllers-to-melbourne-20210416-p57jwn.html
Louise Edwards explains how Australian domestic political discourse is infected with “distract-ables” and announce-ables”. It is riddled with confected indignation, posed victimhood, and dog-whistling duplicity.
https://johnmenadue.com/register-of-little-foreign-influence/
Washington’s hardening line on export taxes puts the Morrison government under renewed pressure to accelerate its shift towards adopting a policy of net zero emissions by 2050, writes Jcob Greber.
https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/us-takes-tougher-line-on-carbon-border-tax-20210425-p57m82
Katina Curtis reports that lifting the maximum childcare subsidy to 95 per cent and scrapping an annual cap on support are being examined by the federal government to get more women into the workforce and boost GDP by up to $11 billion a year.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/government-looks-at-childcare-measures-that-could-boost-gdp-by-11-billion-20210425-p57m57.html
Jennifer Duke warns that rising house prices could derail our post-COVID economic recovery.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/rising-house-prices-could-derail-post-covid-economic-recovery-20210423-p57ltt.html
Companies and their directors could be sued for ‘greenwashing’ their commitments to achieve net zero carbon pledges or emissions reductions targets, according to a legal opinion backed by Australia’s top business leaders.
https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/directors-liable-for-greenwashing-disclosures-20210423-p57lse
Australia’s business leaders are taking more of the lead on tackling the global issue – and hence more of the political and regulatory risk – when that responsibility should be led by government, says the editorial in the AFR.
https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/business-leads-where-politics-fail-on-climate-20210422-p57lek
And Ian Verrender writes that, as Government remains vague on climate plans, Australia’s private sector proves far more proactive.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-26/why-business-has-left-canberra-behind-on-climate/100094616
According to Ben Butler, big super funds have threatened to vote against company directors who do not make sure their businesses are committed to action on global heating that includes hitting net zero by 2050.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/apr/26/australian-super-funds-to-vote-against-company-directors-not-tackling-climate-crisis
Women will struggle to get pregnant naturally in the next few decades without stronger regulation of chemicals. Rates of miscarriages, abnormalities in penis development and intersexuality are all increasing at alarming levels. Professors Alex Ford and Gary Hutchison report.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/spermageddon-everyday-chemicals-lead-to-50-drop-in-sperm-count-in-western-men/
Dr Adrian Plaskett goes into considerable detail in telling us what’s wrong with the mental health system in Australia.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/apr/26/its-rare-to-be-able-to-tell-the-truth-heres-whats-wrong-with-the-mental-health-system
Australians will be able to continue to access Medicare-subsidised telehealth services until the end of the year, with the federal government set to include a six-month extension in May’s budget.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/government-to-extend-telehealth-funding-until-end-of-2021-20210425-p57m97.html
Michael Koziol tells us that the Morrison government’s new Employer Reporting Line, labelled the “dobseeker” hotline by critics, allows employers to dob in jobseekers not only for rejecting employment offers but for behaving badly in interviews, missing appointments or voluntarily quitting their job.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/people-are-turning-up-inappropriately-dressed-dobseeker-to-target-bad-behaviour-in-interviews-20210423-p57lyd.html
A royal commission takes years to play out, bur veterans don’t have that long declares psychologist Kerry Howard.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7224237/a-royal-commission-takes-years-to-play-out-our-veterans-dont-have-that-long/?cs=14258
The SMH editorial decries the way the federal government has continued to starve the National Archives of funds.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/national-archives-must-not-be-left-to-rot-away-20210425-p57m80.html
A quarter of a century ago, a man killed 35 people in Tasmania. We need to focus on the victims, not the perpetrator, writes Andrew Leigh.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/as-port-arthur-anniversary-approaches-let-us-never-speak-his-name-20210425-p57m6z.html
Why is the fine town of Bathurst honouring for perpetuity a convicted war criminal, who among other atrocities shot a fellow soldier thought to be a potential whistleblower and gunned down unarmed prisoners, a pastor and two Boer children, asks Peter FitzSimons.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/disgraced-peter-handcock-deserves-no-war-memorial-honour-20210422-p57lnh.html
Arrogance, hyper-nationalism and bureaucratic incompetence have combined to create a crisis of epic proportions in India, with its crowd-loving PM basking while citizens suffocate, writes Philip Sherwell.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/modi-leads-india-out-of-lockdownand-into-a-covid-apocalypse/news-story/d69c1c555e036886300a710769e9936d
A missing Indonesian submarine has been found, broken into at least three parts, deep in the Bali Sea, army and navy officials said on Sunday, as the President sent condolences to relatives of the 53 crew.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/deep-sorrow-joko-widodo-sends-condolences-to-families-of-sunken-submarine-20210425-p57m8k.html
Cartoon Corner
Peter Broelman
David Rowe
Michael Leunig
Glen Le Lievre
Mark Knight
Alan Moir
John Spooner
From the US
“Others” are a mixed bag including moderately conservative regional independents like Helen Haines, green-tinted independents like Andrew Wilkie, right wing nut jobs, communists, various single issue candidates, etc etc. If One Nation is separated out, their preferences break fairly evenly, maybe slightly favouring whoever is ahead.
Boerwar
In all you shouting about kowtowing kiwis because they do not support turning the intelligence sharing org. into an alliance you seem to have missed, as did the meeja, what else the FM said in that speech.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/drawing-a-snake-and-adding-feet-new-zealand-avoids-offending-china-ends-up-offending-closest-partners-20210423-p57lzk.html
Were there any justice the Minister(s) responsible would have been forced to resign in disgrace, hounded from their Office.
From Dawn Patrol
Morrison PM, associated shonks, “would be if they could be” media duopoly types, together with the government funded coaches, strategists, researchers and hanger-oners and the PPM is all they can achieve to boost their morale, then at some stage both the Liberal party and their supporters will realize the folly of their ways.
The concealment of facts, figures and money is not without an end date. Morrison’s fear of this year’s early election will not stop the inevitable.
Morrison is gambler, a self promoter, on life’s lucky streak but as the emperor loses his clothes, the stack of cards will collapse very quickly.
The state premiers have been magnificent, even a raggity old stager like Gladys.
The lack of engagement of the Australian voters, their preoccupation with indulgence and a dishonest press are unfortunate but not insurmountable.
The time is right for an Albanese, a modern progressive Labor party, a Greens movement wanting permanent progress and attainable goals, and some genuine reflection from a lucky country as to where it wants to be in years to come.
Morrison like most recently introduced products, highly marketed, festooned in bright lights is already obsolete. Just look at the product returns back at the warehouse, Porter, Reynolds, Laming, Christensen without mentioning Barnaby, the cuddily give away from the Nationals.
The hoopla surrounding this latest newspoll has already deflated on a certain masthead and the longer the messiah Morrison PM goes without pulling the chain and going to an election, the more polluted will be the political arena.
We’re told planting some mangroves may be enough to make our Pacific neighbours happy. Ignore the “gas led recovery”, ignore the coal mines, ignore that we have no policy or mechanism to reduce emission, ignore that we’ve been advocating for less action internationally. Ignore that it’s pretty much all or nothing. Can you partially drown an island? Apparently one small concession will be enough to cheer them up! Hey, at least we’ve conceded *something*, right? They should be grateful! It’s almost as if we believe global warming is happening.
Is it just me, or is Dutton lifting his profile, with a view to making a run at the big chair. He was front page Saturday Paper on the weekend and certainly seems intent of getting his noggin’ in the papers ATM.
Oh, and Mundo, piss or get off the pot. You are as boring as guano.
The Commonwealth has put doctors “in charge” of vaccinations, but doles out supplies in accordance with their own statistics, not giving doctors the authority to request their own numbers, as they do for flu.
No wonder there is uncertainty.
The big positive I see for the ALP in the election will be the State Premiers of WA, Qld and Vic. None of them are on the nose and they will be used to remind the public of the Feds failures in the Pandemic.
The average wealth of Australians during Covid has increased around 1.4%. (That is an average. It has, of course, been hoovered up disproportionately by some at the expense of others.)
Nevertheless, the majority of Australians own their homes and house prices have zoomed.
The majority of Australians either directly, or indirectly through superannuation, have seen their shares zoom.
Most Australians vote their pockets. Always have. Always will.
For whatever set of reasons, extremely few Australians have died of Covid. In fact in 2020 there was a reduction in respiratory disease deaths by about 3,000. This was offset by diabetes and heart deaths, to some extent. The net result of Covid is that MORE people are alive than would otherwise have been alive.
Most Australians get it that China is trying to bully Australia. They don’t like it. And the majority almost certainly support the Coalition standing up to an international thug.
One of the persistent drivers of anxiety in Australia has been enormous net migration. This pressure has come to a halt because of Covid.
OTOH, long running governments tend to burn support. A lot of women are still bailing up on the Coalition which is, IMO, hurting it in the polling.
Finally, the self-appointed guardians of our climate have failed utterly with their moral suasion techniques. For an existential issue, this is sad but true. My suggestion would be for them to come clean on finessing their views about China’s 28% contribution to global warming, and growing. As opposed to justifying it.
Given all of the above, it is a minor miracle that Labor is ahead on 2PP, IMO.
‘Lynchpin says:
Monday, April 26, 2021 at 7:54 am
Is it just me, or is Dutton lifting his profile…’
No doubt about ti.
This is the natural next step.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/25/world/europe/american-travel-to-europe.html
UK Cartoon time!
Brian Adcock on the No 10 sleaze scandal #BorisJohnson #DominicCummings #TorySleaze #Lobbying #ToryCorruption #ToryCronyism
Nicola Jennings on the No 10 sleaze scandal #BorisJohnson #MajorCorruption #TorySleaze #Lobbying #ToryCorruption #ToryCronyism
Patrick Blower on #BorisJohnson #DominicCummings #Leaks #Oscars #TorySleaze #ToryCorruption
Peter Schrank on #football #FootballisFortheFans #SuperLeague #fatcats #europeansuperleague #DirtyDozen
Mac on #EuropeanSuperLeague #FootballGreed
Morten Morland on #BorisJohnson #Leaks #TorySleaze #ToryCorruption
Andy Davey on #BorisJohnson #DominicCummings #Leaks #TorySleaze #ToryCorruption
AZ
A big serve for Boris in that lot!
BK,
Boris does lots of stuff.
On the flip side, that’s probably the best thing about Morrison, he does NOTHING – imagine the damage that he could do if he was actually able to get stuff done…
I have been wondering lately why there seems to be an increase in intersex or trans children. I thought that perhaps I was simply unaware of the condition 70 years ago.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/spermageddon-everyday-chemicals-lead-to-50-drop-in-sperm-count-in-western-men/
bc @ #51 Monday, April 26th, 2021 – 2:26 am
Or, Albo could cut through.
Punters need an alternative.
Especially swinging/Liberal punters.
In WA Labor gave them that alternative.
Here’s our Mark.
He’s better than your current shit leader.
Doug Cameron
@DougCameron51
The Murdoch rag
@australian
polling being spun as a great victory for Morrison even though it would mean defeat. Preferred PM polling is a joke, and can someone explain why preferences are based on the last election?
The Murdoch propaganda machine in top gear this morning. Rolling on the floor laughing
Taylormade @ #46 Sunday, April 25th, 2021 – 11:54 pm
Who is Andrew Lamming?
What’s a Jobkeeper?
While I’m at it, Robodebt? What the hell is that?
And is Hawaii in south America or Scandanavia?
Do we know if Tehan was successful in his supposed mission to obtain a lot more Pfizer vaccines from EU? I can’t find any references to this matter.
Victoria says:
Monday, April 26, 2021 at 8:25 am
Doug Cameron
@DougCameron51
The Murdoch rag
@australian
polling being spun as a great victory for Morrison even though it would mean defeat. Preferred PM polling is a joke, and can someone explain why preferences are based on the last election?
The Murdoch propaganda machine in top gear this morning. Rolling on the floor laughing
The question is why, and why anyone is seriously considering a robopoll which is what newspoll has become.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2021/04/26/crime-of-the-century-alan-kohler/
A very appropriate description – the “small Australian” political bubble.
We are the “small Australians”. We are “small” because we are more concerned with our house prices than with our children’s future. But if there is any hope to be had, it is with those children …
This is the defining year for global action on climate change. Greta Thunberg’s standing will increase further this year, while Australia’s standing will further decline.
At the Leader’s Summit, we showed the world we were no such thing.
What could go wrong….?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/04/25/snl-announced-elon-musk-host-disgust-twitter-may-be-just-what-show-is-after/
“A big serve for Boris in that lot!”
The only message from the UK cartoons is the the UK oligarchy have decided that Boris must go. They must have an even more vile person to replace him. They did the same to Cameron and May.
Australia still having a go at China for their excessive emissions and belligerence on the one hand, while exporting more coal than ever along with the iron China uses to build the fleet with which they exercise their belligerence on the other. Hard to be convincing like that! Talk about sincerely walking both sides of street.
Had some fish and chips yesterday. The paper it was wrapped in had a story about an historical rape accusation against a Morrison minister. Does anyone know what this is about? Surely if true this will bring down the government.
Had a debate with some coalition supporters who wanted the federal election result to be the major party with the most seats , if seats were level pegging , that when the minority parties like the national party and greens should be brought into it.
When mention , if that system was brought in Labor would have been the federal government in 2016 and 2019 Labor increased their seat margin over the liberal party.
The coalition supporters changed their tune
Scott
How can you post on a political web if you don’t understand how governments are formed in the Westminster system
DisplayName @ #82 Monday, April 26th, 2021 – 8:43 am
It’s our only talent. Our universities used to give courses in the subject … to Chinese students … when we had Chinese students … 🙁
OC,
Fish and chips wrapped in newspaper?
You are reliving your childhood.
Oakeshott Country says:
Monday, April 26, 2021 at 8:52 am
Scott
How can you post on a political web if you don’t understand how governments are formed in the Westminster system
——————-
It wasnt my view
The coalition supporters who i was talking with were the ones who wanted the major party wiht the most seats.
I explain to them that if that was the case, the liberal party would hardly be in government , because the liberal party relies on the minor party called the national party , at federal and state elections
Oakeshott Country @ #32 Monday, April 26th, 2021 – 8:47 am
Stop making crap up, Oakeshott Countyry. Fish and chips are wrapped in white butcher’s paper. What you are in fact doing is trying your subtle as a sledgehammer support song for Christian Porter up again. Even after your, ‘gone down the memory hole by Wednesday’ claim of over a month ago was proven to be another false flag you flew.
We get it already. Viva la powerful patrician patriarchy! They will forever be unaccountable and ride roughshod over us mere serfs and women.
Oakeshott Country @ #35 Monday, April 26th, 2021 – 8:52 am
It’s not your blog, Oakeshott Country, is the simple answer to your boorish question.
Sohar says:
Monday, April 26, 2021 at 8:43 am
It’s not just Boris – it’s the entire right wing nut case in UK and Europe.
Just over 105 years since the Easter Rising and the declaration of an Irish Republic.
I came across this reading of the Declaration made by RTÉ for the centenary.
https://youtu.be/ERCVSDileo0
The scene at 3:30 is priceless.
Why do we still have the German showers of shit as our heads of state?
Sohar @ #30 Monday, April 26th, 2021 – 8:43 am
Probably this guy:
‘lizzie says:
Monday, April 26, 2021 at 8:51 am
Dr Sally (PhD)@slsandpet
·
1h
So many industries badly affected by Morrison Govt #TradeWar with #China’
————————————–
It is not a trade war. It is trade punishment designed to silence a democratically-elected government. Sometimes it works: the Philippines has just publicly buckled. Sometimes it does not work as when Chinese inbound tourism to South Korea was throttled because the South Koreans had the temerity to base Partriot batteries on their soil. The Patriot batteries are still there. Sometimes it has the reverse effect whereby the targeted populations get their backs up. IMO, this is what is happening in Taiwan and in Australia.
Getting the framing right is critical. It is not a trade war. It is trade punishment.
OTOH, it would become a trade war were Australia, for example, to selectively ban imports from China in retaliation.
Thats why it is ridiculous for the national party leader to become the deputy/acting prime minister , because the national party will never ever become government or opposition without the liberal party , the only way the national party can form a majority in the coalition partnership , if it competes against the liberal party in every seat and gets more seats than the liberal party .
Otherwise the national party leader has no right to be deputy/acting prime minister
boerwar
Yes, it does seem a little one-sided!
‘Oakeshott Country says:
Monday, April 26, 2021 at 9:01 am
Just over 105 years since the Easter Rising and the declaration of an Irish Republic.
I came across this reading of the Declaration made by RTÉ for the centenary.
https://youtu.be/ERCVSDileo0
The scene at 3:30 is priceless.
Why do we still have the German showers of shit as our heads of state?’
If this refers to Elizabeth it is wrong. She is English. As for describing Elizabeth as a ‘shower of shit’ you would be pretty lonesome, IMO. BTW, we have only one head of state.
You will not end up with a bullet to the back of the head as you would, for example, had you described Xi as a ‘Chinese shower of shit.’
boerwar
Thank you.
lizzie
We did in fact ban Huawei from the 5G rollout (and then went on to convince other countries to also ban them). We get to decide who offers mobile hardware (backend, since their phones are still available) and services in Australia, and China gets to decide that they don’t want Australian lobsters or wine but do want Australian hypocrisy and iron for their warships.