There has been an outbreak of preselection challenges against federal Liberal incumbents in New South Wales, which would appear to be the fruit of new preselection rules that put more power in the hands of the party rank-and-file. However, the branch has not been so democratised as to deny the possibility of federal intervention, which Sarah Martin of The Guardian reports is likely to be invoked by the Prime Minister to protect the incumbents.
• Environment Minister Sussan Ley faces a challenge in her rural seat of Farrer from Christian Ellis, whose conservative credentials extend to an effort to expel Malcolm Turnbull from the Liberal Party after he published his autobiography last year. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Ley has complained of “outsiders” descending upon her electorate with “city-based factional branch stacking” and “a toxic culture which isn’t about the policies or the candidate”.
• Further challenges are brewing against two leading factional powerbrokers: Alex Hawke of the centre right, from conservative-aligned army colonel Michael Abrahams; and Trent Zimmerman of the moderate faction, from both Hamish Stitt, a conservative barrister, and Jess Collins, a member of the centre right.
• In the marginal Sydney seat of Reid, moderate-aligned Fiona Martin faces a challenge from sports administrator Natalie Baini. Apparently at an earlier stage of gestation are potential challenges to Bennelong MP John Alexander from Gisele Kapterian, former chief-of-staff to Michaelia Cash; and Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, whose Senate seat is reportedly being eyed by conservative colleague Dallas McInerney, chief executive of Catholic Schools NSW.
• One challenge that will not proceed is the one said to have been of “most concern” to senior Liberals in a report by Sarah Martin of The Guardian. Melissa McIntosh, a member of the centre right faction who won the key seat of Lindsay from Labor in 2019, was said to have been under serious pressure from Mark Davies, Penrith councillor and husband of state Mulgoa MP Tanya Davies, having “lost control of her branches to the conservative faction”. However, Clare Armstrong of News.com.au reports the conservatives have “done a deal to drop the challenge”, the terms of which are unclear.
Preselections elsewhere:
• Tom Richardson of InDaily reports that candidates for Labor’s preselection in the Adelaide seat of Spence include Matt Burnell, an official with the Right-aligned Transport Workers Union, and Alice Dawkins, who works with “a consulting firm specialising in Asian strategic engagement” and is the daughter of Keating government Treasurer John Dawkins. The safe Labor seat in northern Adelaide will be vacated at the election by Nick Champion’s move to state politics.
• A Liberal preselection last weekend for the Adelaide seat of Boothby was won by Rachel Swift, moderate-aligned management consultant and medical researcher. Swift was chosen ahead of conservative rival Leah Blythe, who had the backing of outgoing member Nicolle Flint.
• The Tasmanian seat of Lyons will be contested for the Liberals by Susie Bower, Meander Valley councillor and chief executive of the Bell Bay Advanced Manufacturing Zone. Bower was a candidate for Lyons at the recent state election, but polled last out of the six Liberal candidates with 3.5% of the vote. Lyons could potentially have joined Bass and Braddon as a Liberal gain at the 2019 election if not for the mid-campaign disendorsement of the party’s candidate, Jessica Whelan.
Other news:
• Jodi McKay’s resignation as New South Wales Labor leader on Friday potentially sets up a second membership ballot for the party to go with the one that will choose Rebecca White’s successor in Tasmania. This depends on whether former leader Michael Daley puts his name forward in opposition to Chris Minns, who would appear to be the clear favourite. Today’s Sun-Herald reports that head office would prefer that Minns take the position unopposed so as to avoid “an expensive ballot of rank-and-file members, which would take weeks”. However, a tweet by Daley yesterday suggested he was not of a mind to oblige them.
• Labor MP Duncan Pegg announced his resignation from the Queensland parliament early this week after a terminal cancer diagnosis. This will lead at some point to a by-election for his southern Brisbane seat of Stretton, which Pegg retained by a margin of 14.8% at the state election last October. Such has been the electoral record of opposition parties recently that one might have thought the Liberal National Party would sit this one out, but they have in fact jumped into the fray with the endorsement of Jim Bellos, a police officer and former Queenslander of the Year. The Courier-Mail reports the front-runner for Labor preselection is James Martin, an electorate officer to Pegg.
• Occasional Poll Bludger contributor Adrian Beaumont has a piece in The Conversation on the apparent trend of non-university educated whites abandoning parties of the centre left in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
• Sarah Martin of The Guardian reports the Liberal party room was told this week that the election would be held next year.
In the Age blog comments
1.33 pm – “Eligible Melburnians will be able to apply for the payments at Centrelink from Monday”
then
““Centrelink is ready to go and they will have their people ready to move on Tuesday morning””
Then Watch the Centrelink IT meltdown on Monday
Had to have a giggle at the last one. But details details
Green stain
GAGF
Weathervane.
Beemer
Just for accuracy.
I vote Labor at times. You really are a piece of work.
Rex Douglas
Thank you for the suggestion but I think there are thousands of people in similar circumstances and I am probably luckier than most because of the level of at home support I have. I would see diverting resources to deal individually with people when those same resources could provide benefit to a greater number as inappropriate at this time
My mum is in a retirement village and they have tried to get an on site vaccination hub, there are approximately 400 people on site, but this is not something the Queensland government is considering either. Of course when you consider they can’t even manage to get to all nursing homes it probably isn’t that surprising. Overall the roll out of vaccines is a total mess and should have been left to the states, they manage the influenza strategy every year. Morrison wanted to be in charge of the vaccines rollout as he saw it as a way of selling his government as keeping us safe, unfortunately he has stuffed it up and in particular Victoria are now paying the price.
@AdamBandt tweets
The Salvos have offered to deliver meals to Melb’s casual workers who’ve lost their incomes.
Text yr name & address to 0407614614 & they’ll deliver to you.
They shouldn’t have to do this, because gov shd be ensuring everyone lives above the poverty line, but please pass it on.
Compare the pair – Joe vs Scott:
Ch 10 news: NSW Covid check-in system goes down “just when you need it most”.
Green stain
Unlike you I’m not a smug little arsehole that thinks he knows everything
GAGF
That’ll do, MB.
William
Okay
@Raf_Epstein tweets
Not quite reached in principle agreement
But very close, 500 beds – Avalon, construction starting by Sept?
Feds keen to announce tomorrow
Still arguing over some details
Green stain
Don’t ever speak to me again and i will never vote Greens again and they will be placed below the Liberals.
Cud Chewer @ #2643 Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 – 4:08 pm
Thanks, Cud. Thought so. Though I always spring into a well full of doubt when anyone questions me. 😀
“Did the Whitlam government have empathy coaches?”
Did Margaret have a tax-payer funded friend to keep her company during those long lonely days at the Lodge?
citizen @ #2706 Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 – 5:02 pm
The Gold Standard going down the gurgler. 🙂
Beemer
I have the same rights to post on this blog you do.
Your vote is your business.
Roy Orbison @ #2714 Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 – 5:11 pm
… Who fed her with doolally conspiracy theories she got from her husband, the Doolally Conspiracy Theory chief peddlar?
C@t
Pyrites Standard!
Some people have poor self awareness!
EOD
It will be interesting to see what happens with the Victorian quarantine proposal. As recently as last week Morrison was claiming it would not replace hotel quarantine but allow more people into the country. If anything this latest outbreak shows why we need alternatives to hotel quarantine for returned travellers.
I also believe that Avalon was the Vic governments first choice and it was changed due to the commonwealth wanting it near a current international airport.
At least it looks as if the idea will get started and then the state and federal government can have a bun fight about what it is used for once it’s constructed. If quarantine leaks continue and a facility is sitting unused or being used for students only the public outcry would be deafening.
My opinion on the Toowoomba proposal is also that the Feds don’t want international travellers diverted from the current airports because I’m sure it would upset the various airport owners who currently have a nice lock on the money generated through international travel.
guytaur @ #2716 Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 – 5:13 pm
guytaur,
Give the dog a bone. I’m sure I can speak for most of us when I say I’ve had it up to pussy’s bow with your interminable internecine blog warfare with people. You need to learn when to hold ’em, when to fold ’em and when to walk away!
David Rowe – it’s getting hotter and hotter for Morrison and his mob!
From what I remember, Margaret Whitlam had a busy life and was certainly not a prop for PR photo opportunities.
BK @ #2718 Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 – 5:14 pm
I can feel a come hither photo of Gladys on the front page of the Sunday papers coming on! 😆
c@t
exactly because it has a habit of adding insult to injury with its smartarse attitude. It says the ALP were saying the same thing but the fact it stood out speaks to how hard it went.
Sassy Sewer Rat
@Loud_Lass
Scummo & co receive more in their food allowance per week
Than what is reluctantly being given to workers of Melbourne #auspol
WB,
While you are about, you made an offhand comment the other day appealing for support following an incident you posted. Was this an appeal for more from the regulars or directed at any bludger bludgers.
I suppose the question is whether you need help to deal with a situation.
Cheers
When it comes to a Morrison government ‘payment’, read the Terms and Conditions, the fine print and check for asterisks!
😆 Kenny on Sky booing Scrott for paying money to ‘indolent states’ like Victoria. Apparently it will just encourage them to bludge and ‘panic’ lock down. He was on a let ‘er rip roll. He reckons all ! ‘vulnerable people’ have been vaccinated so no wuckas if infections break out. I lasted about 1.5 minutes and changed channels thereby reducing his audience by about 5% 😆
poroti,
I’d love to see how long Chris Kenny would last if he was taken off the SAD teat for a week or more. 😀
poroti
Do these people have to addle their brain with alcohol to be able to spout such rubbish?
Cat
Think about what’s different today.
Now let’s move on as William wants us to do.
I can see 5 minutes into the future! This story just popped up!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/abc-bosses-pull-four-corners-episode-linking-pm-to-qanon-figure-20210603-p57xuk.html
More strings attached than a Steinway piano/marionette convention.
guytaur,
It has been going on for more than one day and my general point is, you get into a tizzy with people too easily and let it run for too long. It serves no one’s interests for that to happen repetitively.
@TheTeetering tweets
Qld is only three lockdowns away from getting our quarantine facility approved.
Has anyone seen the reasoning for the Feds preferring Avalon over the Mickleham site?
Cat
Stop butting in.
Leave the moderation to William.
“You aren’t passing this Fox.” ?
lizzie
Rupert pays them good money and their employability outside Rupertville limited.
J
One possibility is the sort of lucrative land deals done around the second Sydney airport.
Ooh – the ATO bots are out and about.
“You claimed ‘other’ work-related expenses in your tax return last year.”
(Be a shame if anything happened to them…)
Barney in Bira
guytaur @ #2738 Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 – 5:36 pm
guytaur,
Do NOT tell me what to do! To use your own excuse, this is a free blog and I have a right to my opinion!
Anyway, I’m not going to say another thing because you look like you’re just spoiling for another fight.
Which is just my opinion.
p
lol
norty
Maaates.
Cat,
He’s a bully sook.
Stand your ground.