Newspoll: 53-47 to Labor

Labor maintains its solid two-party lead in Newspoll as Scott Morrison slides into net negative personal ratings.

The latest Newspoll from The Australian finds Labor retaining its 53-47 two-party lead from three weeks ago, with both major parties steady on 39% of the primary vote, the Greens up one to 11% and One Nation steady on 3%. Scott Morrison has fallen into net negative approval for the first time since March last year, being down four points on approval to 47% and up the same amount on disapproval to 49%. Anthony Albanese is steady on both approval and disapproval at 38% and 46% respectively, and has narrowed Morrison’s lead on preferred prime minister from 51-33 to 49-36.

Also included are ratings for Scott Morrison’s handling of coronavirus in general, on which his good rating is down four points since last time to 48% and his poor rating is up four to 49%, and of the vaccine rollout in particular, on which he is down two to 38% and up two to 59%. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Saturday from a sample of 1527.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

2,783 comments on “Newspoll: 53-47 to Labor”

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  1. If a rumour persisted that Morrison intends to organize a spill motion against his leadership on August 24th, plenty of onlookers would find the notion entirely believable.
    What an untrustworthy prick we have as PM!

  2. Most people seem to be of the opinion that Morrison will wait until everyone is vaccinated, out of lockdown and able to travel before going to an election. While I don’t disagree with this view, I thought I’d highlight what I think might be a few risks with this strategy:

    . The assumptions underlying the Doherty modelling and Morrison’s 4 step plan might be incorrect or too optimistic and the levels of vaccination achieved might be insufficient to constrain the virus, leading to an overwhelmed hospital system, and Sydney back in to lockdown over the summer holidays and early months of next year.
    . This virus in unpredictable. Another more virulent variant might come along and force us to lock down and/or close our borders again (assuming they have opened). If the variant is resistant to the AZ vaccine, as I understand the South African variant to be, then Morrison could cop some heat. It will be worse if the new variant also puts children at risk.
    . Either of the above causing the economy to go back into recession
    . Fires/hot summer –> climate change
    . UNESCO declares the Great Barrier Reef endangered
    . The trial for the man accused of raping Britney Higgins might start before or during the election, drawing attention to Morrison’s rather poor handling of the issue. I don’t preclude Morrison also screwing things up further when trying to spin or background his way out of the issue.
    . Barnaby Joyce being Barnaby Joyce

  3. bc, it’s late and I’m on my way to bed, so I apologise that I can’t continue a discussion on this. But I think Morrison is a purely tactical animal. He isn’t the genius some are painting him to be. Morrison will do whatever he thinks will keep him afloat and keep trying different things until he either runs out of time or he happens on something that works for him. The biggest card he holds is the timing of the next election. (I guess you could argue that that is his overall strategy, but it’s a brittle one.) As for Barnaby, he can see how it’s going. He’s putting distance between himself and Morrison and scoring wins among his supporters for bending the Libs to his needs. Self preservation is strong with that one.

    In a nutshell, I think I agree with your general view. Morrison is running out of rope.

  4. bc

    The modelling assumes a lot of time spent in lockdown and other public health measures and its based on parameters that are at best a ‘best guess’. We still don’t have enough data from overseas to really understand the critical parameter – how much does a vaccine reduce the retransmission rate. And we may well discover that this depends on which vaccine and how long after vaccination.

    Here’s the best base scenario (for everyone including Morrison).

    The current levels of restriction in NSW continue until mid November. Or alternately, Gladys grows a pair and implements a genuine lockdown. In which case, mid October. The virus is eliminated once again. We learn more from overseas and realise that the original targets are hopelessly optimistic. Gladys also plugs gaping holes in the quarantine system and high risk cases are transferred to newly opened fit for purpose facilities, interstate if necessary.

    We learn more from overseas and realise that the original targets are hopelessly optimistic. Morrison wisely decides to keep the borders closed until after the election (noting that improved facilities mean we can now increase the rate of movement of people). The election happens and by this time its nearly June 2022 and we have 80+ percent vaccination (real rate) and we are also rolling out boosters and we’ve finally discovered ventilation, allowed people to buy and use rapid tests and a bunch of other things.

    Borders are gradually lifted, but with daily rapid testing being common place, outbreaks are small and contained. Morrison is hailed a hero.

    Yeah, not bloody likely.

    Every other scenario is bad, or really bad for Morrison.

  5. Loris, from the last thread:

    Bird of paradox is a real charmer. Liberal staffer?

    Just convinces me even more there is something in the vaccine distribution.

    Nope – Green/Labor voter from WA. (Green in WA 2021 – genuinely undecided, until Briefly convinced me to vote Green. Ask him for his campaigning skills sometime!)

    I hate Libs (and CDP, FF etc) a lot and enthusiastically vote against them, but the scientific part of my brain makes me hate one type of people even more: paranoid conspiracy theorists.

    ____________________

    No, Hillary Clinton is not running a secret sex dungeon underneath a pizza joint in Washington DC.

    No, the covid vaccine is not a secret 5G microchip designed by Bill Gates. Also, the measles one won’t give your children autism.

    No, the vaccine rollout is not mismatched geographically for political reasons. The main reason why was mentioned in the very article you linked.

    No, John Howard did not take away your guns because he was part of the global left-wing big-govt conspiracy.

    No, fluoride is not being put in the water to turn your children into homosexual communists.

    ____________________

    Your mis-identification of the seat of Boothby (and Kangaroo Island) was plonked in the middle of those raving nutcases for a reason. If you want to prove a conspiracy theory, you need more than bleary-eyed cherry-picked statistics. 99% of things that look like Watergate do not turn out to be Watergate.

    Of course, if being told in excruciating detail why you’re wrong is going to increase your determination to be wrong… then maybe I just figured out why people fall for QAnon. Bugger.

  6. BB (previous thread):

    Oh… so now it’s a tailored lockdown.

    I’m holding out for “bespoke lockdown arrangements”

  7. The tailored lockdown will soon become the crumbled lockdown once the public are asked to sleep in it.
    As Boer says “every……..

  8. Cud,

    Am interested in your thoughts re my link @9.46 last night, written by an epidemiologist at John Hopkins Research.
    The breakthrough mentioned seems highly contagious and am questioning the long term implications , whether we may still need to be tested once vaccinated, etc.?
    Am beyond livid that Gladys & Hazzard are still not taking this lockdown seriously and can’t bear to watch them anymore. Feels like gaslighting…and we can’t escape.
    NSW is the Petri dish leaving other states to mop up from its bloody-minded negligence.

  9. Scott Morrison has fallen into net negative approval for the first time since March last year

    I wonder if we’d never had Covid whether Morrison would’ve recovered from the public opinion formed about him during and after the bushfires.

  10. The Australian public (if these polls are to be believed) are fools for forgetting/forgiving our Prime Minister-in-Hiding’s response to the bushfires last year. While I think it’s dead certain that this COVID mess will not be ‘over’ by the next election, have they really wised up much since then?

  11. This poll should come as no surprise & is indicative of a trend. Morrison’s floundering and it’s far more than his mismanagement of C.19.

    There’s a stench about this government, the way it thinks that consolidated revenue is its personal fund; the sheer arrogance of most of its ministers; the rorting; the almost complete absence of accountability; the double standards; its meanness…

    And one of the most pleasing aspects of witnessing Morrison’s slide is that there’s no one who has broad electoral support to replace him if a spill were to ensue. Dutton may think he’s prime ministerial and he may do reasonably well in regional Queensland but elsewhere he’s electoral poison.

  12. Mavis

    There’s a stench about this government, t

    They are so bad that Monty Python has withdrawn their apology to them.

    “We would like to apologise for the way in which politicians are represented in this programme. It was never our intention to imply that politicians are weak-kneed, political time servers who are more concerned with their personal vendettas and private power struggles than the problems of government. nor to suggest at any point that they sacrifice their credibility by denying free debates on vital matters in the mistaken impression that party unity comes before the well-being of the people they supposedly represent, nor to imply at any stage that they are squabbling little toadies without an ounce of concern for the vital social problems of today. Nor indeed do we intend that viewers should consider them as crabby ulcerous self-seeking little vermin with furry legs and an excessive addition to alcohol and certain explicit sexual practises which certain people might find offensive. We are sorry if this impression has come across.”

  13. On the poll, this tweet is interesting:
    “1921
    Kevin Bonham@kevinbonham
    ·
    7h
    And interesting that there is very little gender difference re Morrison’s handling of COVID but govt net rating for vaccine rollout is a massive 14 points worse from female voters than male. #Newspoll”

  14. Socrates @ #113 Monday, August 9th, 2021 – 5:58 am

    Morning all. As bad as the racism in Australia is, it is still worse in USA. This article chronicles modern day lynchings of black men in Mississippi, passed off as “suicide” to avoid investigation. Shocking; 8 examples since 2000.
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/08/modern-day-mississippi-lynchings/

    And the racism implicit in institutional settings such as criminal justice with police writing off the hangings as suicide.

    As the judge quoted in one of the accounts says, (wtte) how truly disturbing that the fascination with lynching continues today.

  15. poroti:

    Monday, August 9, 2021 at 6:24 am

    [‘Mavis

    They are so bad that Monty Python has withdrawn their apology to them.’]

    That pretty well sums up this grubby government.

  16. A focus group of sorts reported in the AFR today:

    Michael Read and Tom McIlroy
    Aug 9, 2021 – 1.00am

    Victorians stuck in rolling COVID-19 lockdowns are losing faith in the Morrison government’s pandemic response, with support for the Coalition’s national crisis management dropping 16 points, joint research by the Burnet and Doherty institutes shows.

    Recording “considerable frustration and confusion” about the sluggish vaccine rollout and eligibility for jabs, the Optimise study found support for the Morrison government’s response dropped from 45 per cent to 29 per cent between April and June.

    The figures – based on research involving ongoing interviews with more than 500 people at risk of contracting or suffering severe cases of COVID-19 and those at risk of unintended consequences from restrictions – shows backing for the Victorian government remained mostly stable in the same period.
    Participants’ support for the state government and its response against COVID-19 was steady at between 70 per cent and 76 per cent.

    The study found a loss of trust in the federal response “due to mismanagement of vaccine rollout and/or quarantine”, and support for the idea that the federal government should financially support Victorians in lockdown.

    It highlighted a “deflection” by the Morrison government over the slow vaccine rollout, “by blaming vaccine-hesitant Australians”.

    Before Victoria entered its fourth lockdown in early June, just one in six participants with COVID-19 symptoms had been tested for the virus.

    “By June this increased to one in three. This is encouraging, but it means that two in three people who had symptoms did not get a test,” said Burnet Institute deputy director Margaret Hellard.

    Interviewees cited long waiting times at testing centres and the negative social and economic consequences of testing positive to the virus, including loss of income, as reasons why they chose not to seek medical attention.

    “Some of the qualitative interview participants felt that increased messaging and advice from the government could help to encourage people to not become overly relaxed, and keep up testing rates even when the perceived threat of COVID-19 is low, or after the vaccines are more widely rolled out,” according to the report.

    https://www.afr.com/politics/locked-down-victorians-lose-faith-in-morrison-s-covid-19-response-20210806-p58gii

  17. In today’s MMWR, a study of COVID-19 infections in Kentucky among people who were previously infected with SAR-CoV-2 shows that unvaccinated individuals are more than twice as likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated after initially contracting the virus. These data further indicate that COVID-19 vaccines offer better protection than natural immunity alone and that vaccines, even after prior infection, help prevent reinfections.

    “If you have had COVID-19 before, please still get vaccinated,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. “This study shows you are twice as likely to get infected again if you are unvaccinated. Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others around you, especially as the more contagious Delta variant spreads around the country.”

    The study of hundreds of Kentucky residents with previous infections through June 2021 found that those who were unvaccinated had 2.34 times the odds of reinfection compared with those who were fully vaccinated. The findings suggest that among people who have had COVID-19 previously, getting fully vaccinated provides additional protection against reinfection.

    Additionally, a second publication from MMWR shows vaccines prevented COVID-19 related hospitalizations among the highest risk age groups. As cases, hospitalizations, and deaths rise, the data in today’s MMWR reinforce that COVID-19 vaccines are the best way to prevent COVID-19.

    COVID-19 vaccines remain safe and effective. They prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Additionally, even among the uncommon cases of COVID-19 among the fully or partially vaccinated vaccines make people more likely to have a milder and shorter illness compared to those who are unvaccinated. CDC continues to recommend everyone 12 and older get vaccinated against COVID-19.

    https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0806-vaccination-protection.html

  18. [‘Taliban fighters seized most of the capital of northern Afghanistan’s key Kunduz province on Sunday, and took another neighbouring provincial capital after a month-long siege. The advances were the latest in a series of blows to government forces as US troops complete their pullout after nearly two decades in the country.’]

    With Kabul likely to soon fall, the 20-year war in Afghanistan hasn’t really worked out the way the US and its allies had planned – shades of Vietnam:

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/the-taliban-overrun-kunduz-third-provincial-capital-in-three-days-20210808-p58gyg.html

  19. As the judge quoted in one of the accounts says, (wtte) how truly disturbing that the fascination with lynching continues today.

    *cough*

    ‘Hang Mike Pence!’

    It ain’t just them Blacks!

  20. Before Victoria entered its fourth lockdown in early June, just one in six participants with COVID-19 symptoms had been tested for the virus.

    “By June this increased to one in three. This is encouraging, but it means that two in three people who had symptoms did not get a test,” said Burnet Institute deputy director Margaret Hellard.

    Interviewees cited long waiting times at testing centres and the negative social and economic consequences of testing positive to the virus, including loss of income, as reasons why they chose not to seek medical attention.

    Same same NSW. It’s the #1 most likely reason why cases are remaining stubbornly high.

  21. Mr. Newbie @ #115 Monday, August 9th, 2021 – 6:05 am

    The Australian public (if these polls are to be believed) are fools for forgetting/forgiving our Prime Minister-in-Hiding’s response to the bushfires last year. While I think it’s dead certain that this COVID mess will not be ‘over’ by the next election, have they really wised up much since then?

    I think what Labor needs to do is agree to every cash splash promise Morrison makes, then just add, ‘And we’ll deliver it!’ 😀

  22. Does this result mean that voters are prepared to elect a Labor government; a government which will stand for what? Transparency perhaps?

  23. Described as Morrison’s “spiritual mentor”, Pastor Houston faces 2 years in the slammer if convicted for failing to report child sexual abuse; five, if his alleged failure involved an inducement. Given he was born in New Zealand, and depending on whether he’s an Oz citizen, if convicted he would face deportation on character grounds.

  24. Stuart @ #29 Monday, August 9th, 2021 – 7:17 am

    Does this result mean that voters are prepared to elect a Labor government; a government which will stand for what? Transparency perhaps?

    If you believe the Morrison government is more transparent than a Labor one would be, or they are ‘same same’, then I have a bridge to sell you.

  25. A couple more comments from that news.com.au article which I think gauges the temperature of the gen pub across the spectrum pretty well:

    Al
    10 hours ago
    Gladys – NSW’s Gladiator: Maximus Decimatus Virudius. We will prevail!

    Deborah
    20 hours ago
    Gladys works her butt off for the people of nsw. Who wants her to work 24/7? You are so unreasonable. Let’s be honest: The Premier merely follows the medical advice to the letter. She has put all safeguards in place, as advised by the medical experts, and she is entitled to a day off. Are you crazy?

    It’s why I’m not getting too excited about any poll results right now. If, even in the depths of their incompetence, people will still stand up and find a way to make apologies for the Premier, and the Prime Minister, then you just have to know the election isn’t over until Antony Green calls it. 😐

  26. C@t
    Let’s be honest: The Premier merely follows the medical advice to the letter. She has put all safeguards in place, as advised by the medical experts,

    All this indicates is that Deborah is deluded, where is the health advice?
    Deborah is someone that will never change her opinion.. just happy to take Gladys’s word for everything

  27. Good morning Dawn Patrollers. Well, it seems the punters are waking up to Morrison and Labor’s “He only had two jobs” mantra might be biting.

    The New Daily examines last night’s Newspoll.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2021/08/08/scott-morrison-newspoll-2/
    Shane Wright and Jennifer Duke report that leading economists are expecting interest rates to start increasing before wages growth and inflation meet the Reserve Bank’s targets and are confident the country will bounce back from coronavirus-related lockdowns.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/rates-tipped-to-start-rising-before-wages-growth-and-inflation-accelerate-20210805-p58g0x.html
    Michael Keating explains why Morrison’s culture of secrecy is so damaging.
    https://johnmenadue.com/why-morrisons-culture-of-secrecy-is-so-damaging/
    Sean Kelly is sick and tired of the mixed and confusing messaging coming from our political leaders about the pandemic.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/locking-in-a-bleak-few-months-20210808-p58gx2.html
    David Crowe reports that company chiefs are venting their frustration over federal and state rules that prevent them from using rapid antigen tests across their workplaces to help track and trace the deadly coronavirus variant.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/use-all-options-employer-frustration-over-vaccination-testing-20210808-p58gv5.html
    Bioethics professor, Peter Singer, argues the case for making covid vaccinations compulsory.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/why-vaccination-should-be-compulsory-20210808-p58gtk.html
    When it comes to mandatory vaccination against COVID-19, Australian governments seem determined to make businesses face the thicket of regulatory risks and court challenges themselves with little official protection or guidance.
    https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/govt-to-business-we-ll-hold-your-coat-20210808-p58gv3
    Vaccination is critical, but it will not alone unlock our freedom, says John Dwyer in a contribution that is well worth absorbing.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/vaccination-is-critical-but-it-will-not-alone-unlock-our-freedom-20210804-p58fmn.html
    More from John Dwyer who declares, “Not good enough, Premier Berejiklian”.
    https://johnmenadue.com/john-dwyer-not-good-enough-premier-berejiklian/
    The Business Council of Australia says state governments, not employers, should step up and mandate vaccinations for some high-risk workers after the prime minister declared last week mandating jabs would be left to business, writes Katherine Murphy who says Morrison has vacated the field.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/aug/09/business-wants-states-to-mandate-covid-jabs-for-staff-after-scott-morrison-vacates-the-field
    David Crowe says that there is no way to rewrite history on the mistakes made one year ago when Australia did not sign enough deals to vaccinate its people.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/no-hiding-the-government-s-failures-on-vaccine-supply-20210808-p58gxg.html
    Lockdown job losses are not as bad this year, but that’s cold comfort to Australians put to the test again, explains Greg Jericho.
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2021/aug/08/lockdown-job-losses-are-not-as-bad-this-year-but-thats-cold-comfort-to-australians-put-to-the-test-again
    Business feeling the pain of NSW’s protracted lockdown have no one to blame but the short-sighted, self-centred voices on their own side, argues Ross Gittins.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/blame-the-lockdown-on-business-urgers-trying-to-wish-the-virus-away-20210807-p58gqm.html
    The AFR tells us that research by the Burnet and Doherty Institutes has found a sharp fall in support for the Coalition’s pandemic plan, while Daniel Andrews’ support is steady.
    https://www.afr.com/politics/locked-down-victorians-lose-faith-in-morrison-s-covid-19-response-20210806-p58gii
    According to Alexandra Smith and Lucy Carroll, Sydney suburbs that do not have COVID-19 cases circulating in the community will be the first to be freed from some lockdown restrictions next month if NSW reaches its target of providing six million jabs. It does beg the question of whether or not a postcode having been freed does pick up a single case will be restored to its previous restrictions.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/restrictions-by-postcode-low-cases-vaccination-key-to-some-freedom-20210808-p58gvy.html
    A national taskforce says it cannot yet support the use of new treatment Sotrovimab, of which the federal government recently bought more than 7700 doses.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/not-enough-evidence-key-taskforce-rejects-rollout-of-new-covid-19-drug-20210808-p58guv.html
    Doug Dingwall points to a new report that shows public servants are staying silent about cronyism and nepotism in their workplaces supports calls for a federal anti-corruption commission.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7376143/public-servants-staying-silent-on-cronyism-and-nepotism-report-shows/?cs=14329
    Zoe Samios tells us that Sky News boss Paul Whittaker has taken his concerns about a seven-day YouTube ban to the top of the video-sharing company, telling global chief executive Susan Wojcicki that the platform’s editorial policies are “inconsistent”.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/profoundly-disappointing-sky-news-boss-paul-whittaker-takes-youtube-suspension-to-global-ceo-20210808-p58gvw.html
    “Sky News Regional – a new free-to-air television offering – has just launched in regional areas across Australia with such luminaries as Alan Jones, Andrew Bolt, Cory Bernardi, Paul Murray, Rowan Dean and Peta Credlin hustling to get into our loungerooms, to flood regional airways between Cairns and Kalgoorlie, with anti-immigration rhetoric, climate denialism, conservative claptrap and vaccine misinformation all masquerading as news”, writes Terrence Mills who says that when news is not enough ,we make it up!
    https://theaimn.com/when-news-is-not-enough-we-make-it-up/
    Peter Hannam writes about a report that shows Australia lags most rich countries in getting off fossil fuels with even the much-touted gains in renewable energy eclipsed by nations less endowed with natural advantages.
    https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/despite-renewables-surge-australian-energy-lags-in-the-dirty-dozen-20210808-p58gtx.html
    Nick Toscano writes that Australia’s top miner, BHP, is facing a renewed shareholder push to review its industry groups memberships and quit those deemed out of step with climate action.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/bhp-faces-fresh-calls-to-dump-fossil-fuel-lobby-groups-20210806-p58gfz.html
    Social scientists Judith Bessant and Rob Watts write that the recent decision taken by the Albanese led-Labor Party to embrace the third tier of income tax cuts to high-income earners and support negative gearing highlights the current identity crisis the ALP faces.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/don-t-let-labor-waste-a-good-crisis-albanese-20210808-p58gw4.html
    Anne Hyland reports on the growing number of Coalition MPs being challenged by cashed up groups seeking to oust them with independents.
    https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/despite-renewables-surge-australian-energy-lags-in-the-dirty-dozen-20210808-p58gtx.html
    Crown Resorts is not too big to fail. It has failed already, says Charles Livingstone.
    https://theconversation.com/crown-resorts-is-not-too-big-to-fail-it-has-failed-already-165659
    The nation’s chief statistician, David Gruen, will be watching the results of the 2021 census from an “observation deck” on Tuesday night, hoping for a boring evening, says Shane Wright.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-census-like-no-other-statistician-hopes-for-boring-national-count-20210806-p58gdq.html
    As petrochemical giants plan to double new plastics production and the bulk of Australian plastics are tipped into landfill, not recycled, Luke Stacey checks out how other countries are tackling the plastics crisis versus the Coalition Government’s 2025 National Packaging Targets and waste export bans.
    https://www.michaelwest.com.au/energy-to-waste-australia-moves-on-plastics-yet-falls-short-in-world-recycling-race/
    Reports of bullying, sexual harassment, discrimination and abuse have been made by members of SES Victoria in a survey by the volunteers’ association.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/ses-members-report-widespread-bullying-harassment-and-rape-allegation-20210808-p58gwi.html
    As coronavirus cases and hospitalisations surged in Alabama, Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene drew cheers from the crowd when mentioning the state’s lowest-in-the-nation vaccination rate at a political fundraiser, in a video posted this week. What hope does America have?
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/crowds-cheer-republican-conspiracist-over-low-vaccination-rates-as-state-dumps-65-000-doses-20210808-p58gux.html
    While Delta spreads, Republicans deflect and resort to Trump demagoguery, writes Robert Reich.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/08/us-covid-delta-republicans-deflect-demagoguery

    Cartoon Corner

    David Rowe

    Peter Broelman

    Matt Golding




    Mark Knight

    Michael Leunig

    Joe Benke

    Leak
    https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/f504603878b95d0e8f8b8ecf0fa92ec7?width=1024#image’jpg

    From the US





  28. Alan Baxter
    @AlanBixter
    ·
    28m
    Whenever a political leader says “we must learn to live with COVID,” they are admitting incompetence, failure, and a refusal to do the work they are paid for.

  29. Thanks BK!

    David Crowe reports that company chiefs are venting their frustration over federal and state rules that prevent them from using rapid antigen tests across their workplaces to help track and trace the deadly coronavirus variant.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/use-all-options-employer-frustration-over-vaccination-testing-20210808-p58gv5.html

    I was only asking about this on Saturday, wondering why we didn’t have these rapid tests here. Now I know why, but am not at all surprised: another Morrison govt failure!

    There is no end to the incompetence and the bungling.

  30. I’d agree with this statement.

    Tony Windsor
    @TonyHWindsor
    ·
    27m
    The rejection of
    @Senator_Patrick
    Jobseekeer transparency amendment by LNP and ALP will damage both parties at the next election…good for Independent candidates. Big error by ALP which will now lose opportunity to focus on GOVt waste.

  31. Our PM got his 2nd jab in March.

    Must be about time for his booster shot. I wonder if he’ll have the cameras around for that.

  32. The biggest sin by Morrison and his cronies were after declaring Australians would be amongst the first in the world to get the vaccines ,and not declaring an emergency for the vaccines to arrive in Australia without delays

  33. Does this count as an apology? “If we could go back in time…”

    News Breakfast
    @BreakfastNews
    · 29m
    .@Birmo said Australia wasn’t a “priority” for companies like Moderna and Pfizer manufacturing vaccines for countries with higher death tolls than us.

    “If we could go back in time, I’m sure we’d do all manner of different things that may or may not have made a jot of difference.”

  34. John Dwyer has knocked out a few pearls:

    “Surely Australians would not accept the appalling proposition from a number of social commentators in the UK who argue that we and our government have no duty of care to those who refuse vaccination.”

    I am not sure the duty Dwyer has in mind but it sure does not exist. We have a civic duty to get vaccinated and the freedom to ostracise, and the probable legal entitlement, to exclude those who elect not to, without cause, get vaccinated.

    “This modelling is seriously flawed. Australians over 16 comprise just 65% of the population, a figure that will certainly be too low to achieve the goals set for the crucial ‘Stage C’ of the plan.”

    It is 80%.

  35. UK Cartoons:
    Brian Adcock: Comedy politician and ego monkey, Boris Johnson, is temporarily over shadowed.

    Lorna Miller on Boris Johnson’s trip to Scotland #BorisJohnson #NicolaSturgeon

    Patrick Blower on #BorisJohnson #Olympics

    Mac on #Skateboarding #Olympics

    Seamus Jennings on #BorisJohnson

  36. Deluded Kennett can’t believe that the majority loathed him, so he thinks that all responses to his statements must be an organised attack by the Premier’s office. I think that Dan has more to worry about than a political has been.

    Jeff Kennett
    @jeff_kennett
    · 12h

    There is no doubt, whenever I tweet, whatever the subject many respond immediately. You don’t have to guess who is so organised. The social media group in the Premiers office, paid for by Victorians, but not paid to abuse and spread falsehoods

  37. Laura Tingle
    @latingle
    · Aug 7

    [‘This week’s column: COVID crisis is burning across Australia, and someone needs to grab and hold the hose…’]

    Spot on.

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