Weekend developments

Joel Fitzgibbon calls it a day, and other federal preselection news.

The opinion poll schedule for the week is likely to consist of the fortnightly Essential Research, which is not due to include the monthly leadership numbers and should thus be of limited interest (unless it includes their occasional dump of fortnightly voting intention results), and presumably a Roy Morgan voting intention poll on Wednesday.

For the time being, there is the following:

The Australian reports that Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon will bow out at the election, creating a vacancy in his seat of Hunter, where his margin was slashed from 12.5% to 3.0% at last year’s election with One Nation polling 21.6%. There is no indication as to who might succeed him as Labor candidate, except that “NSW Right figures (are) concerned Hunter could be lost to the faction and go to someone from the left-aligned CFMEU or the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union”.

• There would seem to be no suggestion that the vacancy in Hunter might change the calculus behind Kristina Keneally’s controversial move to Fowler, which was criticised over the weekend by her federal Labor colleague Anne Aly, along with many others inside and outside the party. However, Michelle Grattan in The Conversation notes that the arrangement does not of itself deprive the local party membership of a preselection ballot, since a clause in the state party rules specific to Fowler enshrines the seat as the gift of the Right as a legacy of past branch-stacking controversies.

The West Australian reports on two further preselection challenges to sitting Liberals in Western Australia, on top of that facing Ian Goodenough in Moore from Vince Connelly after the abolition of his seat of Stirling. In Swan, where Steve Irons would appear to have his work cut out for him in defending a 3.2% margin, the challenger is Kristy McSweeney, a Sky News commentator, former adviser to Tony Abbott and daughter of former state MP Robyn McSweeney. McSweeney earlier contested preselection for the once safe but now Labor-held seat of Bateman ahead of the state election in March. In the much safer seat of Durack, Melissa Price will be challenged by Busselton councillor Jo Barrett-Lennard. For what it’s worth, The Age columnist Jon Faine today tells us to “watch out to see if former attorney-general Christian Porter opts for a spot on the Federal Court on the cusp of the election, rather than face probable defeat in his outer-suburban Perth electorate” – namely Pearce, where redistribution has cut the margin from 7.5% to 5.2%.

• As those who followed the post below will be aware, Labor recorded a strong result in the Northern Territory’s Daly by-election, with their candidate Dheran Young leading the count over Kris Civitarese of the Country Liberal Party by 1905 (55.8%) to 1506 (44.2%) with only a handful of votes left outstanding. This amounts to a 7.0% swing compared with the election last August, at which the CLP won the seat by 1.2%. It is the first time a government party has ever won a seat from the opposition at a by-election in the territory, and first time anywhere in Australia since the Benalla by-election in Victoria in May 2000.

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.

1,298 comments on “Weekend developments”

Comments Page 17 of 26
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  1. Victoria @ #173 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:14 am

    Player one

    You mean every single person with a middle name is referenced in this way.

    Why havent you done this with every other politician that has a middle name?

    Dont have to answer. I already know why.

    And besides it reflects all on you and no one else.
    If the shoe fits and all that…..

    Yep, it’s just the sort of slimy allusion Player One retails on here.

  2. Player One says:
    Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 11:11 am
    Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #783 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:08 am

    And your continued reference to her as “KKK” is pathetic and offensive.
    I guess you could ask her to change her name. Let me know how you go.
    ______________________________________

    I guess you could tell us where the extra K came from, you ugly piece of work.

  3. I’ll take Justice Nicholson’s opinion over those two s***y B commenters any day:

    Alastair Nicholson
    @alasnich

    The fault for the problem of a seat for Kristina Keneally is partly the antique structure of the NSW ALP and partly because she is female. She is one of the party’s most effective front benchers and if she was male there would be no question of her not getting a HOR seat.

  4. Maybe it is best That Gladys doesn’t front the morning press conferences.. a lot less Gaslighting with resultant improvement in the Staes mental health outcome.

  5. Ok, well very good that the deaths are down in NSW. This is one number you cannot fudge.

    Now, we are dealing with small numbers that bounce around, so it may just be a good day.

    The numbers of COVID infections do look like they have stopped rising, although this could change if the rates go up in non-locked down areas.

    More personally, I think we may be heading for a lockdown in Redfern / Waterloo.

    C@t, I definitely want to go to Morocco!

  6. White House says Biden wants Quad leaders to address ‘climate crisis’

    Maybe SfM will just stop at Hawaii & not bother with Washington leg of his trip.

  7. C@tmomma @ #811 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:19 am

    Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #171 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:14 am

    C@tmomma @ #796 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:12 am

    I want to go to Morocco one day. 🙂

    Beautiful country and people, with food to die for.

    And now with the added plus of a Socially Democratic governing coalition! 🙂

    In my experience the Government of a country has little impact on your experiences when visiting.

  8. If you were Tu Lee, why would you bother putting your hand up again to run for office, what is the point really when favours are always done for the Keneallys of this world? Labor likes to preach ethnic diversity, but this current episode has proven how hollow this commitment really is. I doubt too that the candidates preselected for must win seats in NSW will be anything more than the usual union hacks or political staffers

  9. Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #184 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:23 am

    C@tmomma @ #811 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:19 am

    Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #171 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:14 am

    C@tmomma @ #796 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:12 am

    I want to go to Morocco one day. 🙂

    Beautiful country and people, with food to die for.

    And now with the added plus of a Socially Democratic governing coalition! 🙂

    In my experience the Government of a country has little impact on your experiences when visiting.

    I was making that statement through the lens of being socially progressive in their policies, thus being less afraid, as a Western woman, of coming across someone who might harass me if I wasn’t being socially conservative in my dress or other behaviour, like my son walking behind me(which he does because he dawdles with his phone), instead of me behind him.

    Now, as I haven’t been there I guess I’ll find out but am simply reassured that such fears will likely be unfounded now.

  10. Evan @ #187 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:24 am

    If you were Tu Lee, why would you bother putting your hand up again to run for office, what is the point really when favours are always done for the Keneallys of this world? Labor likes to preach ethnic diversity, but this current episode has proven how hollow this commitment really is. I doubt too that the candidates preselected for must win seats in NSW will be anything more than the usual union hacks or political staffers

    Or big donors, like Evan Thornley, who were simply unsuited to politics.*

    * not saying YOU are he.

  11. Evan @ #817 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:24 am

    If you were Tu Lee, why would you bother putting your hand up again to run for office, what is the point really when favours are always done for the Keneallys of this world? Labor likes to preach ethnic diversity, but this current episode has proven how hollow this commitment really is. I doubt too that the candidates preselected for must win seats in NSW will be anything more than the usual union hacks or political staffers

    Because you believed you had something to offer and weren’t just on some vanity trip.

    If we all gave up after not succeeding the first time, then we wouldn’t achieve much in our lives.

  12. Ven @ #799 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:15 am

    It is very hard to take you or P1 very seriously when did not comment anything about what William Bowe posted in this thread as below about Liberal party.

    “The West Australian reports on two further preselection challenges to sitting Liberals in Western Australia, on top of that facing Ian Goodenough in Moore from Vince Connelly after the abolition of his seat of Stirling. In Swan, where Steve Irons would appear to have his work cut out for him in defending a 3.2% margin, the challenger is Kristy McSweeney, a Sky News commentator, former adviser to Tony Abbott and daughter of former state MP Robyn McSweeney. McSweeney earlier contested preselection for the once safe but now Labor-held seat of Bateman ahead of the state election in March. In the much safer seat of Durack, Melissa Price will be challenged by Busselton councillor Jo Barrett-Lennard”

    I don’t see the relevance. Contesting preselection is not what KKK did. Quite the opposite – she was parachuted in by head office precisely so she would not have to do so.

    Or have I misunderstood your point?

  13. reason to believe that peak levels of new cases in NSW have been broadly reached – no celebration dances, but please let this be true. A natural recession from peak plus vax drive impact augurs well for October/November. Overlay this with responsible opening up geared around the vaccinated first, and therein lies a pathway back to normality in 2022.

    the relative credit/blame for this latest experience and our overall covid experience in this country is obviously a matter of perspective. Without hoping to be accused of backfilling a pre-existing political disposition, i do believe the next period offers opportunity for the incumbent federal and state governments to turn around current unpopularity and that whilst oppositions have benefitted in the polls at current times they havent done much to entrench themselves as an alternative as circumstances gradually change.

    unless of course one believes that the incumbents are dead in the water because things are irretrievably screwed (a mere temporary flatline blip in the continuing exponential increase of cases) or that they are committed to irresponsible premature restriction abandonment. Mistakes have been made, no doubt – whether Australia is viewed by its own as a catastrophe or incredibly fortunate is also a matter of perspective, these things tend to get harshly judged on the margin rather than on the average. My own view is that the average tends to favour the incumbents, and the margin is only going to move in their favour from here also.


  14. Victoriasays:
    Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 11:12 am
    Ven

    The irony is that the error was a commonwealth one. Nothing to do with the states.

    But of course as per usual Taylor made omits this key information.

    When one is a partisan hack, disinformation is part of the game for them.

    Once again says a lot about them

    Victoria
    I mean it when I say that it is hard for me to believe that almost 80% of NSW population has first dose of vaccination. Maybe it is correct maybe it is not. Just think about . How to believe a person who put so much emphasis on vaccination numbers and gaslighted COVID cases. I know I am being conspitorial.

  15. ‘Expat Follower says:
    Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 11:32 am

    the relative credit/blame for this latest experience and our overall covid experience in this country is obviously a matter of perspective.
    …’
    ________________________
    It is a matter of fact. Morrison delayed getting vaccines. Berejiklian delayed her lock ups and then faffed around with their implementation. Both indulged in divisive political bastardy with their Covid messaging as a matter of course.
    Both have blood on their hands.
    They must resign.

  16. C@tmomma @ #818 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:26 am

    Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #184 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:23 am

    C@tmomma @ #811 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:19 am

    Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #171 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:14 am

    C@tmomma @ #796 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:12 am

    I want to go to Morocco one day. 🙂

    Beautiful country and people, with food to die for.

    And now with the added plus of a Socially Democratic governing coalition! 🙂

    In my experience the Government of a country has little impact on your experiences when visiting.

    I was making that statement through the lens of being socially progressive in their policies, thus being less afraid, as a Western woman, of coming across someone who might harass me if I wasn’t being socially conservative in my dress or other behaviour, like my son walking behind me(which he does because he dawdles with his phone), instead of me behind him.

    Now, as I haven’t been there I guess I’ll find out but am simply reassured that such fears will likely be unfounded now.

    Those cultural changes don’t happen with a change of Government.

    It’s a varied country with very conservative areas and other more progressive ones.

    The main thing to remember is that it is their country and you are a visitor, so you should be respectful of the local cultural practices.

  17. For the first time in this outbreak, Reff in NSW has dropped below 1.0. I’m a bit surprised how quickly the numbers have dropped in the last 3 days, but that’s the data. The models predicting a peak in infections about now, with a continuing increase in hospitalisations and ICU for another few weeks before they too fall, look to be spot on. The only concern might be falling vaccination rates plus some complacency with Covid rules compliance creeping in. And in other good news, the alarmingly high Reff in Vic. dropped a fair bit today.

    What does all this mean for the politics of Covid? Do voters remember how we got into this mess, or just forget about it and get on with their lives as the worst of the crisis hopefully fades into the past? I’ve got no idea, we don’t know how the Covid story ends yet. But I’d guess the LNP is feeling a bit more relaxed today than a week ago.

  18. I do hope Labor preselects someone actually decent in Banks, because that seat is winnable next time. Not sure about Lindsay, that will be a harder ask.

  19. Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #201 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:38 am

    C@tmomma @ #818 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:26 am

    Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #184 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:23 am

    C@tmomma @ #811 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:19 am

    Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #171 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:14 am

    C@tmomma @ #796 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:12 am

    I want to go to Morocco one day. 🙂

    Beautiful country and people, with food to die for.

    And now with the added plus of a Socially Democratic governing coalition! 🙂

    In my experience the Government of a country has little impact on your experiences when visiting.

    I was making that statement through the lens of being socially progressive in their policies, thus being less afraid, as a Western woman, of coming across someone who might harass me if I wasn’t being socially conservative in my dress or other behaviour, like my son walking behind me(which he does because he dawdles with his phone), instead of me behind him.

    Now, as I haven’t been there I guess I’ll find out but am simply reassured that such fears will likely be unfounded now.

    Those cultural changes don’t happen with a change of Government.

    It’s a varied country with very conservative areas and other more progressive ones.

    The main thing to remember is that it is their country and you are a visitor, so you should be respectful of the local cultural practices.

    I’ll probably wear demure clothing anyway, just to hide the obvious defects of aging on my body. 🙂

  20. a r @ #829 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:37 am

    Roy Orbison @ #161 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:33 am

    “Kersher is her birth surname”

    I assume maiden name is a bit PC these days. Or anti PC. Or anti something or other.

    Calling it a “maiden name” certainly is. You think a woman’s social standing is a function of her marital status? Chauvinist pig. 😛

    Well she was a maiden for at least some of the period that it was her surname.

  21. I found this bit of information today, ‘interesting’:

    Returning soldiers to be tracked by app

    South Australia is set to expand its trial of a controversial home quarantine facial recognition app to include returning defence personnel.

    Users are required to check in by using facial recognition and geolocation within 15 minutes of a random request (InnovationAus).

    Failing to check in and then answer a call will result in a compliance officer being sent to the address.

    The app, being tested on about 50 returnees from NSW, will now be used for dozens of defence personnel coming back from overseas.

    WA is using a similar app, with the potential for the technology to be rolled out nationally.

    Privacy and civil rights advocates have raised concerns over the use of facial recognition to track the location of individuals.

    “I’m really concerned about this normalisation of surveillance and surveillance technology under the cover of Covid, where people become used to or accept all of these intrusions into their life,” said Australian Privacy Foundation vice-chair Dr Monique Mann.

  22. NSW had declines on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday last week and then a significant rise on Wednesday.

    Saturdays are the worst followed by Wednesdays

  23. Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #207 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:43 am

    a r @ #829 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 9:37 am

    Roy Orbison @ #161 Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 – 11:33 am

    “Kersher is her birth surname”

    I assume maiden name is a bit PC these days. Or anti PC. Or anti something or other.

    Calling it a “maiden name” certainly is. You think a woman’s social standing is a function of her marital status? Chauvinist pig. 😛

    Well she was a maiden for at least some of the period that it was her surname.

    And then Ben Keneally bowled the maiden over. Boom tish! 😀


  24. C@tmommasays:
    Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 11:23 am
    TPOF,
    Not to mention Laura Tingle, whose father started The Shooters and Fishers Party.

    I thought he was National party supporter/ MP.

  25. Boerwar – we know your perspective. As pure backfill of pre-disposition, its not particularly representative of whats going to determine the political fates going into election cycle

    Paramatta – levels of baseball bat versus ‘yknow weve actually come out of this luckier than most’, agree we shall have to see. Certainly the more open we can responsibly be by early 2022 the better the Libs will be off for it (dont need to be an expert to predict this). It poses the ALP in a challenging position, opposing it i dont think will play to their electoral interests and me-too’ing just doesnt distinguish them much. I wish they had done more over this period to elevate themselves. My feeling is that they are relying on baseball bats, and am not confident at all these will remain out as people get their lives back (present permanently enraged company excepted of course)

  26. ACT lockdown extended by four weeks — Paul Karp

    The ACT chief minister, Andrew Barr, has announced a four week extension to the lockdown, to Friday 15th of October. There are minor amendments to public health directions this weekend.

    These include more use of click and collect, limited private real estate inspections, and limited outdoor activities including social golf and tennis.

    A mid point review will follow in two weeks time.

  27. @Shellbell

    At least we have that to look forward to, lol.

    Honestly, while I believe Morrison is seriously wounded electorally, any sign of positive news is welcomed – regardless of whether the public plays ball or not.


  28. Evansays:
    Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 11:24 am
    If you were Tu Lee, why would you bother putting your hand up again to run for office, what is the point really when favours are always done for the Keneallys of this world? Labor likes to preach ethnic diversity, but this current episode has proven how hollow this commitment really is. I doubt too that the candidates preselected for must win seats in NSW will be anything more than the usual union hacks or political staffers

    Evan
    What is your opinion on William Bowe report in this thread on Liberal party as follows:
    “The West Australian reports on two further preselection challenges to sitting Liberals in Western Australia, on top of that facing Ian Goodenough in Moore from Vince Connelly after the abolition of his seat of Stirling. In Swan, where Steve Irons would appear to have his work cut out for him in defending a 3.2% margin, the challenger is Kristy McSweeney, a Sky News commentator, former adviser to Tony Abbott and daughter of former state MP Robyn McSweeney. McSweeney earlier contested preselection for the once safe but now Labor-held seat of Bateman ahead of the state election in March. In the much safer seat of Durack, Melissa Price will be challenged by Busselton councillor Jo Barrett-Lennard. For what it’s worth, The Age columnist Jon Faine today tells us to “watch out to see if former attorney-general Christian Porter opts for a spot on the Federal Court on the cusp of the election, rather than face probable defeat in his outer-suburban Perth electorate” – namely Pearce, where redistribution has cut the margin from 7.5% to 5.2%.

  29. Graph from the Guardian:

    https://interactive.guim.co.uk/embed/aus/2020/yacht-charter-v19/index.html?key=1t3l50GPkIib2lzPRfXlVW4P4Z-xYak3VwjhZH3T6Rw4&location=docsdata

    Looks hopeful, but I can still see a weekly cycle in that data, which suggests that the next three days cases may be on the rise again.

    Whatever happens, the doubling time has significantly slowed. A slow exponential growth will still have a doubling time, but much easier to cope with.

    But a turnaround looks close, it it is not already here.

  30. Someone should tell Albo to stop digging …

    Anthony Albanese today in Sydney when asked about cultural diversity in Labor:

    “Kristina Keneally was born in the United States, came to Australia and is another great Australian success story of a migrant who’s come here and became the NSW Premier.”

  31. Here is more from ACT chief minister Andrew Barr’s statement about extending the ACT lockdown.

    We are still recording cases where the source of transmission is unknown, and cases where people have been infectious in the community…

    Based on the public health risk that remains in the Territory and in our region, the Chief Health Officer has recommended to the Government that the ACT lockdown should be extended for a four week period until Friday 15 October, with some minor amendments to the public health directions.

    A mid-point review of the directions will be conducted after two weeks.

    Our priority over the next four weeks will be to vaccinate as many people as possible. At least 48,769 Canberrans will receive their first vaccination dose at an ACT Government clinic, and 35,475 will become fully vaccinated. Many more people will get vaccinated through the primary health network over this time period…

    When looking to ease restrictions, we will consider:

    * Vaccination rates both locally and nationally
    * The levels of community transmission
    * Our ability to continue high level test, trace, isolate and quarantine responses
    * How well the community and businesses are complying with Public Health Directions
    * Our health system capacity

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