The Australian brings us a new result from Newspoll, suggesting it is moving to a fortnightly schedule now that the election is in view. It is only slightly better for the Coalition than the previous disaster, with Labor’s lead in from 56-44 to 55-45. Both major parties are unchanged on the primary vote, the Coalition at 34% and Labor at 41%, the two-party result reflecting a three-point drop in support for the Greens to 8%. One Nation is steady at 3%, with the lost Greens vote accounted for by a three-point increase in “others” to 14%.
The news for Labor is less good on personal ratings, with Anthony Albanese’s approval down three to 40% and disapproval up three to 46%, after the previous poll respectively had him up four and down two. Scott Morrison is up one on approval to 40% and down two on disapproval to 56%, and his lead as preferred prime minister is out from 43-41 to 43-38. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Saturday from a sample of 1526.
Angus Taylor putting on his Sgt Schultz act – is this clown really a minister of the crown?
RAY HADLEY: I just know the company says it tends to install a big battery, 700 megawatts. Did you just say the output at the moment is 2800? So this will be a quarter of what they already put out?
ANGUS TAYLOR: Anyone who thinks a 700 megawatt battery that lasts for 2 hours is going to replace a 2800 megawatt coal fire power station is delusional. That’s not enough. It can play a role. Of course it can play a role, but we’re going to need serious replacement. I’ve been talking about this for years, Ray. We’ve been doing it. We’ve been putting our money where our mouth is with projects like Kurri Kurri, with all the opposition that’s gone with that. And we’ll take the same approach here. But we do expect Origin to act responsibly. We’ll work with them and the New South Wales Government to make sure we get a solution in place. But today, I can understand the enormous disappointment of workers, and customers by the way – I’ve spoken to a number of customers who are extremely disappointed about this decision.
RAY HADLEY: Well, Matt Kean’s stuck his head in – your counterpart in New South Wales, he said we have got a big battery. Would want to be a bloody big battery.
ANGUS TAYLOR: Well, it’s not big enough. I mean, at the end of the day, what he’s talking about is not big enough. It’s delusional to think that a two hour battery, 700 megawatts, can replace this coal fired power station. It simply can’t. So we need a proper plan. Now, we’ve been working on another new gas generator on top of the ones we’ve already been backing down in the Illawarra, and we’ll continue to look at every possible option. I will leave no stone unturned to get a solution to this problem. But to find out last night with no warning, I have got to tell you, it’s very disappointing.
RAY HADLEY: Well, I just have to say this to you. I’m looking at the story which was published in the last half hour: “Energy Minister Matt Kean says, ‘Origin’s decision to close Eraring was months in the making. Origin approached me about the possibility of this decision a number of months ago’.” Are you telling me that you knew nothing about this meeting between Kean and Origin?
ANGUS TAYLOR: Yes I’m telling you that. I found out last night.
RAY HADLEY: So the Federal Minister has been left out of the loop by his own Liberal Minister in New South Wales?
ANGUS TAYLOR: I found out about it last night. I understand that others were informed earlier. We’ll work to find a solution, Ray, because I’m not going to leave the electricity consumers of New South Wales on the lurch.
RAY HADLEY: Strike me pink.
https://www.minister.industry.gov.au/ministers/taylor/transcripts/interview-ray-hadley-2gb
Sprocket,
There’s a whole lot of massacre going on. Every Member for themselves from here is going on.
Bludging at 8.50pm
You seem to assume God is some sort of being. This was the operating assumption in the ancient and medieval worlds. Some of the loudest (RWNJ) so-called Christian voices today also seem to hold this assumption.
It is most certainly not mine.
I may have less belief in sky fairies than the most militant atheists here.
sprocket_ @ Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 8:57 pm
Hang on. The Liberals have factions?
But seriously, it looks good from where I am sitting. More popcorn needed! 🙂
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Labor leader Anthony Albanese has hauled in the ASIO spy chief Mike Burgess for a meeting at Parliament House amid an unprecedented escalation of the war of words over claims he is China’s “Manchurian candidate.”
Amid warnings from current and former spy chiefs that the politicisation of national security is “not helpful”, Mr Albanese requested a meeting with ASIO director general Mike Burgess on Thursday.
Mr Albanese confirmed his discussion in a personal explanation to Parliament straight after question time but did not detail the circumstances of his meeting with Mr Burgess.
https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/albo-hauls-in-asio-chief/news-story/b6063cd3953d10e07aac97953d93196a
”It sure is a shame that parliament is sitting for so few days this year. If only there was something the government could have done about that.”
And even more so that its limited time has been wasted on wedges and culture-war bullshit.
Two more months until the election date has to be announced. Time enough to open the coffers to favoured electorates and demographics; time enough for more wedges, scares, disinformation, outright lies and smears; time enough to arrange sinecures and golden parachutes; time enough to plant poison pills and time-bombs…
Sprocket at 9.05pm
I can’t believe that transcript is on Taylor’s own website!
He wants to advertise being left in the dark by AGL and his NSW Liberal counterpart?
Nice of him to publicise the dysfunction of his own side of politics!
Andrew Constance clearly planning to run as a faux-independent candidate. Yes I’m a Liberal but I’m not really a Liberal – look, I’m criticising the government!
Go Yabba!
I’m with you.
Can’t believe any intelligent person would believe the stories in the bible.
Yet, here, on this site there is apparently a few of them.
I find it hard to hold respect for someone who believes in this nonsense.
Snappy Tom,
My Mum said she used to go to church with a friend, in her younger years. A non-Catholic church. She told me she soon worked out that prayers were talking to oneself.
AS a form of self-talk, it would help in forming habits and self-image. As the non-Catholic churches seem to avoid the original sin, guilt trip stuff, I can see the usefulness. In helping a nation recover from a disaster, not so much.
If the Libs can’t hold their base in NSW, they are totally forked.
Snappy Tom
Truly bizzare that the Federal Energy Minister has absolutely no clue that the biggest power station in Australia was going to close 10 years early – not a clue.
Is everyone keeping Angus in the dark? Is he just indolent?
As Liberal booster Ray Hadley said – ‘Strike me pink’
He could have added, ‘How does it feel to be a laughing stock in your own State?’
Breaking: Federal executive have voted unanimously to approve federal intervention into the NSW state executive. Another motion by the PM to endorse the three sitting MPs has also passed unanimously, despite being knocked back by state executive earlier today.
It is not a matter of believing the Bible stories. There are a lot of teaching stories in all cultures. Peter and The Wolf in the Russian folk stories for example, is a good one which has come into our lexicon as ‘Crying Wolf.’ The original story may or may not be true.
I think Steggall has a huge credibility problem. Not only did she fail to disclose a substantial donation, but the donor has also more than a passing interest in fossil fuels.
It’s totally wrong for Angus Taylor and the Morrison government to spread the lie that closing Eraring Power Station WILL lead to higher power prices. As the CEO of origin Energy (the owner of Eraring), said on 7.30 tonight, that will most likely NOT be the case because the amount of new power coming into the system cheaply and the ability to store it in big batteries is more likely to see the price of power fall rather than rise.
However, for a desperate government, every issue looks like their potential resurrection.
They are truly pathetic.
puffytmd at 9:24 pm
There is indeed but there ain’t nobody urging a whole lot of smiting and shunning in the name of Peter and the Wolf.
WeWantPaul @ #2432 Thursday, February 17th, 2022 – 8:03 pm
Why. To try to understand what the ‘faithful’ say they believe. You won’t find that in there! As Snappy says, its all in the interpretation.
Unlike, I am pretty sure, almost everyone who contributes to this blog, and the vast majority of so-called christians, I have read the bible from cover to cover, in 3 different versions, the st james anglican one of the 70’s, the catholic approved one as it was in 1973, and the AV7, of around 2008. I have also read the quran, the Bhagavad Gita (Hari Chetan version), and large chunks of the Sutta Pitaka. I think that the bible is easily the least impressive of all of these. It really is a pile of incoherent junk. Some of the Psalms are ok. The one about smashing babies’ heads against rocks is not so nice.
For myself, I am certain that any further reading of the bible would be a complete waste of time.
Andrew E, Thanks very much for that Hitchens link. I had somehow missed that one before now. I saw his star turn on Q&A. I read God is not Great when it first came out, about 2010, I think, and Hitch 22 is on the bookshelf. Both much better than the bible. A remarkable brain.
GG should think about the Three Billboards one, and watch the Hitchens one to try to understand why a lot of people don’t agree with him re the RPPC.
puffytmd @ #2465 Thursday, February 17th, 2022 – 9:24 pm
Peter and the Wolf has nothing whatever to do with ‘crying wolf’.
Well that was a refreshing storm in Sydney. Nice of God to give my car a wash. I admit to a lack of care in that department.
Mavis at 9:25 pm
That is a huge FAIL by Steggall . The worst FAIL in my mind is the dividing up the donation into smaller parcels. I was visiting Brisvegas about the time CanJoh was making his move from Mayor to State politics. One of the OMG stories run by, amazingly, the Courier Mail was about donations CanJoh had received from a property developer. The amounts divided up so as to be below the reportable level. The vehicle used by the developer was dissolved as soon as he got the approval he was after. It was gob smacking stuff and why I am ‘triggered’ hearing of Steggall’s arrangements for the $100,000.
I bet the major parties are relieved they’re not facing as much scrutiny as the independent candidates over their donors.
I note some here choose to decide all religious people are completely lacking in intelligence. Nice one.
We can either have conversation or trade insults.
So, insult away to you hearts’ content(s).
I am here for conversation.
Mavis @ Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 9:25 pm
Agreed. It will be an issue when one campaigns on climate action. ZS may be able to benefit from the Coalition tide going out for bolstering support.
So the federal government now has an all out knock down brawl with ASIO.
C@tmomma:
Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 9:26 pm
Indeed & that’s why they’re ratshite, excuse the French.
Yabba
You are right, it comes from Aesops Fables.
I always thought it came from Peter and the Wolf.
I will put on the Dunce’s cap.
Murdoch is in a real quandary. Will he tell the DT editor to support the NSW Liberals or the Federal Liberals?
Mavis
An example where the excuse just makes it worse…even Helen Haines was finding it hard to be sympathetic!
Her line that everyone’s an investor in fossil fuels because everyone has superannuation was pathetic.
Snappy Tom,
I am agnostic, but I am enjoying your contributions on religion.
Mavis at 9:38 pm
Merde de rat ?
Griff:
Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 9:38 pm
Mavis @ Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 9:25 pm
[‘Agreed. It will be an issue when one campaigns on climate action. ZS may be able to benefit from the Coalition tide going out for bolstering support.’]
I think she’ll be returned but that doesn’t excuse her. It’s really bad form.
Eraring always sounds to me like a location in the Lord of the Rings world.
Be that as it may, why does the Federal Government care about decisions made by a private company? Won’t the “market” sort it out? Of course they believe in “free markets” until they don’t. Actually, no one actually believes in “free” markets except maybe a few academics and junior researchers in Right Wing think tanks. The Federal Government is in the business of protecting the Coal industry. Origin’s decision is inimical to Big Coal.
DB Cooper @ #2481 Thursday, February 17th, 2022 – 9:43 pm
Seconded.
frednk says:
Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 9:38 pm
ASIO &ex ASIO
DB Cooper & rhwombat
Appreciate it.
Yabba,
Mostly, you should be considerate of your reputation as a sectarian bigot. It’s good that you are proud of your achievements in that space.
I know you are. So, bravo for you.
I will never pretend that you are anything much at all sweetheart.
Sceptic at 9:47 pm
First time since 4eva he hasn’t depicted Uber Tuber as funereal and threatening .
zoomster:
Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 9:42 pm
[‘Mavis
An example where the excuse just makes it worse…even Helen Haines was finding it hard to be sympathetic!
Her line that everyone’s an investor in fossil fuels because everyone has superannuation was pathetic.’]
Yep. Agree. The more she tried to excuse her faux pas, the worse it got. I’ve found that when you’ve stuffed up, it’s better to admit to it and move on. She however almost doubled down. And she may have handed back Warringah to the Tories.
Caught the repeat of last night’s Late Night Live on a longish drive back home this afternoon. It included an interesting discussion on State Capture by big corporates:
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/how-industry-is-undermining-our-democracy/13757678
I have been watching youtube vids put up of USA police officers committing atrocities to Black and Brown people. I know this is going on, but these cases are appalling.
rhwombat says:
Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 9:47 pm
Thirded! I still like to joke that God washed my car though 🙂
Snappy Tom @ #2474 Thursday, February 17th, 2022 – 9:36 pm
Don’t let Yabba get to you. He can read, but not understand the context. He keeps on about how superior his intelligence is and that he does mathematical models. I too did complex mathematical modelling, but never thought that I was superior to others because of it. I was also of a higher than normal IQ, having passed many IQ ‘tests’ in record time. But I am modest enough not to brush off or belittle others because they are not like me. Two words that confuse Yabba are ‘culture’ and ‘context’. You will know the significance of those words given the context.
I am guessing that energy stake holders consider Angus Taylor a joke, so they do not bother engaging with him anymore, so it shouldn’t be surprise that he had no idea about the Eraring power stations early closure.
Griff @ #2493 Thursday, February 17th, 2022 – 9:59 pm
Years ago no Priest would be caught dead with the ‘blasphemous’ Life of Brian. Most Priests that I know have more than one copy and can quote many passages.
poroti:
Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 9:43 pm
[‘Mavis at 9:38 pm
Merde de rat ?’]
I had to look that up – but yes, I think.
Griff @ 9.59pm
My wife used to speak of ‘the parking meter God’ – she knew a guy who used to pray that God would find him a parking space.
When I want to slag off at fundamentalists, I shorten the term to simply ‘parking meter.’ Hence ‘I must have offended the parking meter, because…’
Works for me.
Tom at 10.02pm
A mate and I sat in first year New Testament History and Background lectures. The lecturer would describe some feature of C1st life in Palestine, like traveling prophets speaking soap-box style.
Every so often my mate and would turn to each other and mouth ‘Life of Brian’!
At the end of semester a bunch of students watched the movie together, purely as revision, of course!
The Pythons researched well.
Greensborough Growler @ #2488 Thursday, February 17th, 2022 – 9:52 pm
Watch the Hitchens debate video that AE put up. Then explain where Hitchens is incorrect.
As I have said before, being called a bigot by you is just what I would expect. A man who defends George Pell is one whose opinion is not worth a pinch of salt.