New South Wales by-elections live

Live coverage of the count for the New South Wales state by-elections in Bega, Monaro, Strathfield and Willoughby.

Full display of results: Bega, Monaro, Strathfield and Willoughby.

Saturday, February 19

The Willoughby count has been updated with 9673 postals on the primary vote, and while these have leaned less heavily to the Liberals than postals did in 2019, they suggest Tim James’ lead is likely to widen from here rather than narrow. James has added 4357 primary votes, or 45.0% compared with 43.4% of all either votes, while Penn has gained 2651, or 27.4% compared with 32.2%.

End of Thursday

Counting has completed in Willoughby for what I expect will be all votes other than postals, leaving Tim James on 8365 (51.76%) to Larissa Penn’s 7797 (48.24%), with 2085 votes having exhausted. The total of 18,247 votes counted is put in the shade by the 25,071 postal votes that have now been received, which will be supplemented by a small number over the next week, counting of which will finally begin on Saturday.

End of Tuesday

I’m bumping this thread back to the top of the page because the NSWEC is conducting a new two-candidate preferred count in Willoughby between the actual leading candidates, Liberal Tim James and independent Larissa Penn, having conducted what proved to be a superfluous Liberal-versus-Greens count on the night. With results reported from 14 out of 24 booths, preferences are flowing heavily enough against the Liberals (10.2% to Liberal, 42.7% to independent and 47.1% exhausted) to perhaps make James nervous. The numbers are available at the NSWEC website – they are not being published to the media feed unfortunately, so my own results display doesn’t show them. James presently leads 51.4-48.6, which increases to 51.9-48.1 if the preference flow so far is projected across the yet-to-report booths.

That leaves, so far, 18,033 postal votes that have been received, which is more than the sum of the votes so far counted with many more still to arrive, none of which will be counted before the weekend. Ordinarily I would point to the fact that Gladys Berejiklian polled 66.5% of postals in 2019 compared with 57.6% of election day and pre-poll votes and deem the door still closed. But that was from a total of a mere 2269, in contrast to the present extraordinary circumstance where postal ballots were sent to every enrolled voter in the electorate. It may be that, as in the United States, that pool of postal voters, which is traditionally older and more conservative, is now dominated by those most concerned about COVID-19.

For more on the by-elections, below is a discussion between myself and Ben Raue which was recorded on Monday afternoon:

End of Saturday

Counting closed last night with quite a bit of the pre-poll vote still unreported – I’m unclear as to whether that will be finished off today or tomorrow. In the very unusual circumstances of these by-elections, there will then be very little to report for a full week, since counting of the unprecedentedly large number of postal votes will not start for another week, as was explained here. There may be a few other types of vote added to the count (absents, provisionals and telephone voting), but these will be few in number.

What we may see is a preference throw between the two leading candidates in Willoughby, Liberal candidate Tim James and independent Larissa Penn, to supersede the redundant count between the Liberals and the Greens that was conducted on the night. James leads by 43.5% to 32.2% on the primary vote, which as it stands might be dangerous for him under full preferential voting, but exhausted votes will result in a weaker flow to Penn. Besides, postal votes are likely to widen the gap, with Gladys Berejiklian having polled 66.5% on postals in 2019 compared with 57.6% on election day and pre-poll votes.

The headline-grabber is Labor’s win in Bega from a thumping swing of 14%, based on all election day votes and two out of six pre-poll booths. Michael Holland duly gains the seat formerly held for the Liberals by Andrew Constance, who will now run in Gilmore at the federal election. It was a better night for the Nationals, who have held Monaro against a 6.3% swing, with four of six pre-poll booths in together with the election day vote. This is a fairly creditable result, given they have held some of the 9.1% swing John Barilaro picked up at the 2019 election.

Labor appears to have held Strathfield with no substantial swing either way, leaving Jason Yat-Sen Li with a 4.4% lead based on all election day votes plus two out of three pre-poll booths. There’s presumably a good reason why no one is countenancing the possibility that the avalanche of outstanding postal votes might overturn this, but it’s very far from mathematically impossible. This would ordinarily be reckoned a soft result for an opposition party at a by-election: mitigating circumstances might include a particularly appealing Liberal candidate, the popularity of outgoing Labor member Jodi McKay, and the fact that independent Elizabeth Farrelly, who was recently a Labor council election candidate, polled nearly 10% and recommended an exhausted vote.

showhide more_text="Show election night commentary"

Election night commentary

10.40pm. A second pre-poll booth from Strathfield, Strathfield EM Office (as distinct from Strathfield EVC), is much more favourable for Labor than the first — a 10.7% swing for compared with 4.8% against — but with less than a quarter as many votes.

10.31pm. Two more pre-polls, Bungendore and Jerrabomberra, are in from Monaro on both primary and two-party — Jerrambomerra was bang on the 7.9% election day swing, Bungendore was 13.3% but with fewer votes.

10.27pm. The Strathfield pre-poll is now in on two-party, and it was a 4.8% swing against Labor, such that there is now a 1.4% swing against them in the seat overall.

10.24pm. Primary votes from the Narooma pre-poll centre, the second in Bega out of six, are much the same in swing terms as the election day results, discouraging the notion of such disparity between them as might jeopardise Labor’s substantial lead.

10.01pm. The last of the Willoughby pre-polls is in on the primary vote, and contrary to what I suggested earlier, the Liberals have suffered identical 15% primary vote swings on election day votes and pre-polls.

9.43pm. The first pre-poll result from Strathfield, primary votes from the Strathfield booth, are quite bad for Labor: down 9.8% on the primary vote compared with 4.3% on election day.

9.32pm. Queanbeyan pre-poll in on two-party: 3.7% swing to Labor compared with 7.9% on election day.

9.24pm. A second pre-poll booth, Queanbeyan, is in on the primary vote in Monaro, recording a swing against the Nationals slightly below the election day results.

8.49pm. The first pre-poll booth from Bega, Bermagui, is in. My results page says it has swung no different from the election day booths, but this is the one pre-poll in the seat that was not in use in 2019 so I’d advise some caution. Nonetheless, Labor candidate Michael Holland is claiming victory as I speak. Regarding the previous entry below, it seems my perception of a weak result for the Liberals in pre-polls in Willoughby is to do with the way I’ve calculated the historic results, which was a necessarily imperfect process. The remaining pre-poll booth there, North Willoughby, will presumably tell a different story.

8.16pm. A second pre-poll booth is in from Willoughby, which makes two out of three, and I’m now more confident that both show a drop in the Liberal Party vote similar to the election day booths, and pre-polls are not in fact transforming the result here. So I remain curious as to where Zimmerman got his estimate of a 61-39 result.

8.07pm. The first pre-poll booth from Willoughby, and the second overall, is Willoughby EM Office – my swing figure says it’s not much different from the election day results, contrary to what we were hearing from Trent Zimmerman. However, my historic figures for pre-poll booths in the city seats are dubious because several new booths were added, and discretion was needed in dividing up the 2019 votes.

7.59pm. All election day votes are in from Strathfield now on both primary and two-party, and with the usual caveat added about election day votes only, the lack of any swing is at least a partial qualification to the picture of a night for triumph for Labor.

7.49pm. My commentary has slowed to a trickle because the picture on election day votes is now clear. We’re now in a period typical of modern election nights where there’s a lull between the election day votes coming in and the much larger pre-poll booths reporting later in the evening.

7.39pm. Trent Zimmerman goes so far as to suggest Tim James will end up on 61% two-party preferred, which suggests an extremely different dynamic on pre-polls than election day votes.

7.36pm. Antony Green in the same position as me in relation to Bega — his system is calling it for Labor, but the peculiarities of this election are such that he’s not willing to shut the door.

7.33pm. The Cooma pre-poll booth from Monaro is in, and there’s only a very slight swing to Labor compared with 7% on the election day booths — the first evidence those of us without scrutineering contacts have had that the Coalition may indeed be doing better on pre-polls.

7.26pm. I’ve spent a few minutes trying to fix my preference flow table, without success, so just disregard that. So far as the election day vote, the picture is now fairly settled. Firstly, the number of election votes we’re talking about here is unprecedentedly small, which has been reflected in the speed of the count. But for what they’re worth, the Liberals look like they’re in all sorts of trouble in Bega, but the ABC coverage indicates the feeling within the party is that this is misleading. There’s been a lot of progress in the Monaro count since I last commented, but no change in the overall picture — a big swing to Labor, but apparently not quite big enough. Very little swing in Strathfield; Liberal Tim James leading independent Larissa Penn in Willoughby by about 42.5% to 32.%, which would leave Penn in need of a very strong flow of preferences, so you wouldn’t rule her out unless you accepted the Liberals’ insistence that they’re doing better on pre-polls.

7.12pm. A slight swing to Labor in Strathfield; things have settled down in Willoughby, where my impression is of a tight result with maybe a slight edge for the Liberals over the independent, with the inevitable qualification that we’re flying blind without pre-polls and postals.

7.11pm. I’ve fixed my projections issue, although the swings in my “preference flows” table aren’t working, which was related to the problem with the projections. Consistent with what’s being said by Trent Zimmerman now, I’ve got the Nationals probably home in Monaro, but Bega still looks very bleak for the Liberals.

7.03pm. There’s an error in my projections which I’ll now work on fixing. Pay attention instead to the results in the tables.

7.01pm. Now looking even worse for the Liberals in Bega, where I think my numbers might be more up to date than the ones just noted by Antony Green, which had the swing at around 8% rather than my 12%.

6.58pm. Better news for the Liberals in Willoughby now. With 11 booths in out of 24, Tim James holds a fairly solid lead on the primary vote, which would probably be enough for him if there’s any rate of preference exhaustion, and certainly would be if it’s indeed the case that he’s doing better on pre-polls. Note that I’ve now arbitrarily set the probability gauge here at 50%. Also no swing now in Strathfield.

6.57pm. I’m now projecting a squeaker in Monaro off five two-party and nine primary results, which you can take as a Nationals win if the pre-poll and primary dynamic is any better for them.

6.56pm. That update is through now. We’ve now got six two-party booth results now from Bega, compared with I think only two before, but the situation hasn’t changed — still a big enough swing to Labor to carry the seat, but yet again, I observe that pre-polls and postals might change the picture.

6.54pm. There’s been an update that my system has failed to process, so the results are stuck for a short time. Should have new figures in a few minutes.

6.49pm. Now we have two booths from Willoughby where Larissa Penn has thrashed Tim James — along with a third which isn’t nearly as bad for James, but would still be worrying for him in his own right even if it were isolated. But like I say, Zimmerman says scrutineers are seeing something very different on pre-polls.

6.48pm. Some less bad primary vote numbers coming through from the Liberals in Bega, but it still looks like they will be relying on a more favourable dynamic from pre-polls and postals.

6.47pm. Trent Zimmerman on the ABC says scrutineers say pre-polls in Willoughby are encouraging for the Liberals.

6.44pm. Three booths in on the primary vote and one on two-party in Strathfield, a bit of a swing to Labor, but seemingly less than in Bega and Monaro.

6.42pm. We’ve now got two booths in from Bega on two-party, plus six on primary, which means I’m no longer going off preference estimates. The two booths have very different results, but when the primary vote booths are further factored in, it doesn’t look good for the Liberals. But — and here I may end up being a broken record — there may end up being a very different dynamic on postal votes.

6.41pm. So to be absolutely clear about this — my near 100% win probability for the Liberals in Willoughby assumes the Greens will come second, which they won’t. Disregard this figure, now and for the rest of the night.

6.39pm. I’ve managed to gloss over my problem with the Willoughby results page. A second booth, Chatswood Guide Hall, is less spectacular than the first, but still of concern for Tim James. The Liberal-Greens preference throw being conducted by the NSWEC will presumably be irrelevant, the contesting being between James and independent Larissa Penn.

6.36pm. Bermagui and Merimbula Public now in from Bega; Wamboin Hall in from Monaro. Liberal and Nationals still down heavily across the board.

6.35pm. Ben Raue on Twitter points out the number of votes reporting here is about 60% down the equivalent booths from 2019. So on top of all the other cautions, it’s possible the exodus from polling day to postal voting is dominated by conservatives.

6.34pm. Two booths from Monaro — Captains Flat Hall with 189 votes, 183 in Letchworth N’hood Cntr. Very solid swings to Labor in booth. So we’ve got five booths now altogether, all of them bad for the Coalition.

6.33pm. Second booth in Bega — Malua Bay Comm. Cntr — 195 votes, but very big swing to Labor. But I’d certainly ignore what my win probability estimate is saying for the time being.

6.29pm. Very interesting first result from Willoughby — Antony Green is noting this is likely to be her best part of the electorate, but independent Larissa Penn is outpolling the Liberal. I may yet regret the fact that this is the one seat where my results feature might not end up handling the strain.

6.26pm. My two-party preferred will be going off a crude estimate until a few more votes are in. I have a notion the estimate may be flattering to Labor, judging by the fact that I’ve got a bigger projected two-party swing than for the primary vote.

6.24pm. We’ve got a result – 78 votes from Towamba Public in Bega. Meaningless at this stage of course (a solid swing to Labor for what it’s worth), but the good news is that my results facility has dealt with it okay.

6.10pm. Links added above. The results map for Willoughby doesn’t seem to be working, but I’m hopeful it will resolve itself (and this seat is unlikely to be a focus of attention even if it doesn’t), and other than it looks okay so far. However, I won’t have cause for confidence until some actual numbers come through.

6pm. Welcome to the Poll Bludger’s live coverage of the count for the New South Wales state by-elections in Bega, Monaro, Strathfield and Willoughby. If and when I’m satisfied that it’s working properly, I will shortly provide links for my live results pages. First results should presumably be through from country booths in Bega and Monaro around 6.30pm.

/showhide

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.

393 comments on “New South Wales by-elections live”

Comments Page 6 of 8
1 5 6 7 8
  1. Re Asha at 10.01 pm

    In the 2020 Eden-Monaro by-election Labor did well on postals when it had not done so previously. You would expect that trend to continue in Bega postals, but much less so in Monaro postals. In any case it doesn’t matter now as the trailing candidates in both seats are too far behind to catch up.

    Number of postals is well up on 2019 but only over half when combined with pre-polls. Most elections the pre-poll results for a booth will be a few per cent more favourable to the Libs (or Nats) than the polling booth election day results for the same place. That historical trend is evident tonight in the pre-poll swing in Queanbeyan (3.7%) which is lower than the rest of Queanbeyan who voted today.

    A minor federal implication: it is now harder for the Libs to find a willing starter in Eden-Monaro.

  2. Anyone’s thoughts on Dominic’s victory speech in Strathfield, despite not winning the seat, where he was given a good ten minutes to talk how good is Liberal in NSW?

    While his candidate stood mutely behind with supporters strategically placing pictures of her lost child?

    Is this what politics has come to?

    I know I’m going to cop flak for this, but give it to me, it’s wrong!

  3. Bird of paradox says:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 8:40 pm
    The Greens didn’t preference the independent so they helped re-elect the Liberals.
    Any colour that is not white must be black. Gotcha.

    Some people here take the conspiracy theory that the Greens are somehow in cahoots with the Liberals to an absurd level. Half the Green votes (or whatever the figure turns out to be) exhausting is standard under OPV, especially with no Labor candidate.

    The Independents are direct 1:1 competitors with the Alt-Reactionary Greens. Of course, goes without saying, the Greens will not pref their immediate rivals. The Greens play is goal-assist for the Liberal, who will win. An independent maybe coulda done it if they’d had some help. But do not look to the Greens for help. The Greens would prefer a Lib. Job done for the Greens in Willoughby.

  4. Been Theresays:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 10:08 pm
    Steely

    No response to the replies such as PaulTu and Dr Dolittle in regards your ridiculous comment that the swing away from the Liberal National Party in NSW is only a state issue.

    ______________________________________________________

    You must mean me agreeing with and quoting David Speers.

    Their very well be more in it if you drill down into all the numbers for a State by-election and compare them to the last Federal election which sounds very very tricky, but I will need to hear it from the likes of Green or our very own moderator.

  5. Good on Mic Holland, seemingly not a spinner. That said, as a candidate, he has a distinct advantage given he dispenses pills & would see many. I recall a doc in Nerang some years ago who stood for election & was duly elected for one term, but who was more interested in his advancement than his patients. I’ll tell you, you couldn’t get word in with doctor Mc…?

  6. For me, the interesting thing for the Greens in Willoughby is that their primary vote didn’t increase when Labor did not run a candidate. I kniw there are caveats (more indie’s, full vote not counted etc), but it suggests to me that fewer Labor voters are happy with the Greens than most would expect.

  7. Steely
    Despite your love for David Speers, he has no more insight into what happened tonight and into the future than what you, I, or any other pollbludger has on tonight’s events.

  8. Been there,
    Totally agree with your comment.
    Domicron’s performance had a whiff of desperation and hubris.
    Had to look twice- couldn’t believe it- displaying the picture of the child was appalling taste , to put it mildly.

  9. Thanks for the supportive comments. A par for the course performance by the PB results facility this evening: screwy until about 7pm, successfully held together with gaffa tape thereafter. A bit more challenging than usual here due to bastard optional preferential voting.

  10. Hard to argue with that, NathanA.

    Greens strategists will be pulling their hair out wrt the Teals, as they could take a chunk of G first prefs, and Labor could peel off a very large proportion of 2nd prefs from them.

  11. Been Theresays:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 10:32 pm
    Steely
    Despite your love for David Speers, he has no more insight into what happened tonight and into the future than what you, I, or any other pollbludger has on tonight’s events.

    ____________________________________________________
    🙂 But you just asked me to respond the “any other pollbludger”

    As for Speers yeah he would know more than you or I.

    When journalists cop it from both right and left usually means they are just doing their job.

  12. Federal implications – Morrison’s hopes of winning Gilmore and Eden Monaro look very dim now, I’ll back Fiona Phillips and Kristy McBain to be reelected in May. No Coalition candidate yet for Eden Monaro either, Morrison apparently asked Erin Molan to run and she said no.
    The result in Willoughby should worry Dave Sharma, Trent Zimmerman and Jason Falinski, all facing high profile and well financed independents.
    Reid will be a toss up, I think.

  13. RE: Perrotet saying it was a great night for the Liberals….does he think that fools anybody? Voters have given him a whack, wouldn’t it be better to say he has heard them and will do better?
    Or does saying black is white cut it these days?

  14. Steelydan @ #263 Saturday, February 12th, 2022 – 9:40 pm

    Been Theresays:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 10:32 pm
    Steely
    Despite your love for David Speers, he has no more insight into what happened tonight and into the future than what you, I, or any other pollbludger has on tonight’s events.

    ____________________________________________________
    🙂 But you just asked me to respond the “any other pollbludger”

    As for Speers yeah he would know more than you or I.

    When journalists cop it from both right and left usually means they are just doing their job.

    It could also mean they are not very good at their job. This is indeed the case with Speers

  15. Evan
    If there are federal implications, I agree that the govt’s hopes of winning Gilmore and Eden-Monaro would not be boosted by tonight’s results. But Labot would be less optimistic about their prospects in Reid.

  16. Barnaby was ambushed by Speers tonight, he had no idea he was going to be questioned by him, it looked as though Speers had gone and once the ABC reporter was interviewing Barnaby she reintroduced Speers. I wonder if they had planed it before tonight or it just fell into place for them.

  17. Quasarsays:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 10:35 pm

    “displaying the picture of the child was appalling taste , to put it mildly.”

    It was obvious towards the end that someone told the camera to move away from the angle that covered the photo.

    I thought involving the picture was bad taste.

    Why would you turn an election night into a memorial?

    What if all candidates decided to do it?

    Many people have a tragedy in their lives but have the good taste not to try use it to their advantage.

  18. Is the result in Bega a portent for other regional areas? Lack of services etc finally starting to bite?

    Monaro is a bit different because of its proximity to Canberra but Bega strikes me of many regional electorates without good access to city based services. Perhaps the Nationals and rural Liberals should be getting worried.

  19. Steely

    If Barnaby, as Deputy PM, can’t handle unexpected questions when on the piss celebrating a disastrous night for the LNP then maybe he is not the right person for the job!

  20. That’s a complementary tactic, NathanA, and one I can see Albanese already pursuing by dead-batting most culture wars/id politics issues that pop up. Out and out fighting with the Greens – I’m not sure that helps, but sticking to different positions and not being concerned by the left flank is a useful position to be in.

    Interesting times

  21. Been There @ #272 Saturday, February 12th, 2022 – 9:49 pm

    Quasarsays:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 10:35 pm

    “displaying the picture of the child was appalling taste , to put it mildly.”

    It was obvious towards the end that someone told the camera to move away from the angle that covered the photo.

    I thought involving the picture was bad taste.

    Why would you turn an election night into a memorial?

    What if all candidates decided to do it?

    Many people have a tragedy in their lives but have the good taste not to try use it to their advantage.

    Didn’t Morrison go to the memorial service?

    Also Duttons Chinese scare was probably at least partly timed to strip a few votes from a Labor candidate with an obviously Chinese name.

    Pretty good result for Labor in the circumstances

  22. It would have been good to see at least some of the postals start to be counted tonight, just to get a hint at the effect of Covid. If it’s no different than normal, or if it’s that people who are most scared of Covid are voting by post and which way they trend, or if it’s mostly elderly people voting by post and if they’re as conservative as normal, or how Covid has changed their vote etc. I suspect Antony Green is probably right and already factoring in postal trends from the other post-Covid state elections, but a week is a bit long to wait for the counting to start.

    Good signs in any case for Labor and teal independents. The Liberals weren’t getting the swing towards them that they’re wanting in NSW to offset losses in other states. And when the main issue the election will be fought on will be the same federally as it has been in these states by-elections (Covid management) and the two governments have very similar policies on that issue, this isn’t a good sign for Morrison.

  23. NathanA says:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 10:31 pm

    For me, the interesting thing for the Greens in Willoughby is that their primary vote didn’t increase when Labor did not run a candidate. I kniw there are caveats (more indie’s, full vote not counted etc), but it suggests to me that fewer Labor voters are happy with the Greens than most would expect.

    This is no surprise to some of us. The Greens are manifestly a Labor-hostile jalopy. Labor-preferring voters are not lightly going to indulge the Greens.

  24. Sue @ #279 Saturday, February 12th, 2022 – 9:55 pm

    It would have been good to see at least some of the postals start to be counted tonight, just to get a hint at the effect of Covid. If it’s no different than normal, or if it’s that people who are most scared of Covid are voting by post and which way they trend, or if it’s mostly elderly people voting by post and if they’re as conservative as normal, or how Covid has changed their vote etc. I suspect Antony Green is probably right and already factoring in postal trends from the other post-Covid state elections, but a week is a bit long to wait for the counting to start.

    Good signs in any case for Labor and teal independents. The Liberals weren’t getting the swing towards them that they’re wanting in NSW to offset losses in other states. And when the main issue the election will be fought on will be the same federally as it has been in these states by-elections (Covid management) and the two governments have very similar policies on that issue, this isn’t a good sign for Morrison.

    They have to get a complete list of everyone who voted prepoll and on the day so they can ensure none of those people also did a postal vote.

  25. Good points ajm

    “Didn’t Morrison go to the memorial service?

    Also Duttons Chinese scare was probably at least partly timed to strip a few votes from a Labor candidate with an obviously Chinese name.

    Pretty good result for Labor in the circumstances”

  26. Been Theresays:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 10:53 pm
    Steely

    If Barnaby, as Deputy PM, can’t handle unexpected questions when on the piss celebrating a disastrous night for the LNP then maybe he is not the right person for the job!

    _______________________________________________________

    The question was why he had called the PM a liar. Fair enough Q.
    My point was that he was ambushed and it looked rather sneaky.
    When you pick on people it does the opposite to the desired affect, if you hate the guy you get off on it if you like him you get upset but the average punter might think he was treated very badly.

  27. Dandy Murraysays:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 11:02 pm
    Chortle, no, not intentionally.
    ______________________________________________________
    I reckon he makes bugger all but still looks good in a pair of jeans.

  28. shellbellsays:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 10:56 pm

    I highly doubt it,

    two seats are now Labors.
    big swing against another for nat.
    another swing against.

  29. Shellbell

    “Other than Upper Hunter, it would be the best byelection night for a NSW government for a very long time.”

    Satire?

    So swings to other parties in every seat and the loss of one is the best bye election night for a NSW Government for a very long time?

  30. “ The question was why he had called the PM a liar. Fair enough Q.
    My point was that he was ambushed and it looked rather sneaky.”

    Especially after the triumph of his dastardly ‘cunning plan’ last weekend to dodge Speersy asking that very question on the Insiders: David should have respected that ninja move and definitely not followed up. It’s a privacy issue: when the Deputy PM is on the piss at a public function, he’s off limits. Also off limits when he’s fucking his media advisor … or rorting the books to make up a job in the Whip’s office so his illicit lover has a cover story to travel everywhere with him … Off limits OK! Until Sharri Markson decides otherwise. That’s the only exception!

  31. It is interesting that the one seat with the lesser swing against the government was the Nationals held seat. I guess the NSW Nationals brand is able to differentiate itself form the Liberal Party.

  32. William Bowe:

    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 10:37 pm

    [‘Thanks for the supportive comments. A par for the course performance by the PB results facility this evening: screwy until about 7pm, successfully held together with gaffa tape thereafter. A bit more challenging than usual here due to bastard optional preferential voting.’]

    You’re a hard taskmaster, bearing in mind some here are mortal.

  33. Andrew_Earlwoodsays:
    Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 11:10 pm
    “ The question was why he had called the PM a liar. Fair enough Q.
    My point was that he was ambushed and it looked rather sneaky.”

    Especially after the triumph of his dastardly ‘cunning plan’ last weekend to dodge Speersy asking that very question on the Insiders: David should have respected that ninja move and definitely not followed up. It’s a privacy issue: when the Deputy PM is on the piss at a public function, he’s off limits. Also off limits when he’s fucking his media advisor … or rorting the books to make up a job in the Whip’s office so his illicit lover has a cover story to travel everywhere with him … Off limits OK! Until Sharri Markson decides otherwise. That’s the only exception!

    _______________________________________________________

    1. There was no cunning plan he just refused to go as he new he was in for a torrid time.
    2. Speers did get his man in the end, I was stating that he ambushed Barnaby and it was not a good look.
    3. I think journalism went to far with Barnaby on that one, he had an affair, how is that our business. Nothing is off limits now and a persons private life should be. It set the bar far to high and will catch out as many Labor politicians and it will Liberal.
    4. Don’t know anything about the job….not just an affair it was his illicit lover no less. Oh la la.
    5. Goodnight Earlwood you cranky old prick.

  34. Hoy! Steely !

    Before you go to bed.

    You missed the rorting the books bit, I mean if you’re going to address the rest then don’t miss that.

  35. Steely, I also have problems with revealing details of a MP’s private life, but Joyce is a special case.

    In the past he has made a point of emphasing his catholic and conservative family values while secretly breaking every family values rule in the book. He is a drunk, not very bright, a rorter, and an insult to the parliament.

    He deserves everything he gets.

  36. Addressing the Liberal faithful at Strathfield Golf Club on Saturday night, Mr Perrottet paraphrased one of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s favourite sayings: “How great is Bridget Sakr?” he said, referring to the party’s candidate in Strathfield.

    Sending a signal that the Liberals still hope to win Strathfield at next year’s federal election, Mr Perrottet downplayed the party’s failure to pick up the seat, which was vacated when former Labor leader Jodi McKay resigned.

    “Make no mistake today, Labor has gone backwards in Strathfield,” Mr Perrottet said.

    Makes me puke.

  37. [‘Body blow for NSW government as Liberals will lose seat to Labor after holding it for 33 YEARS and Gladys Berejiklian’s ultra-safe electorate suffers a huge swing..’]

    While it’s true to say that by-elections aren’t usually indicative, that they rarely change governments – a protest vote – they can also point to the premise that there’s “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” – perhaps reading federally?

Comments Page 6 of 8
1 5 6 7 8

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *