The expectation that the Prime Minister will call an election no later than Sunday for either May 14 or May 21 was complicated yesterday by the High Court’s decision to hear an application this afternoon seeking to invalidate a Liberal Party federal executive intervention that has determined preselection outcomes in twelve New South Wales seats. Should the court decline to proceed to a full appeal, Scott Morrison’s path will be clear. Otherwise, the early part of a campaign that commenced over the coming days would be complicated by a legal process requiring resolution before the closure of nominations ten days after the issue of the writs. But with May 21 being the last possible date for a normal election for the House of Representatives and half the Senate, and an imminent resumption of parliament to be avoided, he may not let that stop him.
The action is being pursued by Matt Camenzuli, a factional conservative whose bid to overturn the intervention was dismissed in the New South Wales Court of Appeal on Tuesday. The intervention empowered a committee consisting of Scott Morrison, Dominic Perrottet and former party president Christine McDiven to determine preselections including those of two cabinet ministers who would otherwise have faced challenges: Environment Minister Sussan Ley in Farrer and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke in Mitchell, both allies of Morrison. It also spared factional moderate back-bencher Trent Zimmerman in North Sydney, while further installing new candidates in Eden-Monaro, Parramatta, Hughes, Warringah, Fowler, Grayndler, Greenway, McMahon and Newcastle. For his efforts, Camenzuli was expelled from the party on Wednesday. The Age/Herald reports that lawyers for Scott Morrison argued in the High Court yesterday that Camenzuli’s newly acquired status of non-party member meant he did not have standing to pursue his appeal.
A parallel wrangle on the other side of the fence was resolved last week when the a takeover of Labor’s Victorian preselection process by the national executive was upheld by the High Court, dismissing a request for an appeal against an earlier finding by the Victorian Court of Appeal. Among other things, this process has confirmed the selection of Jana Stewart to succeed the late Kimberley Kitching in the Senate and Linda White to take the other position at the top of the party’s Victorian ticket at the expense of veteran incumbent Kim Carr. The process was imposed in response to the Adem Somyurek branch-stacking scandal and has been chased through the courts since by unions broadly associated with Bill Shorten on the Right and Kim Carr and the Left, who were excluded from a power-sharing arrangement in the Victorian branch and have duly done poorly out of the preselections that have ensued.
While head office interventions have been upheld by court rulings in both New South Wales and Victoria, Michael Bradley of Marque Lawyers noted in Crikey earlier this week that courts in the two states were sharply diverged on the important question of the justiciability of political parties’ internal affairs. Notwithstanding precedent going back to 1934 that parties are merely unincorporated associations whose internal affairs are purely “domestic”, the Victorian Court of Appeal found the matters had been changed by the modern Electoral Act’s requirement that parties must register and have written constitutions. However, the New South Wales Court of Appeal was expressly of the view that its Victorian counterpart had erred, and that these facts did not convert political parties into legal entities. Bradley’s conclusion: “We must hope that the NSW case goes to the High Court so it can resolve the issue of principle definitively.”
Polling news:
• An Utting Research poll for The West Australian found Celia Hammond, Liberal member for the blue-ribbon Perth seat of Curtin, was under serious pressure from independent challenger Kate Chaney, whom she led by just 51-49 after preferences. The poll credited Hammond with 42% of the primary vote (down from 54.0% on the AEC’s redistribution-adjusted result from 2019) and Chaney with 24%, with Labor on 20% (up from 18.6%), the Greens on 9% (down from 15.3%) and the United Australia Party on 2% (up from 1.3%). The poll was an automated phone poll conducted on Tuesday from a sample of 718.
• The Canberra Times reports two polls conducted for the Climate 200 (for which I am conducting work ahead of the federal election – note the disclosure notice in the sidebar) show Liberal Senator Zed Seselja well short of the 33.3% quota he will need to be assured of re-election in the Australian Capital Territory. Redbridge had Labor on 32.7%, Liberal on 22.7%, the Greens on 12.8%, independent David Pocock on 9.9%, independent Kim Rubenstein on 5.8%, the United Australia Party on 1.6% and others on 3.7%, with 10.8% undecided. Community Engagement was similar except that the United Australia Party appeared to be boosted by the absence of an “others” option: Labor 30.9%, Liberal 21.5%, Greens 13.0%, Pocock 11.7%, Rubenstein 5.3% and UAP 6.0%, with 11.5% undecided. With sufficiently strong flows of preferences between non-Liberal candidates, such numbers would put Seselja under pressure from Pocock or Tjanara Goreng Goreng of the Greens. The Redbridge poll was a live interview phone poll conducted on March 24 from a sample of 708; the Community Engagement poll was an automated phone poll conducted March 23 to 25 from a sample of 1331.
• The Financial Review reports a uComms poll for independent candidate Sophie Scamps’ campaign has her at 23.9% of the primary vote in Mackellar, with Liberal incumbent Jason Falinski on 35.2% (down from 53.0% in 2019) and Labor on 18.0% (up from 16.9%). Out of an unspecified undecided component, 28% said they were leaning to Falinski and 25% to Scamps. The poll also found Scott Morrison at 40% approval and 52% disapproval. Based on this incomplete information, the results seem to imply a lead of around 55-45 to Scamps if preferences flow as they did in nearby Warringah and Wentworth when independents squared off against Liberals in 2019. The automated phone poll was conducted on Tuesday from a sample of 833.
• Shortly after similar polls showing Labor ahead in Boothby and Sturt in South Australia, a uComms poll for the Australia Institute finds Labor leading 53-47 in the Liberal-held Tasmanian seat of Braddon, albeit that it was conducted two to three weeks ago. Combining results with the initial voting intention question and a forced response follow-up for the 3.9% undecided, the primary votes are Liberal 35.9%, Labor 34.0%, One Nation 7.3%, Jacqui Lambie Network 7.9%, Greens 5.5%, and independents and others 6.7%. The automated phone poll was conducted March 17 to 21 from a sample of 829.
poroti says (on previous thread):
“Marn Fer’sun reckons it is pronounced Morr’sun.”
The American bloke who sometimes reads the ABC radio news pronounces it ‘Mawson’.
So the conservatives and the religious nutters are duking it out. The moderates have long gone. What sane person would vote Liberal?
Oliver Sutton @ #1 Friday, April 8th, 2022 – 3:59 am
And an increasing number of normal Australians are adopting the pronunciation “Mongrel”.
Tom, re. the pronunciation of the bloke’s moniker as “ mongrel”. Aussies are so polite, aren’t they.
Congratulations Ketanji Brown.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/07/jackson-confirmation-vote-senate/
This organisation and decisions surrounding it by the Federal Government are sounding curiouser and curiouser.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-08/governor-general-lobbied-scott-morrison-leadership-program/100975582
What happened on the previous thread should stay, in this case, on the previous thread, being rubbish unworthy. However, just for the record, I’ll repost my early morning response to the joke video WWP put up, and which I see nath has already taken to task :
Right. Well that was a waste of 30 minutes of Musk hating bilge. Whoever that guy is with his juvenile editing and stupid imagery, get back to me when he has done something positive for the world, let alone become the richest man on it. But meanwhile, if you can find anything to back up your assertion that Starlink is “a con” – which for me means getting ripped off, not getting what you pay for, or value for money – let’s hear it.
Right now, I am getting 186 Mbps download and 6.93 Mbps upload, and even that’s after a loss in the relay from the dish, which is about 100 m away in clear air, to the house (up there the speeds are typically 200+) and meshing through the house, and with no discernible latency; there’s a fair bit of zoom meeting and the like going on here, where the verdict nudges genius.
If you want to venture into what’s a “con”, then I’d focus more on the NBN and it’s SkyMuster.
ItzaDream
Agreed, Teslas, gigafactories, Starlink and SpaceX with self-landing and reusable rockets (parts) just are a thing. Attempts to characterise them as a con are simply absurd.
I seem to recall that Tony Abbott was assiduously working through a list of 75 issues/demands from the IPA. Nine years later Gideon Rozner (IPA) is describing Morrison as the worst Liberal PM. If Rozner and Roskam are representative of the IPA’s current thinking, then how things are turning? There appears to be a general implosion going on in the Libs that looks set to ignite at any moment and Morrison is the central element of ignition in this bomb.
Hi all,
Greetings from that most excellent Bastide, Sainte-Foy-la-Grande.
I have spent this evening on the news here, listening to yet more testimonies of Ukrainian civilians being tortured and massacred.
It feels as if we have a live camera into the activities and atrocities of the SS and Gestapo in occupied Europe.
But also, the great liberators of WWII, the Americans, were as barbaric as the Nazis in their own country.
In my next post I am going to post something quite distressing, which shows how the US treated some of its own people in 1944. You might like to skip my next post, for the sake of your well-being.
But what I have seen cannot be unseen, and I do not think that the atrocities committed by the US against its own population should be forgotten (p.s. This in no way excuses the actions of Putin and the Russian military).
GeorgeStinney was 14yrs old when he became youngest person in #USA to be electrocuted. His crime: allegedly he had murdered 2 young white girls.Took 10 mins for all white jury to convict him.
Many decades later, he was exoneratd.
#USA legal history, littered w/ such #injustices.
Wikipedia
George “was executed on June 16, 1944, at 7:30 p.m. He was prepared for execution by electric chair, using a Bible as a booster seat because he was too small for the chair”
A particular US in a nutshell.
Douglas and Milko
This in no way excuses the actions of Putin and the Russian military).
Explaining and discussing is not condoning.
Sorry to horrify you all with the above post, but humans are very good at brutality.
And no country, particularly Australia, has clean hands.
Boerwar, did you say the last of the “poisoned waterholes” massacres of indigenous Australians was in the NT in 1981?
Near Wagga, there is an area called “poisoned waterholes creek”, which has various waterholes.
When I first came across it, I was curious about the name. Now I know that the name is correct.
Anyway, I will go to sleep now.
To go back to the beginning, what is happening in Ukraine now, feels like watching the Gestapo or the Wafen SS in real time.
The SmearStralian in doing their trademark prominent female pile-on also murders the apostrophe
Independent Zoe Daniel’s compares PM to Hitler
Campaign organisers for independent Zoe Daniel publicly called for Jewish advocacy groups to ‘shut up’ and compared Scott Morrison to Adolf Hitler.
Good to hear ItzaDream
My sister and BIL are investing in same technology.
pukka @ #12 Friday, April 8th, 2022 – 6:49 am
Yes. Teachers often get too abstracted and explainy about things which should horrify them. Plus a bit too bothsidesy.
Douglas and Milko, much as I love you I do have to say that you had to go back to 1944 for an example of an American atrocity, and, yes, there were more after that but essentially they have learned their lessons, except for putting guns into idiots hands.
On the other hand, what Russia is doing is in ANOTHER country, and it should never be explained away by saying, humans, huh, aren’t they just being naughty behaving like humans always have?
No. It was wrong in 1944 in America and it is even more wrong, today and every day now, when the Russians do it. I’m sure you’d summon the required outrage if it was your daughter being raped, or your husband having his hands tied behind his back before being tortured and killed. Wouldn’t you?
Itza,
The lesson is always there to be learned… don’t believe everything you read on the internet! Some people have axes to grind, on blogs and vlogs. And often they search around for each other. 🙂
The blue-on-blue dogfight continues, with a new participant…
Scott Morrison has copped an extraordinary attack from someone on his own side of politics, with a prominent conservative giving the Prime Minister an blistering spray.
Gideon Rozner from the Institute of Public Affairs said Mr Morrison had strayed from the values of his party.
“Scott Morrison would have to be in my opinion the worst Prime Minister the Liberal Party has put up since Billy McMahon, except that Billy McMahon had principles,” Mr Rozner told the ABC’s Q&A on Thursday night.
“My concern is what Scott Morrison has done to the Liberal Party and to liberalism.”
“Prisoners have it better than our elderly do in some of these institutions,” he said.
When pressed if he would raise taxes to pay for better care, Mr Rozner said there were ways to do it that would provide value for money.
“You‘re shocking me,” host Virginia Trioli replied.
Mr Rozner listed a string of policy decisions made by Mr Morrison that were more damning than personal misgivings aired over recent weeks
He listed a trillion-dollar debt, ramping up of online censorship, robodebt welfare recovery and the locking out of Australian citizens during the pandemic.
Mr Rozner said the policy made it a criminal offence for Australian citizens to re-enter their own country during the pandemic, rendering them stateless.
“Those are much more important issues to talk to the Prime Minister‘s character and his judgment and his leadership,” he said..
https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/worst-liberal-pm-conservatives-dig-at-scott-morrison-over-party-values/news-story/ca13d33552522f78b7ba8d50ddee4008
Yay!
Yay again!
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/07/russia-suspended-un-human-rights-council-ukraine
And the HC hearing the NSW Liberals challenge to Morrison’s bastardry at 4pm today, the disunity spurred by his poor judgement and character flaws will resonate as people start paying more attention
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
The Prime Minister’s election timetable has been called into question after the High Court agreed to hear the case for an extraordinary legal challenge to the federal intervention in NSW pre-selections this afternoon.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/i-will-call-it-soon-prime-minister-expected-to-call-election-as-soon-as-friday-20220407-p5abll.html
Waleed Aly sort of defends Morrison here about the claims of racism. I think he misses the point that the PM has become so much on the nose and allegations can be more readily seen as being plausible.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/accused-pm-faces-the-judgment-of-voter-impressions-20220407-p5abhz.html
Michells Grattan muses over what might happen to the public service and its heads under a Labor government.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-08/election-public-service-changes/100975658
Lisa Visentin writes that, as Morrison and Albanese prepare to fight an election campaign on character, trust and leadership, they have intensified their media schedules in an effort to court every last vote among the disengaged, uninterested or undecided.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/courting-the-undecided-voter-morrison-and-albanese-tune-in-to-breakfast-tv-radio-20220404-p5aani.html
The editorial in the SMH reckons the widely seen pensioner spray will cost the PM dearly.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7691294/pensioner-spray-will-cost-the-pm-dearly/?cs=27763
Phil Coorey says that Scott Morrison has become a punching bag for Labor and Liberals alike.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/scott-morrison-becomes-a-punching-bag-for-labor-and-liberals-alike-20220407-p5abk3
The extraordinary power of the independent movement, especially the teal-coloured candidates backed by Climate 200, is sapping attention from the Greens, writes David Crowe.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/greens-struggle-for-attention-as-independents-fight-to-change-the-game-20220407-p5abn6.html
Every major bank believes rates will start going up just weeks after next month’s election. For one million people, it would be their first rate rise.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/big-banks-predict-four-or-five-interest-rate-rises-in-next-six-months-20220407-p5abmk.html
But the SMH editorial says the coming federal election is sure to have plenty of drama but it could face a new complication in a few weeks in the form of an increase in mortgage interest rates right in the middle of the campaign. That has become a real possibility this week after the Reserve Bank of Australia sent some clear signals that it had brought forward its schedule for lifting official rates from the emergency level 0.1 per cent where they have sat since November 2020.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/election-must-not-influence-rba-s-timing-of-interest-rate-rises-20220407-p5abro.html
Josh Gordon explains why he thinks the Andrews government may not be praying for an Albanese win.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/why-the-andrews-government-may-not-be-praying-for-an-albanese-win-20220407-p5abjo.html
The recent budget has underscored that the Coalition government has abandoned the needy, and the nation’s future. Whether an Australian is hunting for a job or displaced from disaster-wrecked town, they should expect almost nothing from our leaders, writes Lucy Hamilton who refers to Scott Morrison’s constant disingenuous role play as tradesman and labourer.
https://johnmenadue.com/scott-morrisons-constant-disingenuous-role-play-as-tradesman-and-labourer/
The Liberal Party looks set to be forced to preferences in the blue-ribbon Sydney seat of Mackellar, as a new poll shows backbencher Jason Falinski faces a strong challenge from independent candidate Sophie Scamps, writes Tom McIlroy.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/independent-sophie-scamps-to-force-liberal-mp-to-preferences-poll-20220407-p5abod
Clay Lucas and Pauk Sakkal tell us that Labor is targeting disaffected Liberals in tilt for Higgins heartland. The say Liberal incumbent moderate Katie Allen concedes the unpopularity of Prime Minister Scott Morrison is likely to weigh against her in the wealthy electorate.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/labor-targets-disaffected-liberals-in-tilt-for-higgins-heartland-20220407-p5abje.html
Here is part 3 of 4 on the defence of Australia.’
https://johnmenadue.com/admiral-plumedefending-australia-part-3-of-4-what-sort-of-adf-do-we-need/
As borders open to migrant workers, the issue of underpayment is expected to become more prominent, warns Stephen Clibborn.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/temporary-migrant-workers-remain-vulnerable-to-workplace-exploitation-20220404-p5aana.html
The opposition will announce plans to end the nation’s dependence on short-term visa holders and make it easier for foreign workers to gain permanent residency, reports Matthew Knott.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/labor-vows-to-stop-australia-from-becoming-guest-worker-nation-20220407-p5abr4.html
Jonathan Holmes argues that, in real terms, the ABC is still going backwards.
https://johnmenadue.com/jonathan-holmes-in-real-terms-the-abc-is-still-going-backwards/
Christopher Knaus reveals that Craig Kelly is being investigated for billing taxpayers to fly to anti-vaccine mandate, anti-lockdown rallies in Melbourne.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/08/craig-kelly-billed-taxpayers-to-fly-to-melbourne-anti-lockdown-rallies
The next government must begin reforming the Australian economy, according to Roger Corbett, but the major parties are riddled by factionalism that holds back change.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/riddled-with-factionalism-ex-rba-board-and-liberal-member-blasts-both-parties-20220407-p5abio.html
Whoever wins this election will have to find a way to escape Australia’s ludicrous, arbitrary cap on tax as a percentage of GDP. That’s because government spending will have to rise faster than GDP on defence, aged care, child care, health care, disability care and climate change, explains Alan Kohler who says the secret to happiness is more taxation.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2022/04/07/tax-more-happiness-alan-kohler/
Katina Curtis examines the Senate inquiry report that, within its 19 recommendations, says it wants a royal commission to be held by whichever government is in power.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/senior-labor-figure-wants-the-party-to-call-a-covid-royal-commission-20220407-p5abq4.html
Australia’s logistics industry is in a belated rush to try to improve the share of freight carried by rail. The frenzied activity in Sydney’s west exemplifies the shift, explains Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/companies/infrastructure/revolution-in-freight-finally-on-track-20220407-p5abnh
Scott Morrison has bowed to pressure and agreed to another $385 million in flood funding for Queensland, after being lobbied by some of his own MPs fearful of the electoral consequences, writes Phil Coorey.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/pm-gives-in-on-flood-assistance-as-election-pressure-grows-20220407-p5abk0
According to Troy Bramston, Joe Hockey believed he had a deal with Tony Abbott to hand him the prime ministership at some point during the Coalition’s time in government, but the arrangement was thwarted when Malcolm Turnbull seized the Liberal leadership in September 2015.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/tony-abbott-made-deal-to-make-me-prime-minister-joe-hockey/news-story/e7206235896e5ae8ab185cf1b07aea14
For those interested, Lisa Visentin looks at Clive Palmer’s appearance at the NPC.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/palmer-to-splash-40-million-on-uap-advertising-during-election-campaign-20220407-p5abpj.html
David Crowe writes that a NineFax survey shows that 81 per cent of Australians back the federal government’s decision to send medical equipment and other supplies to Ukraine while 75 per cent want to send non-lethal military equipment and 77 per cent favour personal sanctions on Russian leaders.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australians-back-support-for-ukraine-but-not-ready-to-send-soldiers-20220407-p5abqp.html
The Greens will pressure Labor to return the retirement age to 65 if it wins the federal election, a move that would cost $5.6 billion over the next four years in additional pension payments.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/greens-want-retirement-age-dropped-back-to-65-20220407-p5ablk.html
Owners of ageing coal-fired power plants would be required to give at least five years’ notice before shutting under a last-minute rule change proposed by Angus Taylor shortly before the federal election is expected to be called. Who would have thought?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/07/angus-taylor-in-pre-election-move-to-make-coal-plants-give-five-years-notice-before-closing
The Morrison government has spent years bringing in a law supposed to ensure electricity retailers pass on lower prices to customers. Yet so far that law appear to have achieved nothing, except add to regulatory red tape, laments Kelly Burns.
https://theconversation.com/what-has-morrisons-big-stick-to-cut-power-bills-achieved-nothing-as-far-we-can-tell-180683
Anthony Albanese has promised to give South Australia its full share of freshwater under the Murray Darling Basin Plan and revive the abolished National Water Commission if he wins the federal election. Visiting Adelaide on Thursday, Mr Albanese revealed his new “five-point plan” for the Murray Darling Basin. The top priority of his plan is restoring 450GL to South Australia for the environment.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/albanese-promises-sa-a-murray-darling-basin-fix/news-story/db8bb9928430ab9bb255a0fa9e08296e?amp
The head of Sydney Airport has apologised after passengers reported long delays catching flights on Thursday night. They ascribed a big portion of the blame on large numbers of travellers. FFS they would have known well in advance from ticket sales!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/just-bedlam-passengers-wait-hours-at-sydney-airport-in-long-queues-20220407-p5abu0.html
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Knight tells us Qantas has apologised to its customers and begun to hire 750 additional call centre operators to manage a customer service nightmare that has left travellers waiting on the end of the phone line for several hours.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/pack-a-lunch-it-will-be-a-long-wait-before-qantas-answers-the-phone-20220407-p5abpg.html
Australians looking to renew their passports face a wait of up to six weeks as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) deals with a backlog of applications. The delays are caused by would-be travellers who put off renewing their travel documents while pandemic travel restrictions were still in place.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/travel/2022/04/07/passport-renewal-backlog-australia/
The definition of what makes a bank a bank has never been more important as National Australia Bank starts to quietly downgrade branches to cashless services, writes Dale Webster.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/nab-downgrades-branches-to-cashless-services,16236
Josh Taylor reports that Australian Border Force officials searched 822 travellers’ mobile phones in 2021, despite admitting it has no power to force arrivals to give them the passcode to their devices.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/08/australian-border-force-searched-822-phones-in-2021-despite-having-no-power-to-demand-passcodes
Michaela Whitbourn writes that a top lawyer at the Star Entertainment Group he told the inquiry that he should have done more to stop a Chinese gambling operator with alleged links to organised crime from conducting banned cash transactions inside the group’s Sydney casino. He alluded to a culture within the casino giant that favoured business goals over regulatory compliance. Well fancy that!
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/i-should-have-done-more-star-lawyer-gives-emotional-evidence-at-casino-inquiry-20220407-p5abkt.html
Bianca Hall examines the cold-hearted calculus behind the Park Hotel prison now the last of its refugee residents have been released into the community.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-cold-hearted-calculus-behind-the-park-hotel-prison-20220407-p5absm.html
Rob Harris reports that Russia has become just the second country to be suspended from the United Nations human rights body over allegations Putin’s army committed horrific war crimes in Ukraine, including the rape and murder of hundreds of civilians. China, Belarus, Syria and Iran were among the nations that attempted to block the resolution.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/russia-suspended-from-un-human-rights-body-in-rare-move-20220408-p5abuw.html
Tony Wright tells us about the Irish who are actively boycotting the Russian embassy there to great effect.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/as-russian-agents-spread-lies-australians-could-learn-from-the-irish-20220407-p5ablf.html
After days of bitterly divided Senate confirmation hearings, President Joe Biden’s chosen nominee was confirmed with a final vote of 53 to 47, mostly along partisan lines.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/history-made-in-us-supreme-court-as-senate-confirms-ketanji-brown-jackson-20220408-p5abut.html
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
David Rowe
Matt Golding
John Shakespeare
Cathy Wilcox
Peter Broelman
Andrew Dyson
Glen Le Lievre
Mark Knight
Leak
From the US
“Bradley’s conclusion: “We must hope that the NSW case goes to the High Court so it can resolve the issue of principle definitively.””…
So, Victorian case solved (good for Albo), NSW case still not solved (bad for Scomo)?…. Can anybody point out to any article in the Murdoch-Costello media focusing on that difference?
20 Bushmasters now to be sent to Ukraine, at least makes more sense than 4, some decent capacity in any case.
Interesting seat-specific polls results… It looks like that:
a) Coalition relentlessly down in primary vote and 2PP.
b) Seat potentially won by either Labor or Independent.
That looks like the trend for this entire federal election…. Now we only need to see the actual result:
i) Defeat for the Coalition.
ii) Trashing of the Coalition.
iii) Coalition Armageddon.
Thank you, BK. As always. 🙂
Oh the irony – the Coalition / PM saying that criticism of them (specifically of Morrison) is unfair and a political hit job.
Maybe address the issues.
Now expect continual abuse directed at Anthony Albanese that will not be called out by anyone.
@Alpo
I’m hoping for 1
Wishing for 2 or 3
Some analysis of the outlook in Queensland…
Frank Mols, a senior lecturer in political science at the University of Queensland, says Labor leader Anthony Albanese should benefit from how the Labor state government responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When vaccination milestones were hit and Queensland opened its domestic borders early this year, the state had recorded modest numbers of infections and virus-linked deaths after almost two years of grappling with the virus.
Dr Mols says the platform for anti-lockdown populist candidates, who disrupted the Labor vote at the last election, was also weakening as normality returns to daily life.
“The typical disruptors are on the backfoot, with many of them having jumped on a bandwagon that ran out of steam,” says Dr Mols, referring to parties such as Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party.
“All ALP needs to do to counter Palmer’s attack is do nothing, and hope we won’t see a new COVID strain that forces the state government to re-introduce restrictions.”
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7691784/govt-aims-for-repeat-miracle-in-queensland/?cs=9676
Johannes Leak own-goal with his Xi Jinping cartoon!
Note how Jinping’s “words”: “No need to worry about those imperialist colonisers anymore now that we are here” are backed up by a boat full of money…. That’s exactly the difference with those “imperialist colonisers”: they would have offered a boat full of coloured glass beads instead!!!
No wonder the Pacific Islanders are swapping allegiances: they seem to have learned something after 300 years of capitalist colonisation…..
When the Grocer Roger Corbett, who is Liberal Royalty on the Northern Beaches of Sydney comes out and criticises factionalism (in both sides), the wheels are falling off the clown car.
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ltepsays:
Friday, April 8, 2022 at 6:13 am
This organisation and decisions surrounding it by the Federal Government are sounding curiouser and curiouser.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-08/governor-general-lobbied-scott-morrison-leadership-program/100975582
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curiouser and curiouser indeed.
It looks like this Hartley guy wants to enter Parliament using Liberal party as the vehicle.
Why do I think so?
1. Funding is provided in Budget.
2. ALP asked questions about the funding
3. Although he apparently he said he will approach Unions, Unions never heard from him.
4. PMO funded the office and looks like funding for mates thingy.
ABC RN: SLee gives a list of women candidates that she has visited and will visit to “campaign” for, yes as blatant as that.
Thanks BK, my day is incomplete without your efforts (no pressure!)
Looking at a picture of Clive and citizen’s $70 million man comment…I’m a week older than Clive; goes to show you should eat your greens or this is what you will turn out like!
Seems Spud is ‘turning up’ to see-off the four Bushmasters on a Big Plane. Accompanied by the Ukrainian Ambassador. No mention of SfM showing up but surely he wouldn’t miss this chance (Source: ABC 7am news)
Re: Disability Pensioner Spray – The Oz trying to settle the dust on this is not likely to achieve anything other than to expose the ‘pain’ it caused SfM and I’m not saying emotional pain, it’s electoral pain. SfM can appear unmoved but afterwards I would not like to be the aid/advisor standing closest to him.
So with The IPA, Grocer Corbett, the Teals, the NSW Liberal Party and a congaline of Liberal women all criticising ScoMo with an ever increasing cacophony, will we see Rupert cut The Liar adrift?
Dr Mols says the platform for anti-lockdown populist candidates, who disrupted the Labor vote at the last election, was also weakening as normality returns to daily life.
“The typical disruptors are on the backfoot, with many of them having jumped on a bandwagon that ran out of steam,” says Dr Mols, referring to parties such as Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party
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That’s how it seems to me. The “freedom, freedom, freedom” thing would have seemed pretty silly to most of the electorate 6 months ag0, but at least most people would’ve got where it was coming from. Now it just feels irrelevant.
Thanks for roundup BK.
“sprocket_says:
Friday, April 8, 2022 at 7:38 am
Some analysis of the outlook in Queensland…”
Indeed sprocket. This is the comparison between the ALP-led Queensland and the Liberal-Nationals-led New South Wales with regard to Covid outcomes:
1) Total number of accumulated Covid positives during the Delta-Omicron wave that started on 14 June 2021 (data updated until the week of 28 March-3 April):
NSW: 1,849,054
QLD: 757,840
2) Total number of accumulated Covid deaths from 14 June 2021 and until 7 April 2022:
NSW: 2,086
QLD: 759
Hence Queenslanders are leaning to the ALP according to the latest polls, and a shift to the ALP is also detected in NSW.
It looks like that this time around FACTS will trump brainless PROPAGANDA and LIES…. If so, then it would be a great leap forward for our Democracy!!
I just looked and it seems as though the Recombinant Covid Variants, XD and XE, won’t trouble us before the election either.
*famouslastwords*
Trump Is Refusing To Turn Over Financial Docs So NY AG Moves To Hold Him In Contempt
The office of AG James said in a statement, “New York Attorney General Letitia James today took legal action to hold Donald J. Trump in contempt for his refusal to comply with a court order to produce documents in response to a subpoena served on him by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) as part of its ongoing investigation into his financial dealings. The motion for contempt, filed in New York County State Supreme Court, seeks to impose a $10,000 fine on Mr. Trump for every day that he continues to violate the court’s order to produce these documents.”
https://www.politicususa.com/2022/04/07/trump-is-refusing-to-turn-over-financial-docs-so-ny-ag-moves-to-hold-him-in-contempt.html
Manhattan DA drops a bombshell: Trump criminal investigation is still ongoing
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg issued a statement on Thursday clarifying that his office was still investigating former President Donald Trump.
“In recent weeks, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has been repeatedly asked whether our investigation concerning former President Donald J. Trump, the Trump Organization, and its leadership is continuing,” Bragg said. “It is.”
https://www.rawstory.com/manhattan-da-trump-2657117590/
More details about Rolfe. Whitefella law is an ass.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/08/zachary-rolfes-ex-fiancee-told-detectives-he-spoke-of-getting-paid-holiday-if-he-shot-someone-court-documents-show
Yet another good reason for Australia to avoid future wars by opting for very strongly armed neutrality:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/07/video-appears-to-show-ukrainian-soldiers-shooting-russian-prisoners-of-war
The Australian includes a quote from a woman getting a selfie with the PM, congratulating him for being our worst PM ever.
Unless that’s some kind of a bid for sympathy, I’d say that’s got to be a sign that the Oz is stepping away lest it gets spattered in gore.
You gotta laugh at LNP.
Crying foul about so-called political hit jobs on PM. All anyone has to do is look at past elections’ front pages and dirty tactics by their own side.
Like most ‘bullies’, the squeal loudly when their own tactics are turned on them!
brettsays:
Friday, April 8, 2022 at 8:07 am
The Australian includes a quote from a woman getting a selfie with the PM, congratulating him for being our worst PM ever.
Unless that’s some kind of a bid for sympathy, I’d say that’s got to be a sign that the Oz is stepping away lest it gets spattered in gore.
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My wife thought the selfie with SfM was not on despite being a rusted on leftie and unionist. She always was a much better human than me. I think it was karma.
#gutlessAlbo is trending at the moment, presumably because he delayed speaking to a non-journalist (who’s truck carrying a Chinese vote for Labor sign was parked near-by). Most retweets and replies seem to be either LNP rusted-ons or those wishing to compare SfM unfavorably with Albo either as a person or body shape.
Further to that issue of Starlink being a fraud or con….I dont think the Ukrainians think that…its providing communications in a war zone when most communication is down. Its enabling them to coordinate their attcks with greater precision as opposed to the Russians, who are having the same comms problems but have to use Mobile phones and their comms are being listened too by the whole world.
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Phil Coorey says that Scott Morrison has become a punching bag for Labor and Liberals alike.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/scott-morrison-becomes-a-punching-bag-for-labor-and-liberals-alike-20220407-p5abk3
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Oh poor baby!
I bet Stephen Breyer lives another 20 years. Still he had to go for risk of making it 7-2 on the Supreme Court I guess.
Ironic that the US Supreme Court is younger now than the US Congress or the US President.
‘The Greens will pressure Labor to return the retirement age to 65 if it wins the federal election, a move that would cost $5.6 billion over the next four years in additional pension payments.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/greens-want-retirement-age-dropped-back-to-65-20220407-p5ablk.html‘
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Those poor old billionaires! They are going to pay for one million homes, free healthcare for 25 million people, the abolition of student debt, the abolition of HECs, free education, free aged care, the cost of closing down several national industries and the reduction of the pension age.
Singapore, there they go!