As the campaign enters a lull over the Easter extended weekend, there is at least the following to report:
• The first leaders’ debate of the campaign will be held on Wednesday, to be hosted in Brisbane by Kieran Gilbert of Sky News and with the leaders to face questions from 100 undecided voters.
• Stephen Lunn of The Australian reports the Australian Electoral Commission will be operating 550 pre-poll booths at this election, up from 515 in 2019. The period for pre-poll voting has been reduced since the last election from three weeks to two.
• Liberal Ben Small has had to resign from his Western Australian Senate seat after becoming aware he was a dual citizen of New Zealand, where his father was born, which somehow escaped the notice of all concerned when he filled Mathias Cormann’s vacancy in November 2020. His term was shortly to expire in any case, and he will return if elected from third on the party’s Senate ticket at the election.
• Paul Starick of The Advertiser reports that Liz Habermann, who came close to winning the regional seat of Flinders from the Liberals at last month’s South Australian state election, will shortly announce her candidacy for the corresponding federal seat of Grey, held for the Liberals by Rowan Ramsey.
• The Age reports Zoe Daniel, the former ABC journalist challenging Liberal MP Tim Wilson as an independent in Goldstein, has apologised over an article she wrote in 2017 in which she said then US President Donald Trump was “satisfying his wealthy Jewish donors” when he declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel. The electorate’s 6.8% Jewish population as of the 2016 census was the third highest in the country, behind Wentworth and neighbouring Macnamara.
• A spokesperson for the Law Society of New South Wales told the Daily Telegraph that Sarah Richards, the Liberal candidate for the marginal Labor seat of Macquarie in outer Sydney, may have broken the law in describing herself as a qualified solicitor on her LinkedIn profile. Richards holds a law degree, but ceased to be a practising solicitor in 2007.
Wondering why we have a trillion dollar Coalition debt and a monstrous deficit?
$55.6 billion in crooked grants+$16 billion in pork this election period+$39 billion JobKeeper gift to corporate mates+$11 billion in subsidies to the fossil fuel industry+endless personal corruption.
I would like to see the look on the faces of those in the media
If Labor primary vote increases ,after all this early throw the kitchen sink propaganda at Labor/Albanese
Victoria
I don’t see any fun in watching Labor plotters tear down Albo and give Morrison another 3 yrs.
It makes me sick in the guts.
Victoria @ #NaN Saturday, April 16th, 2022 – 8:07 am
You left out Rex Douglas. Or the ‘character’ who calls himself, ‘Rex Douglas’.
Gotta love the quotidian ‘Labor doesn’t want…’ from him. Said with a drabness and certainty as if it was common knowledge. When it’s a lie. 🙄
So he we are, Murdoch has gone all-in on Albo character assassination …
Meanwhile the plague has found its way into my household after two years of vigilance.
Youngest has covid. Means cancelled easter celebrations for us. Sigh…..
I see that Putin lied about sailors not being killed on the Moscva. Putin lies. Xi lies. Trump lies. Johnson lies. Morrison lies.
Spot the patterns.
Vic
Best wishes for your youngest and for the household. Sorry about Easter celebrations.
Rex douglas
Not many would pay attention to newsltd hack lies about knowing what is going on in labor
Has this been posted yet? 538 looking at US election officials and the Big Lie. And what is about to unfold. Truly frightening stuff.
I posted after the election that Bidens main legislative agenda had to be election reform – no matter how hard. For too long the US has relied on the good nature of political parties, politicians and officials to hold together its ragtag of dodgy election rules and institutions. Now… well… honestly, I dont see how the States can remain united and/or democratic. This will end in a split or a military intervention or full control by an authoritarian Republican strongman via rigged elections.
Putin doesnt need to win the battle of Ukraine to win the new cold war – he just needs to wait.
The hope is that quotes like the one below get heard and people keep turning out like they did in 2020 – and more traditional republicans start voting against their party.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-happens-when-an-election-official-believes-the-big-lie/
If authenticity is the go then chameleon Morrison is the genuine article.
C@tmomma says:
Saturday, April 16, 2022 at 8:12 am
You left out Rex Douglas. Or the ‘character’ who calls himself, ‘Rex Douglas’.
__________
You admitted 2 weeks ago that it was Shorten behind the Kitching backgrounding against Albo and Wong.
Boerwar says:
Saturday, April 16, 2022 at 8:14 am
I see that Putin lied about sailors not being killed on the Moscva. Putin lies. Xi lies. Trump lies. Johnson lies. Morrison lies.
Spot the patterns.
—————————————–
They all been supported by Murdoch
Boerwar
Thanks. Had a very social weekend planned. Sigh…..
Im going to do a rat this morning. Whether its positive or not, i will head out and do PCR test.
This will be enough to get James Campbell another gig on Insiders!
I’ll believe the headline “Amateur Albo” when I see one declaring “Mendacious Morrison”.
Scott
As biden quoted recently, murdoch is one of the most dangerous people going around.
I note the Courier Mail is co-hosting the first debate on Sky
I wonder how ScoMo would go debating an empty chair?
Thanks BK
“I’m travelling with Scott Morrison, and we haven’t met a real voter yet”, writes the AFR’s Michael Read.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/i-m-travelling-with-scott-morrison-and-we-haven-t-met-a-real-voter-yet-20220414-p5adgr
When was the last time a PM was not willing to do face to face street walks during an election campaign ? Seems he is ignoring the great unwashed and focusing on getting his message out in carefully contained environments at specifically targeted seats. Sandbag, sandbag, sandbag- that’s all he has left along with the Murdoch press willing to rain on Albo’s parade with made up stories from “Labor sources”.
Victoria says:
Saturday, April 16, 2022 at 8:19 am
Scott
As biden quoted recently, murdoch is one of the most dangerous people going around.
————————————————————————–
Yes he isn’t wrong there
The Murdoch tabloid hit job is in response to these named individuals dumping on Morrison.
But James Campbell can’t name people, because this is a concoction of the LPDU.
nath @ #NaN Saturday, April 16th, 2022 – 8:17 am
So? I was talking about ‘Rex Douglas’ proclamation, said with all the certainty of someone with a mendacious mind and no clue, that Labor ‘don’t even want a 43% emissions target, nor a FICAC…’
Yeah right. Especially the plotters.
Anyway I’m off again for most of the day to the real world. 🙂
Does Rex Douglas ever provide any proof of his bold assertions? No.
Do any of the Labor Haters? No.
So we have The Liar vs The Amateur – with the smell of corruption circulating around the incumbent.
Sprocket
Yep and the stench is going to get more intense very soon.
If you’re quick you can see Chanel 7 special report coming up in the next half hour…Campaign Crisis! – another Albanese howler; How could it all go so wrong.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Branches in Warringah are leaking emails…
But a leaked email obtained by news.com.au from Condamine Liberal Party branch president Walter Villatora has voiced fury about the candidate for Warringah.
FROM NEWS.COM.AU
“I’m sorry Jeff, presidents and many members are calling for Ms Deves resignation in light of her hurtful and divisive comments that have proliferated the media,” he wrote.
“Particularly in the last few days, focusing on Nazis, sex offenders and the physical mutilation of young people.
“In fact Senator Bragg, the duty Senator for Warringah has publicly voiced his concerns on focusing on these matters instead of what’s important to the community and the Australian people at a time when major challenges are facing everyone particularly in relation to the cost of living, national security and post pandemic and flood recovery.
“Whilst this is happening, and we in fact still haven’t launched the campaign with weeks to go, the Steggall campaign is in full swing starting with a massive launch. Zali has two offices in the electorate and we have closed our only office just as our campaign should of commenced!”
“The view of many experienced members is that we would suffer less of a loss without a candidate than a candidate that has brought the party into disrepute to this extent. Steggall and the media will not let this go,” he said.
“This controversy is hurting the Prime Minister (who is now distancing himself from the controversy) and impacting on our federal electoral prospects, which should be our priority.
“In fact, my members have asked me to contact the conference president, Lee Furlong, to call for Ms Deves resignation which I have done in writing, I’m awaiting a response.
“I have many concerns with the way the party is perceived in Warringah now, I am also concerned that your proposed meeting will reflect poorly on the Seaforth Branch, one of our most highly regarded branches.
“Many members have asked me to suggest and alternative campaign.
“It has also been suggested that we take a strategic view and not focus on a seat we cannot win but focus on a seat that we must and can win – Bennelong.”
https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/electorates/new-leaked-emailed-reveals-civil-war-over-liberal-candidate-katherine-deves/news-story/73df4ac1e0543bc99a780276f84d58c6
One of the real reasons for the anti-Albo hysteria in the Murdoch and other mainstream media. Distraction! Distraction! Distraction!
PRGuy@PRGuy17 · 5m
“WE CANNOT WIN”: Explosive leaks reveal Liberal Party execs are staging an eleventh-hour coup against the PM to oust anti-LGBTIQ captain’s pick Katherine Deves. Execs say they would rather run no candidate in Warringah, than allow Deves to run, to curb the carnage.
Sprocket
But but but……Albo’s campaign is in crisis……
Lol
According to commercial radio news this morning, Albo will raise raise Federal ICAC issues and SfM will promise $3m for agricultural shows.
The savage attack on Albo across the Murdoch tabloids seems timed to try and counter Labor’s attacks on Morrison’s sham corruption body and his lack of any integrity.
This is disgraceful journlism full of fake information. I read that Courier Mail article to check the sources.
“The Saturday Telegraph has spoken to a number of Labor frontbenchers, multiple backbenchers, staffers and operatives employed on Labor’s campaign who, speaking on the condition of anonymity..”
There it is, you can make up bullshit claims and say what you like under the guise of a “condition of anonymity”. Nothing surprising here, the Murdoch press has been doing this during election campaigns for decades.
The media are guilty as sin and know the independent federal integrity commission/ICAC ,
will find damaging evidence that the media are connected and political propaganda arms of Lib/nats
And may recommend royal commission into the media influence and corrupt behaviour
The scandals swirling around the fiberals will also be of a financial nature. Just sayin…..
One “gaffe” spun into an entire bad week of campaigning by media who refuse to talk about policy or Morrison’s lies, although by the end of it the more honest ones were focussing in on the integrity commission broken promise.
One alleged bad week OF CAMPAIGNING spun into “Labor chaos” by Murdoch press.
“forget who’ll be better as Prime Minister, who’s better at getting good headlines from the press at campaign time?” – Australian political media, ignoring that one side has a baked-in advantage on that front
Yet again – the Murdoch press are propagandists, and the failure of other journalists (because they want to keep the job door open, or our of misguided solidarity) to call them out is abhorrent. I still remember they were willing to call out News on the treatment of Turnbull, yet continue to be silent about the treatment of everybody else. Crikey excepted (maybe I should reactivate that subscription, I got rid of it after Bernard Keane pissed me off one too many times, probably with his Berejiklian and Cormann worship which I assume have now both gone away?)
Murdoch would be wary of FICAC as well – $30m for women’s sport, what really caused the pivot to Fraudband, how do Cabinet documents and discussions appear on his front pages as ‘EXCLUSIVE’?
So many questions
Sprocket
Yes so many questions. The list is long!
Scott @ #NaN Saturday, April 16th, 2022 – 6:33 am
Really?????
On the bright side, once Albo has ‘his turn’ that’s it. We can clear the air and start fresh. New generation. Has to be Chalmers.
With a bit of luck the next three years will turn to shit and Labor will be able to do a Bradbury.
mundo
On the bright side. As the shit show for Morrison plays out, my mood will improve.
Your mood not so much.
Lol
Maybe the media’s concentration on trivia is a good thing.
It would not take much analysis to pull apart the rehashed urgent care clinic policy
Barney in Tanjung Bunga says:
Saturday, April 16, 2022 at 8:36 am
Really?????
——————————–
What else would they be attacking the working of NSW ICAC and implementation of independent federal integrity commission/ICAC
The media ( Particular newsltd)were also against the banking royal commission, and forced Lib/nats to have a farce of royal commission
Scott @ #NaN Saturday, April 16th, 2022 – 6:43 am
😆
Victoria @ #88 Saturday, April 16th, 2022 – 8:40 am
That’s a long long river De nile.
Scott Morrison is under intense pressure to dump a Liberal candidate who says transgender teenagers are being “surgically mutilated” with a new leaked email revealing the civil war inside the party.
NSW Treasurer Matt Kean took the extraordinary step on Friday night of demanding the Prime Minister dump Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves over her “horrendous” views.
He told news.com.au that the Prime Minister must disendorse her as a candidate.
“This is not an intolerant society,” he said
“These kinds of horrendous views are not okay, and I’m sure the voters of Warringah agree. Time for the Liberal Party to beat them to it and disendorse her.”
“There is no place in a mainstream political party for bigotry,’’ Mr Kean added.
I thought the health policy announcement was the big reset.
Does Labor need a reset of the reset?
The media outlets tycoons have more at stake , if the media is broken up from being politically aligned with the lib/nats
It will be very difficult for the Lib/nats to win government at state/territory/federal levels , by campaigning on policies
mundo
Yeah you said Trump was going to be re elected.
We see how that went.
“The electorate’s 6.8% Jewish population as of the 2016 census was the third highest in the country, behind Wentworth and neighbouring Macnamara….”
Wentworth is in Sydney and Macnamara is in Melbourne….
Holdenhillbilly @ #NaN Saturday, April 16th, 2022 – 6:46 am
The problem is that if he disendorses Deves, he’d have to disendorse others and possibly himself.
John Hewson, with some potentially good news for all of us …
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/04/16/independents-vs-broken-system/165003120013719#mtr
I am not quite as optimistic as he is, and it has to be remembered that he is an advisor to Climate 200. But there are signs that he might be right …
And, apart from the lack of adequate climate change policies from either of the two major parties, which is perhaps the Independents most defining policy issue, why is this happening?
Even if the independents and minors don’t hold the balance of power after this election, I am becoming more confident we might be seeing the beginning of the end of the two-party dominance that has so ruined Australia.