The local branch of international communications firm SEC Newgate has published a post-election survey as part of a regular monthly series that had hitherto escaped my notice. Among its findings are that 28% of Labor voters at the election had voted for a different party or candidate in 2019, and that the party had “regained some traction with its traditional base”, particularly among middle-aged men. Conversely, the flight to the Greens and independents was driven overwhelmingly by women.
The survey also found 54% felt Australia was headed in the right direction post-election, up from 47% in April, and 52% felt the success of independents was good for Australia. Labor was considered the best party to handle housing by 42% to 25%, although its policy for partial government investment in private homes had only 38% support. The Coalition’s policy to allow first home buyers to draw on their superannuation was supported and opposed by 40% apiece, but its “downsizer” reforms were supported by 52% and opposed by 18%. Fifty-nine per cent supported an indigenous voice to parliament, with only 16% opposed. The survey was conducted May 23 to 27 from a sample of 1403.
Note also the post below dealing with the election result in the two Northern Territory seats, in what will be the first of a number of “call of the board” posts. It also marks a new leaf I’m at least planning on turning over in which I will increase the frequency of specialised posts with on-topic discussion threads, distinct from the usual poll-driven open threads like this one. We’ll see if I’m actually able to devote enough energy to the blog to make this viable long term. In any case, the open thread posts will henceforth be designated as such in their titles, as per the above.
This is a long overdue move for infrastructure spending, and I’d reckon there are a few more public service agencies that could also do with the broom being swept through them.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/minister-puts-integrity-and-fairness-in-the-infrastructure-pipeline-20220608-p5as2x.html
That headline finding is absolutely correct. I spoke to a friend of mine who runs a Tyrepower franchise after the election, and he confessed to me that he voted for Labor for the first time in his life this year.
He’s a middle aged man.
There seem to be a lot relief and happiness that Morrison and his cronies were voted out
The time for accommodating China is over. They’re just playing us for mugs.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/police-probe-into-chinese-money-laundering-syndicate-headquartered-in-australia-20220608-p5as2t.html
C@tmomma @ #2 Thursday, June 9th, 2022 – 6:24 am
Me to gardener, middle aged man: “So, what do you think of Albo”
Gardener: Shrugs shoulders “That other one had to go. It was time for a change. But then, all the things go bad!”
Me: “Which suggests they were sitting on the bad stuff doesn’t it? Bad stuff can’t happen in a week.”
Gardener: Shrugs shoulders.
https://www.pollbludger.net/2022/06/09/sec-newgate-post-election-poll-open-thread/#comment-3935701
Surely every private school needs at least three pools?
One for when it is hot.
One for when it is cold.
And one for when the little … don’t feel like swimming at all?
Itza,
You could use a gardening analogy…the tree doesn’t die overnight, the rot sets in first. 🙂
C@tmomma @ #7 Thursday, June 9th, 2022 – 7:27 am
He’s a really good very hard working man, who most of all just loves the bush, and being in it. His wife works at the local school. I hadn’t seen him for six months. Wherever he gets his news, it’s not very deep, nor thought through I’d bet. But I give this example of how I reckon a lot of people thought – they had the perception (which after all is all it’s about) that the government had to change.
Interesting to read yesterday’s comments-in-passing about the Woodhead Railway Line in my neck of the woods
A very picturesque line in a lovely part of the world – the A628 ‘Woodhead Pass’ from Barnsley to Manchester should be on any UK bucket list drive IMO 🙂 (ditto the A57 ‘Snake Pass’ from Sheffield)
I remember them lifting the tracks in the 1980’s 🙁
The A628 runs virtually over the top of the Woodhead Tunnel western portals – in this Google view the remains of Woodhead Station are in the centre of this image buried under the foliage front and left of the closest pylon. Woodhead No.3 tunnel these days carries electricity cables while Nos. 1 and 2 are sealed off
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4955235,-1.8288305,3a,21.5y,264.81h,82.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1OLk1Fp7l4DUG51jwpOYrQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
woonder how long naptrhine will remain as n d i s chair on teed obrian shadow climate change before politics he was ceo of a cumpany premoating exbanding trade with china and tiwon and praized marles trip to china
It’s a major landmark on the outside, as New South Head Road sweeps around towards Rose Bay, the Police Station opposite where the Road to Malcolm’s little harbour side digs heads off to the left: Cranbrook’s new Murray Rose Swimming Centre with its sandstone curved walls glowing golden in the morning sun.
And inside you wonder? Wonder no more:
https://www.cranbrook.nsw.edu.au/community/murray-rose-aquatic-and-fitness-centre/
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Australia’s energy ministers have signed off on sweeping reforms to create a national transition plan to phase out fossil fuels, fund projects to bolster the electricity grid through all weather conditions, and empower the market operator to hold emergency stores of natural gas.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/state-federal-governments-to-create-australia-s-first-clean-energy-transition-plan-20220608-p5as3z.html
Energy expert Tony Wood says that all Australians should share in record profits from overseas gas sales. He is of the opinion that the Albanese government has struck the right note so far. No one should expect a nice solution. But one that is pragmatically appropriate for an unprecedented perfect storm may be the least-bad outcome.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/all-australians-should-share-in-record-profits-from-overseas-gas-sales-20220608-p5aryk.html
Political historian Chris Wallace says that there is a major chance for renewal – if Labor can sell it. She tells us that this government faces the biggest economic challenge of any incoming government since World War II. Read it!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-major-chance-for-renewal-if-labor-can-sell-it-20220608-p5arxs.html
Surging energy prices are forcing crisis meetings to discuss the failures of Australian policy and engineer an orderly transition to renewable energy. But there will be little relief for consumers this year, explains Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/governments-try-to-extricate-themselves-from-energy-mess-20220608-p5as56
The global energy shock will soon be compounded by an international food crisis. For Australia, the lucky country, this global disruption once again presents opportunities and pitfalls, writes John Kehoe.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/food-shock-will-surpass-the-energy-crisis-20220607-p5armq
The trouble is, while his party has four members in the House of Representatives and a dozen Senators, it doesn’t have the power to directly achieve its so-called mandate. The election results have not provided the Greens with a mandate to put its policies fully into effect. They can introduce legislation, but they don’t have the ability to force its adoption by the Parliament, or its implementation by the government, says David Solomon.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-problems-with-mandates/
Anthony Albanese says a cabinet meeting today will consider how best to respond to the cost of living crisis facing Australians amid warnings inflation will significantly worsen this year.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/09/albanese-says-cost-of-living-concerns-will-be-front-and-centre-of-cabinet-meeting
Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy has called on the Albanese government to repair a leaky tax system and for a new era of spending restraint, while dismissing as “unusual” the risky approach to debt management the major political parties presented to voters in May.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/treasury-calls-on-labor-to-plug-our-leaky-tax-system/news-story/0d4248fd489729e84bcd5c868f226fe3
James Massola reports that Anthony Albanese has confirmed a review of the lease of the Port of Darwin will be undertaken, raising fresh questions over the future of the 99-year lease by Chinese-owned company, Landbridge.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/port-of-darwin-lease-to-be-reviewed-anthony-albanese-20220608-p5as1e.html
The ever-bitter Peta Credlin tells us why culture wars are worth the fight for Coalition.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/why-culture-wars-are-worth-the-fight-for-coalition/news-story/65db83828083c0b80133448d17ee94f2
Labor will ditch its election promises to communities for new swimming pools or sporting ground upgrades if they do not stack up on a merits-based review, as new Infrastructure Minister Catherine King pledges to bring integrity back to funding, writes Katina Curtis.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/minister-puts-integrity-and-fairness-in-the-infrastructure-pipeline-20220608-p5as2x.html
The recovery we had to have has put profits first and wages later – leaving workers out of pocket, argues Greg Jericho.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2022/jun/09/the-recovery-we-had-to-have-has-put-profits-first-and-wages-later-leaving-workers-out-of-pocket
Australia is experiencing the second most severe labour shortages in the developed world, according to the latest OECD economic outlook, reports Ronald Mizen.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/australia-has-second-worst-skills-crisis-in-developed-world-20220608-p5arzu
Clancy Yeates writes that a former Reserve Bank of Australia governor Ian Macfarlane says recent mortgage borrowers at risk of being squeezed by higher interest rates should not prevent the central bank from raising rates to the appropriate level, as it tries to slow the economy and dampen inflation.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/rba-cant-be-held-hostage-by-marginal-borrowers-former-governor-20220608-p5as54.html
The AFR’s editorial declares that Labor must commit to budget repair – starting with a plan to rein in the NDIS – to prevent fiscal policy from fuelling inflation and higher interest rates.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/budget-prudence-is-now-needed-to-fight-inflation-20220607-p5art1
Commercial property prices are likely to suffer stiff declines, writes Karen Maley.
https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/commercial-property-market-blues-20220608-p5as0c
Due to the decline in skilled temporary visa holders, business lobby groups are asking the Government to recruit skilled migrants — this approach risks businesses avoiding their obligations, writes Abul Rizvi who says business wants the benefit but not the burden.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/skilled-migrants-business-wants-the-benefit-but-not-the-burden,16443
Sussan Ley says she is listening to women who rejected the Liberals. But will she hear what they are saying, wonders Professor Carol Johnson.
https://theconversation.com/sussan-ley-says-she-is-listening-to-women-who-rejected-the-liberals-but-will-she-hear-what-they-are-saying-184448
According to Nick McKenzie and Anthony Galloway, police have uncovered a suspected Chinese money laundering syndicate headquartered in Victoria and NSW that is moving hundreds of millions of dollars annually to China and across the globe, raising serious questions about whether Beijing is turning a blind eye to organised crime.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/police-probe-into-chinese-money-laundering-syndicate-headquartered-in-australia-20220608-p5as2t.html
Property prices falls are expected to accelerate and become more widespread as buyers face reduced borrowing power and higher mortgage repayments due to interest rates rising, explains Kate Burke.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/why-property-prices-could-fall-faster-than-first-expected-20220607-p5artg.html
The Teals are largely a new force. I expect them to be a continuing force. Labor would be sensible to do likewise, writes Ian Cunliffe in looking at the makeup of the new parliament.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-road-ahead/
The Age tells us that economists are divided on what impact the faster than expected rate rises will mean for the Victorian Treasurer’s projected surplus of $650 million in 2025-26, which one said was based on optimistic assumptions.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/latest-rate-rise-casts-shadow-over-pallas-budget-surplus-prediction-20220608-p5as4r.html
As the world turned to shit, the Coalition turned to religion, writes Kaye Lee who says it will be up to Labor to offer something better than ‘thoughts and prayers’ to fix the situation that we now find ourselves in after three years of a prime minister who considered himself divinely ordained.
https://theaimn.com/as-the-world-turned-to-shit-the-coalition-turned-to-religion/
Negotiations between the NSW government and unions over train safety have broken down, which could leave the new multibillion-dollar intercity rail fleet in mothballs for several more months. Tom Rabe tells us that the government and train workers have been at loggerheads for years over the safety of the $2.8 billion fleet, which rail unions argue requires modifications before it can operate there.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/negotiation-breakdown-threatens-to-keep-new-rail-fleet-in-mothballs-20220608-p5as9q.html
Erin Pearson writes that a report from the state’s Auditor-General has found that unless Victoria Police begins actively monitoring why body-worn cameras are not being activated in some cases, there would be missed opportunities in improving public safety.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/better-monitoring-needed-of-police-body-camera-compliance-attorney-general-20220608-p5arzs.html
Australian hospitals are finding it increasingly difficult to meet legitimate, often critical demands for in-patient care. The money to do so is not there and staff shortages are critical. A combination of professional dissatisfaction re the standard of care they are able to deliver, has many health professionals deserting our public hospital system. Add in staff absences as a result of our pandemic and a severe Influenza season and we have the ‘perfect storm’ lashing our hospitals, writes an impassioned John Dwyer.
https://johnmenadue.com/desperate-premiers-call-for-radical-redesign-for-health-care-funding/
Chris Bennett reports that Cambodia has denied new claims China’s military will have access to the Ream Naval Base, despite a ground-breaking ceremony attended by Chinese officials.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/not-allowed-cambodia-tells-penny-wong-china-can-t-access-naval-base-20220608-p5arxw.html
John Warhurst has a look at what is on the table for defeated Liberals.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7772216/whats-on-the-table-for-defeated-liberals/?cs=14258
The mainstream media in Australia is currently whitewashing fascist politics. It is not just sycophantic, or lazy, journalism. It is dangerous, opines Lucy Hamilton.
https://theaimn.com/dutton-and-trump-politics/
“The appointment by the Prime Minister of an assistant minister, Matt Thistlethwaite, with responsibility for a republic is potentially a smart and welcome move. But the proof is in the eating, as they say. Let’s see what happens”, writes Amanda Vanstone.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7772341/new-minister-a-good-chance-to-do-our-republic-due-diligence/?cs=14258
The United Australia Leader – who is now unemployed – has been hit with $14,250 worth of fines over election posters by Parramatta Council, and he’s not happy. Ha ha!
https://www.smh.com.au/cbd/life-is-fines-for-australia-s-next-prime-minister-craig-kelly-20220608-p5asay.html
The latest World Bank assessment of the state of the global economy and what the future holds makes for depressing reading. It may not have gone far enough, says Stephen Bartholomeusz.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/the-world-bank-s-gloomy-economic-outlook-might-be-too-optimistic-20220608-p5ary1.html
Investment giant Macquarie Group says it wants to disrupt a key part of retail banking by raising interest rates sharply on transaction accounts, in a major change to the near zero rates traditionally paid by banks on such products.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/macquarie-seeks-to-disrupt-by-paying-up-for-transaction-accounts-20220608-p5as45.html
Australia’s charities say their fear of political retribution for criticising government has “dissipated to some extent” after the Coalition’s election defeat, but have called on the new Labor government to enact reforms to protect their right to engage in political advocacy.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/09/charities-to-lobby-new-labor-government-to-protect-right-to-engage-in-political-advocacy
A Federal Court order forcing Twitter to hand over identifying details of a prominent anonymous account has far-reaching consequences for all internet users. For those who engage in heated online debates under a pseudonym, the decision means they may be at risk of having their identity exposed, writes Samantha Floreani.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/court-order-to-expose-anonymous-tweeter-threatens-all-our-democratic-freedoms-and-safety-20220608-p5as3g.html
With only months to go before the midterms, the Democrats are seemingly on track to lose their slim Congressional majority, as rising prices make life hard on Americans, writes Farrah Tomalin.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/too-long-too-strong-inflation-outbreak-weighs-on-biden-before-crucial-midterm-elections-20220608-p5ary3.html
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
Cathy Wilcox
David Rowe
John Shakespeare
Matt Golding
Andrew Dyson
Peter Broelman
Glen Le Lievre
Dionne Gain
Mark Knight
Spooner
From the US
Ray (UK) @ #9 Thursday, June 9th, 2022 – 7:38 am
Ray, lovely stuff. I started off in a railway town, in Oz, so have some ‘implant’ for rail. On tunnels, in the UK, we were in Box (on the way to Peter Gabriel’s studio; cop that Jaeger!) and were shown around Box Hill, riddled with tunnels, which during the war was used to fool the Germans with an ’empty’ train driven into the Hill in one tunnel, and perfectly timed, another one fully laden would emerge the other side, forwards.
‘The trouble is, while his party has four members in the House of Representatives and a dozen Senators, it doesn’t have the power to directly achieve its so-called mandate. The election results have not provided the Greens with a mandate to put its policies fully into effect. They can introduce legislation, but they don’t have the ability to force its adoption by the Parliament, or its implementation by the government, says David Solomon.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-problems-with-mandates/‘
======================================
uh huh. We are going to have to wait at least another three years before Bandt Saves the Planet, Saves the Reef, Halves the ADF and Stops Extinction.
‘Steve777 says:
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at 11:12 pm
Nuclear is only ever raised as a wedge and a diversion. Anything but renewables. Meanwhile, we keep on burning fossil fuels.
We missed the nuclear bus in the 70s. If anyone wants to invest in nuclear, let them justify it on commercial grounds. Meanwhile, we proceed with the transition.’
——————————–
Labor should legalize nuclear power.
This is so fools like Joyce and Bandt would have to put up or shut up. Joyce had nine years to legalize it and did nothing.
The Greens policy is to completely destroy any uranium mining, export or energy use in Australia. (In Finland the Greens’ policy is exactly the opposite.)
Legalize nuclear energy: kill the Joyce/Bandt Soul Brothers’ Wedge.
Ignore Bandt’s bleating. Make him come to Labor and compromise if he wants any of his ‘mandate’ realised.
Aaron newton @ #10 Thursday, June 9th, 2022 – 7:45 am
Patience, grasshopper. The federal government appear to be slowly and methodically, armed with conclusive evidence, working their way through the stacked boards and departments so as to weed out the bad actors who don’t deserve to be there on merit. The Liberals respect ‘merit’, remember? 🙂
Allegra Spender more impressive than the dumbo official Liberal Party spokesmen – mostly men.
One thing she did say is that Mark Dreyfus had reached out to make a time to discuss the National Integrity Commission Bill. Smart politics by Labor.
ItzaDream
Good stuff, I know the Box/Box Hill area a little 🙂
There was an episode of Walking Britains Lost Railways that went along that train line past the Woodhead Tunnel.
Seeing this show, you can see why Richard Beeching is the most hated civil servant in history.
ItzaDream @ #11 Thursday, June 9th, 2022 – 7:46 am
I’m so glad I avoided all that and resisted my parent’s entreaties to go to the PLC. Ergo, I love a well-resourced public swimming complex and public beaches, open to all. 🙂
BW
On nuclear industry for Australia, there was a comprehensive Parliamentary report done in 2019 – it’s recommendations were totally ignored by the Coalition.
https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3039339548/view
sprocket_ @ #18 Thursday, June 9th, 2022 – 8:23 am
And he was in the room at the AFP conference too.
It’s freezing here today, ‘feels like’ 5.4C at 8.30 in the morning! 😯
Still, I’m off down to Sydney today to go to the Unions After the Election After Party. Sally McManus and Tony Bourke are the special guests. 🙂
”
C@tmommasays:
Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 6:24 am
That headline finding is absolutely correct. I spoke to a friend of mine who runs a Tyrepower franchise after the election, and he confessed to me that he voted for Labor for the first time in his life this year.
He’s a middle aged man.
”
That still doesn’t explain the low PV ( 32.6%) of ALP i.e ALP PV went backwards by 0.8%. I know you will say ‘tactical’ voting but that still doesn’t explain the full story.
This is first time in Australian political history that a party won from opposition with less than 40% or not since World War 1 i.e. before Australia had properly established parties.
Newspoll last poll reported on election day had ALP on 36%. And ALP did not reach even that.
The polling organizations were spot on with LNP PV but were way of with ALP PV.
Thanks BK for your tireless efforts.
It’s a nice little homily to get the flow of the day started. But this next bit is better.
I think that Teal and Green are natural competitors for the same voter: pro climate change action, pro gender equality, anti-Murdoch, and comfortably inner city professional. They also compete with Labor on these issues. But the advantage lies with Labor who are in government.
Menadue promotes an idea that would be seductive for all three groups, but more so for Labor. Because if government working groups can be formed to rapidly achieve government aims that would blend the Teal/Green brand and blur their marketing, and sell Albanese’s message of “all good ideas are welcome”.
Ray (UK)
Traffic over the Woodhead Route was so heavy that in order to keep trains running the Great Central Railway actually built a signal box inside the tunnel. All those hundreds of trains hauled by steam locomotives didn’t make for healthy working conditions. Hard to believe nowadays .
‘sprocket_ says:
Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 8:33 am
BW
On nuclear industry for Australia, there was a comprehensive Parliamentary report done in 2019 – it’s recommendations were totally ignored by the Coalition.
https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3039339548/view‘
———————————-
I am heartily sick of the Coalition using it as a deflection and the Greens using it as an ideological doctrinaire wedge. It is time for both the Coalition and the Greens to act like adults.
Legalizing nuclear energy would force them both to grow up.
Late Riser,
I would also add the homily that PM Albanese probably keeps in mind: ‘Idle hands are the devil’s playthings’.
Late Riser, listening to Allegra Spender this morning – she is far removed from the Greens, other than at the most superficial level.
Pro business, anti socialist. I don’t think Trotsky was required reading at Ascham.
Time for Australia to do the same? (Ditto for vehicle charging stations?
https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/usb-c-become-standard-charging-cable-eu-2024?fbclid=IwAR2f2nAEhc151nje__UFACAg5Je0ycGlHK1eMxddreWdxaDOaA94qfpJ5EI
”
Political historian Chris Wallace says that there is a major chance for renewal – if Labor can sell it. She tells us that this government faces the biggest economic challenge of any incoming government since World War II. Read it!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-major-chance-for-renewal-if-labor-can-sell-it-20220608-p5arxs.html
”
And the selling can start by helping the people who are most affected by Energy crisis now.
Ven,
To try and answer your question, if you look at the analysis in Mr Bowe’s forward, it seems as though a sizeable proportion of ‘Labor’s PV vote’ went with women to the Teals and Greens and was replaced by the middle aged men coming across from the Coalition. So, with our Preferential Voting System, which you don’t seem to acknowledge as a factor, a lot of those votes ultimately flowed back to Labor’s 2PP. Which won them enough seats to form a majority government.
spr
Exactly so. The Teals are mostly pissed off Blue Femmes.
C@tmommasays:
Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 8:54 am
Ven,
To try and answer your question, if you look at the analysis in Mr Bowe’s forward, it seems as though a sizeable proportion of ‘Labor’s PV vote’ went with women to the Teals and Greens and was replaced by the middle aged men coming across from the Coalition. So, with our Preferential Voting System, which you don’t seem to acknowledge as a factor, a lot of those votes ultimately flowed back to Labor’s 2PP. Which won them enough seats to form a majority government.
”
I acknowledged that in yesterday night in previous thread.
And one of the posters’ar’ made fun of me for my Typo on that. 🙂
Ven @ #32 Thursday, June 9th, 2022 – 8:54 am
And this is how Europe decided to do it (a policy which I think Labor should adopt):
https://www.epc.eu/en/events/Financial-means-to-tackle-ener~1acd54
It’s a good article to read because it outlines the pros, and cons, of the system and others like it.
Ven @ #35 Thursday, June 9th, 2022 – 8:59 am
People get tired and emotional at night, Ven. 😉
Alpha Zero @ #20 Wednesday, June 8th, 2022 – 11:28 pm
Aye, that’s one of the Thurgoland Tunnels between Sheffield and Penistone
There’s a few YouTube snippets with Cab views of the Woodhead Tunnel approaches 🙂
UK Cartoons:
Dave Brown (with apologies to John Tenniel and Lewis Carrol):
The original:
”
The trouble is, while his party has four members in the House of Representatives and a dozen Senators, it doesn’t have the power to directly achieve its so-called mandate. The election results have not provided the Greens with a mandate to put its policies fully into effect. They can introduce legislation, but they don’t have the ability to force its adoption by the Parliament, or its implementation by the government, says David Solomon.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-problems-with-mandates/
”
But Greens can stop ALP from implementing its policies.
Here’s a wild idea for mainstream economists to smile at condescendingly: How about the Reserve Bank stands back and lets this inflation episode run its course.
There’s a wise old saying that the best cure for high prices is high prices, since they naturally reduce demand on their own, but central bankers are trained to scoff at that idea.
Unlike previous episodes, this inflation is NOT caused by galloping consumer demand or runaway wages, which is what higher interest rates are designed to suppress, but by two colossal stupidities that are entirely impervious to the Reserve Bank.
The first, of course, is Vladimir Putin’s idiotic invasion of Ukraine, about which enough is said already.
The second stupidity (or is that three now?) is Australia’s poor excuse for an energy policy, which has more holes than a trendy pair of jeans.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2022/06/09/inflation-stupidities-alan-kohler/
sprocket_, BW, c@t
All true, but if offered by Labor they would have to accept or explain why they didn’t get involved in ‘fast tracking’ their public agendas. Does Labor have the spare talent to set up and guide such committees?
I saw a comment on twitter a few days ago that Shorten had terminated all the Inhuman Services callcentre contracts.
I haven’t seen anything in the media along those lines so I’m not sure if thats correct. However some of the job network processes seem to have changed. I had a cold last week, and for whatever reason I forgot to fill out 20 questions for the Job Network – work I’ve been applying for.(Too excited about the election result?) In the past this would have required a call and reconnection appointment I believe. This time I simply belatedly filled the form, and within 5 mins of completing that I got an automated text thanking me, informing I was reconnected, a much saner, more civilised approach.
+++
The extended LNP media tantrum will only serve to underline why we rejected them. Theyre gonna teach us what a terrible decision we made by rubbing our noses in it. A loser strategy. They’ve shown they’re gonna defend every last dumb decision and position they took, climate war, culture war. The only diff is slightly lower emphasis of religious ratbags, but even that theyre not admitting. Brother Stuie was saying that freeing the Murugappans was a decision lacking grace yesterday!!
”
Australia is experiencing the second most severe labour shortages in the developed world, according to the latest OECD economic outlook, reports Ronald Mizen.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/australia-has-second-worst-skills-crisis-in-developed-world-20220608-p5arzu
”
Although severe labour shortages are because there is negligible Immigration into the country, which had large component from India, China and SE Asia, due to Pandemic, I would be surprised if they are restored to Pre-pandemic levels because immigration from India and China may will be reduced substantially due to their domestic considerations.
Late Riser @ #42 Thursday, June 9th, 2022 – 9:06 am
It surely does. Some of the newbie MPs will get put onto committees and they are quite talented individuals in their own right.
LR
The Greens have a track record of delay and obstruction coupled with bragging about positive results and excoriating Labor for not Saving the Planet, etc, etc, etc.
That will never change. The Greens are out to destroy Labor. You can see it Bandt’s behaviour: nine years of viciously sticking it to Labor followed by offers to be friendly, constructive, coupled with warnings and threats. (A bit like the Chicommies practice when it comes to doing ‘diplomacy’ with Australia.)
There is scope for working with Crossbench minus Greens. The Greens are belladonna to Labor. They will either put Labor to sleep or kill it.
I sort of noticed this (anecdotally) with the big east coast floods this year:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-09/blocked-weather-high-pressure-system-linking-snow-to-record-heat/101134306
BW is such an insufferable bore. No, Bandt isn’t going to save the world with four MPs, you think you’re a great wit for pointing that out that a thousand times a day? All he can do is represent the people that voted for his party because they chose its platform.
You’re the type of moral void that would ridicule an abolitionist for running for US Congress in the first half of the nineteenth century, on the grounds that they weren’t going to single-handedly abolish slavery.
Please just shut up to improve the quality of this forum.
David Pope is on the ball: Time to tax those windfall profits 😡
The YouGov 2017 opinion poll story is getting a good run today on Twitter and the Labour reddits
This sort of thing does happen from time to time though .. older viewers may remember it was revealed in 2015 that Survation didn’t publish an eve-of-poll survey showing the Tories ahead by 6 points (they won by 6.6 points) because it was so out of sync with all the other polls showing a dead heat