Resolve Strategic and Essential Research polls (open thread)

Labor continues to record commanding leads in recent federal polls, although one records a dip in Anthony Albanese’s personal ratings.

As I ought to have reported yesterday, the Age/Herald has the first federal poll of the year from Resolve Strategic, which credits Labor with a primary vote lead of 42% (unchanged on last month) to 29% (down one), with the Greens on 11% (steady), One Nation on 6% (up two), the United Australia Party on 2% (steady) and independents on 8% (steady). Resolve Strategic does not provide two-party preferred results, but applying preference flows from last year’s election suggests a crushing Labor lead of around 60-40. Limited state breakdowns suggest Labor leads of around 60-40 in Victoria and 57.5-42.5 in New South Wales and Queensland. Anthony Albanese’s combined very good and good rating is at 60% compared with 25% for poor and very poor, while Peter Dutton is respectively at 28% and 46%, with Albanese leading 55-20 on preferred prime minister. The poll was conducted last Tuesday to Sunday from a sample of 1606.

The poll also has a suite of questions relevant to Australia Day, which find 47% support for the federal government’s policy of allowing councils to choose days other than Australia Day for citizenship ceremonies with 19% opposed; 40% in favour of a republic (up five since September) with 30% opposed (down seven); and a 31% positive rating for King Charles III’s performance, with 12% negative and 57% neutral or unsure.

Also from Resolve Strategic is a set of results in the Indigenous voice that combines its December and January poll for an overall sample of 3618. Following on from similar findings in YouGov’s New South Wales poll last week, the poll finds support for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice has fallen from 53% to 47% since August and September, with opposition up a point to 30% and undecided up four to 23%. Support is at 72% among Greens voters, 61% among Labor voters and 27% among Coalition voters. When the uncommitted were forced to choose, the result came in at 60% for yes and 40% for no, in from 64% to 36% in August and September. Only 13% felt confident they could explain the proposal, with 63% saying they would struggle to and 23% saying they had never heard of it. The narrowest results at state level were 56% yes and 44% no in both Queensland and South Australia.

The first fortnightly Essential Research poll of the year includes federal voting intention figures if you know where to look, which alongside a 5% uncommitted component have primary votes of Labor 34% (down one on early December), Coalition 31% (up one), Greens 14% (up one) and others 16% (down one), with the pollster’s “2PP+” scores at 53% for Labor (up two), 42% for the Coalition (down two) and 5% uncommitted (steady). It nonetheless records a significant fall in Anthony Albanese’s still strong personal ratings, which are at 55% approval (down five) and 31% disapproval (up four).

Further questions found 33% support for both a separate day to recognise Indigenous Australians (down four on last year) with another 33% opposed (up four) and 26% believing such a day should replace Australia Day (up six). Eighty-two per cent rated Australia a better place to live than most other countries and 77% expressing pride in Australia, although 47% also agreed Australia needed to be a better global citizen with 16% disagreeing. Forty-two per cent agreed things were better for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia than ten years ago, compared with 38% for about the same and 10% for worse. The polling was conducted Wednesday to Sunday from a sample of 1050.

Roy Morgan also has an SMS poll of 1231 respondents conducted Friday to Monday, which finds 64% favour the name of Australia Day being retained against 36% who would prefer that it be called “Invasion Day”, and the two-party preferred federal voting intention result in its weekly video has Labor leading 59-41, in from 59.5-40.5 last week. The BludgerTrack trend results on the sidebar and full display include the Resolve Strategic and Essential Research results, but don’t make use of Roy Morgan.

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.

2,174 comments on “Resolve Strategic and Essential Research polls (open thread)”

Comments Page 1 of 44
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  1. I agree we should commemorate Indigenous Australians in some way with their own special day, separate from Australia Day. Maybe on the day that they are recognised in the Constitution?

  2. After weeks of intense pressure, Germany confirmed it would send 14 of its state-of-the-art Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine. Other European countries like Norway and Poland – who have the same German-made vehicles – will also be allowed to make similar donations after Berlin gave them its permission.
    Shortly afterwards, US President Joe Biden confirmed reports that the US would send Ukraine 31 of its own Abrams tanks.

  3. C@

    Hopefully we can leave such decisions to the Voice.

    Amusing to see Greens posters falling over themselves last night to give Thorpe a free pass.

    Imagine the furore if a Labor Minister came out and said they weren’t supporting it?

    We’d be knee deep in accusations of whitey priviledge.

  4. USA: House Republicans are refusing to raise the debt ceiling without cutting federal spending — but lawmakers can’t agree on what programs should be trimmed.

    Fiscal conservatives have long sought a balanced budget, but a recent analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows that’s impossible without cutting Medicare and Social Security — which would be deeply unpopular with voters, reported Axios. “The numbers can’t work,” said Chris Campbell, a former Treasury official and GOP Finance Committee aide.

    The analysis shows the budget cannot be balanced without cuts to Medicare and Social Security, along with veterans and defense spending, and if House Republicans aren’t willing to raise taxes — which they almost certainly are not — the rest of the budget would have to be slashed by 85 percent to make those numbers work.

    “This is shaping up to be a tough vote to balance in 10 years,” said a former House GOP leadership aide. “Where are the cuts going to be? Is it going to be on defense, entitlements or both? Both could cause problems.”

  5. There’s a lot about Thorpe in the media today (her stance seems to be generating more media than anyone else’s; falling in line wouldn’t get her the same attention).

    This is what she’s holding out for –

    ‘We need to have real power. We’ve been advisors for too long in this country. This government is not about to give us real power. They still want us to be advisors. So a treaty will negotiate real power through shared sovereignty and going to the republic, we’ll have a new constitution or an updated constitution that actually has equal power with the others who say that they are sovereign, and that’s the parliament here.’

    https://junkee.com/longform/lidia-thrope-interview-blak-republic

    https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/lidia-thorpe-treaty-invasion-day-voice-to-parliament/cxe0tkgme

  6. Good morning Dawn Patrollers

    Angus Thompson writes that, as blanket alcohol bans and tougher spending restrictions are on the cards for at-risk communities in the Northern Territory, former Indigenous Minister Ken Wyatt dismissed Peter Dutton’s call for a royal commission, saying the Coalition shared the blame for Alice Springs’ woes.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/cash-restrictions-and-total-alcohol-bans-slated-for-nt-violence-20230125-p5cfbm.html
    Legal academic Hannah McGlade wrote her PhD on sexual abuse of Indigenous children but she says Dutton never asked her for advice.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/i-wrote-my-phd-on-sexual-abuse-of-indigenous-children-dutton-never-asked-me-for-advice-20230124-p5cf5z.html
    Alcohol bans and law and order responses to crime in Alice Springs haven’t worked in the past, and won’t work now, warn these contributors to The Conversation.
    https://theconversation.com/alcohol-bans-and-law-and-order-responses-to-crime-in-alice-springs-havent-worked-in-the-past-and-wont-work-now-198427
    Noel Pearson is concerned that a failed Voice referendum will kill hopes of reconciliation for good.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-failed-voice-referendum-will-kill-hopes-of-reconciliation-for-good-20230125-p5cffu.html
    Culture warrior pin-up Peta Credlin declares that a vote for the voice is a threat to Australia Day.
    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/a-vote-for-the-voice-a-threat-to-australia-day/news-story/82744003eb445ee367081816dbaa28cd?amp
    Conservatives rail against references to “invasion day”. Ultimately, however, these are the despairing sighs of an old, dying Australia which no longer exists and isn’t coming back, opines Scott Burchill.
    https://johnmenadue.com/conservatives-fight-desperate-losing-battle-against-decolonisation-of-australia/
    According to David Crowe, Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe has cleared the way for a split with her colleagues on the Indigenous Voice to parliament in a formal deal in the party room yesterday that gives her free rein to vote against the proposal while others give it their support.
    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/lidia-thorpe-given-free-rein-to-vote-against-voice-but-greens-likely-to-back-it-20230125-p5cfek.html
    Jim Chalmers hopes inflation has peaked at a 32-year high, but economists expect the Reserve Bank to keep hiking interest rates to tackle ongoing economic pressures when it meets again next month.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/inflation-reaches-7-8-per-cent-highest-since-1990-20230125-p5cf94.html
    The SMH editorial urges the RBA to be careful not to overshoot in the fight against inflation.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/rba-must-be-careful-not-to-overshoot-in-the-fight-against-inflation-20230125-p5cffy.html
    Despite the highest inflation growth in 32 years, the figures suggest a peak has likely been reached, argues Greg Jericho.
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2023/jan/26/inflation-has-hit-78-over-the-last-year-so-why-arent-australians-running-for-the-hills
    Typical borrowers facing this year’s fixed-rate mortgage cliff will have to pay about $2700 more a month if they do nothing and are rolled on to their lender’s standard variable rate, says RateCity which monitors home loans.
    https://www.afr.com/wealth/personal-finance/fixed-rate-borrowers-face-extra-hit-of-almost-3000-a-month-20230123-p5cet4
    Luke Henriques-Gomes reports on yesterday’s explosive day at the Robodebt royal commission. It’s building up to some interesting testimonies next week and beyond.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jan/25/former-social-services-official-denies-trying-to-conceal-evidence-during-robodebt-investigation
    The NSW ICAC has withheld vital information on corruption within the Perrottet Government leading up to the State Election, writes Anthony Klan.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/nsw-icac-silent-on-perrottet-corruption-scandal,17173
    We are at a crossroads. The Ultra High Net Worth Individual (UHNWI) class is creating a new international feudal order, assisted by the professional enabler class including politicians in pursuit of their money. One of those enabling mechanisms is the media. In Australia, News Corp serves as the strongest weapon in the creation of their desired world, writes Lucy Hamilton.
    https://theaimn.com/distracted-by-hate-we-are-robbed/
    As inflation hit a 32-year high, signalling a rise in interest rates in February, bank shares rose on the ASX. Besides the prospect of fatter profit margins though, they are coining $102m a week from an obscure Pandemic stimulus measure. Callum Foote investigates.

    Australians have increased their support for a republic at a time of intense publicity over Prince Harry and his falling out with the royal family, with some voters saying his revelations have influenced their shift towards breaking ties with the monarchy. David Crowe reports that support for the republic increased from 36 to 39 per cent among eligible voters over the four months since the death of Queen Elizabeth, while the number of voters against the change fell from 37 to 31 per cent.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/royal-drama-pushes-australian-voters-towards-republic-poll-20230125-p5cf95.html
    Jacinda Ardern is likely to require an unprecedented level of security for a former New Zealand prime minister given the extent of the abuse and threats she faced while in office. She the target of some of the darkest and most extreme online abuse, according to research by the University of Auckland.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/oceania/ardern-may-need-ongoing-security-as-true-extent-of-threats-is-revealed-20230125-p5cfeu.html
    Elizabeth Knight tells us why Rupert Murdoch’s mega-deal ambition to potentially unite the two arms of his empire News Corp and Fox is now dead.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/why-rupert-murdoch-s-mega-deal-is-dead-20230125-p5cfbn.html

    Cartoon Corner

    Cathy Wilcox

    Matt Golding



    John Shakespeare

    Dionne Gain

    Peter Broelman

    Spooner

    From the US










  7. Morning all. Holden Hillbilly the German announcement goes a lot further. They have also committed to supply training, logistics and ammunition, with the 14 tanks being the first step to a commitment of two battalions (88 tanks). Its a huge improvement.

    Combined with the other already announced countries Ukraine will end up with 200+Leopard 2s. E.g. Spain overnight promised another 53.

  8. So, the Albanese ALP Federal government is still enjoying a very good ride in the opinion polls (Resolve, Essential and Morgan)… Keep up the good job, Albo, and this will continue until the next federal election!…. 🙂

    Now, what about the Voice?….

    According to Resolve Strategic it’s 47% in favour of YES to the Voice, “with opposition up a point to 30% and undecided up four to 23%. Support is at 72% among Greens voters, 61% among Labor voters and 27% among Coalition voters. When the uncommitted were forced to choose, the result came in at 60% for yes and 40% for no, in from 64% to 36% in August and September. Only 13% felt confident they could explain the proposal, with 63% saying they would struggle to and 23% saying they had never heard of it. The narrowest results at state level were 56% yes and 44% no in both Queensland and South Australia.”

    So, the YES campaign is going well, but more information is obviously required, which can only make the YES campaign even more successful.

    Looking forward to seeing those strictly explanatory and descriptive government ads about the Voice referendum (history, objectives, meaning, consequences, etc. of the referendum) in the media and in your letterbox.

    —————–
    P.S. Hey, Bandt, listen to the Greens voters, not the GreenBlak Panthers!

  9. “C@tmomma says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 6:53 am
    I agree we should commemorate Indigenous Australians in some way with their own special day, separate from Australia Day. Maybe on the day that they are recognised in the Constitution?”

    Yes, it is a good idea, and instead of adding another holiday, it could replace the “King Birthday day”. What’s the meaning of celebrating the birthday of King/Queen with a public holiday?

  10. Alpo @ #NaN Thursday, January 26th, 2023 – 7:48 am

    “C@tmomma says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 6:53 am
    I agree we should commemorate Indigenous Australians in some way with their own special day, separate from Australia Day. Maybe on the day that they are recognised in the Constitution?”

    Yes, it is a good idea, and instead of adding another holiday, it could replace the “King Birthday day”. What’s the meaning of celebrating the birthday of King/Queen with a public holiday?

    Until we become a Republic I think we have to keep celebrating that one. 🙁

  11. There are some false binaries, some strawmen and some taking things to the extreme being used to diss the Voice.

    1. That the Voice and the Treaty are mutually exclusive.
    2. That the Voice either can, or will, solve problems at the Alice.
    3. That the Voice voids Indigenous’ views on sovereignty.
    4. That the Voice is tokenistic.

  12. Cathy Willcox is brilliant at analysing the national psyche.

    On the Voice, I am strongly in favour. The fact that it was the preference of the majority of First Nations leaders at their meeting should be sufficient reason for us all to back it if we really respect them.

    The Voice will not solve the many social and economic problems facing First Nations people. Neither did citizenship or Mabo. Yet those were all needed, and all were progress. Saying they did not solve other problems would have been a neat debating trick to defeat them, and does not mean they should not have been done. A treaty is needed, and a Voice will make it easier to achieve.

  13. Socrates @ #NaN Thursday, January 26th, 2023 – 7:39 am

    Morning all. Holden Hillbilly the German announcement goes a lot further. They have also committed to supply training, logistics and ammunition, with the 14 tanks being the first step to a commitment of two battalions (88 tanks). Its a huge improvement.

    Combined with the other already announced countries Ukraine will end up with 200+Leopard 2s. E.g. Spain overnight promised another 53.

    I heard that it’s all been very carefully choreographed from the beginning. First the UK supplies C2 tanks, then Poland says, we’ll go it alone, then the Baltic States’ FMs send a letter, finally Germany is dragged kicking and screaming to the table with a lot of cover. 🙂

  14. “C@tmomma says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 7:56 am

    Until we become a Republic I think we have to keep celebrating that one. ”

    But, but, is the Monarch Birthday a celebration of the Monarchy? Why on Earth do we celebrate the Monarchy, independently of Australia Day?… and therefore, once we become a Republic, should that day also become a national day of celebration, independently of Australia Day, to replace all those Monarch Birthday days across the country?

    I think we urgently need a “national conversation” on Obsolete Traditions… Check all of them, and those that are actually meaningless…. eliminate them!… Why do we need to keep cultural fossils alive, when they really belong to a museum?

  15. The very practical problem for Thorpe’s view is this.

    If the Voice goes down there will be zero chance that a Treaty involving change to the Constitution will get up. The latter would require a referendum. If a referendum as basic as the Voice does not get up, Constitutional change involving some sense of sharing sovereignty cannot possibly get up. Even if the Voice DOES get up, there is only a tiny likelihood that a Treaty involving a substantive change to the Constitution will get up.

    25 million people will go on living as if the Constitution is valid. 25 million people will go on living as if the Constitution embodies their sovereignty.

    There could be no reconciliation.

    And the Thorpes and the middle class Indigenous people in the urbs will continue to fight their War of words. With a bit of good fortune this will restrict itself to fist waving, shouting, marches, trying to foster some non-Indigenous outrage and anger, and calling Australia Day ‘Invasion Day’. This is all essentially performative politics based on a tiny minority denying legitimacy for a large majority.. With a bit of bad luck it might eventually evolve into terrorist acts. You would have to think that sooner or later that the currently pervasive criminal disobedience in some localities would morph into overtly terrorist acts.

    The lack of a Voice and the lack of a Treaty will reinforce the crisis of legitimacy in rural and remote towns which will continue to be the running sore that leads to huge incarceration rates, reduced life expectancy, terrible education outcomes, terrible health outcomes and terrible economic outcomes. Add drugs. Add family breakdown and domestic violence.

    Despite assertions to the contrary, all the money in the country is not enough to fix that.

  16. “Socrates says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 8:00 am
    Cathy Willcox is brilliant at analysing the national psyche.”

    Note how if you put the two towels side by side you double the protected surface for your picnic…

    🙂

  17. Alpo @ 8.10am
    “… Why do we need to keep cultural fossils alive, when they really belong to a museum?”

    I immediately thought of John Howard !
    (I apologise if this causes offence particularly on Australia Day)

  18. “Boerwar says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 8:14 am
    The very practical problem for Thorpe’s view is this….”

    If Thorpe truly believes in what she says on her path forward for Aboriginal communities, she should leave the Greens and start her Aboriginal Party of Australia (APA), with the objective of controlling the balance of power in the Senate…

    C’mon Lidia, are you a leader or just a parasitic whinger?

  19. How MIGHT the Voice make a difference when compared with existing practices?

    There are, and have been, all sorts of Indigenous advisory bodies providing advice to federal governments. Here is how they differ from the Voice:

    1. The individuals are selected by the government of the day. (Few who were watching will forget the way in which the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison government panels routinely ignored rural and remote representation.)

    2. Their advisory briefs and reports are sent direct to ministers. Most of that advice is never published. The advices tend to go to either the prime minister or the responsible minister. They do NOT go to parliament. They do NOT go to the Opposition. They often don’t even go to the other ministers or their departments.

    3. Their criticisms of government policies are buried. Sometimes this is because the reps have been selected because they agree with the governments. Sometimes this is because their TOR include not making public criticisms.

  20. I’ve been looking at the replies to Lidia Thorpe’s tweet and it is quite astounding the level of hate she attracts. Some really strong racist responses. Including the argument that Indigenous Australia was so warlike that it took the British invasion to establish a peaceful society. Are there some here doing extra work on her twitter feed?

  21. The MSM is trying to create a crisis/paint a crisis about Federal government when there is none.

    As I pointed in earlier post the bigger the 2PP in favour of ALP the shrill they (media) of the opinion that Albanese and his government are in trouble.

    The opinion pieces from MSM are more like trying to own the Labs rather than objective assessment.

    nath, lars and Taylormade are a perfect example of media.

  22. The last of the Intervention-era laws lapsed quietly in mid-July, before the new Parliament had even sat.

    https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/nitv-news/article/shameful-chapter-intervention-ends-in-the-nt-after-15-years/qsukseib7

    The now-Opposition had not seen fit to take any action before May’s election. The new Government could have done nothing to prevent the laws from lapsing without an emergency sitting of the Parliament. However, the issue was on no one’s radar, least of all that of the Opposition and their media allies. No member of the Opposition made any comment on the issue in July and indeed not until the last few days when they needed something to support their opposition to the Voice.

  23. Senator Thorpe is entirely and completely entitled to her views and to present them to the public. In many ways I support them.

    The Greens are entirely and completely entitled to manage their policy processes and their public presentation according to their values and their rules.

    What neither the Greens nor Thorpe can do is to disavow the consequences of their behaviours.

  24. Ken Wyatt to become another thorn for Dutton and his cronies
    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/cash-restrictions-and-total-alcohol-bans-slated-for-nt-violence-20230125-p5cfbm.html

    Ken Wyatt, the former government’s Indigenous affairs minister, criticised Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s push for a royal commission into the sexual abuse of Aboriginal children while saying alcohol-restriction laws the Coalition presided over failed to help relationships with communities.

  25. nath

    ‘Including the argument that Indigenous Australia was so warlike that it took the British invasion to establish a peaceful society. Are there some here doing extra work on her twitter feed?’

    Never seen any poster here run that argument, so I’d say the answer is ‘no’.

  26. Nath @ 8.22am
    “Some really strong racist responses.”

    That, Nath is the foundation onto which all anti voice, anti indigenous rights and fear will be built upon in an attempt to gather support for positive change.
    When talking to some indigenous friends and acquaintances just yesterday, that theme just kept coming up.

  27. C@tmommasays:
    Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 9:22 pm

    How long before The Greens fall apart completely:

    Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe has cleared the way for a split with her colleagues on the Indigenous Voice to parliament in a formal deal in the party room on Wednesday that gives her free rein to vote against the proposal while others give it their support.

    The agreement is almost certain to lead to a divided Greens position on the crucial question in a referendum at the end of this year unless Thorpe gains an assurance from the federal government that Indigenous sovereignty will be guaranteed as part of the Voice.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/lidia-thorpe-given-free-rein-to-vote-against-voice-but-greens-likely-to-back-it-20230125-p5cfek.html

    This is the way it should have always been.

    Now they just need a new Party spokesperson on the issue and to look at what the Party’s policy position is.

  28. ….did a fact check.

    Can’t find the tweet nath refers to.

    Yes, Thorpe has attracted criticism. It’s about the same level of criticism you see directed at any politician expressing an opinion.

  29. Dutton may have a point.

    I believe a Royal Commission into rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, sexual violence, and sexual abuse in the family is long overdue.

    The vast majority of all of the above is perpetrated in non-Indigenous households and in non-Indigenous institutions including, notably, the Liberal Party.

  30. “nath says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 8:22 am
    I’ve been looking at the replies to Lidia Thorpe’s tweet and it is quite astounding the level of hate she attracts. Some really strong racist responses. Including the argument that Indigenous Australia was so warlike that it took the British invasion to establish a peaceful society. Are there some here doing extra work on her twitter feed?”

    nath, I never judge a politician by comparing him/her with much worse case scenarios, but with better ones!… Or are you ready to support Hitler only because his modus operandi might have been marginally more “civilised” than that of Attila the Hun?

    Thorpe is wrong, she is doing a disservice to the cause of Aboriginal recognition in the Constitution, and she is advancing Aboriginal welfare not a single bit… She won’t become a political genius only because some stupid Huns can’t wait to get at her throat. But I am happy to support increased personal security for her if the threats are deemed serious enough by the relevant authorities.

  31. Yes, Thorpe’s position (as spokesperson) will be untenable if she votes against the accepted party position.

    Will she have the integrity to step down – as any other Shadow/Minister would have to do in those circumstances?

  32. zoomster says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 8:34 am

    ….did a fact check.

    Can’t find the tweet nath refers to.
    _________

    Dave Pellowe
    @DavePellowe
    Replying to
    @SenatorThorpe
    Centuries (millennia?) of inter-tribal conflict, wars and invasions here began to end in 1788, & indigenous people can now generally expect to live 70 years instead of 40.

  33. Strong Indigenous leaders always act as lightning rods for racist hate. Prior to around 1940 they were hunted down and either murdered or jailed.

    Social media has made the situation incredibly worse.

    Thorpe being a woman makes the situation worse.

    Her strength and her leadership are a massive lightning rod for Australian racists and misogynists.

    In that domain she should be supported by all decent people in Australia.

  34. I find the war and peace discussion peculiar.

    Australia is actually one of the most warlike countries in the world. We have just concluded a 20 year war that we lost.

  35. zoomster says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 8:39 am

    nath

    Thanks.

    Nope, not an argument anyone here has ever run.
    _______
    You objected to Thorpe asserting that Aboriginal Australia lived in ‘peace’. You do not complain when politicians refer to modern Australia as a ‘peaceful society’. The implications in that speak loudly.

  36. Alpo @ #35 Thursday, January 26th, 2023 – 8:36 am

    “nath says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 8:22 am
    I’ve been looking at the replies to Lidia Thorpe’s tweet and it is quite astounding the level of hate she attracts. Some really strong racist responses. Including the argument that Indigenous Australia was so warlike that it took the British invasion to establish a peaceful society. Are there some here doing extra work on her twitter feed?”

    nath, I never judge a politician by comparing him/her with much worse case scenarios, but with better ones!… Or are you ready to support Hitler only because his modus operandi might have been marginally more “civilised” than that of Attila the Hun?

    Thorpe is wrong, she is doing a disservice to the cause of Aboriginal recognition in the Constitution, and she is advancing Aboriginal welfare not a single bit… She won’t become a political genius only because some stupid Huns can’t wait to get at her throat. But I am happy to support increased personal security for her if the threats are deemed serious enough by the relevant authorities.

    I saw a piece last night that for the first time an NZ PM is going to need ongoing security.
    The hatred that Jacinda Arden was getting is truly frightening.
    I can imagine here, with the Murdoch orcs, Thorpe could/would need security.

  37. nath

    I agreed with you that all human societies contain some degree of violence.

    I pointed out a couple of truths – after all, even Lidia is campaigning for ‘Truth’ when it comes to Aboriginal affairs.

    The only implication is that I’m for truth telling over fairy tales.

  38. “zoomster says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 8:36 am
    Yes, Thorpe’s position (as spokesperson) will be untenable if she votes against the accepted party position.”

    I agree, and it’s not only the official party position, but also the position of the vast majority of Greens supporters. This is a serious issue for weak-as-piss Bandt.

  39. Boerwar @ #27 Thursday, January 26th, 2023 – 8:26 am

    Senator Thorpe is entirely and completely entitled to her views and to present them to the public. In many ways I support them.

    The Greens are entirely and completely entitled to manage their policy processes and their public presentation according to their values and their rules.

    Odd. My calendar says Australia Day. Does yours say April Fools day?

  40. zoomster says:
    Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 8:45 am

    nath

    I agreed with you that all human societies contain some degree of violence.
    _______
    You did more than that. You argued that Indigenous Australia was far more violent than modern Australia, having weapons lying around ready to go at an instant. As if we don’t, with guns, knives etc etc

    zoomster says:
    Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 3:58 pm

    Yeah, we all have weapons of war laying around, ready to go to fight in an instant…

  41. At the risk of being shouted down in a hail of rascist accusations (which I most certainly am not) those lovely poll numbers listed above will evaporate like a snowball on a hot Adelaide summers day if “Australia Day” is tampered with. I agree that FN people should be celebrated on a different day. But the queue of people lining up for ice and drinks at the drive-thru, the packed supermarkets yesterday loaded with burgers and snags, the party tents going up, point to a day people enjoy and celebrate. I saw suggestions about moving Aust Day to May 27th….4 days before the beginning of winter down here in the southern half of the country……Do you think that will go down well?…If the ALP supporters are worried about going back on the S3 tax cuts and fear a backlash….then moving Australia day will cause a Tsunami.

  42. Australia day must be moved to correct the racist wrong done by lying little Johnnie Howard.
    It is a yearly statement that if you are a First Nations person YOU don’t count.

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