Newspoll: 54-46 to Labor (open thread)

Anthony Albanese’s personal ratings continue to fall steadily to earth, but the latest Newspoll registers very strong support for the government’s proposed super reforms.

The Australian reports the first Newspoll in four weeks has Labor leading 54-46, in from 55-45 last time. The primary votes are Labor 37% (down one), Coalition 35% (up one), Greens 10% (down one) and One Nation 7% (up one). Anthony Albanese’s approval rating is down two to 55% and his disapproval is up five to 38%, and his lead on preferred prime minister is in from 56-26 to 54-28. We are told that Peter Dutton’s net rating is at minus 11 – he was at 36% approval and 46% disapproval last time (UPDATE: Now 37% approval and 48% disapproval).

The poll also finds very strong support for the proposed changes to taxation of superannuation, which the question goes to some lengths to explain. Sixty-four per cent registered support for the idea, with only 29% opposed, with breakdowns viewable here finding the proposal seemingly scoring well with every constituency other than journalists.

The poll was conducted Wednesday to Saturday from a sample of 1530.

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.

1,108 comments on “Newspoll: 54-46 to Labor (open thread)”

Comments Page 2 of 23
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  1. [Also reposted from last thread]

    Ukrainian territory: 603,628 sq.km.
    Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia on Feb 23, 2022: approx. 42,000 sq.km. (7.0%)
    Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia now: approx. 108,600 sq.km. (18.0%)
    Net Russian territorial gain since Feb 24, 2022: approx. 66,600 sq.km
    Net Russian territorial gain since Feb 24, 2022, per Russian KIA: approx. 435 sq.m.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine

    Putin values each Russian soldier he has sacrificed in his needless, wrongful invasion of Ukraine at only a smallish suburban block in metropolitan Australia.

    To put it another way, at the rate of territorial acquisition per Russian soldier expended displayed in this war so far, Putin would have to sacrifice a little over 1,290,000 soldiers to conquer all of Ukraine.

  2. Rents have gone up by a lot in the last 15 months because of rapid population growth (read migration policies), a possibly temporary COVID-19 trend towards more space, and supply limitations. My rent went up 20% in an annual reset. That’s the market rate in most of Brisbane, and really most of Australia if you look at the stats. I have an adequate salary so I am not suffering beyond less luxuries. But people on lesser incomes, let alone Newstart or Pensioners who are renters are suffering horribly. The long term solution is more supply but in the short term, population growth needs to be contained.

  3. Historyintime,
    It’s not immigration putting up your rent. It’s literally rent seeking behavior from landlords. Realtors share information on occupancy and rent rates. This allows them to collude and drive up rents as a cartel. No one left right or center has the stones to address the issue. Because wholesale market intervention doesn’t look good on the resume.

  4. “… finding the [super] proposal seemingly scoring well with every constituency other than journalists.“

    Indeed. 😉

  5. Steve777: “Meanwhile, Albo’s support (PPM, approval, 2PP) drops by amounts well within the margin of error …”

    Albo’s approval is down two to 55% and his disapproval is up five to 38% … well *outside* the margin of error.

    His net approval is down seven points.

  6. Albo, Tanya
    I would have got a vote and I would have voted for Albo.
    1) The pathetic Australian press crucified Gillard for being a women. The same pathetic lot would have crucified her and her husband.
    2) Albo came across as a leader who knew how to run a team. Still does.

    Super
    Well that is over, sensible change, sensible time table. Press jumping up and down looking like a bunch of idiots. Wonder how long that lasts. What happens next, they hold their breath until they turn purple.

  7. Historyintime
    Rent is going up in Brisbane because the city is getting ready for the Olympics. Its the place to be if your an Engineer and want a job.

  8. frednk,
    The whole thing was a storm in a teacup. All so Peter Dutton could get his ugly mug out there with his Liberal lies and for the media to write copious copy about. Oh, and for the trolls under the Bludger bridge to feast on.

    Anyway, the government have set a new precedent now that they can go on with. When it comes to Budget repair, target the most egregious rorts and the electorate will come with you. Thn give them the option of voting against it at the election.

  9. Federal Labor/Albanese honeymoon continues and continues despite the corrupt media hacks claiming the honeymoon is over

  10. Player One says:
    Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 10:26 pm

    Snappy Tom @ #15 Sunday, March 5th, 2023 – 10:12 pm

    … from her eco-prepper compound …

    It just burns you people, doesn’t it?

    Um, no. 😐

    I live surrounded by a National Park, I can walk across the road to a bay beach, up over the hill is a pristine ocean beach and I’m only about an hour away from Sydney by a fast train. Oh, and I’m a million miles away from you, Player One. Life could not be better. 🙂

  11. So despite the Murdochracy going bats@#t crazy over minimal alterations to superannuation for 0.5% of the most wealthy for the past fortnight, the impact has been negligible, yet again. Still not reading the room are they? 64% of those polled support the changes and even a majority of Coalition voters support the changes.

    And yet Dutton still maintains he’d overturn the changes in the hypothetical alternative universe in which he’d win the next election. I literally have tears running down my cheeks laughing at the Coalition’s ongoing stupidity. And thanks again to Angus Taylor too for his perceptive assistance during this period. To think he may be the next Opposition Leader. 😆

  12. Under the heading of ‘Comments with a short shelf life’, Just a reminder of Michelle Grattan’s article two days ago.

    “If we shed the cloak of cynicism, where has this week’s “tweak” of one of the superannuation tax breaks left policy and politics? As a policy change, the government’s decision is well-based but has been poorly executed.”

    Or not poorly executed apparently according to the evidence.

    Somebody else continues to be badly out of touch with the new paradigm, eh Michelle?

    “Newspoll has found that a whopping 70 per cent of voters under the age of 50 give the plan the tick of approval.”

    https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-trimming-the-tail-of-the-superannuation-tax-tiger-is-no-easy-task-200996

    https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/newspoll-finds-majority-backs-albaneses-planned-millionaire-super-tax/news-story/afd46b3ad9e7967d6041505ca2d7b6c6

  13. This one is going to get on nath’s tits, or is that man boobs? 😀
    His favourite bunch of money grubbing mates, the Retail and Fast Food Workers ‘Union’, have had the federal government and IR Minister, Tony Bourke, come over the top of them in a court case they and Shines Lawyers were running against Maccas for unpaid meal breaks … because … Shines were going to keep 25% (!) of the settlement for themselves, and who knows how much of a kickback the RAFFWU were going to get as a result? Anyway, the Shoppies have joined the case and they have declared that they will be giving 100% of the settlement monies to the workers.

    Burke said the government had decided to back the SDA because it wanted any compensation awarded by the court to go back to workers, claiming that Shine would clip as much as 25 per cent of the proceeds in fees if its case was successful.

    The SDA is seeking up to $250 million compensation on behalf of more than 250,000 current and former McDonald’s workers, alleging the company and its franchisees denied them paid breaks in breach of an enterprise agreement.

    “The problem is this, if the litigation law firm claim takes over, then all the costs that law firm claims and the percentages that they claim come straight off the balance of what the workers would otherwise get. And so, I’ve taken the view, and the government’s taken the view, that we need to intervene in this case,” Burke told Sky News on Sunday.

    Burke accused Shine Lawyers of making the same claim as the SDA, but for a lower amount and covering fewer workers, describing the union’s case as the “original claim”, prompting Shine Lawyers to accuse him of making false assertions.

    “To have a situation now where something in the order of 25 per cent of an underpayment claim might not get to the workers, that’s something the government has an interest in,” Burke said.

    “So, we’ll be turning up to court and making the legal case as to why the case from the union – where the workers would get 100 per cent of the funds – is the one that should be allowed to proceed.”

    Shine Lawyers, which is working with SDA’s rival, the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union, said it was not appropriate to comment while the matter before the court, but said the firm had commenced its class action process before the SDA had launched its suit.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/burke-backs-shoppies-union-over-rival-in-mcdonald-s-wages-stoush-20230305-p5cpjn.html

  16. Morning all. Am I correct in understanding the Newspoll has a majority (54%) of Liberal supporters in favour of the super cap?

  17. The retail guru angel to Harvey Norman’s, Gerry Harvey, devil, Dick Smith, is back with some advice for the PM:

    “I think Albo’s a good bloke, and I reckon he’d appreciate some light reading.”

    There was even a slightly subtle policy-related message for the PM. Smith’s book has a chapter called “Don’t complain about your tax”, which is a plea for more taxes on the wealthy.

    “I’ve always been pro the wealthy paying more tax,” he said. “Rich Australians, including myself, can and should pay more.”

    Smith says he hasn’t heard any feedback from the Lodge, although recently announced tax increases for superannuation balances of over $3 million suggest that even if the PM isn’t listening, he and Dick might be on the same page.

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/tax-the-rich-dick-smith-s-message-for-anthony-albanese-20230305-p5cpj9.html

  18. Yes, Soc. And more Labor than supposedly Leftier, Greens. The 1% difference is probably Greens’ voters with big Super balances like Rex Douglas. 😉

  19. the proposal seemingly scoring well with every constituency other than journalists

    Once again the media isn’t reflecting either the interests or the views of the public.

  20. Word of warning.

    The NewsPoll on attitude to super changes was taken before Angus Taylor’s masterclass on Insiders yesterday. 🙂

    However there is another poll on super changes – this one of ‘AFR Readers’… which you could treat as a focus group of the well-heeled..

    The regular survey of 673 Financial Review readers found that 61 per cent supported the government policy, 35 per cent did not and 4 per cent were unsure.

    More than 60 per cent of readers said they did not support Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s pledge to repeal the increased super tax rate for balances over $3 million if elected in 2025.

    More than two-thirds of Financial Review readers supported indexing the new tax cap – which is not part of the current policy – to stop more people getting pushed into the higher tax rate over time. Sixty-nine per cent of readers said the cap should be indexed, while 25 per cent don’t believe it should be and 6 per cent are unsure.

    “Quite clearly, on the basis of data provided by the ATO, certain individuals have been advised to exploit the superannuation system for other than its true purpose and have used the structure for estate planning and tax minimisation purposes,” one reader said.

    “That comes at a cost to the community that is unacceptable. At 30 per cent it is still materially cheaper than the tax rate that would apply outside super, so there is still some benefit, but not as much. In my view there ought to be an additional tier at, say, $100 million where the top personal tax rate is paid. Both this figure and the $3 million lower threshold ought to be indexed to CPI.”

    “Dutton does not learn and adapt. The previous Liberal government left a large deficit. The present government has to find revenue to deal with this deficit and try and meet the needs of the electorate, Not an easy task,” one reader said.

    https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/afr-readers-support-super-cap-but-say-it-should-be-indexed-20230305-p5cpif

  21. And in yet another case of well-deserved schadenfreude, it seems PETA Credlin didn’t get the superannuation memo either. 😆

    “ Labor’s superannuation tax increase is a case study in how not to make policy. First, it’s a broken promise. Second, it wasn’t well thought through. And third, no one can explain it.”

    Seems the voters had no trouble whatsoever understanding the well thought through and easily explained changes.

    Paywalled (don’t bother wasting your reading time)

    https://www.couriermail.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CMWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.couriermail.com.au%2Fnews%2Fopinion%2Fcredlin-super-tax-confusion-makes-government-look-incompetent-and-dishonest%2Fnews-story%2Fd1c34a039dab4e315c75e8d3d8c0ae37&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-groupb-test-noscore&V21spcbehaviour=append

  22. Maybe there’s going to be an upset on the cards at the NSW election for the Liberal Party, just across the water on the Northern Beaches?

    The claim that betting odds are better barometers of an electorate’s mood than opinion polls is a bit of an urban myth.

    For more evidence, look no further than Sportsbet, who were offering a staggering $51 for independent Northern Beaches mayor Michael Regan to nab the state seat of Wakehurst from the Liberals.

    Now Wakehurst might look safely Liberal but Regan – who says he’s not a teal but certainly looks like one, and has endorsements from MPs Sophie Scamps and Zali Steggall to prove it – is making things rather tight. Plus the Liberals just seem a little … resigned.

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/tax-the-rich-dick-smith-s-message-for-anthony-albanese-20230305-p5cpj9.html

    Poor candidate choice by the Liberals, again (they went for another highly religious male), could be their undoing.

  24. C@tmomma says:
    Monday, March 6, 2023 at 6:50 am
    Yes, Soc. And more Labor than supposedly Leftier, Greens. The 1% difference is probably Greens’ voters with big Super balances like Rex Douglas.
    ———————————————————————————————

    C@T I feel sure I recall Rex strongly warning Albo and Chalmers of the dangers of making changes to superannuation. Rex also very badly out of touch with voters and how Australians think.

  25. Cronus,
    When an AFR reader says this you know you haven’t read the room:

    “Dutton does not learn and adapt. The previous Liberal government left a large deficit. The present government has to find revenue to deal with this deficit and try and meet the needs of the electorate, Not an easy task,” one reader said.

  26. C@t:

    Most of those traditionally safe, north shore electorates are held for the Liberals by white men. When they acknowledge they need to boost their ranks with more women, they reserve the marginal or trending towards marginal electorates for them, but parachute the blokes into their safe seats.

  28. Sean Kelly in the SMH has sipped on the kool-aid of out-of-touch journalism. He believes people take notice of the Opposition and media hysteria… and hand-wrings

    The government wants to “start a discussion”, it is always telling us, and action is better than words for doing so. The opposition is desperate for something, anything, to attack on. The media can be forgiven for giving attention to something the prime minister and treasurer decided to announce together.

    The point is not that any of them were, individually, mistaken. The point is the awful place the country has reached, together, made obvious in a plain description of the facts: a government doing very little, facing an opposition determined to oppose that very little, judged by a media willing to describe that very little as huge.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-seems-incapable-of-change-but-one-thing-gives-me-hope-20230305-p5cpgg.html

  29. Confessions..

    The regular survey of 673 Financial Review readers found that 61 per cent supported the government policy

  30. Confessions @ #76 Monday, March 6th, 2023 – 7:03 am

    C@t:

    Most of those traditionally safe, north shore electorates are held for the Liberals by white men. When they acknowledge they need to boost their ranks with more women, they reserve the marginal or trending towards marginal electorates for them, but parachute the blokes into their safe seats.

    … And then lose them … to women. 😀

  31. C@tmomma says:
    Monday, March 6, 2023 at 7:02 am
    Cronus,
    When an AFR reader says this you know you haven’t read the room:

    “Dutton does not learn and adapt. The previous Liberal government left a large deficit. The present government has to find revenue to deal with this deficit and try and meet the needs of the electorate, Not an easy task,” one reader said.
    ———————————————————————————

    A huge OUCH to Dutton from an AFR reader.

  32. Sprocket

    Re Kelly, would somebody please give that man a mirror, he seriously needs to do some reflecting on the media and it’s ongoing atrocious role. How unselfaware can he be?

  34. “ Australia is negotiating its most lucrative defence export deal, with the German army planning to buy hundreds of Queensland-made armoured vehicles as Berlin builds up its military in response to Russian aggression.
    Talks over the deal, which could be worth up to $3 billion, are well advanced between the Australian and German governments, and expected to support thousands of jobs in south-east Queensland and across the broader supply chain nationally. The first of the Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles could be delivered to Germany next year.

    A worthwhile development for Australia.

    Paywalled
    https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/germany-in-talks-to-buy-3b-of-australian-weaponry-20230305-p5cpfy

  35. Just incredible. These people are utterly shameless.

    A scandal-ridden NSW government rail corporation became so worried that it would be scrapped after the state election that it designed a package worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for its senior executives.

    Confidential documents obtained by the Herald reveal that the board of the rail corporation, which was set up to artificially inflate the NSW budget, also sought a generous bonus scheme for chief executive Benedicte Colin and her executive team.

    They show the board of the Transport Asset Holding Entity (TAHE) approved the redundancy scheme for Colin and her senior team on June 23 last year, the day after the government got wind of Labor’s plans to abolish the rail entity if it wins the March state election.

    Under the changes, Colin would have been eligible for a redundancy payout of at least $272,000 – equal to 24 weeks of her $589,375-a-year salary – if it was wound up or faced any other “significant change in government policy”.

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/rail-board-approved-lavish-executive-payout-fearing-labor-election-win-20230305-p5cpgz.html

  36. Good morning Dawn Patrollers

    Here’s Simon Benson’s turd-polishing report on the latest Newspoll results.
    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/newspoll-superannuation-a-win-with-voters-but-anthony-albanese-made-to-pay/news-story/ec2e5fb3a180bb527f8712011ac6cad8?amp
    Australia has created a small-target strategy for itself: one in which any serious reform is undermined, political debate is infantilised and the trivial is catastrophised, writes Sean Kelly who is spot on with his assessment.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-seems-incapable-of-change-but-one-thing-gives-me-hope-20230305-p5cpgg.html
    “The inquiry into the Reserve Bank, due to report this month, will be disappointing if it does no more than suggest modest improvements in the way it does its job. The question it should answer is: should we give so much responsibility to an institution with such a limited instrument – interest rates – and with such a narrow focus?”, writes Ross Gittins.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/why-the-rba-inquiry-should-propose-something-much-better-20230305-p5cphp.html
    Ruling out scrapping the $48 billion a year capital gains tax break on the sale of family homes limits the genuine conversation we need to have about overhauling the tax system, says the editorial in the AFR.
    https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/we-have-tax-politics-not-reform-of-taxation-20230301-p5coln
    Matt O’Sullivan and Adele Ferguson reveal that the scandal-ridden NSW government rail corporation became so worried that it would be scrapped after the state election that it designed a package worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for its senior executives.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/rail-board-approved-lavish-executive-payout-fearing-labor-election-win-20230305-p5cpgz.html
    The failure of government to prevent Robodebt is a timely reminder of the importance of a functioning and effective public service, writes Paul Begley.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/robodebt-scandal-shows-a-public-service-in-abject-decline-,17290
    At the end of the day, it seems that the politicians and senior public servants focused more on the political outcome than the process. The Royal Commission is currently scheduled to report on 30 June. Let’s hope it brings some peace to the those that have been adversely affected by this illegal Coalition scheme, says the AIMN.
    https://theaimn.com/no-minister-thats-illegal/
    Alan Kohler thinks that to defeat climate change, Australia must do the impossible.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2023/03/06/climate-carbon-target-kohler/
    Anyone who has worked closely with media mogul Rupert Murdoch comes away with two abiding impressions, says Bruce Dover.
    https://johnmenadue.com/the-murdoch-pragmatists/
    Henry Belot tells us that Australia Post considered scrapping controversial bonus payments to its executives last year, internal documents reveal, but the organisation’s board eventually decided they were needed to “incentivise” senior staff.
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/mar/06/australia-post-paid-millions-in-bonuses-to-senior-staff-after-board-deemed-them-appropriate
    Lisa Visentin writes that independent MP Sophie Scamps is pushing for all major government-appointed jobs to be chosen through an independent panel process, stepping up pressure on Labor to do more to end the jobs-for-mates culture that has pervaded federal agencies and tribunals.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/mp-pushes-for-new-laws-to-end-jobs-for-mates-culture-20230303-p5cp5z.html
    Woodside’s decision to push ahead with its US hydrogen project shows the Inflation Reduction Act’s impact. Australia must respond, but big handouts aren’t the only answer, says the AFR’s Chanticleer.
    https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/biden-s-548b-green-plan-is-already-changing-asx-investments-20230303-p5cpag
    Victoria’s outgoing anti-corruption chief has called on the Andrews government to share power with the opposition and crossbench as part of a proposed overhaul of influential parliamentary committees. Outgoing Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission boss Robert Redlich made the request in December in his parting missive to parliament’s lower house speaker and upper house president.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/i-m-not-the-mailman-war-of-words-and-shroud-of-secrecy-over-ibac-boss-s-final-letter-20230302-p5cov9.html
    The cover-ups began immediately following Veronica Nelson’s death and continued for years after, even while the coronial inquest into her passing was under way, write Ali Besiroglu and Crystal McKinnon.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/cover-ups-and-justice-failures-in-veronica-nelson-s-death-20230305-p5cpjo.html
    The SMH editorial urges governments to act now on the enduring disgrace of Indigenous deaths in custody.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/act-now-on-enduring-disgrace-of-indigenous-deaths-in-custody-20230305-p5cpkm.html
    The receivers of collapse freight giant Scott’s Refrigerated Logistics says it cannot provide assurances that food will continue to be supplied to its customers, some of the country’s largest supermarkets, after last-minute attempts to sell the company were unsuccessful.
    https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/scott-s-receivers-say-they-can-t-guarantee-supermarket-supply-20230305-p5cpj1
    Defence’s defeat on the French Submarine was an extraordinary victory for a small group of dedicated professionals. Defence’s counterattack with the nuclear submarines under the aegis of AUKUS reeks of the same old problems, opines Bruce Mountford,
    https://johnmenadue.com/ssns-a-second-best-solution-for-defence/
    Nick Bonyhady and Sarah Danckert explain how the corporate regulator ASIC is using an automated system to dismiss allegations of serious wrongdoing by company directors in as little as 38 seconds, allowing thousands of bosses who oversaw failed firms to escape scrutiny over the past five years.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/gone-in-38-seconds-regulator-using-ai-to-reject-serious-criminal-complaints-20230303-p5cp7d.html
    Jordan Baker reports that the largest study of Catholic women in the church’s 2000-year history has found they are hungry for reform. They resent their lack of decision-making power, want to follow their consciences on sex and contraception, and think the church should be more inclusive of the diverse and the divorced.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/sick-of-it-catholic-women-vent-frustration-over-sex-power-and-abuse-20230303-p5cp6r.html
    Victorian children are exposed to saturation levels of gambling advertising, with sports-betting companies bombarding TV channels with an average of more than 900 ads a day, according to the official gambling harm adviser. Children and young adults now intrinsically associate betting with sport, a report by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation has warned.
    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/900-gambling-ads-per-day-sports-betting-normalised-for-children-20230301-p5comb.html
    Boris Johnson is peddling new lies in a desperate attempt to save his skin, writes Andrew Rawnsley.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/05/boris-johnson-peddling-new-lies-desperate-attempt-save-skin

    Cartoon Corner

    Peter Broelman

    John Shakespeare


    Megan Herbert

    Glen Le Lievre

    Mark Knight

    Leak

    From the US






  37. so it seems the supper changis did not effect the news pole result then again the 2016 changis were more radicle then labors

  39. Simon Tisdall in The Guardian, as ever, is right on the money, highlighting that NATO is in a existential fight against Russia over the future of democracy and international law, whether it wants to be or not:

    “It’s a great pity, in truth, that the US president, Joe Biden, and European leaders were not bolder, earlier, in providing tanks and other advanced weaponry. Ukraine is still waiting for fighter planes to enforce no-fly zones and prevent air raids. Much foreseeable suffering and destruction might have been avoided had a too cautious Nato acted sooner and with more grit. …

    … Differences persist, meanwhile, over Ukraine’s ambition to join Nato. The country’s defence minister, Oleksii Reznikov, argues it is already a member de facto. Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, worried about triggering a wider war, demurs. This is irrational. Putin has shown he needs no excuse to up the ante. Kyiv should be given all the security assurances it requires – and to which it is legally entitled under the 1994 Budapest memorandum.

    This question leads back to the fundamental dilemma of the “new Nato”. Is it still purely a defensive alliance? Or will its leaders accept the inherent logic of the emerging situation? That is to say, Putin’s continuing military, geopolitical and rhetorical escalations, and the deepening involvement of individual western nations, mean Nato’s unassertive, semi-detached posture is no longer tenable or practicable, if indeed it ever was.

    It’s not just about Ukraine. The western democracies must accept that the wider, head-on confrontation with Moscow that they have striven in vain to avoid is now upon them, exploding around their ears. Putin is mobilising Russian society for a second great patriotic war. He is going all out. French “ifs”, German “buts” and American “maybes” are increasingly unaffordable.

    This is a fight the west cannot afford to lose – but cannot hope to win while a chronically reactive Nato, unsure of its purpose and aims, pulls its punches and lets Putin set the pace.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/05/nato-putin-fight-russia-ukraine-war-pulling-punches

    I want to highlight the great betrayal of Ukraine by Russia, first and foremost, but also by the US and the UK, over the promises they made to get Ukraine to hand over its nuclear arsenal to Russia in 1994. All three promised to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and to secure Ukraine from any threats to that integrity. Russia directly attacked Ukraine; the US and UK have been tardy and half-hearted in their efforts to defend Ukraine. Russia’s crime is worse, but the US and UK have not lived up to their end of the bargain either.

  41. BK says:
    Monday, March 6, 2023 at 7:35 am
    Cronus
    And the big question is whether or not he settles some scores.
    ———————————————————————————

    I do hope so. My bad.

  42. “Former Nine political editor Chris Uhlmann says he doesn’t miss the toxic Canberra playpen ‘at all’, and has instead embarked on a new career: writing children’s books.”

    How will we be able to tell the difference?

    Paywalled
    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia%2Fabc-to-air-israel-folau-documentary-after-mysterious-axing-last-november%2Fnews-story%2Fc7d567b13de582ca8c329ac8f9fcad2e&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-groupb-control-noscore&V21spcbehaviour=append

  43. I had the Liberal candidate for Wakehurst, running against the Independent, Michael reagan, wrong. The Liberal candidate is the one sitting on the board of Clubs NSW. The pale, male, and stale Christian Liberal candidate for the Liberals is running in the adjoining seat of Pittwater.

  45. Super fund members with balances over $3 million are set to miss out on a tax break for capital gains under the government’s proposal.

  46. “The inquiry into the Reserve Bank, due to report this month, will be disappointing if it does no more than suggest modest improvements in the way it does its job. The question it should answer is: should we give so much responsibility to an institution with such a limited instrument – interest rates – and with such a narrow focus?”, writes Ross Gittins.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/why-the-rba-inquiry-should-propose-something-much-better-20230305-p5cphp.html

    There was a good report on this last night on 60 Minutes. Inter alia, one of its interviewees said there were better ways than using the interest rate cudgel on those that can least afford it. And that was, getting back to the topic du jour, making large corporations and multinationals pay more tax. The Economics professor from America who was interviewed said that governments had been allowing them to get away with paying too little in tax for too long.

  48. UnOz: With news over night of another round of dreadful polling numbers for Opposition leader Peter Dutton there is talk amongst the Liberals of a potential leadership spill. Some challengers have been working the phones to shore up numbers, whilst deputy leader Sussan Ley has booked in some time with her numerologist to see if they believe that she has the numbers.

    ”Numerology has just been the greatest addition to my life,” said the deputy leader. ”Before, I was Susan who got nowhere. Now I’m Sussan who’s deputy leader of the unpopular Liberal party.”
    When asked if she would challenge the Dark Lord Peter Dutton for the leadership, Sussan said: ”Peter has my full support and as long as he wants to be leader and Rupert supports him as leader then I will not challenge.” ”However, you never know when the tea leaves will change. Which probably explains why Peter has banned tea in all Opposition meetings.”

  49. Hh
    IMO, the Libs would be OK with the Dutton and Albanese trends, ATM.
    They will be thinking that the MSM and the hip pocket nerve will do the rest.
    IMO, Dutton has around 22 months left to play with.
    Albanese will go to full term.
    If the Greens consistently score around 10% Bandt is the most likely to be served notice.

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