The Age/Herald has results from Resolve Strategic on the Indigenous Voice (hopefully to be followed shortly by voting intention results) finding effectively no change since it last asked in late February and early March, with yes steady at 46%, no down one to 31% and undecided steady on 22% (the total falling short of 100% on this occasion due to rounding). Respondents were also given the question without an undecided option, with the sample breaking 58-42 in favour. The accompanying report says a “rolling track of surveys over the past two months, using a larger sample size to allow a state-by-state breakdown, shows a majority in favour of the Voice in each state as well as nationwide”. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Sunday from a sample of 1609.
A second result on the Indigenous Voice emerges from the latest fortnightly Essential Research poll, as reported in The Guardian, showing 60% in favour and 40% opposed. However, “hard no” was up three to 26% and “soft no” was down three to 14%, while hard yes was down one to 32% and soft yes was steady at 27%. Essential had hitherto been tracking traditional personal ratings only for Anthony Albanese (as distinct from a separate series in which respondents are invited to rate the leaders on a scale from zero to ten), but this time there are results for Peter Dutton, who records 36% approval and 44% disapproval. Anthony Albanese is down one on approval to 51% and up one on disapproval to 36%. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Sunday from a sample of 1136 – other results, including voting intention, should be available later today.
UPDATE: Essential’s voting intention numbers have both Labor and the Coalition up a point on the primary vote, to 34% and 31% respectively, with the Greens and One Nation steady on 14% and 6%, from numbers which include a 4% undecided component, down one. The pollster’s 2PP+ measure has Labor down one to 52%, the Coalition up one to 43% and undecided down one to 4%. Also featured was a series of questions in which respondents were asked to rate Labor and the Coalition according to eight attributes, which produced an effective tie for “trying to divide the country” but was otherwise consistently more favourable for Labor than the Coalition.
Thanks William
These polls reflect what I’d have expected and hoped for at this stage. Again, the No advocates threw a lot of rubbish arguments at the Yes vote last week to no apparent avail. Perhaps they were fishing for arguments and themes that might stick but few if any obviously cut through.
One constant refrain I have heard though when discussing The Voice with people is “can we just get this over and done with, it seems to be taking a long time”.
From previous thread:
Guardian Essential poll
VOICE: support by party affiliation
Greens: 81% [+4]
Labor: 76% [-2]
Coalition: 41% [-2]
Indies / Minors: 45% [+4]
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/18/guardian-essential-poll-indigenous-voice-retains-majority-support-but-sees-opposition-harden
From previous thread:
Guardian Essential poll
When no voters were asked why they oppose the voice:
• 59% said it “won’t make a real difference to the lives of ordinary Indigenous Australians”
• 41% said it “will give Indigenous Australians rights and privileges that other Australians don’t have”.
Voters were split on Dutton and the Liberals’ motives in opposing the voice:
• 52% accusing them of “just playing politics”
• 48% think their concerns are “genuine”.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/18/guardian-essential-poll-indigenous-voice-retains-majority-support-but-sees-opposition-harden
“Don’t know? Vote no.”
Everything old is new again:
“The Know Nothing party was a nativist political party and movement in the United States in the mid-1850s.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Nothing
Photographer admits prize-winning image was AI-generated
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/17/photographer-admits-prize-winning-image-was-ai-generated
UnAustralian: The Opposition’s Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Barnaby Joyce has condemned Senator Lidia Thorpe after she was banned for life from a Melbourne strip club, with the Member for New England telling Senator Thorpe that she needs to respect strip club etiquette.
”A lot of people blow in to Canberra and think they can shake things up, and that the law doesn’t apply to them,” said Mr Joyce. ”The strip club is a hallowed place. How dare Senator Thorpe think she can stroll on in, and insult patrons’ manhoods?!” ”I tell you – senators these days have no respect, no family values.”
When asked if it was a bit hypocritical for him to be casting aspersions on other parliamentarians’ behaviour, the Member for New England said: ”I am a family guy now. Don’t believe me? Then go and ask one of my families.”
One constant refrain I have heard though when discussing The Voice with people is “can we just get this over and done with, it seems to be taking a long time”.
Sounds like the SSM Plebiscite. The Coalition thought if they run around for long enough finding reasons to diss it that people would eventually agree with them. When the fact of the matter was that it hardened the resolve of people to vote for it. I think the same thing will happen with the Voice.
#weatheronPB
Cool golden light streams,
under an unbroken sky,
mastering the peace.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Shane Wright reports that Jim Chalmers has been warned that the economy is on a knife-edge, as a forecast consumer recession centred on NSW and Victoria threatens to push up unemployment while hundreds of thousands of home buyers struggle with rising mortgage repayments.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/gloomiest-outlook-yet-economy-on-knife-edge-and-facing-consumer-recession-says-deloitte-20230417-p5d11i.html
Nick Toscano and Mike Foley write that the gas industry is bracing for the threat of a fifth market intervention since December as Jim Chalmers warns Australians may not be getting a reasonable return from exports of their natural resources and weighs raising taxes on surging profits.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/gas-giants-face-tax-rise-threat-as-chalmers-flags-resource-rent-reform-20230417-p5d12n.html
An overhaul of Australia’s capital gains tax system could improve the budget by $5 billion annually, with leading economists throwing their weight behind a return to indexing investment returns to inflation as part of a broader package of tax reform, writes Michael Read.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/capital-gains-tax-hike-would-raise-5b-20230413-p5d04n
James Massola says that Peter Dutton is expected to unveil a frontbench shake up on Tuesday, with two Indigenous senators tipped to be promoted to assistant ministers in the run-up to the Voice referendum.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-poised-to-unveil-voice-led-reshuffle-promoting-two-indigenous-senators-20230417-p5d16z.html
Former Tasmanian Liberal premier Peter Gutwein has savaged his party federally, accusing Peter Dutton of dividing Australians and federal Liberal MPs of “atrocious” undermining of the state’s current premier.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/dutton-dividing-australia-liberal-expremier-peter-gutwein/news-story/e5a63aa015b54176d42a0b26990ea7b4?amp
A rather dispirited Greg Sheridan doesn’t think the Liberal party is going in the right direction and he gives them some advice,
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/liberal-mps-still-lack-respect-for-party-values/news-story/9fbbb18f0425f9ac15ec813adfa3985a?amp
Matthew Knott tells us about the escalating feud between Wong and Keating.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/he-diminished-his-legacy-penny-wong-paul-keating-escalate-feud-20230417-p5d0xh.html
Penny Wong is not intimidated by China, nor its local cheerleader, says Peter Hartcher.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/penny-wong-is-not-intimidated-by-china-nor-its-local-cheerleader-20230416-p5d0ud.html
Bill Shorten is flagging a “reboot” of the $34bn-a-year National Disability Insurance Scheme, saying it has “lost its way” and isn’t delivering the results nearly 600,000 people with disability who rely on the scheme deserve. In an address to the National Press Club today, the NDIS Minister says he will intensify the crackdown on fraud and unethical practices to ensure all taxpayer funding is being spent on participants and not finding its way into the pockets of criminals.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/ndis-needs-a-reboot-to-support-people-with-disability-bill-shorten/news-story/6a1de05d45211b4ad366d207f5500692?amp
Phil Coorey writes that the Albanese government has conceded that the National Disability Insurance Scheme has “lost its way” and needs far greater reform than just weeding out crooks to ensure it remains sustainable.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/ndis-has-lost-its-way-labor-concedes-20230417-p5d0y2
An estimate that transmission projects could cost up to 40 per cent more than thought has further stoked worries about the burden of the transition on consumers, explains Angela Macdonald-Smith.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/blowout-feared-in-transmission-costs-as-transition-worries-grow-20230417-p5d0z9
The rape investigation into former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann was underpinned from the beginning by tension between ACT Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions, a high-powered inquiry has heard, as it prepares to scrutinise the conduct of the authorities during the abandoned trial. Lisa Visentin fills us in on the first day.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/tension-distrust-between-act-police-and-prosecution-in-lehrmann-trial-20230417-p5d0yz.html
The chief executive of the National Mental Health Commission has stepped aside while the federal government launches an investigation into claims of bullying and dysfunction at the agency. Natassia Chrtsanthos’s description of what has been alleged is a bit concerning.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/mental-health-commission-ceo-steps-aside-amid-investigation-20230417-p5d15z.html
According to Annika Smethurst, Victoria’s housing minister received advice about reducing the risks for home building customers months before one of the nation’s largest home builders collapsed, but he failed to boost consumer protections.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/housing-minister-warned-of-risks-months-before-porter-davis-collapse-20230417-p5d12e.html
Fortunately, another home builder has signed on to complete close to 400 unfinished Porter Davis properties. Liquidators Grant Thornton on Monday confirmed Nostra Property Group had entered into a sales agreement for Porter Davis’ multiple dwelling business. Nostra will complete up to 375 town houses, 169 of which haven’t been started yet, as well as offer ongoing employment to 16 Porter Davis staff.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2023/04/17/nostra-porter-davis-homes/
The findings of a secret corruption probe into the role of Premier Daniel Andrews and his advisers in awarding two grants worth $3.4 million to a Labor-linked union on the eve of the 2018 election will be revealed tomorrow.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/ibac-probe-into-premier-daniel-andrews-to-be-revealed-20230417-p5d12t.html
Efforts to dud Timor of its oil and gas are still kept secret as today’s justice system still covers up for Howard government machinations 23 years ago. Rex Patrick reports on his journey to reveal the truth and the real reason for the secrecy.
https://michaelwest.com.au/secret-injustice-for-timor-leste-the-aat-reveals-more-than-intended-but-still-not-the-facts/
Lidia Thorpe has been banned for life from a strip club in Melbourne’s inner north after she was filmed yelling profanities at a group of men outside the venue in the early hours of Sunday morning.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/lidia-thorpe-banned-from-melbourne-strip-club-for-life-after-3am-fracas-20230417-p5d11p.html
Bloomberg describes the $12.4 trillion debt bomb ticking away in China.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/china-has-a-12-4-trillion-elephant-in-the-room-20230417-p5d0xi.html
Conservatives love judicial activism – as long as the law is moved in their favour, says Jill Filipovic.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/17/conservatives-judicial-activism-abortion-mifepristone
Bill Waman tells us why the Fox News face-off is the trial of the century. He refers to the bizarre effect Fox News has had on American life. The bubble that its viewers live in is filled with an ever-changing melange of lies, obfuscations, half-truths, conspiracy theories and other miscellaneous nonsense.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/why-the-fox-news-face-off-is-the-trial-of-the-century-20230416-p5d0um.html
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s rape trial will begin next week as scheduled after a federal judge rejected a request for a one-month delay, saying the former president cannot make public statements to promote pre-trial publicity and then claim it is prejudicial to him and reason to delay.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/17/judge-rejects-trump-delay-request-trial
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
David Pope
Dionne Gain
Cathy Wilcox
Fiona Katauskas
Mark Knight
Spooner
From the US
It looks like Xi might have to put a visit to one of the family in jail in the US, on his itinerary during his next visit there:
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/two-arrested-setting-up-chinese-secret-police-station-in-new-york-20230418-p5d17b.html
Shocking as the recent reports of Russian soldiers beheading a Ukrainian POW have been, tragically such Russian atrocities have been rampant:
“Ukraine’s Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets told Ukrainska Pravda publication that over the past nine months, his office had received “several dozens” of videos allegedly showing executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war carried out by Russian soldiers.
“This is cutting off the head, the genitals, the ears, nose, limbs, phalanges on the hands,” Lubinets said in an interview published on April 17.
“Some (of the Russian soldiers) were verified. And I know that one person suffered punishment. I know they died during a clash with Ukrainian troops,” he added.
According to the ombudsman, Russia publicly distributes such videos to “maintain the degree of anti-Ukrainian hysteria” within Russian society, persuade its troops not to surrender, and intimidate Ukrainian soldiers preparing for a counteroffensive.
Earlier, Lubinets told the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that the alleged executions of captive Ukrainian soldiers that had appeared in videos circulating online would not affect Ukraine’s treatment of Russian POWs.”
https://kyivindependent.com/ombudsman-says-his-office-has-received-several-dozens-of-videos-with-alleged-executions-of-ukrainian-soldiers/
Remember, although it is obviously important that reports of these Russian atrocities not be swept under the carpet, in the interests of holding the depraved perpetrators to account, it is equally important to avoid viewing such material yourself. They are spread with the intention of furthering the aims of the terrorists who produce them, by paralysing opponents with feelings of fear and powerlessness. Don’t let them achieve that with you.
[#1 today]
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has called for the McCurtain County sheriff and multiple county officials to resign after leaked audio showed the county leaders discussing killing local reporters and lynching Black people.
Sheriff Kevin Clardy, his investigator Alicia Manning, Commissioners Mark Jennings and Robert Beck, commissioners’ secretary Heather Carter and jail administrator Larry Hendrix were speaking with each other after the March 6 meeting of the county Board of Commissioners, according to the McCurtain Gazette-News.
In a series of audio clips and transcripts released by the print-only newspaper, the county leaders begin with a discussion of a fire that killed Dannette Stoewe, 43, after she ran back inside to rescue her dogs from the burning building. In graphic detail, Clardy explains that the county had wrapped Stoewe’s body “up in tinfoil to preserve the body and stuff like that.
The discussion then devolves into a conversation around Jenning’s desire for a return of the days of lynching. Jennings said the nearly 20 people running for sheriff “don’t have a god— clue what they’re getting into.” “I’m gonna tell you something,” Jennings said. “If it was back in the day, when … Alan Marshton would take a damn Black guy and whoop their ass and throw him in the cell? I’d run for f—ing sheriff.” Clardy tells Jennings “it’s not like that no more.” “I know,” Jennings responds. “Take them down to Mud Creek and hang them up with a damn rope. But you can’t do that anymore. They got more rights than we got.”
Next, they begin discussing hiring hit men, and they specifically mention journalists Chris Willingham, the Gazette-News reporter who broke the story around the comments and is currently in litigation with Manning for defamation and civil rights violations, and Bruce Willingham.
It is not a wardance
Look at the shoes
so dutton seems to be strugiling appoiing little and price to junier roles shadow parliamentary secretaries is not going to help him
C@tmomma says:
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 6:53 am
One constant refrain I have heard though when discussing The Voice with people is “can we just get this over and done with, it seems to be taking a long time”.
Sounds like the SSM Plebiscite. The Coalition thought if they run around for long enough finding reasons to diss it that people would eventually agree with them. When the fact of the matter was that it hardened the resolve of people to vote for it. I think the same thing will happen with the Voice.
————————————
C@T
+1
The corrupt media and Dutton and his cronies have vey little going for them , when they do try things it’s backfires on them, and puts them under more pressure.
As if I want to read gore porn at 7:30 in the morning.
Vlad the Impaler 2.0
First-hand accounts, picked up from independent Russian media by the Kyiv Independent, by Wagner PMC soldiers of their brutal slaying of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children in (purportedly Russian-annexed) Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine:
“Two former mercenaries of Russia’s state-backed Wagner Group told Russian opposition media outlet Gulagu.net how they had allegedly killed dozens of Ukrainian civilians, including children, as well as prisoners of war when fighting in Donetsk Oblast.
Ex-prisoners Azamat Uldarov and Alexey Savichev were recruited by Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin to take part in Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the publication.
They were “personally pardoned” by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2022.
“We were ordered to clean up and destroy everyone (in Soledar and Bakhmut). We came with 150 Wagner fighters killing everyone (on our way) – women, men, elderly, and children, including small, five-year-olds,” Uldarov said in a video interview with Gulagu.net published on April 17.
According to Uldarov, Prigozhin personally gave the order to do it, which the ex-mercenary called “cleaning up,” as well as ordered not to take anyone prisoner or negotiate, “but only to kill.”
Uldarov admitted he gave a command to kill “300-400” civilians sheltering in a basement of an apartment building, among whom were 40 children.
Another ex-mercenary Savichev said he had blown up a pit with 50-60 wounded Ukrainian POWs and deserted Wagner soldiers in Bakhmut this January.
“I did what they ordered… About 30 grenades. I would rather have fulfilled the order and go warm up because it was very cold,” Savichev added.”
https://kyivindependent.com/wagner-ex-commanders-tell-russian-opposition-media-of-their-war-crimes-in-ukraine-as-kyiv-launches-investigation/
First, it is pure heartless bastardry to expect Ukrainians to just ‘forgive and forget’ this, and the enormous incidences of this bloody-minded murder everywhere the Russian soldiers have occupied in Ukraine. No wonder Poland and the Baltic states insisted NATO change from ‘deterrence by retaliation’ to ‘deterrence by denial’ in their defensive posture towards Russia:
“As The New York Times wrote, NATO is rapidly moving from what the military calls deterrence by retaliation to deterrence by denial.
Previously, in the event of a Russian invasion, member states had to hold out until allied forces, mainly the US, came to their aid and retaliated to push the Russians back.
But after the Russian atrocities in areas it occupied in Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic countries no longer want to risk any period of Russian occupation. As in the first days of the Ukrainian invasion, Russian troops took land larger than some Baltic nations.
“Deterrence by denial” means, on the contrary, the permanent location of allied troops near the border with the Russian Federation, more integration of American and allied war plans, more military spending and more detailed requirements for allies to have specific kinds of forces and equipment to fight, if necessary, in pre-assigned places.”
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/04/17/7398265/
Secondly, the role of an independent media outlet in Russia in helping to bring such atrocities to light underscores how vital it is for opposition critics within Russia, like the recently sentenced Vladimir Kara-Murza, be given the all the attention and support they can from us in the West, who enjoy the luxury of being able to voice our thoughts free form the fear of arbitrary arrest, show trials and torture in prison.
[#2 today]
The cost of delays in aiding Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s outrageous violation of its internationally-recognised territory is highlighted both inside and outside of Ukraine:
“According to [Oleksii] Danilov [Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council], the allies are helping Ukraine to reach the level of equipment necessary for the start of a counter-offensive.
At the same time, the Secretary emphasised that sometimes the officials of allied countries “promise one thing and do a completely different one”. He did not specify what he meant by this.
On 17 April, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian soldiers pay with their lives for the time they wait for weapons deliveries – this happens every time partners delay or hesitate on the type or certain characteristics of weapons.
Earlier, the American publication Washington Post stated that Ukrainian counter-offensive is delayed due to slow supply of weaponry.”
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/04/17/7398289/
President Zelenskyy mentioned the price being paid by Ukrainian soldiers having to defend the frontline against relentless waves of Russian assaults, but I will mention again the price Ukrainian civilians are paying in their lands which are occupied by Russian forces (see my post above at 7:34am), as well as that paid by civilians across Ukraine from waves of inhuman Russian missile strikes upon cities and towns.
[#3 today]
EDIT: And Brazil’s President Lula is going out of his way to urge Ukraine to put down its weapons and let Russian forces keep control over the Ukrainian territory where they are murdering, raping and torturing Ukrainian men, women and children, in mass numbers. Lula is a dog for choosing this as his way to make a play for a Nobel Peace Prize, or whatever it is he is up to.
Sydney Metro facing major challenges
https://www.railexpress.com.au/sydney-metro-facing-major-challenges/
The New South Wales Government has provided more details about its comprehensive independent review into the whole Sydney Metro program, to determine how to salvage the current projects.
Premier Chris Minns said that upon taking office less than a month ago, it had become clear that the challenges facing the Sydney Metros “are major”.
“The Sydney Metro Program has been plagued by significant cost overruns and significant time delays,” he said.
The review will be led by Mike Mrdak, an experienced public servant in the infrastructure, transport, regional development, communications and digital economy sectors.
He was a federal departmental secretary for more than a decade, including as head of the Infrastructure Department.
He will be joined by Amanda Yeates as the deputy chair. Yeates was previously the Deputy Director General, Department of Transport and Main Roads in Queensland, where she was responsible for the state’s infrastructure program.
Initial early briefings sought by the Government have revealed:
Sydney Metro West is estimated to cost $25.32 billion – a cost overrun of at least $12b.
Sydney Metro West is estimated to open in 2030 at the earliest – compared to initial Coalition government estimates of mid-late 2020s.
The estimated full cost of building Sydney Metro City and Southwest is at least $20.5b:
This is up to around $9b more than the initial estimated full cost.
This is at least $2b more than the price tag most recently touted by the former government.
Morning all. Thanks for the roundup BK. Very interesting that Trump’s rape trial has not been delayed. I know he is of the “any publicity is good publicity” school but I still find it hard to believe that will help his chances in 2024.
It is one thing to ask how many POTUS candidates have been impeached, but how many have been charged with rape?
https://twitter.com/sallymcmanus/status/1647925885868310535?s=12&t=uOUOuQOvbsFUiiFQcfJvhQ, … global peers like Iran or Zimbabwe?
UK Cartoons:
Morten Morland on Rishi Sunak’s maths plan
Brighty on #NHS strikes
Patrick Blower on Rishi Sunak’s maths plan
Martin Rowson on Rishi Sunak’s maths plan not adding up
Fergus Boylan on #DoctorsStrike #NHS #RishiSunak
Christian Adams on #RishiSunak #Maths #NursesStrike #DoctorsStrikes
Morten Morland on #KeirStarmer #RishiSunak #LocalElections
On the Voice, I note this survey response by “No” voters quoted by Oliver Sutton:
“ 41% said it “will give Indigenous Australians rights and privileges that other Australians don’t have”.
Really? If No supporters think indigenous people have things so great, we should ask them how many would trade places with an indigenous person?
C@tmomma @ 6.53am
I actively support and promote The Voice amongst friends and acquaintances.
However, I too am becoming tired of the amount of time, every day, that both SBS & ABC devote to this issue.
Every day, The Drum has at least one segment devoted to this topic – but it is the same faces making the same points, repeatedly.
Despite the fact that Amanda Vanstone was talking over and around the fundamental issues relating to The Voice, with her usual extreme Tory rhetoric (for want of a better word) her contribution could only be best described as comedic or light relief.
Fortunately, Australia needs a discussion show in the manner of “Q & A.”
Unfortunately, the current format is stale, and the current host is unsuitable for the role of presenter.
MaccaRB,
I’m sure that the opponents of the referendum think if they’re in your face with their fallacious arguments enough, you will change your mind. I think it just exposes how badly they are arguing their case.
After what she said to Kimberley Kitching about not having children, I wouldn’t describe Wong as classy.
”
Efforts to dud Timor of its oil and gas are still kept secret as today’s justice system still covers up for Howard government machinations 23 years ago. Rex Patrick reports on his journey to reveal the truth and the real reason for the secrecy.
https://michaelwest.com.au/secret-injustice-for-timor-leste-the-aat-reveals-more-than-intended-but-still-not-the-facts/
”
Why are Efforts to dud Timor of its oil and gas still kept secret as today’s justice system still covers up for Howard government machinations 23 years ago?
Thanks BK
Sheridan’s article is an excellent example of not being able to see the forest for the trees. Sheridan and the Libs always look for and proffer excuses and compare specious scenarios out of context and culture, they never identify or understand the core causes.
They always have the right answer, the same answer they’ve always had, they just need to tweak the marketing, apparently. Face palm.
Ron De Santis is doing a job of making himself totally unelectable at the national level. He signs off on 6 week abortion and now saying that they could build a prison next door to Disney.
Facepalm
nath and Rex Douglas favourite and competent politician Bill Shorten will be at the national press club today
Dutton is about to reshuffle the deckchairs on the Titanic.
Victoria says:
“Ron De Santis …now saying that they could build a prison next door to Disney.”
Next door to Mar a Lago would make more sense.
‘Orange is the new orange’.
Oliver Sutton
If Trump is sentenced to home confinement, Mar a Lago will in effect be a makeshift prison. Lol!
Dutton’s net approval “only” at -8?
Shows how big the reactionary, Trumpist base really is in Australia. In any sane world their net approval would be more like -60. Most of it is made up of entitled boomers profiting from the middle-class and upper-class welfare of the Howard era and especially the Silent generation.
For all the talk about which defence capabilities Australia acquires, there is clearly a problem within defence in terms of technical skills.
The Taipan helicopter fleet that is being abandoned and replaced at a cost of $5 billion had not had a simple software patch fitted that would have prevented a recent crash.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-18/army-insiders-claim-taipan-fleet-did-not-get-software-upgrades/102234056
The obvious question is whether the ADF has enough skilled technicians to keep the kit it already has operating? This is far from the only example, that suggests limited technical skills within the services.
The relationship with Naval group is another example. What were the real reasons for the contract to fail? Naval has recently completed construction of advanced diesel submarines for several navies successfully. These included contracts to build for export from France (e.g. for Chile) and to assist a foreign country build in their shipyard (e.g. in India). Why do our contracts keep failing?
A few weeks ago, Elizabeth Lee, the Liberal opposition leader in the ACT assembly and a moderate, refused to commit the party to supporting ‘yes’. It’s easy to see why.
Today the deputy opposition leader, Jeremy Hansen and a supporter of the dominant hard-right Seselja faction, came out in support of ‘no’.
Zed’s not dead, baby?
“ In all the months since the election of the Albanese government I never spoke to a single Liberal who imagined that the party would support the voice in principle.”
Greg Sheridan certainly belled the cat on the Libs regarding The Voice.
Hartcher:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/penny-wong-is-not-intimidated-by-china-nor-its-local-cheerleader-20230416-p5d0ud.html
_________
My response in the comments section:
Platitudes and double speak do not make for masterful rebuttal Peter.
We have not chosen America because it is a “balancing force” in the Asia Pacific, because America refuses to be a balancing force: It has chosen a containment strategy in pursuit of continued pre-eminence.
The real price Australia pays for AUKUS submarines is not the eye watering financial cost (up to $368 billion just for the first 30 years of what will be an 70+ year program) BUT rather the shared responsibility for the defence of Taiwan as part of a strategy to contain our major trading partner.
Wong’s speech did not articulate why it is in Australia’s interest to swap ‘the Defence of Australia’ doctrine (which as Gareth Evans noted last month always included Sea Denial in our Archipelagos that arc from the Straits of Malacca all the way through to the Solomons) with a military preoccupation focused on extreme forward defence – a vain attempt to contain China against its own coastline.
All her smooth platitudes, replete with the right buzz words like “multipolar”, cannot disguise that upon closer reading Wong is exposed as a liar: we have chosen America, come what may and in particular we have chosen to be a very active participant in her wrestle with China for pre-eminence in North Asia without anything like a “multipolar” arrangement (such as a Pacific NATO Treaty) to guarantee mutual defence obligations if it came to the crunch.
How else could Keating – or any sane person – come to a conclusion other than this is ‘seriously unwise’.
Thank you BK.
Good morning, all, including Mr AI.
“Libs’ Jeremy Hanson opposes Voice’s ‘race-based constitutional division’”
So he’ll be pushing to repeal Section 51(xxvi), right?
“The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power12 to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to: …
(xxvi) the people of any race for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws;”
”
Cronussays:
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 9:00 am
“ In all the months since the election of the Albanese government I never spoke to a single Liberal who imagined that the party would support the voice in principle.”
Greg Sheridan certainly belled the cat on the Libs regarding The Voice.
”
He doesn’t want to speak to those kind of Libs. Apparently according to the Essential poll there are 41% of them. So 4 in 10 support Voice. So it is not difficult to spot them.
From previous thread
Oliver Suttonsays:
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 4:04 am
Guardian Essential poll (2)
VOICE: support by party affiliation
Greens: 81% [+4]
Labor: 76% [-2]
Coalition: 41% [-2]
Indies / Minors: 45% [+4]
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/18/guardian-essential-poll-indigenous-voice-retains-majority-support-but-sees-opposition-harden
@ Cronus:
“ In all the months since the election of the Albanese government I never spoke to a single Liberal who imagined that the party would support the voice in principle.”
Greg Sheridan certainly belled the cat on the Libs regarding The Voice.”
________
That he has. However, assuming he is being truthful, then the fact that he has never spoken to a single Liberal who imagined that the party would support the voice tells us all we need to know about exactly which Liberal circles he moves in, and which ones he doesn’t.
The main strategic problem for Australia is that our main buyer of goods and services will, long before any sub kisses the water, have reduced demand for coal and iron ore. It controls our main supply of tourists and a large number of education service consumers. The lotus years will then end. And there is nothing subs can do about that. The Two Hegemons Chimera will then be exposed for what it is.
Andrew_Earlwood says:
My response in the comments section:
Platitudes and double speak do not make for masterful rebuttal Peter.
______
I completely agree AE. Now the question or test comes down to trying to not let AUKUS define our relationship with China. Not an easy task, but possible. There are plenty of other decisions to be made that can walk back our participation in containment heroics.
As the David Pope cartoon shows Penny Wong is dancing in Morrison AUKUS shoes. Since they do not fit her there is really possibility of misstep(s) and a possibility of fall.
“Victoria says:
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 8:38 am
Ron De Santis is doing a job of making himself totally unelectable at the national level. He signs off on 6 week abortion and now saying that they could build a prison next door to Disney.”
Perhaps he could order the public health people to declare Mar-a-Largo uninhabitable and send in the demolition crews!
I’m not optimistic nath.
I want to destroy AUKUS, root and branch. I don’t think anything short of a complete excision will stop the cancer from destroying the whole body.
I think a well funded scare campaign targeting NIMBY nuclear fears in any town or port that may come into contact with this dangerous nuclear stuff is probably the way to go. Even if it is (only partly) dishonest. Needs must and all of that.
Of course it is also possible that time and circumstances will end up with AUKUS destroying itself. Such is the complexity of the moving parts and such is the hopelessness of ‘global Britain’ which at the end of the day is supposed to be the main contracting party to deliver the program.