The Financial Review had a set of federal voting intention numbers on Friday from Freshwater Strategy, which were highly distinctive in having Labor leading by only 52-48, compared with 54-46 from the last such poll in December. The primary votes were Labor 34% (down three), Coalition 37% (steady), Greens 12% (steady) and 17% for the rest. Anthony Albanese was on 42% approval (down six) and 37% disapproval (up seven), a substantially narrower net positive rating than recorded by other pollsters, while Peter Dutton had less anomalous numbers of 30% (up one) and 42% (up four). A preferred prime minister question had Albanese with an usually narrow lead of 51-33, in from 55-29. The poll was conducted Monday to Wednesday from a sample of 1005.
Further findings from the poll:
• Support for the Indigenous Voice was down two since December to 48% while opposition was up ten to 39%, including a 20-point increase among Coalition voters and a seven point increase among Labor and Greens voters. This converted to 55-45 after exclusion of the undecided, in from 65-35.
• Only nine per cent felt the budget would put downward pressure on inflation and interest rates, compared with 52% who thought the opposite and 23% who said it would have no effect. Forty-eight per cent felt the country was heading in the wrong direction, up six, compared with 37% for right direction, down seven.
• Seventy per cent supported Peter Dutton’s call for sport gambling ads to be curtailed, with 13% opposed, and 59% supported his proposal to allow the unemployed to earn $150 a fortnight more without affecting their JobSeeker rate.
By-election latest:
• Amy Remeikis of The Guardian reports five candidates have emerged for Liberal National Party preselection in Fadden, with nominations having closed last Friday and a ballot of eligible local members to be conducted this Friday. The Gold Coast Bulletin identifies four of them: Gold Coast councillor Cameron Caldwell, who is widely rated the front-runner; Dinesh Palipana, emergency doctor at Gold Coast University Hospital and the state’s first quadriplegic medical graduate; Fran Ward, founder of a charity supporting distressed farmers; and Owen Carterer, who would appear to have a low profile. “Long-term members” were backing Caldwell, but Palipana had support from “Young LNP party members linked to state MP Sam O’Connor”, though critics were arguing he would do better to run at the state election.
• The Age/Herald reported a spokesperson for Scott Morrison saying his departure from parliament was “not imminent”, and would certainly not be soon enough to allow for joint by-elections in Fadden and his seat of Cook. However, it could “possibly come at the end of the year”.
Other news from around the place:
• David Penberthy of The Australian reported last week that bitterly fought Liberal Senate preselection looms in South Australia, the flashpoint being the position of Senator Alex Antic. Together with like-minded Queensland Senator Gerard Rennick, Antic withdrew parliamentary support from the Morrison government in protest against mandatory vaccinations, and has lately courted far right sentiment by mocking Volodomyr Zelenskyy in parliament and following it up with a theatrically disingenuous apology. Antic was elected from third position on the ticket in 2019, behind Anne Ruston and David Fawcett. As religious conservatives make headway in a push to take control of a party that took a distinctly moderate turn under Steven Marshall’s one-term state government, there are said to be some hoping Antic might be pushed to the top of the ticket (though an unidentified and presumably conservative party figure is quoted denying it), and others hoping he might be dumped altogether.
• Sumeyya Ilanbey of The Age reports Victorian Liberal state president Greg Mirabella told state council yesterday that an external report into the Aston by-election found defeated candidate Roshena Campbell had “the highest recognition and positivity among Liberal names, even when compared with outgoing federal Liberal MP Alan Tudge”. This would not seem to sit will with a view that has taken hold in the party that Campbell’s lack of local connection to the seat explained the result, as reflected in Peter Dutton’s determination that a local should succeed Stuart Robert in Fadden.
• RedBridge Group has results from polling of Victorian voters on federal voting intention, which after exclusion of the undecided finds Labor on 41% (32.9% at the election), the Coalition on 34% (33.1%) and the Greens on 12% (13.7%). The pollster’s high-profile director of strategy and analytics, Kos Samaras, argues the Liberals’ dismal levels of support in the state among non-religous voters, Indian Australians and Buddhists in general puts it in an unwinnable position.
• In his column in the Age/Herald on Saturday, George Megalogenis wrote that “private polling for the Yes campaign is more encouraging” than this week’s Resolve Strategic result of 53-47 (although Kos Samaras of RedBridge argues social desirability bias effects in polling on such questions means proponents should not feel comfortable of even a national majority unless polling has it clear of 55-45). However, Megalogenis says “Queensland is now assumed as lost, with Western Australia doubtful”, with “Tasmania as the potential swing state”.
• The West Australian provides a sketchy report of polling by Painted Dog Research gauging the opinions of 1409 voters in Western Australia on Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton and Jim Chalmers. Albanese recorded an approval rating of “just under half”, with 26% dissatisfied, with Peter Dutton apparently scoring a parlous 16% approval and 48% disapproval. “About a third” approved of Jim Chalmers’ performance as Treasurer, while “just under a quarter disapproved”.
• The Age/Herald yesterday reported results on issue salience from last week’s Resolve Strategic poll, finding the cost of living with a huge lead as the highest priority issue, identified as such by 48% compared with 11% for health care, 10% for the environment and climate change and 8% for management of the economy. Cost of living has ascended to its present level from 16% last January and 25% at the time of the federal election in May.
Rex wrote, “treaty between the first nations leaders and the federal Crown Govt will bring the two cultures together to live together as Australians.”
This!
I do think it’s already past your bedtime Clem.
William wrote,”You can ask, I suppose.”
Oh come on, what is the process?I think it would be very helpful knowing.
What was Boer’s offence?
It cant be the listicles. Or the repetitive posts. Surely.
Hey AE, I guess you’re still up reading those $3000 a day briefs? lol
Boerwar’s absence is self-imposed. Sorry if that was unclear.
Great Labor man that AE is you know. I have lost count how many times he has told us all.
William wrote, “Boerwar’s absence is self-imposed. Sorry if that was unclear.”
Oh sorry William, that was not how I read it.
Andrew_Earlwood says:
It cant be the listicles. Or the repetitive posts. Surely.
______
The place has been immeasurably better without them.
Whatever issues I may have with Boerwar, I do hope everything is okay with him.
“ William wrote, “Boerwar’s absence is self-imposed. Sorry if that was unclear.”
Oh sorry William, that was not how I read it.”
Same.
Go well, Boerwar.
Statistics on new EV registrations per 1,000 people in 2022 show wide variations between US states. Not unexpectedly, there seems to be a relationship between party in power (Dem/Rep) and registrations, while the state tax on petrol (lower in Rep states) also presumably pays a part.
I noticed the price difference between Florida and California in 2019 (my wife wanting to visit DisneyWorld and Disneyland). We didn’t drive but saw the prices at servos. Of course, the Republican mantra of low state taxes also means worse government services but they never seem to mention this. The EV registration figures tell the story.
https://insideevs.com/news/656711/us-plugin-car-registrations-per-capita/
PwC says it has removed staff who knew about the tax leaks scandal from existing federal work, as the powerful Department of Finance effectively banned the firm from any new contracts, in an extraordinary intervention.
A furious Finance secretary Jenny Wilkinson told a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday that officials first learnt of the tax leaks saga engulfing the consulting giant from reports in The Australian Financial Review.
Finance has now effectively banned the firm from winning new work by ordering officials to consider confidentiality breaches when evaluating bids, as part of a suite of new measures triggered by the scandal.
Ms Wilkinson revealed that finance only became aware that dozens of PwC partners had received emails related to the confidential information when a cache of internal emails were published in May.
PwC declined to provide any further details about how many of its staff were removed from federal projects, in a scandal that Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said had become the subject of “water cooler discussions” across the country, and generated unwanted global attention for the firm.
The firm’s ability to be trusted with any confidential information was repeatedly questioned during Senate Estimate hearings on Thursday, and officials from the Australian Federal Police and Finance were forced to defend their dealings with PwC.
AFP representatives told senators an investigation had been launched into the tax leaks matter based on a Treasury referral, and that the matter had been designated a “sensitive investigation” by the force.
https://www.afr.com/companies/professional-services/pwc-effectively-banned-from-government-contracts-20230525-p5dbde
This is what Robert Reich has to say about Elon for what it’s worth he’s just another oligarch.
https://open.substack.com/pub/robertreich/p/what-unites-the-anti-woke-culture?r=7occj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Boerwar,
You are worthy. 🙂
sprocket_ @ #900 Thursday, May 25th, 2023 – 7:55 pm
Do you know whether the Dragon’s Teeth have steel reinforcement or are they just 100% concrete?
RP says:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 8:38 pm
This is what Robert Reich has to say about Elon:
Elon wants to be the darling of libertarian bros, but he’s aiming to lead democracy’s foes. He wants to crush unions and declare the United States a free-to-make-as-much-as-you-can-on-the-backs-of-working-stiffs zone.
________________
Oh. Elon wants to make the US a ‘free-to-make-as-much-as-you-can-on-the-backs-of-working-stiffs zone.’
As opposed to the workers paradise that the US was before Elon put up his Tesla shingle?
A timely reminder from Ukraine’s government that the start of their counteroffensive this year may not be immediately and dramatically obvious:
“Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak sought to downplay the idea that there was a counter-offensive coming from Ukraine that would be marked by a single significant shift of gear. He wrote “Once again about the counter-offensive. This is not a ‘single event’ that will begin at a specific hour of a specific day with a solemn cutting of the red ribbon. These are dozens of different actions to destroy the Russian occupation forces in different directions, which have already been taking place yesterday, are taking place today and will continue tomorrow.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/may/25/russia-ukraine-war-live-updates-russian-rebels-belgorod-attack-raid-anti-putin-militia-latest-news
Ron De Santis was poned by Elon Musk and Peter Drake today on Twitter Spaces. He had to respond to pre-ordained questions from Peter Drake that went to his special interests, such as Dogecoin, homo and transphobia, and the ‘Woke Military’. 🙄
Boerwar, I miss your contributions on this blog. I’ve had questions I would have liked your input on. Anyway, take it easy, and come back when you feel like it again.
Turn up the volume C@t, and one for you as I retire for the evening –
https://youtu.be/GC5E8ie2pdM
J J Hall @ #876 Thursday, May 25th, 2023 – 7:11 pm
Okay, okay, a blanket then. Sheesh! I was only trying to find a way NOT to get the little old lady killed!
Dr John,
I wish! 🙂
Holden Hillbilly
“Finance has now effectively banned the firm from winning new work by ordering officials to consider confidentiality breaches when evaluating bids, as part of a suite of new measures triggered by the scandal.”
About time! This is the only way to punish aberrant organisations. Hit them where it hurts, in their wallet. Big four revenues fr9m the Morrison regime averaged $500 million per annum in the past five years. Assuming equal shares that will cost PWC $100+ million per annum.
All good C@t. I actually wondered if you had ever seen one fired at someone and how horrendous they actually are. Hence the link I added to the post.
On what the police should have done with the 95 year old, I don’t understand why they contemplated any weapon at all?
Use a chair to block her advance with the walking frame.
Throw a blanket or towel across her arms and wrap her up to stop her swinging the knife.
Are they honestly claiming an able bodied 33 year old male could not physically subdue a 95 year old woman using a walking frame?
Lots of non violent means to stop her causing harm. How do they train these clowns? Night club bouncers would get better training.
Cat
Not meaning to pile on but I’d have to agree with the comments on bean bag rounds, rubber bullets etc. They are much more dangerous than claimed.
They all involve firing a projectile that will tumble through the air and have less range and less penetration into a body when it hits.
But the kinetic energy imparted when it leaves the muzzle of the gun is the same. So if fired at close range, when the muzzle velocity has little time to dissipate, they still hit with a lot of impact force. That force can still kill if it hits the wrong place, and certainly break bones.
A royal commission into our keystone cops and their responses to allegations of sexual assault in our national capital is surely justified …
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-25/bruce-lehrmann-board-of-inquiry-hearing-joanne-cameron/102394172
Something is rotten in the state of the ACT. More than usual, I mean.
C@T,
Re the dragons teeth.
I actually like the look of them. I’d love to have them around a farm house to help hold back the law when I start my moonshine business.
As for them having rebar reinforcements. Lolz, this is Russia. They can’t spare that sort of steel.
But by the looks of that video, the ukrainians have all the engineering version of the tanks so they shouldn’t have trouble making their way.
“The British Challenger tank, with Ukrainian trainees, has been practicing against them …”
I saw a vid of that Sprocket. 🙂 Challenger II makes a fine bulldozer.
I think the Russians kind of missed the point with that style of tank trap. They work better, actually at all, if they are embedded in the ground and not just sitting on top. Easily pushed out of the way it seems. Wouldn’t surprise me much to see the odd Ukrainian farmers tractor with a few plates bolted on pushing them out of the way as a sideline to towing away abandoned Russian tanks.
Socrates @ #933 Thursday, May 25th, 2023 – 9:26 pm
I admit, I was thinking about the things we used to throw around at school. I don’t know why they need to be harder than that either!
south @ #935 Thursday, May 25th, 2023 – 9:33 pm
I was wondering whether the Russian ones had the steel loop on the top of them as well? You could just take them away with a hook then!
J J Hall @ #931 Thursday, May 25th, 2023 – 9:19 pm
How about a lasso? Tickle with a feather duster? 😀
”
Holdenhillbillysays:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 8:13 pm
GERMANY RECESSION
– Europe’s biggest economy in recession for first time since 2020.
– Data shows 0.3% contraction in first quarter of 2023, with 0.5% drop in previous quarter.
– Economy hit by high inflation, smaller household consumption and lower government spending.
”
Sh*t to put it mildly. If Germany is in recession other European countries especially France and including UK are not far off from theirs.
Rex Douglas says:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 7:33 pm
SHP
If the Voice referendum fails, that’s where a true leader who believes deeply in truth and treaty steps and actually leads, rather than just give up on the whole SftH. Then let voters have the final say on truth/treaty.
_________________________________________________________
I admire your optimism Rex. But how is any true leader going to “step up” and lead Australia to “truth and treaty”, if Australians have just voted down an attempt to give First Nations a voice in their own affairs?
More than likely, Australia will not be revisiting the issue in such a way for another 20 years.
That’s why I implore everyone to please vote yes.
”
Socratessays:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 9:17 pm
Holden Hillbilly
“Finance has now effectively banned the firm from winning new work by ordering officials to consider confidentiality breaches when evaluating bids, as part of a suite of new measures triggered by the scandal.”
About time! This is the only way to punish aberrant organisations. Hit them where it hurts, in their wallet. Big four revenues fr9m the Morrison regime averaged $500 million per annum
”
Above $500 million reminded me about yesterday’s Pageboi post that ALP received $500 million donation from fossil fuel companies. 🙂
C@tmommasays:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 9:52 pm
J J Hall @ #931 Thursday, May 25th, 2023 – 9:19 pm
All good C@t. I actually wondered if you had ever seen one fired at someone and how horrendous they actually are. Hence the link I added to the post.
How about a lasso? Tickle with a feather duster?
_______
What if the police were issued with sumo suits?
I’ll see myself out…
nath says:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 8:24 pm
Andrew_Earlwood says:
It cant be the listicles. Or the repetitive posts. Surely.
______
The place has been immeasurably better without them.
___________
Lack of precision on the nath scale? Although there may be operator bias as only nath can apply it 😉
Cat this is how they get through dragons teeth, which have been around since before WW2
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1150_Assault_Breacher_Vehicle#
C@T,
Apparently, the dragons teeth are hollow! Essentially just a concrete paver.
Free stream of CNBC for anyone interested.
https://www.newslive.com/american/cnbc.html
They are starting to get worried about eh debt ceiling.
clem attlee
It’s snot hard to understand why the nominals love Albanese. They believe that it shows their ‘left’ credentials.
Oh fuck here we go again. Unless one is a socialist, one cannot identify as part of the Left. Whatevs, comrade.
And what does snot have to do with it – hard or otherwise?
“And what does snot have to do with it – hard or otherwise?”
______
I believe socialist boogers choose only to exit the left nostril, shortly followed by a whistle that sounds remarkably like the opening bars of the internationale!
Nath
Feel free to hero worship Musk if you like, I don’t care, but if you think the US is going to become a worker’s paradise if only Elon had more money and power, then I might beg to differ.
well scott morrison coming out against the voice will most likely increase support aparently he never wanted to devide australians with his constant attacks on the other states compairing them to nsw
Holdenhillbilly says:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 8:29 pm
PwC says it has removed staff who knew about the tax leaks scandal from existing federal work, as the powerful Department of Finance effectively banned the firm from any new contracts, in an extraordinary intervention.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
98.6 says :
I said it once and I will say it again, “PwC should never EVER be allowed to do any Federal, State or Local government work again.
Why didn’t the cop think of singing Que Sera Sera at the 95 year old?
Aaron newton says:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 10:59 pm
well scott morrison coming out against the voice will most likely increase support aparently he never wanted to devide australians with his constant attacks on the other states compairing them to nsw
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
98.6 agrees :
Secret Mutlipule Ministeries Morrison and Secretive Gladbags both sought to divide Australians with their constant attacks on the other states comparing them to NSW, especially during COVID 19.
Both were outsmarted by the federal poll voters and QLD poll results which showed them up for the arseholes they were and still are.
Can’t wait till Morrison f**ks off out of parliament and can’t wait till ICAC delivers its findings on that other low life.
Bit hard to top this for the nonsense that goes on here some of the time.
“If you call for stronger transparency measures when in Opposition, but not when in government, you do not have integrity. The same goes for the “rusted-on” Labor fans who attack anyone who calls for the government to do better on climate or welfare or asylum seekers. If you condemned the Morrison government for the “gas-led recovery”, or for its miserly increases to JobSeeker, or for leaving people to languish in detention, but don’t call for the same from the Albanese government, you do not have integrity.”
Rachel Withers in The Monthly
zoomster says:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 6:40 pm
I think (from what I’ve read) that there is an element of the Treaty Now advocates who simply don’t recognise the Australian Parliament as a legitimate body and so don’t want to negotiate with it.
They do want to wind back history 250 years and negotiate a treaty directly with the British Crown (hence the occasional references to meeting with KC).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
98.6 says :
Sounds logical to me !
Dandy Murray says:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 11:26 pm
Why didn’t the cop think of singing Que Sera Sera at the 95 year old?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
98.6 says :
Or,
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,
You make me happy when skies are grey.