Essential Research has not published voting intention numbers with its latest fortnightly poll, which hopefully doesn’t portend anything. It does include the pollster’s monthly leadership ratings, which find Anthony Albanese steady at both 46% approval and 43% disapproval, while Peter Dutton is down two to 36% and steady on 43%. A monthly “national mood” question has 34% rating that Australia is heading in the right direction, up one, which wrong direction steady at 48%.
Of those voting no at the referendum, 41% favoured “will divide Australia in the constitution on the basis of race” as the preferred reason out of four options, with “not enough detail” at 27%, “won’t make a real difference” at 19% and “will give Indigenous Australians rights and privileges that other Australians don’t have” at 13%. On the Israel-Palestine conflict, 37% professed themselves satisfied with the government’s response with 19% dissatisfied. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Saturday from a sample of 1125.
The latest voting intention numbers for Roy Morgan have Labor’s two-party lead out from 53-47 to 54-46, from primary votes of Labor 35% (up two), Coalition 34% (steady) and Greens 14% (up half).
sprocket_ @ #876 Saturday, October 21st, 2023 – 9:55 am
That’s a happy lawyer. Thanks for posting.
So 88 republicans are nutters.
——————————
More. Those are just the ones who didn’t realise supporting Jordan had no hope.
I love how the rump simply can’t accept a Speaker who didn’t deny the election result. That’s how cray cray it is over there.
I’d be astonished if there was a single person who remembered the Shaq endorsement by the time they were actually voting.
I expect a globally environmentally focused party like the Greens would be especially engaged with and supportive of a development such as this:
“Ukraine aims to set global standard of investigating ecocide as war crime
Ukraine is “the first country in history” to investigate the mass destruction of the environment, also known as ecocide, as a war crime, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said at a press conference on Oct. 20. Ukraine is working together with international partners to help train Ukrainian law enforcement agencies to investigate ecocide, Kostin said. The goal is “to create a mechanism and standards for bringing to justice those who would have the desire to commit the same crimes in another part of the world,” according to Kostin. By purposefully destroying the environment, Russia “is trying to destroy the future life of Ukrainians.” Ecocide is therefore “a crime against Ukraine as a state and our future,” Kostin said.
The Prosecutor General’s Office reported in June that Ukraine is investigating over 200 war crimes against the environment and 15 cases of ecocide. One of the most serious cases is the destruction of the Kahkova hydroelectric plant on June 6, which caused massive floods in Ukraine’s south and a large-scale humanitarian and environmental crisis. This included pollution of water and soil, death of animal and plant life, and drying of the Kakhovka Reservoir.”
https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-aims-to-be-first-to-set-global-standard-of-investigating-ecocide-as-war-crime/
Late Risersays:
Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 1:17 pm
sprocket_ @ #876 Saturday, October 21st, 2023 – 9:55 am
For those following the Georgia RICO case, Ken Chesboro’s lawyer explain why he took the plea deal.
A good insight into the minutiae of the US legal system.
https://youtu.be/cY28dXlCSG8?si=rjNsWIN4HXi880Wv
That’s a happy lawyer. Thanks for posting.
==================================================================
This lawyer wants to pretend that the deal, too good to give up, was for very, very little.
Makes you think the others need to be afraid, very afraid.
Themunz @ #905 Saturday, October 21st, 2023 – 12:40 pm
True. But I also got the sense that he was repeating to the cameras what he had said (probably many times) to his client to get him to this point. He ended his presser(?) by telling the cameras how much he liked them.
Chesebro’s lawyer is a clever chap. I wonder if he’s looking to represent any of the other defendants. At this stage he’s seen some of the prosecution’s evidence.
Hi Cronus.
We did a similar trip about ten years ago and our takeaway was how relaxed Scandinavian are with high taxation in return for strong social support. Real cost of living pressure on one hand for peace of mind on the other.
To see their true “relaxed” character try a trip on one of the inter country overnight ferries where duty free consumption is the attraction.
Former President Trump’s ex-lawyer Michael Cohen announced Friday he would return to New York next week to testify in the civil fraud trial after a medical delay. Cohen confirmed the move in a post on Meta’s Threads – including a picture generated by artificial intelligence (AI), of him and the Trump with “Let’s get you back to your cell.” His initial court appearance was delayed last week after it was reported that he had a medical issue.
“It appears that I will be reunited with my old client @realDonaldTrump when I testify this Tuesday, October 24th at the @NewYorkStateAG civil fraud trial,” Cohen wrote in the post. “See you there!”
Late Riser:
Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 9:58 am
Thanks for the aide-mémoire on the RICO conspirators. I printed a copy of it and will take delight in keeping it up to date with the flippers.
I note that the usuals are busy whitesplaining the No by focusing on the Yes with particular respect to blaming Indigenous leaders, Albanese, this tactic or that tactic.
It is blindingly simple.
One man had the future of the Yes in his hands.
He could have chosen integrity, inclusiveness, vision and positivity.
He had a choice.
A clear choice.
He chose No.
He went for racist dog whistling, lies, FUD, anger and resentment mongering.
End.Of.Story.
Ugly Dutton owns the No.
‘Republicans should not debate’: Trump hopes GOP will ‘unite’ around him
Donald Trump on Friday came out swinging at the upcoming third Republican presidential debate.
Trump, who refused to attend the first two GOP debates and has planned a mega MAGA rally to take place at the same time as the third, has remained steadfastly against the idea of the other Republican candidates attending the debates. Because he is so far ahead in the polls, he argues, the debates are useless.
Trump took that concept even further on Friday, initially insulting his chief competitor, Ron DeSantis.
“Wow! Looks like Ron DeSanctimonious has fallen to 3rd place, and heading down, in his ridiculous run to be President,” In the important Emerson Poll, he’s dropped to 8%, 51 Points behind his favorite President, ME.”
Trump went on to attack Nikki Haley as “Birdbrain,” saying she “may be even worse, is fighting it out with others for a very distant 2nd place. “
Themunz @ #907 Saturday, October 21st, 2023 – 1:54 pm
Sadly most Labor and L/NP voters choose to be ignorant of the fact that something as massive as the S3 tax cuts will take away from social services and infrastructure that improves the lives of our society.
A French American scholar’s article on AUKUS. Biased, but points out some deep flaws in the logic and justification for AUKUS.
https://thegeopolitics.com/aukus-australias-french-cut-moment/
Albanese should take note…
Socrates @ #913 Saturday, October 21st, 2023 – 2:24 pm
It’s an opportune time for Albanese to read the room in the US and use it to abandon AUKUS.
Rex Douglas says:
Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 2:24 pm
Albanese should take note…
________________________________
Why?
Shaken ALP scrambles to reset the agenda
A wounded Albanese government has to address the electorate’s concerns – and fast.
More bollocks from Shanahan (the Oz)
TPOF @ #916 Saturday, October 21st, 2023 – 2:40 pm
It’s a very stark message sent from Australians to their political leaders.
Integrity gaslights without cease.
On behalf of Ugly Dutton.
It’s a very stark message sent from Australians to their political leaders.
——————————
Different groups of Australians send all sorts of stark messages. If our political leaders, listen to them all and acted like they were the only opinions out there, then no policy making could be done because each successive demonstration would demand something totally contrary.
Of course, integrity only thinks that our political leaders should take note of stark messages that he happens to agree with.
Boerwarsays:
Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 2:09 pm
“FUD” was coined in the 1960s and 70s to describe the sales tactic used by IBM to win contracts against any one of the “Seven Dwarfs”. Whispered into the ear of the assessment team, “no one has ever been fired for buying IBM”!
If did not work an IBM director might suggest to a director of the target company “your assessment team leader is not really competent to assess our proposal and we can introduce you to a replacement.”
Just like today in politics the tactic was very successful and IBM owned 90% of the market. They did not have a superior product.
Todays political tactic has had a significant adjustment. It is now “FAD”. Fear, anger and doubt. Having identified the vital trigger to gain attention as emotion, then fear and anger are sure buttons to push. Doubt is to create mistrust in traditional sources of information and open the door to conspiracy from anywhere.
This has all happened in plain sight without a murmur from the Fourth Estate
TPOF @ #920 Saturday, October 21st, 2023 – 2:59 pm
Well, sure, Albo can either listen to thousands rallying today, or he can listen to angry, combative TPOF.
“Shaken ALP scrambles to reset the agenda
A wounded Albanese government has to address the electorate’s concerns – and fast.
More bollocks from Shanahan (the Oz)”
Shanahan wrote Albo’s referendum defeat speech was ‘brilliant’ but was ‘too little too late’ after the referendum was over. To try and make it seem like there is some impartial journalism there. No one’s buying it Dennis you are and will always will be a mouth piece for the Liberal party. Simon Benson with a photo of his face with a smirk next to his articles is too.
Well, sure, Albo can either listen to thousands rallying today, or he can listen to angry, combative TPOF.
-—————————
I don’t need to have Albo listen to me. I want him to listen to intelligent, knowledgeable people who care about improving this nation. People who know more than I do. What he doesn’t need to listen to is a Trotskyite stooge like Rex.
Bill Hayden, former Labor leader and Governor-General, has died aged 90:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-21/bill-hayden-dies-labor-obituary/102096584
Murdoch’s Advertiser has no mention of Britain’s amazing by-election results. Did the Oz cover them?
Former governor-general and one-time Labor Party leader Bill Hayden has died at the age of 90.
Once described as the greatest man never to become prime minister, Mr Hayden surrendered a shot at the top job for the sake of Labor Party unity.
While perhaps it was his time in vice-regal office for which he would be best remembered, his passion was for politics. In 2014, Mr Hayden said: “Government was more fun than governor-general — cutting ribbons has its limit on excitement.”
https://apple.news/Au-drgPePR-2-K_VII1KUHw: “… a part of the welfare system that allows private employment service providers to decide when to suspend welfare payments for jobseekers, essentially outsourcing compliance to private companies that profit from the scheme.“
Every so often I have to remind myself that, yes, this narcissistic manchild was actually the President of the United States for four years.
Asha @ #925 Saturday, October 21st, 2023 – 3:20 pm
I wonder if the baptism paid off …?
Around 25 million, nine hundred and ninety thousand Australians are not joining Shoebridge in protesting the ME War.
For the gaslighters this means Albanese MUST listen to the ten thousand (max).
For the Greens this provides another political stunt opportunity to hurl Peace Studies 101 at Israel v Hamas.
Netanyahu and Haniyeh must:
1. Get themselves a light mobile force. This is the only approved military force.
2. Get themselves up to date with Peace Studies 101.
3. Do what Bandt orders. Now!
What a strange world exists between the ears of Bandt.
RIP Bill Hayden. Didn’t always see eye-to-eye on the man’s views (especially in his latter years) but still a loss of a great luminary.
With his passing, Keating now becomes the earliest living Labor leader (alongside being the earliest living PM, after Hawke’s passing) and Howard becomes the earliest living LOTO. William Deane becomes the earliest living Governor-General.
On a weird note, this morning I had read the news of the death of actress Haydn Gwynne and, with my brain still half-asleep, I had misread it as Bill Hayden (in the way that only a half-asleep brain could) and, for a second (before realising the error) was like “Wow, Bill Hayden has passed” – only for that to happen for real a few hours later!
Hayden’s story was always one of too little too late.
He should have been elevated to a senior portfolio in the Whitlam Government much earlier than he was: back in those days, a politician in his early 40s was still considered to be relatively young. When he did replace Cairns as Treasurer, he did a great job at helping to steady the ship, but unfortunately things had gone too far by then.
He should have become leader straight after the 1975 election, but didn’t push for it.
By the time Hayden actually did become leader, Labor really should have already by-passed him for Hawke: but Hawke was still out of parliament. I think Hawke would have won the 1980 election, but it wasn’t to be. And unlike some people, including Hayden himself, I don’t reckon Hayden was in any way a shoo-in to win the 1983 election: the public never warmed to him.
Hayden was pretty bitter and twisted while serving as Foreign Minister and then G-G under Hawke.
Several people whom I respect and who knew Hayden well at that time have told me that they have absolutely no time for him at all.
But he did his best for his party. RIP.
On behalf of Australia, Albanese needs to take a strong stand against this and all war crimes.
Prosecutors in the criminal trial against FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried compared one of the defense’s arguments to a scene in the 1994 film “Dumb and Dumber,” in which actor Jim Carrey says IOUs are “as good as money.” In a written brief on Thursday to Judge Lewis Kaplan, who’s presiding over the Manhattan trial, assistant U.S. attorneys for the Southern District of New York took issue with several of the jury instructions provided by the defense team.
One specific directive reminded prosecutors of the 29-year-old comedy about two less-than-intelligent friends, played by Carrey and Jeff Daniels, who take a cross-country trip to Colorado to return a briefcase full of money to its owner, though the cash had actually been left as ransom.
“If you find that FTX customers, after depositing funds with FTX, received a credit to transact on the FTX exchange and therefore received the right to withdraw an equivalent amount of funds at a later time upon request, that is insufficient to establish that they were deprived of property,” the jury instruction from the defense says.
Much of the government’s case hinges on billions of dollars that FTX, Bankman-Fried’s crypto exchange, siphoned out of customer accounts and used largely to try and cover up losses at sister hedge fund Alameda Research after cryptocurrency prices plunged. Funds also allegedly went to paying for things such as a $35 million property in the Bahamas and political donations.
Customers were ultimately unable to retrieve much of their money as FTX and Alameda were simultaneously imploding.
Vale Bill Hayden
Who can forget that dramatic day – 8th of February 1983 – 40 years ago.
Hawke made his 2nd challenge, and Hayden stood down – whilst Malcolm Fraser was high tailing it to Yarralumla.
On the same day Hayden resigned, Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser had announced a snap election hoping to capitalise on Labor’s disunity and go to the polls against Hayden rather than Hawke. However, the plan backfired as Labor managed to secure the transition from Hayden to the more popular and charismatic Hawke just in time as the election was announced. Later that afternoon at a press conference, Hayden famously said that “a drover’s dog could lead the Labor Party to victory, the way the country is”. The ensuing federal election was easily won by Labor and Hawke became Prime Minister.
”Once described as the greatest man never to become prime minister, Mr Hayden surrendered a shot at the top job for the sake of Labor Party unity.”
Labor’s had a few of them, including Evatt, Hayden, Beazley, Shorten…
Sprocket
Indeed, but who can forget a few hours later when Richard Carleton asked Hawke if he was embarrassed to have blood on his hands
(And Hawke’s answer)
https://youtu.be/L1aDvcP7-dw?feature=shared
Just on a COVID topic, this is an interesting article: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2398713-schools-cut-covid-19-sick-days-by-20-per-cent-using-hepa-air-filters/
NB: paywalled
Another data point to say that air filters in schools is the right thing to do.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria-spent-100m-on-school-air-purifiers-we-don-t-know-if-they-worked-20230613-p5dg2z.html
Well down Victoria. Still waiting elsewhere in Australia. And what about universities and other workplaces?
Thousands of Palestinian supporters are protesting in Sydney.
Western nations were accused of supporting genocide. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were singled out for criticism.
Chris Minns, some NSW insignificant nobody who used an Australian iconic landmark to try and big note himself, was criticised for trying to stop democratic protests.
Interestingly, on Thursday, 16 NSW Labor MPs were amongst 24 MP signatories to a statement which, while condemning Hamas, also stated:
‘We stand with Palestine and the Palestinian-Australian community who are currently facing a catastrophic crisis.’
Meanwhile on this site, everybody seems obsessed with who will be the Speaker in the US.
Why?
”The ensuing federal election was easily won by Labor and Hawke became Prime Minister.”
Labor secured 53.2% 2PP in that election (1983), the only time has Labor secured 53% or more in any Federal election since 1946.
Oakeshott Country says:
Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 4:37 pm
Sprocket
Indeed, but who can forget a few hours later when Richard Carleton asked Hawke if he was embarrassed to have blood on his hands
(And Hawke’s answer)
https://youtu.be/L1aDvcP7-dw?feature=shared
______________
Champagne politics! Hawke and Keating were an odd couple in many ways. But on cut through invective, they were a true pair.
Rainman: No Speaker and no Bills can pass. No funding for Israel, Ukraine, southern border or any where else. 4 weeks until government shutdown.
The speaker is also 3rd in line for the presidency.
The speaker will also have an influence on AUKUS and various committees.
The final plotting against Hayden occured during Frank Forde’s funeral when Button told him he was about to be rolled.
I think it can be safely asserted that Forde achieved more by his death than he did during his Prime Ministership
Rainman
Did any of the protestors call for the release of the hostages?
There were a few men I left off my list of Labor leaders who never made it:
Arthur Calwell: he was Labor leader when I first paid any attention to politics. He seems to have been a decent and honourable man. He took a principled stand against our involvement in Vietnam when that was electorally unpopular. He defended the White Australia policy – he was a man of his time. He seemed ancient (like a couple of years younger than I am now). By 1966 he was widely regarded as a leftover from an earlier age.
Simon Crean, some 40 years later, another decent an honourable man who made a principled stand against a war in which we should never have involved ourselves.
Bill Shorten, who could have saved us from three years of Morrison. The country would be in better shape now had he won, as expected, in 2019.
Then there’s He Who Shall Not Be Named, of whom I will say nothing.
Bill Hayden was for a time Labor’s only MHR from Queensland. The son of an itinerant American.
Rainman: “Meanwhile on this site, everybody seems obsessed with who will be the Speaker in the US.
Why?”
I’d hardly say I’m obsessesd, but I’m interested because the MAGA movement’s creeping takeover of US democratic institutions poses a major threat to the world.
What’s your reason for being interested in what’s happening in Israel/Palestine. Are you Palestinian?
meher baba @ #879 Saturday, October 21st, 2023 – 11:28 am
And you don’t think that explains Matt Gaetz? 😀
I think Donald Trump and Steve Bannon are using him mercilessly. And if I were him I would watch out because Jeff Sessions thought he had Donald Trump on his side forever too. I wonder what Donald Trump is thinking today about Matt Gaetz failing to enable Jim Jordan to become Speaker? Sure, Jim Jordan could have helped himself more, but it was the initial moves by Matt Gaetz that brought the House down so as to facilitate Jordan’s candidature.
Holden Hillbilly:
‘No funding for Israel, Ukraine…’
Sounds good to me.