Roy Morgan remains the only regularly reporting pollster to have returned for the year on voting intention, but Essential Research presumably isn’t far off. Past experience suggests it should be at least another week before Newspoll is back in the game. Which leaves us with:
• UPDATE: There are now voting intention results for the YouGov poll mentioned below. Labor’s two-party lead is out to 52-48 from 51-49 in the final poll last year, from primary votes of Labor 32% (up three), Coalition 37% (steady), Greens 13% (down two), One Nation 7% (steady).
• This week’s Roy Morgan poll found Labor with a two-party lead of 51.5-48.5, after the Coalition led 51-49 upon the pollster’s return for the year a week ago. The primary votes were Labor 31.5% (up two-and-a-half), Coalition 37% (down two), Greens 12% (down one) and One Nation 4.5% (down half). The poll was conducted from a sample of 1727 last Monday to Sunday.
• Pollster DemosAU, which produced accurate polling on the Indigenous Voice referendum, has a poll showing strong support for a republic referendum in the next five years, but also that any given model for a republic will have a hard time ahead of it. On the former count, 47% said yes and 39% no, a notable contrast with Freshwater Strategy’s finding of 55% opposition to a referendum “now”. On the latter, “direct election with open nomination” trailed the status quo 38-41; “executive president/US model” trailed 35-43; “ARM ‘Australian choice’ model” trailed 32-45; the 1999 referendum proposal trailed 27-48; and the McGarvie model, for all its impeccable credentials, did worst of all at 27-49. The aforementioned are summaries of more detailed question wordings that can be found on the methodology statement. The poll was conducted January 8 to 12 from a sample of 1300.
• YouGov has an Australia Day themed poll finding 49% support for keeping the holiday as its present date, 21% for changing the date, and 30% favouring a “two-day public holiday that celebrates old and new”. Respondents were also which of three options was closest to their view concerning Peter Dutton’s call for a boycott of Woolworths and Big W: support for Dutton’s position, which scored 20%; support for Woolworths and Big W, which scored 14%; and “my main concern with supermarkets now is excessive price rises rather than this issue”, accounting for the remaining 66%. The poll was conducted Friday to Wednesday from a sample of 1532.
Other news:
• Hayden Johnson of the Courier-Mail reports the by-election for Annastacia Palaszczuk’s seat of Inala simultaenously with Queensland’s local government elections on March 16, and that the Liberal National Party is expected to field a candidate for the safe Labor seat. Labor’s candidate is likely to be Margie Nightingale, former teacher and policy adviser to Treasurer Cameron Dick.
• Liberal preselection nominations have closed for Kooyong and Goldstein, where Josh Frydenberg and Tim Wilson were respectively defeated by teal independents in 2022. As previous reports indicated, Kooyong will be a four-way contest between Amelia Hamer, Susan Morris, Michael Flynn and Rochelle Pattison, with Hamer boasting the support of Frydenberg. In addition to Wilson and the previously reported Stephanie Hunt, the Goldstein preselection will also be contested by IPA research fellow Colleen Harkin. Rachel Baxendale of The Australian reports the preselections are likely to be held shortly after the Dunkley by-election.
• Dan Jervis-Bardy of The West Australian reports Patrick Hill, Canning mayor and former police officer, and Howard Ong, a Singapore-born IT consultant, will seek Liberal preselection in Tangney, where the party suffered one of its worst defeats of the 2022 election at the hands of Labor’s Sam Lim. The report says the former member, Ben Morton, is understood to have ruled himself out. It also relates that Senator Michaelia Cash is marshalling support for Moore MP Ian Goodenough in the face of a preselection challenge from former Stirling MP Vince Connelly.
Pueosays:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:56 pm
I really do not like Novak Djokovic. He obviously loves himself to death.
Not to mention botanical garden trees are not for climbing! (Not a strangler fig, unfortunately.)
=========================================================================
A Giant Stinging Tree (Dendrocnide excelsa) or a Gympie Stinger also called suicide plant, stinging tree, stinging bush, or gympie-gympie (Dendrocnide moroides). Would have also been good.
Vensays:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 10:02 pm
Sea level rise could cost Europe billions in economic losses, study finds
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If that is the loss to GDP, it is a yearly loss. So they lose that much each year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSkgwCpuZwk
New Zealand’s Māori king has called a rare nationwide meeting. Here’s why
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/19/new-zealand-maori-king-nationwide-meeting-rare-why-news-details-indigenous-rights
Pueosays:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 10:13 pm
A Giant Stinging Tree (Dendrocnide excelsa) or a Gympie Stinger also called suicide plant, stinging tree, stinging bush, or gympie-gympie (Dendrocnide moroides). Would have also been good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSkgwCpuZwk
=================================================================
Not as musical but here is an idiot getting stung on purpose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlA8CalwmUc
C@tmommasays:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:40 pm
I really do not like Novak Djokovic. He obviously loves himself to death.
_____________________
The lefties loved him when Morrison was trying to have him deported.
Taylormade @ #256 Friday, January 19th, 2024 – 10:25 pm
So what? And anyway, I didn’t like him then, when he was trying to flout the Covid vaccination rules, and I still don’t like him now!
Bystander @ #245 Friday, January 19th, 2024 – 9:43 pm
Thanks, Bystander. I respect your contributions too. As infrequent as they are. Quality, not quantity. I’m trying to practice that a bit myself. 🙂
C@tmommasays:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 10:27 pm
Taylormade @ #256 Friday, January 19th, 2024 – 10:25 pm
C@tmommasays:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:40 pm
I really do not like Novak Djokovic. He obviously loves himself to death.
_____________________
The lefties loved him when Morrison was trying to have him deported.
So what? And anyway, I didn’t like him then, when he was trying to flout the Covid vaccination rules, and I still don’t like him now!
======================================================================
I thought it was “Cookers” that loved him. In what way are they lefties?.
The Date won’t be changed ant time soon.
Nor will our
colonial ensignflag.Maybe Woollies could stock merch with this design. The usual suspects will go completely spare:
“Not as musical but here is an idiot getting stung on purpose.”
🙂 A micro-study into the modern MSM; how many clicks makes it worth posting?
FUBAR: “What did the High Court do wrong?”
A jury of citizens heard the evidence and delivered a finding of fact.
The High Court, in its wisdom, decided that the jurors could not possibly have reached that finding on the evidence they (the jurors) heard.
Why should the contribution of the UK to the creation and development of Australia be scrubbed from the flag?
Is it embarrassing?
A huge percentage of the population have UK heritage. Why should that heritage and culture be hidden?
Taylormade: “The lefties loved [Djokovic] when Morrison was trying to have him deported.”
[citation needed]
Never paid much attention to the tennis, but I do see the bits which filter into mainstream News. Novak Djokovic is clearly a great player, but he does seem to be a bit of a wanker, a common trait among the Tennis elites.
Oliver Sutton says:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 10:39 pm
I couldn’t be bothered doing a full reply but you’re going to have to do far better than that.
The dissenting opinion in the Victorian Court of Appeal was from one of the pre-eminent Criminal Jurists in the Nation. The High Court Decision was a unanimous decision of the Full Bench. Are you saying that they are wrong and if so how was the decision wrong at law?
@FUBAR
Regarding George Pell, I’m happy to repeat that I’m glad that demon served time behind bars, and am amused at how pieces of shit like you constantly start snarling like robbers’ dogs in his defense every time.
Now that he’s dead and warm, what’s next? Gonna try and rehabilitate his best mate Gerald Ridsdale before he joins him? Birds of a feather…
“ A huge percentage of the population have UK heritage. Why should that heritage and culture be hidden?”
A huge percentage of us have moved on. Why should the minority dictate to the majority (who want a republic)?
Pueosays:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 10:34 pm
“Not as musical but here is an idiot getting stung on purpose.”
A micro-study into the modern MSM; how many clicks makes it worth posting?
=======================================================================
He got more than 10k of comments. I read a few, some are suggesting how he could film it better next time. Like infra red on the skin sting sites. Though i noticed one comment was telling that urban myth (though it would be rainforest myth). About someone using a leaf for toilet paper. Obviously this didn’t happen, as just touching it with your hands is enough to cause severe pain.
I go to bed happy. Green Day have a new album out and they are as political as ever 😀
https://youtu.be/t1TDvy7djJg?si=Ov79PQu-uNls4V5G
”Why should the contribution of the UK to the creation and development of Australia be scrubbed from the flag?”
For what it’s worth, my heritage going back a few generations gets a look-in with the diagonal red cross.
But it’s not a matter of “scrubbing” or “hiding”. Did the USA and Canada do any scrubbing or hiding? Maybe the USA after kicking the British out, but Canada? In 1967 they replaced their colonial ensign with a flag that represented a proud independent nation looking to the future.
Our flag represents our past as a British Colony but there’s so much more. It’s time to move on.
Steve
Not only tennis elites
Many elite athletes are not likeable
One of the nicest people I worked with was just not quite an elite cricketer
Played some state games for wa
Talking to him once about some latest ruction in wa cricket I offered the view that the person involved, an elite player, seemed a bit odd
“It goes with the territory” he said with a smile
Djokovic thrives on his reputation as “not likeable”
I doubt it keeps him awake at night
Steve777says:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 10:56 pm
”Why should the contribution of the UK to the creation and development of Australia be scrubbed from the flag?”
For what it’s worth, my heritage going back a few generations gets a look-in with the diagonal red cross.
But it’s not a matter of “scrubbing” or “hiding”. Did the USA and Canada do any scrubbing or hiding? Maybe the USA after kicking the British out, but Canada? In 1967 they replaced their colonial ensign with a flag that represented a proud independent nation looking to the future.
========================================================================
The maple leaf, i actually have a leaf i could suggest for our flag. Which would represent mess with us and you get stung.
I note New Zealand’s last referendum to change the flag.
I don’t understand why they didn’t put up the silver fern on black which is almost the de facto NZ flag much like the boxing kangaroo for Australia.
Seriously, why are the Liberal Party standing by Linda Reynolds with the way she’s carrying on? Where’s the preselection chatter?
FUBARsays:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 10:41 pm
Why should the contribution of the UK to the creation and development of Australia be scrubbed from the flag?
Is it embarrassing?
YES
I don’t like Novak Djokovic; I never did, even before COVID. That being said, he is the greatest tennis player of all time. I want him to break Margaret Court’s record of grand slams singles titles. I dislike him less than Margaret Court.
Tom the first and best says:
Friday, January 19, 2024 at 5:33 pm
‘The only remedy for a PM being sacked contrary to the wishes of the House of Reps is to get the Monarch to sack the Governor-General. Only the House of Reps has any potential constitutional standing to be listened to by the Monarch on sacking the Governor-General.’
———————————————————————————-
The problem back in 1975 was that Charlie was up to his neck in it and the Queen knew all about it.
‘A newly revealed letter, reportedly from Prince Charles to former Australian governor general Sir John Kerr endorsing his decision to dismiss prime minister Gough Whitlam, has been condemned as “inappropriate”.
The letter, which was published by News Corp on Saturday, is dated 27 March 1976 – several months after the constitutional crisis as Kerr was facing a fierce backlash by the Australian public.
“Please don’t lose heart,” the letter reportedly shows Prince Charles, then 27, writing to Kerr. “What you did last year was right and the courageous thing to do…I hope you do not worry too much about these sorts of demonstrations and stupidities… I mention all this just in case you may be getting somewhat depressed or dejected.”
Prof Jenny Hocking, a historian and expert on Whitlam from Monash University whose case in the high court led to the release of the “palace letters”, said the letter confirmed that Prince Charles was approving and supportive of Kerr’s decision.
“It really confirms some of the concerns that have been raised through the release of the palace letters,” she said.
“Far more concerning to me was the confirmation through those earlier palace letters that Charles had spoken at some length to Kerr in September 1975 about matters which included the possibility that he might dismiss the government.
“This was then conveyed to the Queen by Charles, as revealed by her private secretary, Sir Martin Charteris, in a letter to Kerr in October 1975. So Charles’s discussions with Kerr were well known to the Queen as well.
“It’s not the first indication of support for the dismissal from within the royal family. The very, very strong support of Lord Louis Mountbatten was revealed many years ago.”
The royal family is meant to remain politically neutral when it comes to Australia, especially given Prince Charles is set to become the head of state after the Queen abdicates or dies.
“To range over such political matters is most inappropriate,” Hocking said. “These are conversations that ought not to be happening.”
The Guardian
Matilda Boseley
Sat 24 Oct 2020 16.52 AEDT
Well, Charles is King now so I have two questions:
Would Charles or any monarch dare interfere inappropriately in our politics again?
Does Charles feel guilty that a ‘depressed’ and ‘dejected’ John Kerr moved to London and drank himself to death?
La vache menteuse.
Socrates @ 1.31pm
Test Cricket is scheduled for 5 days per season.
The two local AFL derby matches per season outdraw an entire test match.
The Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide played 26 home and away matches during season 2023.
The Gather Round saw further matches at Adelaide Oval, too.
Being from NSW, I can’t comment upon whether Adelaide Oval hosts major concert events – but with a capacity of over 45 000 – I would presume it may.
I know it has hosted Rugby Tests and a couple of NRL games, too.
I doubt that the huge amount of public expenditure that went into the upgrade of Adelaide Oval was for the sole benefit of possibly 5 days of Test Cricket, each year.
As for match scheduling, Adelaide is never going to be awarded the Boxing Day or New Years Test matches. Crowd numbers and gate receipts will never match or surpass those of Melbourne and Sydney.
Unfortunately, the 2034/24 cricket season has seen two second tier teams being scheduled to play a very dominant Australia team.
Personally, I would have scheduled a sixth match into the program to allow Hobart or Canberra to host an international match.
Restraint of Play.
The Packer case against the England Cricket Board in the late 70s was won on the basis that Cricket governing bodies imposed a ban upon players, playing for any organisation which they didn’t control.
The English Court ruled in that regard and probably would again if an attempt was made to ban or restrain the rights of athletes to play in one form of competition or another.
I don’t believe that a ban on players from playing T20 Cricket will help arrest the decline of Test Cricket, outside of Australia, England or India.
The best way in which we can help to retain Test Cricket is to get out to the grounds and support the games when scheduled.
Good example of right wing propaganda. A story that frames S3 as stealing from the poor to give to the rich. That Charmers took away the low to middle income tax break and is to blame for you feeling poorer.
No mention that both were legislated by the Coalition.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/tax/harsh-truth-about-labors-unpopular-stage-3-tax-cuts/news-story/9f86b61ee8c540fb3df4fd6f3ecd2f44
Labor caucus members have been called to Canberra on Wednesday for an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to canvass new measures to cut the cost of living, as the government works on energy subsidies and other proposals to deliver help to households.
The meeting will clear the way for an economic agenda that includes practical measures that ease the pressure on households without fuelling inflation, amid strong support within the government for another $3 billion energy package to cut bills for people in need.
In an unusual move that has heightened talk of new policies, Albanese has asked federal Labor MPs to assemble in Canberra almost two weeks before parliament resumes so they can discuss the cost of living and other issues.
The controversial stage 3 tax cuts are also being debated inside and outside the government after Albanese declared this week that the cuts to personal income tax rates would go ahead as planned in July, although he hedged on whether the plans might be amended.
The government believes it has time to adjust its plans before the May budget if concerns about inflation force a rethink of the tax cuts, which would inject $20.4 billion into the economy in their first year and $23.5 billion in their second year.
A leading policy option among cabinet ministers is to fund a second round of the $3 billion Energy Bill Relief Fund to cut electricity bills for more than five million households in a joint project with the states and territories. The first phase of the policy ends on June 30 and key figures in the government favour another round of subsidies after Treasury, the Reserve Bank and the Australian Bureau of Statistics said the assistance helped to lower prices. Rather than being paid directly to consumers, the energy funding is channelled through state schemes to reduce bills before they reach pensioners and others on income support. The federal government paid $1.5 billion this financial year, with matching funds from the states and territories.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-calls-urgent-caucus-meeting-on-cost-of-living-fixes-20240119-p5eyp6.html
Congratulations to Japan for their successful Moon landing!
Japan’s SLIM ‘Moon sniper’ makes historic landing, but probe can’t generate solar power
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-20/japan-slim-moon-sniper-land-lunar-basin-jaxa/103308342
“No mention that both were legislated by the Coalition.”
It’s almost as if the Coalition expected to lose the 2019 election, and left some landmines for Labor to step on…
Pueo @ #285 Saturday, January 20th, 2024 – 7:18 am
Which they ALWAYS do. I remember Tanya Plibersek saying exactly that to me in 2007 when she knew Labor were going to likely win with Kevin07…there will be land mines left behind that Labor will have to defuse before they can move on to their own projects.
“Though i noticed one comment was telling that urban myth (though it would be rainforest myth). About someone using a leaf for toilet paper. Obviously this didn’t happen, as just touching it with your hands is enough to cause severe pain.”
I’ve heard that too – but as a warning not to reach for any conveniently large leaf on the rainforest floor. You’d have to be pretty thick-skinned to get as far as wiping with even a dried gympie-gympie leaf.
Kirsdarke @ 7.48pm
My father was a jeweler & watchmaker and was often asked by customers (and family members) to assess the value of their overseas shopping.
At the time it was mostly from Hong Kong or Bangkok.
He would, after examination, reply, “You have bought the quality for which you have paid”.
Once gone, he would then tell us of all the flaws in the working, stones, the poor-quality gold alloys and that he could have made, or had one of his fellow jewelers make, a better-quality product for the same price.
It was also ironic that these same people always called upon Dad when they wanted something special designed or made.
C@tmomma be very cautious when purchasing jewelry, online and off-shore.
European and American generals have questioned whether the UK can still be considered a top-level fighting force, with new analysis revealing the army will have fewer than 70,000 soldiers within two years. Figures compiled by The Times show that if the army continues to lose troops at its present rate, the number of regular soldiers will fall to 67,741 by 2026 — smaller than the United States’ special operations forces alone. In a decade’s time, based on present trends, the army will be 52,000 strong, small enough to fit inside Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.
The number of soldiers in the British Army is forecast to drop below 70,000 by 2026
In the 12 months to September last year the army’s total strength fell from 79,139 to 75,983 as more soldiers left than signed up. Ministers have agreed to reduce the army to 72,500 by 2025 — a decision that has caused concern among senior US generals — but there is a danger numbers could drop below that as soon as next year and continue on a rapid downward trajectory.
The army has failed to reach its recruitment target for soldiers every year for the past decade yet Capita, the outsourcing company which oversees recruitment, has been awarded contracts worth more than £1.1 billion. In 2020 it was awarded a two-year contract extension with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) worth £140 million. This started in March 2022, when its ten-year contract ended.
Mark Francois, the Tory former armed forces minister who sits on the Commons defence select committee, said the company should have been sacked, not had its contract renewed.
John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, added: “On current trends, our army is set for further decline if ministers do not get to grips with their recruitment and retention crisis.”
George Santos NY-3 special election is in 3 weeks – looks like flipping Democrat to Tom Suozzi
And Senator for Texas Ted Cruz struggling…
A new poll on the Texas Senate race shows incumbent Ted Cruz tied with his two most formidable Democratic challengers, raising alarm bells for the two-term Republican.
The survey, released Thursday by Emerson College, found Cruz polling at 42 percent among likely voters in a hypothetical matchup with U.S. Representative Colin Allred, who had 40 percent support. In a matchup with Texas state Senator Roland Gutierrez, 41 percent said they would vote for Cruz and 40 percent said Gutierrez.
The numbers echo the difficult reelection effort Cruz faced in 2018 when he faced off against Democrat Beto O’Rourke in one of the closest Senate contests in Texas in decades. Ultimately, Republicans held on to the seat after Cruz narrowly defeated O’Rourke by 219,000 votes. The last Democrat to represent Texas in the Senate was Bob Kruger in 1993. Kruger was appointed to finish Lloyd Bentsen’s fourth term after Bentsen became President Bill Clinton’s treasury secretary.
This year, three Democrats are gunning for the party’s nomination in Texas. Nueces County District Attorney Mark Gonzalez is also running. The Thursday poll found Allred to be the most popular candidate among Democratic primary voters, with 29 percent support, followed by Gutierrez at 7 percent and Gonzalez at 6 percent. However, 37 percent said they are undecided ahead of the March 5 primary.
https://www.newsweek.com/ted-cruz-poll-raises-alarm-bells-texas-election-1862204
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
In an unusual move that has heightened talk of new policies, David Crowe tells us that the PM has asked federal Labor MPs to assemble in Canberra almost two weeks before parliament resumes. He says the meeting will clear the way for an economic agenda that includes practical measures that ease the pressure on households without fuelling inflation, amid strong support within the government for another $3 billion energy package to cut bills for people in need.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-calls-urgent-caucus-meeting-on-cost-of-living-fixes-20240119-p5eyp6.html
We are living through an age of extreme populism, meaning the mainstream political class rarely has the courage of its convictions. If indeed there still are convictions among modern leaders. The recipe for political success these days is dictated by winning, little more, writes Peter van Onselen who wonders who in mainstream politics will risk their career by bucking the trend – to lead, rather than follow.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/rising-tide-of-populism-erodes-hope-for-reform/news-story/f6aa2fc763b69cacd71afe9d85b254c9?amp=
A strident Chris Wallace says that Peter Dutton is bringing Trumpism into Australian politics. She opines that Dutton’s Woolworths moment was a historic low in the political conduct of conservative parties in Australia – and it occurred with barely a ripple in the media. This article is well worth reading.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/2024/01/20/dutton-delivers-trumpism-the-suburbs
The Reserve Bank of Australia should lift interest rates further and the Albanese government must deliver federal and state spending cuts to reduce inflation to target before 2026, the International Monetary Fund has advised. John Kehoe reports that in a major review of the economy, the IMF ramped up calls for “comprehensive tax reform” to fix weak labour productivity growth.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/rba-should-lift-rates-labor-ought-to-cut-spending-imf-20240118-p5eyae
Two massive issues are shaping the start of the political year: Stage 3 tax cuts and conflict in the Middle East, writes Laura Tingle.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-20/political-year-australia-stage-3-tax-cuts-middle-east-conflict/103369162
The overheated focus over the symbolic aspects of Wong’s Middle East itinerary was a distraction from the substance of her trip and the array of problems plaguing the region, says Matthew Knott.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/i-visited-a-kibbutz-after-the-october-7-attacks-but-penny-wong-didn-t-have-to-20240118-p5eyas.html
Adam Morton reveals that as the government launches another review of supermarkets’ conduct, the corporate watchdog is expected to announce its first full-scale supermarkets inquiry in 16 years.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/economy/2024/01/20/exclusive-coles-and-woolworths-face-full-accc-inquiry
John Lord entertains us with the mystery of why Scott Morrison is still in parliament.
https://theaimn.com/the-mystery-of-why-scott-morrison-is-still-in-parliament/
The SMH editorial argus that fee-paying parents have a right to know school staff salaries.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/fee-paying-parents-have-a-right-to-know-school-staff-salaries-20240119-p5eym5.html
In an unusually long contribution from Tomy Wright, he examines the concept of “pretended patriotism” and takes apart Dutton’s Woolworths intervention.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/pretend-australia-day-patriotism-is-a-scoundrel-s-refuge-here-s-a-solution-20240118-p5eya2.html
Canberra’s only quarantine hotel will soon be a distant memory, following a huge transformation to turn the 20-year-old Braddon building into a residential apartment block. Looking at 100 Northbourne Avenue today there is almost no sign of its former life as the Pacific Suites, which housed returning Australians for their mandatory isolation stints during the height of COVID-19.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8490822/pacific-suites-hotel-on-northbourne-becomes-cento-apartments/?cs=14329
Everybody’s favourite politician, Linda Reynolds, says she is awaiting advice on whether a bid to freeze Brittany Higgins’ assets could apply in France where the former Liberal staffer she is suing now lives.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/19/linda-reynolds-seeks-advice-on-bid-to-freeze-brittany-higgins-assets-in-france
Almost 150 aged care homes that did not meet minimum standards for safety and care were awarded four- or five-star compliance ratings last year, leading to concerns families are potentially being misled. Henry Belot reports that two former advisers to the aged care royal commission believe a “flaw” in the star rating system – launched in December 2022 to help families make informed decisions about where they send loved ones – has prioritised providers over consumers.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/19/five-stars-awarded-to-australian-aged-care-homes-failing-safety-and-care-standards
John Hewson is concerned that in the era of the tradie, university education is being undervalued.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/2024/01/20/the-era-the-tradie
The overall bulk-billing rate for the 7.8 million diagnostic imaging services carried out in Australia in the September quarter was 76.4 per cent – the lowest since the three months to December 2013, reports Natassia Chrysanthos who examines what this means for health risks and outcomes.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/more-than-7-million-scan-orders-in-three-months-but-patients-now-paying-huge-gap-fees-20240111-p5ewil.html
Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange say his last hope in avoiding extradition to the United States is to have Britain intervene in his case and prevent his removal, writes Mike Seccombe.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/media/2024/01/20/julian-would-rather-commit-suicide-than-go-the-us
Are taxpayers on the hook to bail out Australia’s largest coal plant, Eraring, after just ten years of privatisation? Michael West reports on the latest in taxpayer subsidies for fossil fuel corporations.
https://michaelwest.com.au/eraring-privatisation-chris-minns-subsidies-origin-energy/
While Perth’s cavernous stadium offers the possibility of big crowds, Adelaide’s Test cricket appetite is genuine and lasting, writes Daniel Brettig after 17,000 spectators turned up to see 100 minutes of cricket. This gathering, he said, was significantly more than the total attendance on day one of the Perth Test against Pakistan in mid-December – the very time slot that the South Australian Cricket Association is so desperate to secure for the next seven years.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/why-17-000-spectators-turned-up-to-see-90-minutes-of-cricket-20240119-p5eynu.html
The Modi model relies too much on top-down investment. As China has already discovered, India needs to fire up its consumers too, writes Andy Mukherjee.
https://www.afr.com/world/asia/india-s-economic-growth-is-displaying-chinese-characteristics-20240118-p5ey6v
As the Gaza crisis worsens, the Albanese government is on the defensive, writes Daniel Hurt who says Penny Wong engaged in a balancing act during trip to the Middle East while the political environment back home is fraught.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/20/anthony-albanese-government-penny-wong-middle-east-visit-tour-israel-gaza-war-stance
Michael Pascoe writes about the outrage over Gaza killings but says we do it, too.
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2024/01/20/michael-pascoe-australia-gaza
The contested concept of ‘impartiality’ lies at the heart of running battles between unionised staff and news organisations in Australia over coverage of Israel’s genocidal onslaught, writes Mick Hall.
https://johnmenadue.com/impartiality-the-biggest-joke-in-journalism-news-staff-rebel-over-gaza/
Peter Greste tells us that Israel has emerged as one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists, according to a newly released census compiled by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. China, though, still commands tops spot on the list.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8491911/israel-among-the-leading-jailers-of-journalists-in-the-world/?cs=14258
As the election looms, we must be alert to Trump’s threats of vigilante justice, warns Robert Reich who says there is a direct and alarming link between Trump’s political rise and the increase in political violence and threats in America.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/19/donald-trump-threats-vigilante-justice-2024-election
There is still a way to stop Donald Trump – but time is running out, writes Jonathan Freedland. He says tbest chance to stop him has already passed. It came in February 2021, when the Senate could have convicted Trump on the “incitement of insurrection” charges levelled against him in his second impeachment following the 6 January riot. Had that happened, Trump would have been barred from public office for life. That was the moment, but Senate Republicans ducked it.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/19/stop-donald-trump-republican-opponents-insurrection
Cartoon Corner – weekend cartoons in Australia seem to have dried up this year
David Rowe
Glen Le Lievre
Jon Kudelka
Peter Broelman
Leak
From the US
Thanks BK. Today’s Rowe says it all really.
“Which they ALWAYS do. I remember Tanya Plibersek saying exactly that to me in 2007 when she knew Labor were going to likely win with Kevin07…there will be land mines left behind that Labor will have to defuse before they can move on to their own projects.”
Yep. Dutton was getting hysterical the other day because Albo hasn’t fallen for the trap of getting rid of the stage 3 tax cuts. WTTE: “He wants to do it!” “But he’s said repeatedly that he won’t.” “Yeah, but he might!” Pathetic.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says Anthony Albanese’s leadership is ‘over’ if Labor government abandons stage three tax cuts set to come into effect in July
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/opposition-leader-peter-dutton-says-anthony-albaneses-leadership-is-over-if-labor-government-abandons-stage-three-tax-cuts-set-to-come-into-effect-in-july/news-story/72ec4a1a606ff21bd5371a59759b66a9
A bit like whiny “journalists” complaining that Albo won’t fall for their obvious gotcha questions.
A strident Chris Wallace says that Peter Dutton is bringing Trumpism into Australian politics. She opines that Dutton’s Woolworths moment was a historic low in the political conduct of conservative parties in Australia – and it occurred with barely a ripple in the media. This article is well worth reading.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/2024/01/20/dutton-delivers-trumpism-the-suburbs
And I’m going to be working on leading the fightback this year, from outside the Labor Party and the grass roots up.
The Labor Party has disappointed me, and I hope they don’t continue to disappoint me, by not taking this threat seriously enough and just doing ‘politics as usual’ and hoping that works for people. When instead, Peter Dutton and the global Authoritarian Movement are THE existential threat of our lifetimes and so it behooves all of us of fair mind and good heart to sign up to fight the good fight and get into the trenches together to stave off the threat that is Peter Dutton. We need to be pro active rather than reactive, and that goes for the Prime Minister and his government more than anyone else in this country, because it’s only them who stand between the Authoritarian Police State supporting Coalition Opposition, and them being able to actually put the sort of plans into practice that Peter Dutton heavily hinted at the last time he was in power. Such as laws to control what can and can’t be said on the internet. Putting his people in charge of our Public Broadcaster. Or his black shirt Border Force goons stopping people in the street and checking their credentials. Or not stopping as Immigration Minister some really nasty people, with some really bad ideas, from coming into the country and poisoning the minds of our people.
So, we have to take the threat seriously. I know I will be. Before it’s too late and we are no longer able to fight to take our country back because of Peter Dutton’s public equivalent of, “I move that the Member no longer be heard.”
Pueo,
It’s the tactic that the Coalition and Peter Dutton are employing of suggestibility. Planting the seed in people’s minds. Weed seeds. That sprout and infest their thoughts. Like Taylormade attempts to do every day here.
Ima just saying, the government have to stomp on this sort of thing hard! No more Mr and Ms Nice Guys! Fight fire with a flamethrower!
Macca RB says:
Saturday, January 20, 2024 at 6:57 am
‘Being from NSW, I can’t comment upon whether Adelaide Oval hosts major concert events – but with a capacity of over 45 000 – I would presume it may.’
——-
I went to Adelaide Oval to see the greatest rock and roll band in the world – The Rolling Stones. Me and 50,000 other people.
“Weed seeds.”
That doesn’t return the Google results you might expect. LOL.
I was looking for this article:
Fears of ‘weed highways’ as summer rains spread invasive plants through rural Australia
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/18/fears-of-weed-highways-as-summer-rains-spread-invasive-plants-through-rural-australia
Scrolling through TikTok I’ve seen numerous ads for ‘Glory Oil’, which apparently is something rubbed into your face, but when I first heard it thought it was for something else entirely.
Gee, I dunno – maybe process the ore and make batteries in Australia instead of shipping dirt overseas?
Australia’s ‘white gold’ was supposed to fuel the EV transition – then prices for battery minerals collapsed
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/jan/20/australia-white-gold-ev-transition-battery-minerals-lithium-nickel-cobalt
“Scrolling through TikTok …”
There’s your problem.