There being nothing else on in the world of polling this week, the weekly Roy Morgan gets a rare guernsey. After a tied result last time, Labor recovers a two-party preferred lead of 51-49, despite equalling their worst primary vote result for the term, down one-and-a-half to 30%. The Coalition is also down half a point, to 37.5%, with Labor’s two-party result benefiting from a one-and-a-half point rise in the Greens to 15.5%, their equal best result for the term, and a one point drop for One Nation to 3.5%. The poll was conducted last Monday to Sunday from a sample of 1677.
I just found this very impressive CV for the new GG, Samantha Mostyn. No one should say she isn’t qualified for the role she has been given:
A pretty impressive background:
– she grew up an armed services kid;
– a solicitor and associate to Michael Kirby:
– worked for channel 7, also on the introduction of pay TV in Australia;
-Optus (named “one of the most powerful women in the information technology industry” in 1998 by
AFR);
-Cable and Wireless in the old dart as global head of human resources;
– Insurance Australia group as group executive of culture and reputation;
– AFL Commission as first female member, director Swans for 6 seasons, also involved in the GO
Foundation (established by Adam Goodes & Michael O’Loughlin) & establishment of AFLW
– over a 20 year period until recently, on the boards of Mirvac, Transurban, Virgin Australia, the Diversity Council of Australia, Reconciliation Australia, Beyond Blue, the Australia Council for the Arts, and the National Mental Health Commission, Aware Super, the Foundation of Young Australians, Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety, and the Centre for Policy Development.
And what do the usual LNP barrackers have to say on here (rhetorical). “Jobs for the boys/girls” coz she once worked for 3 Labor Ministers a tad over 30 years ago (the big no no- PM Keating).
Pfffft.
Risk of accidental missile launch prompts Danish authorities to close airspace: Danish authorities warned that there was a risk the missile could launch unintentionally — but not explode — because of a technical error. Denmark’s armed forces said a technical problem arose with a Harpoon missile on board the Danish frigate HDMS Niels Juel as it was taking part in a test while anchored in the Korsoer naval base. “The launch vehicle, the booster, is activated, and currently cannot be disabled,” the military said in a statement.
The military said the missile is live, but only the booster is activated and there is no danger of the missile exploding or reaching farther than the booster rocket can lift it. It says: “Until the booster is disabled, there is a risk that the missile could launch and fly several kilometres away.”
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/if-only-we-could-sue-too-the-creepy-spotlight-saga-is-ruining-the-reputation-of-all-journalists-20240404-p5fhci.html
Yep. So true.
Honeytrap sext scandal: A senior Conservative MP has admitted his involvement in a honeytrap sexting scandal targeting a minister and fellow MPs.
William Wragg, chairman of a Commons select committee, told The Times he handed over the personal phone numbers of colleagues to a man he met on Grindr, a gay dating app.
The vice-chairman of the 1922 committee said he provided the details after sending intimate pictures of himself to the user. Wragg said he was “scared” that the man “had compromising things on me”.
Those colleagues — which included several MPs, members of their staff and a political journalist — were sent unsolicited flirtatious messages from senders identifying themselves as “Charlie” or “Abi”.
It is understood two MPs responded by sending an explicit picture of themselves.
The scandal, which has heightened concerns over the vulnerability of MPs to cyberattacks, is now the subject of an investigation by Leicestershire police, which has received a complaint of “malicious communications” against a parliamentarian. Experts believe it was an incident of “spearphishing”, a technique used to gather highly personalised, sensitive or compromising material.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/william-wragg-tory-mp-honeytrap-sext-scandal-photo-whatsapps-63zqb3bd9
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
Jacqui Maley is concerned that the creepy Spotlight saga is ruining the reputation of all journalists. A good read.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/if-only-we-could-sue-too-the-creepy-spotlight-saga-is-ruining-the-reputation-of-all-journalists-20240404-p5fhci.html
Caspan Jaspan tells us how the Seven executives are distancing themselves from Spotlight an have effectively thrown the program’s executive producer, Mark Llewellyn under the bus.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/allegations-do-not-reflect-culture-says-seven-as-executives-distance-themselves-from-spotlight-boss-20240404-p5fher.html
Kate Lyons lays out for us the five key takeaways from Taylor Auerbach’s evidence at the Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/04/five-key-takeaways-from-taylor-auerbachs-evidence-bruce-lehrmann-defamation-trial-sex-drugs-and-credit-cards-ntwnfb
Waleed Aly says that in a desperate attempt to regain lost voters, Dutton’s 2.0 version of the Coalition is the party for the worker, but with no obviously pro-worker policies.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/peter-dutton-friend-of-the-working-class-for-now-20240403-p5fh6g.html
The AFR editorial is concerned about Dutton’s “slippery populist slope” and says the opposition leader should be challenging Labor’s bad ideas, not adding one of his own.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/dutton-s-slippery-populist-slope-20240404-p5fhcu
Peter Dutton’s Liberals must expect things to get rough in the next parliament. How else to explain the party muscling up, with former SAS soldiers either chosen to contest seats at the next election or in the mix for preselection say Kishor Napier-Raman and Noel Towell.
https://www.smh.com.au/cbd/going-commando-liberal-party-recruits-sas-types-for-poll-battle-20240404-p5fhi3.html
Albanese has made a statement in choosing Sam Mostyn as governor-general, but he could have been bolder, suggests Michelle Grattan. She says, “The bigger statement would have been to choose the first Indigenous governor-general – a strong positive gesture after the referendum’s loss. It’s beyond time we had a First Nations governor-general.”
https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-albanese-has-made-a-statement-in-choosing-sam-mostyn-as-governor-general-but-he-could-have-been-bolder-227155
The corporate regulator repeatedly warned Services Australia that it should review and consider removing more than 100 companies from a government-run debit scheme that allows early access to welfare payments. But it said its attempts to sound the alarm over Centrepay about potential misuse of the scheme have had no impact.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/05/centrepay-scheme-centrelink-government-warnings-asic
Stephen Duckett argues that it is time for a conversation about national priorities when it comes to Commonwealth-State health reform.
https://johnmenadue.com/commonwealth-state-health-reform-its-time-for-a-conversation-about-national-priorities/
Without community support, the green energy transition will fail. Simon Writes opines on how to get communities on board.
https://theconversation.com/without-community-support-the-green-energy-transition-will-fail-heres-how-to-get-communities-on-board-225163
Australia and Europe must work together to break China’s dominance over the critical minerals needed for renewables, says the European Union’s energy commissioner. Mike Foley reports that European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson has said the political bloc had learnt the pitfalls of relying on one country for key commodities when Russia, the EU’s major gas supplier, invaded Ukraine in 2022. Subsequent sanctions and Russia cutting off supply created chaos in the EU.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/europe-s-energy-chief-wants-australia-to-help-break-china-s-high-tech-supremacy-20240404-p5fhf0.html
Sunak’s Conservatives face years of oblivion. Changing leader will solve nothing, writes Martin Kettle.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/04/rishi-sunak-conservatives-tory-defeat
Aid workers were unloading a million meals. James Lemon tells us how the IDF killed them. Accident? Sure!
https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/aid-workers-were-unloading-a-million-meals-here-s-how-the-idf-killed-them-20240404-p5fhez.html
According to Farrah Tomazin, Joe Biden has warned Benjamin Netanyahu that America’s support for the war in Gaza is dependent on whether Israel can limit the killing of innocent civilians and bring more aid to starving people.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/biden-tells-netanyahu-future-us-support-for-war-is-on-the-line-20240405-p5fhlh.html
Democratic groups escalated calls on Thursday for Congress to investigate Donald Trump’s social media company Trump Media after reports that it relied partly on emergency loans in 2022 traced back to a Russian-American under federal criminal investigation to make it to its stock market debut. The move increased political scrutiny into the merger between Trump Media Technology Group and the blank-check company Digital World Acquisition – which could net Trump about $4bn – as federal prosecutors secured guilty pleas from two investors who insider-traded on the deal.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/04/trump-media-stock-russia-links
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Andrew Dyson
Matt Golding
Jim Pavlidis
John Shakespeare
Peter Broelman
Simon Letch
Fiona Katauskas
Glen Le Lievre
Mark Knight
Spooner
From the US
“It is understood two MPs responded by sending an explicit picture of themselves.”
Must have felt like they were back at Eton.
Thanks BK. Today’s Rowe is a cracker!
Waleed Aly is spot on about Peter Dutton’s cynical faux concern for teh Workers:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/peter-dutton-friend-of-the-working-class-for-now-20240403-p5fh6g.html
The Liberal party is turning into the place ex SAS soldiers go when they leave the ADF. Already in parliament they have:
– Andrew Hastie
– Keith Wolahan
– Phil Thompson
And have preselected ex SASers:
– Mark Wales
– Darcy Dunstan
to contest seats in the next election.
https://www.smh.com.au/cbd/going-commando-liberal-party-recruits-sas-types-for-poll-battle-20240404-p5fhi3.html
Confessions @ #NaN Friday, April 5th, 2024 – 7:23 am
Don’t forget FUBAR. Also, ex-military.
Gotta love a military junta by stealth. 😐
Also, the Liberal Party are trying to use their identity politics to foster the iconic imagery manifested by this guy:
Thanks BK!
If Dutton isn’t pitching to workers who live in outer suburbs, where are their votes going to come from? They’ve already lost their wealthy metropolitan city seats to independents, and lost some of their regional seats to Labor. Dutton has little choice but to go after the outer suburb voters, and time will tell if his method will be successful.
C@t:
The Libs are blokesville central these days. Of course the military types are going to be attracted to it! 😆
#weatheronPB
Slick soaked surfaces,
saturated and soggy,
slippery and wet.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13272113/biden-poll-swing-state-president-surveys-beating-trump.html
Good on Matt Kean for taking a principled stand against nuclear, and voting with his feet in resigning from the Coalition for Conservation.
Albanese cannot let Dutton get hold of teg keys to the lodge. Dutton as PM would make John Howard appear like a lefty. Australia’s social cohesion, and possibly our democracy, rely on Albanese keeping Dutton out of reach of the keys to the Lodge. Albanese must do whatever it takes.
That Labor primary vote has me a tad worried. Albanese cannot let Dutton get hold of the keys to the lodge. Dutton as PM would make John Howard appear like a lefty. Australia’s social cohesion, and perhaps our democracy itself, rely on Albanese keeping Dutton out power. Albanese must do whatever it takes.
A rear fear is that if Dutton becomes PM, he refuses to give it up in spite of future elections. With all these former SAS members in his ranks then as Cat mentioned, I believe there is a real fear of a Dutton government becoming an undemocratic Junta-like regime over time.
‘fess,
Matt Kean is another Liberal who really should be a Teal.
With the Liberal party becoming the preferred option of a post adf career it looks like the LNP will now be the party of blokes, born again Christians and the aggressive ex army gym junkies. If they win I would expect the aggressive anti China rhetoric and bible influenced culture wars to really ramp up. Hopefully our farmers and exporters can make some money right now as I foresee plenty of trade sanctions reimposed and plenty of right wing Christian bluster and blarney coming our way from the culture warrior party should they Jag a win. Oh brother!!!
The Liberals have done little to quell the concerns of the Chinese community that led to Labor increasing its vote in key metropolitan areas in 2022. Characters like the shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson as pushing a very hardline agenda on this issue, wanting to ban Tik Tik and We Chat. Banning We Chat is a method used to cut the Chinese diaspora off from contact with friends and family in China, and can be perceived as preparation for a future war.
Looks like not reappointing Lowe as RBA governor was a good move by the government.
C@tmommasays:
Friday, April 5, 2024 at 8:09 am
‘fess,
Matt Kean is another Liberal who really should be a Teal
————————–
100%. Kean, Bridget Archer. There are a handful of them but they are rapidly dwindling.
”
C@tmommasays:
Friday, April 5, 2024 at 6:40 am
I just found this very impressive CV for the new GG, Samantha Mostyn. No one should say she isn’t qualified for the role she has been given:
A pretty impressive background:
– she grew up an armed services kid;
– a solicitor and associate to Michael Kirby:
– worked for channel 7, also on the introduction of pay TV in Australia;
-Optus (named “one of the most powerful women in the information technology industry” in 1998 by
AFR);
-Cable and Wireless in the old dart as global head of human resources;
– Insurance Australia group as group executive of culture and reputation;
– AFL Commission as first female member, director Swans for 6 seasons, also involved in the GO
Foundation (established by Adam Goodes & Michael O’Loughlin) & establishment of AFLW
– over a 20 year period until recently, on the boards of Mirvac, Transurban, Virgin Australia, the Diversity Council of Australia, Reconciliation Australia, Beyond Blue, the Australia Council for the Arts, and the National Mental Health Commission, Aware Super, the Foundation of Young Australians, Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety, and the Centre for Policy Development.
And what do the usual LNP barrackers have to say on here (rhetorical). “Jobs for the boys/girls” coz she once worked for 3 Labor Ministers a tad over 30 years ago (the big no no- PM Keating).
Pfffft.
”
A very very impressive CV indeed!
A man let alone a woman die for such a CV. Well done Albanese, well done in picking her as GG. A well thought out selection.
If Albanese government wins 2025 election, there will be no issues.
However, by some odd chance Dutton needs election, we need her.
I can see why Murdoch rags freaked out.
S. Simpsonsays:
Friday, April 5, 2024 at 8:09 am
A rear fear is that if Dutton becomes PM, he refuses to give it up in spite of future elections. With all these former SAS members in his ranks then as Cat mentioned, I believe there is a real fear of a Dutton government becoming an undemocratic Junta-like regime over time.
_____________________
Not your best effort Simmo.
You mean like Myanmar, El Salvador, Chile.
As if that’s going to happen.
C@t: “No one should say she isn’t qualified for the [Governor General] role she has been given …”
Planet Janet didn’t get the memo.
C@tmomma says:
Friday, April 5, 2024 at 6:40 am
I just found this very impressive CV for the new GG, Samantha Mostyn. No one should say she isn’t qualified for the role she has been given:
___________________________________________
It’s clear that Albanese has chosen to go for substance rather than symbolism in appointing the Governor-General.
While appointing an indigenous woman would have been an excellent symbol (although there are good arguments that it would be seen as a token consolation prize for losing the referendum) the fact is that there is no indigenous woman with the credentials and the incredibly broad experience that Mostyn has.
Every day I awake to the hope and desire, that the psychopath Netanyahu has exited stage left. Sigh…….
“Bannon was again taking inspiration from Hoffer, who observed that true believers were prone to conversion from one cause to another since they were driven more by their need to identify with a mass movement than by any particular ideology”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/04/steve-bannon-book-maga
As that goes for Putin and Trump as well.
Taylormade @ #NaN Friday, April 5th, 2024 – 8:47 am
Soft coups are all the rage these days, Taylormade. Haven’t you got the memo?
Victoria @ #NaN Friday, April 5th, 2024 – 8:59 am
One thing they can’t manipulate is time. 🙂
“ The Liberal party is turning into the place ex SAS soldiers go when they leave the ADF. Already in parliament they have:
– Andrew Hastie
– Keith Wolahan
– Phil Thompson”
______
Before we get carried away, it’s worth noting that neither Wolahan or Thompson are ‘ex SAS’.They merely form a single link each in a conga-line of ex military (and for that matter ex police) types that are drawn to politics in service of the LNP (or in some cases outright cooker organisations like Ricardo Bosi).
100%
https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/fight-against-disinformation-getting-harder
The other day I shared some possible good news for democracy in Senegal.
Today the West Australian is running an article headlined ‘New president of Senegal set to apply the pressure on Woodside’s Sangomar project’, though it is clear the issue is resources policy generally, not singling out Woodside.
It will be interesting to see if civil unrest emerges if companies such as Woodside don’t get their way.
Vensays:
Friday, April 5, 2024 at 8:46
A very very impressive CV indeed!
_____________________
AFLW is a mess and I wouldn’t be bragging about sitting on the board of Transurban either.
If we’re going to go down that road we should acknowledge that ex-Navy lawyer McGowan had ex-SAS Minister Tinley and ex-Army diver Minister Papalia in a Cabinet that appointed ex-Federal Minister for Defence Beazley as Governor and led a government with a strong defence industry agenda.
C@t
They have been a shit stain in society for far too long.
Of course, aided and abetted by those around them.
Surely we are at a point when enough is enough.
Trump’s mental decline continues. But those who suggest he is an idiot, are not giving him his dues.
Each and every day, the world observes his next move.
He is an evil psychopathetic piece of crap, and I really believed we would be done with him by now.
Morning all. Thanks for the roundup BK. I like Golding’s series of cartoons as well.
On the Gaza War, how long before Biden recognises that Netanyahu is playing him and US support while he thumbs his nose at international law?
Choosing between Israel and Hamas is not a binary choice. uSA can choose to support neither. So can we.
Taylormade
Your brain must really be muddled is all I can say.
”
Confessionssays:
Friday, April 5, 2024 at 6:57 am
Not since Oscar Wilde, or latterly, Ben Roberts-Smith, have we seen a defamation trial brought by a person with such catastrophic unintended consequences for that person.
The entire Brittany Higgins/Bruce Lehrmann case has turned into a litigation superstorm. The defamation action has been a masterclass in poor life choices, and done the journalistic profession few favours.
The News of the World was shut down for less.
The rest of us can only look on and weakly protest that we are not all like that.
Even as we report on this ghastly saga.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/if-only-we-could-sue-too-the-creepy-spotlight-saga-is-ruining-the-reputation-of-all-journalists-20240404-p5fhci.html
Yep. So true.
”
Indeed!!!
This Lehrmann guy was”senior ” advisor at PMO for AUKUS deal, for crying out loud. Weep Australia, weep.
Yesterday, Liberal partisans on PB were indirectly defending this guy even now.
On AUKUS, it is now obviously a costly security policy failure, benefiting only the former ministers and officials enmeshed in its corporate food chain.
Despite vague promises of a “sovereign capability” the USA clearly does expect selling US SSNs would imply they could fight in a war vs China.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-04/us-official-suggests-a-taiwan-war-could-see-aukus-subs-deployed/103669794
And despite those very questionable strings attached, the probability of receiving the subs in a relevant timeframe seems to be growing weaker.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/05/us-shipyards-behind-schedule-on-submarines-as-concerns-grow-for-aukus-pact
The only political benefit of AUKUS is that it gives Labor an excuse to stall funding sub construction work in Adelaide by up to ten years. The Hunter frigate program has the same “benefit”.
”
Holdenhillbillysays:
Friday, April 5, 2024 at 6:59 am
Honeytrap sext scandal: A senior Conservative MP has admitted his involvement in a honeytrap sexting scandal targeting a minister and fellow MPs.
William Wragg, chairman of a Commons select committee, told The Times he handed over the personal phone numbers of colleagues to a man he met on Grindr, a gay dating app.
The vice-chairman of the 1922 committee said he provided the details after sending intimate pictures of himself to the user. Wragg said he was “scared” that the man “had compromising things on me”.
Those colleagues — which included several MPs, members of their staff and a political journalist — were sent unsolicited flirtatious messages from senders identifying themselves as “Charlie” or “Abi”.
”
It appears the so-called conservative politicians in AUKUS countries are horrible people.
Wherever you look, which way you look, you only see one sordid affair after another.
And yet they are in striking distance of gaining power in 2 of the 3 countries and in power in one country for last 14 years. Baffling to put it mildly.
Ven
Strictly speaking Lehrmann was a senior advisor in the Defence Minister’s office.
Not bad for a 23 year old uni dropout with no background in defence!
”
Waleed Aly says that in a desperate attempt to regain lost voters, Dutton’s 2.0 version of the Coalition is the party for the worker, but with no obviously pro-worker policies.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/peter-dutton-friend-of-the-working-class-for-now-20240403-p5fh6g.html
”
Maybe Dutton and co think by just saying “woke”, the workers will vote for them. We know ‘Leftiebrawler’ was up against ‘wokeism’. I don’t maybe they are on to something.
It appears Albanese government was so afraid of Ute drivers ( who apparently are not woke) that they gave exemption to them on fuel emission standards atleast till they win next election.
BK @ #5 Friday, April 5th, 2024 – 7:01 am
Dutton has a real problem here. Most of Labor’s bad ideas started life as COALition policies. I doubt he could ever come up with an idea bad enough that Labor would be unwilling to adopt it.
I must say The Bulwark has improved a lot with Tim Miller hosting. Today for example:
1. No Labels dropping out of the Presidential race
https://youtu.be/GqGA3CNGdpA?si=rAMAh3Mb2KaPNgzu
2. A fascinating discussion with a historian on authoritarian leader attributes. In the context of Trump, traversing Mussolini, Gaddafi and Berlusconi. It turns out that ‘Bunga Bunga’ was not an aberration, but a pattern. And Umberto Eco gets a deserved mention.
https://youtu.be/iI1OPQi9ThE?si=fmMLVKfcP5n-bNsh
Albanese feigning outrage, by the look of it. No surprises there. He is easily the most fraudulent Labor leader since Hawke.
”
According to Farrah Tomazin, Joe Biden has warned Benjamin Netanyahu that America’s support for the war in Gaza is dependent on whether Israel can limit the killing of innocent civilians and bring more aid to starving people.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/biden-tells-netanyahu-future-us-support-for-war-is-on-the-line-20240405-p5fhlh.html
”
BK
It appears Farrah Tomazin could be wrong.
Reposted from previous thread. It shows Biden is not interested in changing his Israel policy any time soon.
Vensays:
Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 10:03 pm
Biden’s not changing Israel policy after deadly strike on aid workers
Some of his senior officials think it’s “a blatantly horrific and stupid mistake.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/03/biden-israel-strike-aid-workers-gaza-00150356
“The Biden administration has no plans to change its policy toward Israel after the ally’s forces killed seven humanitarian aid workers.
President Joe Biden was privately enraged by the deadly strike and in a public statement upbraided Israel for it, calling for “accountability” to those responsible and demanding more humanitarian assistance be allowed into Gaza. But two senior administration officials said that is as far as he and the White House will go for now.
“That’s all we have planned,” said one of the officials, who like others was granted anonymity to speak candidly about administration planning or internal reactions.
It’s the latest example of the United States criticizing Israel’s conduct of the war against Hamas while remaining reluctant to use its leverage to force a change. “