The fortnightly Essential Research poll has both parties up on the primary vote, Labor by two to 31% and the Coalition by one to 35%, with undecided down two to 4%. The Greens are on 11%, reversing a three-point spike last time, and One Nation gets its best result for the term with a three-point surge to 9%. The Coalition moves back into the lead on the pollster’s 2PP+ measure, up three to 49% with Labor down one to 47%. The monthly leadership ratings find Peter Dutton with net positive approval for the first time from this or any other pollster, with a four-point gain on approval to 44% and a three-point drop on disapproval to 41%. Anthony Albanese up a point on both approval and disapproval, to 43% and 48% respectively.
A regular question on national mood found a one-point increase in those who consider the country headed in the wrong direction to 50% and a one point drop on right direction to 32%. When it was put to respondents that the government’s Future Made in Australia policy would “provide funding for large-scale renewable energy projects that support the creation of local jobs”, 51% were in favour with 18% opposed. Fifty-two per cent said they would support nuclear power, up two from October, with 31% opposed, down two. A question on Israel’s military action in Gaza recorded a five-point drop in those who thought Israel should permanently withdraw to 32%, with 19% considering its actions justified (up one) and 19% favouring a temporary ceasefire (down one). Twenty-nine per cent supported recognition of a Palestinian state with 24% opposed. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Sunday from a sample of 1145.
After two successive polls with the Coalition in the lead, the latest weekly Roy Morgan poll has Labor back in front 52-48 on two-party preferred. On the primary vote, Labor is up half a point to 30.5%, the Coalition is down three to 35.5%, the Greens are up two-and-a-half to 16% and One Nation is steady at 5.5%. The poll was conducted Monday to Sunday from a sample of 1617.
Preselection news:
• Andrew Potts of the Gold Coast Bulletin reports Leon Rebello, solicitor at King & Wood Mallesons, won a Liberal National Party preselection on the weekend to succeed the retiring Karen Andrews in McPherson. Other candidates were Ben Naday, lawyer and former staffer to Andrews, and David Stevens, managing director of a private strategy and investment consulting firm and Howard government cabinet policy unit adviser.
• Ian Bushnell of RiotACT reports four candidates have nominated for a Liberal preselection vote to be held on Saturday to choose the party’s lead Senate candidate in the Australian Capital Territory: Giulia Jones, who served in the territory parliament from 2012 to 2022; Jerry Nockles, deputy chief executive of Independent Higher Education Australia and unsuccessful candidate for Eden-Monaro in 2022; Jacob Vadakkedathu, director of a management consultancy; and Kacey Lam-Evans, a former ministerial adviser to Christopher Pyne who now works for his lobbying firm. Zed Seselja lost the party’s ACT Senate seat to independent David Pocock at the 2022 election.
• Mark Phillips of Brunswick Voice reports Samantha Ratnam, the Greens state party leader, has won the party preselection ballot for the inner northern Melbourne seat of Wills, prevailing over the party’s candidate from 2022, Sarah Jefford.
“A regular question on national mood found a one-point increase in those who consider the country headed in the wrong direction to 50% and a one point drop on right direction to 32%.”
Hmmm, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/04/how-can-we-bridge-the-gap-between-economic-fact-and-economic-sentiment-a-new-report-sheds-light/.
A take on Boeing (or FMIA), https://www.linkedin.com/posts/garyhamel_its-always-a-big-problem-when-the-senior-activity-7188503079200141312-RwCl
‘Peter Dutton may face a party room revolt if the opposition elects to support the government’s misinformation bill, with a number of conservative colleagues and lobby groups saying they remained strongly opposed to the changes.’
Round up the usual suspects:
‘But conservative Coalition senators Matt Canavan, Claire Chandler and Alex Antic have all expressed strong criticisms of the proposed reforms, while the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) and Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) have also indicated they will continue to campaign against the bill.’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/24/peter-dutton-may-face-party-upset-if-opposition-supports-governments-misinformation-bill
At Least Trump will have company…
‘Labor falls behind in one poll and moves ahead in another.’
Gee, it’s almost as if statistical sampling necessarily entails some inherent variability … 😉
Essential:
‘The Coalition moves back into the lead on the pollster’s 2PP+ measure, up three to 49% with Labor down one to 47%.’
‘The monthly leadership ratings find Peter Dutton with net positive approval for the first time from this or any other pollster, with a four-point gain on approval to 44% and a three-point drop on disapproval to 41%.’
‘The Greens are on 11%, reversing a three-point spike last time, and One Nation gets its best result for the term with a three-point surge to 9%.’
Hmmm: apparent movements of 3 points (the outer limits of the margin of error) on three fronts …. but maybe inter-related.
It’s theoretically possible, of course, that there’s been a sudden surge in support for One Nation, and a commensurate collapse of support for the Greens, since the previous Essential poll. But what’s happened in those few weeks might could explain that?
Alternatively, Essential’s sample trawl this time might have netted an over-representation of righties and a corresponding under-representation of lefties.
A respondents sample with a sizeable skew to the right would conceivably deliver all three of those reported results: boosts for Coalition 2PP, Dutton’s approval, and the One Nation vote.
Or maybe the nation really has taken a step to the right. Let’s do the time warp again …
The LNP’s diversity candidates for McPherson:
* Leon the solicitor
* Ben the lawyer
* David the managing director
In the seat in which, 15 years ago, the LNP famously rejected a blow-in candidate … in favour of a woman:
‘… Peter Dutton believes his gender and outsider status contributed to his preselection defeat in the federal Gold Coast seat of McPherson.
‘Mr Dutton lost out to industrial engineer Karen Andrews … in what the Queensland Liberal National Party called “a win for democracy”.’
https://www.smh.com.au/national/dutton-loses-liberal-preselection-20091003-gh7a.html
One less woman in the partyroom after the next election.
‘Australian Border Force’s marine unit is rife with “inappropriate workplace behaviours including sexual harassment and bullying”, meaning female officers are not safe, according to the human rights watchdog.
‘… 100% of women who responded to a survey “witnessed sex discrimination, sexual … and/or sex-based harassment” and 78% had personally experienced that behaviour.’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/24/australian-border-force-marine-unit-not-safe-for-women-bullying-sexism-claims-secret-ahrc-report
Labor has shown the game changer in next months budget
Premium in responsibility , Dutton will have no alternatives in how the federal lib/nats would offer premium in responsibility
What is going to get the federal lib/nats and their propaganda really sweating after August , where there could be interest rate cuts start happening ,
Thanks William.
I’m surprised anybody takes the Morgan poll seriously. There was a time when you could just ignore the fact that it mostly showed Labor with an unconvincing lead and just focus on the trend line from poll to poll, which was broadly consistent with those of other polls. But, these days, the Morgan 2pp goes up and down like the proverbial newlywed’s bedtime apparel. I defy anyone to make any sense of it.
Essential Research showing Libs slightly ahead on 2pp is a little more interesting. But the primary votes of the major parties are so low nowadays that working out a 2pp result is always going to be an inexact science. And then, as c@t was pointing out last night, it is even more difficult to work out how any primary vote or 2pp result is going to translate into seats in the house.
I had always thought that our excellent system of compulsory preferential voting and single member electorates would protect us from the chaotic, small party-ridden nightmares that proportional representation inflicts on the parliaments of some European countries, Israel, etc. But I fear those days are gone.
Meher baba
If Labor primary vote was 31.5% and the lib/nats combined primary vote was 35.5% at the 2025 federal election
The lib/nats would not be in front in 2pp , would be lucky to be over 48% , Essential is probably more unreliable
Indeed, meher: Germany and New Zealand are notorious basket cases of democracy …
How long before they abandon proportional representation and revert to the two-party system that serves the USA so well? 🙂
Oliver Sutton @ #6 Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 – 5:43 am
So, a loss for democracy then this time around?
Also, doesn’t that pre-selection tell you everything you want to know about the Liberal Party/LNP? They choose members of the elites but run around claiming to now be the party of the working man and woman. Bull crap!
Trump warned to ‘cut his losses’ and seek a hush money plea deal before it’s too late
As Donald Trump’s hush-money trial kicks into its second day with a hearing on his apparent violation of Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order, a former Department of Justice prosecutor suggested the embattled ex-president read the writing on the wall and seek a plea deal.
In an interview with Salon’s Chauncey DeVega, attorney Kenneth McCallion, who investigated Trump for racketeering, stated the trial is starting off well for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office.
McCallion thinks he should try and get out from under his criminal legal woes by making a deal that includes stepping aside from politics.
US Senate approves $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Australia’s top spy and police chief will put tech companies on notice over terrorists, spies and criminals using end-to-end encryption and artificial intelligence to stoke extremism, disinformation and foreign interference, harm children, build weapons and plan attacks.
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw will warn on Wednesday that technology is “not above the rule of law” and accuse social media giants of refusing to “snuff out” extremist poison.
In a rare joint address to the National Press Club following last week’s church terrorist attack and Bondi Junction murders in Sydney, Mr Burgess and Mr Kershaw will focus on criminals and extremists weaponising the expansion of end-to-end encryption by tech giants.
Urging resistant tech companies to work with security agencies and establish lawful access, Mr Burgess will declare “privacy is important but not absolute” and say ASIO investigations are being “seriously compromised” by nationalist extremists using encrypted chat platforms.
The ASIO chief, who reveals some racist extremists are using encrypted platforms to share vile propaganda and tips about homemade weapons, will not call for new laws, powers or resources but rather for tech companies to do more under existing regimes.
“If the threat, evidence, safeguards and oversight are strong enough for us to obtain a warrant, then they should be strong enough for the companies to help us give effect to that warrant. To make encryption accountable,” Mr Burgess says.
“Without their help in very limited and strictly controlled circumstances, encryption is unaccountable. In effect, unaccountable encryption is like building a safe room for terrorists and spies, a secure place where they can plot and plan.
“Imagine if there was a section of a city where violent extremists could gather with privacy and impunity. Imagine if they used this safe space to discuss terrorism and sabotage, and vilify Muslims, Jews, people of colour and the LGBTQIA+ community. And imagine if the security service and police were stopped from entering that part of town to investigate and respond.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/security-chiefs-to-target-technology-giants/news-story/7e0cd797e52cc3399d0f304b3605c293?amp
Morgan seems to allow poll variability based on fairly random sample. The other main pollsters clearly do not appear to. It is not possible to get to get the sort of consistency provided by Newspoll and others without some process of sample. managing.
That is understandable because a regularly fluctuating figure produces the MB response – not reality because clearly it is statistical variation not actual.
And pollsters clearly have legitimate ways of removing variability.
But the sort of variabilty of results for Greens and One Nation in recent figures show there are still sampling issues.
That is the power of poll aggregating like PB. It reduces statistical noise.
But still only gives a limited picture because people react differently when it is simply polling as opposed to an actual election.
meher baba,
The Independent Teals have thrown the cat among the pigeons when it comes to predicting election results based on the polls, and The Greens a little bit too. Who will be the government is becoming a crap shoot. For so long as the Teals hold on, and even maybe expand. And I think that they will hold on after the next election because they have been such good representatives on the whole.
I can see though, after the riot in Wakely last week, just who Dutton is targeting to provide him with new seats, the archetype of which came in the form of the young, socially conservative man with a tattoo of Jesus on his side, who listened to the firebrand preacher’s socially divisive sermons over X every week on a Monday night. Him and the thousands like him.
We’ll see how successful that strategy is. I’m thinking 50/50 at tearing them away from Labor. I hope I’m wrong because Peter Dutton doesn’t deserve to profit from social disharmony and extremism.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/23/trump-trial-takeaways-hush-money-immunity/
Just what Trump wants: the court proceedings turning into a circus.
‘fess,
Todd Blanche is seeking to do to court proceedings and justice in America what Trump has done to politics. Burn down the house.
#weatheronPB
Blurry gathered lumps,
grey mostly, but also pink,
cover the pale sky.
C@t:
Blanche needs to remember that everything Trump touches dies.
Daily Kos
Mark Sumner
Pecker delivered more substantial testimony today, speaking for nearly two hours and describing the origins of his relationship with Trump. He also clearly described the formation of the “catch-and-kill” scheme as something that was done as part of Trump’s campaign for office. Pecker made clear that the National Enquirer was little less than an extension of that campaign. He didn’t just trap “stories by women” about Trump: Pecker coordinated with the campaign through Cohen to both publish false positive news about Trump and false negative news about Trump’s opponents.
That included publishing a story about a Marco Rubio “love child” and a Ted Cruz porn star affair that mimicked actual stories that Pecker was suppressing about Trump.
The prosecution was moving through how the “catch-and-kill” scheme operated, using the examples of doorman Dino Sajudin and Playboy model Karen McDougal when the day reached a close. But already it’s clear that the scheme was closely embedded in the Trump campaign and more directed at preserving Trump’s viability as a candidate than protecting any personal reputation.
Along those lines, Pecker described Trump as an “eligible bachelor” who was “dating” many beautiful women at a time when he had been married to his third wife for a decade. So it seems that Trump had good reason to expect “stories by women.” It’s just amazing the woman behind one of them wasn’t named Melania.
As interesting as all that was, the highlight has to be the gag order hearing held at the beginning of the day. Trump’s defense was absolutely blistered in that hearing. The prosecution went into the day asking for a simple $1,000 fine for each of Trump’s violations of the gag order on social media. But the hearing ended with the judge clearly peeved at Trump’s defense, telling lead attorney Todd Blanche that he was losing credibility with the court. Neither Blanche’s claims that Trump was allowed to attack witnesses for political reasons, nor his insistence that Trump was talking about the two tiers of justice in Merchan’s courtroom endeared him to the judge.
Merchan has still not ruled on the gag order, but whatever the official outcome, Trump lost a lot more than $10,000.
No ruling on gag order.
Morning all. Thanks for the story on Border Force Oliver Sutton. Another outstanding legacy from the Department run by Mike Pezullo.
“ Australian Border Force’s marine unit is rife with “inappropriate workplace behaviours including sexual harassment and bullying”, meaning female officers are not safe, according to the human rights watchdog.
‘… 100% of women who responded to a survey “witnessed sex discrimination, sexual … and/or sex-based harassment” and 78% had personally experienced that behaviour.’
Those are appalling figures. 100% of women observed gender discrimination and 78% experienced it!! These days construction sites are more gender balanced and safer than that.
Like a Liberal Party office?
The poll figures even out to match current trend. Not great for Labor, but not terrible. Cost of living remains the primary battle, combined with homelessness.
”
Oliver Suttonsays:
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 6:10 am
‘Australian Border Force’s marine unit is rife with “inappropriate workplace behaviours including sexual harassment and bullying”, meaning female officers are not safe, according to the human rights watchdog.
‘… 100% of women who responded to a survey “witnessed sex discrimination, sexual … and/or sex-based harassment” and 78% had personally experienced that behaviour.’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/24/australian-border-force-marine-unit-not-safe-for-women-bullying-sexism-claims-secret-ahrc-report
”
OS
I wonder why.
OH yeah.
Could it be because
1. It was under the supervision of L-NP government especially under the supervision of Dutton.
2. Its name is changed to more masculine.
It’s a pretty shocking indictment on our armed services. Mike Pezullo’s legacy is going to be hard to overcome.
”
Confessionssays:
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 7:17 am
100% of women observed gender discrimination and 78% experienced it!!
It’s a pretty shocking indictment on our armed services. Mike Pezullo’s legacy is going to be hard to overcome.
”
It is not Armed forces. It BSF marine unit.
Losing control of population increase is hurting fed labor.
Labor has had 2 years in power border force is a mess under labor governance.
Boats getting through is one nation booster.
Fed labor is incompetent unpopular prime minister on the media the optics are terrible being filmed near tents when across Australia including Perth people are in tents in parks etc thanks to Fed labor stupidity.
Economy is stagnant also was 57-43 labor ahead lucky to be 50/50 now.
Given same labor rabble in charge could be well behind soon.
Given the garbage Federal labor served up on migration last time in government the public will not buy the lies/spin on here.
Border Force. Minister Dutton.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. It’s a bit of a midweek monster today.
Shane Wright says that inflation is forecast to have fallen to its lowest level since 2021 as price pressures ease, but taxes are now weighing on Australians.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/price-pressures-to-ease-but-australians-hit-by-record-tax-take-20240423-p5flz9.html
With inflation still too high, more than a dozen top analysts have warned Treasurer Jim Chalmers that next month’s federal budget must be contractionary or neutral, writes Ronald Mizen.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/budget-must-help-not-hinder-rba-s-inflation-challenge-20240423-p5flwl
Negative gearing will change – it’s ‘the vibe’, says Michael Pascoe who says that just as the eventual change to the stage-three tax cuts arrived on a rising tide of advice/calls/recommendations/studies that helped push the government to make the no-brainer adjustments to the cuts’ targeting, there is a similar surge under way to alter our treatment of negative gearing.
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2024/04/24/michael-pascoe-negative-gearing
Dutton’s plan to save Australia with nuclear comes undone when you look between the brushstrokes, writes Graham Readfearn who says the dystopian picture of renewables painted by the opposition leader is full of inconsistencies, partial truths and misinformation.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/24/duttons-plan-to-save-australia-with-nuclear-comes-undone-when-you-look-between-the-brushstrokes
The longer the war in Gaza goes on, the less safe Australians feel at home, opines David Crowe. He points to a new survey that resulted in a clear majority of respondents wanting the federal government to take a neutral stance on the broader conflict. 62 per cent said Australia should stay out of the latest escalation in aerial bombardments between Israel and Iran.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-longer-the-war-in-gaza-goes-on-the-less-safe-australians-feel-at-home-20240423-p5flvv.html
Meanwhile, police have arrested dozens of people at pro-Palestine demonstrations at Yale University in Connecticut and New York University in Manhattan, as the war in Gaza continued to reverberate through American universities.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/mass-arrests-at-university-campuses-as-pro-palestine-protests-escalate-in-us-20240423-p5flze.html
Protesting against slaughter – as students in the US are doing – isn’t antisemitism, writes Robert Reich who says education is all about provocation. Without being provoked even young minds can remain stuck in old tracks.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/23/israel-gaza-campus-protests
Nick McKenzie tells us that an elite Fijian police unit working with Australia and New Zealand to fight surging drug trafficking in the Pacific may have been compromised by a powerful criminal syndicate. He says the revelations highlight the challenge Canberra faces responding to major security threats in the South Pacific, spanning corruption and organised crime amid an intensifying geopolitical contest with Beijing for influence.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/criminals-infiltrate-the-elite-taskforce-formed-to-stop-drugs-landing-in-australia-20240422-p5flkp.html
The climate crisis has long been defined by its lies and from the original sin of science denial, to Tony Abbott’s confected carbon tax panic, to the latest yellowcake straw man. But the most damaging porky of all might be that the transition to renewable energy will be easy, says Peter Lewis.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/23/renewable-energy-transition-australia-labor-government-net-zero
The Albanese Government is funding a predicted mining boom that will have devastating consequences for the environment, writes Sue Arnold.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/albanese-government-turning-australia-into-worlds-unsustainable-mine,18537
The AIMN’s Rossleigh explains why he is so confused about Peter Dutton.
https://theaimn.com/why-im-confused-by-peter-dutton-and-other-strange-things/
“Big victim or big mouth? Time for Australia to put Elon Musk in his place”, says David Crowe.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/big-victim-or-big-mouth-time-for-australia-to-put-elon-musk-in-his-place-20240423-p5fm01.html
Australia’s top spy and police chief will put tech companies on notice over terrorists, spies and criminals using end-to-end encryption and artificial intelligence to stoke extremism, disinformation and foreign interference, harm children, build weapons and plan attacks. Geoff Chambers reports that today Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw will warn that technology is “not above the rule of law” and accuse social media giants of refusing to “snuff out” extremist poison.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/security-chiefs-to-target-technology-giants/news-story/7e0cd797e52cc3399d0f304b3605c293?amp=
Elon Musk’s lawyers are set to fight the eSafety commissioner’s global take-down orders of the Sydney church stabbing footage on two fronts, arguing the agency made a bureaucratic bungle and massively overreached, explains the AFR.
https://www.afr.com/technology/musk-s-lawyers-to-fight-x-take-down-orders-on-two-fronts-20240423-p5flzs
Dutton has expressed support for giving the eSafety Commissioner further powers, while the shadow communications minister, David Coleman, has said the Coalition was “open” to considering any changes to the government’s misinformation bill. But conservative Coalition senators Matt Canavan, Claire Chandler and Alex Antic have all expressed strong criticisms of the proposed reforms, while the Institute of Public Affairs and Australian Christian Lobby have also indicated they will continue to campaign against the bill.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/24/peter-dutton-may-face-party-upset-if-opposition-supports-governments-misinformation-bill
As Musk provoked worldwide attention for his fight against the Australian take-down order, the Coalition revealed it was in favour of barring young children from digital platforms. Paul Sakkal and Angus Thomson also write about some of the silly reactions from some MPs to our eSafety Commissioner’s actions and words. Canavan and Babet – enough said!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/musk-s-war-with-australia-coalition-pushes-compulsory-age-limits-for-social-media-20240423-p5flzy.html
As Peter Dutton, Coalition media and the security apparatus ramp up efforts to censor the internet, Michael West checks in on anti-China think tank, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
https://michaelwest.com.au/aspi-be-alarmed-not-alert/
According to Stephen Duckett, we are only using a fraction of health workers’ skills and this needs to change. Interesting.
https://theconversation.com/were-only-using-a-fraction-of-health-workers-skills-this-needs-to-change-228108
New apartment buildings in the state government’s 37 transport development zones will initially be required to include only 2 per cent of affordable housing, as community housing peak bodies say it is unclear how the low figure can be justified. Max Maddison reports that in changes to the state’s planning laws aimed at addressing the housing crisis and expected to be announced next Monday, the Minns government will detail the policies enabling the rezoning of 37 transport development zones from Wollongong through Sydney and to Newcastle.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/new-sydney-housing-targets-rattle-advocates-and-developers-20240423-p5flz5.html
Matt O’Sullivan reports that toll road giant Transurban has revealed it undertook high-level analysis of traffic “hotspots” and other likely impacts of the Rozelle interchange in inner Sydney as far back as July 2022 and shared it with the previous Coalition government.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/rozelle-interchange-hotspots-were-known-16-months-before-opening-20240417-p5fkj2.html
Pontificating Paul Kelly declares that Albanese’s ‘Made in Australia’ sets new, dangerous course for Labor.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/made-in-australia-sets-new-dangerous-course-for-labor/news-story/84b02a4ef06c36e957b136c6e5e34828?amp=
Australian Border Force’s marine unit is rife with “inappropriate workplace behaviours including sexual harassment and bullying”, meaning female officers are not safe, according to the human rights watchdog. Paul Karp writes that the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), in a secret report for the ABF, revealed that in the marine unit 100% of women who responded to a survey “witnessed sex discrimination, sexual … and/or sex-based harassment” and 78% had personally experienced that behaviour.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/24/australian-border-force-marine-unit-not-safe-for-women-bullying-sexism-claims-secret-ahrc-report
In abandoning a second injecting room, Jacinta Allan has shown how she differs from Daniel Andrews but has risked hurting the morale of her caucus, which considered the policy to be the government’s next progressive victory. Kieran Rooney tells us that despite pressure from health advocacy groups, churches and the left wing of her own party, Allan has overseen a decision that will instead be positively received among Melbourne’s business community and those with a more conservative view on drug reform.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/jacinta-allan-shows-she-s-not-andrews-but-risks-her-party-s-wrath-20240423-p5flvy.html
The future of the cash-strapped Star Sydney is even more precarious after its major gambling rival, Crown Resorts, was given the green light to operate its Barangaroo casino, whose foreign owners have poured millions of dollars into overhauling its battered business. Star is not having a good time!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/bleak-outlook-for-the-star-as-nemesis-crown-has-licence-reinstated-20240423-p5fm1u.html
Bruce Lehrmann rejected an offer to “walk away” from his eventually unsuccessful civil suit months before his highly-publicised defamation trial. Lehrmann’s chance to escape what would become a devastating rebuke of his conduct and a finding of his guilt, to the civil standard of proof, was revealed yesterday through Federal Court documents.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8602072/bruce-lehrmann-rejected-walk-away-offer-ahead-of-defamation-trial/?cs=14329
Amanda Meade outlines the arguments all the parties have put to Justice Lee with respect to the judgement on trial costs.
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2024/apr/23/bruce-lehrmann-defamation-case-channel-ten-legal-costs-brittany-higgins-the-project-spotlight-ntwnfb
Janet Albrechtsen just won’t let go of Higgins.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/feelings-wont-change-the-facts-of-higgins-payout/news-story/2ce4cadc2e399be3e28decc634a64fa9?amp=
Paul Bongiorno reckons Linda Reynolds is doing the Liberals no favours by pursuing Brittany Higgins through the courts.
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/2024/04/23/paul-bongiorno-reynolds-higgins
In the oceanic commentary on the Bruce Lehrmann cases, little attention seems to have been given as to how he got into Minister Linda Reynolds office in the first place. If he hadn’t all could have been spared the terrible things that have happened as a consequence of his admission – the catastrophic ignominies he brought upon himself, the agonies of Ms Higgins and the reputational injuries to many who’ve got within a bull’s roar of the saga – Minister Reynolds and her chief of staff, the ACT public prosecutor Drumgold, Judge Sofronoff and Channel 7 and some of its unadmirable staff and on and on it goes. Paddy Gourley writes about Lehrmann and the engagement of ministerial staff.
https://johnmenadue.com/lehrmann-and-the-engagement-of-ministerial-staff/
The SMH editorial says that the Albanese government’s lukewarm support for Ukraine has been a source of embarrassment months. The measly financial and military assistance is now moving into potentially dangerous territory.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/short-sighted-lack-of-support-for-ukraine-could-come-at-cost-to-australia-20240423-p5flxg.html
Peter Fitzsimons writes about John Curtin, Winston Churchill and the cable that changed the course of Australian history. He provides the context within which Curtin told Churchill that ‘No, I’m bringing the Australian troops home to defend our own continent. We’re not going to just let it go’ after being requested ro send more resources onto the theatre in Europe.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/john-curtin-winston-churchill-and-the-cable-that-changed-the-course-of-australian-history-20240423-p5fm1l.html
Last week’s halving of the supply of new bitcoins and the consequential halving of revenue to the cryptocurrency’s miners raises big questions for its future, explains Stephen Bartholomeusz about an existential threat to the digital currency.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/the-existential-threat-to-bitcoin-20240423-p5flvu.html
One wonders how the Australian mainstream media will react to the news that India, the so-called biggest democracy in the world, has thrown out ABC correspondent Avani Dias from the country. Sam Varghese reports that Dias was denied a visa after her program Sikhs, Spies and Murder: Investigating India’s alleged hit on foreign soil was aired on the ABC ‘s weekly Foreign Correspondent slot.
https://johnmenadue.com/worlds-biggest-democracy-expels-abc-journalist-but-little-noise-in-australia/
Writing about Sunak’s bill to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, John Crace says that the efforts of “Michael Tomlinson, the catatonically dim illegal immigration minister” to defend the bill show how well suited he is to be part of the new moronocracy.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/apr/23/rude-patronising-and-out-of-his-depth-minister-michael-tomlinson-ticks-all-the-boxes
The city of Baltimore has sued the owner and operator of the Dali container ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, saying it had “an incompetent crew” and set sail despite receiving warnings. According to a court document filed on Monday, city officials say the ship’s parent company, Grace Ocean Private Ltd, and its operator, Synergy Marine Group, were “potentially criminally negligent” after causing the bridge to collapse on 26 March.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/23/baltimore-bridge-collapse-ship-lawsuit
Donald Trump watched the judge presiding in his New York criminal trial dramatically admonish his lead lawyer and hear the prosecution’s first witness confirm that Trump specifically enlisted the help of the National Enquirer tabloid to kill negative stories that could derail his 2016 campaign. Here are the key takeaways from yesterday’s proceedings in People of the State of New York vs Donald J Trump.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/23/key-takeaways-trump-hush-money-trial-day-two
On trial, Trump is a shadow of the superhero his supporters crave, writes Sidney Blumenthal.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/23/trump-trial-superhero-shadow
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
David Pope
Cathy Wilcox
Matt Golding
Glen Le Lievre
Mark Knight
Spooner
From the US
From last night. I must’ve led a sheltered life as until I looked it up, I had no idea of what “pegging” meant – each to their own, I guess.
_______________________________________
Merchan is well aware that Trump has contravened the gag order (x 10) he imposed but had to allow Blanche (a former prosecutor, who is fast losing his credibility) to defend his client. Lock him up!
Socratessays:
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 7:10 am
Those are appalling figures. 100% of women observed gender discrimination and 78% experienced it!! These days construction sites are more gender balanced and safer than that.
_____________________
Would be interesting to see the stats at Fire Rescue Victoria.
I would be tipping 100% experienced it as well.
BK
A monster edition indeed! Thanks
A second rant Prop track today says average rental applications for each Perth rental is 50.
Adelaide is 40ish.
Where I live in Perth I am surrounded by international students in private rentals.
Why does federal labor hate its own Australian renters so much ?
Renters vote.
Ukraine aid (plus Israel, Taiwan and a TikTok ban) is set to pass the US Senate shortly, after a vote to kill the filibuster passed 80-19.
After a period of up to 30 hours where speeches can be made, a straight up/down vote requiring 50+1 will pass. Interestingly, amongst the 19 voting Nay included one Bernie Sanders…
Sanders explains thus:
Two liberals, Senators Jeff Merkley, Democrat of Oregon, and Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont, opposed the measure, saying they could not endorse sending more offensive weapons to Israel at a time when the government’s campaign in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of people and created a hunger crisis there.
“We are now in the absurd situation where Israel is using U.S. military assistance to block the delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid to Palestinians,” Mr. Sanders said. “If that is not crazy, I don’t know what is. But it is also a clear violation of U.S. law. Given that reality, we should not today even be having this debate. It is illegal to continue current military aid to Israel, let alone send another $9 billion with no strings attached.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/23/us/politics/senate-aid-package-ukraine-israel-taiwan.html
I don’t think the Stormy Daniels Hush Money case is helping Trump’s stock – another poll today has Biden edging ahead..
Biden leads Trump: Biden leads Trump by 1 percentage point, 44% to 43%, a 3-point swing from one week ago, when Trump led 44% to 42%. The race remains closer than before Super Tuesday, when Trump consistently led.
https://pro.morningconsult.com/trackers/2024-presidential-election-polling
sprocket_ @ #36 Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 – 8:14 am
Concerned about setting precedent?
That cartoon by Glen Le Lievre appropriating the Bluey characters is powerful.
C@ t
Yes it is very powerful
”
The longer the war in Gaza goes on, the less safe Australians feel at home, opines David Crowe. He points to a new survey that resulted in a clear majority of respondents wanting the federal government to take a neutral stance on the broader conflict. 62 per cent said Australia should stay out of the latest escalation in aerial bombardments between Israel and Iran.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-longer-the-war-in-gaza-goes-on-the-less-safe-australians-feel-at-home-20240423-p5flvv.html
”
“The longer the war in Gaza goes on, the less safe Australians feel at home, opines David Crowe
”
I wonder why?
We know that L-NP wants the war to continue as long as it is needed by Israel.
”
The climate crisis has long been defined by its lies and from the original sin of science denial, to Tony Abbott’s confected carbon tax panic, to the latest yellowcake straw man. But the most damaging porky of all might be that the transition to renewable energy will be easy, says Peter Lewis.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/23/renewable-energy-transition-australia-labor-government-net-zero
”
This is what BW kept saying.
It won’t happen in a very short span like Rex, Catprog and others think it can be done if there is political will.
It takes time and expensive.
But if don’t transfer to renewable energy as soon as possible, it will be even be even more expensive to households whether they like it or not.
And Nuclear power generation is not the answer because it will be even more expensive than renewables and will take another generation before it becomes operational and we don’t have that time.
”
Pontificating Paul Kelly declares that Albanese’s ‘Made in Australia’ sets new, dangerous course for Labor.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/made-in-australia-sets-new-dangerous-course-for-labor/news-story/84b02a4ef06c36e957b136c6e5e34828?amp=
”
Did pitiable, pathetic, pusillanimous, ponderous pontificating Paul Kelly ever pontificated how dangerous Dutton’s ‘Nuclear Energy ‘ course is?
And Nuclear power generation is not the answer because it will be even more expensive than renewables and will take another generation before it becomes operational and we don’t have that time.
Leakage of Radioactive material, meltdown a la 3 Mile Island, Windscale, Chernobyl, storage of radioactive waste, radioactive water from cooling the reactor, no worries?
It’s all about the Power Bill?
”
In the oceanic commentary on the Bruce Lehrmann cases, little attention seems to have been given as to how he got into Minister Linda Reynolds office in the first place. If he hadn’t all could have been spared the terrible things that have happened as a consequence of his admission – the catastrophic ignominies he brought upon himself, the agonies of Ms Higgins and the reputational injuries to many who’ve got within a bull’s roar of the saga – Minister Reynolds and her chief of staff, the ACT public prosecutor Drumgold, Judge Sofronoff and Channel 7 and some of its unadmirable staff and on and on it goes. Paddy Gourley writes about Lehrmann and the engagement of ministerial staff.
https://johnmenadue.com/lehrmann-and-the-engagement-of-ministerial-staff/
”
Everyone who came in contact with BL was metaphorically speaking burnt.
It is like war where all parties involved in the war lose, whether they like it and accept it or not.
BadT
You neglected to mention Fukushima – those within 30km radius did not benefit so much from reduced power bills…
Labor’s Trade and Tourism minister Don Farrell doing his bit to perpetuate the big lie …
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/albanese-government-turning-australia-into-worlds-unsustainable-mine,18537
And then doubles down with this astonishing statement …
He must think we’re a bunch of gullible morons.
He’s right.
”
The SMH editorial says that the Albanese government’s lukewarm support for Ukraine has been a source of embarrassment months. The measly financial and military assistance is now moving into potentially dangerous territory.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/short-sighted-lack-of-support-for-ukraine-could-come-at-cost-to-australia-20240423-p5flxg.html
”
Seriously! “Moving into dangerous territory”. That is pathetic to put it mildly.
How and why did Bruce Lehrmann end up in Linda Reynolds office? Read this … it’s a gas! …
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/uncovering-the-protection-racket-behind-bruce-lehrmann-does-he-know-too-much,18534