Two new federal poll results, one of which I reckon to be Labor’s equal worst result of the term, together with a Roy Morgan poll from early June:
• The latest monthly result from Freshwater Strategy for the Financial Review has the Coalition leading 52-48 on two-party preferred, out from 51-49 a month ago, from primary votes of Labor 30% (down two), Coalition 42% (up one), Greens 12% (steady). Anthony Albanese is down a point on approval to 34% and up four on disapproval to 49%, while Peter Dutton is down three to 34% and down two to 38%, with Albanese’s lead as preferred prime minister unchanged at 45-41. The poll was conducted Friday to Sunday from a sample of 1057.
• The weekly Roy Morgan poll has Labor with a two-party lead of 50.5-49-5 on respondent-allocated preferences, from primary votes of Labor 30.5% (up half), Coalition 37.5% (up one), Greens 12.5% (down two) and One Nation 5.5% (down half). The two-party measure based on 2022 election preference flows has Labor’s lead unchanged at 52-48, which is a little better for Labor than I would expect based on the reported primary votes. The poll was conducted Monday to Sunday from a sample of 1634.
The two-party measure based on 2022 election preference flows has Labor’s lead unchanged at 52-48,
Well there you go, and an AFR poll says the radioactive glow-in-the-dark demented potato is the
most popular, as if, 😆 😆 😆 They wish, mostly polled double-bay no doubt 😆
Adam Morton, The Guardian, 17 Sept,
[The government has been subject to relentlessly one-sided attacks from mining and big business interests and at least two major news media companies for contemplating even limited changes to help nature.]
Ain’t that a fact!
The attack on the Albanese government has rivalled the attack on the Whitlam government from 1972.
Any proposed legislative changes by the Albanese government are the subject sustained criticism by both posturing political interests, unconstrained media interests and an unfettered array of social media platforms.
The critics of the Albanese government contend that the government should manage the new paradigm confronting its political agenda.
Interestingly, the LNP have been unable to remain astride the paradigm, the new millenium has provided, as their rejection of their leaders suggests.
And so too, many other democratic governments have had to confront a similar dilemma.
Governments are “damned if they do and damned if they don’t” !
Reforming governments, despite their best intentions, just aren’t given neither the time nor the “clean air” to reform.
The dilemma, no better framed than the ejection of an integrity free, corrupt and failed Morrison government being replaced by a policy free, disingenuous Dutton opposition, with many of the same Morrison players present, being even considered by the voters as a credible alternative government.
My assertion that the combined forces of old and new media, unsubstantiated claims by those coveting “the self-interest” spoils of government benches and “what’s in it for me” voting public makes the process of government perilous at best and perhaps something more sinister.
The phonomena of the Teals, the new “Purple Greens” and the acceptance of independents adds evidence to the arrival of a knew set of parameters afflicting reforming governments.
“Two new federal poll results, one of which I reckon to be Labor’s equal worst result of the term …”
That’ll put the C@t among the pigeons. 😉
‘Plibersek declared Australians had voted for the environment in 2022, she had heard the message and there wasn’t another minute to waste. She would aim to develop new nature legislation, including “clear national environmental standards with explicit targets around what we value as a country, and what the laws need to protect”, in 2023.’ …
‘Instead, we have seen a familiar story. The government accepted the recommendations of a review by former consumer watchdog Graeme Samuel and convened a consultation process with environment and industry groups about the design of the laws, arguing they had to agree before things could progress.
‘In a development that should surprise no one, they didn’t. The promised legislative overhaul has been delayed indefinitely and won’t appear before the election.’
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2024/sep/17/the-environment-was-meant-to-be-back-on-the-priority-list-under-labor-instead-weve-seen-a-familiar-story
The Greens tree hugging brought this undone.
They are extreme in 2024 across the board fed labor will be better off losing the next election then doing crazy deals with the Greens.
The leftie greens and its voter base are big fans of the incompetent job for life state government conservation public service monopolies like the incumbent Parks Victoria and the state governments have the power on these environmental issues to act so this legislation for the commonwealth to come in over the top was never going to fly with the Greens.
From Hamas supporting to crazy crime policies to the above and lots more that would be revealed if labor tried to do a coalition with them, the Greens are not electable to mainstream Australia.
The Greens about six months ago looked at the stupidity of the fed Labor government and realised labor is heading for defeat without the Greens support so Greens do not have to compromise on the above.
Labor has itself to blame ironically it looks like a coalition government is looming given the public damage the Greens are dragging labor into.A vote for labor is a vote for the Greens watch the coalition drag that one out.
This Labor government federally are also not electable.
The AfR reported yesterday that federal labor recently allocated student visas to 11 colleges labor sanctioned previously as they were dodgy.
Says it all really.
So one poll goes 52-48 for the Coalition and the other 52-48 to Labor. I suspect the reality is somewhere in between these junk pollsters which yougov pixus will confirm when it drops in a few days. I also predict the C@t will just sit on her paws and laugh at the pigeons going nuts with excitement on PB.
To translate goll speak for everyone else – he thinks Labor is doneso.
Elmer Fudd @ #6 Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 – 6:43 am
Meow! 🙂
Devastating critique from Bill Kelty in today’s AFR. Absolutely spot on.
Musk continues to prove he’s a total nutter. ..
Hours after what the F.B.I. called a second attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump, Elon Musk wrote on his social media site — and then deleted — a post suggesting it was odd that nobody had tried to kill President Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris.
Mr. Musk said the post on X had been intended as a joke.
NYT
In response to a user who asked, “Why they want to kill Donald Trump?” Mr. Musk, who has endorsed the former president and comments frequently on the U.S. presidential campaign, wrote: “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala.” His post, which was captured by X users, included a thinking-face emoji.
Lars Von Triersays:
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 6:44 am
[To translate goll speak for everyone else – he thinks Labor is doneso.]
That comment puts Lars in Pied Piper territory.
Trend from 57-43 now 50/50 another six months of labor …….
Oh dear. The Greens have now let Max Chandler-Mather take over the argument on the Help to Buy scheme. He now says he is prepared to support it (a bad idea), if the government supports rent caps ( a worse idea).
For one day only the Greens clung to a position based on sound economic logic.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
David Crowe tells us that the nation’s business chiefs will confront Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over economic policy by warning Australia is sliding backwards because federal workplace rules are hurting employers, building corporate pressure on the government to change course before the election.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/business-chiefs-confront-pm-for-taking-economy-backwards-20240916-p5kaya.html
Labor believes the opinion polls will tighten closer to the election as voters focus on the Coalition’s lack of policy and the “extreme right” views of Peter Dutton. Phil Coorey says there also remains a hope within the government that the Reserve Bank of Australia will reduce interest rates at least once before the election, creating a sense of relief among the electorate weary over fighting the cost of living.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/no-policy-and-extreme-right-views-will-cost-dutton-labor-20240916-p5kasm
Labor will challenge the Greens to end a Senate blockade on a housing policy that would help as many as 40,000 people buy their own homes, launching a high-risk attempt to target the minor party at the next election if the policy is stalled in parliament. David Crowe says that the move will force a decision on a Labor election promise to offer federal funds to people who cannot afford to buy a home, in a sign of the government’s confidence that voters will mark down the Greens for obstructing the scheme.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/get-on-with-it-pm-blasts-senate-in-election-clash-on-housing-crisis-20240916-p5katv.html
Consumers have yet to go on a spending spree with their stage 3 tax cut windfalls, with warnings a chase for up to $100 billion in unpaid tax could weigh on shoppers and the overall economy. Amid signs more people are struggling with higher mortgage repayments, spending data collected by most of the major banks is failing to show any sizeable lift in expenditure associated with the tax cuts that were worth close to $5 billion through July and August.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/tax-attack-could-be-next-challenge-for-cash-strapped-shoppers-20240913-p5kada.html
Pawnbrokers say customers with nowhere to turn are pawning their personal items to cover household bills amid spiralling costs, as advocates say greater industry regulation is needed to protect vulnerable consumers, writes Penney Buckley.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/once-they-max-out-they-come-to-us-pawnbrokers-buoyed-by-cost-of-living-20240902-p5k74b.html
Australia can graduate from a ‘dig it up and ship it out’ quarry to a leader in the global transition to clean energy. Our vast array of minerals-in-high-demand processed with our low-cost clean energy can secure prosperity for generations of Australians, argues Simon Holmes à Court.
https://johnmenadue.com/a-new-hope/
Convicted criminals and unlicensed agents are operating in the real estate sector across multiple states, a Guardian Australia investigation has found. In New South Wales, the Guardian has established that two individuals convicted of dishonesty offences have been allowed back into the industry well within the usual 10-year prohibition, and that gaps in the law mean convicted money launderers are able to find their way back into the industry.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/17/australia-real-estate-industry-licences-money-laundering-laws
Trailblazing former union leader Bill Kelty says the Albanese government has no plan for economic growth and no appetite for the big reforms to secure Australia’s future, writes Jennifer Hewett telling us if his wish list includes major tax reform, revised bank lending rules, and an overhaul of Australia’s approach to housing, energy and training among other crucial policy changes.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/kelty-condemns-labor-failure-on-economic-growth-20240915-p5kaok
Shane Wright says that today Andrew Bragg will double down on the Coalition’s superannuation-for-housing policy, claiming it would save the budget at least $1 billion in lower rent assistance to new homeowners while accusing the government of wanting a “rent-forever Ponzi scheme”. But, says Wright, there is a catch, namely that the budget office was not asked to look at other impacts on the budget, such as the number of additional people who would require a pension if they had used up their super.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-coalition-s-super-for-housing-plan-could-save-the-budget-1b-but-there-s-a-catch-20240916-p5kasd.html
Commonwealth Bank is exploring the possibility of replacing thousands of local call centre staff with a ChatGPT-style platform in an expanded use of artificial intelligence for customers being considered by the country’s largest financial institution. Paul Smith writes that the bank is conducting trials of the platform, called Hey CommBank, by testing the technology on employees of the bank who are also customers.
https://www.afr.com/technology/cba-explores-replacing-local-call-centre-staff-with-ai-20240913-p5kafb
Synthetic PFAS chemicals flowing into a Blue Mountains dam in the Sydney drinking water catchment have been detected at levels more than 50 times higher than Australian drinking water standards – far higher than authorities have previously admitted. Ben Cubby and Carie Fellner report that independent tests commissioned by the SMH also show the plume of “forever chemicals” has already passed beyond Medlow Dam, near the town of Medlow Bath, and flowed into the World Heritage Area at concentrations among the highest yet recorded in Australian waterways.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/white-hot-cancer-linked-chemicals-flowing-into-dam-at-50-times-safe-level-20240916-p5kay1.html
A project to modernise the back-office IT systems for the Department of Defence will cost $1.5 billion more than the upper limit of its initial budget and stretch out to 2030, despite the project originally scheduled to wrap up by next year. Connor Pearce reports that the delay and cost blow out follows a similar government-wide software program being scrapped after it suffered similar setbacks, but was costed at just one tenth of the total expected expenditure for the Defence IT platform.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8762823/defence-erp-overhaul-blows-out-to-35b-in-latest-it-bungle/?cs=14329
The latest reports on business profits in Australia expose the craven lies of the mainstream newsrooms once again, as Alan Austin reports.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/business-is-booming–defying-newsroom-doom-and-gloom,18981
Domestic airfares have surged since Regional Express stopped flying capital city routes in July, and some tickets now cost more than during a typical Christmas peak period. The Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Economics index for restricted economy fares jumped from 81.3 in July – Rex’s last full month of operations before it went into administration – to 93.3 in August and 93.6 this month, the highest in more than a year.
https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/domestic-airfares-jump-after-collapse-of-rex-20240916-p5kayu
Nearly 10% of men in New South Wales have had police take some form of legal action against them for domestic and family violence, according to the first Australian population study of prevalence of offending, published yesterday. Kate Lyons says the research published by the Australian Institute of Criminology found that 6.3% of people – 9.6% of men and 3% of women – born in NSW were found to have been proceeded against by police for a family and domestic violence offence by the age of 37. These are appalling numbers!
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/17/nearly-one-in-10-nsw-men-have-faced-legal-action-for-domestic-and-family-violence-study-finds
Rachel Eddie reports that a clandestine recording of a 70-minute meeting between the Victorian Liberal leadership and ousted member Moira Deeming will be played to the Federal Court today, in the defamation trial against Opposition Leader John Pesutto. The court heard the secret audio was only handed to Deeming’s legal team a week ago despite the meeting taking place in March 2023, a day after the MP attended the Let Women Speak rally that was gate crashed by neo-Nazis on the steps of the Victorian parliament.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/we-need-to-discuss-moira-pesutto-wanted-to-boot-deeming-on-day-of-rally-20240912-p5ka38.html
The Victorian branch of the construction union is “caught up in a cycle of lawlessness” and has been “infiltrated” by bikie and organised crime figures, according to an independent probe launched by the union before it was put into administration. Yesterday the union’s administrator, Mark Irving, released an interim report by barrister Geoffrey Watson stating that information he uncovered “supported the accuracy” of allegations of criminal and corrupt conduct first aired on 60 Minutes and in Nine newspapers. But, writes Paul Karp, Watson warned his investigation is “incomplete” in part due to alleged “threats of violence” against those who participated and lack of powers to compel witnesses and evidence.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/16/cfmeu-administration-mark-irving-bikies-violence-report-geoffrey-watson-ntwnfb
Matt O’Sullivan writes that passenger train services will be cut by up to four an hour on two key rail lines during peak periods as part of a major shake-up of Sydney’s rail and bus timetable planned for October 20 – several weeks after the start of a 12-month shutdown of a busy line in the city’s south-west.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/cuts-to-peak-hour-trains-in-shake-up-of-sydney-s-rail-timetable-20240827-p5k5lk.html
It is a sad reflection on medical care in Australia that the mouth seems somehow to be disconnected from the body. Doctors and nurses are poorly trained to examine the mouth and oral health is not funded under Medicare, say John Ward, Janet Wallace and Dileep Sharma.
https://johnmenadue.com/we-can-no-longer-ignore-the-poor-oral-health-of-older-people/
The environment was meant to be ‘back on the priority list’ under Labor. Instead, we’ve seen a familiar story, laments Adam Morton.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2024/sep/17/the-environment-was-meant-to-be-back-on-the-priority-list-under-labor-instead-weve-seen-a-familiar-story
The Labor Government continues to ignore the plight of refugees awaiting permanent visas as the numbers campaigning for action increase, writes Jane Salmon.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/labor-listen-up-refugees-are-not-okay,18982
“What I saw at the Land Forces protest was the antithesis of good policing – which should aim to de-escalate”, writes Richard Barnes.
https://michaelwest.com.au/police-violence-at-land-forces-a-shame-on-victoria/
The US Federal Reserve Board this week faces one of the more consequential decisions in its recent history: how much should it cut US interest rates, asks Stephen Bartholomeusz. He says the decision soon to be taken by the Fed’s Open Market Committee may determine whether the Fed’s pulls off a soft landing for the US economy or whether it condemns it to an avoidable recession.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/the-fed-s-dilemma-as-it-faces-its-most-important-decision-in-years-20240916-p5kata.html
Without evidence, Trump has blamed Biden and Harris for the apparent assassination attempt, writes Farrah Tomazin. Trump is out of control.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-blames-biden-and-harris-for-latest-assassination-attempt-20240917-p5kb1y.html
The SMH editorial describes the second Trump assassination attempt ss business as usual in the US.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/second-trump-assassination-attempt-is-business-as-usual-in-the-us-20240916-p5kau3.html
Democrats routinely tell the most appalling, extremist lies about Trump. Trump is a brash, crude, often offensive and even chaotic politician. But he’s not the author of American fascism, writes Greg Sheridan who says Harris’s lies are fuelling a toxic mix of hate and chaos in the US election.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/harriss-lies-fuel-toxic-mix-of-hate-and-chaos-in-us-election/news-story/21764c9842b3a756ea17b29214b6e91d?amp
Political violence and fearmongering bigotry have become too normalized, writes Rober Reich who says that while despicable, this second assassination attempt on Trump is partly a symptom of the hate he and JD Vance are peddling.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/sep/16/political-violence-normalized-trump-assassination-attempt
A second Trump assassination attempt feels almost normal. That is not OK, declares Farrah Tomazin. (Sew and ye shall reap.)
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/a-second-trump-assassination-attempt-feels-almost-normal-that-is-not-okay-20240916-p5kave.html
The ghosts of 1968 are haunting America, and it will get more spooky, writes Buce Wolpe. He says there is no immediate antidote to salve the wounds in the country’s political culture. The best leadership right now is condemning any and all political violence. But that pales, in emotional terms, to the desire of each side to beat the other, with each side believing that only if they win can the country be set on the right course.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/the-ghosts-of-1968-are-haunting-america-there-will-be-more-20240916-p5kauz.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
David Pope
Cathy Wilcox
Dionne Gain
Alan Moir
Geoff Pryor
Mark Knight
Spooner
From the US
Andrew Bragg’s pre-released speech to the Real Estate Industry:
“ Labor’s rent-forever plan is little more than a Ponzi scheme where Australians will spend their working life paying super, and their retirement paying rent,”
_______
Pot. Kettle. Much?
The Ponzi scheme is the one the LNP created when it flooded the housing market with tax concessions aimed at boomer ‘mum and dad’ investors and reinforced with various ‘first home owner’ schemes – all of which put upwards pressures on housing prices; compounded at the same time by a reduction in housing supply to meet increased demands (fuelled by the Howard then ATM ramping up of migration intakes targeted at the simultaneous destruction of skills training in this country).
Now Bragg proposes an initiative that simply adds fuel to this Ponzi scheme: it will push up housing prices by between $70 and $90K in our main cities.
Further, it reduces the value of retirement savings. Moreover it does not address housing supply (so in fact the spike in housing prices may be even greater than estimated). Finally, of course – not many people on rental assistance will be able to access the scheme because they still have low incomes and indeed many people who will raid their super will have gone ahead and brought a home anyways.
So as ‘policy’ – its a dud; but becuase its a LNP dud, i suspect it will be hugely popular as it plays into the generational conditioning of the Australian population to buy into LNP marketing scams. #spivnation.
Thanks BK! That was a large haul for a Tuesday. CBA better get the AI call centre right or Hey CommBank will become Hey Come Back 🙂
A massive 700 new houses , how will they be allocated ? Will there be a lottery for eligible participants ?
Imagine the excitement “I’ve won haff lotto”, will Albo and o’Neill be on hand to welcome the lucky winner to their new home (and a photo opportunity)?
#weatheronPB
The bright blue unfurls.
Calm, clear, stretches across us.
Cool, bright, and settled.
That shooting gallery cartoon is as stupid and wrong as it is offensive. The two Trump assassination attempts have not been perpetrated, or even fuelled, by the “far left”. Quite the contrary. … however the cartoon does tie in neatly with Trump’s lies … so there is that.
A_E
Yes, there are a few very rightwing cartoonists in the US. Vargel and Ramirez come to mind.
Great reporting.
Morning all. Thanks for the roundup BK.
I think Greg Sheridan is losing his mind if he truly believes “Harris’ lies” are the cause of US political violence.
“ Democrats routinely tell the most appalling, extremist lies about Trump. Trump is a brash, crude, often offensive and even chaotic politician. But he’s not the author of American fascism, writes Greg Sheridan who says Harris’s lies are fuelling a toxic mix of hate and chaos in the US election.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/harriss-lies-fuel-toxic-mix-of-hate-and-chaos-in-us-election/news-story/21764c9842b3a756ea17b29214b6e91d?amp
Unlike Sheridan, consider:
– Trump has been using inflammatory language for ten years, once boasting he could “walk down Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and get away with it”.
– in the last debate factchecking, the lie score was Trump 33 vs Harris 1. What are the lies Harris has been telling?
– Trump has explicitly attacked US democratic institutions, including the right to vote, vote counting, the Capitol building and court rulings.
– Trumps’ most recent tactic has been the deliberate use of lies to demonise immigrants.
What exactly does Sheridan think “fascism” is? Any doctrine that disagrees with his own?
Like some politicians, Sheridan is well past retirement age, and has lost perspective.
The secret recording of the VIC Lib party room meeting will tear them apart once again. A gift from the gods for Jacinta Allan.
On the polls, the trend has definitely been Labor popularity sliding for 12 months since the Voice referendum.
Yet we should also exercise caution. We all know there is a Margin Of Error in every poll, yet keep forgetting it. With two simultaneous polls going in different directions, I don’t even think we should “average them”. We need to wait and see.
That being said, Labor cannot just wait and hope the economy turns around if interest rates are not lowered. With other external factors also negative (mineral prices, world conflict) Labor needs to be prepared to stimulate the economy if necessary.
Chalmers also needs to remember that it takes 6+ months for stimuli to take effect, with household measures the quickest. If things are not improving by November, Labor would need to pass stimulus measures before Christmas for there to be any chance of benefitting from them before a May election.
I submit that some sections of the MSM are just as dangerous to the community as social media. What is Albo going to do about it ??
‘Cover up’: Review’s explosive findings on Dan’s crash with cyclist
A bombshell review by a former police assistant commissioner says Daniel and Catherine Andrews’ crash with a teenage cyclist was covered up “to avoid implicating a political figure”.
See the staff writers at the Hun are out and about
Geez he must have pissed them off big time while in office
If only they could use there investigating team for good ,they might be able to say Who was on the grassy knoll when JFK was shot.
Oliver Sutton says:
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 6:01 am
‘Plibersek declared Australians had voted for the environment in 2022, she had heard the message and there wasn’t another minute to waste. She would aim to develop new nature legislation, including “clear national environmental standards with explicit targets around what we value as a country, and what the laws need to protect”, in 2023.’ …
‘Instead, we have seen a familiar story….’
——————-
Yep. Another fantastic wedge opportunity taken up by the Thug and his Toolie.
Mind you the Thug is at least open about what is going on. His political interest is to destroy the environment.
The Greens Party is more subtle. For example it has promised to build a million homes where people want to live. As long as they don’t want to live in urban remnant bush, peri-urban bush, productive farmland or in the distributions of threatened species. The local and regional Greens inevitably form local NIMBY resistance operations to all of the above. They are also enshrined in the Greens official policy statements.
The Greens are absolutely refusing to confront their own contradictions while holding Labor to a standard that the Greens know they themselves could not hold.
Everyone suffers. The environment suffers.
Such is the sick state of Coalition and Greens obstructionist destruction.
Before 6 January Trump attempted to overturn the election.
Before 6 January Trump made false claims over vote rigging.
On January 6 Trump was attempting to get Republicans to overturn the election … by not certifying the results: Facts.
He assembled a mob with the explicit aim of putting pressure on hold out Republican members of congress – and his own VP. The incited that mob, who then engaged in acts of violence towards the congress and stopped – albeit briefly – congress from undertaking its constitutional obligations.
Before both the election AND 6 January there was a consistent messaging by trump that was very ‘fascist adjacent’ at the very least.
But no … no …according to Sheridan … Harris is the liar here …
FMD.
Boerwar says:
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 8:41 am
“The Greens Party is more subtle. For example it has promised to build a million homes where people want to live. As long as they don’t want to live in urban remnant bush, peri-urban bush, productive farmland or in the distributions of threatened species. The local and regional Greens inevitably form local NIMBY resistance operations to all of the above. They are also enshrined in the Greens official policy statements”
“Plibersek stepped through some of the key messages. Australia is one of the world’s deforestation hotspots, clearing 7.7m hectares of threatened species habitat – an area larger than Tasmania – this century. More than 90% of this had been cleared in small parcels without any reference to national environment laws.” – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2024/sep/17/the-environment-was-meant-to-be-back-on-the-priority-list-under-labor-instead-weve-seen-a-familiar-story
Just letter rip though right? Why should bush and threatened species habitat be preserved when they make such good sites for suburban sprawl? Think of the dozens of houses you could fit in for the low low cost of the extinction of one or two native species!
Is there room in the already developed urban and suburban cores of our existing cities? YES! Does that matter? NO! Lets get to clearing already!
While Donald Trump’s allies have tried to create the illusion of distance between the Republican presidential nominee and Laura Loomer, the alt-right conspiracy theorist has continued to cozy up to him, going so far as to brag over the weekend that Trump “likes” and “trusts” her. “The media is full of shit. OK?” Loomer said on her podcast, Loomer Unleashed, on Saturday. “These people are liars. They are con artists, and all they do is lie. They are running a coordinated smear campaign because I am effective. Donald Trump likes me. Donald Trump trusts me. OK? “Obviously, he trusts me if I’m on his plane, and I don’t work for Donald Trump,” she continued. “They can’t imagine the fact that the president of the United States has people in his life who he considers to be friends. Is the president of the United States not allowed to have a friend? Oh my God. Is he not allowed to invite people onto his own private jet?”
But Loomer’s insistence that she’s an “effective” addition to Trump’s political fold might not jive with some of his closest allies. Loomer has taken credit for urging Trump to utter the Haitian migrant conspiracy theory that has plagued his vice presidential pick, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, over the past week. The self-described “white advocate” also sparked backlash from even the depths of the MAGA movement, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and Senator Lindsey Graham, after Loomer posted that Vice President Kamala Harris’s ascendency to the Oval Office would make the White House “smell like curry.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/186022/donald-trump-laura-loomer-brag-likes-trusts
Oliver Sutton @ #4 Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 – 6:01 am
Surprised? You should not be …
Mrmoneysays:
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 8:32 am
‘Cover up’: Review’s explosive findings on Dan’s crash with cyclist
A bombshell review by a former police assistant commissioner says Daniel and Catherine Andrews’ crash with a teenage cyclist was covered up “to avoid implicating a political figure”.
_____________________
There’s a lot there.
So many breach of protocols by Vic Police.
I could have done a better job investigating the crash i reckon.
Socrates says:
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 8:27 am
—————
Good post, IMO. There are a couple of other elements to consider. The first is that Dutton is deploying the Trump playbook superbly. He will continue so to do, regardless of all other external factors. Somewhere in Australia there is a group of Haitians just waiting to be scapegoated for roasting echidnas.
The other factor that will not go away is the Greens desire to destroy Labor. They will join Dutton at every opportunity so to do. They will do so regardless of the polling facts that every vote that the Greens have gained (.3%) the Coalition gains seven more (2.2%). They prefer climate M.A.D.
Watching China very closely lately and it is already clear that Australia’s lucky ride on the back of the Dragon is well and truly over. This will have some profound effects. One is that China is trying to export its way out of the doldrums. This will result in cheaper goods flooding Australia. But it also has a contrary impact as countries around the world slap huge tariffs on Chinese imports. Australia provides the feedstock for many of those Chinese goods. China’s slowdown is already impacting commodity prices such as oil and iron ore. Iron ore prices will both impact our balance of payments and hit the Budget bottom line. Oil falls are already being expressed in falling pump prices and will feed into price falls in Australian industries with high fuel input costs.
The other big sleeper is global fertilizer supplies: phosphates, potash and nitrogen. Australian soils are depauperate and need all three. Supplies are either somewhat short or depend on countries involved in war. Climate is already from time to time smashing both commodities and domestic crops.
Labor has not had a good run from external events. The only bit of good luck is oil going down. The other bit of good luck is that Chinese imports are likely to be deflationary here on in. The new bit of bad news is that China’s downturn will heavily damage the Budget bottom line.
The Regional Forest Agreements were intended to keep the Feds out of the forests. There is zero interest in reversing that.
Climate as a trigger would bring nearly all new developments in Australia to a complete halt because all new developments emit prodigious amounts of CO2. Even the projects to establish renewables emit prodigious amounts of CO2.
The perfect being the enemy of the good much useful reform will now be blocked.
Yet another political victory for the Thug and his Toolie: nothing good happens. Everyone enjoys a Labor slagathon. Win win for the small government environment destroyers. I assume that growing numbers of Greens are unhappy with this blanket obstructionist destruction because the Greens polling trend in Bludger Track is falling.
The environment suffers. We all suffer.
BK @ #14 Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 – 7:20 am
No need to worry. Albo will remain as steadfast on protecting employees as he has been on the Voice .. the Environment … Climate Action … the NACC … Gambling Ads … reforming the RBA … Migration … ummm, ok – maybe worry a little bit … 🙁
There is an interesting thread here on X/Twitter where a Ukrainian journalist asks an experienced tank crew about changes in the nature of tank warfare in Ukraine. Drones and artillery are now the primary threats to tanks:
“ As the nature of combat changes, so too does the role of tanks on the battlefield. “Tanks have become a second priority in war,” Bohdan observes. “It’s now a war of artillery, drones, and infantry.” Instead of spearheading assaults, tanks are increasingly used more like mobile artillery, providing fire support from safer distances.”
https://x.com/DVKirichenko/status/1835701547281600696
Worth pointing out that in adopting HiMARS for long range rocket strikes, our army has cut planned artillery numbers.
Have a good day all.
Irene says:
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 12:46 am
Negative gearing has been a tax deduction since at least the Hawke government, 1983 -1991,maybe earlier.
Keating considered removing this tax advantage, he may have, but less than a year later restored it.
Negative gearing for property investment was introduced by the Lyons Government in 1936.
Hawke instituted several reforms, including a capital gains tax and fringe benefits tax. Keating repealed negative gearing but was forced by political pressure to reverse that. Very clearly, the electorate likes negative gearing despite the inequities to which it gives rise.
Labor being slagged for not looking after employees is desperate stuff.
It was Labor who reformed the HR laws. The HR reforms were watered down at the behest of Pocock. Such is the benefit of the cross bench.
The HR reforms were delayed by the Thug and his Toolie.
It is Dutton who will get rid of those reforms. The Greens will, presumbly, run Setka as a candidate.
It is Labor who has delivered a large suite of workplace reforms including in paid parental leave, Super on leave paid parental leave, changing the remit of the Reserve Bank to include employment and much more.
It is Dutton who wants to look after employees by cutting real pay.
As for the Greens, the last we heard was a squeal from Waters that involved demanding a 40% increase in ALL wages: an economic toddler doing populist wrecking comes readily to mind.
Childcare workers this week achieved huge increases in their wages. Thank you, Mr Albanese! Great leadership!
But hey, let’s slag Labor for not looking after employees!
There is a really huge crash in the Chinese economy, led by decades of mis-investment in property. The Chinese population is not as big as they supposed it to be. There will be ongoing liquidations in what is still an essentially closed economic system. It will take a very long time for the Chinese economy to rebalance.
Max CM having a go at Labor MPs for owning investment properties when some of his own side do too. Acknowledging the holdings by his own comrades would be honest but inconvenient so he just doesn’t do it and relies on low information young voters to not know.
This kind of crap is why so many of us don’t have any respect for Max. It’s pure bullshit populism.
I think the Wilcox cartoon misses the mark a bit. The long history of attempted assassinations in America is not an asterisk against saying there’s no place for political violence. It’s all the more reason to emphasise it is not a legitimate part of the system.
The last bit, noting that “it’s not who we are as a country” rather conflicts with the gun violence rate in America as a whole, that bit is fair.
The Putin Appeasers are still firmly in control in the USA.
“Spokesperson for the US Department of State, Matthew Miller, reported that the US policy on allowing long-range strikes by Ukraine in Russia with US supplied weapons has not changed after US secretary of state Antony Blinken met with President Zelenskyi, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited US President Biden and spoke about the subject.”
https://x.com/NOELreports/status/1835789952497381796
https://www.pollbludger.net/2024/09/17/federal-polls-freshwater-strategy-and-roy-morgan-open-thread/#comment-4368634
… and if that fails to extinct, I guess there’s always stadiums!
The Greens, like the Liberals, have become a sick joke when it comes to embodying the name of their party.
Albo on the telly now just ripping on the Greens instead of discussing what he’s going to actually do to get his agenda through the minority senate. Literally responds to a journo’s question with Morrison’s old line “I reject the premise of the question”. Another one termer and no doubt about it.
Man, angry Albo is going to be so awkward come next election…
If the voters thought the greens were simply blockers and were going to make them pay for it, it would have happened sometime in the last, oh, say, 850 days.
But keep shouting Albo, I am sure that will work this time 🙂
And while your feeling energetic, how about stop being a wanker and actually support the same EPA laws you supported back in opposition… because in news that will shock no1, guess who used to support a climate change trigger.
Heres a hint; he has an alliterative name 😉
The rage against the Greens from our superfans does seem misplaced. I wonder if the ALP leader was someone from say the Western Suburbs of Sydney would they have a different pov on the Greens?
C@tmommasays:
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 9:54 am
[The Greens, like the Liberals, have become a sick joke when it comes to embodying the name of their party.]
The Greens have ceded the environment, land clearing, the waterways, climate change, emission targets and the GBR to the pro nuclear, pro coal, pro gas, anti renewable, land clearing, reckless excessive water use and mining to the Nationals.
The Greens have adopted the middle east and housing as their specialities, no longing a “green” party.
At every opportunity the current political arm of the Greens have abandoned their support base with their only intent to mesh themselves with coalition.
Labor and Albanese have no choice but to maintain open government, restoration of political integrity and do what they can to achieve emission targets, protect the environment and manage the economy.
C@tmomma says:
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 9:54 am
The Greens, like the Liberals, have become a sick joke when it comes to embodying the name of their party.
—————
Social and economic justice has always been a core principle of Green politics on top of environmentalism. Please think of better ways to slag them off.
The Albo government is literally seeking to put through a weak EPA… and yet the Greens, the party that wnats a stronger EPA, are now quote
“ceded the environment, land clearing, the waterways, climate change, emission targets and the GBR to the pro nuclear, pro coal, pro gas, anti renewable, land clearing, reckless excessive water use and mining to the Nationals. The Greens have adopted the middle east and housing as their specialities, no longing a “green” party.”
… you do know how you sound right? Especially to the average voter; the green party, the party of the environment, is no longer the party of the environment.
Right.
Well done.
And on the topic of DD… it might not be the best thing for the Greens, but in a monkey paw wish sort of way for Labor;
“I’m not sure that’s correct. If Labor can get a primary vote in the low 30s then it would likely win 4/12 Senate seats in every state and one each in the NT and ACT, a total of 26. They currently have 25.
A double dissolution would likely result in some Coalition seats going to smaller right wing parties, and some Greens seats and going to left wing fringe parties such as Legalise Cannabis.
It could also remove Fatima Payman, Lidia Thorpe, and David Van – who were all elected for the three major parties and then departed to crossbench.”
If you think the Greens are blockers, wait till you meet people like Mr Pingers, who are even more left then the Greens.
That would be an… amazing cross bench to watch Albo work with 😉