It’s been a while since I last did an update of preselection and related federal election news, in which time the following has accumulated:
• Labor’s national executive anointed candidates a fortnight ago for three usually safe Labor seats in Melbourne whose incumbents will retire at the election. In Bill Shorten’s seat of Maribyrnong, Labor’s candidate will be Jo Briskey, national co-ordinator of the Left faction United Workers Union. Much has been made of the fact that Briskey moved to Melbourne in 2019 after an unsuccessful run for the Brisbane seat of Bonner, and has a backer in Queensland Left heavyweight Gary Bullock.
• The candidate in Brendan O’Connor’s seat of Gorton will be Alice Jordan-Baird, a water policy expert. Earlier reports indicated the preselection was developing into a contest between rival Right faction power bases, with Jordan-Baird the favourite of that associated with Richard Marles and the Transport Workers Union, while the Bill Shorten/Australian Workers Union axis favoured Brimbank mayor Ranka Rasic. State minister Natalie Hutchins, a Shorten ally who was earlier mentioned as a potential contender in Maribyrnong, said Jordan-Baird lacked a connection with the area and was chosen over an “experienced local” in Rasic.
• Basem Abdo, an adviser to outgoing member Maria Vamvakinou and fellow member of the Socialist Left, has been confirmed as Labor’s candidate for Calwell. Earlier reports indicated resistance among local party branches to a perceived factional fait accompli, reflecting general discontent around the fact that the party’s national executive has again taken over the Victorian preselection process.
• The Liberals have preselected Tom Venning, a Barunga Grains farming manager who formerly worked for the NAB and Deloitte, as their candidate for the regional South Australian seat of Grey, which will be vacated at the election with the retirement of Rowan Ramsey. Venning’s uncle, Ivan Venning, was a veteran state member of parliament. Other contenders included Suzanne Waters, a former United Australia Party candidate described by InDaily as “a regional paramedic who reportedly quit her job with SA Health over its COVID vaccination mandate”, who was endorsed by arch-conservative Senator Alex Antic. Also in the field were Kimba mayor Dean Johnson, Whyalla police officer Matt Sampson, and Rikki Lambert, chief-of-staff to ex-Family First Senator Bob Day.
• The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party has preselected Lisa Bayliss, police officer and senior vice-president of the Northern Territory Police Association, as its candidate for the Darwin seat of Solomon, held for Labor by Luke Gosling on a margin of 9.4%. Camden Smith of the Northern Territory News reports the CLP preselection for the other Northern Territory seat of Lingiari, which Labor came close to losing against the trend in 2022, “has been deferred and will be considered by the party’s management committee in coming weeks”.
• There was a brief flurry of early election talk last week after Anthony Albanese suggested a double dissolution election could result if the Coalition and the Greens persisted in blocking the government’s housing bill. The notion is complicated by the fact that a double dissolution cannot take place in the last six months before the term of parliament expires, the relevant date being January 25. To create a trigger, the government would need to follow a rejection of the bill this week with another attempt after a delay of more than three months, which would require that parliament be recalled in late December or January.
• Paul Sakkal of The Age reports Victorian Liberal sources saying their polling has them “in front or neck-and-neck in Aston, Chisholm, McEwen and Goldstein, with Kooyong and Dunkley less likely chances”.
• James Dowling of The Australian reports that Labor in New South Wales will not field candidates in the October 19 New South Wales state by-elections for Epping, Hornsby and Pittwater, respectively being vacated by Liberal members Dominic Perrottet, Matt Kean and Rory Amon.
World News & Politics:
West obtains evidence that China supplied weapons to Russia for war against Ukraine: https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/09/28/7477238/
Russian colonel killed near Moscow, Ukraine’s military intelligence says: https://kyivindependent.com/russian-colonel-killed-near-moscow-military-intelligence-says/
Demonstrations being held in Italy against ‘repressive’ security bill: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/25/demonstrations-being-held-in-italy-against-repressive-security-bill
Philippines, US, Australia, Japan, New Zealand to hold joint maritime activity in South China Sea: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/philippines-australia-us-japan-new-zealand-south-china-sea-maritime-activity-4644206
Kari Lake Is Losing and She’s Taking MAGA With Her: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-09-28/kari-lake-is-losing-in-arizona-and-she-s-taking-maga-with-her
US charges Iranians with hacking attack on Trump campaign: https://www.reuters.com/world/us-issues-iran-related-sanctions-over-election-interference-2024-09-27/
Nasrallah’s killing reveals depth of Israel’s penetration of Hezbollah: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/nasrallahs-killing-reveals-depth-israels-penetration-hezbollah-2024-09-28/
Iran’s supreme leader taken to secure location, sources say: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iranian-leader-khamenei-calls-muslims-confront-israel-2024-09-28/
Rosie Duffield quits Labour with damning attack on Keir Starmer: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rosie-duffield-labour-starmer-b2620584.html
Russians who promote ‘child-free movement’ could soon face hefty fine: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-proposes-ban-child-free-lifestyle-rcna172616
South Korea’s foreign minister says Russia engaging in illegal arms trade with North Korea: https://www.reuters.com/world/south-koreas-foreign-minister-says-russia-engaging-illegal-arms-trade-with-north-2024-09-27/
Japan’s scandal-hit ruling party picks next PM: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy89ez894rko
Services Australia data breaches surge as scammers try to hack customer accounts using stolen details: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/29/services-australia-hacks-data-breach-scam
https://apple.news/A46npIIIGSa2ns2_g6w8iQw/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-29/anthony-albanese-first-term-inertia/, “… to convince the public of the merits of its policies”.
#weatheronPB
Dull, damp shadows peer,
blinking in the cool new air,
light, bright, and well lit.
‘mj says:
Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 11:53 pm
Paul A, Labor decided to go into the last election offering small target empty slogans…’
—————–
Spam Lie.
Inertia … I guess that’s a polite of putting it …
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-29/anthony-albanese-first-term-inertia/104388288
Some might be a little harsher …
But, as usual, it was Whitlam who got it right, back in the day …
How do Labor convince the public of the “merits of your policies” when so many of them are stolen holus-bolus from their opponents?
And how does Albo “defend his work” when his “small target” strategy means he has done so little of it?
The Big Nothing Lie.
There’s no doubt now that the old guard Albo and Marles and Farrell are holding Labor back.
The new guard led by Chalmers are clearly frustrated and shackled by Albo’s weak and muzzled leadership.
The same old same old routine is just so boring.
The Liberals will kill 43/30, HR reform, closing the gender pay gap, reform of the NDIS, the AAT, the ABC, Medicate and Centrelink.
They killed the referendum
The will cap renewables and build nuclear power stations.
They will oppose any and all tax reforms.
They have voted against every single COL measure introduced by Labor.
Their S3 targeted the wealthy.
They are currently blocking
$22 billion Future Fund
The biggest Aged Care Package reform this century
Additional funding for housing.
Religious discrimination reform.
Biodiversity conservation and protection reform.
Reserve Bank Reform.
Rex Douglassays:
Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 8:39 am
{There’s no doubt now that the old guard Albo and Marles and Farrell are holding Labor back.]
Rex the Parrot,
Say it often enough and it becomes self serving.
On a hourly basis the various media vehicles serve up this parroted political takeaway, as a given.
Rex, you’ve established your own parody.
You’ve become a billboard, authorised by……
The polls leading up to the summer break will decide Albo’s fate.
There will be Labor insiders very worried with Labor’s parliamentary old guard current performance and preparing for plan B….
Thanks, Hh
‘Russians who promote ‘child-free movement’ could soon face hefty fine: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-proposes-ban-child-free-lifestyle-rcna172616‘
============================
Putin, Xi and Trump are all trying to turn women into docile breeders.
mj
spamming anti-Labor lies?
meh
p1 slagging everything Labor?
meh
Rex doing a bit of gaslighting on behalf of Dutton?
meh
Boerwar
flogging a dead horse ?
meh
Concerning double dissolution speculation, the government could have a DD trigger as soon as the October sitting of the Parliament. On 4 July 2024, the Senate rejected a government bill titled “Defence Amendment
2024”. The Parliament resumes on 8 October, more than 3 months after this bill was rejected by the Senate.
The government could introduce and pass this bill again any time in the sitting week commencing 8 October, then introduce, debate and bring on a vote in the Senate. If the Senate rejects or fails to pass the bill then a DD trigger would be available. The conditions of Section 57 of the Constitution would be met and the PM could seek from the governor-general the dissolution of both houses. All this could be done this year. The government does not have to wait on the rejection or failure to pass any other bill.
Monday 28 October could be the day the GG dissolves the Parliament for an election 33 days later.
Journalists should take a look at the APH website.
I think the link posted above by VCT Etz3 should be –
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-29/anthony-albanese-first-term-inertia/104388288
During Gough Whitlam’s interview with Michelle Grattan on the 10th anniversary of his dismissal he said:
“the Labor Party is a party of reform or it is nothing. There are some people who are so frightened to put a foot wrong that they won’t put a foot forward. If, in so far as we defer issues because we are frightened of the reaction against it by Liberals and others, we are disappointing our supporters.”
After Albanese’s misjudged demand in Caucus to remove proposed Census questions on sexuality and gender identification, some Labor MPs described him as stubborn, lacking curiosity, and thinking he’s the smartest person in the room.
Recently, former ACTU leader Bill Kelty accused Albanese’s government of being “mired in mediocrity.”
The blind faithful Labor lovers posting here keep telling us what a great job Albanese is doing, despite his personal approval and his government’s popularity descending to disaster levels.
But, as I watch Albanese dealing with Dutton, I’m just curious as to what happened to the man who claimed “ I like fighting Tories. That’s what I do” to turn him into the complaining coward he has become.
This is a very good piece from Ronnie Salt.
It will resonate with many Labor people.
Insders with Greg Sheridan, Speers and the lazy, scatterbrained Bridget McKenzie.
No thanks!
Instead, I might go out and pressure clean some pavers and get wet through in the process.
Rex Douglassays:
Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 8:52 am
Spoken by Rex Douglas on behalf of…….
Chalmers is the type of Labor firebrand to match up better in a head to head against Dutton.
The rope a dope succeeded for LOTO Albo, but that was then…
Keep pushing that cart up the hill Mr Ed.
Bridget McKenzie was responsible for sports rorts, so I’m staggered that the ABC is platforming her as an authority or serious political contributor.
In Feb this year a Guardian article said only 44 percent of people were onboard for negative gearing change.Essential poll.
Same article quoted the opposition as saying the change to the stage 3 tax cuts by labor would be just the start and that negative gearing and CGT changes would be next.
Another article at that time said labor were insisting that there will be no change to the above.
Wonder if the labor hour on the Abc err Insiders will pick this up?
Yeah right!
It’s normal for far right and far left acolytes to talk of a failing or mediocre government, it’s all they have to promote their irrational causes. In the meantime the Government continues to try to implement their program, something they still have at least 6 months to do.
goll
Albo, like Abbott, was an effective LOTO, but it stops there.
To keep Dutton away from the Lodge, Labor needs to seriously recalibrate things.
Re my comment at 9.10am
Typo error, it’s Ronni Salt.
I rarely glance at pied piper’s posts. But to describe today’s Insiders as the “labor hour” is going a bit far.
Rex Douglassays:
Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 9:14 am
You are unjustifiably promoting a contender against Dutton.
Dutton has not at any time established his credentials to become a realistic chance of becoming an effective leader.
The nuclear debacle is no more than a media vehicles to promote Dutton, given that he remains default leader of the Liberals when you don’t have a leader.
The current Liberals are a policy void, pumped up a by a flailing dead wood media, desperate to maintain some significance.
And Rex your utterances are no more than background noise contributing to disruptive confusion.
BK @ #19 Sunday, September 29th, 2024 – 9:11 am
A much better use of your time, to be sure.
Rex Douglassays:
Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 9:24 am
goll
Says who besides Rex
John Anderson:
I personally do not see the government having an election this year, DD trigger or otherwise.
Rex Douglas @ #23 Sunday, September 29th, 2024 – 9:20 am
She also keeps on about Qantas and has been caught out several times
“actively developing policy to be ready before the election”
says Bridgit McKenzie
UK Cartoons and other miscellany
Peter Brookes
Dave Brown with acknowledgments to #CartFredrikReuterswärd’s ‘Non-violence’ sculpture.
Matt
Ben Jennings
Andy Davey
Dave Simonds
Morten Morland
Patrick Blower
Banx
Speaking about calls for a ceasefire, Keir Starmer said “release the sausages” rather than “release the hostages” and created a stir online.
Graeme bandiera
Dave Simonds
Bill Bramhall
Martin Rowson
Harry Burton
Tom Gauld
Dave Brown’s #RoguesGallery
The original Vasily Vereshchagin
Unsurprising to see Sir Keir stinking it up…
Hi Confessions, I don’t expect one either. My point is that a trigger is there now. The government doesn’t have to wait til January. The DD option would come after the QLD election. I’m surprised that no one has noted the existence of an already rejected bill.
How many seniors in the UK are going to die of cold because they can’t afford heating …?
Morning all. Beautiful morning in Adelaide today. Warm, sun shining, Lions won the flag by 60 points…
BK
“ Insders with Greg Sheridan, Speers and the lazy, scatterbrained Bridget McKenzie.
No thanks!”
Yech. Thanks for the good advice BK.
On Labor’s prospects, I don’t wish to be the prophet of doom because, as Boerwar says, Labor has achievement to sell. They turned around a budget basket case inherited from Morrison and did so without spiking unemployment in an uncertain world.
But Labor do face two risks IMO. First they have underdelivered on areas like climate change and antoi-corruption, where little measurable progress has yet been made. Second, they face a crisis in cost of living and housing that they did not cause, but must fix.
A bad morning on the ABC with Bridget McKenzie as the best they can do for Insiders. Even Angus Taylor would be better.
But Insiders is an improvement over Fawzia who was earlier praising the Morrison govt’s economic prowess. She remembers ” Back in Black”. She then bemused her Covid book author interviewees by suggesting that for any future pandemic, the Federal government should take over all responsibility for management. This is pure LNP revisionism – ignoring the failure to order vaccines, the abrogation of quarantine responsibility, the waste of $3.7bn on JobKeeper to companies not needing it (and its impact on inflation) and the furious support of Clive Palmer against WA.
I despair of the ABC.
The problems with AUKUS have obscured the fact that questions really should be being asked about the Hunter frigate project. It is not employing as many people as promised, is not as efficient as promised, and yet is still costing fare more than promised.
It is later and more over budget than the French sub contract that was cancelled. So why does this boondoggle sail on?
https://strategicanalysis.org/the-hunter-class-frigate-program-delivering-less-while-costing-more-taking-longer/
Are Australian taxpayers doomed to be cash-cows for a hopelessly uncompetitive British shipbuilding industry?
Have a good day all.
This govt has been a void of leadership and policy reform. No one forced Albo to spend the first half of his term hiding behind the Voice as if it was some grand reform and allowing cost of living pressures to fester due to lack of action. It’s a running theme with this govt, allowing problems to build due to inaction to the point it boils over and then having to messily try and fix the fallout. If self styled Tory fighters like Albo are the best Labor Left can produce it’s no wonder that socialists that would have been at home in Labor in the Whitlam era are abandoning the party. You can call us extremists etc. but what you end up with when you lose these people is a party without a cause for its existence.
mjsays:
Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 9:53 am
so mj,
to be quite blunt are you asking for a return of the nine years of rotating LNP government?
Goll the problem with Labor atm is it’s doing too little to assist people in a time of crisis, which is only worsening their political position.
Luigi Smith says:
Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 9:48 am
A bad morning on the ABC with Bridget McKenzie as the best they can do for Insiders. Even Angus Taylor would be better.
But Insiders is an improvement over Fawzia who was earlier praising the Morrison govt’s economic prowess. She remembers ” Back in Black”. She then bemused her Covid book author interviewees by suggesting that for any future pandemic, the Federal government should take over all responsibility for management. This is pure LNP revisionism – ignoring the failure to order vaccines, the abrogation of quarantine responsibility, the waste of $3.7bn on JobKeeper to companies not needing it (and its impact on inflation) and the furious support of Clive Palmer against WA.
I despair of the ABC.
__________
I presume you are referring to Fauziah Ibrahim, she of “‘Labor Trolls/Thugs’ and ‘Lobotomised Shitheads’ infamy?
https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/abc-presenter-takes-a-break-after-accusations-of-bias-20220425-p5afzj.html
Rex, means testing the winter fuel payments doesn’t seem that unreasonable. Is the test too strict or should the treasury really be helping the King and his old mates heat their drafty castles?
mj says:
Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 10:07 am
Goll the problem with Labor atm is it’s doing too little to assist people in a time of crisis, which is only worsening their political position.
_________
You keep referring to a crisis. Are we really in a crisis? Sure housing cost is a problem. A multi-decade problem of supply that is compounded by NOT having housing values crash. Now that would be a crisis 😉
Exactly what do those who advocate “assistance in a time of crisis” want the government to do? Inflationary cash handouts? Price controls? Force employers to pay higher wages without increasing prices?
Spell out what should be done that isn’t unconstitutional or Inflationary.
Griff you and I may not feel like we are in a crisis, however young people, in particular those who rely on their own wages and don’t have parents who can help can barely pay the rent let alone dream of owning their own home. That is a pretty despondent situation to be in. If the market is failing to affordably house people then it is the responsibility of a govt with a social conscience to intervene to fix this, doing much more to help on that front doesn’t mean that house prices have to crash.
I thought I would look at what the data is telling us.
The GINI coefficients for income and wealth over time have been relatively stable for Australia since the turn of the century: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/measuring-what-matters/measuring-what-matters-themes-and-indicators/prosperous/income-and-wealth-inequality
The GINI coefficient for income is just about average for the OECD in 2023: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/international-comparisons-of-welfare-data
Can we do better? Absolutely!
Is it a crisis? It is when you have a political agenda to advance 😉
mj says:
Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 10:32 am
Griff you and I may not feel like we are in a crisis, however young people, in particular those who rely on their own wages and don’t have parents who can help can barely pay the rent let alone dream of owning their own home. That is a pretty despondent situation to be in. If the market is failing to affordably house people then it is the responsibility of a govt with a social conscience to intervene to fix this, doing much more to help on that front doesn’t mean that house prices have to crash.
_______
Have a look at the data. It is not a crisis, but I agree that young people want more and sooner. They are hungry! I see it at work as well in my field of endeavour, not just housing. I suspect social media adds to peer pressure by affecting social norms. People have a wider array of input of people living their best (edited) lives.