The Australian reports the first Newspoll in four weeks has an even result on two-party preferred, where the Coalition led 51-49 last time. Primary votes are little changed, with Labor steady on 33%, the Coalition down a point to 39%, the Greens steady on 11% and One Nation up two to 7%. Anthony Albanese is steady at 40% approval and down a point on disapproval to 54%, while Peter Dutton is down a point to 39% and steady on 51%. Albanese’s lead as preferred prime minister has widened from 45-41 to 45-38.
Also featured is a suite of questions on leader attributes that Newspoll has been running on a semi-regular basis since 2010. Dutton scores small leads on experienced, has a vision for Australia and understands the major issues, and a large lead on decisive and strong, for which Albanese’s 44% is significantly worse than for any of the previous prime ministers covered. Albanese’s two good marks are a 57% to 45% lead over Dutton on cares for people, and a 58% to 47% deficit on arrogant. The poll was conducted Monday to Friday from a sample of 1258.
UPDATE: I had missed that Nine Newspapers also have the monthly Resolve Strategic poll, which gives Labor its worst result of the term, their primary vote down three to 27%. The Coalition is also down, by one point to 38%, with the Greens up one to 12% and One Nation up two to 7%. Personal ratings for both leaders have significantly weakened: Anthony Albanese is down six on approval to 31% and up six on disapproval to 57%, while Peter Dutton is down five to 40% and up two to 42%. The poll continues to record a tie on preferred prime minister, shifting from 37-37 to 35-35. Other findings include 59% saying they are worse off since the 2022 election, with only 13% better off; 36% saying Dutton and the Coalition would improve things more over the next three years, compared with 27%; and 44% expecting the Coalition will win the next election, compared with 33% for Labor. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Sunday from a sample of 1604.
I disagree with Centre at all of the times.
Coal with Gas peakers will drive up electricity prices.
That’s probably the reason nobody built any new coal generators in the nine years the former administration were … look I don’t know what they were doing?
Stooge
And because it works, the Reactionaries absolutely hate it.
And unlike nuclear power stations it will not blow up and kill everyone – like Chernobyl and Fukushima.
It is because of brilliant observations like these that Disney+ made a TV series about me.
TPOF
Batteries are very expensive.
Guess who has the highest electricity prices in the country? South Australia.
You are obviously into insults. Next time I will give you better than I get – got it!
Why have we stopped investing in fossil fuels?
To save the planet where…action on climate change is out of Australia’s hands.
John Howard was right, we had the cheapest power prices in the world.
WA opposition leader she’s onto the big issues- puberty blockers.
Geez want to be in gov before 2033 do we?
Player One are you still there…
Caught your comment from last night. I was sad too. I got man of the match but we lost the game 😀 😀
WA’s opposition leader is a he. Shane Love, leader of the Nats.
https://www.iberdrola.com.au/for-customers/knowledge-centre/live-price-data-from-the-nem
Centre says:
Friday, December 13, 2024 at 10:22 pm
Guess who has the highest electricity prices in the country? South Australia.
No it doesn’t. This is yet another verifiably false claim by a lying reactionary. The most expensive energy in Australia right now is in QLD….about 35% more expensive in QLD than in SA.
The Reactionaries hate SA because it is a success. They will destroy the SA system if they can. Why is SA power cheaper than QLD power? Because it is renewably sourced.
TPOF @ #2350 Friday, December 13th, 2024 – 10:09 pm
Centre @ #2353 Friday, December 13th, 2024 – 10:22 pm
And I am into facts. YOU are into back of the Corn Flakes box shallow understandings of situations. Here, let me disabuse you of your facile notion that SA has the highest energy prices, a function of contracts signed and privatisation of their electricity market when the Liberals were in power, btw:
Does South Australia have the most expensive electricity?
South Australia’s high proportion of renewables – which exceeded 75 per cent of generation in 2023 – is key to South Australian prices being far lower than the black-coal states of NSW and Queensland.
South Australia has recorded the biggest price drops for wholesale electricity and gas in the nation, a new report by the Australian Energy Market Operator shows.
The falls indicate that the global gas price shocks are easing, and that renewable energy is driving down costs in South Australia.
The latest AEMO quarterly report published today shows the average wholesale electricity price for the first quarter of this year was $55 per megawatt hour in South Australia. That was $17 – or 24 per cent – lower than the average for Q1 in 2023.
Prices in Queensland ($118/MWh, up 13 per cent) were more than double the SA average, and SA was cheaper than NSW ($87/MWh, down 13 per cent) and Tasmania ($67/MWh, down 17 per cent).
Wholesale price changes flow through to the retail prices paid by households and small businesses. The AEMO report follows the announcement last month by the Australian Energy Regulator that it intends to cut benchmark retail prices – the Default Market Offer (DMO) – from July. Its draft DMO signals cuts of up to 2.5 per cent cut for households and 8.2 per cent for small business. These cuts are being driven by falling wholesale prices.
https://www.premier.sa.gov.au/media-releases/news-archive/sa-records-nations-biggest-fall-in-power-prices
There’s more, much more. However, all I ask is that you stop trying to pretend that you know what you’re talking about. You just don’t.
According to Canstar and Compareenergy, South Australia has the highest electricity prices.
Take it up with them…
Coal fired power stations are obsolete in this country…..which is why no-one wants to build, recondition or refinance them. They are not only ways to burn coal. They are ways to burn money. The only parties to benefit from the operation of these obsolete plants are the suppliers of coal, who in general have no other market for their products. The coal miners do not want the generators to close. But the owners of the generators are keen to shut them down because they cost money to run.
There are many ways to generate electricity. Digging up, loading, transporting, unloading and burning coal is about the least efficient of all of them. It is absurd to keep on using this system, which essentially relies on constant over-production. It is really irrational.
This is also the truth to your lie about batteries being expensive, Centre:
https://reneweconomy.com.au/new-big-battery-projects-in-australia-double-in-size-as-storage-prices-plunge/
I honestly don’t know why you think people will believe you, Centre, when it’s so easy to prove you wrong?
Highest energy prices in the country over the last few days have been NSW and QLD. As of posting, SA had the second lowest electricity price on the NEM.
https://aemo.com.au/Energy-systems/Electricity/National-Electricity-Market-NEM/Data-NEM/Data-Dashboard-NEM
Apparently the super reliable coal … had another outage recently in NSW:
https://wattclarity.com.au/articles/2024/12/09dec-er02-unplannedoutage-tubeleak/
Actually NSW has the highest energy prices in Australia.
If it wasn’t for renewables SA would have amongst the worlds highest energy prices, because the liberal government at the time sold off the gas powered generating assets, ie the grid, which sets prices.
Stooge @ #2361 Friday, December 13th, 2024 – 10:48 pm
Yes, it is absurd, but it’s in the interests of Big Gina, Big Clive and all the other fossil fuel stakeholders for it to continue, so they’re going to invest their billions into making sure it continues for as long as it can despite the consequences to the environment, society and economy by making sure the Coalition wins the election next year.
Getting late, I think, a good day for the Coalition by exposing Labor’s true costs of their unreliable energy plans that were virtually uncontested by Blackout Bowen…
I urge the ABC to report fairly LOL!
C@t, if you’re there,
I just thought I’d let you know, I played The Triffids (Wide Open Road) at my last music night (where a group of friends meet on Teams and take turns selecting music videos) and it went down… okay. Not brilliant, but okay.
Centre
You need to work for Sky after Dark.
Centre @ #2360 Friday, December 13th, 2024 – 10:46 pm
Lol.
When looking at Canstar they make this very important point, which you appear to have missed, Centre:
South Australians, on average, pay the highest electricity prices per kWh, in addition to often missing out on big discounts and bonus perks. In comparison, households in VIC, TAS and the ACT generally pay the lowest prices per kWh.
It’s important to realise that the price you pay per kWh is only a fraction of your electricity bill. Another contributor to your power bill is the fixed or supply charge – a daily fee that applies regardless of how much electricity you’ve used, if any.
https://www.canstarblue.com.au/electricity/electricity-costs-kwh/
Nevertheless, the point still stands that Dutton’s Nuclear power plan will see THE most expensive energy bills of all, no matter the state or territory. Whereas, renewable energy prices are just going to keep going down and down and down, while Dutton’s energy bill prices will keep going up and up and up, should we be burdened with him in government.
Dutton’s nuclear plan means that Aussies will need to turn off their air-conditioners and use less internet.
Centre needs to stick to picking Melbourne Cup losers, it’s his specialty.
Ante Meridian @ #2367 Friday, December 13th, 2024 – 10:53 pm
Thank you. 🙂
What sort of music do they hew to generally? I have lots of offerings I could give you. My son is keyed into a lot of contemporary bands if that’s more your thing.
Centre says:
Friday, December 13, 2024 at 10:46 pm
According to Canstar and Compareenergy, South Australia has the highest electricity prices.
Take it up with them
There’s no need. The references you’ve cited are very dated….7 or 8 years out of date. Current price data shows the prices of renewably sourced power have fallen and will fall further yet. This is great for real wages in SA, Tasmania and WA. It’s frustrating for the Reactionary Liars, of course. Their lies have the same longevity as coal-fired power plants.
The campaign against renewables is purely ideological. It is not technical. It is not financial. It is not economic. It is about transient political advantage. It is also just transparently deceitful. I have a view about deceit. The deceitful are dishonest. The dishonest are inherently untrustworthy. So those who lie about these matters are declaring themselves to be untrustworthy. They are rehearsing bad faith. They are bad faith actors who cannot be trusted. It’s quite something to acquire a reputation for being untrustworthy over an ideological point. Stalin would have approved.
Bizzcan @ #2370 Friday, December 13th, 2024 – 11:00 pm
Nicki Hutley makes this salient point about the Coalition’s Energy plan as well-active discouragement:
Economist Nicki Hutley, a councillor with the Climate Council, says the Coalition’s plan appears to rely upon curtailing renewables deployment in Australia over coming years to make way for more nuclear in the grid.
“It has to do that because nuclear power is always on,” Hutley says. “It can’t be flicked off when there is a lot of energy coming from our rooftops.”
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/the-very-big-assumption-peter-dutton-s-nuclear-plan-makes-20241213-p5ky5s.html
Yep.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/the-very-big-assumption-peter-dutton-s-nuclear-plan-makes-20241213-p5ky5s.html
Centre says:
Friday, December 13, 2024 at 10:22 pm
“Guess who has the highest electricity prices in the country? South Australia”
———- —————————————————————-
What is it with Liberal party posters? Do you get paid per lie?
I live in Adelaide. Right now I’m watching a movie via free power from our home battery and solar system. We got a state government rebate for putting it in. We paid for it but with the rebate and lower costs it pays for itself in about six years.
Last year our power bill was a net $200 dividend. We sent more power to the grid than we consumed.
Dream on and enjoy your next power bill 🙂
The campaign against renewable energy is about fooling people into voting against things that are in their own self interest.
They are making mugs into suckers. Its the LNP way.
C@t,
The point is that you have to listen to what everyone else picks and they have to listen to yours, so you are exposed to all sorts of styles you wouldn’t normally think of. So we get Accadacca, the Danish Symphony Orchestra, rock ‘n’ roll in black and white from the 1950s, Rockwiz duets, etc. etc. etc.
And occasionally I pick my all time favourite, Toccata by Skye.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgbgUrp1a70
Wait, no way. Scomo the coal fondler held back the veritable tide of coal fired investment coming our way to save the environment?
That’s very funny.
Fubar at 11.51 and 11.57 am
Howard’s con was that prices would fall with a GST, complete with idiotic TV commercials.
Inflation rose significantly in 2000. Biggest annual rise that year for years. See graph at:
https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/aus/australia/inflation-rate-cpi
Re Dutton’s slogan testing, he actually has to assume that Albo will call the election for 1 Mar, simply because that is a credible scenario and Dutton must prepare for that, unless he is lazy.
There were signs in his presser of auto-cue rhetorical flourishes, with an attempt to answer a specific question shifting directly into repeating slogans that sounded focus-group tested.
His problem is that he has given all the journos the Xmas break to look at his rubbery figures. It would have been more effective to have dropped the nuclear claims early in the campaign.
Organisationally, Dutton looks unprepared for a 1 Mar election. LNP is missing candidates for:
Blair (ALP)
Brisbane (held by Greens)
Griffith (likewise)
Lilley (ALP; NB Memo to Lars – where is the LNP candidate? )
Moreton (ALP with retiring MP)
Rankin (ALP)
See: https://online.lnp.org.au/federal-team
That’s 20% of Qld seats apparently missing a declared candidate, or LNP publicity is poor.
Rossmcg:
The indies in Churchlands / Nedlands / Cottesloe are leaving their run late – only three months til the election. They aren’t even getting much coverage in the Subi Post beyond the fact that they exist.
Also, there’s hardly any overlap between Churchlands and Thornton’s council ward – maybe part of Glendalough and Osborne Park. The rest is in Doubleview ward (Stirling) or Cambridge council. Considering a big local issue is the redevelopment of Floreat Forum shopping centre, a Cambridge councillor could be in with a chance.
The results for Osborne ward last year were interesting – four candidates all between 20% and 30%, and Thornton got in on preferences (I’d forgotten WA councils have OPV instead of FFP these days). One of the others was Wayne Dropulich, who was an accidental senator for a few months thanks to group voting tickets. Slightly better than the 0.2% he got back then.
Baby boomers in Australia have $10 trillion dollars in wealth through property, stocks, shares and commercial businesses.
This lot have nothing to whinge about.
Bird of paradox
I find it hard to see independents doing that well at state level, notwithstanding Liz Constable’s long reign in Churchlands.
Will be happy if the independent helps labor’s Christine Tonkin hold Basil at bay. Or even make it a very close thing.
I can’t believe Ding lost last night. I went to bed because I had to work next day (today) and it was a bleedingly obvious draw, then woke up the next day and couldn’t believe my eyes.
Typical. Somebody’s (possibly Murphy’s, or maybe we need a new name for this one) Law.
Ante Meridian @ #2384 Friday, December 13th, 2024 – 11:49 pm
According to the post-game analysis washup, Ding lost it all with move 55. Rook-F2 which allowed Gukesh to win the endgame.
Ding had been trying to exchange pieces all day, obviously playing for a draw, and then that move for the exchange of rooks… and the crowd went wild (as much as a chess crowd can go wild). I have no idea how all the commentators knew instantly – Instantly – that the king and pawn ending was a win for Black, but somehow they did. And Ding missed it.
I mean, king and pawn endings are notoriously fickle. A tiny difference in the position of one of the kings or the pawns can completely change the result. But somehow everyone knew, including Gukesh and Ding, the moment his fingers left the rook.
Ante Meridian @ #2387 Saturday, December 14th, 2024 – 12:08 am
I think it pretty much came down to time pressure. In that move, Ding was down to less than 10 minutes while Gukesh still had over 1 hour remaining. That kind of pressure can crumble most people.
I think you’re right, Kirsdarke.
That had been the story of the match. Ding always seemed low on time but always managed to dig his way out of trouble (except for game … 10 was it? Can’t remember. Around then, anyway.)
But this time his luck, perhaps, ran out.
I get sick of people saying stuff like “baby boomers have $x amount squirreled away so fuck them”.
As a group they may, some are very rich & most aren’t.
Frontier produced there “report” for free. The Liberals did not get value for money.
Frontier have informed us if you produce less, the total cost is less.
To convert AEMO’s 2023 figures to 2024 value frontier used an inflation rate of 8.9%. As the inflation rate was 3.8% one has to ask, which thumb did frontier suck that figure out of.
Frontier are modelling the future and they can’t even get basic figures from the past right.
New thread.
Mundo @ 8.33am (Friday).
As well as the NBN debacle and over costing, The Lieberals can add Snowy 2.0 to their list of infrastructure blow outs.
Ten years on – $2 billion to $12 billion and they haven’t completed the tunnels, yet.
NSW Liberal Infrastructure at Work.
After sitting idle on the NSW Central Coast for years, in their storage depot, the Spanish made Inter-urban trains were finally placed into service, last week.
On thursday, guess what?
One of these trains broke down between Newcastle & Gosford, causing a complete shutdown of the entire northern rail network for hours.
These were the cheaper than Australian made trains – which required 100s of millions of dollars to be spent on tunnel widening and track re-lays because they were too wide to pass on curves.
This is what happens when CLP governments, gut the public sector and effectively close down the local industry which had designed, egineered and built railway rolling stock in NSW.
The pre-Greiner NSW Railways would have had engineers who would have identified this defect before any large contracts were signed.
Ditto the problems with the Spanish made trams in Sydney.
It is little wonder that the Victorian & Queensland governments re-introduced a “Made in….” program for their rail infrastructure in recent years.
And there are some people who support the Federal CLP proposal to build nuclear reactors.
C@tmomma @ 10.17am
The number of Australian flags behind which the Isodope stands will be an inverse ratio to the dimension of the stage or platform.
Thus, the larger the stage the more flags. he will go the whole Trump, with the flags.
C@tmomma @ 3.48pm
As once rusted on ABC listeners @ 2BL and the House of Jays – we will be de-tuning ABC from our tuner now that they have dumped the best all round presenter on their network, Simon Marnie. He has always been a must to listen to every Saturday & Sunday morning.
His “Sonic Journey” hour, every saturday introduced us to a wide and varied range of artists, composers and music genre, as well as introducing histories of many of our faves.
As for ABC news, most of today’s commentary regarding Isodope & Tritium Ted have confirmed why we prefer SBS news, to that of the ABC.
I would like my 8 cents worth multipled by 50 years, back.
https://theshovel.com.au/2023/09/20/party-that-was-unable-to-build-commuter-car-park-unveils-plans-to-build-71-nuclear-reactors/
Ante Meridian.
While most of Australia were gaga for big noise bands – Noiseworks, Cold Chisel, Sunnyboys etc during the 80s.
I went for the more melodic and sophisticated and like the Go Betweens, The Triffids, The Sports et el.
Wide Open Road is, in my opinion the best and greatest Road song ever composed or written or recorded in Australia.
The themes of loneliness, desolation and isolation from loved ones is hard to beat.
For a great listen try all of their albums, but “Born Sandy Devotional” I consider to be their master work.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
The Coalition is playing voters for mugs once again with its nuclear costings, declares Laura Tingle who says there is something spooking similar going on with Dutton.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-14/politics-dutton-release-nuclear-costings/104723416
Brett Worthington writes that the decision to seek to bury the policy announcement at the end of a week so late in the year offers an insight into the confidence the party has in the signature policy it will take to the next federal election. He also says the Coalition is doing little more than treating voters like mugs, assuming they’ll be more interested in style over substance.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-13/peter-dutton-cunning-showmanship-331-billion-nuclear-plan/104722496
The Coalition claims its nuclear policy is ‘visionary’ – but it needs to stand up to scrutiny, writes Karen Middleton. She says Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan is now tied to his own credibility, and the Liberal leader is banking on not having to explain the discrepancies in detail.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/13/the-coalition-claims-its-nuclear-policy-is-visionary-but-it-needs-to-stand-up-to-scrutiny
Nick O’Malley goes to the heart of Dutton’s nuclear plan. He says Dutton predicts that Australia will need far less electricity in 2050 than the government is planning for, and he assumes it can save money by not building unnecessary power generation, storage and transmission infrastructure.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/the-very-big-assumption-peter-dutton-s-nuclear-plan-makes-20241213-p5ky5s.html
And Mike Foley and Paul Sakkal say that millions fewer Australians would drive electric cars or have rooftop solar under Dutton’s vision. They also say that Dutton’s plan would use taxpayers’ money to fund the construction costs of nuclear plants, while the government’s plan relies on private investment to be repaid by electricity customers via their bills.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-reveals-nuclear-energy-costs-and-a-crucial-election-battleground-20241213-p5ky4f.html
Never mind the fact the Coalition’s nuclear proposal is a fantasy – it doesn’t even claim to reduce power bills, argues Adam Morton. “Let’s not waste time with niceties: the Coalition’s nuclear plan is a fantasy. The vision laid out on Friday by a quartet of opposition frontbenchers is not going to eventuate, regardless of the result of the next election”, he says. The big question for political and media debate over the next six months: whether it will grapple with this reality, or if the nuclear fantasy will be too much to resist.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/14/never-mind-the-fact-the-coalitions-nuclear-proposal-is-a-fantasy-it-doesnt-even-claim-to-reduce-power-bills
Energy generators have poked holes in Dutton’s nuclear plan as questions over its costings pile up, writes Graham Readfearn.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/14/energy-generators-poke-holes-in-duttons-nuclear-plan-as-questions-over-costings-pile-up
Angela Macdonald-Smith says Dutton’s nuclear costings are underpinned by ‘distorted numbers’. She lays out four main issues.
https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/dutton-s-nuclear-costings-underpinned-by-distorted-numbers-20241213-p5ky5r
Peter Dutton has acknowledged his timeline for building seven nuclear power stations may be too ambitious, conceding it would require bipartisan support, as the Coalition’s plan was criticised for underestimating energy demand and the number of electric vehicles on the road by 2050, writes Phil Coorey. He says the opposition leader made the concession as the Coalition’s costings for its nuclear power plants were also attacked for extending the life of coal-fired power, increasing short-term grid instability, and lacking detail about any short-term impact on electricity bills.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/dutton-calls-for-bipartisan-support-as-nuke-policy-comes-under-fire-20241213-p5ky49
Peter Pan Dutton’s nuclear Neverland adventure a fantastical media snow job, writes Michael West.
https://michaelwest.com.au/peter-pan-duttons-nuclear-neverland-adventure-a-fantastical-media-snowjob/
Australia’s fractious debate about how to achieve its energy transition ambitions in its electricity sector has become even more muddled by the release of the costings of the Coalition’s nuclear plan. And that’s no help to households and businesses, writes Angela Macdonald-Smith who despairs that any hope of a rational debate about nuclear power is gone.
https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/any-hope-of-a-rational-debate-about-nuclear-power-is-gone-20241213-p5ky5t
The Coalition reveals the cost of its nuclear power plan – but the devil is in the missing detail, writes researcher Thomas Longden. Clearly, the debate has a long way to run before voters make their choice at the ballot box next year. Let’s hope by that time, we have the information we need, he says.
https://theconversation.com/the-coalition-reveals-the-cost-of-its-nuclear-power-plan-but-the-devil-is-in-the-missing-detail-245576
The Climate Council has come out to describe four ways Dutton is cooking the books on nuclear power.
https://theaimn.com/less-power-more-climate-pollution-four-ways-dutton-is-cooking-the-books-on-nuclear/
The SMH editorial says electors are none the wiser. The modelling did not go to pricing and Dutton failed to provide a dollar and cents figure of how going nuclear will make power cheaper for each consumer. It concludes with, “The choice facing Australians is no joke. Our concerns with the Coalition plan stem not so much from environmental or safety issues, but the costs and timeline, coal’s continued use, and the perception that Dutton has made his signature proposal feel very political, rather than an energy policy designed for the right reasons.”
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-unveils-his-nuclear-power-policy-but-questions-remain-20241213-p5ky61.html
The Canberra Times’ editorial says, “The problem now for Australia is that what ought to be a rational discussion about engineering and economics is fraught with politics. Mr Dutton has helped that unhelpful development. But, make no mistake, his arguments for nuclear may resonate with many voters, particularly since so many other countries are seeing it as viable. Labor must challenge the argument with cold figures to convince an electorate which may need some convincing.”
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8846134/australias-path-to-net-zero-choice-at-the-polls/?cs=27763
Paul Bongiorno tells us about Murdoch, Dutton and the campaign against Albanese. A good read.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/2024/12/14/murdoch-dutton-and-the-campaign-against-albanese
Peter Dutton will ‘stare down’ nuclear scare campaigns and seek an election mandate to compel sceptical premiers and business chiefs into fast-tracking his plan to build seven nuclear power plants, writes cheerleader Geoff Chambers. (I can’t find any analysis of the announcement’s details in he Australian today, Strange, that!)
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation%2Fpolitics%2Fdefiant-peter-dutton-ready-for-nuclear-scare-campaign-from-labor%2Fnews-story%2F8eefa810217d2ce034be589b1914da19?amp
As the Coalition finally releases its long-delayed nuclear costings, its chosen economic modeller, Danny Price, takes aim at Labor’s numbers. Mike Seccombe backgrounds the rather controversial consultant.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2024/12/14/coalitions-economic-modeller-goes-nuclear-energy-transition-costings
Australia will soon seal an agreement with a group of Western nations to end public subsidies for fossil fuel export projects, drying up a key source of finance for new oil, gas and coal fields, reports Royce Kurmelovs.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/environment/2024/12/14/australias-clean-energy-transition-partnership-huge-win-climate
Another day, another barking lie from Dutton and his brazen band of disinformation dealers, now regularly guest starring on the public broadcaster. There is no stopping the runaway train of invention that is the Murdoch media, at least not without government intervention — and there appears to be no appetite within the Labor Party to go down that road again, writes Michelle Pini.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/abc-propels-duttons-disinformation-dealers,19256
Government spending is keeping Australia out of recession, just as last week’s feeble GDP numbers tallied seven consecutive quarters of negative growth. Michael Pascoe reports on the moaning business lobby with Jim Chalmers seeming to get the blame for there having been no recession.
https://johnmenadue.com/damned-if-you-do-jim-chalmers-cops-the-blame-for-no-recession/
Fallout from the war in Gaza has created a deepening rift in relations between Australia and Israel. The hostilities are political and personal, writes Matthew Knott who takes us inside the fiery meeting that would define the government’s relationship with Israel
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/inside-the-fiery-meeting-that-would-define-the-government-s-relationship-with-israel-20241209-p5kwu7.html
The opposition has seized upon the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue to claim that the government is contributing to rising anti-Semitism in Australia, writes Karen Barlow about the politicising the Melbourne synagogue attack.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2024/12/14/politicising-the-melbourne-synagogue-attack
The wagons are circling, but John Pesutto is ready for a last stand, declares The Age. It says Pesutto is two years into his job and has achieved what to many appeared is a mission improbable – taking the political basket case also known as the Victorian Liberal Party and turning it into something that resembles a viable government-in-waiting. But for some of his colleagues, a third year with Pesutto as leader is untenable after his missteps exposed the inner workings of their party room to the fierce judgments of Justice David O’Callaghan.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/the-wagons-are-circling-but-john-pesutto-is-ready-for-a-last-stand-20241213-p5ky9s.html
The Age says former tennis ace Sam Groth has quit the state opposition’s frontbench, citing John Pesutto’s refusal to stand down as state Liberal Party leader in the wake of the damning Federal Court judgment against him. Pesutto was blindsided by the decision, which Groth informed him of minutes before posting a resignation statement on social media late on Friday afternoon. Some of Groth’s closest parliamentary colleagues were also unaware of his intention to quit before it was publicly announced.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/sam-groth-calls-game-set-match-on-pesutto-leadership-20241213-p5kyab.html
“The first thing we’ll do is sack those 36000 public servants in Canberra”, said David Littleproud, leader of Australia’s National Party. Paddy Gourley is concerned about the Australian Public Service and the perils of Trumpism.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-australian-public-service-and-the-perils-of-trumpism/
In an important case argued this week, the High Court is reconsidering whether the use of secret evidence in court proceedings is constitutional, explains Kieran Pender. Interesting.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/law-crime/2024/12/14/the-high-court-challenge-using-secret-evidence-trials
Prime Minister Albanese needs to take back control of interest rates and stop letting the Reserve Bank dictate how to run the economy, writes Klaas Woldring.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/government-should-stop-letting-reserve-bank-govern-australia,19261
The ageing Collins-class submarines have been added to a Defence Department watch list for reliability and maintenance woes, raising fresh doubts about the navy’s ability to conduct undersea operations. Andrew Tillett reports that just weeks after revelations five of the six submarines were out of action, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy added the submarines to Defence’s product of concern list, triggering an urgent scramble to come up with a remediation plan.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/collins-class-submarines-listed-as-product-of-concern-20241213-p5ky7g
Here’s a rather jam-packed weekly media round-up from Amanda Meade.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/commentisfree/2024/dec/13/judge-gives-the-media-a-serve-over-criticism-of-prosecutions-ntwnfb
“There is a yawning gap between the decency we see so often from others in our daily lives, the love and respect we teach our children, and much of the nasty, juvenile nonsense we see on screens and in parliaments. A lot of commentary is just plain mean”, writes Julia Baird on how contempt is accompanying disagreement in so many areas.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/what-if-there-was-a-way-to-measure-someone-s-contempt-now-there-is-20241213-p5ky77.html
Consumers will be hit with another steep rise in their household and car insurance premiums this year as general insurers push revenue growth ahead of rising inflation costs. Colin Kruger reports that actuarial group Finity is forecasting a 12 per cent jump in premiums this year for two of the biggest general insurance sectors – home and car insurance – based on industry statistics and recent forecasts from the industry including listed insurers like IAG and Suncorp.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/double-whammy-household-insurance-costs-to-soar-again-adding-to-inflation-20241211-p5kxh6.html
The Administrative Review Tribunal, which was intended to restore transparency and trust, has released none of the decisions from its first two months of operation, owing to technical problems, reveals Rick Morton.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/law-crime/2024/12/14/exclusive-new-tribunal-yet-publish-single-decision
When one of Australia’s biggest Ponzi schemes collapsed, the money trail led to the casinos. Now Crown and Star could face a courtroom showdown with dudded investors, report Sherryn Groch and Carla Jaeger. “Sew and yes shall reap”, seems an apt adage for the casinos here.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/this-fraudster-was-a-vip-at-crown-and-star-now-the-casinos-face-a-70-million-lawsuit-20241213-p5ky41.html
Sue Williams gives us a good example of how electric vehicles and apartments are not necessarily a good mix.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/miguel-bought-a-car-then-there-was-a-2000-fee-to-charge-it-20241212-p5kxwb.html
Australian parents are told not to buy the ultra-processed powdered milk products. But the government is helping fund a boom overseas, explains Patrick Begley.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/taller-stronger-smarter-the-baseless-claims-used-to-sell-toddler-milk-powder-20241209-p5kwzz.html
If Labor wins next year’s election, it will set up a $1 billion building early education fund. This is not a “cash splash”, as the Murdoch papers have described it, says the editorial in The Saturday Paper.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/editorial/2024/12/14/springing-the-parent-trap
NSW’s freshly appointed building commissioner says a culture of doing the bare minimum has taken root in parts of the Australian construction sector, driving building non-compliance and defects, reports Max Maddison.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/new-regulator-calls-out-bare-minimum-culture-in-construction-industry-20241211-p5kxip.html
A Chinese businessman who forged close links with Prince Andrew and was authorised to act on his behalf to seek investors in China has been banned from Britain on national security grounds.
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/royal-life/2024/12/14/prince-andrew-friend-security
Putin’s regime may be closer to a Soviet collapse than we think, opines Ambrose Evans-Pritchard. If the Saudis again decide to flood the world with cheap crude to recoup market share – as many predict – oil will fall below $US40 and Russia will spin out of economic control. The Ukraine war may end in Riyadh, he says.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/putins-regime-may-be-closer-to-a-soviet-collapse-than-we-think-20241211-p5kxet.html
Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders to his inauguration next month – an unorthodox move that would fold US allies and adversaries into a very American political tradition. No head of state has previously made an official visit to the US for the inauguration, according to State Department historical records.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/shockingly-cavalier-trump-invites-xi-jinping-to-inauguration-20241213-p5ky8d.html
Donald Trump figures he can call all the shots and the world will just fall into line. With the unquestioning support of Elon Musk, he is acting as if the two of them can con the whole planet. But how will Trump tolerate Musk popping up everywhere, notionally taking most of the credit, wonders John Hewson. He warns that the global financial crisis that began in 2008 was caused by a collapse of the subprime housing loan market. It is reasonable to expect the next GFC will be caused by a subprime president. For better or worse, and most likely the latter, his performance will indeed go down in the history books as one that shaped America.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/2024/12/12/americas-next-crisis
He’s Person Of The Year, again! But Trump’s most powerful years are ahead, writes Bruce Wolpe who thinks Australia can’t be assured that it will escape a rampant re-elected president’s punishments.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/he-s-person-of-the-year-again-but-trump-s-most-powerful-years-are-ahead-20241213-p5ky4b.html
”Wanted” posters with the names and faces of healthcare executives have appeared on the streets of New York, while hit-lists with images of bullets are circulating online with warnings that industry leaders should be afraid. The apparent targeted killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the menacing threats that followed have sent a shudder through corporate America and the healthcare industry in particular, leading to increased security for executives and some workers. America is f****d!
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/wanted-posters-with-healthcare-executives-faces-appear-on-new-york-streets-20241213-p5ky3q.html
Jason Koutsoukis tells us about Anthony Pratt’s box seat ride to White House influence and wonders what will he do with his latest, most powerful connection.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2024/12/14/anthony-pratts-box-seat-ride-white-house-influence
Donald Trump’s appointee to advise him on Middle East affairs, Massad Boulos, is reported to have significant discrepancies between his public profile and documented business background, casting doubt on the thoroughness of the former president’s vetting process. The pantomime continues.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/12/massad-boulos-trump-middle-east-adviser
Cartoon Corner
David Pope – brilliant!
David Rowe
Alan Moir
Mark David
Leak flies the Murdoch flag
From the US
The ABC is now back on message: It’s now interviewing a Daily Telegraph reporter about Dutton’s nuclear plan. The only difference, apparently, between the two plans is that Dutton’s has higher emissions in the short term.
And here I was thinking that the ABC might ask scientists, economists and electric generator engineers what they thought.
Onya ABC!