The campaign for the Western Australian election on March 8 formally commences this week with the issuing of the writs, there are two interesting Victorian state by-elections on Saturday (more on one of them below), and there will shortly be a New South Wales state by-election to contend with in Port Macquarie following retirement announcement from Nationals-turned-Liberal member Leslie Williams. That’s to say nothing of the small matter of a looming federal election, for which April 12 is generally considered the most likely date, particularly after last week’s inflation numbers shortened the odds on an interest rate cut later this month.
Also of note:
• The Financial Review this week had polling data for the 18-to-34 cohort broken down by gender, combined from Freshwater Strategy’s monthly polling in November, December and January. Presumably inspired by the stark divide in voting and ideology that’s opened up between young men and women in the United States, the results find the phenomenon to be relatively subdued here: the big difference was that support for the Greens was at 32% among young women and 20% among young men, with both major parties scoring higher among men (Labor 36%, Coalition 32%) than women (Labor 32%, Coalition 25%). Kos Samaras of RedBridge Group calculates two-party Labor leads of 67-33 among the women and 59-41 among the men. Anthony Albanese led Peter Dutton as preferred prime minister by 58-27 among the women and 55-37 among the men, but both leaders scored much worse among women than men on net approval.
• 7News has a new election prediction model, in which political science academics Simon Jackman and Luke Mansillo were involved. Mansillo was also involved in The Guardian’s tracker, but this one is quite different: whereas The Guardian’s model goes far beyond any poll result in crediting the Coalition with a commanding 53.1-46.9 lead, the 7News model has it at 51-49. Mansillo is quoted saying the mode leans just slightly in favour of Labor forming government because of an inefficiently distributed Coalition swing, leaving them set to run up margins in already safe rural and regional seats.
• Labor’s Stephen Jones announced last week that he will not seek re-election in his Illawarra region seat of Whitlam. Ronald Mizen of the Financial Review reports the only known contender for Labor preselection is Keely O’Brien, general manger of corporate affairs for the Council of Australian Life Insurers. However, O’Brien is of the Right and the consensus appears to be that the Right will not formally oppose the national executive ratifying the nominee of Jones’s own Left faction. The report further relates that an informal deal reserves Whitlam to the Left and the state seat of Shoalhaven to the Right, but some consider the Right is owed a seat after Anthony Albanese imposed Ashvini Ambihaipahar of the Left in Barton.
• The South Australian Liberal Party has chosen Leah Blyth, education executive and state party president, to fill the Senate vacancy created by Simon Birmingham’s retirement, replacing a moderate with a conservative. Brad Crouch of The Advertiser reports Blyth won the party ballot with 119 votes to 71 for lawyer Sam Hooper and 11 for Adelaide councillor Henry Davis. As Birmingham was re-elected in 2022, Blyth will not be required to contest the coming election.
• A party vote to disendorse Jacob Vadakkedathu as the Liberals’ Australian Capital Territory Senate candidate over branch stacking allegations was defeated on Saturday. X account Preselection Updates relates the margin was 109 votes to 74.
• Patrick Durkin of the Financial Review (no link available at present) reports Labor polling shows Saturday’s by-election in Werribee “could be as close as 48-52” in favour of the government, suggesting a 9% Liberal swing. However, Liberals “denied the race was that close” and said a 5% swing would be a good result. Chip Le Grand of The Age also cites a Liberal source talking down the party’s chances by citing a “missed opportunity” to win over the local Indian community by preselecting local businessman Rajan Chopra, instead choosing 63-year-old real estate agent Steve Murphy.
C@t congratulations with Paul A ‘s comments last night you’ve finally achieved bipartisanship support for dawn patrol. A rare achievement on here.
Labor has weaponised the Hamas attack on Israel to secure western Sydney votes.
Good to see Trump not supporting Gaza who started the war against Israel last October.No Aussie tax dollars should go to rebuilding Gaza.
Ironically me thinks labor will be finding out that the zealots in western Sydney have been gaslighting them and they will vote for the new Muslim party or Fatima etc.
Trump knows China through Covid played a role in him being ousted as president he will be going after China big time as he should .
Failing federal Labor government sold out our democracy and our values in capitulation to its communist besties.
Covid was a pivot in history the globalised economy will be different the lefties will hate it that the west will stand up for its people and negotiate fair trade agreements .
Not sure what labor is going to achieve this two weeks of parliament as far as bills passing .
Every time parliament is on labors vote goes backwards.
So what’s the headline takeaway here, the Greens on track to lose 2 seats, one each way, with two Teals possibly on the way out both to the LNP? (caveated that betting markets are not polls)
Victoriasays: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 8:15 am
Is anyone at all surprised?
TRUMP SAYS “GAZA HAS NOT WORKED” AND PALESTINIANS SHOULD BE MOVED OUT TO A “FRESH PIECE OF LAND” OR “NUMEROUS PIECES OF LAND,” SUGGESTS THEY COULD BE MOVED TO JORDAN OR EGYPT.
*******************************************************
Trump has plans for “the Gaza”
Pied Piper in the future will you tell people you were always against the genocide? Just like everyone was against the vietnam war once it was over
Daily Kos
Trump halted the tariffs on Mexico after President Claudia Sheinbaum offered to send 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, something she had done before—during former President Joe Biden’s tenure—without threats that could have caused economic pain for American citizens.
“Mexico deployed this many troops to its border with the US in both 2019 and 2021, and last year ramped up migrant arrests enough to cause border crossings to drop by >50%,” Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, wrote in a post on X. “So this is not new. At all. And it won’t impact fentanyl trafficking, which is mostly done by US citizens.”
Trump also backed off proposed tariffs against Canada after that country offered the same deal it had offered in December to reinforce the border the country shares with the U.S.
“Trump is trying to repackage the status quo as a victory. That’s what the leaders of these foreign countries are learning,” The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell said on CNN. “You don’t actually have to give Trump anything. You have to let him announce victory on TV.”
Genocide is a nutty false crazy leftie description that’s tries to hide the fact of who started the war.
By the way the state labor West Australian government has done nothing as far as public housing goes and goes to an election promising houses everywhere.
Interesting how this plays out on election day as the fed labor government will be watching as they are the same on public housing failures.
Also I notice Locals are increasingly complaining about the population increase on traffic and services in Perth so it will be a interesting state election in 30 days approx.
Re Below comment -the Maga crowd? by that you mean the majority USA public who voted for trump in both the reps and senate and for what he is doing .
The wild ride in the USA continues unabated.
Is this the tipping point for the MAGA crowd to wake up?
Alas, I think not yet. Sigh
Good Morning! Here’s your Daily News and Views Roundup.
The first parliamentary question time of the year was not one to watch on an empty stomach.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-expected-to-go-on-the-attack-instead-chalmers-had-him-for-lunch-20250204-p5l9hg.html
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has seized on new figures showing companies are being created at their fastest rate this century to accuse the Coalition of misleading voters over the strength of the nation’s 4 million small businesses.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/free-business-lunch-fight-degrades-into-business-battle-20250204-p5l9cc.html
Peter Dutton is promising to slash the public service. Voters won’t know how many jobs are lost until after the election.
https://theconversation.com/peter-dutton-is-promising-to-slash-the-public-service-voters-wont-know-how-many-jobs-are-lost-until-after-the-election-248897
Like Trump, Peter Dutton’s attacks on DEI allow him to punch down without leaving any obvious bruising. Yep.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2025/feb/04/like-trump-peter-dutton-attacks-on-dei-allow-him-to-punch-down-without-leaving-any-obvious-bruising-ntwnfb
The fight Peter Dutton and others like him want to have about diversity is a distraction-Sisonke Msimang
I’m far more interested in how politicians of all stripes will address fundamental inequality than spurious debates on DEI.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/04/the-fight-peter-dutton-and-others-like-him-want-to-have-about-diversity-is-a-distraction-ntwnfb
Liberal party investment vehicle donated $500,000 to rightwing group Advance. Cormack Foundation is a multimillion-dollar investment group for the Liberal party and one of its biggest single donors.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/05/liberal-party-investment-vehicle-donated-500000-to-rightwing-group-advance-ntwnfb
This is what the money is buying: Advance targeting Wannon independent candidate Alex Dyson ahead of election being called to avoid breaking electoral laws.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/advance-target-alex-dyson-with-flyer-suggesting-greens-link/104895668
The truth behind Tim Wilson’s MAGA wardrobe malfunction.
https://www.smh.com.au/cbd/the-truth-behind-tim-wilson-s-maga-wardrobe-malfunction-20250204-p5l9i1.html
Independent senators Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock have accused the government of trying to push through political donations laws to lock minor parties out of power in what could be the last fortnight of parliament before the election.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/getting-elected-to-parliament-for-less-than-800-000-rubbish-lambie-says-20250204-p5l9bk.html
Artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek has been banned on all federal government systems and devices following warnings that the data it collects could be available to the Chinese government.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-bans-chinese-ai-platform-deepseek-on-government-devices-20250204-p5l9js.html
As big tech abandons truth, teachers must be the fact-checkers.
https://www.smh.com.au/education/as-big-tech-abandons-truth-teachers-like-me-must-be-the-fact-checkers-20250203-p5l93h.html
Allegra Spender launches 11th-hour bid to plug ‘gaping hole’ in Labor’s hate crime bill. Federal government under renewed pressure to prevent hate ‘at its source’ after wave of antisemitic attacks.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/feb/04/allegra-spender-launches-11th-hour-bid-to-plug-gaping-hole-in-labors-hate-bill
Michelle Grattan observed that Independent Allegra Spender spearheaded a condemnation of antisemitism by federal parliament – but the debate was mired in partisanship.
https://theconversation.com/parliament-condemns-antisemitism-but-cant-avoid-the-blame-game-249015
Australian officials left scrambling over Trump’s ‘unclear’ tariff proposals following election, documents reveal. Dfat memos obtained under freedom of information reveal confusion at US president-elect’s moves. Kevin07 was there to help.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/05/australia-us-donald-trump-tariffs
Australians want less migration but oppose cutting international student numbers, study finds.
People hold inaccurate and occasionally contradictory attitudes on issue which is shaping up as central to upcoming federal election.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/04/australians-want-less-migration-but-oppose-cutting-international-student-numbers-study-finds
Annabel Crabbe says Donald Trump didn’t invent brawling about tariffs. Australia gave it a red hot go.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/australian-tariffs-donald-trump-china/104896700
Trump’s tariffs and the threat protectionism poses to Australian exporters.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2025-02-04/trump-us-tariffs-australian-farmers-export-markets/104891042
Ross Gittins believes that in 50 years, Trump will be remembered as just a puzzling footnote.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/in-50-years-trump-will-be-remembered-as-just-a-puzzling-footnote-20250204-p5l9dt.html
Stephen Bartholomeusz observes-Dumb and dumber: Trump’s war on the world is not going to plan.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/trump-fired-his-biggest-weapon-and-he-missed-20250204-p5l9c4.html
Tony Wright points out Christopher Pyne’s history fail: It’s time for Greenland to reclaim America.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/pyne-s-history-fail-it-s-time-for-greenland-to-reclaim-america-20250204-p5l9fg.html
Victoria’s election watchdog is investigating a complaint that right-wing lobby group Advance has not declared any donations in the state while bankrolling a campaign against the Greens in the hotly contested Prahran byelection.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/right-wing-lobby-group-in-donations-probe-over-anti-greens-push-in-prahran-20250203-p5l91r.html
Victorian bail laws set for another review, but Allan denies move prompted by Labor’s woes.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/victorian-bail-laws-set-for-another-review-but-allan-denies-move-was-prompted-by-labor-s-woes-20250204-p5l9e8.html
Authorities are investigating the collapse of a wind turbine in Victoria’s west. Turbines at Berrybank Wind Farm near Lismore have been paused, as investigators work to confirm what caused the collapse.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/victoria-berrybank-wind-turbine-collapse/104895810
SMH Editorial. Haylen says she didn’t want to be a ‘distraction’. Garbage. She quit because she was caught.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/haylen-says-she-didn-t-want-to-be-a-distraction-garbage-she-quit-because-she-was-caught-20250204-p5l9ds.html
How NSW Premier Chris Minns got caught up in Jo Haylen’s political car crash.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/nsw-premier-chris-minns-jo-haylen-political-car-crash/104896414
A billionaire will pay for high school students to get tutoring as part of a historic $100 million donation to the University of Sydney aimed at lifting the number of women in science and maths degrees.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/this-sydney-billionaire-wants-to-hire-more-women-he-s-spending-100m-to-make-it-happen-20250204-p5l9gr.html
Australia has been in the grip of marine heatwaves for several summers in a row. So we are now seeing Ningaloo Reef Whale Sharks off the NSW coast!
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/the-water-is-so-warm-even-whale-sharks-are-heading-south-for-summer-20250204-p5l9dy.html
Prominent child protection advocate urges SA government to rethink proposed law reforms.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-04/belinda-valentine-urges-child-protection-law-rethink/104896120
Inquiry to probe claims of violence and menacing conduct in Queensland’s construction industry.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-04/cfmeu-construction-industry-violence-inquiry/104896856
So Trumpy. The Northern Territory government is set to scrap a $15 billion debt ceiling during February parliament sittings. The NT has the highest levels of net debt per capita in the country, and is on track to reach $15 billion of assessable debt by 2028-29.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-04/nt-government-to-scrap-15-billion-debt-ceiling/104895350
As Trump deportations intensify, Pacific Island nations worry they could be overwhelmed. While much of the attention has focused on the hundreds of thousands of migrants at risk of being deported to Latin America, many Pacific islanders are likely to be ordered to leave, as well.
https://theconversation.com/as-trump-deportations-intensify-pacific-island-nations-worry-they-could-be-overwhelmed-248900
‘Muskovites’: The baby-faced squad dismantling foreign aid.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/muskovites-the-baby-faced-squad-dismantling-foreign-aid-20250204-p5l9h1.html
‘Unlawful power grab’: Democrats declare war on DOGE amid ‘Elon takeover’ of government agencies.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/unlawful-power-grab-democrats-declare-war-on-doge-amid-elon-takeover-of-government-agencies-20250204-p5l9bd.html
A 25-Year-Old With Elon Musk Ties Has Direct Access to the Federal Payment System.
The Bureau of the Fiscal Service is a sleepy part of the Treasury Department. It’s also where, sources say, a 25-year-old engineer tied to Elon Musk has admin privileges over the code that controls Social Security payments, tax returns, and more.
https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-associate-bfs-federal-payment-system/
‘Very volatile’: Beijing retaliates with tariffs on US imports, announces Google probe.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/beijing-retaliates-with-tariffs-on-us-imports-google-probe-20250204-p5l9ju.html
The U.S. president hinted he’ll spare Britain from his trade war, while hammering the EU. But as Nigel Farage surges in the polls, Keir Starmer isn’t safe from Brexit yet.
https://www.politico.eu/article/keir-starmer-donald-trump-brexit-finally-paid-off-tariff-reprieve/
The Trump administration and the president of El Salvador said Monday that they’d struck a deal allowing the U.S. to ship both detained migrants and imprisoned citizens to the tiny Central American nation, which has suspended some basic rights as it battles powerful street gangs.
https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-us-rubio-prison-de912f6a8199aaa7c8490585dcaa3b87
Trump says he’s exploring option to send jailed US criminals to other countries.
https://apnews.com/article/rubio-trump-deportations-usaid-f7a62a10b9a5d81582d05a33ff2281a4
Rupert Murdoch and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, two of the world’s industrial titans of media and technology, were relegated to a new role on Monday – Donald Trump’s stage props. What must they have been thinking as Trump signed an executive order to establish a US sovereign wealth fund, whose first investment may be a large chunk of Chinese social media platform Tiktok?
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/what-was-murdoch-really-thinking-as-he-joined-trump-s-stage-20250204-p5l9gs.html
It’s clear why Trump blames DEI for everything. Everyone but the credulous media seems to understand what’s behind Trump’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/04/trump-dei-judith-levine
Trump’s foreign aid freeze hits Ukraine’s civil society. Suspension of U.S. funds leaves dozens of projects in limbo.
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-independent-media-civil-society-take-first-bullets-donald-trump-foreign-aid-freeze/
Von der Leyen signals ‘extraordinary’ measure to boost EU defense spending. The move would offer national capitals more room to increase defense spending.
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-ursula-von-der-leyen-measures-boost-eu-defense-spending-commission/
How Bill Cassidy got to ‘yes’ on RFK Jr. Already facing a primary challenge from his right, Cassidy had political reasons to come around — and Vice President JD Vance and Kennedy supporters pressured him to vote “yes.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/04/bill-cassidy-rfk-jr-vaccine-00202402
Cartoon Time!
Fiona Katauskas
Matt Golding
Simon Letch
Dionne Gain
Andrew Dyson
Alan Moir
From the Internet
Enjoy!
Lars Von Triersays:
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 8:21 am
[C@t congratulations with Paul A ‘s comments last night you’ve finally achieved bipartisanship support for dawn patrol. A rare achievement on here.]
No thanks to you Desiree!
Thanks c@t. Much appreciated!!
Remember that HAMAS was VOTED in by the people of GAZA!
Aviva Siegel, one of the hostages taken on October 7, said that when she was taken to Gaza she was humiliated in the most degrading manner by her terrorist colleagues. Two girls who were captured with her were raped. What’s worse, when she was taken into Gaza, the people on the streets behaved as if it were the happiest day of their lives shouting that Allah is great. After 15 months in captivity her husband was finally released thanks to the efforts of the new Trump administration.
Australia should immediately stop issuing “humanitarian” visas for Palestinians from Gaza. There should be immediate measures taken to get existing “refugees” from Palestine settled in a third country that will tolerate them, such as a “moderate” Muslim country like Malaysia or Indonesia. I have every faith that Prime Minister Dutton and his administration will go about this pathway in an appropriate manner.
At the end of this war, all previous citizens of Gaza should be duly redistributed to other countries. And probably not Jordan or Egypt (who have at least had the decency to sign a peace treaty with Israel). There are ample options in the wider Islamic world for their resettlement. What was previously Gaza should be formally annexed by Israel and renamed an appropriate name such as Trumpia or Netanyahu.
Thanks C@t a huge effort on your part.
Victoria says: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 8:53 am
The wild ride in the USA continues unabated.
Is this the tipping point for the MAGA crowd to wake up?
Alas, I think not yet. Sigh
*******************************************************************
Tea Pain @TeaPainUS
In just two weeks, Trump has managed to transform America into a flaming dumpster fire on a hill
Since taking office, America’s enemies have cheered every decision Trump has made.
Don Farrell has claimed he’s “talking to everybody” to try and make a deal over electoral reform. I guess ‘everybody’ is now a Labor euphemism for the Liberals, because I’m pretty sure they’re the only ‘body’ Farrell is dealing with on this.
‘Democracy Sausage says:
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 8:12 am
Question Time is something only the press gallery and political tragics are interested in,…’
======================
Your little mates are being exposed for the feckless and gormless policy lightweights they are during QT.
The Government is holding the Opposition to account.
There is that.
Yesterday featured: free lunches for the bosses. Uncosted of course given your lazy and light shadow treasurer. More expensive energy costs. Big cuts but we don’t know how much or who we are going to hit.
Rainman says:
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 9:17 am
Don Farrell has claimed he’s “talking to everybody” to try and make a deal over electoral reform. I guess ‘everybody’ is now a Labor euphemism for the Liberals, because I’m pretty sure…’
================
I am 100% sure you are making Labor slagging shit up. Which is what you do.
‘ScromoII says:
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 9:02 am
Remember that HAMAS was VOTED in by the people of GAZA!
….’
=================
After they took control elections stopped and HAMAS shot anyone who opposed them.
The point you are missing is that both Israel and Iran plus have genocidal intent. Both want to ethnically cleanse from the river to the sea.
There is no ethical point of distinction once you set your vision as genocide.
Mundo @ #999 Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 – 8:17 am
It’s a very long job audition process and he’s up against Tony Bourke, so the scuttlebutt goes.
Boerwar: Israel would be happy to have the Palestinians voluntarily leave and be resettled in a place of their choosing, if they agreed to it and left the Jewish people alone (which is pretty generous considering that Israel was the original land of Jews).
Iran and the rest of the Arab World want the Jewish people to be eliminated in a final solution which would make the Wannsee Conference look like a high school summer camp.
Thank you, goll. It’s a lot because there’s so much out there! 😯
The Grand Coalition cometh! No more than 102 days until it’s unveiled.
Electoral legislation is a portent of what’s coming !
‘pied piper says:
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 8:51 am
Genocide is a nutty false crazy leftie description that’s tries to hide the fact of who started the war.
….’
==================
Pied piper approves of genocide.
Lars Von Trier @ #1021 Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 – 9:30 am
FWIW
I think a pre-condition for a grand coalition is a combined primary of below 55%. Currently it stands at 70, so there is needs to be further significant disenchantment with the duopoly. The 2031 election will be the turning point.
”
phoenixREDsays:
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 9:10 am
Victoria says: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 8:53 am
The wild ride in the USA continues unabated.
Is this the tipping point for the MAGA crowd to wake up?
Alas, I think not yet. Sigh
*******************************************************************
Tea Pain @TeaPainUS
In just two weeks, Trump has managed to transform America into a flaming dumpster fire on a hill
Since taking office, America’s enemies have cheered every decision Trump has made.
”
Peter Dutton says ‘hold my beer’
Thanks for the roundup c@t
Lefties will be even nuttier than on here today when they see who Trump is hosting today in the Oval Office.
Interesting Iran will feature front and centre me thinks.
YMCA all together now!
Change is here only three years and eleven months left lefties!
Notice freeloaders Europeans are suddenly looking to pay more for their own defence.
Well done Trump!
Boerwar says:
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 9:23 am
“ I am 100% sure you are making Labor slagging shit up. Which is what you do.”
Nice try but no cigar.
“Farrell insists he’s ‘talking to everybody’ to strike deal on electoral reforms”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/federal-politics-live-blog-feburary-5/104897962
I think thats too high OC.
Look at the number of seats which are not straight 2 party outcomes already.
I would say the tipping point is when 1 of the 2 majors can no longer expect to govern in majority or has to rely on a large number of cross benchers (say 6 or more ) to govern.
We aren’t that far off that point.
If Labor has say 68 seats and Liberal has say 66 seats w a cross bench of 16 seats – what do you do?
a) Try and hold on with an unstable coalition of greens, teals etc
b) Go back to an election because the result is unworkable
c) Work out a sensible mature Grand Coalition agreement to implement agreed reforms with people who privately you have a lot in common with.
Those are the only options left.
Things never change.
One of the great textbooks of Australian political bastardry is “I Remember” by Jack Lang.
In 1927 one of Lang’s ministers attempted a coup. Lang responded by having the governor dismiss all the rebel ministers.
In the book Lang takes great delight that he personally recalled all the ministerial cars and drivers. The wife of one of the ministers, whose grand-son is now in the NSWLA as an independent, was having a shopping trip in the city and had a melt down in David Jones because she had no way to get home except with the smelly people on public transport.
Lang wrote one of the great political lines about the aftermath of the coup being defeated.
“The rebels now began to worry about their pre-selections; they had every right to be worried”
If Labor had 68 seats and Coalition had 66 seats, this is what would happen:
Option C is out. There is no way that a centre-left Labor party could work with the truly conservative Liberal Party as it stands.
Option B is possible but all it would do is result in a Coalition majority of epic proportions.
Option A is the only viable option for Labor who would still have first dibs at forming government unless there are enough remaining MPs to move a no-confidence motion. It would be lucky to last a year and an ensuing election would result in a Coalition majority of proportions even greater than under option “B”.
Of course all of this is a moot point because Labor will not get to 68 seats. They’d be lucky to get 58.
I’ve been listening to the Senate debate on gambling advertising reform—I can tell ya, it’s pretty underwhelming thus far. Pocock’s up now but even he sounds like he’s missed his morning caffeine fix.
Great Work with the Dawn Patrol again Cat. It’s a huge amount of work to get it all together, read the articles, provide a summary, the links and the cartoons. Thanks HH for the international roundup too. In such a small space, more information about what is going on locally and overseas is provided in a better format than what you’ll find anywhere else.
US Cartoons:
Finally A Gary Varvel that I think we can all agree with!!!!
At the last Census there were 120,000 Jews in Australia
The history of the Region goes back to 1948, then administered by the Brits who, with support, drew up plans for 2 States
But for a raft of reasons that has not materialised – the closest being when Sharon promoted withdrawal from the Occupied Territories
It is also noted that all the citizens of Israel are not Jewish (the Jewish population being around 7 million)
Before you get to the various groupings presenting as Jewish
The government of Israel is a fraught Coalition led by an individual with a history of changing family name (and association)
It is right wing, dictated to by the far right due to the fraught numbers
It amazes me that the Coalition government in Israel seems to dictate not only in Australia but globally because they are an absolute minority (but holding wealth)
I actually banked many of the Jewish faith, very well known names across Corporate Australia, my knowledge coming from them (and I still associate with many of those families socially)
Their presence across Corporate Australia is what it is – and they donate to causes including wings at hospitals
With those friendships I can inform that the Israel government is not universally well regarded, and to the contrary
It appears to me that the warped presence of Israel politics in Australia is down to Dutton and his absolute pro Israel government support, based on right wing ideology
And deliberately so seeking political advantage from having an enemy (noting now Trump and the relocations from Gaza and the West Bank to Nations already with the displaced refugees they have)
This is also the view of certain prominent in Jewish society in Australia
At the end of the day, the circumstances we see today is down to the Brits being trumped (ironic?) by Israel claiming Independence before the Brit’s (with support) could enact the 2 State plan
Well scromoll – your assuming a repeat of Abbott 2013 , past performance is not a predictor of future success.
If you want to know what a Dutton government would be like you only have to look across the Pacific Ocean to the USA Trump Administration.
ScromoII @ #1030 Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 – 9:48 am
Something is impossible until its not.
I know I am obsessed by Irish politics but the grand coalition of two parties that had spent 100 years hating each other (and had originally killed each other) came about after only 2 months of discussions when it appeared a third force had the chance to form government. At that stage the combined first preferences of the two parties (which in the past would be at least 35% each) was 43%. The vexed question of who would be Taoiseach and who would be Tánaiste was resolved by rotating the positions half way through the term. The Coalition worked well and was re-elected again with 43%
Who can see the schoolboy howler with this Wiki entry on Lang’s 1927 “Emergency Ministry”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lang_ministry_(1927)
UK Cartoons and other miscellany
Morten Morland
Martin Rowson
Andy Bunday
Matt
Guy Venables
Private Eye
Pete Songi
Cartooning for Peace. Amorim, Brazil
Dilem. Algeria
“To err is human”
The New Yorker
For this week’s cover of the magazine, the cartoonist Tom Gauld suggests a novel form of light therapy for the winter months: exposure to the warming rays of a work of art. #NewYorkerCovers
xkcd
A Dutton Government would need some time to dismantle a few features of Australia which have persisted for forty years before it really became more like the United States. Medicare will take time to fully dissolve, it will start with co-payments and further deregulation of private insurance before it is taken away completely, penalty rates will disappear before mandated annual leave and sick leave do. It will be a considerably long time before Australia is as business-friendly as the United States, or even as business-friendly as it was in 1971. But I am confident it will happen in my lifetime.
Immigration should be curtailed to a great extent but the societal problems with immigrants that exist will not go away. There are already too many immigrants in Australia who have been naturalised and won’t leave, and their children are natural-born. Things can merely be prevented from getting worse.
That said, Dutton would still make Tony Abbott look like Jacinda Ardern in a rainbow frock. And make John Howard look like Mao.
Lars supports wage suppression.
‘ScromoII says:
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 10:02 am
A Dutton Government would need some time…’
===============
…to cut medical help, veteran’s rights, aged care, public education, hospital funding, child care and wages.
Thanks, Alpha Zero. My thanks go out to you too. 🙂
I believe people are expecting the daily news curation to be up while they’re eating their breakfast and having their morning coffee. I’ll keep working towards that goal but on some days I have to take dogs for their early morning walk. It is what it is but I still want to keep doing it. 🙂
“Who can see the schoolboy howler with this Wiki entry on Lang’s 1927 “Emergency Ministry””
Flag of Wales?
Thank you also, Douglas and Milko. Couldn’t make this all as good as it is without the work of our collective. 🙂
This is a detailed discussion on how Trump and Musk’s Amerikkka is working and going to work into the future, with Authoritarianism expert, Anne Applebaum:
https://youtu.be/ZvNimQcdVZ8?si=Mp_GBU59k1S18vw_
I see that the same old, same old fetish has reared its head again this time by way of grand coalition dreaming.
Ireland is not Australia. No analogy.
The Liberals and Nationals want to suppress wages.
Labor has increased real wages.
Form a grand coalition around that.
The Liberals and Nationals want to get rid of any vestige of climate action.
Labor is delivering 43/30 with more to come.
Form a grand coalition around that.
The Liberals fear, loathe and have contempt for minorities.
Labor supports minorities.
Form a grand coalition around that.
Trump sometimes does a magnificent job of clarifying issues.
Here we have yet another final solution.
Does Dutton support genocide in Gaza and the West Bank?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/feb/04/benjamin-netanyahu-donald-trump-israel-gaza-middle-east-ceasefire-latest-live-news
Jaeger @ #1043 Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 – 10:06 am
D’Oh!
I guess I could correct it but I kind of like it the way it is.
C@t
I listened to Anne Applebaum and Tim Miller this morning. lol!
Thanks for linking it for others to see.