The weekly Roy Morgan poll is the second strong result for Labor out of the last three, crediting them with a 51.5-48.5 lead after a 50.5-49.5 result in favour of the Coalition last time. Labor was up one-and-a-half on the primary vote to 30%, with the Coalition down three to 37%, the Greens steady on 13.5% and One Nation up one to 5%. The two-party measure that goes off 2022 preference flows rather than respondent allocation has Labor leading 52-48, after a 50-50 result last time. The poll was conducted Monday to Sunday from a sample of 1719.
A Freshwater Strategy poll conducted for the News Corp papers points to a combined 5% swing against the teal independent members in Wentworth, Warringah, Mackellar, Goldstein, Kooyong and Curtin, which if uniform would return all but Warringah and Wentworth to the Liberal Party. No further detail on voting intention was provided beyond the fact that the incumbents’ primary votes had “largely held up”, but the Liberals had gained potentially decisive support at the expense of Labor and the Greens. Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton were tied 39-all on preferred prime minister, and 42% said they would support their MP backing a Labor minority government against 47% who said they wouldn’t. The poll was conducted last Wednesday to Friday from a sample of 830.
They didn’t like the election result so they decided that it wasn’t legitimate. The same thing happened in Ukraine, but that mob was successful.
The “If You’re Listening” podcast had some interesting things to say today about the Trump Putin relationship, Yalta 2.0 and a three poled world. (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/if-youre-listening). If you don’t listen to podcasts then it should be available on YouTube in a few days at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDTPrMoGHssAfgMMS3L5LpLNFMNp1U_Nq
IIRC, a few years ago some Russian right wing “intellectual” was proposing that Australia should fall under China’s sphere of influence in such a world.
Really this idea is just a fantasy by right wing Russians hoping to restore their perceived place in the world. Russia is not a super power anymore. Really the only way this could come to pass is if Trump was stupid enough to buy into it and significantly weaken the US. OH!
Musk.. may need that Saudi bailout after all.. the same one that saved Jared Kushenr’s arse after he totally stuffed up purchase of 666 Fifth Avenue NYC.. he has the same brilliant business & graft gift as Trump
New data from CarGurus shows that the average price of the best-selling Tesla Model Y has dropped by $6,000 since March 2024.
Bellwether @ #287 Thursday, March 13th, 2025 – 6:33 pm
I’ve always felt a quasi disdain towards Tesla owners because most of them are so smug. But I don’t think they should have their vehicles vandalised or that they should be abused for buying an EV.
I’m feeling smug in reverse that they are now aligned with a fascist wannabe dictator who actually never really had the health of the planet at heart but was more about taking advantage of consumer sentiment to line his own pockets.
Arguable given that the violent insurrectionists in America managed to avoid the ultimate consequences for their conduct.
The Ukrainians, not so much.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-13/kevin-rudd-details-australia-s-efforts-to-sway-donald-trump/105046514
Does anyone think that ‘I’m here to help Kevin’ can actually be any help on this front? This comes after Trump has already dismissed Rudd as nasty and predicted his demise as US Ambassador.
Perhaps it’s time to bring Kev home and instal someone who actually has diplomacy skills.
I’m still a big Elon fan and I hope the cost cutting is surgical and as fair as possible. Everyone’s entitled to one public seig heil in their life.
The efforts of doge wont be accurately judged until much later, and with the debt and deficit the USA has built up how can it be argued that some drastic action is not warranted.
Well over the last four hours or so Perth has had almost 70% of its average March monthly rainfall and more than eight times what was recorded in March last year. That sounds impressive, but Perth’s March average is only 19.5mm and we only received 1.6mm last March.
Donald, Dutton, Dave, same same same
Geoffrey Epsteinsays:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 7:09 pm
Except they were in favour of the corrupt regime and wanted it to continue.
They didn’t like the election result so they decided that it wasn’t legitimate. The same thing happened in Ukraine, but that mob was successful.
========================================================
“On 22 February, parliament voted 328–0 in favour of removing Yanukovych from office and scheduled new presidential elections for 25 May”
Thus the pro-Putin scum was removed and democracy restored to Ukraine.
citizen says:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 5:35 pm
….
Multiply their financial challenges by the number of small businesses in the US facing higher input costs from Trump’s tariffs. The damage to the small business sector and the entire US economy will be immense. So much for the party of free enterprise.
As Albo said, Tariffs are a case of self harm. Australia would be crazy to do retaliatory tariffs.
Is it painful goll ?
The efforts of DOGE are being judged now with basic services being cut that impact the lives of millions of Americans.
The fact that basic services being cut are negatively impacting the lives of millions of Americans speaks for itself that this is “not warranted”.
I’m all for finding efficiencies in the provision of government services, but the way this has been handled is wrong.
dave says Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 7:24 pm
If you sacked every US Government employee you would save something like US$400b.
In fiscal year 2024 the US Government had around UD$4.9T in revenue and US$6.75T in spending for a deficit of US$1.83T.
21% of spending goes to Social Security (think their version of the aged pension), 15% goes to Medicare (which is only for old people), 13% goes to National Defense., 13% to Health, another 13% goes to Net Interest, 11% goes to Income Security and 6% goes to Veterans Benefits and Services.
The problem in the US is less around how much they spend and more how much they tax (or don’t tax). The Republicans have been living in a magic pudding fiscal world for decades.
Bush Snr, Clinton and Gore got the US budget into the black. Then Bush Jnr blew that in tax cuts. Obama managed to improve things and then Trump blew the deficit out again with more tax cuts, especially for companies and the rich. Those tax cuts are due to expire soon. Trump wants to make them permanent and so is looking for a way to fund it. But, he’s not going to be able to save the amount he’s boasting without hitting Social Security and Medicare. And that’s going to hurt the Republicans politically.
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/report/deficit-tracker/
https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-deficit/
https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/federal-spending/
Entropysays:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 6:14 pm
Just resorting to the facts, the antithesis of your LNP spin. Though if you hadn’t noticed, everything stated there was from an AEMO press release anyway. So, which of these facts I presented are you actually disputing, or are you just all front?
_____________________
Just use my actual electricity and gas bill. Compare what I am paying now under Labor to what I was paying under the Coalition. It’s pretty simple. Usage hasn’t changed.
Have no need to cherry pick through all the spin from vic.gov.au or AEMO press releases like some people.
We have a literal audio recording of US State Department officials handpicking the new Ukrainian cabinet. Donny, you’re out of your element.
Those are good points bc and who’s to say that the drastic action isn’t to lift taxes. But I still say that doge won’t be accurately judged until later.
It’s like CPI doesn’t exist in TMs world.
When Julia Gillard pushed tens of thousands of single mothers onto the dole and increased child poverty hardly a word was uttered in condemnation around here. Years later it was stoutly defended by labor partisans until Albo restored it somewhat. Cutting basic services to people is fine if it’s done by your side of politics.
dave says:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 7:52 pm
Those are good points bc and who’s to say that the drastic action isn’t to lift taxes. But I still say that doge won’t be accurately judged until later.
So let us understand.. wholesale cuts in tax investigation & processing staff is going to increase tax revenue.. dave when can I send my offer to sell you a bridge?
It’s simple Musk is auditioning for a new gig.. Tesla is stuffed…
NYT
China Cools on Musk: ‘Two Cars for the Price of One Tesla’
Elon Musk, the company’s chief executive, is fast losing out to Chinese electric carmakers in Tesla’s second-most-important market.
Tesla is getting crushed in China, its most important market outside the United States and one that it had dominated for years.
But now that market is a blood bath of competition from Chinese rivals. Chinese drivers that once flocked to Tesla are turning more and more to local brands that offer more efficient cars with better technology, sometimes at half the price.
Who knows sceptic I’m too far removed from it all to really judge. It wouldnt surprise me if there were some big mistakes alongside some worthy reforms.
https://www.afr.com/rear-window/cannon-brookes-now-travels-by-private-jet-20250313-p5ljbf
In any case the USA has so many societal problems that it’s probably beyond redemption anyway. Progressivism has only ever advanced there in a few fitful sputters.
dave says:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:02 pm
The US media use a dreadful euphemism when it come to DOGE.. “they should be using a scale instead of a hatchet” they aren’t using a hatchet they are using a flamethrower .. & the US District Court Judges Tanya Chutkan & Christopher Cooper are after Musk & his Black Shirts.. there is a clash on the Unitary Theory in motion.. It’s possible Musk will be found in contempt & having “stolen” Gov data.
”
davesays:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 7:24 pm
I’m still a big Elon fan and I hope the cost cutting is surgical and as fair as possible. Everyone’s entitled to one public seig heil in their life.
The efforts of doge wont be accurately judged until much later, and with the debt and deficit the USA has built up how can it be argued that some drastic action is not warranted.
”
nath is either going down fighting defending Musk or joking. 🙂
I hope nath is joking but that appears less and less likely after watching nath’s adoration of Musk over the years after each and every f**k up by Musk.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Views_of_Elon_Musk
Furthermore, wasn’t it the prevailing view after the US election that the Americans deserve their fate after voting for Trump and that they should suffer for their sins? Well, it seems to me that you can’t have it both ways.
dave says Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:02 pm
So far the big mistakes appear to be dominating.
DOGE has quietly deleted the top five from the list of spending cuts they were claiming:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/doge-deletes-five-biggest-cuts-from-error-riddled-wall-of-receipts/ar-AA1zNJf4?ocid=U452DHP
https://www.yahoo.com/news/doge-deletes-5-biggest-spending-213600999.html
The top one was supposedly cutting a contract at ICE worth $8b. In actual fact it was only worth $8m. I believe at least two of the others were contracts actually cancelled during the Biden administration. Another $232m saving was from cancelling an IT contract. In reality they only cut $560k of it.
The most recent episode of the Planet Money podcast actually interviews one of the people responsible for many of the cuts during the Clinton administration. It’s worth a listen if you’re interested in this topic.
Sceptic says Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:09 pm
Shouldn’t that be a chainsaw rather than a flamethrower?
”
davesays:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:09 pm
In any case the USA has so many societal problems that it’s probably beyond redemption anyway. Progressivism has only ever advanced there in a few fitful sputters.
”
Then how come USA called themselves
Leader of free world
Light on the hill
Defenders of democracy
Innovators of technology
First world country
Richest country on the earth
New Romans of the world.
dave says Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:15 pm
Not from me. Apart from the fact that more than %50 of voters did not vote for Trump, if the US economy goes to shit then my super is going to head south. I was hoping to retire in a year or two.
China’s EVs are very heavily subsidised.
The aim is obviously to detroy Tesla in the same way they destroyed all western ICE vehicle sales in China.
It is how mercantilism works.
”
davesays:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:15 pm
Furthermore, wasn’t it the prevailing view after the US election that the Americans deserve their fate after voting for Trump and that they should suffer for their sins? Well, it seems to me that you can’t have it both ways.
”
Till now a lot of countries suffered for the actions of USA people after WW2. Shouldn’t they ever suffer consequences for their actions.
Lars Von Trier says:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 7:34 pm
Is it painful goll ?
Lars not coping
DOGE approach never works because it doesn’t cut real waste because the real waste is caused by government policy and regulations but the best people to ask about waste are the public servants.
New CNN poll: Americans are negative on Trump’s handling of economy
Ariel Edwards-Levy
Updated 9:25 AM EDT, Wed March 12, 2025
The price of eggs is killing him
The wheels are falling off the Liberal cart…
Angus Taylor has said the opposition has no plans to forcibly break up insurance companies just hours after Peter Dutton said a Coalition government would be prepared to take the step if the treasury recommended it, adding further confusion to the party’s position.
The mixed messaging comes amid unease among some Coalition MPs about the lack of economic policies to sell to voters ahead of the federal election.
Taylor’s performance as shadow treasurer is also being questioned internally, with some colleagues describing him as the opposition’s weakest link ahead of a campaign to be fought on cost-of-living.
Dutton and Taylor brushed off the internal criticisms, first reported in The Australian, insisting the opposition would announce more policies when voters started paying attention closer to polling day.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/13/australian-federal-election-dutton-albanese-liberal-labor-updates-economy
Sprocket calls it for Albo!
It appears the trend back to Albanese could be a thing.
FECs in places like Bennelong and Gilmore have been urgently reconvened over the last 2 days.
Some favourable internal tracking data in those locales must be tempting Sussex st back into action.
Apparently bennelong in particular is showing signs of revival . The various Asian communities have gone off trump now?.
Not even Scott Yung will be enough – the poor Lib man’s Dave Sharma. I suspect he will run against Premier Cook in his WA seat at their next election based on predictive behaviours
Who is a bigger drag on the Liberal vote?
A) Angus Taylor
B) Peter Dutton
C) Donald Trump
D) All of the above
Lars Von Trier says:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:33 pm
Sprocket calls it for Albo!
Hardly. Have you seen the betting markets?
The punters are lapping up the prospect of PM Dutton.
nath
One of the great and admirable feature about USA and Australia was making all efforts to protect their citizens.
Now Trump and Dutton want to strip the citizenships of their citizens and deport them.
What does that signify to the world?
Have Dutton. It wont be pretty. USA is finding out.
So shy these days sprocket in your predictions. Surprising!
”
Vensays:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:23 pm
”
davesays:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:09 pm
In any case the USA has so many societal problems that it’s probably beyond redemption anyway. Progressivism has only ever advanced there in a few fitful sputters.
”
Then how come USA called themselves
Leader of free world
Light on the hill
Defenders of democracy
Innovators of technology
First world country
Richest country on the earth
New Romans of the world.
”
nath
I missed atleast another
American exceptionalism is ingrained in each and every American
There is nothing wrong with the stripping of citizenship as a last resort option including birth rite up if there is a clear pattern of consistent obscenely violent and criminal behaviour that disrupts civil society and goes against the goodwill show by the host nation.
Apart from cleaning up the communities subject to said criminality it would serve as a warning to others who feel they can transplant the expectation of conduct and accepted norms from the old country to the host country.
I doubt the problems around point cook and Werribee that have developed over the 15 years would have been able to get to the levels they did if they could see others being deported before them.
Dutton, Taylor and Hume are squabbling about what the Coalition is going to do about insurance.
NFI.
They will flip flop about anything at all except fight climate change and fund hundreds of millions of mitigation works such as levees.
Which is what Albanese is doing.
For those wondering early about the term dog act.
I put it out last night.
It’s not a reflection on all dogs; it’s just the dog you thought you could trust giving you a nip or worse.
Like what Trump, as the representative of our trusted allies has done to Australia.
That’s a dog act!
bc:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 7:46 pm
Informative posts. Thanks.
”
Lars Von Triersays:
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 8:33 pm
Sprocket calls it for Albo!
”
Didn’t you notice ALP Sub_ _ PV in polls, which you discussed repeatedly.
Why would boldly discussed child labour in Australia, if not for the confidence in LNP victory?
Repeatedly raised the stupid grand coalition balloon of LNP-ALP if you are not confident in ALP miserable showing in May election?
Why did you keep quiet when Liberals attacked your “favourite politician” Allegra Spender?
Why did you keep quiet when Wentworth Jews are campaigning actively for Liberal candidate victory in Wentworth when you repeatedly dissed Labor candidates in Fowler and Barton?