Federal polling continues to come thick and fast, with a general pattern of improving results for Labor and Anthony Albanese:
• The Guardian reports the fortnightly Essential Research poll has the major parties unchanged on the primary vote, with Labor on 29% and the Coalition on 35%, and the Greens down one to 12%, with the remainder including an undecided component of 6%. The pollster’s 2PP+ measure has a 47-47 tie (the balance being undecided), after the Coalition led 48-47 last time. The stability on voting intention is in contrast to much improved personal ratings for Anthony Albanese, who records his first net positive result in this series since October 2023, the month of the Indigenous Voice referendum. Albanese is up five on approval to 46% (The Guardian report says up four, but the previous published result was 41%) and down four on disapproval to 45%. Peter Dutton is steady on 41% approval and up two on disapproval to 46%. The poll also finds 31% supporting and 39% opposing Peter Dutton’s proposal to reduce work-from-home arrangements for public servants (with women particularly opposed), which he has since dialled back. Albanese’s suggestion that Australia might send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine was supported by 33% and opposed by 40%. The poll had a sample of 2256 – double the usual size – and was conducted from Wednesday to Sunday. The full report is available here.
• Roy Morgan, which is notably more volatile than other Australian pollsters, has turned up an eyebrow-raiser with its regular weekly federal voting intention result, putting Labor 54.5-45.5 ahead on respondent-allocated preferences, out from 51.5-48.5 last week. Labor is up two-and-a-half on the primary vote to 32.5%, the Coalition is down three to 34%, and the Greens and One Nation are steady on 13.% and 5%. The result is also 54.5-45.5 on previous election preference flows, which usually favours Labor more than the other method, out from 52-48 last time. The poll was conducted Monday to Sunday from a larger than usual sample of 2097.
• The ABC has polling from Talbot Mills on attitudes to Donald Trump, finding approval down from 41% since February (well on the high side of such polling in Australia) to 37% and disapproval up from 49% to 51%, including a six-point increase for “strongly disapprove”. Twenty-two per cent of Australians somehow approve of steel and aluminium tariffs on Australian exports, with 65% disapproving. The survey was conducted between March 6 and 12, so before the tariffs were actually confirmed, from a sample of 1051.
Yesterday’s News Corp papers reported on polling of six seats of interest to the Greens, conducted for right-wing activist group Advance by Insightfully, whose principal is Leanne White, formerly of Crosby Textor. Reported under headlines promising a “federal election wipeout” for the party, it in fact suggests the party will gain a second seat in Victoria and retain one or two of their three seats in Brisbane. To deal first with the latter, for which the greater detail is provided:
• In Griffith, the poll has the LNP on 38.6% (30.7% at the 2022 election), the Greens on 31.3% (34.6%), Labor on 22.6% (28.9%), independents on 1.5% and others on 5.9%. No two-candidate preferred is provided, but a conservative estimate based on 2022 election flows would give the Greens a winning margin of between 2% and 3%, compared with 10.5% at the 2022 election.
• In Ryan, the primary votes are LNP 39.6% (38.5% in 2022), Greens 27.4% (30.2%), Labor 21.9% (22.3%), independent 7.1% and others 3.9%. A two-candidate result of 51.6-48.3 in favour of the LNP is presumably based on respondent-allocated preferences, with flows from the 2022 election suggesting a lineball result. The Greens’ winning margin over the LNP in 2022 was 2.6%.
• The results suggests Labor would gain Brisbane with 29.5% of the primary vote (27.3% in 2022) to the LNP’s 36.4% (37.3%), since they would receive most of the third-placed Greens’ 18.1% (27.2%) as preferences, with independents on 9.7% and others on 6.3%. A two-party result of 53-47 result in favour of the LNP (the basis of the “Brisbane to turn blue” table headline) appears to presume the Greens would come second, when the primary votes clearly suggest otherwise, and seems excessive in its LNP preference flow besides. The Greens won by 3.7% over the LNP in 2022, and Labor won the two-party preferred count over the LNP by 4.4%.
Sketchier detail is provided for the three Victorian seats canvassed:
• In Melbourne, Adam Bandt is on 50.1% (49.6% at the 2022 election, which reduces to 44.9% on my own determination of the redistribution), Labor is on 19.2% (25.0% and 25.6%) and the Liberals are on (I think) 21.6% (15.2% and 19.4%).
• In Wills, the only detail provided for the primary vote is that the Greens are up 4.8% on what seems to be the 2022 result without adjustment for the redistribution, suggesting 33.1%. Labor is said to have a 53.7-46.3 lead after preferences (54.2-45.8 based on my own post-redistribution determination), which is hard to assess in the absence of the other primary votes.
• In Macnamara, the Liberal are on 37.6% (29.0% on the 2022 election result, which will do because of the modest impact of the redistribution on this seat), the Greens are on 27.9% (29.6%) and Labor is on 25.9% (31.8%). No two-candidate preferred result is provided, but the Greens would certainly close that gap on any normal accounting of Labor preferences, which may hold true even if Labor put the Liberals ahead of them on their how-to-vote cards, as counselled by News Corp’s James Campbell.
The polls targeted “about 600 voters” in each seat, suggesting a margin of error of around 4% (effectively higher if the results were heavily weighted, as was presumably the case), with field work dates not disclosed.
David Rowe
How could voters in Macnamara, a heavily Jewish-Australian demographic seat, favour The Greens, who are Pro Palestine, over Labor, who are at worst even-handed over the Israel/Palestine issue and at best putting into place policies which show deference to the Jewish-Australian community? It doesn’t make sense to me.
If I was a young woman again I’d be lining up to have Bizzcan’s babies. He really spoke to Nicholas in the language Nicholas understands and knocked him and his unrealistic ideas into a cocked hat last night. 😀
Roy Morgan, which is notably more volatile than other Australian pollsters, has turned up an eyebrow-raiser with its regular weekly federal voting intention result,
————————
Resolve is more notably volatile with having the federal lib/nats 55/45% in front
Also Resolve favours the federal lib/nats along with Freshwater more than other polls
Finally, those people who support Trump’s tariffs on Australia would be those like Centre, pied piper, ScromoII and paul A, who worship the ground Trump walks on.
If the Morgan and Essential polls are near accurate
with the lib/nats combined primary vote 34% and 35%
The federal liberal party primary vote would be 22/23%
The Abbott..
Why did Tony Abbott wait until he was almost 24 years old to become an Australian citizen?
At this time Tony Abbott was 23 years and 7 months of age and, had either applied for a Rhodes Scholarship or was intending to apply for this scholarship to study at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
Currently such applications must be applied for after 1 June in the year a Rhodes Scholarship is on offer.
To gain a Rhodes Scholarship an applicant has to be an Australian citizen and have been resident in Australia for at least five of the last ten years.
Tony Abbott was apparently intending to depart Australia on or about 10 July 1981 and, started his scholarship course at Queens College, Oxford, in October 1981.
One cannot escape the suspicion that the future Prime Minister of Australia only applied for Australian citizenship at that time in order to gain a monetary advantage which would allow him to further his studies overseas.
Which, if true, would make him a somewhat reluctant Aussie and perhaps go some way to explaining his strong admiration of the British monarchy and those anachronistic English titles he has re-introduced (without consultation with Cabinet or party room) into the Australian honours system.
Note: Immigration and citizenship information found at the National Archives of Australia.
https://theaimn.com/why-did-tony-abbott-wait-until-he-was-almost-24-years-old-to-become-an-australian-citizen/#google_vignette
C@T maybe jewish people are against Zionism. After qll they could just move to Israel if they loved it. Maybe Jewish people aren’t a monolith. Maybe they are more concerned with social justice? Maybe that just because they are Jewish they dont have to pledge allegiance to some batshit country in the Middle East? We dont expect the same of Muslims because its racist
The shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, on Monday repeated his charge that “this is the biggest-spending, biggest-taxing government in Australian history” and warned of even higher taxes under Labor
YES when compared to 1919 sized economy ..
A statement issued by a moron..
Morning all. Thanks William for the update on the polls. They can’t all be rogue. There seems a definite trend back to Labor.
There are multiple possible reasons. Falling inflation and interest rates, good flood response with Dutton a no-show, and pushing back on Trump tariffs have all helped. Plus Dutton has had a shocker of a month.
I’d love to see a poll on the popularity of AUKUS now, especially among Labor voters
From March 1 so well out of date..
“Tumbling Tesla shares leave investors bracing for more losses
1 Mar 2025Tesla shares trade at 92 times forward earnings, compared to 21 times for the S&P 500 and an average of 28 times for Tesla’s mega-cap peers.”
So Tesla was trading at a 300% premium based on the markets perceived “good will” of the brand.. Musk has totally trashed that good will..
Tesla will fall to the point Musk’s loans get recalled
Peter Dutton’s latest brainfart – to have a referendum into deporting dual citizen criminals – has attracted a number of comments. These range from incredulous to questioning his sense of proportion and judgement of what matters.
Like this from former Immigration DepSec Abul Rizvi..
Haven’t seen entropy here for sometime. I hope it’s just a case of running out of mobile data again for the month and nothing more dramatic?.
Last he was seen was when he was driving Lars to the international terminal at mascot last Friday
Trump / DOGE are now cutting staff at the US agency that oversees production of US SSN reactors. There is no way US sub production will increase for AUKUS.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/us/politics/federal-job-cuts-nuclear-bomb-engineers-scientists.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
C@t posted this little vignette as part of a post meant to be rebutting my point about her idiotic assertion that USS Minnesota somehow popped up in Perth as a response to the ChiComms sailing adventure:
“And for all those still pining for the French fjords where our submarines need to come from now, you are all ignoring the fact that President Macron has stated on more than one occasion that France is stepping up to equip Europe with their increased military requirements going forward. Which doesn’t leave much room for feckless little Australia to get an oar in. But go on deluding yourselves that it’s as easy as 1,2,3 to just whistle up those subs from France. Not to mention that President Macron would probably love nothing more than to do a reverse ferret on Australia.”
_____
Yet more evidence of C@t combining disparate facts in an idiotic fashion to ‘prove’ some other point.
Naval Group makes subs and ships. Its submarine operations are specialised. It is incredibly unlikely that those operations would be diverted into manufacturing missiles, artillery, bombs or drones: the things that Macron was talking about when he announced an expansion of military expenditure.
There has been no announcements – or even speculation – of France or its potential european customers rapidly ordering new subs. The only subs that are on it’s order book remain the last three Suffren Class boats (nearing completion) the replacement program for the four boats in the Triumphante SSBN class (to be manufactured over a very slow 20 year drum beat) and the new order for four Dutch conventional subs. Naval Group still remains with the spare capacity to build subs for Australia, especially given the availability of the Osborne shipyard in Adelaide. In short 3-4 nuclear subs built for Australia between say 2027 and 42 AND four conventional subs built in Adelaide would be perfectly feasible.
C@t posted this- and her embedded buddy in the US Study Centre – and it seems the entire Canberra Political-Military establishment – are just looking for excuses to not do this. Dressing this up as ‘reasons’ is pure bullshit.
On AUKUS!
Trump has thrown shade over the contract so Australia may be forced to look elsewhere anyway
Mr Bean this isn’t a Marrickville branch meeting. No need to try and hijack the thread’s narrative to rolling around the floor in hysterics screaming from the river to the sea
The so called peacekeeper was an incorrect term and a ruse to get Russia to agree to a support force. Russia did not agree and reiterated that they were viewed as mercenaries and thus denied combatant or prisoner of war status under the Geneva convention. They must be treated humanly and not sentenced without trial.
It seems we are past this point and on a more convention path to the end of conflict.
Dutton may have blow the pea out of his latest dog whistle..
So The Abbott could have been summarily deported by Dutton under his scheme..
If all it takes to avoid being deported is to renounce your citizenship doesn’t it make the “policy” a meaningless gesture.. something Dutton specialises in
Good Morning! Here’s your Daily News and Views Roundup.
In today’s Essential poll Albanese scores highest approval rating in almost 18 months as support for Dutton slips. PM’s approval rating increases to 46%, up four percentage points since the last poll, as Labor and Coalition run neck-and-neck on a two-party preferred basis.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/18/guardian-essential-poll-albanese-approval-rating-increases-dutton-slips-labor-coalition
Gains for Labor as it leads in three of past five polls. By Adrian Beaumont
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2025/03/17/labor-federal-election-polls
Jim Chalmers to call Trump’s tariffs ‘senseless’ and urge Australia to focus on resilience over retaliation. The treasurer will say ‘we deserve better as a long-term partner and ally’ in major economic address on Tuesday one week before delivering budget.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/17/jim-chalmers-to-call-trumps-tariffs-senseless-and-urge-australia-to-focus-on-resilience-over-retaliation
Chalmers’ grim warning about Trump’s escalating trade war.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/chalmers-grim-warning-about-trump-s-escalating-trade-war-20250317-p5lk5w.html
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has confirmed the brief era of budget surpluses will end next week, when he will hand down a budget in deficit.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-17/chalmers-deficit-federal-budget-confirmation/105060688
The Coalition’s promised “speed limit” on taxes has been set high enough that it can be met without offering any new tax cuts at the federal election, as Saul Eslake accuses the opposition of a “shallow” economic policy offering. Angus Taylor on Monday restated his party’s commitment to limit the amount of federal taxation to 23.9 per cent of the size of Australia’s economy.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-18/coalition-tax-speed-limit-would-not-require-tax-cuts/105063526
Labor rubbishes ‘reckless’ Coalition plan to crack down on CFMEU after latest allegations. Murray Watt says deregistering union’s construction division would jeopardise ongoing investigations and that new US-style laws are unnecessary.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/17/labor-coalition-cfmeu-crackdown-allegations-ntwnfb
Workplace Minister Murray Watt said he had referred several allegations to federal police on Monday, including the revelation that building companies are paying off outlaw motorcycle gangs via “dummy” companies; false or misleading information given to the Fair Work Commission to obtain approval of enterprise agreements and; violence – particularly gender-based – on building and construction sites and at the homes of workers.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/cfmeu-linked-domestic-violence-allegations-referred-to-police-20250317-p5lk1p.html
Coalition promises Australian version of United States’ RICO act to target CFMEU By Michelle Grattan
https://theconversation.com/coalition-promises-australian-version-of-united-states-rico-act-to-target-cfmeu-252172
As former prime minister Tony Abbott calls for a stricter citizenship test, Dutton and his senior MPs have held high-level talks about changing the Constitution to allow ministers to cancel the citizenship of people guilty of crimes such as terrorism, in what would be the second referendum in as many terms of parliament.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-wants-referendum-on-giving-politicians-ability-to-deport-dual-citizens-20250314-p5ljol.html
The Australian has made itself the newspaper of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship. This reflects the fact that Australia’s Right is part of a transnational network of networkers. It also conveys that these figures aim to shape the thinking of Australia’s “conservative” leaders in troubling directions.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-australian-tool-of-the-alliance-for-responsible-citizenship/
Households brace for power price hikes when Australia is a major energy exporter. We export too much gas and don’t leave enough to use at home. Lower electricity costs mean lower inflation
Gas is the key determining factor behind our electricity prices. By Ian Verrender
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-18/household-electricity-prices-gas-exports-nuclear-renewable-power/105060854
Trump’s paired bad ideas from left and right. The results will be calamitous. By peter Hartcher
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-s-paired-bad-ideas-from-left-and-right-the-results-will-be-calamitous-20250317-p5lk4e.html
How to avoid a Trumpian Australia. By Bronwyn Kelly
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/how-to-avoid-a-trumpian-australia,19531
ANZUS and NATO are kaput and Trump doesn’t care. By Jack Waterford
https://johnmenadue.com/anzus-and-nato-are-kaput-and-trump-doesnt-care/
Trump cuts to have ‘chilling effect’ on climate science and ‘degrade’ Australia’s ability to forecast weather. Australian meteorologists and scientists will be impacted by mass firings at Noaa, experts warn.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/17/trump-cuts-to-have-chilling-effect-on-climate-science-and-degrade-australias-ability-to-forecast-weather
The NSW government’s controversial laws banning protests near places of worship are being challenged in the Supreme Court, with Premier Chris Minns also facing a parliamentary inquiry into whether he misled MPs and the public over a criminal hoax that sparked new legislation.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/undemocratic-based-on-lies-court-challenge-to-stop-anti-protest-laws-20250317-p5lk83.html
Psychiatric care in NSW facing ‘collapse’ because of poor pay and conditions, court hears as arbitration battle begins.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/17/nsw-psychiatrists-arbitration-hearing-pay-conditions
Melbourne residents receive letter offering $200k for information on Hong Kong pro-democracy activist. The anonymous letter contained a photograph of Kevin Yam, a lawyer who has criticised the crackdown on dissent in the Chinese-controlled city.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/17/melbourne-residents-offered-200k-to-inform-on-australian-pro-democracy-activist-wanted-in-hong-kong-ntwnfb
The owners of Claravale Farm have reached a settlement with the Northern Territory government in a legal action over the unpermitted clearing of 286 hectares of land. The Environment Centre NT says the decision to drop the prosecution is disappointing and “sends the wrong message” about environmental protections in the territory.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-17/claravale-farm-settlement-nt-land-clearing-cotton/105061116
WA Labor selects new cabinet members in first post-election meeting.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-17/wa-labor-selects-new-cabinet-members-after-big-election-win/105061308
Tasmanian harness racing industry inquiry hears allegations of race fixing, doping and animal welfare concerns.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-18/tasmanian-harness-racing-inquiry-hears-horses-given-cocaine/105060534
Why build nuclear power in place of old coal, when you could have pumped hydropower instead?
https://theconversation.com/why-build-nuclear-power-in-place-of-old-coal-when-you-could-have-pumped-hydropower-instead-252017
Trump elevates ‘autopen’ scandal from fringe conspiracy to weapon.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-elevates-autopen-scandal-from-fringe-conspiracy-to-weapon-20250318-p5lkan.html
‘We’ll be talking about land’: Trump to speak with Putin about ending Ukraine war.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/we-ll-be-talking-about-land-trump-to-speak-with-putin-about-ending-ukraine-war-20250317-p5lk8v.html
Trump administration pulls US out of body investigating Ukraine invasion. Russia and allies were target of International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/17/trump-russia-ukraine
Democrats demand investigation into Musk over possible criminal corruption. The investigation should involve “the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to cancel a $2.4bn contract with Verizon to upgrade air traffic control communications, and to pay … Musk’s Starlink to help manage US airspace”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/17/democrats-elon-musk-investigation
Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, and nine of his members helped get a House GOP-authored government funding bill to the finish line, saying a vote to advance legislation they loathed was the least bad option. The alternative, they argued, was allowing a shutdown that could empower President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to accelerate their slashing of the federal bureaucracy.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/17/senate-democrats-regroup-losing-shutdown-fight-00232481
Carney and Macron present united front in face of Trump trade war. Canadian PM stresses importance of ‘reliable allies’ in joint press conference with French president.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/17/canada-new-prime-minister-mark-carney-paris-london-visit
The UK government says more than 30 countries are interested in joining a so-called “coalition of the willing” wanting to help Ukraine. Lithuanian authorities have also accused Russia’s military intelligence agency of being behind fire at an Ikea store in the country’s capital.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-18/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-power-plants-ukraine-phone-call/105063860
The Philippines’s two most powerful dynasties formed an alliance. Now they’re at war.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-18/marcos-duterte-family-feud-philippines/105048194
Figuring out China: It’s still complicated. By Andrew Podger
https://johnmenadue.com/figuring-out-china-its-still-complicated/
Serbia protests: How much trouble is Aleksandar Vučić in?
https://www.politico.eu/article/serbia-protests-president-aleksander-vucic-corruption-belgrade-country-europe/
The EU needs a proactive approach in Bosnia. The Western Balkans has long served as Europe’s testing ground. Today, it could become the region where Europe redefines itself.
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-bosnia-western-balkans-europe-war-bih-crisis-serbia/
Give back the Statue of Liberty, French MEP tells US. French Socialist MEP says Washington’s embrace of dictators negates the values that led France to bestow the iconic statue some 140 years ago.
https://www.politico.eu/article/statue-of-liberty-france-nyc-mep-socialists-democrats-group/
Deported Brown University professor had ‘sympathetic photos’ of Hezbollah leaders on her phone, DOJ says. What next? Non sympathetic photos of Elon Musk on your phone?
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/17/rasha-alawieh-deportation-026038
Defense giants want von der Leyen to boost made-in-Europe tech. European industrial and tech firms want the EU’s backing to reduce reliance on the U.S.
https://www.politico.eu/article/airbus-dassault-others-press-von-der-leyen-for-made-in-europe-tech/
Cartoon Time!
Dionne Gain
Matt Golding
Cathy Wilcox
Mouthpiece of Billionaires
Tom Gauld
First Dog On the Moon
Ben Jennings on the emergence of Keir Cameron
Stephen Collins ‘Please let Mr Hitler speak’: the trouble with ‘hearing from both sides’
From the Internet
Enjoy!
Thanks c@t
Trump continues to be mad, bad, evil and a traitorous piece of crapola
Back in the day a combination of major accounting firms, major legal houses and major valuation houses would issue invitation to a raft of events including stage performances, AFL football matches behind glass, International Cricket also behind glass, Racing including the Cup Carnival then the Grand Prix, golf days at pristine Golf Clubs and other functions with guest speakers etc etc
Further, construction companies would issue invitation to (such as) the Australian Open where part payment for works included access to Court side boxes for a number of years
These invitations were to engraciate as a client and to receive consideration upon any appointment to a Company or an external review of the operations of any business
Conversely invitations to business leaders were issued for in house luncheons and functions to cement relationships
Separately their were lunches by your invitation or the invitation of others
I would assume this culture continues
Where my objection waa waa in regard appointments where those matters drifted as rivers of good, my instruction that the first loss was the best loss so get us out of this ASAP (having regard to the law and recognising that the bank was the secured creditor and that that status was not abused)
It may well be that media jumps up and down re the “Big build” brand in Victoria (and I would put for party political purposes) and I would counter with what makes these practices of fostering relationships different?
Yes, if there is ficticious invoicing for works not attended, that is illegal and prosecution will follow once divulged, the emphasis on once divulged because the accounting divisions of these major businesses are precisely that, responding to paper which appears legitimate and within the dimensions of the budget for the completion of works
These companies which win tender attend project profit and loss projections for the project and they attend a cash flow analysis
The audit is to those analysis papers
It used to be the fact that this analysis showed no profit, to win the tender but the presentation was variations and the profit being the variations
The bankers, as part financiers at least, monitored draw downs to the cash flow presentations (and the status of the works)
Ditto the in course of construction progress payments
There are many who have their finger prints over such projects – not just a unionised work force
Business has won the tender and attends the works (and not only for government works)
It may be that there is a blow out in costs where the winner of the tender approaches the client but apart from that the client audits progress to completion and pays away in accord with the documentation which follows the successful tender
There is also incentive for early completion (saving everyone money) and this waa the case with Eastlink including free consumer usage for a period of time
The federal lib/nats and propaganda media units are going through the motions that , the federal lib/nats are likely going to do worse in seat wise than the 2022 federal election result
c@t: “How could voters in Macnamara, a heavily Jewish-Australian demographic seat, favour The Greens, who are Pro Palestine, over Labor, who are at worst even-handed over the Israel/Palestine issue and at best putting into place policies which show deference to the Jewish-Australian community? It doesn’t make sense to me.”
————————————————————————–
Last time I looked, Macnamara had the second highest Jewish population of any electorate, behind Wentworth. But I think it’s only something like 15 per cent or less. And a lot of the rest of the electorate are what I would describe (in my old-fashioned way) as “yuppies”, who seem to be generally very anti-Israel.
So the Greens could easily get 1/4 to 1/3 of the vote in that electorate and I reckon they remain a strong chance to win it.
Re Tony Abbott. I always enjoy having a go at him, but perhaps the citizenship issue is not such a biggie.
I’ve known quite a few people who were born overseas and grew up here, of all sorts of ethnicities, who haven’t bothered getting citizenship until they felt they needed to for some reason or another. It’s hardly unusual.
US Cartoons:
C@tmommasays:
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 6:17 am
If I was a young woman again I’d be lining up to have Bizzcan’s babies. He really spoke to Nicholas in the language Nicholas understands and knocked him and his unrealistic ideas into a cocked hat last night.
___________________
❤ a kind offer, but my first is due in a month and have to survive that one first.
meher baba says:
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 8:01 am
Missing the point.. yes there are many dual citizens.. so Dutton policy of that being grounds to ignore your Australian citizenship totally nuts.. especial with no judicial review.. Dutton is such an intellectual light weight he can’t see the problem in following Trump.. it comes with living in Gina’s handbag
Tony Abbott should be looked at more about being influence by foreign power , in being involved in running of foreign owned propaganda media units, which has involvement in other countries political environment , favouring political parties
https://www.foxcorporation.com/management/board-of-directors/tony-abbott-ac/
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/20/tony-abbott-was-asked-to-register-as-agent-of-foreign-influence-after-migration-speech-in-hungary
And allowing for a couple of spelling errors in the prior contribution!
Who is of pristine reputation across society?
Simply, there are those of ill intent across society so in the Parliament, in the Board Rooms, within businesses and within Unions
And within media!!
@catmomma,
Macnamara is only 12% Jewish, and the Jewish part is also the most Liberal part, which means out of the whole seat there is probably only a 4-5% “left” vote up for grabs within the Jewish community for Labor & the Greens to fight over anyway, which would have already been solidly Burns although there are also Jewish Greens who are anti-Zionist, there are diverse views within the community but overall, the Jewish community isn’t where the Greens vote was ever concentrated anyway.
The other 88% of the seat really has no reason to view the Greens any differently to voters in Melbourne or Cooper. I don’t think the Jewish community has ever been decisive in the Greens’ chances in Macnamara, and the media blows the influence of the Jewish vote way out of proportion because a lot of it is already a rusted on Liberal vote.
If anything, Labor having Jewish MPs like Josh Burns and Michael Danby before him probably just moves 1-2% from the Liberal column into the Labor column but has no impact on the Greens vote.
Re: Macnamara
Commentors are correct that the Jewish community is not a monolith. And really, Labor’s both-sidesing hasn’t produced anything to grab them either.
The Jewish voters who are most staunchly pro-Israel generally vote for the Coalition anyway (like the Hasidic community in New York who since 2016 have consistently voted as a pro-Trump bloc).
One thing people forget is that progressive Jews who are critical of Israel on human rights tend not to say it out loud. It’s a very tense situation right now – in a Hebrew learner’s group I moderate I’ve had to kick out a lot of members for telling other Jews they “aren’t real Jews” because they said things like Arabs are also humans.
How dare I have a different opinion, and present those who do have a differing opinion on AUKUS, here, than that of Rear Armchair Admiral Andrew_Earlwood! 😆
Whose latest proposition to justify Australia breaking another submarine contract to go back to the French, is that President Macron is going to let his submarine building workforce sit around idle after they have finished fulfilling their latest contracts as they wait expectantly for Australia to come calling.
You may need specialist expertise to build submarines, but in time of war, and that’s what is facing Europe right now, leaders turn their attention to making their workforce go where they are needed. As Putin has done in Russia. Also, to say that there are no requests from Europe to buy French submarines, denies the fact that with the Russian and Chinese seaborne vessels attempting to destroy undersea cables or cause maritime incidents, that it’s probably looking like a smart idea to requisition some new submarines for your European country.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see who’s right and who’s wrong here I guess.
Thanks for the Macnamara background, Trent Wilson and Expat. Much appreciated. 🙂
World News & Politics Patrol 1:
Quarter of Gen Zs consider quitting work as young Brits cite mental health as key reason to go unemployed: https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk/four-in-ten-gen-zs-consider-quitting-work/
The Boriswave Indefinite-Leave-to-Remain time bomb is about to go off: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/17/boriswave-indefinite-leave-remain-time-bomb-immigration/
Trump’s border czar: “I don’t care what the judges think”: https://www.axios.com/2025/03/17/tom-homan-deportation-flights-trump-court-order
Donald Trump Ignoring Court Order Is ‘Doomsday Scenario’—Legal Analyst: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-ignoring-court-order-doomsday-scenario-legal-analyst-2045892
Ocasio-Cortez leads poll of Democrats on which leader ‘best reflects’ party’s ‘core values’: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5198380-ocasio-cortez-leads-democrats/
Navajo Code Talkers disappear from military websites after Trump DEI order: https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2025/03/17/navajo-code-talkers-trump-dei-military-websites-wwii
Pentagon webpage for Black Medal of Honor winner restored after outcry: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/17/defense-department-black-medal-honor-webpage-restored
Schumer postpones book tour due to ‘security concerns’ amid anger from Democrats over government funding fight: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/17/politics/schumer-book-tour-postponed/index.html
Trump claims Biden’s pardons for Jan. 6 committee are ‘void’ because he used an autopen: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna196670
Trump to release 80,000 pages of JFK files on Tuesday: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5199289-trump-releases-80k-pages-jf-kennedy/
Karoline Leavitt Redefines What Counts as a Judge’s Order – Trump’s press secretary says he never violated court orders with his deportations—because only certain judges’ orders count: https://newrepublic.com/post/192834/trump-press-secretary-leavitt-redefines-judge-order-deportation
Air Force shoots down Houthi drones launched at Navy carrier strike group: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-truman-houthi-drones/
World News & Politics Patrol 2:
Ukrainians find way to jam Russia’s guided bomb systems: https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/03/17/spiegel-ukrainians-find-way-to-jam-russias-guided-bomb-systems/
Zelensky signs law permitting Ukrainian troops to operate abroad during martial law: https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-signs-law-permitting-ukrainian-troops-to-operate-abroad-during-martial-law/
Ukrainian long-range drone successfully completes 3,000-kilometer test, Zelensky says: https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drone-with-3-000-kilometer-range-has-passed-tests-zelensky-says/
Ontario and Toronto move to ban US contractors: https://www.globalconstructionreview.com/ontario-and-toronto-move-to-ban-us-contractors/
Canada’s Carney says Trump must stop comments before bilateral talks can start: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadas-carney-says-trump-must-stop-comments-before-bilateral-talks-can-start-2025-03-17/
Russian economy in freefall as mortgage costs triple and mass layoffs cripple major firms: https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/russian-economy-freefall-mortgage-costs-34869686
Trump weighs recognizing Crimea as Russian territory in bid to end war: https://www.semafor.com/article/03/17/2025/trump-weighs-recognizing-crimea-as-russian-territory-in-bid-to-end-war
Mark Carney calls Canada ‘the most European of non-European countries’ while in France: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/mark-carney-european-canada
Trump voices desire to reestablish ties with Kim Jong-un, says Kim has ‘a lot of’ nuclear arms: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/03/103_394135.html
Canada PM Carney invites Zelensky to G7 summit in June: https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2025/0317/1502524-canada-g7/
80,000 docs hey wow Let’s guess if FBI hands them over it will show the CIA or whoever was asleep on the job when it came to Oswald.
May explain why they were waiting for people to pass before releasing information to avoid making said people look incompetent whilst still alive and being asked to explain themselves.
All a guess!
Another good Trump move the Houthis need to be given a tour of Gaza and parts of lebanon to see what’s is coming now to Yemen.Biden should of done it years ago but he thought Yemen was a lemon when someone mentioned to him no doubt.
#weatheronPB
With brilliant sunlight,
and clouds squeezed into being,
you’re on the right path.
Peter Csays:
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 7:55 am
_____________________
Would love to hear some stories on how you handled standover bikies in your banking career.
From C@’s Dawn Patrol.
How to avoid a Trumpian Australia. By Bronwyn Kelly
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/how-to-avoid-a-trumpian-australia,19531
Step 1: put your Coalition candidate last when you vote.
I was polled by UComms yesterday for the seat of Kooyong.
C@t – it’s simple.
No one is doing more damage to Israel and the Jewish people than Netanyahu.
The liberals and Labor are backing Netanyahu in his quest to turn Israel into the next North Korea.
Why would you expect Labor to do well in macnamara?
I wonder what percentage of the Australia population has a family member with Duel citizenship?
I suspect Dutton trying to out-trump trump is going to do the Liberals a lot of damage.
Heck I have to deal with bi-lingual rug rats.
It is quite facilitating. It makes helping with language accusation hard. You don’t know if they have made a mistake or fallen into the second language. The other day I was reading a alphabet book and getting the nouns back in the second language. I was assured he was doing a pretty good job.
CFMEU
Labor put the CFMEU into administration.
The big bad Liberals stopped the CFMEU from displaying CFMEU flags on cranes.
I am not sure how well Dutton’s referendum idea to be able to deport dual citizens is going to go down. Normally, it would seem like a “tough on terror” idea and would do well with those who think that all the muslims are after “us”.
But in the current geopolitical environment, it looks very Trumpian. Dutton says it is only going to be for people convicted of terrorism, but who defines what terrorism is? The parliament. And given that there are some 8 million dual citizens in Australia, there is a lot of people that could suddenly be defined as being “terrorist” if the wrong type of government got control and wanted to rid the country of opposition.
Laws against “terrorists”, “communists” or other hobgoblins have been abused by tinpot dictators throughout the world and throughout time. A terrorist or communist is anyone who the dictator says is one.
Sceptic, not defending or putting down Abbott’s choice around his citizenship, but sometimes it is a specific trigger that makes a person seek citizenship.
I was born in NZ to an Australian mother and NZ father and was brought to Australia as a 4 year old in the 70s, mum never took me through the ‘naturalization’ process. I never got citizenship until the early 2000s when at uni Howard changed the HECS rules for NZ citizens, I had to rush to get Australian citizenship or face upfront fees. So yes, I became a citizen for purely financial reasons. I support the Wallabies and not the All Blacks.
It happens
Tail maid
It is no surprise that you are a rusted on Tory voter
The “stand over” merchants as you describe them were actually those associated with the Liberal Party who would threaten by invoking being a Liberal Party member and well connected (so they would see to it that you lost your job!!)
My response to their threats was always that those threats made no difference (the reasons then once again explained chapter and verse)
One actually used the name of Malcolm Fraser, me responding that I actually knew Malcolm well which ended that line of “conversation” in a hurry
There was one Company Director who rode a motor bike – going to lunch was an experience sitting behind him and hanging on for dear life
Mind you there were no parking problems
In regards dual citizens, they can circumvent by renouncing their citizenship of the other Nation (aka our parliamentarians)
We have a legal system in Australia where the Courts impose sentence (having heard all the evidence not just what is reported in media for a headline)
Wherever he goes, Nuckleer Pete is out of his depth (as is the Liberal Party of today)
At the 2021 census 29.3% of the population were first generation immigrants, 22.2% were second generation. So that is like to mean almost half of the voting population is either a dual national or entitled to it (depending on the other countries laws anyway).
Admittedly some of that 29.3% is probably not citizens, and I am not sure what generation someone like Mostly Interested who has a parent born overseas and one born here falls into. (2.5th generation??).
My guess would be any referendum would go down. Possibly as a result of failing to get an overall majority but a majority in a few states.