Last night’s Sky News People’s Forum, which can be viewed in full here, was deemed by 44 out of a hand-picked audience of 100 undecided voters to have been won by Anthony Albanese, with 35 favouring Peter Dutton and 21 undecided. I suspect though that to the extent that the broader public notices the low-rating event at all, what’s most likely to filter through is that Peter Dutton performed creditably immediately after learning that his father had suffered a heart attack. The event was conducted at Wentworthville Leagues Club in the electorate of Parramatta, a culturally diverse electorate notable particularly for its Indian population, which seemed suitably well represented.
The next debate, to be held from 8pm next Wednesday, will assuredly reach a larger audience by virtue of being broadcast free-to-air by the ABC. It too will be held in Parramatta, that being the location of the ABC’s new studios, though that’s of no great consequence as it will not follow the town hall format of the “People’s Forum”. Whether any further debates are held later in the game remains to be determined.
Mavis
Can you please comment on this US Supreme Court judgement
The Supreme Court’s New 5–4 Bailout for Trump Couldn’t Be More Ominous: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/04/supreme-court-analysis-trump-el-salvador.html
“The Supreme Court handed the Trump administration a major victory on Monday night, lifting a restraining order that had prevented the mass deportation of migrants to an El Salvador prison under an 18th-century wartime law. By a 5–4 vote on the shadow docket, the justices crushed the migrants’ sweeping class action in D.C. and forced them to proceed with narrower suits through more hostile courts in Texas. The majority’s unsigned, thinly reasoned decision will make it significantly easier for the administration to illegally ship off innocent people to a Salvadoran prison, where all their constitutional rights—and quite possibly their lives—will be snuffed out. As Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a staggering dissent, “we, as a nation and a court of law, should be better than this.” But in the view of five justices, it seems that we, as a nation, are not.
How Could the Scientists Bringing the Dire Wolf Back From Extinction Mess This Part Up?
Monday’s order lends undeserved legitimacy to a program that has been brazenly illegal from the start”
My opinion is that Emperor Trump can do anything he wants. “Rule of law ” be damned.
Little noticed on Bludger is that China is being hit by tariffs from countries around the world. Countries like Russia and Pakistan have hit China with tariffs, for example.
There are dozens of WTO complaint processes against China being run ATM.
At a critical moment in its fight-to-the-death trade war with the US, China’s mercantilism is coming home to roost.
Mavis @ 0813.
Agree re Jason Claire (didn’t he have the moniker as ‘Spokesperson for everything’ when in opposition as he was always across his briefs, articulate, etc.)
We need more zingers I think to try and lighten the mood. Shorten and ‘Dougie’ Cameron ran the absolute masterclass on these.
In other news it appears Amelia Hamer’s wiki page has been scrubbed although this has appeared https://en.everybodywiki.com/Amelia_Hamer
I wanted to give an example of the kind of thinking out in the electorate. I’ve known this person for 20 years. You’d suggest on the surface she’s left leaning, during covid came out as rabidly anti vaccine. She’s in her 40s, has low paying jobs, is a perennial renter with no prospects of owning her own house. Lives on the Gold Coast.
“The election is a tricky one definitely not happy with the cost of living since labor has been in charge – maybe Petter Dutton can make housing more affordable he seems to be more focused on the cost of living which the most important concern for us all. One can only hope we are not getting another liar as they seem to be able to say one thing and do another (should be against the law). At least the greens are always consistent. Any thoughts out there “
#weatheronPB
Not much sun cover,
pierces my unwary eyes.
But I glimpse some clouds.
”
Confessionssays:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 7:15 am
Victoria @ #23 Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 – 7:03 am
It is getting so destructive they’re turning on Trump in droves.
It’s only taken the collapse of the market. Sheesh……
Mitch McConnell isn’t happy either. This is an excerpt from an op-ed he wrote for the Wall St Journal:
https://electionlawblog.org/?p=149374
Of course the irony is that he is largely responsible for this mess. If he’d supported Republican Senators to convict Trump after 6 January he’d never have been able to run.
”
Dick Cheney was the most evil Republican on the hill when he was VP.
After Cheney departed Mitch McConnell took over his mantle as the most evil Republican on the hill.
After Trump became Republican party leader, the above title was forcibly taken away from Trump.
For the election focused peeps here. It may be time to watch the US bond market. It is very early, but some signs of bond selling. Why does this potentially matter?
Bonds should be bought as the stock market corrects. Putting down interest rates. There are signs that isn’t happening as usual.
I like to think of the bond market as the ‘international congress’ for US economic policy. And they may be about to start a vote against MAGA policies….ive expected the bond market will turn against trump before congress does. This may be starting…prepare the pop corn
”
Boerwarsays:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 8:23 am
Little noticed on Bludger is that China is being hit by tariffs from countries around the world. Countries like Russia and Pakistan have hit China with tariffs, for example.
There are dozens of WTO complaint processes against China being run ATM.
At a critical moment in its fight-to-the-death trade war with the US, China’s mercantilism is coming home to roost.
”
But BW, this is a fight between 2 heavy weights( the 2 largest economies in the world, no less) drunk with power and could be disastrous for whole world with one wrong step.
Look how WW1 started with the killing of arch duke Ferdinand of Austria
Boerwar @ #52 Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 – 8:23 am
A number of years ago (maybe a decade or more? Time flies…) I was reading through all of the active and pending disputes on the WTO website. About 90% were either the US complaining about everyone else, or everyone else complaining about the US.
Some things never change.
Doctor D, thanks for your advice re posting from a cell phone.
I’m becoming better at it as a result. I should be discharged today & will revert to my beloved desk top.
pied piper says:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 8:03 am
China is killing the world two new coal stations opening a month been going on for years whilst West puts its head in the sand for trade.
Jesus some people are slow learners… none more slow than conservatives that live in teh past.
Yes China is building more carbon power stations.. but as a % of their demand or power output it is rapidly shrinking, much faster than anywhere else in terms of world.. China is just using their “share” of the global capital of available carbon use the US (& the west) stole/ squandered & refuse to pay for…
The US is in terminal decline but persists in drinking KoolAid to escape reality
Ven: “Of course the irony is that he is largely responsible for this mess. If he’d supported Republican Senators to convict Trump after 6 January he’d never have been able to run.”
——————————————————————————-
I hear this argument coming from anti-Trump commentators in the US, but I think it’s nonsense. The behaviour of almost all Republican Senators in recent months re confirmation hearings and the like indicates that McConnell could not have hoped to carry the day with an impeachment in 2021.
He made the reasonable suggestion that Trump should be pursued through the courts. And then, probably because he didn’t want to do it, Merrick Garland dragged his feet and faffed around until it was too late to get a conviction before the 2024 election.
And, even then, it is quite possible that the Supreme Court would have overturned a guilty verdict against Trump re the attack on Congress on the grounds of Presidential immunity. And, indeed, the Court might well have even found a way of overturning an impeachment.
The most effective way of stopping Trump was to defeat him at the ballot box. And, IMO, all that would have required was for the Dems to come up with a candidate who was neither an 81 year old suffering from dementia nor a non-White woman from California who had previously supported publicly-funded gender reassignment surgery for illegal immigrants. It shouldn’t have been too hard for them to do that, but they failed.
Bob Brown:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/09/its-up-to-each-of-us-to-help-save-life-on-earth-i-love-this-challenge
“Environmentalists are a problem because they publicise the reality of impending extinctions. Corporations have had to have parliaments pass laws banning peaceful protests in forests and near fish pens and to criminalise the nature-defending ringleaders. Eco-sabotage is subsidised while eco-rescue risks a jail sentence.”
Gaza and Aukus nuclear sub deal divide Labor and grassroots groups
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/09/gaza-and-aukus-nuclear-sub-deal-divide-labor-and-grassroots-groups
“Grassroots Labor members are ramping up internal pressure on the government over its positions on the Middle East and Aukus, urging Anthony Albanese to make two major foreign policy shifts if he wins a second term.
Labor Friends of Palestine is making a fresh call for a re-elected Albanese government to impose sanctions on Israel, while the Labor Against War group wants it to “sink” the agreement to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.
But the government is standing firm on both fronts, exposing a divide between sections of the Labor membership and the federal parliamentary wing.”
Australia should not be exporting or using gas as we’ll damage the environment screams the labor government err their besties the Chinese use it and export it in massive numbers never heard communist loving fed labor gov smash corrupt China in press conferences about that.
Mind you nothing said by labor government on China hacking,IP theft,illegal breaches of chip bans by communists,and no democracy all federal labor gov is silent in and then Supporting China as they upped trade and contact with their China besties.
But vocal in slagging off Trump and calling him a “traitor “.
Ironically China has a ship off WA coast now surveying a trench to see if their submarines can travel through it when they attack Australia.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2025/apr/09/australia-election-2025-young-people-readers-on-what-is-important-to-them
“Australia’s voting demographic is a-changin’ — millennials and generation Z will outnumber baby boomers for the first time in this year’s federal election.
:::
More than 500 feel pessimistic about the future, 174 are somewhat optimistic, many with the caveat of uncertainty, and the rest oscillate between the two.
The cost of living is the overwhelming main stressor, mentioned 528 times, followed closely by housing (521), both often mentioned in tandem. Climate comes in at third, flagged by 434.
Other frequent themes are broad concerns about social cohesion (244), rising far-right ideology (210), healthcare (190) and foreign affairs (152).”
Protesting doesn’t protect the environment. Making enemies of the majority wont lead to change.
I remember those halcyon days when commenters on this blog believed we put too much attention of the machinations of the USA and Trump.
I guess now they understand why……
Amy R, AI on the leaders’ debate:
“The sad part was all the bipartisanship.”
https://live.australiainstitute.org.au/2025/04/australia-institute-live-day-12-of-the-2025-election-campaign/#2eea1f3cdf
Treasury Secretary Bessent says China’s escalation was ‘big mistake,’ country playing with ‘losing hand’:
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/08/treasury-secretary-bessent-says-chinas-escalation-was-big-mistake-country-playing-with-losing-hand.html
You know what a ‘losing hand’ looks like, Bessent? One where you’re playing with yourself!
Amy R, AI
“Jason Clare has just told Radio National Breakfast that the Ukraine war drove a massive energy price spike and defended Labor’s response to it, which was to cushion consumer prices.
What he didn’t say was that during that energy price spike, Labor ignored the advice of every economist from Ken Henry to UK Treasury to put a super profits tax on the gas industry. Here’s our report from 2022.
As a result, gas companies have walked off with $100 billion in windfall profits that could have funded services in Australia:
:::
Labor might have done OK protecting Australia’s consumers from the price spike, but they gifted multinational gas companies vast windfall profits that should have gone to the public.
https://live.australiainstitute.org.au/2025/04/australia-institute-live-day-12-of-the-2025-election-campaign/#87576f3542
War gains: LNG Windfall Profits 2022
https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/war-gains-lng-windfall-profits-2022/
US deploys third of its stealth bomber fleet for possible Iran strike
The United States has sent an ‘unprecedented’ deployment of its heavy B-2 bombers to the Chagos Islands in a show of force amid rising tensions with Iran . Six of the famed stealth bombers flew in to the U.S. airbase on Diego Garcia from Missouri last week in the ‘largest single deployment in US history’.
While Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, said last month that there was still hope Iran could be reached through diplomatic routes, the U.S. president has been more direct in threats against the regime. Trump said yesterday that if talks between U.S. officials and Iranian leaders this weekend do not go well, ‘Iran is going to be in great danger’. Asked if the U.S. was gearing up to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, he said: ‘Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and if the talks aren’t successful I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran if that’s the case.’
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/us-deploys-third-of-its-stealth-bomber-fleet-for-possible-iran-strike/ss-AA1CwFU3?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=d6d466d174ab42e5813127523f63670d&ei=62#image=1
Pegasussays:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 8:52 am
Bob Brown:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/09/its-up-to-each-of-us-to-help-save-life-on-earth-i-love-this-challenge
“Environmentalists are a problem because they publicise the reality of impending extinctions. Corporations have had to have parliaments pass laws banning peaceful protests in forests and near fish pens and to criminalise the nature-defending ringleaders. Eco-sabotage is subsidised while eco-rescue risks a jail sentence.”
______________________
Stated by a person who’s key achievements in life have been the successful opposition to renewable energy projects.
Ironically China has a ship off WA coast now surveying a trench to see if their submarines can travel through it when they attack Australia.
You’ve got China Derangement Syndrome. The Japanese came into Sydney Harbour and we still beat them.
Your nonsense assertion falls off the edge of a cliff, or ocean trench, when you don’t consider that, if a numpty like you knows about it, so does Australia’s Intelligence Services and the government. Who will be making appropriate plans to deal with it in the eventuality any attack occurs.
pied piper, around here we aren’t the gullible guppies that you probably suck in with garbage posts like this elsewhere on social media. 😐
Mostly interested: when I saw Gold Coast you had your answer. The GC is a perplexing place, south of the GC is Richmond held by Labor north of the GC is Logan and Ipswich all Labor, then Brisbane all Green. The Bayside and North have been back and forth but have been LNP for a while with long-term members including the guy who aspires to a place on swanky Sydney harbour . But the Gold Coast is strange my guess is that it has an older demographic and the news paper down there makes the Brisbane Courier look highbrow and balanced by comparison. Gold Coast people both old and comfortable and young battlers in board shorts and with the sunnies propped on the baseball cap vote LNP as a reflex.
meher babasays:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 8:45 am
Ven: “Of course the irony is that he is largely responsible for this mess. If he’d supported Republican Senators to convict Trump after 6 January he’d never have been able to run.”
——————————————————————————-
I hear this argument coming from anti-Trump commentators in the US, but I think it’s nonsense. The behaviour of almost all Republican Senators in recent months re confirmation hearings and the like indicates that McConnell could not have hoped to carry the day with an impeachment in 2021.
He made the reasonable suggestion that Trump should be pursued through the courts. And then, probably because he didn’t want to do it, Merrick Garland dragged his feet and faffed around until it was too late to get a conviction before the 2024 election.
And, even then, it is quite possible that the Supreme Court would have overturned a guilty verdict against Trump re the attack on Congress on the grounds of Presidential immunity. And, indeed, the Court might well have even found a way of overturning an impeachment.
The most effective way of stopping Trump was to defeat him at the ballot box. And, IMO, all that would have required was for the Dems to come up with a candidate who was neither an 81 year old suffering from dementia nor a non-White woman from California who had previously supported publicly-funded gender reassignment surgery for illegal immigrants. It shouldn’t have been too hard for them to do that, but they failed.
____________________________________________________________
I did not know this, it was a fait accompli then.”previously supported publicly-funded gender reassignment surgery for illegal immigrants”. Is somewhere around left of middle just not sexy enough not exciting enough…but it is what any country wants. Common sense and a steady hand it is not to much to ask, is it?
Sssshhh! Bizzcan! Don’t mention Bob Brown! 😆
Please watch the video linked to this article. It is a cracker.
Watch Jon Stewart’s scathing take on Trump’s torturous tariff debacle
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/4/8/2315335/-Watch-Jon-Stewart-s-scathing-take-on-Trump-s-torturous-tariff-debacle?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=top_news_slot_9&pm_medium=web
“Stewart then played a montage of right-wing media personalities pretending there is no economic crisis at all, acting as if it’s no big deal that the stock market ticker they’re sharing the screen with is a burning shade of red.
“When did the right become so chill?” Stewart asked. “Aren’t you the ‘Bud Light’s turning my kids trans!’ folks?”
“This is financial destruction not seen since the pandemic,” Stewart said. “And this time, there’s no controversy over how it all started. There’s no wet market. You, Trump, released the contagion. It’s your lab leak, and it’s right out in the open.”
Amy R, AI
https://live.australiainstitute.org.au/2025/04/australia-institute-live-day-12-of-the-2025-election-campaign/#d3011757f8
“Labor, which now stands as the only political party still trying to convince people there is a shortage of gas, is against the whole Coalition policy. And look – we are not fans of the entire thing. But the point the Coalition is making about using existing supply to create a domestic gas reservation and to tax the gas companies, is a well overdue one in Australia and is supported by pretty much everyone else in the parliament and any credible expert.”
More Greens, progressive independents and progressive minor party candidates are needed to be elected to parliament to break up the entrenched duopoly.
Well, obviously Labor should announce a gas reservation policy that
is better than the L/NP version.
It’s a vote winner.
Hmmm we will be running to the “traitors” the USA to save us that’s the plan.
Mind you they maybe slower in responding under Trump after labors hate at him.
Winter is coming labor luvvies for your China besties.
Rex Douglas @ #80 Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 – 9:20 am
Labor already has one. They are not allowed to use it.
I heard Jason Clare raging against a gas reservation policy. Very unconvincing, no different to Ted O’Brien peddling BS.
Because having the two main political parties who actually form the government of the day being at war with each other certainly is doing the USA a load of good /s
It seems you are saying by posting this quote that Labor should be encouraging more gas mining?
I remember that for two years Victoria was telling us that Trump was never going to be re-elected and that we should concern ourselves with other matters to worry about.
The meherbabs, the Steelydans, who never want to blame Republicans, this is for you.
“THERE ARE NO GOOD REPUBLICANS ANYMORE”.
”
C@tmommasays:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 9:17 am
Ironically China has a ship off WA coast now surveying a trench to see if their submarines can travel through it when they attack Australia.
You’ve got China Derangement Syndrome. The Japanese came into Sydney Harbour and we still beat them
”
The Lincoln Project
@lincolnproject.us
Follow
When China is posting Ronald Reagan on main while the Republican Party abandons all his principles, you know you fucked up.
https://bsky.app/profile/lincolnproject.us/post/3lman6akimk24
nath and C@tmomma, Chinese embassy is twitting Reagan speech on Tarrifs.
https://bsky.app/profile/thetnholler.bsky.social/post/3lmai4ejlyc2t
Not a surprise at all
——
Russian state TV seems to be the only ones happy about this trade war
The current LNP don’t have a gas reservation policy.
Regarding gas, it is just an election talking point after the nuclear policy proved to be nonsense.
The leftovers in the Dutton alternative government have form and will not instigate any policy, nuclear or gas which is anti big corporations.
Both nuclear and gas have a state based hoop to jump through and Dutton doesn’t jump through hoops.
a non-White woman from California who had previously supported publicly-funded gender reassignment surgery for illegal immigrants.
How dare the Democrats choose someone like this, with a belief that Transgender Americans have a right to live their lives like everyone else and get the medical care they need. Whether they are immigrants or citizens. (The ‘illegal’ stuff is just an appellation concocted by the Hard Right to demonise those people). And I am guessing that the immigrants would have to pay for it themselves, if they’re not in jail, and wasn’t that a highly specific example to use, so why shouldn’t they be able to?
Anyway, demonising a candidate based upon one answer, years before, to a survey from a ginger group, should hardly be disqualifying for a candidate for President. Unless you think it should. And that’s on you.
I will also note though, for the record, that the Democrats have made the decision not to pander to the noisy requests from fringe groups who seek to pin them down on issues which are not central to the core message they are attempting to get across to the broad swathe of an electorate they need to vote for them. And that’s a good thing going forward.
Anyway, good to know that you support bigotry
Trump was never going to leave the space. He never left it whilst Biden was President.
You saw what the Supreme Court did? In what world did we think they would give Trump full immunity? It was all down hill from there.
I did not expect the Supreme Court to capitulate so spectacularly.
I just didn’t count on all those who have followed him into the abyss, paving the way for him.
Frankly, I still can’t reconcile it at all.
I feel like I’m living in an alternate reality.
I have never been wrong about Trump.
C@ t
It continues to this day.
Trump and co are doing all the damage, but let’s look for blame elsewhere.
It’s maddening
“publicly-funded gender reassignment surgery for illegal immigrants.
I did not know this, it was a fait accompli then”
A textbook example of reactionaries and centrists being on a unity ticket, driven by their hatred of progressives. I’d be fascinated to see the evidence for this claim. The ‘left will never get in because of woke’ meanwhile in Australia woke has absolutely nothing to do with anything. Who knew.
I think if you stopped at pointing out that the Democrats lost because the voters couldn’t vote for a woman let alone a black woman you might be on safer ground. At least there’s some evidence for that.
Chinese embassy is twitting Reagan speech on Tariffs.
Ven, as you know, the Chinese are all about ‘Saving Face’, so the ‘peasants’ comment by JD Vance (and isn’t calling the Chinese ‘peasants’ a case of the pot calling the kettle black by JD?), will be like poking a stick into a Chinese hornet’s nest. They are going to want to destroy America now by the time they’ve finished with it. I think we should buy popcorn futures.
I guess all the people focussed on transgender issues, can pay their bills stewing on these particular juices.
Sheesh. The sheer stupidity of people, burns……..
”
C@tmommasays:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 9:36 am
a non-White woman from California who had previously supported publicly-funded gender reassignment surgery for illegal immigrants.
How dare the Democrats choose someone like this, with a belief that Transgender Americans have a right to live their lives like everyone else and get the medical care they need. Whether they are immigrants or citizens. (The ‘illegal’ stuff is just an appellation concocted by the Hard Right to demonise those people). And I am guessing that the immigrants would have to pay for it themselves, if they’re not in jail, and wasn’t that a highly specific example to use, so why shouldn’t they be able to?
Anyway, demonising a candidate based upon one answer, years before, to a survey from a ginger group, should hardly be disqualifying for a candidate for President. Unless you think it should. And that’s on you.
I will also note though, for the record, that the Democrats have made the decision not to pander to the noisy requests from fringe groups who seek to pin them down on issues which are not central to the core message they are attempting to get across to the broad swathe of an electorate they need to vote for them. And that’s a good thing going forward.
Anyway, good to know that you support bigotry
”
The meherbabs and the Steelydans of this world don’t criticise Trump and the Republicans (especially US Congress Republicans). They can do any evil thing. It is still Democrats fault. That is some f**ked up logic, right there.
Trump wants the USA to be isolated. He is getting his wish
‘Ven says:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 8:34 am
”
Boerwarsays:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 8:23 am
Little noticed on Bludger is that China is being hit by tariffs from countries around the world. Countries like Russia and Pakistan have hit China with tariffs, for example.
There are dozens of WTO complaint processes against China being run ATM.
At a critical moment in its fight-to-the-death trade war with the US, China’s mercantilism is coming home to roost.
”
But BW, this is a fight between 2 heavy weights( the 2 largest economies in the world, no less) drunk with power and could be disastrous for whole world with one wrong step.
Look how WW1 started with the killing of arch duke Ferdinand of Austria’
=============================
The US takes only about 16% of China’s global exports. The actual percentage is higher as China has been working to re-route exports through third countries.
How pathetic are the media, hardly a word on how the Coalition are going to make up the 7 Billion in savings they now have to make after ditching the public service cuts. If it was Labor the media would be going berserk.
How pathetic are the media, hardly a word on how the Coalition are going to make up the 7 Billion in savings they now have to make after ditching the public service cuts. If it was Labor the media would be going berserk.