The only new item of federal polling this week has been the weekly result from Roy Morgan, which takes some of the edge off an unusual result last week in finding Labor up two to 28.5%, the Coalition down one-and-a-half to 24%, One Nation down one to 22.5% and the Greens down two to 12.5%. Labor leads the Coalition 54-46 on respondent-allocated two-party preferred, in from 54.5-45.5, but by only 52-48 when preferences from last year’s federal election are applied, in from 53-47. The poll was conducted March 9 to 15 from a sample of 1654.
The difference between something that happened and something that didn’t.
Bushfire Bill says:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 6:52 pm
No-one except you is arguing that the grand rapist, Trump, is ready to start WW3 over hijabs. Spare us the phony concern. He and Bibi want Iran in ruins. Neither of them give a flying fuck about the women of Iran. You insult us pretending otherwise.
____________________________________________________
I have never, ever said that the condition of women in Iran is a justification for the attacks by Israel and the USA. I know that because that is absolutely not my opinion.
The fact that you have no compunction to tell lies about me because it suits your agenda is typical. I don’t expect an apology (unlike C@t) because I know that narcissistic liars don’t apologise. Just look at Trump.
newy boy:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 7:11 pm
I single you out, dear, as I know intuitively that you’re a suckhol. To avoid further embarrassment, I won’t delve further.
C@tmommasays:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 6:40 pm
Some lackwits have apparently forgotten that we have nude beaches and women in Australia can go topless, and do go with exposing most of their bottoms if they want to, these days when they go to the beach or the pool. No one and nothing but modesty prevents them from doing it either. Most especially prurient old men.
_______________________
Very brave of Jess Wilson donning her one piece for the Liberals Commonwealth Games stunt in front of the media pack earlier in the week.
Can’t imagine Jacinta Allan doing it.
Labor prefers to threaten young public servants with the sack unless they prance around in a lobster costume on a stinking hot day.
newy boy says:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 7:11 pm
Mavis, I’m not the only poster here to offer well wishes to davidwh. Why single me out?
______________________________________________
Because when Mavis takes a set against someone, he will look for any excuse to sneer at them for stuff that others do all the time. I must say that I’m surprised he chose this subject to show his distaste for you. Wear it as a badge of honour.
Bugger me if I can find Torchbearer’s post about his Prostrate. 😉
Anyway, Torchbearer, I’m sure you’ll surmount that hurdle with ease and bounce back fit and strong.
Federal government approves 1,695 gas wells in rural Queensland
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-20/federal-government-approves-1695-gas-wells-in-rural-queensland/106462828
“A multinational gas venture has received federal approval to extract more gas from rural Queensland for the next 55 years.
The Australia Pacific LNG project — a joint venture between US firm ConocoPhillips, Australian energy company Origin, and Chinese operator Sinopec — will produce gas for export and domestic markets.
It will involve up to 1,695 new production wells, 1,545 kilometres of pipelines, and three processing facilities across the Surat and Bowen basins.
:::
Climate Council senior advisor Ben McLeod said the decision was difficult to reconcile with Australia’s emission reduction commitments.”
Taylormade,
I think the age difference between Jess Wilson and Jacinta Allan, rather than their political stripe might have something to do with it. 😉
Go ahead. Spill the beans. As far as I can recall I’ve only ever met you once face-to-face – on the occasion of a Gillard speech at the Parramatta campus of GWSU- and I can’t remember telling you anything about my family at all. Perhaps you have me mistaken for someone else?
Do it! Blurt it all out! You know you want to.
But don’t tease the Bludgers with more bullshit fairy stories manufactured out of your addled brain. Either put up, or shut up.
I’d be just as interested in what you think you know about my family as anyone else.
(Which probably isn’t all that much, to be honest.)
Since we’re all throwing bombs here
https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-war-palestinians-prison-abuse-b11e5f0639b7fe51c5ea101f4b320f56
Do we think this makes Jewish people safer?
Bushfire Billsays:
Go ahead. Spill the beans.
________________________
The only thing I know about BB is that he once captured and ate a native bird. I believe his name was Bubsy.
Thanks for the feedback on the Trump cartoons, D&M.
I hope there’s a permanent shift in public opinion in the US. However, I think we need to see a widespread view among Americans that they’re financially worse off under Trump before anything substantial can happen. The cartoons don’t seem to be focussing on that yet.
Both Palestine and Sudan genocides are vile and evil.
But the difference is
Israel is considered the only liberal democracy from Pakistan to Turkey, a shining light in ME, and democracies are not supposed to conduct genocides whatever the others say and do. For example, India is severely criticised and subject to sactions even if there is a slight breach in western democracies think is a breach in international laws and human rights. No such criticism of Israel. Israel gets all the financial and military support from the most powerful country in the world, the US, and Western democracies.
Sudan is not a democracy, whether you like it. And it doesn’t get any help help from US and Western democracies. I am not saying that what Sudan doing is right. Whereas Israel is considered a great nation by USA and western democracies, Sudanese people are treated like animals by US and Western democracies. They are left to their means.
Saudi officials say oil prices could ‘soar past $180 a barrel’ if disruptions continue until late April, according to WSJ report.
C@tmomma says:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 7:15 pm
______________________________________________
Let me introduce you to the blood libel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_libel
When news of the girl’s school being hit was first broadcast by the same people who closed down any broadcast of them murdering 30,000 of their own citizens, a select number of posters here absolutely lapped up the Al Jazeera erroneous report that blamed Israel for the bombing.
That’s because they absolutely believe that Jews just want to murder non-Jewish children and will deliberately ignore military targets in order to shed the blood of innocents, and children are the most innocent.
It must have been a terrible disappointment that it turned out to be the US (using shit intelligence). However, they now see no problem in extending the enduring blood libel to the USA. After all, if it could live on for 800 years against Jews it must be pretty good propaganda.
GC24 News: Iran says IRGC General and spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naeini has been killed.
TOPF, the thing about me which grates upon Mavis is that I am an unapologetic advocate for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. I will not comment on what I think that says about them.
I did think Mavis was too mature to be using the term they did, though. They surprised me there.
TPOF says:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 7:26 pm
Bushfire Bill says:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 6:52 pm
No-one except you is arguing that the grand rapist, Trump, is ready to start WW3 over hijabs. Spare us the phony concern. He and Bibi want Iran in ruins. Neither of them give a flying fuck about the women of Iran. You insult us pretending otherwise.
____________________________________________________
I have never, ever said that the condition of women in Iran is a justification for the attacks by Israel and the USA. I know that because that is absolutely not my opinion.
The fact that you have no compunction to tell lies about me because it suits your agenda is typical. I don’t expect an apology (unlike C@t) because I know that narcissistic liars don’t apologise. Just look at Trump.
He’s becoming increasingly unhinged, TPOF. That last statement confirms it. He is now conflating my cultural concern for the repressive attire they are forced to wear and hope that one day they may be liberated from that, with Netanyahu and Trump’s casus belli. I’ve never said that’s the reason they chose to go to war, I’ve simply opined that I hoped that freedom from the shackles of control by the mediaeval Mullahs would be a fortunate outcome.
Nath is telling porkies again.
I rescued and released a native bird, Bubsy the Butcherbird.
I loved that little guy.
TPOF:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 7:30 pm
You really are a dick head. You & newy boy should share an apartment.
My, what a fun picnic.
Bushfire Billsays:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 7:40 pm
The only thing I know about BB is that he once captured and ate a native bird. I believe his name was Bubsy.
Nath is telling porkies again.
I rescued and released a native bird, Bubsy the Butcherbird.
I loved that little guy.
_____________________
Oh yeah. I had it mixed up. He was a cute fella.
newy boy says:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 7:39 pm
TOPF, the thing about me which grates upon Mavis is that I am an unapologetic advocate for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. I will not comment on what I think that says about them.
I did think Mavis was too mature to be using the term they did, though. They surprised me there.
________________________________________________
I see that Mavis has responded with his typically mature and well-considered analytical assessment.
Mavis you should think about reading TPOF’s best selling book ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’.
newy boy:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 7:39 pm
For fuck sake, stop it!
Intellectual dishonesty. You can’t have one without the other. You got sucked in by the Trump “Regime Change” bullshit that even he is no longer bothering to spout. Told us we were weak-knee’d surrender monkies for not wishin’ and hopin’ for a miracle. Put Pollyanna to shame.
Still waiting for the Big Reveal, supposedly about my family secrets, entrusted only to you. I release you from your vow of silence. Blab away!
I wonder if the ongoing genoicde and long shopping list of ongoing war crimes of Israel that made people think poorly of Isreal rather than an offensive trope everyone knows not to reference because it is deeply racist and false.
I’m going to go with reality of evil for a billion Eddie.
Unexpectedly big of you, nath.
Has anyone mentioned that Aoi Baxter has been dumped by One Nation in Adelaide? Sorry if I’m being repetitive. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-20/one-nation-candidate-for-adelaide-aoi-baxter-wanted-in-uk/106477200
Do they have a chance of winning, that would be hilarious.
Go-ahead and annoy us for a long time. 🙂 . We look forward to it.
So, let me work this out: newy boy, formerly known by at least 2 other aliases, supports TPOF.
True. I remember your posts on Bubsy. I thought they were warm and genuine.
pied piper says:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 1:01 pm
Whether or not the US yet comprehends the situation, they are in a struggle to defend and extend the postwar imperialist order.
There are reports that India has been able to purchase oil and secure its transit from the Gulf by paying in Chinese yuan and obtaining approval for its maritime passage from Iran. If this becomes the norm for the resumption of the seaborne oil trade then the era of US dominance will be very seriously threatened. US financial hegemony has been unchallenged for 80 years. This would be fundamentally jeopardised by terminating the USD/oil nexus and its substitution with a yuan/oil nexus. The yuan would be on course to becoming the global reserve currency and the US would face almost certain insolvency. Nearly every commodity is priced in USD. This would certainly change if the USD lost its reserve standing.
Trump’s tariff policies, his energy policies, his moronic fiscal policies and his strategic and political incompetence have all very profoundly compromised the US. Consequently, imperialist US now faces an existential struggle. They are completely unprepared for the current war and are now having to scramble to deal with an asymmetrical conflict in which they are currently being out-witted and out-fought.
Very clearly, Iran has already prepared for a lengthy conflict. They have China, Russia and informal regional militia in support. Of course, Trump – so vainglorious – has conspicuously trashed US support. In this respect it’s wise to think of the US as the weaker antagonist here. They are ill-armed and ill-led. They are a long way from home. They are proving to be unable to project the force of which they boast.
The parts to be played by China and the puppet States in the Gulf will be important to the course of the war. Very clearly, the US has been both unable and unwilling to defend the puppet States. The micro States are essentially completely vulnerable to Iran in both economic and military terms. The US has been its usual faithless self with respect to its dependants. The US is an abysmally unreliable ally. It can launch attacks from a distance on Iran, but it cannot defend the Gulf vassals. Really, US promises to its vassals have only made them into targets. China may yet propose to protect the vassals by arranging peace with Iran. They’re in a position to do this. Were they to do it the US would face expulsion from the Gulf.
The US might have no choice other than to be drawn into a ground war in Iran. If they do so, they will face the same impossibilities that have defeated every other past would-be conqueror of Persia. And yet if they are not able to invade and conquer Persia their imperialist domination of the Gulf, its oil and the global monetary order will soon be terminated.
There are many things for onlookers to ponder. We cannot influence any of this. All we can do is observe the most idiotic pretences by Trump and Hegseth as they insult every possible past friend the US has ever had.
One further thing is becoming more discernible. The US has tied its future to oil…to control over global oil reserves. China has tied itself to renewables. We can place our bets on the past or on the future. The peoples of the world will have to choose: renewed subordination to a profoundly corrupt and decadent authoritarian US or homage to the unknown – to Beijing.
TPOF
Whether you like it and accept it or not, IDF did kill thousands of children in Gaza in the last 2 1/3 years.
A little bit of self-reflection is way overdue here.
@WWP at 7:56pm
Very low chance. I was about to open that central seats in state capital cities tend to be left-leaning, but then I remembered that gentrification exists and a lot of them are becoming marginal.
The Liberals won Brisbane Central in 2012, Perth in 2013, and held Adelaide from 2010-2022. Sydney’s harder to gauge because that was Clover Moore’s domain. Melbourne meanwhile definitely remains a Labor-Greens contest.
But I doubt they’d swing that hard toward One Nation, or at least enough to defeat Labor.
Bean @ 7:34
Perhaps the anti-genocide movement can find hope in that story you posted by seeing an example of a public protest actually working
Thanks C@t and Ven.
We are suffering severe cabin fever having been housebound since last June. So we want to get back on the road although Trump and diesel approaching $3 is putting a dampener on travel.
My best wishes to the several bludgers facing health challenges. I hope things improve for you. These are the most difficult of the many things we have to face.
I’ll be thinking of you.
Ven says:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 8:04 pm
_________________________________________________
They also killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including teenagers who were counted as children for the sake of propaganda.
But the issue is whether the Israelis deliberately targeted a school full of pre-teen girls because they wanted to murder innocent pre-teen girls. And when it turns out it wasn’t the Israelis, the extent to which the haters transferred that blood libel to the USA.
I’m worried about what is about to happen in SA if the polls turn out to be accurate. Virtually no opposition is not good for good government. Even worse if the only opposition turn out to be ON.
Prepoll voting strikes again, how many voted for Baxter before today’s news?
Luigi
I mentioned Aoi (Trent) Baxter earlier, as did B S Fairman.
You reminded me to ask a question of B S Fairman. He said that Baxter, who was listed as being of “no fixed abode” in England, was probably too much trouble for authorities to track down.
I was thinking though, that as a candidate Baxter must have registered an address. Presumably they could now track him down.
I was also wondering what this would do to Baxter’s visa/immigration status? His charge in UK was in 2023. Did he declare his UK charges when entering Australia? If not, did he enter this country illegally?
davidwh
It’s not as bad as you think. ON is a sideshow attraction. What it shows is that there is an appetite for change from our current useless and clueless government. But in the end it won’t be ON. That it is currently favoring them is just an indicator of how much appetite there is for real change.
You would really like to think so. I agree that Trump did not ask US airforce to do so. But he is the one, who started Iran war. So, he has to wear the consequences of the mistas and blunders made by his military.
Remember, Pete Hegseth said “no stupid rules of engagement” and “no woke wars”
davidwh
Crumbs. Where have you people been for the last year?
Of course Trump is that low. And he is standing on the shoulders of Netanyahu.
I think what Ven’s saying is:
“You can’t claim ‘Fog Of War’ if you started the war.”
There is evidence that it wasn’t “out of date maps” either. The theory says that it was suspected that high-ranked Iranian leadership was there, visiting family.
Player One says:
Friday, March 20, 2026 at 8:13 pm
davidwh
I’m worried about what is about to happen in SA if the polls turn out to be accurate. Virtually no opposition is not good for good government. Even worse if the only opposition turn out to be ON.
It’s not as bad as you think. ON is a sideshow attraction. What it shows is that there is an appetite for change from our current useless and clueless government. But in the end it won’t be ON. That it is currently favouring them is just an indicator of how much appetite there is for real change.
To borrow from the great poet, the times they are a changin.
The reactionaries have run out of mojo. Completely. The algorithm is channeling discontented voters – politically homeless past reactionaries – toward No Notion. But they are a political hologram. This will fade out. The tricksters of the Right have no appeal on matters of substance.
The war in the Gulf is going to change everything. As always, the question is: will the centre hold? Will the centre hold in the face of severe economic disruption? Will the centre hold if the US folds?
We have to hope so.
I ask myself…what would John Curtin be thinking? He was prepared to swear off the past for the safety of the country. We should try to think the same way.
Yossi Taktika poll for Israel, published for Zman Israel (done 12 March)
Government: 54 Seats (+1)
Opposition: 56 Seats (-1)
Unaligned: 10 seats (=)
It appears to be based on whether or not the Netanyahu Coalition party Religious Zionism can cross the 3% vote threshold to get seats. If they do so, they’d win 4, and make things easier for Bibi to win the election in October.