I have two poll results to relate, plus a plug for a reupholstered BludgerTrack, where you will now find distinct series under “leadership ratings” for the Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor eras, if eras isn’t too big a word (which it is).
• The weekly Roy Morgan poll has Labor up three points to 30%, the Coalition down three to 22.5%, One Nation steady on 23.5% and the Greens steady on 13.5%. Labor’s two-party lead is out from 52.5-47.5 to 56.5-43.5 on previous election preferences, and from 51-49 to 54.5-45.5 on respondent-allocated preferences. The poll was conducted Monday to Sunday from a sample of 1562.
• I missed the latest monthly Essential Research poll last week due to preoccupation with the South Australian election. It had Labor up a point to 31%, the Coalition down two to 24%, One Nation up two to 24% (reaching parity with the Coalition for the first time in this series) and the Greens down a point to 10%. The 2PP+ measure shifted from 48-47 in favour of the Coalition to 47-46, these two being the only two-party poll results of any sort since the May 2025 election to have the Coalition ahead. Anthony Albanese was down three on approval to 39% and up three on disapproval to 51%, while Angus Taylor recorded an above-par debut of 35% approval and 33% disapproval. Further questions focused on foreign affairs, including findings that 26% supported and 42% opposed to the US-Israeli military action against Iran, and 34% supported and 26% opposed Australia’s response. The poll was conducted March 18 to 23 from a sample of 1008.
@Upnorth
Eh, reading could be better. Hopefully in the cold, wet Victorian winter months it’d be more appealing to sit near the heater and catch up on the book list.
Oooh scary brown people committing NDIS Fraud! Betrug! Panik! Ruf die Polizei! Farbige deportieren!
And you look at the data and out of the entire electorate of Fowler, which ranks #11 out of #150 for care effectiveness, the big shocking evil brown people fraud schemes amounts to:
* 1 refusal to re-register
* 12 banning orders
* 26 compliance notices
* 31 revocations of registration.
Total Enforcements: 70. In a population that likely has well over 200,000 people living in it. None of this data actually says a fraud took place. Only compliance actions, which can easily happen for non-fraud reasons.
It’s easy to manipulate people when they don’t read beyond the headlines.
It would be interesting to see ON win the next Queensland state election.
Thanks WB
A couple of observations
In regard these conflicts, they are all the result of nut jobs on both sides
And in regard the equal largest nutter, we have had over 10 years of it dominating media which is over 10 years more than I can tolerate
Just switch it off and turn it off
It thrives on media noting the reaction to it not being in the media for 12 hours (yes, 12 whole hours!!)
An ON Government would imo likely look like Reform UK councils. Incompetent morons who think they know more than they do, who realise the things they believe are simply problems that can be solved by “removing woke” and firing non-white people, aren’t actually easy to fix with a three word slogan.
A very good article. Whether it will pan out like it predicted, I don’t know. But it is based on what is happening now. Looks like it based on the premise that anything Trump touches, dies.
Trump Just Lost a War for America — No One’s Done That Since Nixon **UPDATED**
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/4/4/2376264/-Trump-Just-Lost-a-War-for-America-No-One-s-Done-That-Since-Nixon?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web
Nobody touches hornets nest expect foolish people. That is the reason the previous POTUS did not fall for Netanyahu goading and went to war against Iran
Oh well! Sh*t happens as Abbott once said in public.
That should be okay because PP, JJ, NN, Alabama, Timmy are okay with that since it is happening under a LNP government. The thing is Crisafulli has yet resigned as he promised.
“Australia scoured the world for fuel supplies. It’s working.
Australian petrol and diesel suppliers are diversifying their supply chains to bring in new shipments from five continents, as they scour the globe for extra cargoes to head off the worsening threat of fuel shortages.
The number of ships scheduled to deliver crude oil and refined fuels to Australia through April has risen sharply since late last month, according to maritime traffic data, which shows 55 cargoes have arrived so far in April or are en route to terminals across the coastline from as far afield as the United States, South America and Africa.”
“Australia scoured the world for fuel supplies. It’s working”
Nick Toscano
The Sydney Morning Herald
https://apple.news/AkwPeGXM-T3G10I9-Obn2eg
Labor getting the job done
@Ven
I said none of that Ven, not the first time you’ve misunderstood me and misrepresented me like that although it’s been a while as far as I know.
I was noting that Iran had taken unprovoked hostile action to Australia in the recent past (true), that they were not friendly to us before this (true), and that this likely influenced Albo’s reaction (which is my opinion. It could be wrong.)
All the rest about thinking that makes it OK or supporting the war I didn’t remotely say and in fact I’ve been repeatedly saying how stupid the war is and how the Trumpers are fucking things up worse than Dubya Bush (who I always say ought to have been prosecuted for war crimes).
I’m not crying for Khamenei or cheering for the Iranian regime and I won’t, but that’s not the same thing as approving of the war.
@Fastwheels at 8:32pm
That’s fantastic news. Well done to the government.
Boerwarsays:
Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 5:29 pm
The curtains are saved for another twelvemonth.
============================================
The final battle will between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. You need to be on daylight savings side and not on the side that worships the darkness. No matter how much you dislike faded curtains.
Eventually it’ll come down to Wunderwaffe Hamsterboot technology to settle the matter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHLLNYyKuWA
“Interesting” probably isn’t the first word that would have come to mind if I was asked to describe that scenario, but it is, um, not inaccurate.
https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/the-rot-setting-in-at-the-national-press-club-is-spreading-to-other-australian-institutions/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=week-15
It’s hard to disagree with Paul Gregoire, the author of this article. I note that the president of the NPC is Tom Connell, of Sky News. In my opinion, Sky’s coverage of the Bondi killings has been quite one-sided, though I think Connell’s one of the better presenters. I assume without proof that the NPC president & the board would have been the subject of a lot of pressure to deny Hedges a spot.
@FastWheels
Thank-you for your write up of the operation – most interesting – but even more so thank-you for your excellent summary of the strategic situation at the end: I entirely agree!
Crisafulli said (wwtte) that if total victim numbers don’t go down over his first term, he’d step down. Given the next Queensland election is not due until 28 October 2028, he still has time to reduce the crime stats. Good luck with that.
Silver linings – between the arrest of Hamad and the Straits of Hormuz issue the supposedly unstoppable tobacco black market has been having trouble and is raising prices. Too bad so sad. Maybe they could try adding a war tax….
https://archive.is/20260404201403/https://www.theage.com.au/national/black-market-in-the-red-how-the-iran-war-is-rippling-through-melbourne-s-underworld-20260323-p5rmmh.html
Kirsdarkesays:
Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 8:41 pm
@Fastwheels at 8:32pm
That’s fantastic news. Well done to the government.
_______________________
Nothing to do with the govt. It’s the suppliers that deserve your praise.
“Australian petrol and diesel suppliers are diversifying their supply chains to bring in new shipments from five continents, as they scour the globe for extra cargoes to head off the worsening threat of fuel shortages”
Mavis
Will they be counting fuel thefts? I hope so. Could be difficult to discourage.
I’m sure Qld police would never stoop to massaging crime stats. 🙂
@Taylormade
Yeah? And what would that be like if Pauline was in charge at this moment waving MAGA flags demanding fuel because we’re superior herrenvolk instead?
Kirsdarke says:
Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 9:51 pm
@Taylormade
Yeah? And what would that be like if Pauline was in charge at this moment waving MAGA flags demanding fuel because we’re superior herrenvolk instead?
_________________________________________
Actually Australian petrol and diesel suppliers can find extra fuel from further afield because extra costs and networking are being covered by Export Finance Australia, because of a recent government law change.
https://www.exportfinance.gov.au/newsroom/export-finance-australia-capabilities-strengthened-to-secure-critical-supplies-for-australia-s-economy/
On top of that, there would be diplomatic back-channeling keeping businesses connected too.
TM
Are you so anti Labor that you can’t see that the Albanese government is encouraging and working with the suppliers to maintain and increase our supply of fuel.
Your brain is so addled from your diet of Sky News and the Herald Sun that you can’t think rationally.
Kirsdarke says:
Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 8:55 pm
Eventually it’ll come down to Wunderwaffe Hamsterboot technology to settle the matter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHLLNYyKuWA
—————–
My Dog! Kirsdarke! Where and how did you find that? And why did you post it here with all these tankies! You bad! It will blow their feeble minds.
Socrates:
There have been plenty of fuel thefts committed since fuel prices went up. I read in a local rag that police aren’t following up on them, taking the view that service stations should arrange their own security, with the probable result that fuel theft won’t be included in the crime stats.
“Lies, damned lies, and statistics.” It’s been done before, but given Crisafulli’s promise to resign if crime stats don’t reduce during his first term, I’m sure Labor will be all over this.
Three cheers to the fossil fuel multinationals for saving our arse.
Hip, hip, hooray.
@MABWM at 10:05pm
Bosnian Ape Society posts many useful videos, such as this one in which a modern Main Battle Tank can defend against a Baguette.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnncvVlt2mw
Herald Sun 30/03
It comes as gas giant Santos has fast-tracked a shipment of crude oil to Viva Energy’s Geelong refinery to help ease Australia’s fuel crisis.
Santos brought forward part of a 575,000-barrel Cooper Basin crude parcel by about a month for delivery to the Victorian refinery.
_______________________
Thanks Santos.
You aren’t as bad as the lefties say you are.
Farmers sprouting the same bullshit on the news that fuel and diesel prices have doubled when it is 50% max and not being challenged.
Agrarian socialists at their best always sprouting free enterprise but looking for governments to socialise their losses.
TM
83% of Australians are completely satisfied in the way the Albanese government are handling the fuel crisis, but I guess you are part of the 17% who are so easily manipulated by the Murdoch gutter media you can’t give them credit for supporting all Australians.
“Sky’s coverage of the Bondi killings has been quite one-sided”
As opposed to what? Two sided, balanced coverage between the dead Australians and the two Islamic terrorists?
In honour of the little comet that couldn’t, and in honour of Orion hurtling toward the moon, and in honour of Sandra (obviously), I just rewatched Gravity.
Weirdly, mixed in with thoughts on the ME, watching the movie, thinking of Orion and its crew; I recalled travelling on late night trains gliding through remote places, and then a Cat Steven’s song (from an album released the year I was born) popped into my head.
Out on the edge of darkness.
There lies a peace train…..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdq4T3iRV80&ra=m
There’s no saving these people.
So the most likely person to believe it’s all Albo’s fault is a Male, Boomer, Rural, Poorly Educated, Solid One Nation Voter.
Shocking information.
Team Katich and Kirsdarke re Hungary
Yes, Orban is purveying a Dutton-style level of misinformation compounded by AI, but his main lie is too crude, namely that Magyar will bring the Ukraine war to Hungary.
Here are pertinent passages from another BBC report:
‘Magyar is partly cutting through the fraught media landscape using social media. …
According to 20k, a Hungarian election integrity watchdog tracking the social media activity of political actors during the election, Magyar’s posts on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram receive twice the level of engagement of Orbán’s. …
Péter Krekó, who heads independent political research institute Political Capital, says Magyar has also been able to “exploit… strong public resentment” towards the government.
Much of that is being driven by people between the ages of 18 and 40.
A survey by the Median agency suggests that support for Tisza remains strongest amongst those under 40, while nearly half of people over 65 support Fidesz.’
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yj97yd6v5o
@Dr Doolittle at 11:22pm
Well, let’s hope that young people in Hungary actually turn out and vote next week in order to defeat Orban’s miserable Boomers because they’ll be turning out in their millions for sure to continue his wretched regime.
Taylormadesays:
Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 10:12 pm
Three cheers to the fossil fuel multinationals for saving our arse.
Hip, hip, hooray.
======================================
So if they source new fuel supply it is multinationals that should be thanked. If they didn’t it would be the Government at fault?
Isn’t that how your hypocrisy works?
Trump has somehow gone even more deranged.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account on Sunday morning.
I posted earlier about how the US could start dropping thousands of bombs per day on Iranian infrastructure, and how the Iranians might be better off coming to the table now.
If he really is prepared to begin a strategic bombing campaign, Iran might not have a functional country by the end of the month.
Latest opinion piece from Kos Samaras.
Left and Right Populism. It has arrived in Australia
Australia Has Two Populist Movements. We’re Only Talking About One.
KOS SAMARAS
APR 05, 2026
The conversation about political disruption in Australia keeps returning to One Nation. The fear, sometimes bordering on obsession, is that Australia is following the same path as the United States or Hungary: a hard-right populist movement swallowing the conservative mainstream whole. And there is something to that story.
But it’s only half the picture.
For months, our existing published RedBridge and Accent Research data has revealed that Australia is not experiencing a single populist insurgency. It is experiencing two, simultaneously, driven by entirely different generations, and shaped by the same underlying force: financial stress.
https://redbridgeintel.substack.com/?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web
Kirsdarke at 11.30 pm
Have a look at this 4 min video about a Hungarian lawyer correcting Orban’s bill-poster distortions:
https://www.dw.com/en/hungary-election-2026-man-changing-government-campaign-propaganda-posters/video-76530135
It is possible that type of story has “gone viral” on social media in Hungary. The Orban campaign is getting increasingly desperate, according to recent reports.
For the significance of Orban to Trump’s billionaire backers, including P. Thiel, see:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/04/05/vance-hungary-orban-election/
Including this point: ‘”Trump’s war in Iran has not helped, Racz {a German expert on Hungary} said: “Apart from really hard-line ruling-party voters, no one likes Trump that much.”’
Because of the globalised nature of much media, Trump’s war will overshadow Putin’s war to some extent, especially for the younger (i.e. non-pensioner) voters.
The story concludes:
‘Analysts said Orban’s Fidesz party seems increasingly desperate.
“It feels like Fidesz has its back to the wall, and they are grasping about for what they can do at the last minute to try to fend off what in any normal democratic country would be what looks like a fairly clear defeat coming for them,” said Thomas Carothers, director of the democracy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “It’s very striking that the government campaign is entirely built on one issue and that’s the issue of fear, and insecurity using the Ukraine war as a lever. They are doing nothing to tout their record because they know their record is very weak.”’
Trump drops F-bomb and says ‘Praise to Allah’ in wildest social media post yet.
“There will be nothing like it!!! Open the FUCKING Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP”.
https://metro.co.uk/2026/04/05/trump-drops-f-bomb-says-praise-allah-wildest-social-media-post-yet-27862527/
Crazy orange clown feeling the pressure.
So much winning.
Grazing the Sun is a tough gig. The Parker Solar Probe has been pushing the boundaries with a heat shield that comets could only dream about.
The Kreutz Sungraver comet family is fascinating (IMO):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kreutz_sungrazer
Fastwheels at 12.01 am on Samaras
Re: “Hungary: a hard-right populist movement swallowing the conservative mainstream whole.”
That is now an inaccurate template for Hungary, as the election in a week should show.
Hungarian politics is all RW at present, the contest being between pro-Putin and pro-EU.
Obviously there is no similarity at all with the type of political system in Australia.
Comparisons with overseas populism tend not to distinguish the similarities and the basic differences. The misinformation is terribly similar (e.g. Voice Referendum) but the electoral systems are very different. That is a fundamental difference in Australia.
A single-member system using preferential voting is an antidote to Barnaby’s bullshit.
If Taylor decides to preference the Hanson cult in Farrer the beneficiary will be Hastie, who probably has more political nouse re preferences than Taylor and Ms Hume.
In one sense it doesn’t matter much who wins Farrer, except Milthorpe would be a bit better for Taylor & Co. What matters is that the Libs will struggle to get a podium finish.
Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP
Very unbecoming tweet from AUKUS headquarters. An attempt to goad Iran into behaving like himself? Ports closed, Bahrain has one outside connection to the world, a single bridge carrying all their food.
Trump becoming desperate and frustrated. LOSING!!
@Kirsdarke Looking at this poll even the plurality of One Nation voters believe that Trump is responsible for the fuel crisis.
Well at least the Nobel Peace Prize Committee’s decision to withhold the Peace Prize from Trump seems to have matured like a fine wine, standing today as 100% vindicated.
The befuddled boofheads!
I blame Richard Bowyer Smith (1837–1919) , Robert White (1944-1986) and Alessandro Volta for encouraging all the “lefties” into thinking that change is for the better.
The irony of the early “anti television” brigade foreboding the disintegration of society and the establishment of Sky News!
The irony of the moniker”Taylormade” and the mostly disproven theory of a “flat earth”!
Trump’s desire to leave Trump’s mark may only be recorded as a “mark” for reasons unrelated “to the art of the deal”!
I doubt the Middle East will be a better place as a result of the contributions of Netanyahu and Trump.
Imagine if a “leftie” had being managing Kodak in the day!
It’s an era of great change indeed.
“Well at least the Nobel Peace Prize Committee’s decision to withhold the Peace Prize from Trump seems to have matured like a fine wine, standing today as 100% vindicated.”
It has definitely tarnished the sterling reputation of the FIFA Peace Prize.
World News & Politics Patrol:
Trump to Iran: “Open the Fuckin’ Strait” or face bombing Tuesday: https://www.axios.com/2026/04/05/trump-iran-strait-hormuz-bombing-threat
“Whole Region Going To Burn”: Iranian Parliament Speaker’s Warning To Trump: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iran-israel-war-whole-region-going-to-burn-iranian-parliament-speakers-warning-to-trump-11315145
Trump Triggers 25th Amendment Calls With Unhinged Easter Meltdown: https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-triggers-25th-amendment-calls-with-unhinged-easter-meltdown/
MTG Says Trump Needs To Drop To His Knees And ‘Beg Forgiveness From God’ For ‘Evil’ Easter Post: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marjorie-taylor-greene-slams-trump-easter-day-post-iran-threats_n_69d28cc7e4b05047ac8ed42e
US forced to destroy two of its own aircraft after rescuing F-15 pilot from Iran: https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/04/05/8028831/
Iran Is Piercing Israel’s Ballistic Missile Defenses With High Altitude Cluster Warhead Releases: https://www.twz.com/land/iran-is-piercing-israels-ballistic-missile-defenses-with-high-altitude-cluster-warhead-releases
Ukraine confirms strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, defying calls to ease attacks amid soaring fuel prices: https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-lukoil-oil-refinery-in-russias-novgorod-oblast/
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation reports ‘severe damage’ after Iranian drone attack: https://www.turkiyetoday.com/region/kuwait-petroleum-corporation-reports-severe-damage-after-iranian-drone-attack-3217522
OPEC+ agrees to boost oil output when Strait of Hormuz reopens: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/opec-debates-theoretical-oil-output-hike-amid-iran-war-paralysis-sources-say-2026-04-05/