Roy Morgan’s weekly federal poll maintained its volatile form in having Labor up three to 28.5%, after being down two the week before; One Nation down one to 25%; the Coalition up one-and-a-half to 23.5%, reversing its change in the last poll; and the Greens down three after a series of strong results to 12.5%. With the Greens’ loss cancelling out Labor’s gain, Labor’s two-party leads over the Coalition actually narrow slightly, from 52-48 to 51.5-48.5 on previous election preferences and 53-47 to 52-48 on respondent-allocated preferences. Labor’s respondent-allocated two-party lead over One Nation was unchanged at 53-47. The poll was conducted Monday to Sunday from a sample of 1576.
Also of note:
• Chris Gatenby, former state party president and until recently an adviser to Premier Jeremy Rockliff, was sworn in on Monday as the successor to Tasmanian Liberal Senator Wendy Askew. Gatenby will also lead the party’s Senate ticket at the next election, followed by former state government minister Sarah Courtney, who will presumably be filling Jonno Duniam’s vacancy when he follows through on his recently announced retirement. Third on the ticket is Latrobe councillor Jacki Martin.
• Paul Sakkal of Nine Newspapers reports that Nicolle Flint, who held the Adelaide seat of Boothby for the Liberals from 2016 to 2022 and ran unsuccessfully in 2025, is “mulling a preselection challenge” against Tony Pasin, member for the rural seat of Barker. This occurs against a backdrop of discord within the party’s South Australian branch, and its conservative camp in particular, over the bid for the state presidency by Senator Alex Antic, a close ally of Pasin’s and a rival of Flint’s. Mike Smithson at InDaily reports on ongoing speculation as to who might run against Antic when the matter is determined at the branch’s annual general meeting on September 19, one possibility being Flint herself. The meeting will also determine the order of the Senate ticket for the next election, raising the possibility of incumbents Andrew McLachlan, Kerrynne Liddle and Leah Blyth being shunted in favour of a candidate aligned with Antic.
• A by-election will be held for one of the 25 seats in the Northern Territory parliament on September 12 following the resignation of Yiŋiya Mark Guyula, who has held the eastern Arnhem Land seat of Mulka (formerly Nhulunbuy) as an independent since 2016.
Player Onesays:
Friday, August 21, 2026 at 12:16 pm
A private armed Jewish police force for NSW?
I reckon we will need to order more body bags.
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Minns shouldn’t be allowing religious based militias to operate. He’s asking for trouble.
“Ms Brown claimed she felt “frightened” and “intimidated” when she said Mr Morrison had falsely told parliament he had spoken with her about Ms Higgins when he had not.”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-20/political-staffer-got-million-dollar-payout-brittany-higgins/106857182
I’m sure it is not as bad as it seems. He would have role played that conversation with Jenny and considered that enough.
sub
It’s also allowed for mental health. It should be more widely available. Public hospitals used it heaps during Covid and the administrators were very disappointed that it dissolved away so quickly. I assume the funding model changed
Griff
It can affect sea lions I gather.
Rex Douglas says:
Friday, August 21, 2026 at 12:35 pm
Good 15m summary
Weak Gambling Reform, NDIS Cuts and No “Wage-Price Spiral”
https://youtu.be/xwHWSltZgV0?si=3BVjk3ZHEAKLAMyy
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Gambling reform, NDIS sustainability measures and No “Wage-Price Spiral”. Not perfect, but I also think it is “Good” 🙂
Diogenes says:
Friday, August 21, 2026 at 12:48 pm
sub
It’s also allowed for mental health. It should be more widely available. Public hospitals used it heaps during Covid and the administrators were very disappointed that it dissolved away so quickly. I assume the funding model changed
Griff
It can affect sea lions I gather.
________
Yep. The list is here: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-risk-scores-h5-bird-flu-native-birds-mammals.pdf
Subgeometer, yes, of course I could get a referral. That’s not the issue.
As I have outlined on Matt Keogh’s Facebook page, the issue is that I am being treated differently and worse than if I were not a veteran.
If I had been treated in the public system (not feasible as I’m in Tasmania which does not have a functional system) I would be entitled automatically to outpatient physio services. Three years ago, I was a member of a health fund (Defence Health) in which case I would have been automatically – and without a referral – entitled to post-operative physio services. Anyway, I went to the local private (Calvary) hospital, was operated on by a private orthopedic surgeon, paid for by DVA. The hospital and my surgeon assumed (incorrectly) that I would be entitled to physiotherapy and the hospital made a couple of recommendations.
The first practitioner I contacted told me I needed a referral. I contacted my surgeon whose receptionist told me that they had NEVER had a patient require a referral, but would write one if the physio sent them an email. She also told me specifically which physio to go to, so I made a new booking there.
I’ve got my fingers crossed, but I anticipate problems. I have established from the DVA website that ALL physio treatment requires a specific referral. As far as I can determine, no private health fund requires one. Certainly, Defence Health does not. DVA operates as the health fund for gold card veterans and their own advice is to cancel your private fund membership when the card is issued.
So, my situation is that I am copping a bureaucratic embuggerance SOLELY because I hold a DVA gold card.
Yes, I could get a referral, but I don’t see why I should have to. Sometimes it’s important to fight. It would be a sign of weakness to give up at this point.
“Minns shouldn’t be allowing religious based militias to operate. He’s asking for trouble.”
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Maybe the Plymouth Brethren will be armed by 2028.
All good TBM.
Another poster read the report and saw it was linked to yet another polling company called antenna insights.
WB will have a look at it and might make a quick mention/assessment of the pollster when we get a new thread.
Anyway, back onto regular polls:
* Don’t think we’ll get anything this weekend. Fox/Hedgehog & Demos AU are due-ish.
* Monday – Roy Morgan
* Tues – should get the monthly Guardian Essential Poll and YouGov.
That will probably be about it for August.
@nadia
True. I hope now that Labor’s approaching the mid-point of their term they aim to do things that meaningfully reduce that frustration.
And not repeat the mistakes that Biden and Starmer did and be like “By introducing a policy in which small business owners get a means-tested 20% reduction in their company taxes that will result in most people on average getting 1% more money.” or “We need to reduce debt by ending fuel allowance benefits to pensioners over a certain threshold.”, more things like “Yes, things are really bad right now, and we’ve all suffered, but now we’re in the position to make things better from here on.” and in a really obvious way that the media can’t bury with their usual bullshit and make sure we elect a Coalition-One Nation government that aims to make us get the same K-shaped economy that the US has where the wealth flows upwards while the suffering continues.
Luigi Smithsays:
Friday, August 21, 2026 at 12:59 pm
“Minns shouldn’t be allowing religious based militias to operate. He’s asking for trouble.”
—————-
Maybe the Plymouth Brethren will be armed by 2028.
================================================
He does appear to be prioritising the safety concern of one ethnic group over others. I can’t see Palestinians or Muslims feeling safe on the streets of Sydney now.
Is there any rules over who can be armed, or can ex IDF butchers be employed? I’m sure the loved ones of Zomi Frankcom might have something to say about that if they are.
“A spokesperson for the federal Attorney General Michelle Rowland said it “would not be appropriate for the Commonwealth to provide further commentary.””
Why not? There’s no NDA in place. What are they scared of?
Entropy, I’m sure Minns will get an honourable mention in the Royal Commission report.
I’m quite struck with the special treatment Minns has handed out with the prevailing favouritism embedded in the US political system. There’s some convergence happening here. At least Ambassador Newman will be happy.
Way back thread..
While charities may lawfully engage in political activities, they can’t promote candidates. It looks like Catholic Ed did. I’m not able to say what consequences will follow.
I wasn’t speaking of what the Reformers actually did, nor of the Brethren.
Luigi Smith says:
Friday, August 21, 2026 at 12:57 pm
I’m a White Card holder for specific conditions – so for my specific condition (back) I was able to use physio without a referral – however none of the physios that I wanted to use from 2001 to 2024 accepted DVA patients because the rates paid were too low. I used my personal private health insurance and therefore had out of pocket expenses and DVA wouldn’t refund anything, and treatment for other non-DVA ailments was then self-funded.
I have only recently found a physio who accepts DVA cases. I had given up the search and used him for three treatments before discovering that they would take the DVA payment. Of course, DVA wouldn’t pay for the first three visits.
Kirs, re Samaras
This is true for many. But it isnt the full story behind Hanson’s polling numbers. I know many Hanson followers who may claim similar grievances but have 3 large vehicles, a boat, a big new house (or an older one with a big extension and renovation) etc. Yeah, they have a mortgage, but they have done fairly well for themselves. Yeah, they see a number of boomers who had semi retired by their age or (fully retired with a golden handshake) and are now in the lap of luxury they can only aspire to. And the GenX Hanson voter is grumpy about that, but they aren’t grumpy at the boomers or even the policies that encouraged the inequality and disparity.
So, it isnt necessarily the main push factor to voting for ON. This grumpiness spawns other grievances. Those secondary, cultural grievances are what makes them take the quite preposterous leap to voting for a slogan rather than a political party serious about the national interest. They see what they are missing out on and they blame immigrants, indigenous people, people on welfare or environmentalists, or wokeism, or Albanese or family law courts – choose your own target. Hanson is happy to target any and all of these things for you, just jump on board.
Luigi
I can see why you want to fight it as it’s stupid. A friend (invalid pensioner) recently had a knee replacement in the public system (in NSW)and was directed to physio without question.
OTOH I wouldn’t put off physio as you’ll get the best result from the surgery by doing it straight away
John Birmingham’s Friday article
https://aliensideboob.substack.com/p/aggrieved-nostalgia
Dallas Mcinerney has been sacked.
https://redbridgeintel.substack.com/p/frustration-is-not-loyalty
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Kos has all the data but repeatedly gets it fundamentally wrong-One Nation is a nostalgia driven outfit by a cohort that looks at the settings and excess of the Howard era … and wants that back and a piece of the action.
Its the cohort that sees the political and policy events since mid 2025 as a series of “Labor-Greens dirty deals” and taking money out of their pockets as a result, especially by denying them tax breaks that their forebears enjoyed.
Subgeometer, yes, I understand the importance of the physio. I am very conscientious about doing my exercises as directed by the hospital’s physiotherapists. My surgery was two weeks ago today. I removed the dressing today. Big, impressive scar. I’m able to walk around quite OK now. Stairs are not yet possible.
Fubar, I spent about a year gathering stuff to establish my initial claim. It was very narrow at the time, but I’ve had continual medial care that has recorded a progressive deterioration. I am now on a 100% disability, totally unrelated to my recent knee replacement. All I can suggest is that you turn 70. 🙂
And for the record on the RSL, I sought their local advocate’s advice way back in 2002 before lodging a claim.
Panama Canal to cut daily ship traffic as drought worsens from El Nino: https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20260820-panama-canal-to-cut-daily-ship-traffic-as-drought-worsens-from-el-nino
And outright lies.
A mate of mine who is ON curious was arguing with me the other day the ON’s policy of no foreign ownership of housing was one of the reasons he was thinking of voting for them.
Luckily I had looked into this one months ago, and according to the ATO, its about 0.5% of all ownerships, and that was down from 0.8% in previous years.
So of course then he switched to the next ON lie, people owning multiple investment properties being the reason housing supply was so low. Luckily I’d also looked into this months ago.
Nearly 70% of people who own multiple properties own, wait for it, 1. 20% own 2. And it gets diminishingly smaller as we go up.
ON relies on people not knowing the data and that their claims on the surface look reasonable and something worth hanging grievance on, but under it all is a web of lies.
Mostly Interested says:
Friday, August 21, 2026 at 1:36 pm
…
ON relies on people not knowing the data and that their claims on the surface look reasonable and something worth hanging grievance on, but under it all is a web of lies.
The party of hate is now running this shit.The voice is dripping with venom. Where do they find these people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqKwV59JbQg&lc=UgzTQLZ39-6dssOJ57F4AaABAg
Luigi
That sounds like good progress. My friend had been hobbling around with one leg shorter than the other since breaking her leg badly in a nasty motorcycle accident 30 years ago, which lead to her knee packing it in. The surgeon rectified the leg when replacing her knee (about 8 months ago I think) so now she can walk normally which she is most impressed with
Yep, and when the data is looked at things get put into some kind of perspective.
Oh nos $38b left Australia last year
The ABS reported that foreign investment in Australia was A$4.96 trillion at the end of 2024 and A$5.12 trillion at the end of 2025.
Luigi Smith says:
Friday, August 21, 2026 at 1:31 pm
I tore my meniscus when I was 19 wave sailing. I didn’t need an operation. Just treated it conservatively and recovered. I subsequently joined the Army and was fine until about age 30 when the knee started to bother me – due to the physical activities required of the service. Had clean up op. All good.
On discharge I submitted my claims for all the damage done. They rejected any liability for my knee, despite all the wear and “tear” from my service, even though they had paid for the clean up.
It has started to occasionally flare up now. A friend of mine who is high up in DVA has said to resubmit my claim as they have a different culture now.
A good mate of mine was head injured in an ASLAV rollover. Blind and with the mental age of a ten year old, it took decades for DVA to finalise his claim as they continually said his condition was not stabilised enough for them to make an a final assessment. It wasn’t until we – his class mates – reached high enough ranks in both in the ADF and DVA – to bang enough heads together to get his claim finalised.
What a system.