GhostWhoVotes relates that the latest Newspoll has Labor leading 52-48, up from 51-49 last fortnight. Labor is up a point on the primary vote to 36%, and the Coalition down one to 40%. More to follow. UPDATE: The Australian report relates that Bill Shorten’s approval rating is up three points to 36%, which is the first time a poll has moved in his favour in quite a while. UPDATE 2: Full tables here; to fill in the blanks, Shorten’s disapproval is steady at 43%, Tony Abbott is up two on approval to 40% and steady on disapproval at 50%, and Abbott’s lead as preferred prime minister nudges from 42-36 to 43-36.
Today’s Morgan result, combining its regular face-to-face and SMS polling from the last two weekends, was the Coalition’s worst since the election, recording a 1.5% shift on the primary vote from the Coalition (to 38%) to Labor (38.5%), with the Greens down a point to 11% and Palmer United up half a point to 4.5%. On 2013 election preferences, this gives Labor a 53.5-46.5 lead, up from 52.5-47.5 a fortnight ago, while on respondent-allocated preferences the shift is from 53.5-46.5 to 54.5-45.5. Morgan has also been in the business lately of providing selective state-level two-party results, which are presumably based on respondent-allocated preferences. From this poll we are told Labor had unlikely leads of 56.5-43.5 in Queensland and 52-48 in Western Australia, together with leads of 54.5-45.5 in New South Wales and 55-45 in Victoria, and an unspecified “narrow” lead in South Australia.
UPDATE (Essential Research): Essential Research has Labor back up a point on the primary vote after it fell two last week, now at 37%, with the Coalition up one for a second week. The Greens and Palmer United are at 9% and 4%, with others down a point and the other loose point coming off rounding. Respondents were quizzed about the attributes of the major parties, which provides good news for Labor in that “divided” is down 14% to 58%, and “clear about what they stand for” is up 8% to 42%. Those are also the biggest movers for the Liberals, respectively down 6% and up 7%, although they are still performing better than Labor on each at 50% and 32%. The worst differential for Labor is still “divided”, at 26% in favour of the Liberals, while for the Liberals it’s “too close to the big corporate and financial interests”, which is at 62% for Liberal and 34% for Labor.
A question reading “as far as you know, do you think taxes in Australia are higher or lower than in other developed countries” turns up the fascinating finding that 64% of respondents believed they were higher versus only 8% for lower, while 65% believed taxes to have increased over the last five years versus 9% for decreased. Forty-seven per cent believe the current level of taxation is enough versus 33% who believe they will need to increase. The poll also finds 50% opposed to following New Zealand’s example in holding a referendum on changing the flag versus only 31% supportive.
kakuru
The Puff Adder meeting Blackadder, now that is a cunning plan!
And to the Tory echo-chamber here……
The current (ex GG – QB) had the “honour” foisted upon her by Abbott at the end of her gig, and was too much of a lady to throw it back in Abbott’s face.
I also understand she will not use the title and will no expect others to address her with the title.
You can bet however that “General, Sir Peter” will wallow in his gong.
Yet another tax-payer trip for General, Sir Peter and his good lady wife to the UK???
Tricot
More like the 1350s
Everything,
I guess Tony’s announcement made your day. Glad you are happy!
The problem is that we’ll all have to pay for it with a Sir-charge.
In other words, the culture war doesn’t just hide in the shadows, its out in the front and center because this mob has nothing constructive to offer this country. No plan for jobs. Now vision of the future beyond “self reliance”. Wreck the NBN. Penny pinch. Punish the helpless. And then Abbott makes news out of silly names. Is there a word that stretches beyond incompetent and dangerous?
cud chewer
[it only serves to highlight that his government is devoid of ideas,]
I think it was in the first or second week of parliament sitting someone here noted the week’s schedule essentially had no government business.
You can take the 10 pound Pom out of England, but clearly you can’t take the England out of this 10 pound Pom for this sad specimen who is a cardboard replica of a prime minister.
Good evening my fair ladies 🙂
Cud @755
I think we can use Liberal as both an adjective and a noun.
@rummel/758
We have truly gone back to the 1960’s at least.
I see that Ken Wyatt has changed his mind and now supports the rights of bigots to get stuck into Aborigines by way of the dissolution of 18C.
My advice Ken, is to grow a spine and get yourself on the cross benches. You are surrounded by white, anglophone, male supramacists.
Where is Noel Pearson on 18C?
Where is Mundine on 18C?
Surely these blokes must be starting to understand that Abbott has taken them for a right royal ride: White man speaks with farked tongue.
Hmmm. ABC report on MH370 riddled with technical errors. Finished with “information in the black box will only last for 30 days” … dur, the information will last a very long time, but the battery generating a signal to find the box will run out.
And going on about “19th century Doppler effect” … yeah, so when we hear a car go by and the pitch changes that must be a “19th century effect”.
And talking about the signal from the airplane being a “sound”. Yeah. Not so much.
Our ABC. Our journalistic standards.
Sir Everything
Sir Rummel
Sir Tinny
Dame ESJ
Sir Pell.
Bunyip Aristocrats Abound.
Viscount Moncton.
[The people got it wrong with Bjelke-Petersen because they called his wife Lady Flo, rather than Lady B-P.]
I seem to remember that Joh had Elizabeth II denoted ‘Queen of Queensland’ when he wanted to show his independence from the government in Canberra.
This raises an interesting point – can each of the (Coalition) states get the Queen to OK their choice of knights and dames? If so, there could be a whole lot of titled persons prancing around the countryside.
Sir Turbull.
Dame Pumpkin Scone.
Sir Obeid.
Sir Napthine
Sir O’Farrell
Lord Numpty.
I think it’s about time the libs got into symbolism politics as Labor and greens have been playing on the left field on there lonesome.
Incidentally, Chris Uhlmann gave Morrison a rather difficult time. The interesting question that Morrison spent most bluster on was whether or not there was video footage of people getting their hands burned while under the care and protection of the Australian nation.
Sir rummel of the drowned fire engine: the perfect political symbol.
rummell,
Most would settle for just a competent Government.
Joe Hockey as treasurer most unlikely to become Sir Plus.
O yes Sir Rummel duke of fires too think the serfs should be able to identify their masters
Signed
Mexi-Do-Beemer
Now lets eat cake
@Rummel/773
Yes, abit more power for King Abbott?
Boerwar
There is a 500% chance that everything will have been recorded. It was SOP even during Howard’s time.
I reckon substituting Terd and Dumb will probably bury the whle sideshow.
Please, no guff about Quentie being ambushed and forced to take the gong. Nobody can be forced to take a knighthood. Many, many people have refused. Quentie clearly wants to have a foot in both camps (I’ll take it, but I won’t use it). Sorry Quentie, it’s fish or fowl. Terrible decision.
I’m sure Abbott will construct some dodgy order of precedence in the Order of Australia but in the UK Imperial Honours, the title of Companion of Honour is above all the common or garden knighthoods people are given for their lifetime accomplishments. Most of the titles above it are things that the royals hand around amongst themsleves.
Refer http://www.debretts.com/people/honours/orders-and-decorations-conferred-crown
Quentin Bryce and Peter Cosgrove are already Companions of the Order of Australia. I’m pretty sure that the title for this honour was chosen to mean that the person had reached the pinnacle of personal success, much as the similarly named UK title.
It’s almost a demotion to now just be an ordinary Knight or Dame.
poroti,
Tony Abbott desperately seeking to be Sir Vive!
[sohar
Posted Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at 6:59 pm | PERMALINK
Everything,
I guess Tony’s announcement made your day. Glad you are happy!
The problem is that we’ll all have to pay for it with a Sir-charge.]
Huh?
[Boerwar
Posted Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at 7:08 pm | PERMALINK
Sir Everything
Sir Rummel
Sir Tinny]
Well…one wouldn’t request…..but if it were felt that one had done enough……blush
Steven Grant Haby
[Posted Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at 6:49 pm | PERMALINK
Victoria @ 714
I’ve been told by an ‘informed source’ to quote ‘Yes Minister’ than there are divisions within the Hird camp
Perhaps very close divisions… along the lines of the word ‘separate’
Make of that what one will…
Still it is very murky and unpleasant all round.
If I was Little I would have sacked JH 12 months ago.]
I have not heard that rumour
I wanted you guys to be the first to know and I extend my thanks to the PM on this long overdue recognition. Apparently it’s for my unselfish services and charitable work in battling loonie lefties in the blogasphere.
Arise ……
Sir Mick77
(how do I change my online PB name to reflect this William?)
Peter Dutton leading the Medicare co payment discussion is Sir Charge.
Dedicated to the Good Sir PM, Tony Abbott
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49FbSq_JNeQ
He really is a moron monkey man
[746
Tricot
Talk about one man band.
Not even the Liberals knew what was in Abbott’s head on his Nights and Dames.]
Abbott inviting a total belting in the WA Senate re-election.
Read in the Spectator UK.
Sir Elton and Lady John.
And all the liberals out in force due to the Sir Abbott Stunt Alot.
Victoria @ 787
Wait until tomorrow or Thursday
As I said it is only a rumour
Regardless Hird is gone… damaged goods.
Sir Mick77
Yes we superior people need grand titles to prove our aloofness from the serfs and peasant classes.
Only today my dragons had to burn a village of no good for nothing peasants for daring to expect the government would have an economic policy.
geez what next they will expect proper wages or access to health and education, this just cannot been tolerated.
tut tut off to have more cake
poroti@780
Of course the video may end up having been deleted ‘accidentially’ or ‘sadly’ lost.
Or the camera was faulty that day?
Sir Possum Comitatus @Pollytics
And second prize is you have to watch this twice
https://t.co/fKoU1ZasXa
Oh yes,
Australia Post future:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/25/uk-britain-royal-mail-employment-idUKBREA2O0CM20140325
“(Reuters) – Britain’s newly-privatised postal operator Royal Mail is to cut around 1,300 managerial and head office jobs in order to deliver annualised savings of 50 million pounds ($82.45 million).”
“Royal Mail, sold off last October in Britain’s biggest privatisation for decades, has shed 50,000 jobs in 11 years as part of a lengthy restructuring designed to allow it to better compete in a market shifting heavily from letters to parcels.”
Welcome to Privatization.
[zoidlord
Posted Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at 7:24 pm | PERMALINK
And all the liberals out in force due to the Sir Abbott Stunt A lot.]
Arent we as welcome as any other posters here?
briefly
[Abbott inviting a total belting in the WA Senate re-election.]
His masterstroke plan is to knight/dame anyone in WA who votes for the Coalition.