This week’s reading of the Essential Research fortnight rolling average has Labor’s two-party lead at 54-46, out from 53-47 last week, with primary vote numbers not available at this stage. Also featured are Essential’s monthly leadership ratings, which have Malcolm Turnbull up three on approval to 38% and steady on disapproval at 46%; Bill Shorten up one to 36% and up five to 47%; and Turnbull’s lead as preferred prime minister at 43-29, compared with 41-27 last time. Respondents were also asked if they favoured a series of measures on energy policy, which found strong support for regulating power prices, increasing investment in renewable energy and storage, reserving gas for domestic use, and a “clean-up of existing coal-fired power stations”, while lesser but still majority support for forcing energy companies to help their customers use less power and bringing privatised coal generators back into public ownership. Twenty-eight per cent rated Labor most likely to deliver lower power prices compared with 19% for the Coalition, with 35% for no difference and 18% for don’t know.
UPDATE: Full report here. Primary votes are Coalition steady on 36%, Labor steady on 37%, Greens steady on 10% and One Nation up a point to 9%.
Alias, name your charity
Lord Haw Haw of Arabia
Perhaps the amendment of the Marriage Act should go all the way in separation of church and state?
Make the signing and witnessing of the contract a purely administrative function, carried out by public servants in the offices of Births, Deaths and Marriages and if couples wish to have flamboyant ceremonies of whatever flavour, they are free to do so but they carry no legal weight.
Hiya Lord. Of course, the “flamboyant ceremonies” that have been conducted in the past already carry no legal weight. They are ornaments added on to the deed of notarising and witnessing the existence of a union between two persons….
But I agree with you. I would not confer on anyone at all the right to “celebrate” a marriage unless they were willing to do so on a completely non-discriminatory basis. After all, no-one forces a person to become a celebrant. They choose this role of their own volition. If anyone wishes to become a celebrant – that is, to exercise a civil delegation – they should agree to take all comers, regardless of their sexuality, gender, past marital status, race, ethnicity, language or religious affiliations. We are talking about equal rights of admission to a civil estate.
We should not be in the business of entrenching sectarian privilege.
Yay! One less vote for the No camp. My eldest son, who would’ve voted No, just decided to throw his vote away. Literally. : )
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-14/hopes-for-federal-anti-corruption-body-dashed/8944082
A parliamentary committee has stopped short of recommending a federal anti-corruption commission, which if adopted would have broad powers to tackle institutional, political and electoral wrongdoing.
::::
But the committee’s report recommends only that the Government give “careful consideration” to establishing and investigating a National Integrity Commission.
:::::
Former NSW Supreme Court judge Anthony Whealy QC, now president of Transparency International, described the committee’s decision as “a damp squib”.
::::
Mr Whealy criticised Labor and Coalition members of the parliamentary committee for putting the proposed commission in the “too hard basket”.
“We all know the shortcomings of the present system and it’s only politicians, especially the Coalition and some people in the Labor party, who’ve been holding out,” he said.
Player One
briefly @ #1695 Friday, September 15th, 2017 – 5:43 pm
fwiw, I tried to check to see if my survey response could be read from outside a sealed envelope. Nup. Not at all. This is furphy propagated by the NO voices.
No it isn’t. Just hold your envelope up to the light. It’s easy to see.
This is incorrect. I folded the form, plan d it in the envelope provided and sealed it. The markings cannot be seen from either side even when held up to sunlight.
Player One
Had a thought related to this proxy voting… what do you think about giving your vote to a gay person? It’s not appropriate for us to give out rights by majority vote. But if someone wants to vote to claim these rights for themselves, then we can allow and assist them to do that.
I guess I could root around in the garbage and… ; )
I have just looked at the return envelope of one of my returns and despite the light being incredibly bright, I could not see the response. I call BS on this claim.
Greensborough Growler
The internet is replete with examples.
Oh, the internet…good-oh
P1
Fraud is always a side-splitter.
Oh no no! He needs to vote! The whole “don’t vote because it’s pointless and a flawed process!” message is only meant for potential ‘yes’ voters.
In fact, you should also abstain to balance him out or it’s unfair.
(Above is sarcasm, in case it isn’t obvious)
Go on. It’s just a jump to the left. And then a step to the right.
It’s all an expensive mess; expensive in money and wasted lives.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-15/asylum-seekers-on-manus-face-indefinite-stay-in-png/8947356
Well, we got our surveys today. Tested you can see the responses by holding up to the light, before posting. Nup.
The survey was a fraud long before this happened.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-15/same-sex-marriage-extra-survey-form-lands-in-the-mailbox/8950588
For those who do want to take part, but their survey form has landed at a former address, you can claim it back.
The ABS advises anyone who has not received a survey form by September 25 to contact the ABS, and a replacement will be sent out.
That new form will have a new barcode, and any previous form that has been sent back in will not be counted.
Rational Leftist,
The whole “don’t vote because it’s pointless and a flawed process message” is only meant for potential ‘yes’ voters.
But, but, that’s the reason he gave! ; )
In fact, you should also abstain to balance him out or it’s unfair.
Yeah. Nah. : )
This allows for…. even more fraud!!!!
It’s almost like the ABS isn’t the right department to run this.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/south-korea-responds-to-norths-latest-missile-test-with-one-of-its-own-20170915-gyiad7.html
So Turnbull defends the church the right to deny a marriage because of someone’s political views (because that is what the plebiscite/survey has made it).
It may be legal, but is it moral?
I can see this is a pushback to the right confirming religions will still be able to discriminate, but is it morally the right thing to say?
There’s a lot of emotion in this protest pic.
Family get together today; pretty right wing bunch. One brother complaining he now has yes and rainbows in the windows thanks to 18 year old daughter. All of next generation yes with gusto. My generation all but one; parliament should have done their job; just get on with it already. One no.
https://mobile.twitter.com/roweafr/status/908599302448070656/photo/1
David Rowe
PH will never be the same again
I’m really looking forward to Roberts appearance in court next week. Let’s just see how his arrogance stands up to being cross examined.
JR
So turnbull defends the church the right to deny a marriage because of someone’s political views (because that is what the plebiscite/survey has made it).
The real concern is nursing/ aged care homes. The catholic and presbyterian own lots of them. catholic said will sack anyone who supports equality, prestys refuse to provide services, such as marriage.
turnbull needs to give assurances now that no-one will be evicted from religious aged care/ nursing homes because of their views on equality. The oldies see the news and their impressions will be that their votes can be seen under light and a yes vote will mean they can be kicked out because our prime minister says that is ok to do.
In the NZ election a Chinese born candidate is under investigation for not decllaring his prior work for Chinese intelligence in his kiwi citizen appplication. Guess which party?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11922788
Funny how it is usually conservattive parties. Magnets for good character.
lizzie
Where does the protest pic come from?
As a thought experiment,it is interesting to thing what would be the response in papers like the AFR, if for example a Labor government ordered a coal power plant to be closed as per its planned date even though a company wanted to extend its life.
From the AFR:
“The Prime Minister must appreciate that the AGL CEO is answerable to a board which has fiduciary duties which cannot be overridden by Prime Ministerial fiat. He cannot direct the company to make a decision against the long-term interests of its shareholders,” Mr Bradley said.
Despite the warning, Mr Bradley didn’t think that Mr Turnbull had overstepped the mark yet.
“The Prime Minister is looking to turn over every rock he possibly can to find the best solution to what is a terrible policy mess that has been created by a decade of bad decisions by both state and federal governments,” Mr Bradley said.”
Has the term ‘sovereign risk’ appeared in the press this week regarding the government and AGL?
Alias, name your charity
The Boris holiday and retirement fund sounds like a good charity to me alias.
monica
Posted by the CFMEU.
Re the fake survey / plebiscite, I wonder if this is a potential source of error for many people who live in units rather than single dwellings?
I voted in the NSW Local Government Elections last Saturday. My name was crossed of the list when I received my ballot paper. My address is registered as NNN, XXXX TTTT, YYYY where NNN is my street number, ‘XXXX TTTT’ the street name and ‘YYYY’ the suburb. I have been listed at that address for many years, since I moved here.
However, Street number ‘NNN’ is the address of a high rise building with dozens of units, including mine. I don’t know why my unit number wasn’t on the list they used. I would have supplied it when I moved here all those years ago, in time to chuck out Malcolm Fraser.
If they don’t have the unit number for whatever reason, my form will be delivered to the ‘Secretary’ mailbox. Since I’m the Secretary, I’ll still get it. Maybe I’ll see other residents’ forms in there as well.
Reports of explosion on London Tube at Parsons Green station
http://www.smh.com.au/world/reports-of-explosion-on-london-tube-at-parsons-green-station-20170915-gyilbi.html
Interesting re nursing homes Boris, I can see that scenario, especially if it is reported in tabloid TV ‘current affairs ‘ shows.
If Roberts is in the High Court next week, it may give us an idea of how Barnaby is going to go.
lizzie, thanks.
Labor has much to remedy when they win the next election. I expect Dreyfus has a considerable file or series of same of those who are due for early retirement.
Unfortunately i do wish to destroy our Australian identity, culture & way of life, and do wish to push for multiculturalism and don’t mind saying sorry sincerely & often; So i would hope that the ABC would also give my views some time & space and representation not just the ones Pauline promotes.
Well said Booleanbach!
Margaret Simons
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/15/the-new-media-ownership-law-doesnt-address-the-real-crisis-journalism-is-facing?CMP=share_btn_tw
monica
Labor always tends to be too even-handed, fair or soft-hearted. They need to brace themselves and do their utmost to reverse the imbalances put in place by the Libs. Rudd was too soft and lost the opportunity.
Quite obviously, following attempts to obtain privileged protection for their discriminatory intentions, the deists should be legally prevented from discriminating against any person on the basis of their beliefs.
This will have to go to such things as beliefs in relation to…
same sex marriage
the re-marriage of divorced persons
marriage between persons of different religions or those who have no religion
the sexuality or gender of any person
abortion
contraception
voluntary assisted dying
It is high time to re-assert the primacy of secular values and practices.
But, but, but, they ran such a successful Census last year.
JR
Interesting re nursing homes Boris, I can see that scenario, especially if it is reported in tabloid TV ‘current affairs ‘ shows.
Yar, we have abbott, howard and the rest of the pack crying think of the children. But what about the oldies kicked out onto the street because they support equality.
briefly
There is a reason why the fastest growing religion in Australia if “none”. You do not grow your reach with discrimination. Leave them to it I say.
briefly:
The other one that comes to mind: should infertile or senior couples be allowed to marry? Seeing as marriage is about family and and children and all.
That light on the envelope is correct. 5 yes, yes, yes, yes ,yes votes (sounding a bit like sally there 🙂 ) in our house.
But placed torch flat against envelope, shining up to me, and could clearly see the yes box marked. Turn envelope over if you can’t see it clearly the first time.
confessions
briefly:
The other one that comes to mind: should infertile or senior couples be allowed to marry? Seeing as marriage is about family and and children and all.
Yes, the hypocrisies and fantasies collide with each other at the altar.
there are gay oldies in nursing homes, some enlightened ones allow them to share a room, others dont.
But if they want to get married once equality is passed many will have to leave the aged care they are in, incurring substantial financial penalties, all with the blessing of turnbull.
Apparently if you fold the paper the opposite way, against the folds the vote is no longer visible.
lizzie
I am so hoping that Labor goes in hard. Just all those failed Lib pollies who’ve been gifted well paid gov’t jobs for starters.