One sort-of-poll, and three items of Liberal preselection news:
• The latest results of the JWS Research True Issues survey records growing concern about the environment and climate change, which is now rated among the top five most important issues by 38% of respondents, compared with 33% in June and 31% a year ago. There is diminishing concern about immigration and border security (26%, down from 30% in June and 34% last November and defence, security and terrorism (18%, down from 20% in June and 29% a year ago). A range of measures of general optimism and perceptions of government performance produced weaker results than the June survey, which appeared to record a post-election spike in positive sentiment.
• Jim Molan will shortly return to the Senate after winning a party vote last weekend to fill the New South Wales Senate vacancy caused by Arthur Sinodinos’s resignation. Molan scored 321 votes to 260 for former state party director Richard Shields, adding a second silver medal to his collection after being shaded by Dave Sharma in Wentworth last year. This was despite Molan’s attempt to retain his seat from number four on the ticket at the May election by beseeching supporters to vote for him below the line, to the displeasure of some in the party (and still more of the Nationals, who would have been the losers if Molan had succeeded). Molan was reportedly able to secure moderate faction support due to the apprehension that he will not seek another term beyond the next election.
• The Victorian Liberal Party is embroiled in a dispute over a plan for preselection proceedings for the next federal election to start as soon as January, which has been endorsed by the party’s administrative committee but is bitterly opposed by affected federal MPs. The committee is determined not to see a repeat of the previous term, when preselections were taken out of the hands of branch members to head off a number of challenges to sitting members. Those challenges might now come to fruition, most notably a threat to Howard government veteran Kevin Andrews, whose seat of Menzies is of interest to Keith Wolahan, a barrister and former army officer. Tim Wilson in Goldstein and Russell Broadbent in Monash (formerly McMillan) have also been mentioned as potential targets. According to Rob Harris of The Age, votes in Liberal-held seats could happen as soon as late February, with marginal seats to unfold from April to August and Labor-held seats to be taken care of in October.
• Matthew Denholm of The Australian ($) reports Eric Abetz and his conservative supporters believe they have seen off a threat to his position at the top of the Liberals’ Tasmanian Senate ticket, following elections for the state party’s preselection committee. Abetz’s opponents believed he should make way for rising star Jonathan Duniam to head the ticket, and for the secure second seat to go to Wendy Askew, one of the Tasmanian Liberals’ limited retinue of women MPs.
Ryde district (North-western Sydney), air is full of smoke of type indicating close bushfire.
I have checked the Fires Near Me site https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me, but no reports of anything close.
I don’t believe it.
I lived for many years in a semi-rural area where I was a DC of local RFS brigade.
It smells local.
Given forecast of dangerous fire weather today, this is a worry.
Thanks for the link to JWS research, William.
It says only 22% of respondents rated environment as biggest issue 5 months ago. Now it’s 34%.
Interesting.
[ edit: even more interesting: 48% of people aged 55+ rate it most important]
I wonder if Morrison would still be PM if the federal election had been held now.
Very doubtful.
No wonder he has gone to ground.
Western Sydney (Blacktown) is the same Maude Lynne. I just assumed it was back burning or the fire at the Wollemi NP. Bad in city too.
Hi Aqualung,
Visibility from where I look is down to about 1km or so.
But it smells local.
I expect a lot of people will be very badly affected.
There should be air quality warnings and advice about what to do if you have breathing difficulties all over the media.
But Berejiklian’s Gov’t has starved the EPA of funds. I mean, they’re the enemy, aren’t they?
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Shane Wright outlines Frydenberg’s thinking before the release of the next intergenerational report in March.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/new-dynamic-frydenberg-says-over-60s-need-to-retrain-to-boost-economy-20191118-p53brb.html
Australia now has a one-speed economy – and that speed is slow laments Greg Jericho.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2019/nov/19/australia-now-has-a-one-speed-economy-and-that-speed-is-slow
The SMH editorial demands that ICAC’s budget must be protected from political manipulation. It is very suspicious of Berejiklian’s move to get the Auditor-General to hold an inquiry into the funding model for ICAC and three other investigative bodies: the NSW Electoral Commission, the NSW Ombudsman and the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, which looks at police malfeasance.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/icac-budget-must-be-h-from-political-manipulation-20191118-p53bq2.html
Elizabeth Knight explains why there’s no question the Harvey Norman annual meeting next week is shaping up as one of the dirtiest and most theatrical in recent corporate history.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/push-to-oust-katie-page-from-harvey-norman-board-gets-fresh-support-20191118-p53bny.html
Lisa Vinsentin reports that a Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP who owns more than $17 million of water entitlements in the Murray-Darling basin wants to force politicians to disclose their water interests.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/shooters-mp-with-17m-of-water-assets-pushes-for-mandatory-disclosures-20191118-p53bju.html
Shane Wright tells us how a new study has found that outstanding performance can lead to arrogance or overconfidence. Such hubris can lead to unethical or even unlawful behaviour when people think they can get away with actions that others cannot get away with. Hmm.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/hubris-in-well-performing-companies-can-lead-to-trouble-study-20191118-p53bkx.html
Peter Hartcher explains what is behind China’s crushing of the Uighurs.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/what-lies-beyond-china-s-crushing-of-the-uighurs-20191118-p53bpx.html
According to Clancy Yeates the government says it will consider lifting the current $5000 lower limit on being put into bankruptcy, after coming under pressure from banks and consumer groups amid concerns about aggressive tactics used by debt collectors.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/sledgehammer-to-crack-a-walnut-5000-bankruptcy-threshold-under-review-20191118-p53blr.html
Emma Koehn writes that the Australian Logistics Council has warned Australian consumers will take a hit as the cost of goods ramps up if the country doesn’t address an impending truck driver shortage, echoing recent calls from smaller freight companies for a national training and technology plan for the sector.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/costs-must-go-up-freight-companies-warn-of-looming-truckie-shortage-20191118-p53bho.html
The Age reports that Companies linked to Ferrari-driving property developer John Woodman paid two councillors at Victoria’s Casey council more than $1.2 million in what a lawyer for the Victorian anti-corruption commission said was an attempt to win favourable planning decisions worth up to $100 million in one case. Charming!
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/developer-paid-millions-into-the-accounts-of-local-councillors-corruption-probe-20191118-p53bkb.html
Sarah Martin reveals that a former Nationals candidate received a $300,000 federal government grant under the Coalition’s regional jobs scheme, and then appeared in an advertisement spruiking the program in the lead-up to the May election.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/19/former-nationals-candidate-spruiks-regional-jobs-scheme-after-300000-grant-for-crocodile-farm
The AFR reports on the pension crisis sweeping the world.
https://www.afr.com/wealth/superannuation/their-house-is-on-fire-the-pension-crisis-sweeping-the-world-20191118-p53bhk
A coral scientist whose work is attacked in a mini-documentary from the Institute of Public Affairs says the right wing thinktank has misrepresented her study. Well fancy that!
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/19/scientist-says-rightwing-thinktank-misrepresented-her-great-barrier-reef-study
Stephen Bartholomeusz writes that ASIC has shot down claims its approach to responsible lending is crimping credit flows, as it waits for a chance to contest the ‘wagyu and shiraz’ judgment.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/corporate-watchdog-moves-to-firm-up-fuzzy-responsible-lending-laws-20191118-p53bmx.html
Incidents of Islamophobia remain a troubling presence in the lives of Australian Muslims, with perpetrators becoming more severe and brazen in their attacks, which are most often aimed at women, a report has found.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/bad-culture-growing-report-finds-islamophobic-incidents-becoming-more-brazen-20191117-p53bce.html
Web-connected devices including smart TVs, watches and home speakers will be subject to a new industry code to protect Australians from cyber hackers.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/new-code-for-internet-connected-devices-to-stop-hackers-20191118-p53bp9.html
After Folau’s latest effort the ACL says, “Nobody knows God’s mind, nor do they understand ultimately why bad things happen,” he wrote. “We do know that the Bible says God is sovereign over everything, and He is ‘our ever-present help in times of trouble.’ ” Well there you are!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nobody-knows-god-s-mind-christian-group-won-t-condemn-folau-20191118-p53bpy.html
Humans light 85% of bushfires, and we do virtually nothing to stop it says academic Janet Stanley.
https://theconversation.com/humans-light-85-of-bushfires-and-we-do-virtually-nothing-to-stop-it-126941
Progressive and collective social struggle is the path out of neoliberalism writes John Falzon.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/18/progressive-and-collective-social-struggle-is-the-path-out-of-neoliberalim
On Prince Andrew’s interview Jenna Price concludes that “A friend to a paedophile and grateful for that. He shamed himself and his family and provided an excellent lesson in how not to respond to accusations of sexual assault and abuse.”
https://www.smh.com.au/national/prince-andrew-s-most-important-denial-20191118-p53bmd.html
Families would be able to claim child care costs of up to $60,000 a year as a tax deduction under a proposal to be launched by Liberal MP David Sharma on Tuesday. But there’s a catch – it would disproportionately benefit the wealthy reveals Sam Maiden.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/11/18/tax-deductible-child-care-catch/
Jennifer Arcuri, the US businesswoman at the centre of conflict of interest allegations against Boris Johnson, has said she warned the prime minister last week that she would speak out against him after he repeatedly refused to take her calls. Oh Boris!
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/18/jennifer-arcuri-says-boris-johnson-left-her-to-be-fed-to-the-lions
The UK Guardian says that Boris Johnson is deluded if he thinks he can ‘get Brexit done’ in a hurry.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/18/boris-johnson-get-brexit-done-tories-majority-eu
Art Cullen writes that Marie Yovanovich represents something Americans are desperate for and that’s decency.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/18/marie-yovanovich-represents-something-americans-are-desperate-for-decency
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe and the government’s China problems.
Cathy Wilcox continues her good form.
From Matt Golding.
Zanetti gets this one right.
As does Glen Le Lievre.
From Spooner in The Oz.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/7876cd26fdf3b40ed787d4b6953985e4?width=1024
From the US
Cud Chewer says:
Monday, November 18, 2019 at 6:56 pm
frednk
The Geelong and Ballarat share duel tracks
I think you mean “dual” tracks. Duel tracks make me think of jousting – which could be a fun new sport if it involves trains
My mistake, a duel track is obviously a single track with two trains on it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNGGuxMEtQU
Trump Is Under Investigation For Felony Lie To Mueller
The House is investigating Donald Trump’s lie to Robert Mueller that he never discussed Wikileaks with Roger Stone. If Trump lied, it’s a felony.
CNN reported:
The House of Representatives is now investigating whether President Donald Trump lied to special counsel Robert Mueller in written answers he provided in the Russia investigation, the House’s general counsel said in federal court Monday.
Trump claimed that he never talked to Roger Stone about Wikileaks in his written responses to Mueller, but witnesses overheard Trump talking to Stone about Wikileaks during the campaign.
As Richard Painter pointed out if Trump lied, that’s a felony:
https://www.politicususa.com/2019/11/18/trump-investigated-mueller-lie.html
Cohen’s Testimony Could Prove Trump Lied To Mueller About WikiLeaks
https://bylinetimes.com/2019/02/27/cohens-testimony-could-prove-trump-lied-to-mueller-about-wikileaks/
A lovely fantasy, if both Abetz and Andrews lost selection.
AP Exclusive: US officials knew of Ukraine’s Trump anxiety
U.S. State Department officials were informed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was feeling pressure from the Trump administration to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden even before the July phone call that has led to impeachment hearings in Washington,
In early May, officials at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, including then-Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, were told Zelenskiy was seeking advice on how to navigate the difficult position he was in, the two people told the AP. He was concerned President Donald Trump and associates were pressing him to take action that could affect the 2020 U.S. presidential race,
https://apnews.com/139dd535eac749aa961bc0205d10e872
Thanks BK.
More about that IPA BS.
IPA employee, biologist Dr Jennifer Marohasy ( whose study speciality is insects), has strayed again outside her field to criticise the work of coral scientist Dr Tara Clark.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/19/scientist-says-rightwing-thinktank-misrepresented-her-great-barrier-reef-study
But then, Dr Marohasy does have form.
Two years ago she was called out by Graham Readfern and other climate scientists for co-authoring a paper claiming to show that recent global warming was almost entirely natural.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/planet-oz/2017/aug/26/institute-of-public-affairs-paper-claim-global-warming-natural-junk-science
Why call it ‘junk science’?
It selectively chooses historical data to ‘prove’ their prejudices.
Marohasy should stick to insects.
I wonder if Gina and Rupert would fly in a plane that had been serviced by a suburban motor mechanic.
The best thing that could happen is Trump testifies, but he won’t.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/impeachment-hearings-live-updates/2019/11/18/6bba93b4-09f1-11ea-8397-a955cd542d00_story.html
Didn’t Trump ‘strongly consider’ testifying before Mueller? But in the end he just phoned it in with conveniently-worded answers (probably not written by him) to questions he allowed himself to be asked. Sounds like he is playing exactly the same tune again.
C@t:
I remember him tweeting that he had nothing to hide from Mueller and wanted to have his say, but then his lawyers got to him, obviously understanding the man is a loose cannon and likely to do more harm to his cause than good. I reckon the same will happen now: he’ll be all over fronting the inquiry until his lawyers advise him to shut it. 😀
Maude Lynne @ #1 Tuesday, November 19th, 2019 – 4:57 am
We were woken up at 4.30am this morning by my son who couldn’t sleep due to the density of the smoke in the air. We checked the Fires Near Me app and it seems as though the Wollemi fire has jumped east and is now pretty close to the Dharug National Park, which could easily send smoke down towards the Central Coast and on to Sydney. Wind is ENE at the moment.
‘fess,
I also think it’s a strategy to spin the hearings out to next year. He knows Congress has to show deference to the President and so he’ll have no qualms about leading them on a wild goose chase. He’s the goose of course. 😀
Not Beijing, not New Delhi – Sydney this morning…
Thanks BK for the Dawn Patrol.
I like your commentary.
Quick Muriel, before Brown Bear awakes – you have the cold shower 🚿while I make the coffee. ☕ Hee Hee.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/defusing-fiscal-timebomb-will-be-an-ageold-question/news-story/15aa6110ae4d75ee929755f4d188a32f
Mr. Frydenberg appears to be doing a lot of jerking (knee)- whether or no this will be a benefit to future generations remains to be seen.
Toodles. ☮ ☕
Thanks C@t.
That means the fire could, today, end up at the Hawkesbury River.
Depends on wind conditions, of course.
A real worry.
C@t:
I know Republicans have mused about keeping the inquiry going into next year because it ties up those Democrat Potus candidates in the Senate. Personally I think that would be a huge risk for those Republicans seeking re-election as it keeps Trump in the news over the holiday season when most Americans just want him to STFU and leave them alone.
Cat, I feel you. Waking up to smoke has become the norm here too. Some days it’s just a light haze but then the wind changes and it becomes a thick fog that totally blocks out the sky. All I can smell is burnt trees. They reckon the still out of control fire in the rainforest on Mt Nardi will continue to burn for weeks unless there is a significant amount of rain. And we’re only half way into Nov…
Frydenberg still seems to be talking about long term change, always away in the future, never in the now. Is he frightened of actually doing something in case it doesn’t work?
Does this mean more penalties imposed on them? Always a stick, never a carrot.
A “nearly fatal” power outage at Alcoa’s Portland smelter at the weekend has prompted calls for work to be done to stabilise the state’s electricity grid.
Australian Workers Union south-west Victoria union organiser Rob Saunders said workers came in on days off to help save the plant.
“It was nearly fatal, there’s no two ways about it,” Mr Saunders said.
“To lose power to a potline for as long as they did, it’s pretty well unheard of to be able to save it from that.
Daniel Andrews needs to realise if Victoria cannot guarantee a reliable power supply then companies are going to pack up and leave, taking hundreds of blue collar jobs with them.
Or Alcoa could do what many other companies do when power is critical – put in their own backup power plants.
Yes, I know an Al smelter uses a lot of power. Just deal with it. It’s Alcoa’s problem.
Trump makes the US the bitch of every small big man authoritarian leader.
taylormade @ #23 Tuesday, November 19th, 2019 – 7:44 am
Hysterical over-egging of the pudding!. 1 Bex and a good lie down for you.
https://www.standard.net.au/story/6496402/power-outage-affects-portland-smelter/
For the reliability of power supply.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/coal-seen-as-biggest-threat-to-victoria-power-supply-29072/
The biggest threat to Victoria’s power supply over the coming decade is not the growing share of renewables on the grid, but increasingly unreliable brown coal power plants, and government policies designed to prop up struggling black coal generators.
‘Daniel Andrews needs to realise if Victoria cannot guarantee a reliable power supply then companies are going to pack up and leave, taking hundreds of blue collar jobs with them.’
Where was the concern for blue collar workers when the car industry was shut down?
I wonder if letting Alcoa shutdown, will help stabalise the grid.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-coast/australian-walkabout-wildlife-park-evacuation-wombats-flown-to-safety/news-story/93a685ca4724d52d3afabb1932e5a700
About 100 animals have been evacuated with more than 100 to go. Helicopter rides for wombats.✔✔
A bear-nosed wombat. That’s an exotic new species!
Shelton would be delighted with the publicity.
Maude Lynne @ #24 Tuesday, November 19th, 2019 – 7:48 am
Yeah, they’re socialists when it suits them and capitalists when there’s money to be made.
Nelson knows nothing. Always more buildings, never real help. The money would be better spent in training companion dogs, who have proven success in helping veterans on a daily basis. Hasn’t he read the personal stories?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-18/war-memorial-brendan-nelson-expansion-prevent-soldier-ptsd/11715076
lizzie @ #22 Tuesday, November 19th, 2019 – 7:42 am
But what’s he going to do about the young people in precarious employment or without a job at all or the skills to get one or the money to pay for the training to be able to apply for a job!?!
Maude Lynne says:
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 7:48 am
taylormade says:
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 7:44 am
A “nearly fatal” power outage at Alcoa’s Portland smelter at the weekend has prompted calls for work to be done to stabilise the state’s electricity grid.
…..
Daniel Andrews needs to realise if Victoria cannot guarantee a reliable power supply then companies are going to pack up and leave, taking hundreds of blue collar jobs with them.
Or Alcoa could do what many other companies do when power is critical – put in their own backup power plants.
Yes, I know an Al smelter uses a lot of power. Just deal with it. It’s Alcoa’s problem.
As it was a transmission line issue, the point of this post is???????????????
And I find it really hard to see a 60 year old riding a bike for Deliveroo. 😐
My son loves having cold showers. He tried to get me to do it too. I said, maybe on the hottest day of summer. 😉
lizzie @ #31 Tuesday, November 19th, 2019 – 8:03 am
Yes indeedy ❗
Not for us the Common Wombat. Oh no –
The common wombat (Vombatus ursinus), also known as the coarse-haired wombat or bare-nosed wombat, is a marsupial, one of three extant species of wombats and the only one in the genus Vombatus.
Something for nothing about not much —
No surprises here, but the drought provides a get-out-of-jail card for MDB management.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-19/drought-and-water-policy-to-blame-for-water-bird-decline/11715412
C@tmomma @ #37 Tuesday, November 19th, 2019 – 8:13 am
What, I wonder are Mr. Frydenberg’s plans for the over 80’s ❓ Using likely life expectancy tables – crossing off the pension lists perhaps.
KayJay 😆 😆
My mum’s shocking for using the wrong name.
I have 2 older brothers and it almost sounds like a litany as she goes through them to get to mine. 🙂
Alcoa had a backup power station at Anglesea, they decommissioned it for very good reasons, power stations do not last forever. They now depend 100% of the inter-connector.It is not Andrews problem. Taylormade’s post is nonsense. Up there with blaming South Australia going black on re-newables when the issues was transmission towers being blown over.
Barney
It’s almost as bad when I want to reprimand a dog and can’t recall its name quickly enough!
Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #42 Tuesday, November 19th, 2019 – 8:26 am
I love it. 😇
Barney in Tanjung Bunga
says:
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 8:26 am
KayJay
My mum’s shocking for using the wrong name.
I have 2 older brothers and it almost sounds like a litany as she goes through them to get to mine.
________________________
Even your mum don’t like ya. 🙂
Noticed a pop-up ad for the Actuaries Institute today (for the punctuation Nazis, no apostrophe) in the SMH. Thought it strange.
https://actuaries.asn.au/microsites/see-what-we-see
What are they buttering us up for?
frednk @ #43 Tuesday, November 19th, 2019 – 8:26 am
Why do I get the strong impression that taylormade works in the office of a Victorian Liberal MP?
Good Morning
My best wishes to everyone today with the fire situation.
I hope Labor listens to John Falzon and earlier on Wayne Swan.
Be progressive embrace collectivism. Reject neo liberalism.