Courtesy of The Australian, the latest Newspoll, the first in three weeks, has Labor’s two-party lead narrowing from 52-48 to 51-49 (though there is a view abroad that Newspoll’s preference model is short-changing Labor), with the Coalition steady on 38% of the primary vote, Labor down one to 34%. There is no evidence of change in Greens support with the change of leadership, which is steady at 13%, and One Nation are steady at 4%. A recent spike in Anthony Albanese’s personal ratings has worn off, with his approval down four to 39% and disapproval up four to 44%, while Scott Morrison is up one on approval to 38% and down one on disapproval to 58%. We are told that Morrison has “closed the gap” on preferred prime minister, but must await more detail on that one.
UPDATE: GhostWhoVotes relates that Anthony Albanese maintains a bare 41-40 lead as preferred prime minister, down from 43-38 last time. The BludgerTrack trends on the sidebar have been updated with the personal and preferred prime minister ratings. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Saturday from a sample of 1513.
UPDATE 2: Newspoll also has a question that asks whether respondents thought the bushfires were more the result of “global warming and climate change” or “a failure by state and territory governments to conduct adequate hazard reduction in winter to lower the risk”, plus a curious third option of “nothing stands out”. Despite the spikes in concern about climate change and the environment recorded by recent Ipsos Issues Monitor and Australia Institute surveys, this poll records 56% favouring the second of the options, compared with only 35% for global warming. However, 43% now favour lowering emissions as a priority over keeping energy prices down (42%) and preventing blackouts (11%), which compares with 24%, 63% and 9% in July 2018, and 41% now say they would pay more to meet emissions targets compared with 50% who would not, comparing with 30% and 58% in October 2017.
Firefox @ #38 Sunday, February 23rd, 2020 – 7:43 pm
Do you know how the current NewsPoll relates to the figures seen at the last election?
Your assessment is as sound as someone saying Labor is in front.
i.e. not very, as we don’t know if the changes have made up for the errors at the last election.
Firefox:
[‘Like I said, the Greens vote has risen lately according to Newspoll.’]
Statically insignificant, like Labor’s lead over the dem no-good Tories.
Barney, that’s why I’m saying “according to Newspoll”. That’s all we’ve got to work with right now.
Firefox @ #53 Sunday, February 23rd, 2020 – 8:10 pm
“According to NewsPoll” is a fairly meaningless phrase at the moment.
“Statically insignificant, like Labor’s lead over the dem no-good Tories.”
***
Then why the fuck are we all even here rambling on about supposedly “statistically insignificant” numbers? You’ve got to laugh sometimes lol
Firefox @11.15
“Then why the fuck are we all even here rambling on about supposedly “statistically insignificant” numbers? You’ve got to laugh sometimes lol”
Many have laughed and given up!
(Never to be heard of again)
“why the fuck” also explains why thd polls don’t change whatever and we end up with a Morrison government.
Mention the “greens” and as with lots of kids, you get abused.
Eat up your greens firefox.
It leads to better outcones.
Barney, so should we just not say anything at all in this thread? Yes, we all know the poll may be wrong. That’s no different to any other poll that gets posted here.
I agree,
I hate it when someone says sorry when they have nothing to apologise for.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-22/why-women-say-sorry-and-what-to-say-instead/11985026
FWIW the combined LNP and ALP PV in that Syd Uni poll last week was just 68.2%, almost a third of votes elsewhere, with 14.7% Greens and almost 11% others. The latter seeming to be not so much ONP as indies who are trying to do good for the communities to me. Which seems to be the case with this latest newspoll, others went up, ONP didn’t go anywhere.
It’s almost like more people are realising they should vote for representatives who will really act on the public and country’s interests rather than be beholden to the donors or old parties who aren’t actually capable of doing anything different to business as usual, which is destroying the joint.
Firefox:
“Statically insignificant, like Labor’s lead over the dem no-good Tories.”
***
[‘Then why the fuck are we all even here rambling on about supposedly “statistically insignificant” numbers? You’ve got to laugh sometimes lol’]
Yes!
Honest Government Ad | After the fires
Some were speaking of honest messaging from Oz governments, or to the necessity or not of honesty to get into Oz govt
Juice media has two follow up podcasts on youtube now, to their actual Honest Government Ad After The Fires. Featuring long form (>40 min) interviews with Simon Holmes A Court on renewables and Michael Mann on climate science and the politics of it respectively
Juice Podcast 8 | feat. Simon Holmes à Court
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G65uErCLOs
Juice Podcast 9 | feat. Michael E. Mann
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfGQI98liVw
Also here’s Adam Bandt in parliament 2 years ago, in support of such works, burning the then Turnbull LNP government for trying to criminalise such honest government advertising because the line between idocy, satire and truth in auspol has apparently dissappeared entirely into the sea of mediocrity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=275o-JObtWY
Firefox @ #57 Sunday, February 23rd, 2020 – 8:27 pm
Absolute statements are problematic at the moment because we have very little indication in how the polls are performing.
Essential still hasn’t ventured into this space because of it.
lol indeed Goll!
“Essential still hasn’t ventured into this space because of it.”
***
Would be nice if they did.
I’m starting to see Sanders as a credible candidate, poor old Grear Uncle Joe now, I think, out of the race:
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/it-s-time-to-stop-underestimating-bernie-sanders-democratic-frontrunner-20200223-p543j1.html
Boerwar:
Why* would the US sell nuclear subs? They have never done that before (for very good reasons). They only thing they have ever done is sell the UK one submarine reactor, which was then used in the UK’s first nuclear “fleet” sub (all subsequent boats use a UK designed reactor). This was done to allow UK to get a nuclear boat into the North Atlantic to confront the Russians (who would otherwise have faced only the US boats, and exploited this in propaganda). Even then there was a kerfuffle where the US tried to sell an obsolete reactor instead.
*OK – Trump!!!!
Boerwar:
A effective balance is by definition between the two things balanced.
The Greens can’t wield BOP effectively whilst they remain positioned to the left of both major parties.
To leverage BOP, one of the following three things would need to happen:
1. Greens move to centre/centre-right (al la Democrats)
2. ALP moves to extreme left (left of the Greens)
3. Coalition moves to extreme left!!!
Unless one of the above happens it is a geometric impossibility for the Greens to wield an effective BOP.
https://kevinbonham.blogspot.com/2020/02/its-joyce-joke-barnabys-senate.html
It’s A Joyce Joke: Barnaby’s Senate Mutilation Madness
A recent IPA poll !
https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6135130098001
Incidentally, Fury bloodied out Wilder in this afternoon’s bout, neither of whom are classical boxers in the fashion of Clay (as he was then known), who won Gold in the 1960 Rome Olympics:
\https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DkLQiijQos
Whoops:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DkLQiijQos
“A effective balance is by definition between the two things balanced.
The Greens can’t wield BOP effectively whilst they remain positioned to the left of both major parties.”
***
Whether a party is in the balance of power is a question of mathematics, not ideology.
The Greens wield the BOP very effectively and I wouldn’t be holding your breath waiting for us to shift to the middle of the two establishment parties. The Greens are the party of the left.
https://www.pollbludger.net/2020/02/23/newspoll-51-49-labor-11/comment-page-2/#comment-3346935
Proportional representation for the Senate should be entrenched in the Constitution. It would almost certainly pass at a referendum, even if one of the major parties opposed it. All the non-Katter minor parties would back it, creating a protect the Senate public opinion.
Newspoll survey says the main cause of bushfires polled was :
climate change – 35%
hazard reduction – 56%
Albo just fell off a chair
michael @ #74 Sunday, February 23rd, 2020 – 9:57 pm
So, the Murdoch/Stokes/Costello media cartel constantly banging on about hazard reduction has convinced a majority of people that it’s the cause. Briefly may have been right all along. We’re fucked.
Danama, I agree, we’re fucked. I am a member of the bushfire service. Twice an aquaintence has been at my place for coffee and claimed all the fires were caused by arsonists. Twice I have told him he is wrong. On virually every other bushfire matter he accepts my views, but not here. His source – facebook.
Newspoll survey says the main cause of bushfires polled was :
climate change – 35%
hazard reduction – 56%
And 9% said it was arsonists and the Greens.
Glad I wont be around to witness the total destruction being done to this country by these uneducated fuckwits in the next 100 years. WE ARE TOTALLY FUCKED.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzOfTK1lM-s
Michael Moore on the Democratic Party establishment. Fascinating..
Its started:
https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/experts-warn-of-red-zone-insurance-risk-as-severe-weather-spreads/news-story/7c53467ad08a523806b84208a1b664ef
Cud Chewer @ #78 Sunday, February 23rd, 2020 – 11:11 pm
After watching that, I’m now finally starting to #FeelTheBern.
steve davis @ #77 Sunday, February 23rd, 2020 – 11:09 pm
Actually the 9% are the closer to the answer than the other two.
Arson was a minor cause, following other causes like the weather and accidents.
Climate change and hazard reduction are both potential reasons for why the fires were so severe.
No self-respecting PBer would believe everything they read in Murdoch’s rags, so why believe all his Newspoll reports?
He WANTS us to believe the majority of the populace think climate change plays only a minor part in the severity of the bushfires, so they can then report it as fact.
Look how PPM has sunk without a trace in news reports now that Albo leads on this useless statistic.
Ask a question in the appropriate context and you can get any answer you desire.
Morning all. Catherine King is absolutely correct in this criticism of pork barreling in the $3 billion road congestion fund. Ask how the projects are prioritised and chosen? The entire strategic planning process for transport infrastructure in Australia has broken down in the past decade. This is why we have the highest % GDP investment in transport infrastructure in the OECD (1.3%) yet congestion is still increasing. And demand management policy? Nil.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-23/traffic-congestion-funding-benefited-government-labor-says/11992612?section=politics
Barney in Tanjung Bunga @ #81 Monday, February 24th, 2020 – 4:30 am
The fires in my area were brought about by dry lightning strikes obviously exacerbated by the extreme dryness of the forest floor. Each winter we choke on smoke from hazard reduction burns so I don’t understand how they are going to increase those in a shortening season except in the case of small burns to create a mosaic effect in close proximity to townships. No arsonists involved here!
Oakeshott Country says:
Sunday, February 23, 2020 at 9:56 pm
There is a daily, unfunny cartoon here in which Morrison is incontinent and his religion attacked. I have never seen anyone object
I understood the two left shoes, I have often wondered why the incontinent thing, is there some news that I missed? How is a cross around his neck attacking his religion? Its a nice cross.
frednk @ #85 Monday, February 24th, 2020 – 6:46 am
Morrison is reputed to have suffered public fecal incontinence, apparently while roaring drunk, in Engadine McDonalds back in 1997. But who of us can put our hand on our heart and declare we haven’t done exactly that in our past? 😉
in my mind cc and hazard reduction are two edges of the same sword. The window for effective hazard reduction was very small due to the drought which was the driest 3 year period in N.S.W and extended in to the far east of Victoria and there is no doubt climate change had the effect of making the drought worse.
I am pleased that a male MP, Tim Smith, is the “official” complainant about the Arndt award, otherwise she would insist that the objections are only from “feminazis”. If nothing else, the furore over her remarks help to bring DV into more prominence.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/02/24/bettina-arndt-david-hurley/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning%20News%20-%2020200224
Michael Moore is a Bernie Sanders surrogate. Officially. I’d take what he says with a large grain of salt. Anyway, this Anti, (insert the guys you don’t like) Establishment line is a convenient attack line.
Anyway, get all excited about a 79 year old, who could drop off the perch at any moment, I’m still not buying what he’s trying to sell me. Or Michael Moore.
Turning Australian Agriculture into zero net emissions:
1. bovine and ovine methane
2. farm machine work – planting, working and harvesting
3. on farm storage
4. fertilizers
5. chemicals
6. materials transport to and from farm.
The current intractable is bovine and ovine methane emissions. The scenarios are: (1) Kill one hundred million sheep and cattle (2) fast track GMO work at whole animal level and gut bacteria level (3) change feed (4) combo of (2) and (3); persuade people to entirely avoid bovine and ovine products.
Politically, (2) and (3) are probably the only ones that might work. As a matter of passing interest, Greens agriculture policy would ban (2) altogether. Current progress on feed solutions depend heavily on feedlot conditions rather than rangeland conditions and would also be banned by current Greens policy.
Other than that, fast tracking heavy EV transport to and from farms is a must to decarbonize ag.
Cost effective EV self-driving farm robots are currently in commercial operation for some functions. The big gap is the very heavy work required for harvesting tens of millions of tons of broad-acre grain crops quickly. Speed is a factor because there is nearly always a time-limited optimum for getting the harvest in.
Bellweather,
The third choice was “Nothing stands out” on the “Main cause of the severity of the recent bushfires” question.
On the question of Federal Government priorities there has been a significant shift in opinion
When the question was asked in 2017 and 2018 60 and 63% had selected “To keep energy prices down”. In the current poll this has dropped to 42%. “Meet targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions” was regarded as the top priority by 24% of respondents in 2017 and 2018. This now the top priority for 43% of respondents.
25% of coalition voters , 57% of Labor voters and 84% of Greens voters nominated meeting emissions targets as the top priority.
“Federal Energy Minister says the rise of renewables is a vindication of the government’s stance.”
lizzie,
GG David Hurley is merely the figurehead that sits atop the Australia Day Honours board, he doesn’t get any say in whether the award gets rescinded for Bettina Arndt. The board is headed by former NT Chief Minister, Shane Stone, has Minister Matthias Cormann and Asst Minister, Ben Morton, and 8 government-appointed members of the public(and you can imagine what sort of people this government would appoint), that sit on the board and help make the decisions about who gets the awards. They made the decision in the first place and I can’t imagine them undoing their recent handiwork.
C@t
No, I agree they will stick with the decision, but the publicity is good, I think. I see that Arndt is getting a lot of support from the “not all men” types, naturally.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Here’s Simon Benson’s take on the 51/49 Newspoll.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/newspoll-coalition-closes-gap-on-labor-anthony-albanese-slides/news-story/631e801497b1359db328efbcbe29a352\
And he writes that meeting climate change targets has for the first time emerged as a greater priority for voters than keeping energy prices down, with more people now also claiming they would be prepared to wear at least some cost to achieve it.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/newspoll-voters-deliver-verdict-on-bushfires-crisis/news-story/c1b975bc12a19fbdfbd75d162da9b299
Sean Carney describes Morrison’s secret. That is don’t promise, or do, too much.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/morrison-s-secret-don-t-promise-or-do-too-much-20200220-p542sm.html
Paul Karp reports that last Friday the Senate inquiry into sports rorts decided to call the head of the public service, Phil Gaetjens, and the former sport minister Bridget McKenzie. He belies that they are set to appear on 16 March.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/24/sports-rorts-inquiry-set-to-grill-bridget-mckenzie-and-phil-gaetjens
Not only did it reek of corruption, but the sports rorts fiasco also failed to translate into votes for the Coalition Government, writes Steve Bishop.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/massive-failure-sports-rorts-didnt-improve-coalitions-fortunes,13623
Tome Rabe reports that the head of the world’s largest coal port says it must transition away from the fossil fuel before it’s too late, but the NSW government is stopping it.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/state-deal-blocking-world-s-largest-coal-port-from-fossil-fuel-exit-20200221-p5433v.html
Jennifer Duke writes that the Energy Security Board has reported that a huge spike in renewables has put the electricity grid under critical pressure at a time when mounting weather crises threaten to undermine the resiliency of the energy system.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/take-up-of-renewable-energy-bushfire-crisis-threatening-energy-grid-20200223-p543f3.html
On the subject of climate change Bob Carr writes that boardrooms are strikingly ahead of Canberra.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bushfires-push-business-on-to-the-front-foot-20200223-p543jv.html
Getting to zero net emissions in 2050 is going to be tough – but Labor committing to it is a damn good thing declares Greg Jericho.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/23/getting-to-zero-net-emissions-in-2050-is-going-to-be-tough-but-labor-committing-to-it-is-a-damn-good-thing
According to Rossleigh Brisbane Labor needs To come clean on its emissions target but the Liberals can go on being dirty!
https://theaimn.com/labor-needs-to-come-clean-on-emissions-target-but-liberals-can-go-being-dirty/
Andrew Leigh issues a call to rev up Australia’s stagnant economy. He reinforces his thoughts by stating that the world’s most complex economies are Japan, Switzerland and Korea. Australia ranks a disappointing 93rd. The three countries ahead of us are Morocco, Uganda, and Senegal.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6643934/we-need-to-rev-up-australias-stagnant-economy/?cs=14258
Rosemary Jacob expounds on the long-term dangers of short-termism.
https://theaimn.com/the-long-term-dangers-of-short-termism/
Nick McKenzie reveals that a Crown Resorts vice-president authorised a junior casino staff member to wire $500,000 to a Melbourne drug trafficker, while Crown withheld details of the transaction from authorities for a year. It’s not looking good for the casino.
https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/crown-resorts-executive-authorises-transfer-to-drug-trafficker-20200220-p542ub.html
An unregistered lobbyist, a ministerial breach of the Lobbying Code of Conduct and a $2.6 million grant awarded during the election campaign minus pesky guidelines. Jommy Tee and Ronni Salt clear the pigs for take off.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/pigs-might-fly-electioneering-an-airport/
If Australia’s resources were taxed the way Norway’s are, we could secure the future of our schools writes Emma Dawson.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/24/if-australias-resources-were-taxed-the-way-norways-are-we-could-secure-the-future-of-our-schools
The federal government will review tax barriers deterring businesses from paying workers employee shares, to lift participation in equity compensation schemes used by some of America’s most successful technology start-ups.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/employee-share-schemes-get-tax-review-20200221-p5435e
Concerns have been raised about the poor condition and regulation of the Sydney to Melbourne rail network following the death of two drivers in last week’s XPT derailment explains Anna Patty.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/friend-of-train-driver-says-he-raised-concerns-about-poorly-maintained-rail-network-20200223-p543i4.html
The union representing train drivers has blamed national regulations for the Wallan train derailment which killed two drivers.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/wallan-train-crash-could-have-been-avoided-rail-union-blames-national-track-authority-20200223-p543g2.html
Sam Maiden reports that the Governor-General’s office has confirmed to The New Daily it has received correspondence calling for the honour bestowed to Betina Arndt to be rescinded and this will now be considered by the independent board that hands out the awards.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/02/24/bettina-arndt-david-hurley/
Alan Joyce says his airline’s unmatched safety reputation positions it to negotiate a cut-price deal with Boeing for a new fleet of 737MAX aircraft when the grounded jet returns to the skies.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/qantas-sees-bargain-planes-at-end-of-737max-grounding-20200223-p543fo.html
Ross Gittins bemoans the decision of the Federal Court to overturn the ACCC’s refusal to allow the merging of Vodafone and TTG. He says phone users have nothing to cheer about.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/phone-users-have-no-reason-to-cheer-accc-s-black-eye-20200223-p543gu.html
In the wake of the 4 Corners story on St Kevin’s criminal lawyer Katrina Marson explains that there’s more to sex education than condoms on bananas.
https://www.smh.com.au/education/more-to-sex-education-than-condoms-on-bananas-20200223-p543k5.html
Adam Cary reports that the head of the Australian Catholic education sector says Catholic schools still need to do more to protect children from predators.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/catholic-schools-must-do-more-to-tackle-abuse-head-of-sector-says-20200223-p543js.html
Christian Porter in an op-ed defends his religious discrimination bill saying that it is a powerful shield for all faiths. Others think it’s more like a sword!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/religious-discrimination-bill-is-a-powerful-shield-for-all-faiths-20200221-p5431o.html
Victoria’s big idea on mental health has lots of downside for Morrison’s Liberals writes Noel Towell.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/andrews-latest-big-idea-may-not-be-morrison-s-cup-of-tea-20200223-p543je.html
Lames Massola explains how the two decades-long drama at the heart of Malaysian politics is reaching boiling point – again.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/has-the-canberra-disease-spread-to-malaysian-politics-20200224-p543l5.html
Matthew Knott tells us that it’s time to stop underestimating Bernie Sanders, Democratic frontrunner.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/it-s-time-to-stop-underestimating-bernie-sanders-democratic-frontrunner-20200223-p543j1.html
Latika Bourke reports that Boris Johnson is being warned by one of his former cabinet colleagues that he will go down in history as the prime minister who oversaw a moral failure and put the nation’s security at risk by greenlighting Huawei for Britain’s 5G network.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/a-moral-argument-boris-johnson-s-huawei-decision-worst-ever-made-20200223-p543ks.html
Roy Greenslade reckons Boris Johnson is the ultimate purveyor of fake news.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/feb/23/boris-johnson-is-the-ultimate-purveyor-of-fake-news
The Guardian says no other Democrats can beat him at this point but still, the liberal establishment is struggling to come to terms with Sanders’ inevitable nomination
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/23/after-bernie-sanders-landslide-nevada-win-its-time-for-democrats-to-unite-behind-him
And this guy, a flat earther, is nominated for “Idiot of the Week”.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/daredevil-dies-in-homemade-rocket-disaster-on-mission-to-prove-earth-is-flat-20200224-p543le.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Peter Broelman
Matt Golding
Glen Le Lievre
Where in the hell is The Australian’s John Spooner coming from?
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/a8e4033a998a1c93b5e8177dda0fd2b5?width=1024
From the US
Boerwar
Interesting research by CSIRO which may prove helpful in feedlots:
https://blog.csiro.au/feeding-seaweed-to-cows-our-livestock-methane-research-lights-up/
Newspoll result expected but depressing. If people swing back to the LNP so quickly it is going to be a long time with the LNP in control.
They now have the narrative where they want it ie. let Labor do something while we do nothing then attack Labor.
It is so transparent and so sad
I just read this article:
Tom Rabe reports that the head of the world’s largest coal port says it must transition away from the fossil fuel before it’s too late, but the NSW government is stopping it.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/state-deal-blocking-world-s-largest-coal-port-from-fossil-fuel-exit-20200221-p5433v.html
Apparently, the NSW Coalition government put into contracts when it sold the Port of Newcastle to a funds management company and a Chinese company, that Coal and only Coal must be shipped from there, Kooragang Island, until 2068! Even though the CEO of the Port believes the Port of Newcastle needs to transition away from shipping Coal. But his hands are tied.
So, complainers here can say, ‘Labor must do this and Labor must do that’ but as this article shows, even if they did come to government that the Coalition have, once again, made sure that due to a contract they signed an enormous compensation bill would have to be paid by a NSW State Labor government to break the contract.
We live in a bush fire prone land zone. The house insurance renewal just arrived and it has increased by 18.5%. I thought it may have been more to be honest.
Granny Anny @ https://www.pollbludger.net/2020/02/23/newspoll-51-49-labor-11/comment-page-2/#comment-3346947 I have relative in his 30’s who swallows all that shit and he is an active RFS member. He even boasted online about fighting beside Tony Abbott at the Gospers Mountain fire.