The Guardian reports the fortnightly Essential Research poll includes the monthly question on Anthony Albanese’s leadership, recording 58% approval (down one) and 26% disapproval (up one). Respondents were also asked what appear to have been all-or-nothing questions on stage three tax cuts, finding 53-47 in favour of sticking with them rather than breaking an election promise regardless of the economic situation, and 52-48 against a more general proposition as to whether break election promises should ever be broken. However, the split in favour of keeping the tax cuts was 70-30 in favour among those who felt they were most likely to benefit compared with 60-40 for least likely. The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from a sample of 1122 – there should be a good deal more from it when the full report is published later today.
UPDATE: Full report here.
@Upnorth
12,000 steps is damned impressive anywhere, let alone the tropics.
Her indoors likes shopping for clothes and cheapish but good jewellery (preferably involving yellow gold). Both kids (20 and 18) like pretty much any kind of shopping. All love their Thai tucker.
We’ve had several trips to Kata beach in Phuket and love the spot, though not if it’s crazy busy. Likewise with Ao Nang. Hua Hin looks good but the other three love the dramatic karsts etc of Krabi, all that striking scenery, and Hua Hin hinterland looks flatter by comparison, if I’m not mistaken. Wondered about Ranong, but I gather it gets lots of rain and it’s not exactly a beach anyway.
Noted that you’re offline. Would love to get to Taipei.
John Crace recaps the last week in pom land…
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/21/liz-truss-merch-gone-digested-week
Rakali at 9.24 pm and alias at 10.15 pm
Not according to the leading UK psephologist, Professor John Curtice, quoted thus:
‘Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice told the BBC Scotland programme The Nine on Thursday it is “inconceivable” Tory MPs would put Mr Johnson back in Downing Street.
“Boris Johnson is still under investigation by the Privileges Committee of the House of Commons,” he said.
“Frankly, I think it’s inconceivable that Conservative MPs would want to put them back in the situation where – whether or not what Boris Johnson said in defending partygate was or was not the truth – they want to go back and revisit that psycho-drama.
“It’s also perfectly clear from the reaction of some Conservative MPs tonight that the prospect of Boris Johnson standing is that probably of those three candidates (including Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt) he is the one who has least chance of uniting the party.”’
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/liz-truss-resignation-wave-of-revulsion-in-scotland-if-boris-johnson-returns-to-downing-street-says-snps-ian-blackford-3888889
Donald Trump’s former aide Steve Bannon was sentenced to four months in prison on Friday over his refusal to testify in a probe of the January 6, 2021 attack by supporters of the then President on Washington DC’s Capital building.
Former Tory leader William Hague on the Johnson regurgitation:
‘The former Conservative party leader William Hague has said it would be a “very very bad idea” for Boris Johnson to return as leader and become prime minister again.
In an interview with Times Radio, Lord Hague, who was leader from 1997 to 2001, before becoming foreign secretary under David Cameron said: “This all started, this unravelling, because Boris Johnson was unable to run the government in the right way, to keep it together in the right way, and to uphold the high standards of conduct in the highest offices in the land.
“The idea of him returning as the solution, that would be going around in circles, circles that become the death spiral of the Conservative party, and I think it’s the worst idea I’ve heard in the 46 years I’ve been a member of the Conservative party.”’
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2022/oct/21/uk-politics-live-liz-truss-resigns-tories-tory-leadership-race-new-pm-contest-rishi-sunak-boris-johnson-penny-mordaunt#top-of-blog (4.19 am AEDT)
Dr Doolittle says:
Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 6:21 am
Rakali at 9.24 pm and alias at 10.15 pm
Not according to the leading UK psephologist, Professor John Curtice, quoted thus:
‘Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice told the BBC Scotland programme The Nine on Thursday it is “inconceivable” Tory MPs would put Mr Johnson back in Downing Street.
———
The “inconceivable” has transpired so commonly in contemporary politics- and not just in the UK – that it’s difficult to give much credence to predictions based on history, or assumptions about rational self interest.
Upnorth – Lately accused of Witchcraft, Heresy and Cartel like behaviour @ #1919 Friday, October 21st, 2022 – 10:38 pm
It’s very easy to stay away from it. Anyone who thinks you should support Uncle Xi, no questions asked, is not worth the time of day.
Some journos are are just so desperate for the Albo honeymoon to be over, so they can credibly revert to their favoured narrative of crisis, intrigue, and in due course, that old perennial, leadershit. Hartcher can’t contain himself- we’re almost there!
https://www.theage.com.au/national/honeymoon-nears-the-end-for-kumbaya-pm-20221019-p5br47.html
How is Rishi ‘Goldman Sachs’ Sunak any different from Kwasi Kwarteng? Is it just that he sugarcoats the Neoliberal economics better?
test
Lidia Thorpe quizzed Home Affairs boss about suspected Rebel bikie
By James Massola and Lisa Visentin
Greens senator Lidia Thorpe repeatedly questioned Home Affairs boss Mike Pezzullo about the status of a suspected member of the Rebels bikie gang who was facing deportation to New Zealand.
Thorpe took up the case of Jack Hobson, identified in court documents as an alleged member of the Rebels, with top department officials at a Senate estimates hearing in November 2021, arguing he should be released from immigration detention due to his Indigenous heritage.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/lidia-thorpe-quizzed-home-affairs-boss-about-rebel-bikie-20221021-p5brtv.html
max @ #830 Saturday, October 22nd, 2022 – 6:52 am
Hartcher, always the early adopter and first cab off the rank. 🙄
The thing that opinion writers like him don’t realise is that the public are more discerning these days. They don’t follow where he wants them to go slavishly. They can take one column and leave the next and make their own judgements.
Also, you never see this sort of commentary when it’s a Coalition government. It becomes Turd Polishing 101 then.
We can see the joins in your work guys!
The latest YouGov/Times voting intention poll shows Labour increasing the enormous lead they opened up over the Conservatives last month. The figures show the Conservatives on 19% of the vote (-4 from our previous survey on 11-12 October) to Labour’s 56% (+5).
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/10/21/voting-intention-con-19-lab-56-20-21-oct-2022
dave,
I wonder if Jack Hobson was the guy the High Court deportation case, against the Coalition government, was fought over?
max at 6.47 am
Here is a comment by Paul Goodman, at the Conservative Home website:
‘First, Johnson made the Tories a comedy. Then Truss turned them into a laughing stock. A Johnson return would risk emptying the theatre altogether, as most of the public run screaming for the exits.
To first force out Johnson, replace him with someone worse and then bring him back again, most voters would respond: “kindly leave the stage”. Conservative members may not grasp the extent to which their party is becoming a joke – here and abroad. The very word “conservative” risks becoming unmentionable in polite society (indeed, in any kind of society at all). …
The thought occurs that maybe the Conservative Party no longer cares. Perhaps the sum of its ambition is to become the provisional wing of the right-wing entertainment industry: happy to preach to a diminishing band of true believers, and good for a newpaper column or fringe TV turn, while Keir Starmer gets on with the tiresome business of actually running the country.
If so, it can look forward to a Prime Minister staffing his government with fifth raters, since the bulk of the 66 Ministers who resigned in the summer will refuse to serve. If a by-election forced by a Commons suspension doesn’t get him first. If the Tory benches don’t first vote down the report into his conduct that would trigger it, thus speeding the spiral of decline.’
That’s what Hague warned about, the death spiral of the Conservative party. Bring it on.
may have been C@t
The YouGov survey shows Labour on 56% and the Tories on 19%.
According to an automatic prediction generator that calculates how these figures would translate at a general election, this would see the Conservative Party winning zero seats, with Labour winning 560 – an increase of 357.
If I was voting for a new Tory leader I would go for Jeremy Hunt. He seems bland, boring and sensible, which is what they really need at the moment.
https://www.pollbludger.net/2022/10/18/essential-research-albanese-approval-and-tax-cuts-open-thread/comment-page-40/#comment-3997450
After the b…h v lettuce, attempt the Goldman $ucks b…k, back to the b…y clown?
Let’s see which candidate gets glory and hope conferred through a Murdoch Infotainment endorsement, probably the more extreme disaster capitalist, orthodox religion, weak kneed … whichever Fox News Australia/ SkyNews After Dark anoints? [I certainly don’t think Spinocchio, Fizza, Tonicchio downunder from 2013 were much better, if perhaps less calamitious.
Though the ‘master’class in art of the possible if you have the numbers by never wasting a crisis by the Rodent HoWARd from 1996 got as far as being able to get close to WorkSlaveChoices.]
Not helpful to the serfs at all these courtiers and acolytes for merchant kings and warlords.
Bring on more social and direct democracy, liberalism is as f….d as fascism, communism, theocrazy-ism!
Vladimir Putin continuing to commit war crimes with seeming impunity, due to Russia’s veto on the Security Council, now has plans to do this:
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-curbs-power-usage-after-russian-attacks-destroy-some-energy-plants-2022-10-19/
Stephen Fry
@stephenfry
·
Oct 21
No
@BorisJohnson
no no no no no NO! Under absolutely no circumstances. Ever. Ever ever ever, d’you hear?
Stephen Fry
@stephenfry
·
3h
Allow me to add FUCK NO! Never ever ever. Hell’s teeth and a bucket of blood. Seriously, what kind of resistance can we engage in to stop this imponderably catastrophic eventuality? I love my country: to see it being shafted by this unspeakably squalid moral vacuum … HELL NO
UK Cartoons:
Steven Camley: The Greatest Sh!tshow on Earth is coming back to town!
Martin Rowson on the sinking of #LizTruss
Ben Jennings on #BorisJohnson #LizTruss
Matt on #ToryLeadership #ToryChaos
Andy Davey: Johsonnatus returns, summoned by his adoring people, from the…er…sunbed, to save them from chaos and rescue their democracy
Henny Beaumont on #BorisJohnson
Graeme Bandeira on #LizTruss #RishiSunack #ToryShambles
Christian Adams on #GeneralElectionNow
Martyn Turner: In homage to the cartoon I was going to do before the resignation I have kept the sewage pipe in #LizTruss #ToryShambles
Finally, Dave Brown’s #RoguesGallery cartoon, after #Rembrandt
The original Raising of Lazarus:
1/6 Committee Levels Reeling Trump With Subpoena That Acts As A Damning Indictment
The House January 6th Committee subpoenaed Donald J Trump for his “deliberate, orchestrated effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and block the transfer of presidential power” on Friday, October 21 — the same date as Steve Bannon became the first person in history to be sent to prison for contempt of Congress.
“In short, you were at the center of the first and only effort by any U.S. President to overturn an election and obstruct the peaceful transition of power, ultimately culminating in a bloody attack on our own Capitol and on the Congress itself,” the Committee wrote in their letter.
https://www.politicususa.com/2022/10/21/1-6-committee-subpoenas-donald-j-trump.html
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. And we have a WEEKEND WHOPPER!
As the treasurer prepares for Tuesday’s budget, the threat of global recession weighs heavily on his options in responding to the local crosswinds of debt, inflation and rising interest rates, writes George Megalogenis who weighs up Australia’s chances of avoiding another global recession.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/australia-has-escaped-global-recessions-before-what-are-our-chances-this-time-20221020-p5brjo.html
The first Chalmers budget will offer decisive signals on how the Albanese Labor government intends to redesign Australia’s social contract – an essential step given the chasm between public demand for high spending and the inadequate long-run revenue base, writes Paul Kelly who says the Treasurer’s challenge is balancing growth, restraint and reform.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/treasurers-challenge-is-balancing-growth-restraint-and-reform/news-story/e3047178a4163bb3371b0c90b700d383
The Albanese government will crack down harder on tax abuse by companies and the rich in an effort to raise at least $3 billion extra for the federal budget, predicts John Kehoe.
https://www.afr.com/policy/tax-and-super/jim-chalmers-goes-after-the-wealthy-and-corporates-in-tax-crackdown-20221021-p5brr3
The Albanese government will not extend the low and middle income tax offset (LMITO), meaning workers earning less than $126,000 will not get a tax break, worth up to $1,500, beyond 2022, writes Katherine Murphy. The Guardian understands new Treasury forecasts for the 25 October budget also predict inflation will be higher, for longer. Inflation will peak in the December quarter, as expected, at just under 8%, but officials now expect Australia’s cost of living squeeze will be more protracted, largely because of the spike in power bills.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/oct/21/federal-budget-no-tax-break-for-low–and-middle-income-workers-as-economic-outlook-worsens
The Treasurer says he wants to restore Labor’s reputation with voters for better economic management. That requires spending restraint, says the AFR editorial. It opines that Chalmers will succeed or fail in his grip on spending.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/chalmers-will-succeed-or-fail-in-his-grip-on-spending-20221020-p5brez
What do we need from next week’s Budget? It’s an increase in tax revenue, argues Michael Keating.
https://johnmenadue.com/what-do-we-need-from-next-weeks-budget/
Peter Hartcher warns that the honeymoon is nearing the end for our “kumbaya PM”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/honeymoon-nears-the-end-for-kumbaya-pm-20221019-p5br47.html
Paul Bongiorno has a good look at Albanese’s penchant for the long game, and how he is handling the inevitable events that confront governments.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/10/22/the-best-laid-plans
Tuesday’s budget will be much ado about nothing. It isn’t a budget in the true sense of the word. Rather, it is a political charade designed to catch people’s attention, something the mid-financial year update released in December doesn’t do, says Peter van Onselen.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/budget-much-ado-about-nothing-and-a-political-charade/news-story/0b15de1184b2623af1a97b6ebd690717
Rebecca Huntley tells us about Jim Chalmers’ pushing for a wellbeing budget.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/10/22/jim-chalmers-push-wellbeing-budget
John Lord ponders over the loneliness of a long-term Opposition Leader.
https://theaimn.com/the-loneliness-of-a-long-term-opposition-leader/
Michael Pascoe, writing on Liz Truss’s demise, tells us about the effects of the forces of the IPA’s British counterpart, the Institute of Economic Affairs. This is an interesting article.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2022/10/21/michael-pascoe-liz-truss-gina-rinehart-ipa/
Philip Lowe is in many ways an unlikely steward of a Reserve Bank that’s increasingly reviled for inflicting economic hardship. Dennis Glover looks at what drives the RBA governor.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/10/22/what-drives-philip-lowe
The federal parliament’s law enforcement committee chair, Helen Polley, says Lidia Thorpe should consider her future in the Senate, as she launches an inquiry into what confidential briefings the Greens senator received about motorcycle gangs and organised crime. James Massola and Visentin report that, adding to the pressure on Thorpe, the Coalition is pushing for her to censured in the Senate when parliament returns next week, following revelations she failed to disclose a relationship with former Rebels bikie president Dean Martin.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coalition-pushes-to-censure-greens-senator-lidia-thorpe-over-secret-ex-bikie-relationship-20221021-p5broa.html
Meanwhile, The Age reports that Lidia Thorpe repeatedly questioned Home Affairs boss Mike Pezzullo about the status of a suspected member of the Rebels bikie gang who was facing deportation to New Zealand. Thorpe took up the case of Jack Hobson, identified in court documents as an alleged member of the Rebels, with top department officials at a Senate estimates hearing in November 2021, arguing he should be released from immigration detention due to his Indigenous heritage. Not a good look, Lidia!
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/lidia-thorpe-quizzed-home-affairs-boss-about-rebel-bikie-20221021-p5brtv.html
The AIMN’s Rossleigh declares that we don’t need a kangaroo court to decide that Lidia Thorpe is unfit to stay in parliament.
https://theaimn.com/we-dont-need-a-kangaroo-court-to-decide-that-lidia-thorpe-is-unfit-to-stay-in-parliament/
The editorial in The Saturday Paper lines up out former PM, saying, “Morrison is in the grubbing phase. The corporate world is not interested and so he is on the speaker circuit. Talking comes to him easily. He has a preacher’s knack for movement and pat phrases. His bio makes clear he is happy to talk on topics about which he knows nothing and others where he has been comprehensively destructive.”
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/2022/10/22/the-organ-grinder
Relations between business and the government are at risk of serious fracture amid confirmation the planned expansion of industry-wide bargaining will enable the return of sector-wide strikes across the whole economy, and increase the scope for the forced arbitration of disputes, writes Phil Coorey.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/government-relations-with-business-near-flashpoint-over-ir-changes-20221021-p5brsx
In quite an illuminating contribution, Jacqui Maley and Angus Thompson tell us that the culture in the ‘Canberra bubble’ cane into sharp focus during the Lehrmann trial.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/canberra-culture-in-sharp-focus-during-lehrmann-trial-20221018-p5bqmu.html
Here Karen Middleton gives us her impression of what came out during the Lehrmann trial.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/10/22/final-notes-the-lehrmann-trial
Christian Porter’s blind trust, Barnaby Joyce’s $32,000 a day expenses as Drought Envoy, Angus Taylor’s Cayman Islands intrigue, Bridget McKenzie’s Sports Rorts, Scott Morrison’s suite of secret ministries, the Leppington Triangle Affair, tens of billions blown to smithereens in Defence spending. What will we get to see from a Federal ICAC, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC)? Quite possibly none of that. Michael West talks with leading rortologist and former bureaucrat Jommy Tee.
https://michaelwest.com.au/snacc-or-nacc-what-will-be-made-public-by-the-new-anti-corruption-commission/
Mile Foley writs that Australians are not expected to reap power bill savings under the clean energy revolution despite the promises of politicians, experts say, as governments around the country seize control of the massive infrastructure program needed to modernise the electricity grid and reach net zero greenhouse emissions.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/renewable-revolution-won-t-automatically-cut-power-bills-20221021-p5brsi.html
Josh Gordon outlines how the Andrews government is ramping up efforts to build massive, publicly owned offshore wind farms as Victoria prepares to end its 100-year reliance on brown coal for electricity generation.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/andrews-backs-publicly-owned-offshore-wind-as-key-renewable-technology-20221021-p5brsj.html
Energy economist Tristan Edis provides a contrary view of Andrews’ announcement saying, “looking through the rear-view mirror is not the best way to navigate forward. In fact, I would say that by 2035 our worry will not be whether we have enough energy – instead it is likely we will be swamped with vastly more than we can consume. We are potentially in danger of overestimating the difficulty of the task ahead, and wasting money and time on power projects we don’t need.”
https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-don-t-need-big-renewables-projects-our-cars-will-store-our-power-20221020-p5brkm.html
Nick Bonyhady lays out how Medibank joined Optus in hack hell. He says that there are indications that someone with access to internal Medibank systems had their company login credentials stolen from their web browser. The credentials were stolen some time around August 7.
https://www.smh.com.au/technology/how-medibank-joined-optus-in-hack-hell-20221021-p5brt3.html
Meanwhile, Australia’s biggest companies could be slapped with fines worth hundreds of millions of dollars for Optus and Medibank-style privacy breaches under a massive increase in penalties to be introduced by the Albanese government. The maximum penalty for serious or repeated breaches of the Privacy Act will jump from the current $2.2 million to $50 million under legislation to be rushed forward into parliament next week. This should provide the financial justification for companies to spend up big in tightening their data security.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/companies-face-hundred-million-dollar-fines-for-privacy-breaches-20221021-p5brt7.html
Mihailuk’s parting barbs will test Minns’ authority to govern, opines Alexandra Smith who says that, at the very least, a party-in-waiting to be elected to government needs to show discipline and water-tight unity. NSW Labor has had more than a decade to achieve that, including sorting through its internal divisions as well as systemic problems around integrity.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/mihailuk-s-parting-barbs-will-test-minns-authority-to-govern-20221021-p5brrf.html
Doctors billing Medicare for consultations at a NSW aged care facility while residents were asleep; radiologists claiming for a single CT brain scan as two separate procedures; and a specialist surgeon calling a patient to cancel an operation so he could take his dog to the vet but then claiming the call as a specialist consultation. Adele Ferguson and Chris Gillett provide us with more egregious examples of Medicare rorting.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/sleeping-patients-billed-by-doctors-in-latest-case-of-medicare-rorts-20221021-p5brt4.html
Reports this week alleging that doctors had made false claims totalling as much as one third of Medicare’s annual budget has pointed to more than just potentially significant weaknesses in the Medicare system. John Hewson points out that it has again highlighted the impact of the profit motive among medical clinics run by private corporations that are not necessarily Australian owned.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/10/22/corporate-misincentives
Bureau of Meteorology staff have been hospitalised because of work conditions, as a loss of senior meteorologists means junior forecasters are trying to deal with natural disasters beyond their expertise, reveals Rick Morton writing about the toxic culture existing there.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/10/22/exclusive-toxic-culture-has-plunged-the-bureau-meteorology-chaos
Colin Kruger and Nick Bonyhady write that, while the Medibank cyberattack could be costly for Australia’s largest private health insurer, it is too early to tell if it will lead to significant brand damage or claim management scalps.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/medibank-cyberattack-could-be-costly-on-multiple-fronts-20221021-p5brth.html
Sue Dean and Deb Massey put the case for healthcare workers being treated with care in the wake of COVID burnout.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/healthcare-workers-must-be-treated-with-care-in-wake-of-covid-burnout-20221007-p5bo0n.html
An ambitious plan to boost protections for native wildlife is being backed by state governments, with federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek securing support to put 30 per cent of both Australia’s land and sea under conservation by 2030, explains Mike Foley.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/states-back-plibersek-s-pledge-for-big-conservation-rollout-20221021-p5brtg.html
Mike Seccombe writes that state governments are passing draconian laws that are turning environmental groups away from direct action, as climate change makes their campaigns more urgent than ever.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/10/22/the-end-direct-action
Amanda Meade reports that Lachlan Murdoch’s application to have parts of Crikey’s defence about Fox News’s role in the January 6 riot dismissed has failed in a pre-trial hearing in the federal court.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/21/lachlan-murdochs-legal-team-loses-bid-to-have-parts-of-crikeys-defamation-defence-dismissed
Matthew Knott muses over whether, after defying Israel on Jerusalem, Albanese might recognise Palestine.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/after-defying-israel-on-jerusalem-will-albanese-recognise-palestine-20221021-p5brnn.html
Australia’s decision not to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is welcome – but hardly enough, proclaims Lana Tatour who says Australia should start holding Israel accountable for its violations of international law and actively support Palestinian human rights.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2022/oct/21/australias-decision-not-to-recognise-west-jerusalem-as-israels-capital-is-welcome-but-hardly-enough
A third term for China’s authoritarian president further entrenches a regime of control, surveillance and crackdowns in the world’s second-most powerful country, explains Jonathan Pearlman.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/world/asia-pacific/2022/10/22/unquestioned-command-spotlight-xi-jinping
Here’s what George Brandis has to say about the rise and fall of Liz Truss. Interestingly, he concludes with, “When he was the federal president of the Liberal Party, Nick Greiner summed up its dilemma in a single, perfectly observed sentence: “Our problem is that our membership base is always much more right-wing than our electoral base.” There are lessons for centre-right politics in Australia, too, in the surprising rise and stunning fall of Liz Truss.”
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/the-forces-that-finished-liz-truss-were-the-markets-not-the-people-20221021-p5brpc.html
The Tory leadership race is not just a political battle – it’s religious warfare, declares Rafael Behr. He says, “It takes an extraordinary arrogance with power, a deranged sense of entitlement to rule, for Conservatives to expect the country to wait while they thrash out those differences in government. The proper place for the coming spectacle of recrimination, mutual loathing and flight from accountability is opposition.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/21/tory-leadership-religious-warfare-party-faith-boris-johnson-rishi-sunak
Tories on their knees – and here comes Boris Johnson. Dear reader, look away, urges Marina Hyde.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/21/the-tories-boris-johnson-crisis-conservatives
Internal problems and poor party management have left the Conservative Party in a state of chaos, writes Ben Wellings, who says the current turmoil in British politics needs to be understood not just as a response to Liz Truss’ short time as Prime Minister, but as the result of problems within the governing Conservative Party since it came to power in 2010.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/britains-conservative-party-is-collapsing-on-itself,16886
The trauma of the Truss era will afflict British politics for years to come, writs Martin Kettle.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/21/truss-british-politics-brexit-public-trust
“Can Boris Johnson really be Britain’s prime minister again?”, wonders the London Telegraph’s Camilla Tominey.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/can-boris-johnson-really-be-britain-s-prime-minister-again-20221021-p5brnf.html
Albanese should reassure Israel on Jerusalem misstep, writes Gerard Henderson, still managing to weave in a shot at the “left-wing Guardian Australia”.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/albanese-should-reassure-israel-on-jerusalem-misstep/news-story/6f9baec4361cb71305f53969e746fe13
The House January 6 select committee has formally transmitted a subpoena to Donald Trump, compelling the former president to provide an accounting under oath about his potential foreknowledge of the Capitol attack and his broader efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The subpoena made sweeping requests for documents and testimony, dramatically raising the stakes in the highly charged congressional investigation and setting the stage for a constitutionally consequential legal battle that could ultimately go before the supreme court.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/21/trump-subpoena-testify-jan-6-committee
Steve Bannon, a one-time adviser to former president Donald Trump, has been sentenced by a judge to four months in prison for refusing to cooperate with lawmakers investigating last year’s US Capitol attack. Bannon was found guilty in July on two counts of contempt of Congress for failing to provide documents or testimony to the House of Representatives committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-ex-adviser-bannon-sentenced-to-four-months-for-contempt-of-congress-20221022-p5bry0.html
Republicans plan to torpedo key Biden policies as polls predict midterm victory.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/21/republicans-biden-policies-polls-midterm-victory
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Alan Moir
David Pope
Mark Knight
Glen Le Lievre
Matt Golding
Jon Kudelka
Simon Letch
Jim Pavlidis
Andrew Dyson
Dionne Gain
Michael Leunig
Leak
From the US
Trump Stole US Classified Secrets On China And Iran
The classified documents that Trump stole contained secrets about Iran and China which poses multiple national security risks
Some of the classified documents recovered by the FBI from Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home and private club included compassionate intelligence regarding Iran and China, according to people familiar with the matter. If shared with others, the people said, such information could expose intelligence-gathering methods that the United States wants to keep hidden from the world.
At least one of the documents seized by the FBI describes Iran’s missile program, according to these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe an ongoing investigation. Other documents described highly sensitive intelligence work aimed at China, they said
The idea that Trump had these highly sensitive classified secrets about American adversaries and was waving them around Mar-a-Lago while showing them to guests explains why the DOJ acted with such urgency to both get the documents back and potentially prosecute Trump.
https://www.politicususa.com/2022/10/20/doj-is-moving-on-possible-trump-government-docs-indictment.html
Sussssan Ley’s toxic legacy is something else….
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/10/22/exclusive-toxic-culture-has-plunged-the-bureau-meteorology-chaos
Insiders Sunday, 23 Oct
David Speers joins Shane Wright, Katharine Murphy and Jacob Greber to discuss Jim Chalmers’ first Budget, the economy, inflation, floods in 3 states, Lidia Thorpe, investment in renewable energy, West Jerusalem and Liz Truss.
Guest : Angus Taylor – Shadow Treasurer
Dr Doolittle says:
Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 7:03 am
Here is a comment by Paul Goodman, at the Conservative Home website:
“The thought occurs that maybe the Conservative Party no longer cares. Perhaps the sum of its ambition is to become the provisional wing of the right-wing entertainment industry: happy to preach to a diminishing band of true believers, and good for a newpaper column or fringe TV turn, while Keir Starmer gets on with the tiresome business of actually running the country.”
—————-
True. There seem to be significant segments of the Liberal Party in Australia- especially the “religious” right – that also function like that. Although I suspect that neither they nor the UK conservatives, would acknowledge that they are turning government over to their centrist/progressive opponents as a result. They manage to live the delusion that the masses will flock to their electoral banner if given the opportunity. Unfortunately in the US, with its minoritarian electoral system, the entertainment wing of the Republican Party might well end up running the country, controlling the legislative and executive branches in the short-medium term , and extending their hold on the judicial branch over time.
A rather amusing take on the Thorpe political assassination attempt:
https://theaimn.com/we-dont-need-a-kangaroo-court-to-decide-that-lidia-thorpe-is-unfit-to-stay-in-parliament/
It’s not like the Coalition has a good track record on this, as the article goes on to point out, with some amusing examples. Or Labor for that matter.
We’ll have to wait and see what eventuates, but I hope she survives. We need more diverse voices like hers in our otherwise disturbingly conservative parliament, not less.
And this one from earlier, after the mini-budget:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-V5FVludFk
Barnaby Joyce’s $32,000 a day expenses as Drought Envoy
Seems such a ridiculous waste of taxpayers’ $$ now that the country is soaked to the bone. Though I’m sure, if Morrison had won again, he would have appointed Joyce as Flood Envoy at god knows how much per day for his ‘expenses’. 😐
The person who wrote this copy for The Worldwide Speakers Group probably had a vomit bag close by:
“Scott Morrison is the true definition of a leader with a 360-degree worldview,” the agency notes in a one-pager for potential clients. “During his tenure, Morrison was tasked with several difficulties that required unique and innovative solutions. From managing the public safety of Australians during the pandemic to mitigating an economic crisis, controlling natural disasters, and leading the country while others were at war, Prime Minister Morrison led Australia with his particular brand of calm decisiveness and rationale. A virtuous globalization mastermind, Morrison lends his boundless influence and experience to audiences around the world.”
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/2022/10/22/the-organ-grinder
”
C@tmommasays:
Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 7:22 am
Vladimir Putin continuing to commit war crimes with seeming impunity, due to Russia’s veto on the Security Council, now has plans to do this:
FRONTLINE NORTH OF KHERSON, Ukraine, Oct 21 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the West to warn Russia not to blow up a dam that would flood a swath of southern Ukraine, as his forces prepared to push Moscow’s troops from the occupied city of Kherson.
In a television address, Zelenskiy said Russian forces had planted explosives inside the huge Nova Kakhovka dam, which holds back an enormous reservoir, and were planning to blow it up.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-curbs-power-usage-after-russian-attacks-destroy-some-energy-plants-2022-10-19/
”
Why should UN Security permanent members US, UK, China and Russia should have veto power in this day and age? Why should they have veto over the lives of people all over the world?
There should not be permanent UN Security members in the first place. If is essential, None of them deserve to be Permanent members especially with veto power due to their current situations at home and how they behave abroad. They behaved abroad with impunity and reprehensibly.
Exactly my thoughts, Ven. The veto power has become corrupted.
C@tmommasays:
Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 8:38 am
When was it otherwise?
The coalition were more devided yet this comentary never appeared only one back bencher attacked the israil move josh burns a shorten backer there triying the same tacdicks with minns in nsw after the bbanks town mp same with somyurek he would bring down andrews the media never want labor in power
“She calls herself ‘beaureu’ but she’s always the BOM to me”
Priceless
https://www.abc.net.au/melbourne/programs/breakfast/sammy-bom-song/101550288?utm_campaign=abc_radio_melbourne&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_radio_melbourne
NEW @YouGov /@thetimes polling:
All three candidates lose to Starmer but Sunak comes closest:
Starmer 43% v Sunak 34%
Starmer 48% v Johnson 35%
Starmer 43% v Mordaunt 28%
yes nore liberal properganda from the smh one labor mp quits acusing mins of lacking integrity and labor is sudenly devided but david elliott attacks matt kean on a dailey basis john sedoty still in parliament after icac findings plus barilarow refusis to atend parliament comity yet the liberals withresigning is the better government
Barney in Cherating @ #1985 Saturday, October 22nd, 2022 – 8:49 am
It wasn’t so blatant before now. A bit of restraint was shown. Now it’s just a free for all.
Aaron newton @ #1989 Saturday, October 22nd, 2022 – 8:59 am
And the real story of Tania Mihailuk is not written.
John Bull’s Other Island:
The government crisis in UK has complicated the situation in Northern Ireland.
The DUP has refused to participate in government while the Brexit protocol is in place. Truss promised to unilaterally abolish the protocol, presumably starting a trade war with the EU. This didn’t happen and the assembly, having never met, will be compulsorily dissolved next week – 6 months after the last election and with a new election in December.
The result will likely be the same as the last election and there is talk on both sides of the Irish Sea that the Good Friday Agreements are coming to an end.
Sinn Féin’s position is that they will not accept a return to direct rule and any future non- Stormont solution must be a form of joint rule between Westminster and Dublin.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/london-stormont-chris-heatonharris-sinn-fein-british-b1034493.html
C@t
You haven’t been paying attention if you think that.
Some nature notes.
porotisays:
Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 9:09 am
The US is so much more subtle when they use theirs. 🙂
C@tmomma says:
Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 8:16 am
The person who wrote this copy for The Worldwide Speakers Group probably had a vomit bag close by:
“Scott Morrison is the true definition of a leader with a 360-degree worldview,” the agency notes in a one-pager for potential clients. “During his tenure, Morrison was tasked with several difficulties that required unique and innovative solutions. From managing the public safety of Australians during the pandemic to mitigating an economic crisis, controlling natural disasters, and leading the country while others were at war, Prime Minister Morrison led Australia with his particular brand of calm decisiveness and rationale. A virtuous globalization mastermind, Morrison lends his boundless influence and experience to audiences around the world.”
C@t,
I vaguely recall reading that SfM wrote that spiel himself…no need for a sick bag in that case (lol)…could also be one of the many cases I am wrong.
…I think people have assumed he wrote it because it’s unimaginable anyone else would.
Morning all. Thanks for the roundup BK. Some good reads.
I normally try to avoid the lettuce wars but on Lydia Thorpe I have to say she is in the wrong and her pre-selection looks unwise. So what that Liberal Ministers had undisclosed conflicts and were not sacked? The solution is to sack them, not let her off.
Now we know she asked questions about bikie associates of her ex, the conflict of interest was not potential, but actual. That is a sacking offense. Thorpe is damaging the Greens.
This story about difficulties in defense recruiting and retention highlights a big problem. The problem is culture, not money.
The ADF is already one of the highest paid defense forces in NATO/allies. The navy has recruited ex UK submariners because of its higher pay than the RN.
A decade of doing the political bidding of incompetent ministers under leaders appointed for their compliance has damaged the ADF. So has two decades of a war on terror that had nothing to do with defending Australia. Who wants to risk their life on Operation Sovereign Photo Op?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-22/new-workplace-perks-on-offer-as-defence-sounds-alarm-on-mili/101565214
Jonathan Pie gets pissed on and pissed off about the sad little loser that was Liz Truss
https://youtu.be/aIh7XJVxCAY