Essential Research seems to have a new routine of discreetly slipping out federal voting intention numbers without trumpeting them in their weekly report. Labor is on 35% (up two), the Coalition 30% (down one), Greens 13% (steady), others 17% (steady) with 5% undecided (down one). The “2PP+” two-party measure has Labor steady on 51%, the Coalition up one to 44% and undecided down one to 5%. The weekly report has the monthly personal ratings for Anthony Albanese, which have him unchanged at 60% approval and 27%.
A forced response question on a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice to parliament runs 63-37 in favour, in from 65-35 in August. Respondents were presented with four questions querying their understanding of the issue, which found 25% holding the incorrect view that the proposed body would be able to block parliamentary legislation, with 26% believing otherwise and 50% not sure. Forty per cent expected 2023 would be a better year for Australia, compared with 24% for worse and 25% for no difference. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Sunday from a sample of 1042.
Roy Morgan’s weekly video informs us that their latest federal two-party numbers have Labor’s lead out from 54.5-45.5 to 56.5-43.5.
Archie Roach state tribute at Myer Bowl was excellent. Thanks ABC 24. No doubt it will be available on i-view soon.
Showed some of Australia’s true battlers. Not the John Howard aspirationals.
Good apology from Dan Andrews about stolen gen.
Lots of great memories of Archie and Ruby Hunter.
Macarthur
The whole Russian cigarette thing has become a standing joke, including memes involving rocket launchers with big cigarettes.
C@t
Its in the Wyong state electorate and Dobell federal.
Both Labor aren’t they?
Political Nightwatchman,
You’re totally correct, I totally blanked on that senate detail. Though it wasn’t an insurmountable problem for Barnaby. And he was a Kiwi Citizen at the time!
However, I do stand by my opinion that Simon B has all the qualities of a very boring politician who’d be attractive to the wider electorate. Find a not fat lower house LNP type that fits that bill and you’ve got an problem for the ALP. Untill then, Albo and co are safe.
Hello Cud Chewer. I acknowledged in a later post that my 550,000 number for CC/Lake Mac/Newy/Mait was wrong, the correct population number for those 4 LGAs (2021 census) was just over 800K. Throw in Port Stephens and Cessnock LGAs and you get well into the 900Ks, although these areas are getting a bit far from from proposed HSR stations. I think all of us who live in the Hunter are in furious agreement that HSR to the Hunter would be fantastic for the region. So good luck with your work to promote the concept! I’m just not optimistic that the project will come to fruition.
It is a little ironic complaining about price fixing in the oil and gas industry when the base world price for oil, and in turn a lot of the global pricing from LNG is based on a measure of the oil price, and that price constantly manipulated explicitly by a explicit cartel. It starts as a completely rigged market.
It seems the complaints are when the price is being manipulated for consumers rather than always against them.
“ It seems the complaints are when the price is being manipulated for consumers rather than always against them.”
If one thinks about it, the price is being manipulated on behalf of the owners of the resource who are also the consumers of it.
Love the insight about rail alignments cudc
Cud C
Hello and thanks for your earlier comments. I take your point that once you build a new alignment a new HSR rail line is not necessarily more costly than a faster rail line. Good point.
I think that Laird was proposing a new alignment for the replaced section he identifies west of Yass. I think this is worth doing either way, but as you say, build it to a HSR standard.
For a party with a women problem Dutton could not have made the problem any worse with his Mr Speaker routine today.
He really is making Mr Albanese look like the Father of the Nation.
Newcastle Moderate
The proposal makes sense in political terms. The problem I keep having is getting quality time with politicians and their staffers. The sad thing is that if we do nothing then the default is a high speed rail authority staffed by mediocre minds that doesn’t really get the fundamental question: What exactly is the problem that we are trying to solve? Instead they continue to think inside the box and end up with a HSR line that isn’t particularly useful for the vast majority of people that stands separate to a band-aided conventional line that doesn’t really compete with cars. The most important point of the articles is you can have the best of both worlds – speed and access.
“If one thinks about it, the price is being manipulated on behalf of the owners of the resource who are also the consumers of it.”
Yeah but lets be honest we effectively voluntarily ceded our rights over minerals and gas for *checks notes* pretty much nothing. Chevron, Exxon, Shell etc effectively own and profit from our gas resources, Australia, much much less.
I omit oil because the PRRT regime works, as I understand it okish for oil.
Birmingham?
You surely jest?
Santos
HQ in Adelaide (hence what the initials Santos stand for)
There was a time when Bond made a play for the Company – and in the process occupied 2 Seats on the Board
To the consternation of the Board, a whose who of upper Adelaide, led by Bonython, they all being senior figures in the LCP
The great irony was that Bonython resorted to approaching Dunstan for a resolution – staggering is not a strong enough description
Don responded by limiting any individual Shareholding in Santos and forcing Bond off the Register and off the Board
I would imagine the Board of Santos continues to reflect what it did under Bonython
So Adelaide Club – hardly a place you would find anyone supportive of a Labor government
Their reported comment is no surprise
Mind you, sitting in the shadows is supply – so mining it by coal seam extraction which is variously outlawed
When they talk of supply and markets, they want to extend the resourcing to accommodate both offshore and domestic markets by coal seam extraction
Mind you, domestically we would still pay what can be achieved from offshore purchasers
And that is the issue – noting the Contracts in place with those offshore buyers, Contracts which pay no regard to Australian consumption
So they agitate and bribe for more supply – by coal seam extraction
The War is now on
The government, in the interests of voters will win
But the opposition will be fierce – aka the WA woman on the back of a truck and what Santos now put
The voice of one crying in the wilderness of the Liberal party …
Will Peter ‘leftwing describes everybody from the left to the right’ Dutton hear the cry?
‘“I’m very mindful of the increase in the fanning of rightwing extremism in the lead-up to the last federal election,” the Coalition MP Andrew Wallace told Guardian Australia.’
***
‘Wallace is the deputy chair of the parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) …’
***
‘Wallace said several federal MPs required personal security for the first time in the lead-up to the election, attributing it to “hard rightwing anti-government sentiment”.…’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/16/foreign-actors-may-have-fanned-rightwing-extremism-during-covid-to-sway-election-liberal-mp-says
Oh, and another Liberal voice crying in the wilderness …
‘Simon Birmingham has said the former Morrison government was wrong to resist increasing Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target.’
Tiny, tentative step back towards a ‘sensible centre(-right)’?
What will Rupert say? Will Birmingham be sent to Coventry?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/15/morrison-government-should-have-heeded-calls-to-raise-climate-targets-simon-birmingham-says
Desert Qlder @ #1060 Thursday, December 15th, 2022 – 11:32 pm
Fuddy Dutton.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/15/morrison-government-should-have-heeded-calls-to-raise-climate-targets-simon-birmingham-says
Yes but they didn’t. When it mattered. When they were in government. 😐
Cud Chewer @ #1053 Thursday, December 15th, 2022 – 10:08 pm
Both Labor. So won’t be done until both governments are Labor. Like in Victoria the State government has carriage of those things. However, if a federal government agreed to help the state Labor government fund it as part of a federal HSR program then it would be done. But Woy Woy first.
Trump ridiculed for ‘major announcement’ that he’s selling digital trading cards
Former President Donald Trump is being mocked over his “major announcement” that he’s selling digital trading cards featuring himself depicted as a superhero, among other characters.
“MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT! My official Donald Trump Digital Trading Card collection is here!” Mr Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social on Thursday.
“These limited edition cards feature amazing ART of my Life & Career! Collect all of your favorite Trump Digital Trading Cards, very much like a baseball card, but hopefully much more exciting,” he added. “GET YOUR CARDS NOW! Only $99 each! Would make a great Christmas gift. Don’t Wait. They will be gone, I believe, very quickly!”
Twitter users were quick to mock the announcement.
“OH MY F***ING GOD TRUMP’S MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT IS *DIGITAL* TRADING CARDS FEATURING HIS OWN BIG DUMB STUPID PUMPKIN FACE and holy s**t he’s selling them for a hundred bucks I s**t you not. I wish I was making this up. And the rubes are going to eat this s**t right up,” Jeff Tiedrich wrote.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-announcement-digital-trading-cards-b2246035.html
As my wife often reminds me; “You can’t legislate to avoid stupidity!”
I really have no sympathy or concern for stupid people who hand over real money to, and I’ll use this word lightly, invest in Crypto Currency.
For me, this rort is the ultimate “Revenge of the Nerds”.
And as for Elon Musk, is he an Elton who can’t spell, can we use this site to discuss real political issues!
Like many, on this site and out in the real world, don’t use or have any interest in Twitter or Faceback – and really don’t care.
MaccaRB,
Don’t look at the news today then. It’s all Harry, Meghan and the Royal Family. 🙄
Morning all. Like Dave I found Trump’s “announcement” he was selling digital trading cards of himself as classic self satire. And the “cards” aka tacky digital images are pathetic.
This is not a fake – this is what he is selling of himself:
Anyone who voted for this lame grifter should count themselves as among the greatest suckers in US political history.
Soon, the Russians will have as many personnel lying buried beneath the snow in Ukraine as they left buried under the snow in Finland.
These Soviets are very slow learners.
Interesting to read this morning that Belarus is claiming to be deploying their forces away from the Ukraine border. Maybe, the worry of a popular uprising, or mutiny, if Belarus troops are commanded to cross into Ukraine is starting to be understood – with the unlikely prospect of Russian tanks and troops being available to suppress the people of Belarus for a second time.
Good news… Labor ends another LNP corrupt practice …
Electricity generated by burning native Australian timber no longer classified as renewable energy
Labor revokes Abbott government move which allowed energy from burning wood waste to be counted with solar and wind.
Lukashenko is one popular uprising away from political oblivion. And he knows that with Moscow pre-occupied with Ukraine he would be toast if it happened after he agreed to send Belorusian troops to fight alongside Putin.
C@tmomma @ 6.44am
Thanks C@T.
Another useless group of individuals i totally ignore – and have done so when it was expected that people would stand to watch a woman riding a horse before the film commenced. i still have residual pinch scars on my upper arms from my resistance.
However, I thought that the: Ninja & The Whiner / Whinger stories were all about a soon to be former Australian batter and his wife.
Keep working on the Woy Woy (so good that named it twice) Rail Crossing removal.
Sceptic @ #976 Friday, December 16th, 2022 – 7:06 am
Sceptic, I believe there are a lot of them littered throughout all departments. Schemes cooked up to benefit Liberal, LNP and National mates and voting demographics. One thing we learnt about the federal Coalition government was that they were tricky with their use of language in order to create a benefit for those groups. So, a ‘renewable resource’ became a tree, which could eventually grow again. Maybe. If it was planted again in the same place it had just been cleared from. Generally though those native trees were replaced with plantation trees, or just cleared for grazing.
Re: Sceptic @ 7.06am
Tanya already demonstrating her genuine commitment to the Environment and Climate Change action.
Despite, all of the factional group nonsense, regarding her Ministerial position, she was appointed to this vital position because Albanese recognised her ability to manage such an important portfolio.
Another win for the “quota girls”.
#weatheronPB
Among busy clouds,
a distant hollow roar fades
and stillness returns.
I can see puddles.
I can feel the cool damp air.
Ah, it’s rained again.
Macca RB says:
Friday, December 16, 2022 at 7:28 am
Re: Sceptic @ 7.06am
Tanya already demonstrating her genuine commitment to the Environment and Climate Change action.
Despite, all of the factional group nonsense, regarding her Ministerial position, she was appointed to this vital position because Albanese recognised her ability to manage such an important portfolio.
________________
No one ever suggested that Plibersek was demoted to the Environment Ministry because of ‘factional group nonsense’, whatever that is, seeing that she and Albo are of the same faction. The demotion was characterised as stemming from some personal tension between the two.
#weatheronPB – Sydney: overcast and 12.5°. I’m lodging an official complaint when I find out who to complain to.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Anthony Albanese has stared down fury from the gas industry over the government’s interventionist energy price relief laws, saying his bill would have no impact on their investment and warning them against talking down the sector.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/they-want-to-be-careful-pm-defies-gas-industry-fury-as-price-cap-bill-passes-20221215-p5c6hs.html
David Crowe thinks that Dutton is taking a big gamble with his opposition to the government’s actions on energy prices.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-light-bulb-moment-dutton-dices-with-voters-hip-pockets-20221215-p5c6hn.html
And Katherine Murphy says that Peter Dutton’s naked politicking over power prices is as cynical as it is calculating. She opines that the opposition leader is determined to reheat the climate wars, via whatever means and whatever the costs to Australia.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/15/peter-duttons-naked-politicking-over-power-prices-is-as-cynical-as-it-is-calculating
On the front page of The Australian – “Anthony Albanese’s energy market intervention could increase gas bills by $175 per year and push up businesses’ energy costs by 40 per cent, according to independent modelling that warns price caps may trigger supply shortfalls and blackouts in Victoria. As relations between the private sector and the Prime Minister sank to new lows, Santos chief executive Kevin Gallagher accused the government of doing the bidding of trade unions and imposing a “Soviet-style policy” creating investment settings in line with Venezuela and Nigeria.”
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/blast-for-pms-soviet-plan-higher-bills-more-blackouts/news-story/ccb2611859401aa1eef079ba779c5850
Anthony Albanese may have won the day, but he is a long way from winning the war on energy prices. The battle has just begun, says Simon Benson.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/for-anthony-albanese-the-day-may-be-won-but-the-war-is-far-from-over/news-story/0f76a904df9732799e2aeb9ac7914caf
The Coalition has taken a risk by defending free-market principles, even if it has a long history of energy market intervention, writes Phil Coorey.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/free-market-or-not-they-re-all-interventionists-now-20221215-p5c6i8
The federal government is confident it has the public on side with its intervention in the energy market, and the gas industry’s warnings aren’t getting much traction, writes Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/congratulations-to-whoever-came-up-with-the-term-reasonable-pricing-20221215-p5c6lo
The government’s Energy Price Relief bill has passed in a tumultuous final day of parliament for 2022 after the Greens secured funding to help people on low incomes transition away from gas appliances and electrify their homes. But Labor torpedoed an amendment to stop fossil fuel subsidies and the question of the cartel behaviour by gas companies remains, reports Daniel Bleakley.
https://michaelwest.com.au/coalition-sidelined-fossil-outrage-as-labor-strikes-deal-on-energy-relief-bill-with-greens/
Yes, the government’s price cap is overly generous to gas producers. But it was necessary, writes Professor Samantha Hepburn.
https://theconversation.com/yes-the-governments-price-cap-is-overly-generous-to-gas-producers-but-it-was-necessary-196597
Alan Kohler lays out the three broken promises that define 2022.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2022/12/15/broken-promises-2022-kohler/
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil says intelligence agencies are investigating the national security implications of the Queensland shootout that led to the death of six people, including the role online radicalisation may have played in sparking the tragedy. O’Neil said conspiracy theories, disinformation and misinformation were being “turbocharged” by the internet, presenting a new kind of national security threat for law enforcement agencies and policymakers.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/internet-turbocharging-extremism-and-conspiracy-theories-home-affairs-minister-20221215-p5c6j4.html
The editorial in the Age says that the increasing threat from conspiracists and far-right warrants a response.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/increasing-threat-from-conspiracists-and-far-right-warrant-response-20221215-p5c6px.html
Anthony Albanese could spark many inquiries into the Coalition thanks to Tony Abbott, writes Jack Waterford in this lengthy and eminently readable contribution.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7819362/abbotts-short-term-political-strikes-will-have-a-long-lasting-legacy/?cs=14329
While no modern government could match what President Roosevelt achieved in his first 100 days in office, or the reforms rolled out by Gough Whitlam and Lance Barnard immediately after the historic 1972 election victory, the Albanese government has set a cracking pace following its election, says the editorial in The Canberra Times. It goes on say, “Unlike his predecessor, who was more than happy to kick the can down the road on the Voice, stalled wage growth, legislating an ICAC, setting a realistic 2030 climate change target, and energy policy, Anthony Albanese has been both decisive and consultative; a very rare combination in politics.”
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8021444/albanese-govt-has-set-a-cracking-pace/?cs=27763
Covering yesterday’s robodebt royal commission hearing, Luke Henriques-Gomes writes that a senior public servant was “very angry” when she was told the robodebt scheme required a “major incident response” from the Department of Human Services.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/15/senior-dhs-official-very-angry-when-colleague-suggested-robodebt-needed-major-response-inquiry-told
Despite Scott Morrison making a solid effort to represent himself as an innocent bystander in the Robodebt RC, his waffling and obfuscation are only convincing us all of his guilt as its engineer, writes Michelle Pini.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/scotty-the-welfare-cop-and-his-robodebt-royal-commission-copout,17073
Michelle Grattan concludes the week writing, “Morrison endures the witness box, while Albanese enjoys being in the box seat with the Senate”.
https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-morrison-endures-the-witness-box-while-albanese-enjoys-being-in-the-box-seat-with-the-senate-196662
In this op-ed Grace Tame points out that under current legislation, paedophiles are able to hide assets in superannuation and declare bankruptcy to avoid compensating their victims. The responsibility thus falls on taxpayers. Wealthy recidivists can also use these loopholes to appear cash poor before going to prison, where they typically serve short terms anyway. Upon release, they can return to their previous lifestyles that afford them the protections to reoffend. She is very happy about Stephen Jones’ announcement that changes to the Bankruptcy Act and Superannuation Legislation will be implemented within the first six months of 2023.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/finally-a-win-for-survivors-at-their-predators-expense-20221213-p5c61x.html
Dan Andrews issued a “profound apology” on behalf of the government before Australian music heavyweights, friends, relatives and fans who had gathered to celebrate Archie Roach’s life and work.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/watch-live-archie-roach-honoured-in-state-memorial-20221215-p5c6go.html
Coles has breached the supermarket industry’s code of conduct, a scathing report by the food and grocery watchdog has found. The report raises questions about whether the supermarket giants should be policing themselves, and a call for codes to be backed up with fines. Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett, who is the arbiter appointed by Coles to deal with complaints from its suppliers, is singled out by the watchdog as an example of why self-regulation does not work.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/2022/12/15/coles-jeff-kennett-watchdog/
The outlook for US interest rates outlined by the US Federal Reserve Board is clashing with market expectations. That could cause friction, writes Stephen Bartholomeusz.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/financial-markets-and-the-fed-are-set-on-a-collision-course-20221215-p5c6ic.html
The United States does not need it. No air force does. But the lesson of the dazzle from the B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber is that what the US develops and acquires Australia must have. Such a lesson ought to be unlearned as quickly as possible, but there is little chance of it with individuals such as Richard Marles in the defence portfolio, writes Binoy Kampmark.
https://johnmenadue.com/star-struck-lunacy-the-b-21-tempts-the-australian-security-establishment/
The Age last year revealed that special forces veteran Ben Roberts-Smith wore the provocative symbol of a crusader cross on his breast over his uniform while on duty in Afghanistan. Apparently “quite a few” others wore it. This is particularly problematic because while Roberts-Smith may not have perceived it that way, the cross has strong associations for the far right suggesting an era of racial purity, with the Christian west waging war on the Muslim enemy, explains Lucy Hamilton.
https://johnmenadue.com/defending-ourselves-from-infiltration/
Despite a year of high-profile crypto blow-ups, Australia finds itself ringing in another Christmas without any serious regulation for the sector in place, warns Dominic Powell.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/entrepreneurship/australia-really-falling-behind-on-crypto-protections-after-ftx-collapse-20221215-p5c6it.html
Senior Coalition frontbencher Simon Birmingham has said the former Morrison government was wrong to resist increasing Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target. Speaking in Palau, Birmingham said it was “critical for us to listen carefully and attentively to our Pacific partners” and “act in concert with them”. The way Australia conducted its climate debate had not been “ideal for all of our relations”, he said.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/15/morrison-government-should-have-heeded-calls-to-raise-climate-targets-simon-birmingham-says
Around the west, authoritarian right-wing parties are fighting the changes to the world that scare them. Protecting western liberalism is a challenge proponents of the democratic project are only just beginning to address, writes Lucy Hamilton.
https://theaimn.com/the-fight-against-paranoid-nostalgia/
Michaela Whitbourn reports that the NSW corruption watchdog will not be forced to hand down findings within a fixed time frame but may be required to report on its performance against time standards under a proposed change being considered by the state government.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/mps-reject-plan-to-impose-fixed-time-frames-on-icac-for-reports-20221215-p5c6rw.html
And the SMJ editorial welcomes the first steps to protect patients from cosmetic surgery cowboys.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/welcome-first-steps-to-protect-patients-from-cosmetic-surgery-cowboys-20221215-p5c6r6.html
Deliveroo was never profitable in Australia and incurred losses of more than $120 million this year alone, a report from administrators for the collapsed group shows. Jessica Yun writes that the Australian operations of the UK-based food delivery company went into administration last month, owing creditors $129.4 million. The administrators report also shows that a pool of $18.8 million has been set aside for employees, riders, restaurant partners, suppliers and other creditors. Top effort!
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/losses-laid-bare-deliveroo-burnt-120m-before-collapse-20221214-p5c66m.html
Doctors without suitable qualifications will be banned from calling themselves cosmetic surgeons under a series of major changes struck by state and federal health ministers. And in a significant reversal, the ministers also agreed that a ban on the use of patient testimonials by cosmetic surgeons – which several state governments had wanted wound back – will be retained.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/strict-new-rules-on-who-can-call-themselves-a-cosmetic-surgeon-20221215-p5c6ol.html
Paedophile pastor Frank Houston continued leading church sermons until weeks before his death, despite being stripped of his credentials to minister after his son learned that he sexually abused children, a New South Wales court has heard.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/15/frank-houston-continued-to-lead-sermons-after-being-stripped-of-credentials-for-child-sexual-abuse-court-hears
At least nine people have developed serious hallucinations and sickness after eating a contaminated batch of baby spinach.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/contaminated-spinach-causing-serious-hallucinations-sickness-in-sydney-20221215-p5c6t7.html
Rob Harris tells us about what is building up to be what could be the most egregious bribery scandal to hit Brussels in years. It reads like a movie script.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/suitcases-of-cash-mps-arrested-and-the-giant-the-bribery-scandal-that-has-shaken-the-eu-20221215-p5c6ha.html
Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned that if the United States confirms reports that it plans to deliver sophisticated air defence missiles to Ukraine, it would be “another provocative move by the US” that could prompt a response from Moscow.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/moscow-warns-of-consequences-if-us-patriot-missiles-go-to-ukraine-20221216-p5c6u4.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
David Pope
Simon Letch
Cathy Wilcox
Fiona Katauskas
Glen Le Lievre
John Shakespeare
Mark Knight
Leak
From the US
UK Voting intentions via Kantar poll:
Labour 46% (+1 vs November 2022)
Conservatives 29% (-1)
Liberal Democrats 9% (+1)
Green 5% (+1)
SNP 5% (nc)
Reform UK 4% (-1)
UKIP 2% (nc)
Plaid Cymru <1% (nc)
Other 1% (-1)
Thanks so much BK
“ David Crowe thinks that Dutton is taking a big gamble with his opposition to the government’s actions on energy prices.”
I watched Jacob Greber (AFR) last night saying that he thought it was a good decision by the Coalition and that Dutton felt confident going into the Xmas break. Must be an alternate universe thing. Up is down. Utter tripe.
This is a report of what is most likely another false flag from the Russians, to try to drive a wedge between Ukraine and its staunchest ally, Poland: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/15/poland-police-chief-jaroslaw-szymczyk-wounded-when-gift-from-ukraine-explodes
It seems from this incident that Ukraine has more work to do in rooting out Russian agents operating deep within its territory, and also possibly high up in its hierarchy. I doubt, though, that Poland will be falling for such a transparent ploy from Russia anytime soon. I also think it unlikely Poland will hold it against Ukraine for the apparent security lapse on its soil, since they would appreciate that Kyiv’s attention is very much engaged in national survival against an existential threat right now.
“ The majority (of the Coalition) sees the price caps as extreme intervention that will only rebound on the country by slowing investment in new energy supplies.”
Price caps only relate to domestic sales, a small portion of overall sales, so why would energy companies stop investing when they’re making super profits on the remaining 80% of their product? And don’t give me that bloody sovereign risk S@#T!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-light-bulb-moment-dutton-dices-with-voters-hip-pockets-20221215-p5c6hn.html
Macca RB @ Friday, December 16, 2022 at 7:01 am
Soon, the Russians will have as many personnel lying buried beneath the snow in Ukraine as they left buried under the snow in Finland.
These Soviets are very slow learners.
Interesting to read this morning that Belarus is claiming to be deploying their forces away from the Ukraine border. Maybe, the worry of a popular uprising, or mutiny, if Belarus troops are commanded to cross into Ukraine is starting to be understood – with the unlikely prospect of Russian tanks and troops being available to suppress the people of Belarus for a second time.”
===============================
Putin appears to have a habit of collecting allies from among repressive regimes which are in some danger of ouster with extreme prejudice: Damascus, Pyongyang, Tehran, Minsk. He would be getting nervous any of this rubs off onto him.
Reflecting on lst night discussion on the Rise and Rise of Birmingham to be LOTO…..which SA seat will he move too?…..there are only 3 Lib seats in the whole state…..Barker Grey and Sturt….with the last 2 being marginal.
Just in time for Christmas! (And I like the way these are supposed to reflect the Great One’s life…)
https://twitter.com/i/status/1603432720062976001
Thanks for the roundup BK. There is an extraordinary range of opinions on the passing of the gas price legislation, ranging from for to against. I find it hard to imagine how something designed to reduce consumer prices can be politically unpopular.
Yet this piece is simply nonsense. How can capping prices increase prices? Profits maybe, but a price cap that increases prices? Gas is still highly profitable and supply will not reduce. The Oz is aimed at morons these days. I wonder if the Train brothers read it?
“ On the front page of The Australian – “Anthony Albanese’s energy market intervention could increase gas bills by $175 per year and push up businesses’ energy costs by 40 per cent, according to independent modelling that warns price caps may trigger supply shortfalls and blackouts in Victoria. As relations between the private sector and the Prime Minister sank to new lows, Santos chief executive Kevin Gallagher accused the government of doing the bidding of trade unions and imposing a “Soviet-style policy” creating investment settings in line with Venezuela and Nigeria.”
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/blast-for-pms-soviet-plan-higher-bills-more-blackouts/news-story/ccb2611859401aa1eef079ba779c5850
Uncertainty in vote tallying. Another twist in Fiji’s path.
https://apnews.com/article/politics-fiji-frank-bainimarama-government-and-f3aa8d50111f16bef6c2f63b80b68157
https://lnkd.in/gCx9MaZe, viz of global innovation index
😆
Soc
The line is that reduced investment because of sovereign risk will lead to reduced supplies which will lead to a tighter market. The real tension here for the gas companies is every molecule forced into the domestic market in a two-tiered price system is some more gouging foregone.
The gas companies had agreement voluntarily to provide gas to cover the east coast needs.
Shell has now threatened to walk away from that voluntary agreement.
Next step will, presumably, be legislation to force domestic supplies.
I assume the response will be ‘See you in court.’
In Fiji in 2019, a local neatly described the benign dictatorship which was not very nice running the country.
The APPEA is squealing like pigs who have had their noses jerked out of the trough of windfall profits…
Australian businesses should be alarmed that the parliament has passed a Bill that upends a functioning market with virtually no consultation and within just days of being announced.
Australia’s oil and gas industry today said capping prices and establishing unprecedented interventionist powers – including ongoing regulation of gas prices – should be a warning to businesses across the economy that the Government would step in and regulate without notice.
The laws, which passed the parliament this afternoon, give the government command and control of the market but fail to address the underlying causes of higher domestic gas prices – declining supply and increasing demand for gas for power generation.
https://www.appea.com.au/all_news/media-release-gas-market-intervention-a-warning-for-australian-industry/
Worth reading the whole press release to fully appreciate the porcine complaints – if only they weren’t so greedy?
And the selectively quoted EnergyQuest report saying gas bills ‘could’ rise by $175 if price caps were introduced has some other very relevant statistics ignored by the SmearStralian…
The third quarter was marked by announcements of the accelerated closure of 10,000 MW of coal-fired power capacity but with only 127 MW of new renewable capacity going online during the quarter. It is much easier to close things in Australia than to replace them. Investment in firm renewables needs to ramp up massively to avoid high future electricity prices and blackouts.
Other highlights include:
While generally above US prices, east coast producer prices were significantly lower than European prices in Q3 and lower than LNG landed prices in North Asia.
East coast spot gas prices averaged $25.97/GJ in Q3, up by 139.6% from an average $10.84/GJ in Q3 2021 but down 10.7% from the Q2 2022 average of $29.09/GJ.
There is a big difference between volatile spot prices and prices realised by producers. Producer prices ranged between $6.40/GJ for Armour and $13.12/GJ for Santos (up 75.2% qoq).
East coast gas supply (production plus NT imports) decreased by 16.0 PJ qoq from 512.7 PJ in Q3 2021 to 496.8 PJ in Q3 2022.
https://www.energyquest.com.au/energyquarterly-december-2022-looming-east-coast-train-wreck/
It was a malfunctioning market. 😐