Essential Research has not published voting intention numbers with its latest fortnightly poll, which hopefully doesn’t portend anything. It does include the pollster’s monthly leadership ratings, which find Anthony Albanese steady at both 46% approval and 43% disapproval, while Peter Dutton is down two to 36% and steady on 43%. A monthly “national mood” question has 34% rating that Australia is heading in the right direction, up one, which wrong direction steady at 48%.
Of those voting no at the referendum, 41% favoured “will divide Australia in the constitution on the basis of race” as the preferred reason out of four options, with “not enough detail” at 27%, “won’t make a real difference” at 19% and “will give Indigenous Australians rights and privileges that other Australians don’t have” at 13%. On the Israel-Palestine conflict, 37% professed themselves satisfied with the government’s response with 19% dissatisfied. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Saturday from a sample of 1125.
The latest voting intention numbers for Roy Morgan have Labor’s two-party lead out from 53-47 to 54-46, from primary votes of Labor 35% (up two), Coalition 34% (steady) and Greens 14% (up half).
Two hundred House Republicans voted in favor of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the Republican nominee for Speaker, 17 votes short of the majority needed to win the speakership.
I’d be getting any promises he makes to the holdouts in writing. On a Stat Dec. With an iron-clad contract. Signed in his blood! 😀
“Of those voting no at the referendum, 41% favoured “will divide Australia in the constitution on the basis of race” as the preferred reason out of four options, with “not enough detail” at 27%, “won’t make a real difference” at 19% and “will give Indigenous Australians rights and privileges that other Australians don’t have” at 13%.”
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Those wanting to deny something to a disadvantaged group crave nothing more than a ‘principled’ fig leaf to hide their callousness behind. Bank on opponents of change making the identification of such a fig leaf their top priority in planning their spoiling campaigns. Supporters of change need to make the crafting of an effective response to this their top priority.
C@tmommasays:
Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at 6:47 am
Two hundred House Republicans voted in favor of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the Republican nominee for Speaker, 17 votes short of the majority needed to win the speakership.
I’d be getting any promises he makes to the holdouts in writing. On a Stat Dec. With an iron-clad contract. Signed in his blood!
—————————–
C@tmomma, I would love it if at least one holdout whom Jim Jordan really needs to shift makes it a condition that Jordan shall put all Biden Administration requests for military and other aid to Ukraine to a floor vote without delay.
SfM continues to be everybody’s favourite punching bag.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-libs-blame-morrison-party-dysfunction-and-voter-fatigue-for-election-loss-20231017-p5ecwo.html
This one is from about three weeks ago: “… cost-of-living dominated, with 92 per cent of voters ranking the issue in the top five, followed by 73 per cent of people seeing housing affordability as a key priority for Labor.
About 69 per cent of people ranked jobs and the economy as a top five issue for the government.
Other important issues identified by those surveyed where health funding, wages and climate change, as reported by the [Murdoch Infotainment/ ] Daily Telegraph.
… roughly 15 per cent of people consider the Voice [to Parliament & Executive] as a top-five priority for the federal government.”
Read in Sky News Australia: https://apple.news/Ar1J5_nYBSYGcQZ8ktw4ang”
Morning all. A rocket strike has hit a hospital in Gaza, killing hundreds. Neither side has claimed responsibility for it. Israeli missile, misfiring Hamas rocket, or false flag job?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-18/gaza-hospital-bombing-kills-hundreds-israel-war/102989448
There is a huge protest about this outside the Israeli embassy in Istanbul. Australia should condemn this incident. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Gaza could easily expand to a major regional war.
Telecoms cable between Sweden and Estonia damaged, Sweden says
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Anthony Albanese has told colleagues there won’t be a formal review of Labor’s role in the failed Yes case, as he signalled a mooted crackdown on false and misleading political advertising could look at the Voice campaign. James Massola and David Crowe tell us that indigenous leaders’ decision to observe a week of silence to absorb Saturday’s referendum defeat has left the federal government unable to advance its alternative plans for reconciliation and to tackle disadvantage because of a desire to first consult them.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-won-t-look-back-on-yes-campaign-but-hamstrung-on-next-steps-20231017-p5ecx5.html
Talking to Indigenous people who were prominent in the campaign for a “yes” vote now feels like intruding into private grief. It feels like pestering bereaved people for their feelings shortly after a tragedy. Their decision to have a one-week moratorium on public comment is no doubt sensible – but it’s not just about the politics of crafting a unified position: it’s also about mourning, writes Steve Evans.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8387468/the-private-grief-of-indigenous-leaders-after-the-rejection-of-their-plea/?cs=27845
The voices of division will keep winning unless we learn these hard lessons from the referendum, argues Peter Lewis. He says ‘Yes’ reflected the rich breadth of Australia’s civic institutions, but they were no match for the fear and division that gravitated around ‘no’.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2023/oct/17/the-voices-of-division-will-keep-winning-unless-we-learn-these-hard-lessons-from-the-referendum
The mainstream media’s performance during the Voice Referendum campaign was an abject failure, writes former CEO and editor-in-chief of The Age, Ranald MacDonald.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/how-the-media-failed-australia-in-the-referendum-campaign,17993
The Australian tragedy is stark – a majority of people support Indigenous constitutional recognition but this goal is finished for years and almost certainly for decades, the consequence of an epic political mismanagement. The Albanese government, obviously, will not propose another referendum given this fiasco. It will shelter behind the truism that “the people always get it right”. Writes Paul Kelly.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/legacy-of-voices-defeat-will-last-a-generation/news-story/3fca9032089541015fd0eb763bdc9f67?amp
The Voice campaign showed Labor’s strategy for countering right-wing populism is in disarray, says Professor Carol Johnson in a long dissertation.
https://theconversation.com/the-voice-campaign-showed-labors-strategy-for-countering-right-wing-populism-is-in-disarray-215709
The high levels of loss of Yes voters to the No camp during the referendum campaign add indicators that the once social democratic contributions to governance are in trouble. Where once policies for fairness were seen as integral parts of good democracies, these have been replaced by neo liberal market models. This shows up too often as voters becoming customers, not citizens, laments Eva Cox.
https://johnmenadue.com/is-the-no-victory-another-signal-of-voters-distrust-of-democratic-reps/
The NSW Liberals’ election post-mortem has blamed former prime minister Scott Morrison, the “dysfunction” of the party’s state executive, and an “It’s time” factor for its loss at the March poll, writes Michael McGowan. Seven months after the Liberals lost their last mainland stronghold when former premier Dominic Perrottet’s government was defeated by Labor’s Chris Minns, a review of the campaign has highlighted the Morrison government for damaging the party’s brand before the poll.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-libs-blame-morrison-party-dysfunction-and-voter-fatigue-for-election-loss-20231017-p5ecwo.html
Premier Jacinta Allan’s announcement of an anonymous solicitor as IBAC commissioner suggests she is unwilling to appoint someone with the experience and gravitas to truly hold the government to account, opines Stephen Charles.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/allan-s-new-ibac-chief-is-inexperienced-and-a-virtual-unknown-is-that-the-point-20231017-p5ed0m.html
Kieran Mooney tells us that the Victorian opposition will back a push from expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming to set up an inquiry into gender-affirming care for children, though it is unlikely to attract the backing from progressive crossbench parties that it needs to succeed.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/liberals-to-back-deeming-motion-for-inquiry-into-gender-affirming-care-20231017-p5ecyd.html
More businesses are looking down the barrel of insolvency, as an economic slowdown crimps sales and squeezes profit margins as borrowing costs soar, explains Karen Maley.
https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/the-worrying-rise-in-corporate-busts-20231017-p5ecx0
If Scott Morrison was still prime minister, the detained Chinese-Australia journalist would not be back home in Melbourne, declares Geoff Raby who says it was Labor’s return to diplomacy that freed Cheng Lei.
https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/labor-s-return-to-diplomacy-freed-cheng-lei-20231015-p5ecbd
Elizabeth Knight writes that until six months ago, being a non-executive director of Qantas was way more than just a resume stuffer, it was membership of an elite group – a trophy board. These days, it carries reputational damage sufficient to even be a career crusher. She describes how the Qantas hangover could be a headache for directors on other boards.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/qantas-hangover-a-headache-for-directors-on-other-boards-20231017-p5eczv.html
Climate and transport advocates say the Albanese government’s showpiece electric vehicle strategy has achieved little and remains “hamstrung” six months after its release as the industry continues to wait for details of a fuel efficiency standard, writes Elias Visontay.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/18/labors-ev-strategy-hamstrung-by-delayed-fuel-efficiency-standard-advocates-say
The Greens and crossbenchers, including independent ACT senator David Pocock, have combined with the Albanese government to sink the opposition’s attempt to send its bill to override the ACT government’s drug decriminalisation laws to a Senate inquiry. Michaelia Cash had been seeking to send the Australian Capital Territory government’s Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Act 2022, a private senators’ bill to the Senate’s legal and constitutional affairs references committee for inquiry.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8389103/coalition-fails-to-send-act-drug-law-bill-to-senate-inquiry/?cs=14329
Lawyers for a high-profile man accused of rape have been reprimanded by a Queensland judge for failing to promptly submit their application for a judicial review to keep their client’s name secret. The man’s identity will remain protected following a decision in Brisbane’s supreme court yesterday to extend an interim non-publication order. The next hearing is expected to be held on Thursday, 26 October.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/17/high-profile-man-accused-of-toowoomba-rape-takes-fight-to-maintain-anonymity-to-supreme-court
The American gas frackers who got government grants, threatened journalists and snubbed a senate inquiry have shifted control of Tamboran to US secrecy jurisdiction Delaware. Callum Foote reports that the Beetaloo Basin gas fracking company Tamboran Resources has notified the ASX of its intention to re-domicile to Delaware in the United States, a jurisdiction known for corporate secrecy and tax avoidance.
https://michaelwest.com.au/gas-fracker-tamboran-grabs-government-cash-snubs-senate-scurries-off-to-tax-haven/
Farrah Tomazin reports that intelligence chiefs from Australia and around the world have lashed out at China for what they say is the most sophisticated program of intellectual property theft in history, warning that Beijing’s espionage is so widespread it requires an unprecedented global response.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/global-intelligence-chiefs-lash-china-s-sanctioned-theft-of-intellectual-property-20231018-p5ed3f.html
While the Australian political debate escalated, Mike Burgess says ASIO sees a direct correlation between inflammatory language and “people who think violence is the answer”. Burgess said that Australia’s threat level was sitting at “possible”.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/asio-boss-braced-for-spontaneous-violence-as-spy-chiefs-warn-of-heightened-threats-20231017-p5ecx2.html
Greg Sheridan writes that Joe Biden will become the first American leader ever to visit Israel during a military conflict, sending the strongest possible signal of support to Jerusalem as it readies for a ground invasion of Gaza, while nervously fighting off threats on its other borders. He says, “Biden is also sending a message to Israel’s enemies, especially Iran. Strike Israel with conventional military and you’ll likely face an American military response. But Biden also expects something from Israel in return, namely the maximum restraint possible in its campaign, which the US and Australia both support, to crush the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza following its depraved and sadistic slaughter of more than 1300 Israelis, mainly civilians.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/joe-bidens-message-to-world-and-iran-we-stand-with-israel/news-story/a3c15a19f7a6c895094cbecee279eb94?amp
Joe Biden’s Israel visit is his boldest gamble yet, writes James Curran who says it may yield few dividends, but it is an imaginative and bold attempt to secure some kind of peace.
https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/joe-biden-s-israel-visit-is-his-boldest-gamble-yet-20231017-p5ed1r
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
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Matt Golding
Fiona Katauskas
David Rowe
Cathy Wilcox
Simon Letch
John Shakespeare
Mark David
Andrew Dyson
Glen Le Lievre
Spooner can’t help himself!
From the US
Why does Jordan get to say when a floor vote for speaker takes place?
Team Katich @ #NaN Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 – 7:31 am
Because he’s an avatar for Donald Trump?
Gym Jordan has at least 2 major blocks against him:
A big bloc of Jordan hold-outs in the first round of voting are senior members of the Appropriations Committee, tasked with writing and passing the spending bills that fund the government. A New York Times analysis earlier this year showed that Jordan voted for spending bills just 16 percent of the time on average since 2011.
Anthony D’Esposito, part of the bloc of Long Island Republicans voting against Jim Jordan’s speaker bid, says in a statement that he wants “a speaker who understands Long Island’s unique needs.” He goes on to list priorities including a bill introduced earlier this year that would remove a cap on deductions for state and local taxes, known as SALT.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/17/us/house-speaker-jim-jordan-vote
So a group who don’t want a MAGA bomb thrower in the chair, and a group who are looking for pork. Sad how low the Republicans have sunk to.
Paul @ #NaN Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 – 6:51 am
They have been. And he’s promised to do it. It’s how Jordan got the vote of the Chair of the House Armed Services Committee. Which is why I suggested anyone who got him to promise it needs it in writing.
Jordan seems as likely to make 217 as Jeffries. So, again, if the clerk and the interim speaker are waiting for someone to call a vote, why specifically is Jordan calling these shots? Maybe the Dems are saying nicks – but I notice there has been calls by some republicans to to interim speaker to hold a vote asap and for everyone to vote for him (McHenry).
It has been 13 days without a speaker. F Jordan and him wanting more time to bribe and pressure people. He’s had nearly 4 days to do that.
This statistical analysis by Phillip Bump of The Washington Post goes along ideological, policy and geographical lines in the Republican Party cross-checked with who did and who didn’t vote for Jordan. You don’t need a subscription to read the article, it’s free to read:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/17/jordan-speaker-votes/
Team Katich,
Are they waiting for the latest episode of Hannity to bully the holdouts, or the leader of Mums for Liberty, to dox them and their families online again, in order to get the remaining votes? 🙄
These are very important words by Peter Lewis that we all should reflect on:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2023/oct/17/the-voices-of-division-will-keep-winning-unless-we-learn-these-hard-lessons-from-the-referendum
Only half in jest….. Democrats should vote Liz Cheney as a block next round. That would be wild and send Trump nuts. There are two Republicans still in the house who voted to impeach Trump. They might be interested in voting for her if they thought they could argue it was the only way to get a resolution of the speakership. They would need 3 more.
There is an article on the ABC Website referring to the divisions in Israel and the collapse in support for the Israel prime minister
Interesting reading
There is a map appended of the Region, the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip identified
Leading a cobbled together Right Wing Coalition then subverting the Courts to government and now this is having repercussions domestically it appears including leading to a cancelled address to (conscripted?) troops on the Gaza border
There appears no reporting of this across the right wing media in Australia
Peter Lewis’ pertinent observation:
‘The untethered right will be emboldened by this win, looking for more things to drive their anger; a miserable opposition becoming a willing handmaiden to this cynical enterprise.
They will keep dumbing down complexity and turning people against the very institutions whose health should be an expression of our collective cohesion. And as they do, those same institutions will become even weaker and the resentment of the disengaged will only grow.
This is bigger than Australia. Around the world the power of institutions has waned, first under the concerted attack of global capital and now under the force of the platform models that turn every user into a community of one. These are the conditions for Trumpian populism to take root and thrive as it has elsewhere around the world.’
From NY Times
Luke Broadwater
Oct. 17, 2023, 5:19 p.m. ET2 minutes ago
2 minutes ago
Luke Broadwater
Scheduling update: Next vote for speaker will be tomorrow at 11 a.m. as Jordan works to shore up support — and prevent the bleeding of support. “We’re going to keep working,” Jordan says.
C@tmomma says:
Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at 7:59 am
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C@tmomma, add this to the Polish election result, and there’s hope yet that the democratic world will stand by Ukraine all the way to victory.
Paul @ #NaN Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 – 8:23 am
I don’t trust Jordan as far as I can throw him. He would promise you the moon, I reckon, and deliver you a lump of cheese. Then try to convince you that the moon was made of cheese!
Lol. 🙂
When her name was called, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) cast her vote for “Hakeem Jeffries — versus an insurrectionist.”
‘Twenty GOP members have now voted against Jim Jordan. The latest are Reps. John James (R-Mich.), Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.). James — who hails from a swing district in which he won the general election by just 0.5 of the vote — cast a ballot for Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.). LaMalfa voted for fellow Californian Rep. Kevin McCarthy, and Spartz — who has long expressed displeasure at the conference’s internal drama — cast a ballot for Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).’
(The Washington Post)
Jordan supporters claiming they are making progress on the holdouts. Don’t trust Jordan and don’t trust them. They are buying time with lies. They claimed earlier today the number of holdouts were ‘south of 10’. Which was clearly BS.
Jordan doesn’t have the numbers. Bring on the vote before he starts seriously threatening people.
The two ends of the Republican voting spectrum:
‘Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), one of the closely watched holdouts against Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), maintains he’s holding his ground and adds that it’s possible Jordan will see less support in a second round of votes expected tonight.
“I think that Jim will lose some more people on that vote, it’ll be more than 20 that will vote against him,” Buck said. “And then we will probably have a conference at some point tonight.”
Buck, who voted for Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) during the first round, wants Jordan to commit to voting on Ukraine funding and admit Trump lost the 2020 election.
“You know who is opposing Jim Jordan,” one of his most vocal supporters, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.), asked rhetorically on Fox News just now. “Appropriators and people who like the power of the defense industry and money in this town.”
“That,” he said, “has to end. It ends now. That’s what this battle is all about.”
Republicans who voted against Jordan (R-Ohio) have cited a number of reasons, from displeasure over how former House speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted and how House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) was treated during his bid for the speakership, to the need to fund important initiatives, domestically and internationally.’
(The Washington Post)
[‘Conservative Republican Rep. Jim Jordan fell significantly short of winning the House speaker’s gavel on a first ballot Tuesday, leaving the House in paralysis after 20 Republicans opposed the Ohio Republican.
The vote, in which Jordan failed to secure a majority of the full House, was a disappointment for Jordan’s allies who had expressed hopes that the number of holdouts would be in the single digits.
Immediately after the vote, the House went into recess, giving Jordan time to try to convince his opponents – a group of GOP moderates and allies of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Majority Leader Steve Scalise – to change their votes.
Jordan had initially considered holding a second vote on Tuesday, but he told reporters that the next speaker vote would be at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
The 20 Republicans who voted against Jordan included House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger of Texas, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado and a quartet of New York Republicans in purple districts. The anti-Jordan contingent cast six votes for McCarthy, seven votes for Scalise and three for former New York GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin, among other alternatives.
It’s now been two weeks of high-stakes chaos over the speaker’s gavel following the unprecedented ouster of McCarthy. The House’s slim margin is what led to McCarthy’s removal at the hands of a band of eight GOP rebels – and now a similarly sized group of House Republicans could block Jordan’s ascension, too.’] – CNN
Splendid! Jordan should never get his hands on the gavel, having been cited by the Jan 6 Committee as being up to his eyeballs in the attempted insurrection. He should be indicted, not third in line to the throne. He failed to answer a subpoena issued by the Committee, has attempted to interfere with Willis’s Rico indictment against Trump, and is overall a grubby, dishonest, thoroughly dislikeable man. He should join the GOP.
Standing on the steps of the Capitol, Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic leader, said Democrats were willing to work with Republicans to find a speaker but it would not be Jordan. “Jim Jordan is the poster boy for MAGA extremism,” he said.
Adam Bandt just been on ABC Melbourne radio. Raf Epstein interviewing is as usual very good and always as part of his style, asking the question that most people want to hear and giving the person time to respond and explain.
#weatheronPB
Forgiving cool air,
moves the few clouds on their way,
as I squint and watch.
BK @ #8 Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 – 7:20 am
I agree that a constitutional Voice is now finished – very likely for a lifetime. However, that was not the only “goal” of the Uluru Statement – it was just the one that many thought (wrongly, as it turns out) most likely to pass, and with least effort.
But constitutional recognition is still feasible, as are both Truth and Treaty – neither of which require constitutional amendment.
But it is certainly true that what we saw was “epic political mismanagement”. This one will be written up as a text-book example of how not to conduct a referendum.
The following applies to the Republican House majority in the U.S – “Vote for a clown and you’ll get a circus”
UK Cartoons:
![](https://nitter.net/pic/media%2FF8q3qR-XcAAwu_g.jpg)
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Finally Guy Venables on the Guardian Sacking Cartoonist Steve Bell:
![](https://nitter.net/pic/media%2FF8pv2EaWQAADXFJ.jpg)
![](https://nitter.net/pic/media%2FF8BsIlBXQAAS9NP.jpg)
Steve Bell’s cartoon:
[‘Speaking at an event at the University of Minnesota on Monday, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett said she favors the idea of an ethics code.
“I think it would be a good idea for us to do it, particularly so that we can communicate to the public exactly what it is that we are doing in a clearer way than perhaps we have been able to do so far,” Barrett said.
Barrett added that she couldn’t say when the court would impose such a set of rules, or what any future code of conduct might look like.
“All nine justices are very committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct,” Barrett said. “And we’re in agreement about what to do. And that we want to continue to follow the highest ethical standards,” she said.’]
https://www.npr.org/2023/10/17/1206509876/amy-coney-barrett-ethics-code-supreme-court
She speaks with a forked tongue, just like she did at her confirmation hearings. The current SCOTUS is the most corrupt ever, with Thomas & Alito leading the charge. And as regards public trust, it’s now in negative territory.
Amazing how reluctant the house republicans are to deal with the democrats – or even to be seen to be negotiating with them. The GOP are defining themselves by this; they have little else to bind them together. At least until the MAGA autocrats take full control.
The impasse in the US HOR will almost guarantee the loss of it to the Dems. And I don’t think Jeffries should offer assistance in what is a case of self-immolation – at least not until the cash nearly runs out in a months time.
Thanks for the roundup BK. I’m afraid this (true) story triggers a fairly negative reaction from me.
“Climate and transport advocates say the Albanese government’s showpiece electric vehicle strategy has achieved little and remains “hamstrung” six months after its release as the industry continues to wait for details of a fuel efficiency standard, writes Elias Visontay.”
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/18/labors-ev-strategy-hamstrung-by-delayed-fuel-efficiency-standard-advocates-say
It takes time for industry to respond to new policy. Unless Labor spells out its vehicle emission policy soon, there will be no change in the auto industry before the next election. No voter benefits either.
IF Labor intends to just “kick the can down the road” on this one and keep in ute-buyer’s good books, it would be better to be honest. Though most ute-buyers don’t vote Labor.
There has never been a better time to reform the transport industry, thanks to high demand for workers. Despite denials profits are high too. But so far we are not seeing policy action.
Instead we see multiple inquiries to find out about ideas that have already been studied to death. After a while, such inquiries start to look like stalling tactics.
Catherine King may be an intelligent person, but nobody in the transport industry would accuse her of acting to quickly as Minister. She has cut a lot of spending, but not replaced it with anything better. Its frustrating. (I see her background is in health and social policy and it shows. She doesn’t know what to do.)
[‘The Captain Tom Foundation is set to be closed down, a barrister has revealed during a hearing over a spa pool complex at Hannah Ingram-Moore’s home.
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter attended an appeal hearing against the proposed demolition of the block at her home on Tuesday.
Speaking for the appellants, barrister Scott Stemp revealed that the foundation was “unlikely to exist”.
Later in the meeting, Mr Stemp said: “It’s not news to anybody that the foundation, it seems, is to be closed down following an investigation by the Charity Commission.”
Captain Tom, who served in the Second World War, passed away in February 2021, having raised £38.9m for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday during the height of the Covid-19 national lockdown.’]
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/captain-tom-moore-pool-spa-daughter-b2431088.html
High court has ruled that the Victorian EV tax is unconstitutional – Excellent! Hopefully that puts the NSW governments plans to introduce one in 2027 to bed as well
That tax was nothing more than a naked cash grab by Dan Andrews and Tim Pallas – very glad it’s in the bin!
I wonder if they will have to refund all the taxes collected thus far?
Page Boi
Thanks and glad to hear the decision. Dan Andrews was smart to retire before that pigeon came home to roost.
Maybe now we will finally see a decision from Catherine King!
Mavis @ #36 Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 – 9:22 am
Voters aren’t going to punish an obstructionist (or non-functional) House half as much as you might think. There’s a decent proportion of them who vote for exactly that.
If Democrats and non-crazy Republicans have a chance to simultaneously end the deadlock and put a non-Trumpist in charge, they should take it.
Also Ukraine doesn’t have a months time. 🙁
And why does the nominee get to say when the votes happen? That’s not too different from letting Trump say when his criminal trials should happen.
US President Biden told by Arab leaders not to come to Jordan, that the meeting is CANCELLED. Terrible look for the US as it’s already bruised reputation across the Arab would is completely shredded.
Israel and the US in complete damage control after the IDF airstrike on a hospital. Misinformation and lies abound, dutifully published by the western mainstream press. Thank god we have other sources of information.
S Simpson
There is an embargo here on arguing Israel-Palestine. The alternative is an incredibly ugly and unproductive all-in-brawl. Please desist.
“Not only does this mean that Western Australia and New South Wales’ plans for road user charging are likely invalid, the decision exposes a range of other state levies to challenge from car registration, to gaming taxes to waste levies.
In a joint judgment then chief Justice Susan Kiefel, Stephen Gageler and Jacqueline Gleeson said the case was the “first time this century” the court had considered the constitutional section stating that the power “to impose duties of customs and of excise” is exclusive to the commonwealth.”
Maybe we’re headed to another referendum sooner than we thought.
Nothing focuses the state’s mind quite so sharply as threats to its capacity to obtain revenue. Except perhaps ensuring its power to exercise violence.
Please don’t mention the bombed hospital (or the five-hundred unpeople killed in it)
Fresh from cheering on Putin as he murders hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, our tankie now has a new persona – Hamas fanboy, cheering on the murder of babies and old people and the rape and murder of women – so long as they are Jewish. Way to go Watermelon. Stalin would have been proud of you.
You are breaking the embargo TPOF. Please desist.
And yes, it is looking increasingly like the hospital bombing was an Islamic Jihad fuck-up of the highest order. But Hamas has never let the opportunity to pass by to use the deaths of its human shields as propaganda.