Roy Morgan might plough on this week with a poll to be dropped next Wednesday or so, but what follows are most likely the last items of polling we will see for the year. The Australian traditionally drops aggregated Newspoll breakdowns in the dead zone after Christmas, but it will only have three polls to aggregate from on this occasion, unless it supplements them somehow.
• RedBridge Group has a federal poll showing Labor leading 52.8-47.2 (in from 53.5-46.5 in the last such poll in early November), though seemingly all reportage of the poll has painted it as disastrous for Labor because the small sample of respondents with trades qualifications has the Coalition ahead. The primary votes are Labor 33% (down one), Coalition 35% (steady) and Greens 13% (down one). The accompanying report includes extensive further questions on national direction, issue salience and immigration. The poll was conducted December 6 to 11 from an unusually large sample of 2010.
• The latest weekly poll from Roy Morgan has a tie on two-party preferred, erasing Labor’s 51-49 lead over the previous two weeks. The primary votes are Labor 32% (up one-and-a-half), Coalition 38% (up one), Greens 11.5% (down two-and-a-half) and One Nation 4.5% (down half). The poll was conducted Monday to Sunday from a sample of 1720.
• The Australian had further results from Newspoll on the leaders’ character traits, which it published in a comprehensive display showing earlier numbers for the results going back to 2008 which is worth seeking out if you’re interested in this sort of thing. Anthony Albanese had higher ratings for trustworthy (49% to 41%), in touch (46% to 41%), caring (61% to 45%), likeable (57% to 39%) and having a vision for Australia (59% to 55%), and was less likely to be seen as arrogant (45% to 57%). Peter Dutton led on experienced (70% to 66%), decisive and strong (58% to 48%) and understanding the major issues (57% to 54%).
• Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles resigned yesterday after nineteen months in the job, amid revelations she had failed to declare a conflict of interest relating to shares in mining company South 32. It presumably didn’t help that a RedBridge Group poll, conducted in the middle of last month from a sample of 601, had Labor trailing the Country Liberals by 40.6% to 19.7% (although the poll found Labor doing little better federally, and its age breakdowns included the implausible finding that the gap was 40% to 11% among the 18-to-39 age cohort). Names mentioned as possible contenders are her deputy, Nicole Manison, Infrastructure Minister Joel Bowden and Attorney-General Chansey Paech.
ROI=ROE
This is a fascinating interview with Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia:
https://youtu.be/1tY6O2qa2WI?si=EWbNYnH7NYkguQax
Our Navy must be in a perilous state if we cannot spare one ship to the Red Sea. As an exporting nation it’s also not very wise to sit out this kind of request.
Boerwar:
Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 9:38 pm
[‘Setting aside the politics for a moment, I am curious to know what you propose to do about the Houthi military interdiction of our seagoing trade?’]
I assess most things from a political perspective, leaving others, like you, to canvass subsidiary issues. Bums of the Treasury Benches is all that counts in my view – the Big Picture if you will.
All three Hobart Class AWDs (with both the offensive firepower and defensive weapons systems necessary to make an effective contribution to Red Sea counter interdiction missions against the Houthi) are currently birthed at Garden Island, Sydney. Presently not doing freedumb dumb dumbs in the South China Sea … or anything other than looking rather majestic.
nath:
Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 9:48 pm
[‘Our Navy must be in a perilous state if we cannot spare one ship to the Red Sea. As an exporting nation, it’s also not very wise to sit out this kind of request.’]
I don’t think we want a spare ship, even if there was a serviceable one in the surface Fleet. Surely a rag-tag crew like Ansar Allah could be contained by the might of the US military? Oh, I just forgot about Vietnam.
Andrew_Earlwood:
Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 9:54 pm
[‘All three Hobart Class AWDs (with both the offensive firepower and defensive weapons systems necessary to make an effective contribution to Red Sea counter interdiction missions against the Houthi) are currently birthed at Garden Island, Sydney. Presently not doing free dumb dumb dumbs in the South China Sea … or anything other than looking rather majestic.’]
How in Hades would a barrister know of the serviceability of the Fleet? Please stop speaking in tongues.
I think ROI also fits, doesn’t it?
I suppose we’ll only know once the award-winning analysis is in.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/donald-trump-s-long-fascination-with-good-genes-and-bloodlines-gets-fresh-scrutiny-20231223-p5etgc.html
Oddly enough, the last season of Billions had the characters bring down a billionaire running for President who would drop Hitler quotes as his own expecting no one to pull him up on it.
“ How in Hades would a barrister know of the serviceability of the Fleet? Please stop speaking in tongues”
Navy itself said it was ready to send a suitable ship to the Red Sea if called upon by the government. So there is that. Also the Government itself said that they are prioritising patrols in the South China Sea.
It is a fact that we have three ships with both modern surface to air defences and modern CIWS installed. they are all sitting down in Woolloomooloo Bay for the annual summer fleet shutdown. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t serviceable. Not when the navy brass has already let the cat out of the bag that a suitable ship could be sent to the Red Sea if the government called upon the navy.
Oh, and Merry Christmas to you as well.
Prioritising antagonistic cruises to the South China Sea instead of doing something practical? Sounds about right.
nath, it’s time to get witty again.; I’m finding you a tad boring of late, though au fait with the reason you were obliged to take a sentence in Coventry. I’d like to see more of the old nath. Pepsy.
I always was boring. It’s just that people would react to me as if I wasn’t.
nathsays:
Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 10:44 pm
Prioritising antagonistic cruises to the South China Sea instead of doing something practical? Sounds about right.
————————————————————————–
It might be practical if the EU had offered us a proper free trade agreement. As it was, what was offered was all on the EU terms, it was rubbish. As such the Red Sea trade route isn’t that important to us. As the majority of countries at the other end to of the Red Sea to us, don’t really want to trade with us on reasonable terms. So let Europe protect their trade route to Asia. As it is far more valuable to them, then it is to us. Lets face it if a similar problem were to occur in the Malacca Straits how many warships is Europe likely to send to protect that trade route?. They would expect us and USA plus other Asian Pacific nations to deal with that. The first law of geopolitics is never get involved in a European War again. The second law is the Middle East is close enough to be included in the first law.
nathsays:
Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 10:55 pm
I always was boring. It’s just that people would react to me as if I wasn’t.
—————————————————————
Quote: “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.”
those are good points and I don’t really disagree but I’d rather us be involved in protecting international trade than what we have been doing off the coast of China.
Mavissays:
Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 10:51 pm
nath, it’s time to get witty again.; I’m finding you a tad boring of late, though au fait with the reason you were obliged to take a sentence in Coventry. I’d like to see more of the old nath. Pepsy.
——————————————————————–
Maybe he is not as witty as you are not giving him any good material to work with. So if you lift your game, he can then lift his.
Quote: “A rising tide lifts all boats”
nathsays:
Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 11:12 pm
those are good points and I don’t really disagree but I’d rather us be involved in protecting international trade than what we have been doing off the coast of China.
——————————————————————-
While freedom of Navigation is important. I think our main priority should be for our main trade routes not EU’s. The only trade route we have that is currently in any peril is to Japan, Philippines and Taiwan via South China Sea. So we certainly have a vested interest in maintaining freedom navigation via that route. Though the actual Taiwan strait is not a trade route of ours and we probably shouldn’t waste much time on it. My earlier comment on Malacca straits should read Sunda strait. As the Malacca strait is not really a trade route we use much either.
While Australia shouldn’t join the red sea coalition as it is not an important trade route for us. India certainly should. They are practically neighbouring the Red Sea. They have a much larger navy than Australia. Which includes nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. They are easily the closest QUAD member to that region. So why is the USA not asking them? or why are they refusing to participate?.
Jack Smith referred to this as a bump in the road, not a road block-
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/supreme-court-rejects-prosecutors-push-to-fast-track-ruling-in-trump-election-subversion-case/TLQ7WZZ5CVEQDD6J4N3FCOMGJI/
Re sending a ship to the ME, I’ve had it mentioned to me from someone in the know that we’ve got a very critical but seldom publically discussed crew shortage. Super critical.
Mostly Interested @ #1160 Sunday, December 24th, 2023 – 6:05 am
The Armed Forces standards for recruits are way too high. You have to be a virtual perfect physical specimen to get accepted. My son has a very minor degree of haemophilia. Knocked back. I mean, when was the last time someone on a boat was shot and bled to death?
Happy Xmas Eve, Bludgers! This is a very New York Xmas tree because it celebrates…New York!
Nobody does artsy quite like EDITION hotels. In New York City, we have two, the New York EDITION (near Madison Square Park) and the Times Square EDITION (right in the heart of loud Times Square). This year, both hotels have had their tree taken over by architecture and design duo, Adam Charlap Hyman and Andre Herrero, decorated in collaboration with CH Herrero. The duo designed Victorian-era-inspired festive trees for the holiday season, inspired by hand-painted Victorian paper Christmas cards to create hand-painted ornaments that pay homage to New York landmarks like the Flatiron Building, the Alice Austen House (which honors a much-overlooked photographer in Staten Island) and figures like Qween Jean (a costume designer) and Greta Garbo. In a statement, Charlap Hyman calls it “our love letter to New York,” adding that “each tree speaks to our pure and sincere appreciation for the cultural texture that gives our lives here so much meaning.”
World News & Politics:
A pro-peace Russian presidential hopeful is blocked by election commission: https://www.npr.org/2023/12/23/1221445736/a-pro-peace-russian-presidential-hopeful-is-blocked-by-election-commission
Russia completes buyouts of 92 foreign-owned planes: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russia-completes-buyouts-92-foreign-owned-planes-2023-12-22/
Russia stole nearly 8 million tons of harvest in occupied Ukraine: https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/12/23/russia-stole-nearly-8-million-tons-of-harvest-in-occupied-ukraine/
Germany announces that they would not force Ukrainian refugees into military service: https://ukranews.com/en/news/973882-germany-announces-that-they-would-not-force-ukrainian-refugees-into-military-service
Donald Trump in Real Trouble After Leaked Michigan Call, Karl Rove Warns: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-real-trouble-after-leaked-michigan-call-karl-rove-warns-1855133
Lordy, there are more tapes: How Trump’s Michigan arm-twisting may come back to haunt him: https://www.salon.com/2023/12/23/lordy-there-are-more-tapes-how-michigan-arm-twisting-may-come-back-to-haunt-him/
The Far-Right Pushes a New Conspiracy Theory to Discredit Jack Smith: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/12/the-far-right-pushes-a-new-conspiracy-theory-to-discredit-jack-smith/
Newsom pans efforts to block Trump from California ballot: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/22/newsom-pans-efforts-to-block-trump-from-california-ballot-00133152
How the Giuliani case is a warning for Trump in Georgia: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4374274-how-the-giuliani-case-is-a-warning-for-trump-in-georgia/
Motion filed to remove Trump from Virginia ballots: https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/motion-filed-to-remove-trump-from-virginia-ballots/
Biden administration unveils hydrogen tax credit plan to jump-start industry: https://www.npr.org/2023/12/22/1221280931/biden-hydrogen-tax-credit-plan
Childhood vaccine exemptions are at an all-time high. Doctors worry diseases like measles could return: https://abcnews.go.com/US/childhood-vaccine-exemptions-time-high-doctors-worry-diseases/story?id=105873006
Iran threatens Mediterranean closure over Gaza, without saying how: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-threatens-mediterranean-closure-over-gaza-without-saying-how-2023-12-23/
Hard cheese: Canada rejects British attempt to secure tariff-free exports: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/dec/23/hard-cheese-canada-rejects-british-attempt-to-secure-tariff-free-exports
MP suspended for using racist slur claims anti-racism course on expenses: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-mp-neil-coyle-racism-expenses-b2466521.html
UK has second highest rate of cocaine use in the world, figures show: https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk-second-highest-rate-cocaine-use-globally/
UK has second highest rate of cocaine use in the world, figures show: https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk-second-highest-rate-cocaine-use-globally/
So I thought, who has the highest rate, a South American country? America? Nope:
The only other country that takes more cocaine than the UK is Australia.
😮
nathsays:
Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 10:55 pm
“I always was boring. It’s just that people would react to me as if I wasn’t.”
Artesian !
Get back under your rock.
And seasons greetings!
UK Cartoons:
This one is for the Liberals out there. It’s theme is their talisman for the Liberal Women, the pearl:
This glamorous Beaux-Arts hotel has a grandiose display that pays tribute to the family that founded the hotel, the Paspaleys. This Australian family is known for founding a jewelry brand that specializes in pearls, as they’re pioneers of the Australian South Sea pearling industry. The lobby of the hotel has a 14-foot tree covered in ornaments that are themed around pearls, the moon and water in a tribute to the Paspaley brand’s 2024 jewelry collection.
C@tmomma says:
Sunday, December 24, 2023 at 7:13 am
UK has second highest rate of cocaine use in the world, figures show: https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk-second-highest-rate-cocaine-use-globally/
So I thought, who has the highest rate, a South American country? America? Nope:
The only other country that takes more cocaine than the UK is Australia.
Well that explains the Liberal party, the rich are too zonced to care about politics, leaving the party to the religious nutters..
What’s the name of that hotel C@t? Lovely tree btw
Never mind I found it. Wall Street Hotel.
Very witty comment from C@tmomma: no self respecting Lib woman would leave the house without the pearl necklace. Obviously the teals did not want to be encumbered by the Holly Hughes style pearls and in the process opened up a new space in the sensible centre. Happy Xmas to all , thanks to the magisterial BK, the divine presence of Mr Bowe and everyone else who makes this an interesting read.
Previous Guy still claims he graduated first in his class at UPenn
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/12/23/2213397/-Previous-Guy-still-claims-he-graduated-first-in-his-class-at-UPenn?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web
Christmas present (sort of) to Steelydan. 🙂
Nikki Haley surges in poll to within four points of Republican leader Trump
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/23/nikki-haley-polls-surge-trump-republicans
“In an American Research Group Inc poll released on Thursday which had asked voters whom they preferred in the New Hampshire primary scheduled for 23 January, Haley earned 29% support to Trump’s 33%. That meant the gap between Haley and Trump was within the survey’s 4% margin of error after the former president had long held dominating polling leads in the race for the 2024 Republican White House nomination.
Haley’s strong showing in the American Research Group Inc survey came a day after a poll from the Saint Anselm College New Hampshire Institute of Politics found she had doubled her support in the state since September, seemingly cementing her as a clear alternate choice to Trump for conservative voters. The Saint Anselm survey’s findings were more favorable to Trump, however, showing him with a 44% to 30% lead over Haley.”
Mavis @ Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 10:51 pm:
==========================
Mavis, I think it’s time we let bygones be bygones. I take you at your word that your heart is in the right place regarding a certain genocidal invasion that has been occurring these past two years. That alone makes me inclined to forgive your frequent urging and open glee at the prospect of me being banned from this site. It being the season it now is, I am decided. Forgive and forget?
Nath, same approach for you as I have for Mavis. I can forgive being mocked as a supposed chickenhawk if you can forgive being harangued for presumed insufficient anti-invasion purity. Forgive and forget?
p.s. I cannot seem to get the gif to display here, but it is a cute Christmas tree with kittens.
I added #image.gif to the video address, but it does not display.
Does anyone have any suggestion for making the video play?
C@tmomma, you are truly one of the good eggs on this blog. Merry Christmas, a Happy 2024, and enjoy your travels Stateside in case I don’t get the chance to say so before you go.
#weatheronPB
The wet aftermath.
The still looming heavy clouds.
The distrust they bring.
I watched Albanese deliver his Christmas message on ABC TV this morning. He really needs to get himself a better speech writer. Dutton’s, which followed, was a lot better, even though it was delivered by a “pig’s ear”.
Holdenhillbilly @ Sunday, December 24, 2023 at 6:52 am:
“Russia stole nearly 8 million tons of harvest in occupied Ukraine: https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/12/23/russia-stole-nearly-8-million-tons-of-harvest-in-occupied-ukraine/”
======================
Lest we forget what ‘land for peace’ means for Ukraine. And this is a mere fraction of that reason.
I watched Albanese deliver his Christmas message on ABC TV this morning. He really needs to get himself a better speech writer. Dutton’s message which followed was a lot better, even though it was delivered by a “pig’s ear”.
Douglas and Milko,
Back at ya! 😉
So, ‘Cleverly’ is not nominal determinism?
“James Cleverly apologises for ‘appalling’ date rape drug joke at No 10 event
“Home secretary said secret of a long marriage was sedating spouse on the same day a new policy on spiking was announced”
Alexander Downer, there’s a challenger to your crown …
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/dec/23/james-cleverly-apologises-for-appalling-date-drug-joke-at-no-10-event
Macarthur,
Thank you. This one’s for you:
C@tmomma @ Sunday, December 24, 2023 at 9:37 am:
==================
Thank YOU! Ukraine has switched now to Dec 25, so it all lines up nicely now with the rest of the West.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Stuart: ‘I watched Albanese deliver his Christmas message on ABC TV this morning. He really needs to get himself a better speech writer. Dutton’s, which followed, was a lot better, even though it was delivered by a “pig’s ear”.’
Bettered by a potato, that takes some doing, but Albanese had managed it. Besides a better speech writer, Anthony needs a personality transplant and a speech therapist. He is excruciating to listen to.
Keep UK trains running at Christmas and save engineering works for January, say campaigners
‘It doesn’t have to be this way’: Britain’s transport networks again grind to a halt during festive period
https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/23/keep-uk-trains-running-at-christmas-and-save-engineering-works-for-january-say-campaigners?amp_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17033685142382&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2023%2Fdec%2F23%2Fkeep-uk-trains-running-at-christmas-and-save-engineering-works-for-january-say-campaigners
“There was a familiar sense of misery for many travellers in the week before Christmas as hundreds of trains were cancelled, motorways were closed and ferry passengers queued for miles waiting to board their ships.
But it doesn’t have to be this way, transport campaigners say, as politicians and transport bosses have the power to ease some of the problems facing travellers.
There is more gloom to come in the short term, according to the RAC, with Boxing Day traffic surging, and the prospect of dangerous winds in Scotland and northern England.
Around 21 million people drove to visit family or friends before Christmas, and thousands more took flights or trains as what has become known as the great Christmas getaway gained momentum.
Storm Pia caused disruption to rail and road in Scotland and northern England on Wednesday. Eurostar workers in France took industrial action the following day, and the knock-on effect was huge demand for ferry services. Motorists queued for 90 minutes during peak times.
Saturday was expected to be the busiest day of the year on the roads, according to the RAC and Inrix, with 20% more car journeys than last Christmas weekend.
On Boxing Day they expect drivers on the M25 to face 50-minute delays, and on 27 December journeys in busy areas of the UK will be 25% longer.
On Saturday Port of Dover Travel reported a 90-minute wait at French border controls as traffic built up after a surge in ferry bookings in the wake of Thursday’s Eurotunnel disruption.
Albo takes out the trash on Christmas eve…