As noted in the previous post, budget week means a calm before the following week’s storm in federal opinion polling. However, there is the following:
• The weekly Roy Morgan poll has Labor leading 52-48 for the fourth week in a row, though the stability is down to variable respondent-allocated preference flows, as the latest result has Labor up two points on the primary vote to 32% with the Coalition steady on 37%, the Greens up half a point to 13.5% and One Nation down half a point to 5.5%. The poll was conducted Monday to Sunday from a sample of 1654.
• The latest SECNewgate Mood of the Nation issue salience survey records 21% of respondents mentioning crime when asked without prompting about “the main issues facing Australians that are most important to you right now”, compared with 10% in the February survey, with cost of living continuing to dominate with 69% followed by housing affordability on 36%. A forced response question on national direction finds wrong direction favoured over right direction by 63% to 37%, out from 44% to 56% in February. Thirty-one per cent rate the federal government’s performance excellent, very good or good, down from 34% in February, while fair, poor or very poor is up two to 66%.
Preselection news:
• High-profile former state MP Kate Jones is reportedly in contention to take second position on Labor’s Queensland Senate ticket, which represents a vacancy because the party failed to win a second seat in 2019. Jones served in cabinet in the Bligh and Palaszczuk governments and held the seat of Ashgrove and its successor Cooper from 2006 to 2020, outside of an interruption when she lost it to Campbell Newman in 2012 before recovering it in 2015. She stepped aside from a position at a lobbying firm in March amid an ongoing controversy over the state government’s relationship with lobbyists, and is now an Australian Rugby League commissioner and executive director at the Tech Council of Australia. The idea is being promoted by Gary Bullock, Left faction figurehead and state secretary of the United Workers Union, and would disturb an arrangement in which the top position has gone to a candidate of the Left, in this case incumbent Nita Green, and the second to the Right faction Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association. The Australian reports Jenny Hill, former mayor of Townsville and a member of the Right, will also nominate, and that she may be joined by factional colleague Corinne Mulholland, former candidate for Petrie and now in-house lobbyist for Star casinos.
• InDaily reports there are two contenders in the mix for Liberal preselection in the South Australian seat of Mayo, which Rebekha Sharkie of the Centre Alliance has held since 2018. “Outspoken” Adelaide councillor Henry Davis has confirmed his interest, but a party source is quoted saying both moderate and conservative factions were looking for someone “more competitive”. That might mean Rowan Mumford, conservative-aligned state party president and unsuccessful candidate for Kavel at the March 2022 state election.
• The Australian’s Feeding the Chooks column reports Labor’s candidate to recover the Brisbane seat of Griffith, which Terri Butler lost to Max Chandler-Mather of the Greens in 2022, is likely to be Renée Coffey, chief executive of Kookaburra Kids, a foundation that helps children whose parents have a mental illness. Coffey is reportedly aligned with the Old Guard faction, which was once counted as a subset of the Right but now lines up with a dominant Left.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Thursday said Israel would abolish its free trade agreement with Turkey and also impose a 100% tariff on other imports from Turkey in retaliation for Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to halt exports to Israel. The plan, he said, would be submitted to the cabinet for approval.
Earlier this month, Turkey said it was stopping exports to Israel during the duration of the Israel-Hamas war, citing “worsening humanitarian tragedy” in the Palestinian territories. But the Turkish Trade Ministry has said that companies have three months to fulfil existing orders via third countries.
Nice work, Fess! Thanks – I will be back in the saddle tomorrow morning.
Political Nightwatchman says:
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 3:20 am
What part of private media can produce whatever content they like, while the ABC has an Act of Parliament that requires it to be impartial – don’t you understand?
Great job, Confessions! Better than Angus! 😉
“What part of private media can produce whatever content they like, while the ABC has an Act of Parliament that requires it to be impartial – don’t you understand?”
@Fubar
Oh, I, understand. But your view of ‘impartial’ is Murdoch spew. While any media that hold both sides to account is Labor biased. The truth is the ABC not as good it used to be. The Liberals governments that have appointed the likes of Michael Kroger have taken it’s toll. The Liberals have never cared for the ABC’s ‘independence’ that you allude too, appointing Liberals hacks and cutting funding to undermine it. At one point the Howard government wanted to privatise the ABC. There were motions at LNP state conference in recent years still calling for it.
Diogenes @ #1381 Thursday, May 16th, 2024 – 11:10 pm
Be very very careful using ChatGPT University, it is great at some things, but prone to making up others. The hallucination effect of generative AI is still high enough for me not to use it as a reference.
Thanks fess!
Great work Fess with the Dawn Patrol – some US Cartoons:
Peter Dutton starts to go into hiding after today and reappear Monday
https://theconversation.com/cumberland-councils-book-ban-has-been-overturned-but-what-is-really-happening-in-australian-libraries-230111
For Confessions – a good piece about book bans and censorship in today’s conversation
Thanks for the video Aqualung, strongly agree with Sabine on this.
I think she also raises a good point for posters here in general… there is a big difference between saying “X will happen” and “I want x to happen”…
#weatheronPB
Casually caressed,
the clouds tear and move away,
leaving nothing there.
Sounds like MAGA Dutton was very Trumpian last night re immigration. The tuk urrr jaaarbs !
Dutton doesn’t really believe or want immigration reduced, and His friends in the business world don’t want it either.
The economy is actually being propped up by immigration and the international students.
Without them, we would definitely be in a bona fide recession.
Mossop, J’s decision on McBride.
https://www.courts.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/2451369/McBride-No-4.pdf
[‘David McBride is not a whistleblower or a hero. He is a man convinced of his own opinion.’]
https://www.smh.com.au/national/david-mcbride-is-not-a-whistleblower-or-a-hero-he-is-a-man-convinced-of-his-own-opinion-20240516-p5je8u.html
And speaking of being Trumpian. That applies in the US as well. When Ron De Santis attempted to get rid of illegal immigrants, big business in Florida squealed. Who was going to do their construction and agriculture at bargain basement prices.
The rhetoric is merely for their ignorant loser base.
This organisation has huge tentacles here in Australia as well.
https://www.dw.com/en/italy-police-arrest-over-100-mafia-members-in-mass-raid/a-69079112
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has intensified a political fight over housing and congestion by vowing to slash permanent migration to 140,000 a year and promising deeper cuts to the number of overseas students who enter the country. David Crowe’s summation of Dutton’s budget reply speech.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-pledges-to-slash-permanent-migration-to-140-000-a-year-20240516-p5je3z.html
————-
Has there ever been a squib more damp??? 🙂
The policy has already been delivered. It was only aimed at achieving its SMH headline.
All he is proposing is over a short four year period a cut in the number of migrants in the “permanent” visa category.
Everyone knows the Liberals love using the “temporary” visa category which of course is often a way to permanency.
Dutton said “ We will ensure there are enough skilled and temporary skilled visas”.
What a fraud!
My little part of the world is a hive of activity due to the north east link project.
Of course I understand that construction is going to be noisy and disruptive.
But my patience is fraying. The constant beeping of horns is really getting to me. This sets off the dogs in the neighbourhood. Grrrrr
Rikali
It’s just bullshit rhetoric from Dutton and co. They have nothing else.
Scottsays:
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 8:14 am
[Peter Dutton starts to go into hiding after today and reappear Monday]
Is that like an extra Easter but a day late !
Who plays Mary Magdalene ?
Victoriasays:
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 8:39 am
And speaking of being Trumpian. That applies in the US as well. When Ron De Santis attempted the get rid of,illegal immigrants, big business in Florida squealed. Who was going to do their construction and agriculture at bargain basement prices.
There’s a bit more to Construction than hanging Gyprock and laying tile, similar with Agriculture, there’s more to it than picking fruit.
Bottom line is the Farming Lobby don’t want to pay the right money to have the crop hand picked, so both Liberal & Labor import workers for them to do it for peanuts.
“ David McBride is not a whistleblower or a hero. He is a man convinced of his own opinion.”
So, a chip off the old block. …
Every single bludger who wants to pile onto Labor over the McBride prosecution should hang their head in shame.
First matter: the matter was investigated by an independent of government agency. Secondly, it was prosecuted by another independent agency. Both of those matters occurred under the previous federal Liberal Government. The only role for the incoming Labor government, specifically the first law officer, Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, was a discretion to nolle (not proceed with) the prosecution. When criticising Dreyfus, no credit is given to the fact that Dreyfus DID actually nolle another whistleblower prosecution as not being in the national interest.
This summary of Justice Mossop’s reasons (taken from the SMH article) clearly identifies why Dreyfus did not intervene to nolle this particular case:
“ Justice David Mossop noted that McBride “became so convinced of the correctness of his own opinions that he was unable to operate within the legal framework that his duty required him to”. And far from someone whose complaints were ignored, forcing him to disclose classified information that he stole as a last resort, the judge noted that it was significant that during the trial “no attempt was made to prove as a fact … that the claims made by McBride were justified, that they were inappropriately addressed … or that the mechanisms for complaint or redress available under the law were not adequate”.”
Shame on you Irene. Shame on you ‘Integrity’ Rex.
Shame. Shame. Shame.
After both budget speeches, are we seeing the issue which the next election is going to be fought on;
Immigration.
Taking super to buy a home vs shared equity with the government.
Green energy tax concession’s vs nuclear energy.
Restoring the coalitions stage 3 tax cuts.
Apart from that what else?
PM’s big reveal on Gaza: ‘Sent envoy to Israel during Ramzan to stop bombing’
In the biggest interview of the election season on India Today TV, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed how he made an effort to stop Israel’s bombing in Gaza during the holy month of Ramzan.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pm-modi-envoy-israel-stop-bombing-gaza-ramzan-palestine-russia-ukraine-2540080-2024-05-16
“”It was the month of Ramzan. So I sent my special envoy to Israel and asked him to convey and explain to the Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) that at least do not carry out bombings in Gaza during Ramzan. They (Israel) made every effort to follow it but in the end, there was a fight for two-three days.”
jacobinsays:
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 9:19 am
After both budget speeches, are we seeing the issue which the next election is going to be fought on;
Immigration.
Taking super to buy a home vs shared equity with the government.
Green energy tax concession’s vs nuclear energy.
Restoring the coalitions stage 3 tax cuts.
Apart from that what else?
Immigration.
Labor here are a carbon copy of the U.K. Tory Party, they’ll go down the gurgler on Immigration screaming “Bigots!” too.
I read a headline that says Dutton will slash immigration to free up 100,000 homes over 5 years.
Is he saying that a net extra 100,000 houses will be built that won’t have 100,000 immigrant families wanting to move into them? Who is going to build these houses? Will he guaratee to keep the ALP TAFE initiatives that are trying to increase the number of skilled building workers.
Shorton was right, it’s nothing more than a slogun.
I think it is safe to assume that the Budget Bus has about a week’s travel for the government – and for the Opposition, especially lead by Dutton, about 24 hours.
Picture on the front page of the West, with Dutton’s back to the camera shows M/s Cash hugging Dutton with an ecstatic look on her face. Takes all types one supposes…..
The fact that Dutton is going to upset WA’s mining fat-cats seems to have escaped M/s Cash though not Libby Mettam – the latter whose leadership and hope for her party are as much in the hands of the mining lobby as any politician here.
Would Rex Douglas and Irene lie about David McBride!?! I’m shocked! Shocked I tells ya! Not.
Andrew_Earlwood says:
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 5:26 am
A collection of elite white people punching down on behalf of their white patron. The quintessential Australian way:
https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/gold-medallist-led-campaign-to-take-down-gina-rinehart-portrait-20240516-p5je1y.html
————-
The somewhat obsequious quotes attributed to the swimmers in the article raises the question of whether the words have been “put in their mouths”.
I don’t know a lot about Gina but it’s more likely that the swimmers were strongly motivated by: “I think she just deserves to be praised and looked upon definitely a lot better than what the portraits have made her out to be. Without her sponsorship, we would actually have nothing.”
It seems the bourgeois “left” these days explain that most social political difficulties are caused by “race”. I suppose “class” is a bit too embarrassing.
Mean and Tricky. Just like John Howard. That’s Peter Dutton’s immigration numbers sleight of hand. Permanent residency visas down, but Temporary visas, up and up and up again. And the houses that will be freed up? Straight onto AirBnB. If any actually get freed up at all.
”
Andrew_Earlwoodsays:
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 9:13 am
Every single bludger who wants to pile onto Labor over the McBride prosecution should hang their head in shame.
First matter: the matter was investigated by an independent of government agency. Secondly, it was prosecuted by another independent agency. Both of those matters occurred under the previous federal Liberal Government. The only role for the incoming Labor government, specifically the first law officer, Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, was a discretion to nolle (not proceed with) the prosecution. When criticising Dreyfus, no credit is given to the fact that Dreyfus DID actually nolle another whistleblower prosecution as not being in the national interest.
This summary of Justice Mossop’s reasons (taken from the SMH article) clearly identifies why Dreyfus did not intervene to nolle this particular case:
“ Justice David Mossop noted that McBride “became so convinced of the correctness of his own opinions that he was unable to operate within the legal framework that his duty required him to”. And far from someone whose complaints were ignored, forcing him to disclose classified information that he stole as a last resort, the judge noted that it was significant that during the trial “no attempt was made to prove as a fact … that the claims made by McBride were justified, that they were inappropriately addressed … or that the mechanisms for complaint or redress available under the law were not adequate”.”
Shame on you Irene. Shame on you ‘Integrity’ Rex.
Shame. Shame. Shame.
”
A_E
You are wasting your ‘shame’ on Iren and Rex
The Financial Review says Dutton will ban foreign property buyers. I presume he means houses. Foreigners invest heavily here, for good reasons. Where would he draw the line between what they can buy and what they can’t without pissing off potential investors?
In reality, this bloke will never lead a government so will never be responsible for bringing down a budget. Shorton was still right, Dutton is nothing more than a sloguneer.
Gina Reinhardt has lit upon Sportswashing. To get her money the little beggars have to sing for it. A tune that she approves of, or the money spigot is turned off.
Oh how the Liberals despise the success of the Australian Superannuation Scheme and the success of the industry Superannuation Schemes, which target by rewarding blue collar workers and rewarding women, reducing the stress on the welfare part of the Federal budget and provide security in old age.
The Liberals hate not being able to “stack” the governing bodies of the Superannuation Schemes.
The Liberals are proposing to allow unhoused workers to undermine their retirement futures to prop up the inflated price of housing.
Legislative amendments to Superannuation have been made over the last ten years of Liberal governments to give massive concessions to protect wealth capture and maintenance, for the benefit of the better off.
Depreciation concessions for housing solely owned for to investment and capital gains windfalls need examination.
Changing the purpose of superannuation savings to win an election is pure Liberal shenanigans, disengenerous and dishonest.
It’s pretty obvious what Dutton’s budget reply process would entail. Some staffers and representatives of the billionaires media would have a mini brain storming session to work out some headlines that would rope in the gullible. The speech writer would then knock up a few words around that.
Policy would have nothing to do with it.
Daily Kos on Michael Cohen cross-examination by Trump attorney Todd Blanche
Cohen spent Tuesday afternoon being cross-examined by Trump’s lead attorney Todd Blanche. While Blanche’s questioning opened with aggressive statements that earned him a series of objections, most of the afternoon was surprisingly calm. By all accounts, Cohen held his composure and provided brief, to-the-point responses. When he did give something more than a yes or no, the answers were often humorous.
Blanche spent much of his time building a portrait of Cohen as a devoted Trump follower, one willing to suffer humiliation to gain approval from Trump, who became disillusioned after Trump won the election and set aside some of his more inconvenient acquaintances. Ultimately, an isolated and insecure Cohen flipped on Trump, provided information in the various investigations, and ended up obsessed with getting revenge on a guy he used to admire.
That’s a pretty accurate portrait, but it’s one that was already familiar to the jury. In fact, it’s the same portrait that was sketched during the prosecution’s questioning. Other than reading a few amusing monikers into the record—Cohen called Trump “Dictator Douchebag” and “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain”—Blanche revealed little that was new.
There was one thing notably missing from Blanche’s questions on Tuesday: anything to do with this case. The entire time was spent trying to attack Cohen’s credibility, providing a motive for revenge, or painting him as a fame-driven hater. None of the time was spent questioning Cohen’s testimony in this case.
On Friday:
During the cross-examination of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, attorney Todd Blance was maddeningly recursive and disjointed in his questioning. Blanche began and dropped lines of questioning before they seemed to go anywhere and sometimes tossed in singleton questions unconnected to anything he had been speaking about before. He also racked up an impressive score when it came to objections and sidebars.
The biggest moment of high drama came just before lunch, when Blanche jumped on Cohen over a possible disconnect between his claim that a phone call was about telling bodyguard Keith Schiller and Trump about his payment to Daniels when texts on the same evening suggested that Cohen talked to Schiller about his irritation with a 14-year-old prankster.
Opinions varied over whether Blanche came off as forceful or just shrill, but he seemed to give up any momentum after lunch by constantly returning to that call with questions that seemed highly repetitive.
Some observers seemed to feel that Cohen appeared defeated in the afternoon session, as he admitted to a long string of past lies and tried to follow Blanche through convoluted questions. Others remarked that Cohen remained calm on the stand, only growing irritated during questions about tax charges that Cohen still obviously believes were not deserved.
Only occasionally did Blanche’s questions brush up against the matters at the heart of the case—Trump’s knowledge of a scheme to repay Cohen for the hush money he provided to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
At the end of the day, attorneys stepped before Justice Merchan as the defense sought to gain more leeway for a potential rebuttal witness. When that was over, the schedule for what’s still to come became more clear
The lib/nats propaganda media units , can not even spread propaganda how much help in cost of living the federal lib/nats will give
Nothing about cutting fuel excise , electricity , food or other general expenses
Rikali says:
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 8:43 am
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has intensified a political fight over housing and congestion by vowing to slash permanent migration to 140,000 a year and promising deeper cuts to the number of overseas students who enter the country. David Crowe’s summation of Dutton’s budget reply speech.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-pledges-to-slash-permanent-migration-to-140-000-a-year-20240516-p5je3z.html
————-
Has there ever been a squib more damp???
The policy has already been delivered. It was only aimed at achieving its SMH headline.
All he is proposing is over a short four year period a cut in the number of migrants in the “permanent” visa category.
Everyone knows the Liberals love using the “temporary” visa category which of course is often a way to permanency.
Dutton said “ We will ensure there are enough skilled and temporary skilled visas”.
What a fraud!
—————————
The problem for Dutton is Labor have taken over all their policies – big immigration, support business, billionaires, wealthy Australians over individual lower income Australians needs. All except for nuclear power, although Labor likely to take this up too with Labor’s commitment to nuclear powered submarines.
The ALP is the Alternate Liberal Party.
The fraud is continued by Labor. As for “temporary “ Visa category, Labor with its big immigration numbers, many of these people, students, are taking lower paying jobs and cheaper rentals from Australians. Fact.
Of course the bosses in Labor do not care, as indicated by the poverty level Jobkeeper and Youth Allowance payments continued by Labor. Over 3 million plus their children living in poverty.
During the Gillard government, Bill Shorten, as Employment Ministe, gave out the largest ever number of the temporary 457 Visas.
November 2016. Malcolm Turnbull has accused Bill Shorten of “breathtaking hypocrisy” over foreign workers by claiming the Labor leader issued more 457 visas for imported skilled labourers than anyone else during his tenure as employment minister.
https://www.afr.com/politics/hypocrite-bill-shorten-was-the-457-visa-king-says-malcolm-turnbull-20161115-gspboi
You can be sure Shorten, whose support for business over unions ( as he described himself in a visit to the US consulate in Melbourne in 2009 ) as a priority for Labor policies, is driving Labor’s poor PV score of between 30 – 33%. Less than 2/3rds of Australians support the Labor Party.
Labor must copy all significant Liberal Party policies. And here we are.
Dutton comes out with a lower immigration target.
I told ya so.
It’s tokenistic and doesn’t address the underlying issue of temporary visa explosions under Labor, but by golly gosh it’s gonna be a vote winner.
I’ve always voted Greens/Labor but later this year is the first time I’ll hold my nose and vote Coalition.
Dutton needs to be bolder and actually provide a meaningful target temporary visa cap and a ban foreign ownership and temporary visa holders being able to buy Australian property as well.
Do this and he is going to be swept into office.
Never before has a government attacked and de-housed it’s own population faster than this current crop of Labor elites. This is the lived experience of most of the Australian population right now; tent cities popping up everywhere, hunger games in the rental market, explosion of property prices far exceeding wage growth.
Any partisan commenter here who cannot see this as plain as day is truly living in some kind of alternative universe.
Dutton will be PM based on this one (relatively minor) immigration policy alone.
If Labor had any sense they would match it and go further and remember that they are supposed to represent the Australian population NOT big business, the property sector and universities (and partisan commenters on PB)
‘Philip Seymour Hoffman says:
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 10:40 am
….
I’ve always voted Greens/Labor but later this year is the first time I’ll hold my nose and vote Coalition.
….’
———————————-
Oooooooooooooooh!
I see that Irene is back with her drive by slagathon.
I thought she might take up the cudgels on behalf of the poorest of the poor in the Philippines – subsistence fishers who have had their lives stolen from them by Xi’s rampant imperialism and who are bravely cocking a snoot at the world’s second largest navy.
But, no. Same old, same old Irene. Dutton’s bestie. Xi’s patsy.
Lordbain @ #1411 Friday, May 17th, 2024 – 8:23 am
No worries. I wasn’t sure where she was going to go but she’s right. Just get on with it.
Shocking news – Labor blocks female candidate in Blair to protect long term backbench male MP.
Where is the outrage?
AE,
With respect that’s not my reading of the McBride situation, and pointing to ‘independent’ processes is a bit cute. Personally, I don’t really think it matters what McBride’s motivations were, the fact is that he had concerns about the conduct of our forces in Afghanistan, tried to raise those concerns up the chain of command, and when those concerns weren’t addressed he ended up going to the media. Sure, his concern was for the forces themselves and them not being supported / protected adequately by the brass, and not the actual crimes, but regardless because of McBride the public was able to learn of some truly sickening conduct by forces fighting in the name of the nation.
I am personally quite disgusted that the first person to go to jail isn’t one of the perpetrators of those crimes, nor the brass that apparently turned a blind eye (or worse possibly covered them up), but the guy who brought it to the public’s attention.
Sure, the coalition initiated these proceedings, but as you say Dreyfus could have nolle’d them at any point and chose not to, just like he is now choosing to let McBride go to jail for nearly 6 years rather than pardoning him.
Ergo, Labor agrees that the first person who should be jailed over these war crimes is the whistleblower who reported them.
Ata more macro level, it really kills any notion that the ALP supports whistleblowers or transparency, certainly the general public won’t be across the finer details of the case & judgement, but they’ll definitely get ‘the vibe’ that a whistleblower is being jailed, and that HAS to have a chilling effect. for mine that’s reason enough for Dreyfus to act
David McBride is a whistleblower who has served our nation well. Exposing our institutions’ failures to prevent war crimes and corruption is important. McBride should be commended, not prosecuted.
The Labor Government are saying that they aren’t interested in transparency. They’re saying that war crimes and corruption should be allowed to continue.
‘jacobin says:
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 9:19 am
After both budget speeches, are we seeing the issue which the next election is going to be fought on;
Immigration.
Taking super to buy a home vs shared equity with the government.
Green energy tax concession’s vs nuclear energy.
Restoring the coalitions stage 3 tax cuts.
Apart from that what else?’
——————-
Nice try at setting Dutton’s agenda. Here is my take:
1. There is something badly wrong with Dutton that means he should never be prime minister. We have just had religious freako Morrison getting message by eagle mail direct from Jesus. Now we have Dutton who seems to think that policy on a range of national policy settings should be driven by his psycho-sexual problems. Dutton seems to have had some very nasty personal experiences and needs help. While he is in this state he is clearly unfit to become prime minister.
Compare and contrast Albanese’s strong and steady hand at the tiller during a most difficult period to be a prime minister.
2. Track record on health. Dutton’s trying to screw public health including allowing the price of medicines to zoom and the squeezing of bulk billing. Versus Labor’s huge and systematic reforms including across the board reductions in medicines.
3. Indigenous spending. The swingeing cuts to Indigenous funding under Abbott, Hiccup and Morrison. Compared with the huge increased in education, health and housing funding for Indigenous people.
2. Track record. Strong, real wages growth versus suppressing both nominal and real wages. Deliberate and systematic attempts by the Coalition to keep wages low.
3. Closing the gender pay gap. The Coalition under Dutton could not be bothered. Labor has instituted systematic reforms which have had a dramatic impact on closing that gap.
4. Public infrastructure. The Coalition announced project after project. Then did not build them or did not finance them. Track record: Labor is consistently funding and completing major public infrastructure projects.
5. Climate action under the Morrison/Dutton Government: zip. de nada. Dragged the chain. A total shambles. Labour has a slew of programs and real progress under its belt. The Coalition has a bunch of astroturfed noes on wires and windmills, a promise to built $80 billion nuclear power plants sometime in the next couple of decades, and a $1.3 trillion lie.
6. Support for women. Look no further than the Liberal Party room. The Liberals are bereft. The lack of respect underpinned a complete Morrison/Dutton Government shambles. Labor has enacted a slew of reforms which are making a dramatic difference to women. These include increases in paid parental leave, Super while on maternity leave, and directing the Fair Work Commission to take the gender pay gap into account when making its determinations. Oh, and a cumulative $3.7 billion on DV support. All Dutton had for this in his Budget-in-Reply was some fake hand wringing and some of his psych0-sexual weird.
7. Surplus. Bullshit back-in-black mugs under the Morrison/Dutton Government versus real back-in-black.
8. Centrelink: an illegal shambles under the Morrison/Dutton Government. Fixed by Labour. Servicing veterans: a shambles under the Morrison/Dutton Government. Fixed by Labor. Trying to get a passport: a shambles under the Morrison/Dutton Government. Fixed by Labor. The NDIS: a multi-billion shambles under the Morrison/Dutton Government. Defence equipment: a shambles under the Morrison /Dutton Government. Foreign relations: a shambles under the Morrison/Dutton Government including a $20 billion a year trade hole. Fixed by Labor. Systemic corruption and cronyism under the Morrision/Dutton Government. Fixed by Labour. We await the NACC reports with eager anticipation. The shameless AAT trough under the Morrison/Dutton Government: fixed by Labor. Ministerial scandals – one after another in the Morrison/Dutton Government. (How shameless is have a Shadow AG who refused to co-operate with an AFP investigation into criminal matter in her Ministerial Office!). Fixed by Labor.
I could go on. But you get the picture: on the one hand a corruption-riddled cronyist, womanb-despising government which loathed working Australians and which could not give a flying fuck about climate change. On the other hand a competent government which is chalking up a huge swathe of useful and good reforms.
Isn’t Irene weally, weally concerned that Peter Dutton did not announce one policy to help the poor kiddies that The Smith Family struggles manfully to help out? Or that he’s quite happy to let China dominate Critical Minerals processing by refusing to support the government’s policy to process our own Critical Minerals? Oh wait, it was actually Irene who came up with the line about giving ‘billions to Billionaires’ weeks ago. What a coincidence!