Reflections on the Miracle of Democracy at Work in the Greatest Nation on Earth

Newspoll: 61-39

The latest Newspoll shows an increase in Labor’s federal two-party lead to 61-39 from 59-41 a fortnight ago. Kevin Rudd’s lead over Brendan Nelson as preferred prime minister has narrowed marginally from 73-9 to 71-10. No word yet on the Liberal leadership preference questions which Newspoll was apparently asking respondents over the weekend (see the update on the previous Morgan post).

UPDATE: Graphic now available. The favoured Liberal leader is Malcolm Turnbull (25 per cent) ahead of Peter Costello (23 per cent), Brendan Nelson (15 per cent), Julie Bishop (13 per cent) and Tony Abbott (6 per cent). Support for the three proposed leadership teams (Nelson/Bishop, Turnbull/Robb, Costello/Turnbull) divided about evenly, while Turnbull leads Wayne Swan as “preferred Treasurer” 35 per cent to 29 per cent. In spite of everything, Brendan Nelson’s satisfaction rating is a presentable 38 per cent.

484 Comments

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  1. 401
    Fulvio Sammut
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 6:24 pm | Permalink

    BB, save yourself an ulcer, Follow your own advice. Ignore.

  2. 402
    Rx
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 6:35 pm | Permalink

    Bushfire Bill @#400

    If those creeps at Pies’ blog had their way there would never be a change of government. The mere talk of it would bring stern censure, if not a dawn visit from thugs wearing brown shirts.

  3. 403
    Kina
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 7:17 pm | Permalink

    Pies is irrelevant to everybody except those that hate everything except Howard and, he is a joke among his own kind.

    He clings to his dark corner of the spider web stewing in his own bitter and putrid bile. The more irrelevant a person becomes the more vicious their attempts – Pies is probably on the verge of being retired as even the demographic he appeals to is getting smaller and smaller.

  4. 404
    Rod
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 7:56 pm | Permalink

    Piers gets a tremendous amount of responses to his topics and does not (recently) censor the replies.

    It was the non censorship approach that increased the traffic by about a factor of nine on his blog which saw the entries and popularity increase.

    You may not like him, but he is not irrelevant, especially if things get tougher.

  5. 405
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 8:11 pm | Permalink

    Out of 30 posts I have made on his last two blogs two, TWO have made it.

    He is censoring.

  6. 406
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 8:50 pm | Permalink

    In fact this last blog of his one of the right whingers who post there said “It seems like the Rudd defenders have retreated” Nope just being censored.

  7. 407
    Just Me
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 9:45 pm | Permalink

    I have tried to make about 6 comments on Piers blog over the last year or so. All of them critical of his position. None of them remotely offensive or inappropriate, especially not compared the stuff from his hardcore supporters that got through.

    Not one of my comments got published, and I have heard way too many similar stories from those making critical comments of him.

    He has a very thin and hypocritical skin and censors heavily. No doubt about that.

    Just like Bolt, Blair, etc.

    Circle jerks.

  8. 408
    Constant Lurker
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 10:45 pm | Permalink

    Re 405, 406. 407 do we need a site where comments that have been rejected. by Piers can be posted?

  9. 409
    Gary Bruce
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 11:01 pm | Permalink

    We already have The Blair/Bolt Watch Project site, may be we need an Akerman Watch site. Trouble is it might make him well known.

  10. 410
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 11:03 pm | Permalink

    Hmmm be nice to let people know only some messages get through, easy too, just compose me in Notepad or Stickies and posting twice.

    Been trying to get this posted:

    “In relation to the Heiner case, the State Archivist has stated unequivocally that her assessment of the records did not reveal to her the existence of any inmate abuse allegations.

    http://www.archivists.org.au/asa-position-statement-heiner-affair

  11. 411
    Just Me
    Posted Monday, April 28, 2008 at 11:31 pm | Permalink

    I think there was an Ackerman Watch site a while ago, and it is in the web archives somewhere. But it died from lack of interest, he just isn’t that important.

    The best thing to do is just ignore him and let him disappear up his own sad irrelevance. He is beyond redemption.

  12. 412
    Rx
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 12:00 am | Permalink

    Darryl Mason has a very good blog where he keeps an eye on Fatterman, the Dolt, etc.

    http://theorstrahyun.blogspot.com/

    Piers Akerman
    http://theorstrahyun.blogspot.com/search/label/Piers%20Akerman

    Andrew Bolt
    http://theorstrahyun.blogspot.com/search/label/Andrew%20Bolt

  13. 413
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 12:04 am | Permalink

    http://www.byronbayinstitute.net/StoogeWatch/PiersAkerman.html

  14. 414
    Fulvio Sammut
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 12:15 am | Permalink

    Please don’t laugh, this is serious.

    Apparently WA Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, the Right Honourable Troy Buswell, he of bra strap twanging fame, reknown tippler, and sometime wearer of viking helmets, has added a new dimension to his stellar reputation as a lad about town and bon viveur.

    His latest alleged exploit puts a new perspective on Mr Latham’s description of John Howard as an arse licker, and opens up a vast opportunity for some wag to coin a new epithet, challenging even Mr. Latham’s descent into the depth of vulgar phrasiology.

    You see, the Honourable Member has been accused of publicly sniffing the recently vacated and still warm seat of an Honourable Liberal Memberette, much to the consternation of some, if not all, of those present.

    The mind boggles, but at least we can take some solace from the fact that it is not alleged he was drunk at the time…

  15. 415
    Gary Bruce
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 12:20 am | Permalink

    Thanks for the link 413Thomarse. I think we can see why they gave Piers the flick.
    “We are a left wing think tank originally formed to see the end of John Howard. Mission accomplished. Obviously there were many punters out there who were thinking along the same lines. Congratulations to Australia! We may now resume normal transmission.”

  16. 416
    Kina
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 12:38 am | Permalink

    Pies is irrelevant and I wonder just how long they will keep him. His obsession with nonsense, ignorance and plain old bitterness are just a little too far out. He is that sort of unpleasant uncle they keep locked away in a little dark room in one of the highest towers of a castle, only accessed by one narrow stone stair case. Maybe he escaped from a 1930s black and white movie.

  17. 417
    Kina
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 12:43 am | Permalink

    This should make some of the worriers feel a little more relaxed.

    Budget to commit $13bn to water projects
    Federal Water Minister Penny Wong says next fortnight’s budget will contain plans to spend just under $13 billion on water projects over the next 10 years.
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/29/2229747.htm?section=justin

  18. 418
    Fulvio Sammut
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 1:26 am | Permalink

    My booboo, it wasn’t a memberette’s seat, it was a staffers. And, as Mr Buswell himself says he isn’t going to comment on unsustatiated, anonymous rumours (even to deny them), we’ll have to wait and see what futher transpires …..

    See the video on the West’s webpage.

  19. 419
    Frank Calabrese
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 1:40 am | Permalink

    Fulvio,

    Ch 9 Perth’s midnight rplay of the 6pm News is on shortly so we’ll see which of the two stories between Sniffwell and Burke’s latest email “scandal” gets more coverage.

    I note the Sniffwell story was leaked by people inside the Liberal Party itself – it seems they are still not happy about him being elected leader.

  20. 420
    Steve K
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 9:52 am | Permalink

    It looks like the state pres of the Fiberal Party isn’t denying the report – in fact he has basically confirmed its correctness if this quote is accurate:

    “It’s not appropriate behaviour we’ve been through this before with bra strapping and it’s all over, it’s all finished.

    “I mean I’ve seen people especially in my life with the Victory Life church they change daily you know.

    “You see different people emerge and I’m sure in this case Troy’s realised the error of the ways and has certainly indicated to me that he’s changed.”

    I’m not sure what the second paragraph means – it might be intended to suggest repentance.

    All I can say is that the WA Fibs must be totally bereft of genuine talent if people like Buswell can rise to the top.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/28/2228870.htm

  21. 421
    MayoFeral
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 10:56 am | Permalink

    Col. Moe Davis, the former chief prosecutor for the Guantanamo military tribunals admits the whole process is “tainted by political influence and evidence obtained through prisoner abuse.”

    He also says this about David Hicks:

    Davis testified that he had “inherited” the Hicks case from a previous prosecutor and would not otherwise have charged him because he wanted to focus on cases serious enough to merit 20 years in prison. The Hicks case did not meet that test, he said.
    http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/n4l282271-guantanamo-hearings/

    Meanwhile the real war criminals and corruption facilitators not only remain free but continue to be media ‘darlings’

  22. 422
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 1:12 pm | Permalink

    Just got an email from Pies

    “Your inability to supply factual material renders your submissions unpublishable.”

    Ummm I replied, you just don’t like the facts I supply.

    So one rule (’factual evidence’–that Pies is comfortable with) for the lefties and another (spew bile & venom & hatred and be as Off Topic as you like for the right whingers)

    I will send a complaint to the Daily Terror and to the Press Council.

  23. 423
    Socrates
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 2:03 pm | Permalink

    Speaking of talent and integrity, Gary Clark, husband of former MP Jacki Kelly and one of those charged with distributing the fake leaflets in the last election campaign, has just pleaded not guilty in court. It was just a harmless prank after all?

  24. 424
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 2:12 pm | Permalink

    Andrew Bolt on Troy Buswell.

  25. 425
    Frank Calabrese
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 2:27 pm | Permalink

    Some of those posters have no clue :-) Attending a Strip Club is slightly different to snapping bra straps and sniffing female body odour.

  26. 426
    Steve K
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 2:28 pm | Permalink

    For once I agree with Bolt. This repugnant individual (Buswell) should now take a long walk off of a short plank and allow the party to try and recover some degree of respectability with the WA public.

  27. 427
    Gary Bruce
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 2:35 pm | Permalink

    422 Thomarse – keep at them Thomarse.

  28. 428
    Frank Calabrese
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 2:38 pm | Permalink

    For once I agree with Bolt. This repugnant individual (Buswell) should now take a long walk off of a short plank and allow the party to try and recover some degree of respectability with the WA public.

    But who will they replace him with – Rob Johnston, who almost had the numbers is a loose cannon and is known to have an obsession with people having sex with animals, amongst other things.

  29. 429
    Rx
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 2:39 pm | Permalink

    #423 Socrates, the following report has Kelly’s husband pleading guilty …

    The husband of former Lindsay Liberal candidate Karen Chijoff has pleaded guilty to distributing bogus pamphlets during last year’s Federal election

    http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=145&ContentID=70370

    Thomarse #422, good on ya, keep fighting the good fight against the hateful fatterman.

  30. 430
    Rx
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 2:53 pm | Permalink

    Re #429: Sorry, not Kelly’s husband; Chijoff’s husband…

  31. 431
    Frank Calabrese
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 3:00 pm | Permalink

    Sniffwell puts on the tears, but won’t resign. If he did this in the Private Sector he would be up for Sexual Harrassment and be sacked from his job.

    TROUBLED Opposition leader Troy Buswell has broken down in tears during a media conference over the chair sniffing scandal, admitting his behaviour "was unacceptable"

    Mr Buswell had to compose himself before telling the media in Mandurah this morning that his behaviour had been unacceptable.

    "I acknowledge that my behaviour in late 2005 in relation to this matter was unacceptable,’’ Mr Buswell said.

    "The issues of last October caused me to take stock well before they were made public and I've attempted personally to draw a line in the sand.

    " I had the support of my colleagues at the leadership change. I have the support of my colleagues today -- we are collectively focused on moving forward.

    "These have been difficult issues for me to deal with and very difficult issues for my family to deal with.

    "In taking stock I believe I have put in stock changes to my behaviour and my character to enable me to genuinely move forward.''

    Mr Buswell said his leadership would not be discussed at the next party meeting.

    Clearly upset at the effect the incident had on his family, he said: "She's (Buswell's wife) very understanding and very supportive of me in attempting to change my behaviour."

    http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23615760-948,00.html

  32. 432
    onimod
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 3:20 pm | Permalink

    So we’re responsible for paying for his life while he ‘rehabilitates himself…maybe’.
    I would have thought being a decent human being would have been one of the core criteria of his job.
    To coin the Big Brother catch phrase – ‘I don’t think so’

    In the real world this would be labelled as a clear case of over promotion ans gross misconduct.
    If he worked for a reasonable organisation he’d be given the opportunity to resign. Otherwise it would have been the usual treatment: a senior member of the organisation would have accompanied him to his desk, logged the items he chose to remove, and escorted him from the building.
    It’s no wonder the general public has dwindling respect for politicians. I like the way he’s managed to drag his colleagues down with him by claiming their support. If it’s actually true then they all deserve a ‘fresh start’ somewhere else.

  33. 433
    Gary Bruce
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 3:31 pm | Permalink

    Can you imagine the response of the right wing blog masters if this had been a Labor man going through this humiliation? They wouldn’t be showing any mercy. Hell they went haywire over Rudd supposedly eating his earwax.

  34. 434
    Frank Calabrese
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 3:48 pm | Permalink

    Can you imagine the response of the right wing blog masters if this had been a Labor man going through this humiliation? They wouldn’t be showing any mercy.

    They’d want him sacked yesterday and be kicked out of the party followed by criminal charges being laid, hopefully resulting in Gaol time – and being placed on the Sex Offenders Register :-)

  35. 435
    Classified
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 5:21 pm | Permalink

    meh!.. sniffing chairs is sooo 2005 :mrgreen:

  36. 436
    B.S. Fairman
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 6:10 pm | Permalink

    Does Buswell have a screw lose? Why on earth would you do such a thing if you’re a public figure? Are the WA Liberals that short on talent that he is the best their got? I’m puzzled….. but then again they do things differently in the West.

  37. 437
    Basil Fawlty
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 6:14 pm | Permalink

    Thomarse, thanks for the link to the Byron Bay Institute, some great articles by one of my favourite writers, Mungo. Have bookmarked, a gem!

  38. 438
    Frank Calabrese
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 7:35 pm | Permalink

    Hmm, there are reports that Matt Birney may be asked to be leader AGAIN !!!

    http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/comments/0,21590,23618493-948,00.html

  39. 439
    B.S. Fairman
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 7:53 pm | Permalink

    Can someone tell me what the ALP was thinking when they choose their candidate for Gippsland? I can understand standing a candidate who has just joined the party if they are good, but after seeing their candidate on the 7.30 Report, I can’t see why this seemed like a good idea in this case. His major platform is independence of local government, so I am not sure how he’ll cope with the party rules.

  40. 440
    marky marky
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 8:20 pm | Permalink

    If the Labor members of East Gippsland had any sense they would should not help him during the election and on election day. Why should they when their views are not being heard.

  41. 441
    Rod
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 8:23 pm | Permalink

    Frank

    Great comment on the Birney story that Butwell was looking for a new seat.

  42. 442
    Frank Calabrese
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 8:25 pm | Permalink

    Speaking of Buswell, it was only last week that the WA Liberals started running these ads.

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=RvKJ3NTDrhA

  43. 443
    Harry "Snapper" Organs
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 8:30 pm | Permalink

    B. S. Fairman. I personally cannot comprehend how a political party of any persuasion, can allow some one like this to survive, let alone go on leading a major party.

  44. 444
    blindoptimist
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 8:58 pm | Permalink

    436
    B.S. Fairman Says:
    April 29th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
    Does Buswell have a screw lose?.
    …..
    He is, amazingly, the best of the bunch. It’s as if he’s the guest in a Seinfeld episode: “Just one Sniff”.

    They are not much good for much, but at least we get a laugh from them!

  45. 445
    Rx
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 9:03 pm | Permalink

    WA Labor should be able to sniff out a good story. This story really is on the nose. The guy will be the butt of many jokes. I wonder how safe his own seat is!

  46. 446
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 9:43 pm | Permalink

    437
    Basil Fawlty

    No probs! I had a fascinating time last night finding stuff like that!

  47. 447
    B.S. Fairman
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 9:51 pm | Permalink

    I know the story leads to many puns, but what do our WA pollbludgers think are the chances of him going because of it?

  48. 448
    onimod
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 11:10 pm | Permalink

    Wong vs Tony Jones…(again)

    Does Tony just not want to talk about the big issues?
    What’s with all the hypotheticals?
    Why is he soooo damn keen to drive wedges into water?
    He’s going to ask her about graffiti, or why she personally didn’t buy a bigger spade to fill in irrigation channels last week at Bunnings. Good grief.
    We’re a long way from dotting I’s and crossing T’s Tony you dolt – we’ve had 12 years of people not even admitting they were part of the problem. The key policy movement is toward inclusiveness of all stakeholders – not the apportionment of blame.
    There’s no Watergate Pulitzer in water policy. Give it up.

  49. 449
    Frank Calabrese
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 11:18 pm | Permalink

    Has Sniffergate been featured on Lateline ?

    I reckon WA Poltics is defined by 2 things – Brian Burke on the ALP side, and Troy Buswell for the Libs.

    No wonder the WA Nationals have walked away from the Coalition and have no plans on forming one in the future – Expect Buswell to lose his seat in a 3 cornered contest.

  50. 450
    Crikey Whitey
    Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 11:38 pm | Permalink

    Sniffer! Get a job at the airport! Though sadly, the dedicated dogs may be contaminated by association.

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