Today’s Morgan poll is a face-to-face survey of 842 voters, showing Labor’s two-party lead widening to 61-39 from 60.5-39.5 at the similar poll last week. This was conducted last weekend, and thus offers no guidance on the government’s honeymoon status in the post-FuelWatch leak era.
Other news:
• State and federal ministers met in Sydney today to discuss reform proposals being considered for a green paper to be issued in July, including bans on all corporate and union donations. The Coalition has confirmed that opposition is where it belongs by indicating it will oppose government legislation reducing the threshold for public disclosure of donations from $10,000 to $1000, after the previous government wantonly used its Senate majority to increase it from the existing $1500. A “Coalition spokesman” quoted by the Financial Review said the current government move was “like asking the Collingwood Football Club to review the AFL’s salary cap” – perhaps I should offer some sort of prize to the commenter who can best make sense of this analogy. Senators John Faulkner (Labor) and Michael Ronaldson (Liberal) jousted over electoral reforms during yesterday’s lively Senate estimates hearings, but transcripts are not yet available.
• A paper by Phillip Senior and Peter van Onselen on leadership effects in federal elections, published in the latest issue of the Australian Journal of Political Science, is freely available online (or at least, I thought it was – now I can’t find the link). Using Australian Election Study data from 1990 to 2004, they find leader preference scored higher than issue variables in driving vote choice at every election except 1998, when the GST mattered more than opinion of Howard or Beazley. The GST also scored notably high in 1993, though not as high as opinion of Keating.
• Unelected candidates for Franklin at the 2006 Tasmanian state election have been invited to nominate for the June 10 recount to replace Paul Lennon, who has retired from the parliament as well as the premiership. This will involve counting preferences from the 16,666 primary votes cast for Lennon, which will have gone overwhelmingly to unsuccessful Labor candidates Ross Butler and Daniel Hulme. Both the distribution of Lennon’s preferences and the primary votes (1066 for Butler, 620 for Hulme) suggest that Butler, taxi driver, retired school principal and former president of the Tasmanian Teachers Federation, will succeed in his bid for the seat. The Hobart Mercury reports that Hulme, a 28-year-old “former Labor student who has worked in Mr Lennon’s Kingston electoral office for the past year”, will also nominate.
386 Comments
The whole gallery is hanging out for next week’s Newspoll, for the post fuelwatch fallout. Like there’ll be tectonic shifts going on.
They never learn.
Just like Burke, Sunrise ANZAC, scores nudie bar, Howard forgeting the names of a candidate, Costello recanting his diatribe to three journos and any other number of “stories”.
This week has been a week for the gallery to get excited, but for the voters at large, most of it has gone over their heads.
The press truly lives in a parallel universe.
Aristotle, I totally agree. In fact I think Rudd has recovered well. Firstly, having watched QT daily, he and the government, inspite of what has been reported, has not looked or sounded under pressure. The work of government has proceeded smoothly. Secondly, Rudd has been an open book on it all. He hasn’t avoided the issue or its consequences and thirdly he has labelled the Libs as being on the side of the big oil companies while saying Labor is on the side of the average person.
I think the more the media try to put Rudd down, and that is what is going on here, the more people either ignore it completely or react negatively to it.
Now Rudd is reported to be blaming the public service for the leak and that he was sending in the police. Err, hello, Oakes said it wasn’t a minister and Rudd is not in control of the investigation in any way.
Yes i concur. All it has done is shown the press gallery for the pack of right wing vultures they are. I also believe in my opinion that it a shame how ungrateful an element within the public service is. It is clear the government took the moral high ground by not purging the public service of the politically appointment filth. I think they have every right to make heads start rolling. Better it happened now rather than later is say.
Dr Death became Dr Nice and got stabbed in the back
The analogy is quite simple.
Collingwood has the biggest supporter base of all the AFL teams and is also probably the richest team. If the salary cap was up to the Collingwood team, it is like that they do away with it or raise it to such a level that still be able to get the best players. Other clubs have rich supporters, but Collingwood has bigger numbers.
So the Liberal spokeperson is saying that the ALP has more supporters and will be able to raise more money under the new rules.
Aristotle and GB,
I agree. I don’t see there being much of a change in Newspoll for two reasons. Firstly, there was no 5c/L bounce for Nelson. If there had been, we would have seen it in this Morgan Poll and probably the last Newspoll. The Libs haven’t offered anything since then other than trying to make the ALP look bad for favouring the ACCC advice on a competition issue over the advice of some other agencies who’s specisalisation is relevant to the issue how? Quite franly, I cant see the avearge punter giving a sh1t about this. Personally, I think I would prefer to be able to look up the fuel prices in the morning or at the end of the day and work out whether it is best to buy fuel on the waty to work, way home or tomorrow – sure beats being in the wrong land and realising you missed the cheap fuel because you were too busy looking out for the traffic and school zone signs.
Secondly, oil prices have been reported commonly for years now and people realise that the high price of fuel is due to factors outside the control of our pollies. People aren’t politically switched on at the moment most people will not have paid a lot of attention to the goings on during the week; to the extent that the MSM’s musings have filtered through, all the talk about fuel prices from politicians will only occur as noise and most people will just see it as ‘at least they are looking at the problem’. I honestly think that people don’t expect a magical cure and the ‘no silver bullet’ line resonates (as much as it is annoying) because most opeople know that it is true.
Don’t forget the huge bounce that the coalition got after the carers and pensioners payments were axed and that was the supposed ending of the honeymoon.
Considering Labor were supposedly ripping off the most disadvantaged in the community at that time and that issue had SFA effect on the polls, I can’t see the public leaving the ALP and heading over to the Libs for a paltry saving of a couple of $/week.
Blair,
Despite all their natural advantages, Collingwood don’t win Premierships.
Oh no, Greeensborough G, say it ain’t so! Just hitting their straps, wait and see.
And everybody else hates them. It is a bad analogy at best.
Socrates and Gary Bruce back on the previous thread reported on Rudd appearing on Sunrise and Mitchell’s program, and reading their reports, something struck me about all this ‘the honeymoon is over’ rubbish. No matter what gets thrown at him from any quarter, he goes out and engages, even, or maybe, particularly, with those he would know will try any tactic to damage him and Labor. Like others, there are things Rudd says and does that annoy me or I don’t agree with, but he earns my respect for actually putting himself out there and genuinely engaging. Maybe, that’s one of the reasons why the ‘honeymoon’ won’t go away. So annoying for the Denis’s of this world.
And why is ABC News reporting it as Rudd’s worst week? Well, because….
“Message Stick” on ABC TV just replayed ‘Sorry Day – The Day a Nation Cried”.
If Rudd and the ALP do nothing else at all, they have still exceeded the Coalition record of 11 years.
Harry,
If this is a bad week then Labor are in for a Louis 14 (The Sun King) like reign.
However, this is followed by joint Fed. and Vic. State funded upgrade of rail, and standardisation of rail guage report. Hmmm, what are they up to, do you think? Are they actually going to do something meaningful about infrastructure. Shock, horror. Don’t tell Denis.
Just joining the chorus of agreement with Aristotle.
FuelWatch is basically an information transfer device, and any economist will tell you that information transfer is critical for a market to work efficiently.
Any publicity around Fuelwatch is good news for Rudd, at least he came up with the idea
I’m more interested in the reaction to Downer vs Turnbull vs minchin vs
Brendan “I need no blanket, my love for my country keeps me warm’ Nelson
11
fred, that was just so moving, yet again. When he gave the speech originally, everyone in our office, everyone, just stopped and listened. Our emergency line (mental health) did not ring once. Just extraordinary.
12
Greeensborough Growler, I reckon it’s going to be interesting, that’s for sure. I think the media hostile to Rudd can’t figure him out, much as Howard couldn’t figure him out. They keep looking at him and what he’s about through glasses that needed replacing ten years ago.
But we still hear from the murdoch boys that Rudd has a ‘glass jaw’, funny that. He spends an hour in front of the public accepting all questions, gets stuck into China in China, takes Cabinet out in front of the community and so on…. Rudd is never afraid to go put himself out front no matter the heat. Glass Jaw? I think its the murdoch boys that got the Glass Jaw and, it was smashed when Howard got beaten…now they are chickens with their heads cut off, running around not realising they are well and truly dead and irrelevant.
Mr Squiggle,
Mrs Australia is giving Brendan cold shoulder and hot tongue.
Hmm… Only leading 61-39 with the Libs in such disarray, eh?
Maybe Shannas has a point about the honeymoon being over.
Ought to be at least 70-30 after all that’s happened.
Hopefully there’s more to come from the meeja – a take on the leak
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=54&ContentID=76248
SO what is the bet for next weeks Morgan, I’m going for 62-38
18
Don Wigan, are you a glass half full sort of guy? Seriously, there is some quite nasty vitriol and misinformation being served up out there, not to mention the fact, that as others have noted, the gov’t really does have some difficult problems to sort; inflation, infrastructure, education, health, climate change, indigenous disadvantage, and other things, not in any particular order of priority. Degree of difficulty?
I suspect there will be a movement in the next newspoll, perhaps a rise in Nelson’s approval into the high 20s, and a corresponding drop in Rudd’s.
It’s not that the 5c/litre proposal is particularly popular. The Opposition is arguing for a measure that would blow a whole in the Budget and feed inflation, all for a saving of perhaps $1.50pw for the average motorist.
But instead of taking this golden opportunity to show themselves as tough leaders, and paint the Opposition as irresponsible populists, the Rudd government chose to give them credibility, and emulate them. They did this by raising the possibility of dropping the GST on the petrol excise.
Dumb move, that I can not understand. They’ve simply made Nelson look a few percent more credible.
22
ah, yes netvegetable, but will there be any significant movement in either the primary or TPP? Besides which, doing a review of the tax system is very smart. If they are blocked by either the Opposition (geez I like saying that!) or sabotaged by the public service, they’ve got more ammunition electorally, because, I think, the obvious public service leak of Cabinet documents will be regarded as “poor form”, at the very least. You don’t do this to a new government who has shown a willingness to have you stay. It’s a lot like defiling the bed in the master bedroom by some obnoxious boyfriend of the daughter.
Ok, it was 35 years ago, and best forgotten, but what’s wrong with obnoxious boyfriends?
#23
I don’t know. But there’s bound to be eventually if the Opposition starts looking credible.
And if the ALP is this sensitive to criticism in their first year of government, w0t are they going to be like in the next election year?
netvegetable – followed immediately by an outcry from the State Premiers, pointing out that if the excise was dropped, they would be demanding compensation.
Thus educating the public – who have been leaping up and down about a ‘tax on a tax’ whenever the topic of petrol prices is raised – that it’s not as simple as they thought.
Try talking to the average, not really interested in politics bod out there at the moment and you’ll find someone who has suddenly become much better educated about petrol pricing policy.
And that’s what Rudd’s about – educating people. He has used the opportunity given to him by Brendan’s cunning plan on petrol excise to try and explain the issues to the wider community and to champion FuelWatch.
I’ve now got people stopping me in the street – the kind of bods I’ve just referred to – and asking me to tell Mr Rudd NOT to cut petrol tax.
Wouldn’t have happened a month ago.
gotta love Kev, all this “Honeymoon over” bullsh*t hysteria that has msm wetting themselves, and Kev’s on my TV screen tonight smiling saying something like ‘oh well we all have bad weeks sometimes and no doubt we will have more in the future and we’ll probably cop a whacking in the next poll but, hey, that’s life.
Relaxed and comfortable or what LOL
I reckon Kev was taunting the likes of Shanna and Dwarf and giving them the big one finger salute into the bargain, lol,
24
Bushie dear, possum, luvvie duvvie cats eye squash, it’s o.k. when it’s your/my obnoxious boyfriend, but not when it’s your partner’s kid’s drug f****d boyfriend! There’s got to be standards!
25
netveggie, the Opposition (there’s that frisson, again) start looking credible??? That really made me laugh. There’s a long time between now and the next election, and Rudd is not what most people expect. As I’ve said earlier, I don’t necessarily agree with all he’s doing, but he’s certainly giving it his all, and engaging with the population in a way Howard never did, and Nelson can’t, as he just comes over as an unbelievable dipstick who has no credibility.
#30 Harry, it’s the demonstration of bad political tactics I’m worried about, not specifically Nelson. Bad tactics like that could easily get Turnbull elected. Unless there’s some really really good reason why Rudd is apparently capitulating (albeit only fleetingly) over fuel tax.
31
netveggie, I reckon that if Mr. Moneypants got the gig as Opposition Leader, the Opposition would be in even worse trouble. If ‘call me Brendon’ comes across as insincere, Turnbull comes across as another know it all, ego driven, his own ambition to be the boss cocky and bugger anyone else or anything else, more than anything I’ve seen. I know there’s a lot of speculation out there about Turnbull, but he couldn’t even unite his own party. Rudd has united his party.
Oh, and what Rudd clearly communicates is his ambition is to serve the population, which is why I think all the ‘honeymoon’ guff is just that. He comes across as someone with integrity, which is why I think the so-called pundits hostile to him, don’t get him.
Barcelona Tonight ran two anti-rudd stories tonight – first the usual “poor pensioner” bearing the brunt of increases in costs of living and a story on a kid being refused access to subsidised Growth Hormones cos “he’s not sick enogh”, complete with Christopher Pyne on the case – they didn’t mention that these guidelines were introduced by the Previous Govt.
Just saw that Rudd was in the Broncos dressing room tonight after their win talking to Wallace. Good look.
FWIW, it was a great game as well.
Youre spot on Ari, the press never learn. This is now the 5th or 6th time we’ve been told the honeymoon is over. The polls didnt move after the so called damaging Turnbull leaks, and they wont move now, although I expect even a MOE movement downward for Labor will be trumpetted as the big shift. Anyone who actually watched the proceedings or a Rudd interview this week can see how he handled a very difficult issue
Seen this?
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23781070-5013404,00.html
“Penny Wong in clash with carbon emitters”
“TENSIONS are emerging between major greenhouse emitters and Climate Minister Penny Wong after a number of hostile meetings before the release of the Government’s green paper on emissions trading in July.
Senator Wong has told small groups of chief executives from major power and other energy-intensive companies that the Rudd Government’s election promise of a renewable energy target was “not negotiable”.
One of these meetings in Melbourne last Tuesday completely broke down, with Senator Wong reportedly furious at the way she was being treated by the eight business leaders present ……….”
Will there be an orchestrated media campaign against the coming policy, the ALP and Penny in particular?
That’s a powerful group she has taken on.
Could it be that there is no honeymoon at the moment; Just a happy marriage?
“This was conducted last weekend, and thus offers no guidance on the government’s honeymoon status in the post-FuelWatch leak era”
William I will take this in the tongue in cheek way I hope it was intended!
Fred at 37
Yep, but they aren’t going to get a lot of sympaty from the voters. The Australian public are willing to wear some pain to address climate change – Rudd has done a good education job on this issue as well. Provided the low income earners and ensioners (and carers) get some reprieve from the cost increases, the big emitters will just be seen as crying crocodile tears.
That said, they have the money to throw at the media but I think the hard yards done by Rudd and the green movement over the past few years will mean that any industry campaign will only be viewed cynically.
15 Harry ‘S’ Organs
Quote of the day: ‘They keep looking at him and what he’s about through glasses that needed replacing ten years ago.’
MSM and Libs just don’t have the smarts or the mental agility to keep up. It was a brilliant stroke for Rudd to acknowledge that he’d had a bad week but hey, it’s like that sometimes. And then to get on with the next thing while they’re still thrashing around muttering petrol excise FuelWatch petrol excise FuelWatch. As my hairdresser says, I’m loving this new colour.
41
Thanks, apres, I try and keep up with the standard of the blog. Sniggle. My son reckons I’m a barfly! He’s probably right.
Andrew: “This is now the 5th or 6th time we’ve been told the honeymoon is over”.
Andrew, you haven’t been paying attention (unless you mean 5th or 6th time since last Sunday). Surely is the 505th, 506th call that the honeymoon is over. (lol)
Frank # 34
If Barcelona Tonight keep telling fibs getting sued and losing court cases they might not be along for much longer (we can only hope)
along should be around
Vera: I did enjoy the other networks giving Channel 7 a serve over the Mercedes Corby business. TODAY TONIGHT makes ACA look credible in comparison.
And the irony of this clip is that Stuart Littlemore represented Mercedes Corby.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liG438RkKlI
vera @ 44 – Though to be fair, IMHO, BT was the victim of a great injustice in that case.
BTW-true story: Some years ago BT did an expose of a very shonky carpet cleaning mob. To my surprise 7 ran an add for the same company the next morning so I rang to complain. The big cheese wouldn’t speak to me, so got buck passed around for a while before being put through to BT’s producer. Her response: “Business is business.” followed by a click as she hung up on me. LOL
My God the PollBludger has become a delusional socialist cesspit.
47
Frank, I haven’t a clue about the case or the irony of Stuart Littlemore representing Mercedes Corby. Would you mind telling what this is about?
Mercedes sued BT for Defamation, she was represented by Stuart Littlemore who was the host of Media Watch who exposed Barcelona Tonight for telling porkies
49
George, You’re obviously deeply disturbed by the people you encounter here.
We’re just people, you know. Name calling isn’t nice. If William is prepared to tolerate the discussion, which some of us find very informative, from time to time, why can’t you?
51
thanks, Frank.
49 My God the PollBludger has become a delusional socialist cesspit.
George, then enlighten us with your version of reality. We are all ears.
HSO@52
He is still hurting Harry, six months on and the pain is still there, you no longer see the face on the TV, you no longer hear the voice, it hurts, OH GOD it hurts!!.
I think you showed great compassion in your response to him.
I recall during the week of “Strippergate” Rudd saying this had been a tough week, and he was expecting Labor to take a pounding in the subsequent polls.
Guess what happened? Rudd’s ratings went up in the next Newspoll.
Maybe the same thing will occur next Tuesday in Newspoll?
Most horrifyingly for the bereft Liberal-fans, after the demise of -what’s his name, little bloke, big eyebrows, thick specs -there is no leader to whom they can anchor their hopes and morale.
Nelson – “I’ve never voted Liberal in my life”? Nah, may be a Labor agent. Turnbull – republican, small l Liberal? Nope. Might as well be a Labor man too.
Without the political anchor in whom they vested such faith for triumph, they’re floundering, sinking in despondency. Lashing out…
55
Rod, it’s just really weird that if you think looking out for your fellow human beings is something like satanic. Is it that the natural order of things is to screw you’re fellow human beings? Perhaps George can enlighten us? Perhaps, George can provide us with a definition of delusional, and evidence that we are delusional? Perhaps, George would care to expand on his definition of a cesspit and explain why The Pollbludgers fits that definition. I’ll bet you any money you like he will not be heard from again.
I’ll make this prediction about Newspoll. Nelson’s PPM and satisfaction ratings will hardly change (within MOE). Once a perception of a leader is established it is bloody hard to shift, particularly upward.
The Howard government spoilt these guys leaving the development of policy up to them. Now it is back in the hands of government they cant cope with being ordinary citizens.
They have already started their bleating and attempts to undermine Labor policy. Reports that a Carbon tax is going to cost them x billion, that electricity prices will need to go this way and that, that they need free credits or the world will end and, a number of ‘reports’ that will come of how bad it will be for Australia if the govt does this or that. We will be inundated with misinformation.
56 Progressive, I’m expecting Newspoll to just basically flatline, with no major movement either way.
Greed is good. Liberals is the Party of Greed … cos I’m alright, Jack, so stuff the rest of you. It’s not a society they want; it’s a jungle, where dog eats dog, and the devil take the hindmost.
They are on an ideological-class war against: employees, anyone not from the Big End of Town, and any easy minorities they can exploit for cheap political advantage.
Cos I’m alright, Jack, so stuff the rest of you…
On the other hand, perhaps George could have a look at the Montana etc. thread. If you want to get really upset, George, this is for you.
Steve: a flatlining newspoll will make Shanahan and Milne look even stupider, after all their efforts this week to prop up Nelson and denigrate Rudd.
60
Kina, I reckon there’s going to be an ongoing attack, but as I’ve said previously, I think Rudd is a very different beastie, who will go out and engage with the population, even when he knows they’re hostile to him, and that he’s just relentless. Wombat Boy?
I’m an inarticulate member of the great unwashed, a tradesman, who left school at the age of 15, I am a Lurcher, love politics but have trouble putting my thoughts to paper. I usually only make comments during an election under various names the last being Eddie C, but this last two weeks of MSM claptrap has really pi**ed me off.
I maybe a Soggy Watermelon Greenish on the outside and pinkish in the middle but I believe I keep an open mind,
The MSM seem to think they have to attack the Rudd Government because Brenda and Co. are in so much trouble. No need to point out to point out the motives of Murdock’s Morons. I have never seen such twaddle written by so called Journalists as I have since Kevin Rudd Became leader of the Labor Party.
Swan’s Budget with inflation on the rise was both cautious and daring, Daring to think of the long term future, something Howard never did,
Spending on infrastructure, eg Public Transport is the only way to go, with China and India surging ahead and other Asian Nations following Oil reserves will be lucky to last a Hundred years.
To argue about an unfunded price cut of $0.05 in the price one pays now is folly.
Is it to much to ask for the Media to focus on the main game, Planet Earth is the only life boat we have
64 Progressive
even stupider?
You’d have to explain to me how that is possible?
I just wonder how far out he starts to implement his plans and how deeply he plans such as having plan Bs and disaster recovery plans.
Like some have noted before it is conceivable some of the ’stuff ups’ were deliberate to keep the LNP in limbo over the leadership and policy development. But then again Rudd might have us, like murdoch journalists, totally clueless and guessing what he is up to.
Welcome WarrenPeace.
Spot on the money.
Shaun Carney has a few good points to make re the petrol debate.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/forgotten-themes-20080530-2jvu.html
68 Kina
Watching him smile tonight as he talked about copping a whack this week was a dead give away.
He then totally dared Nelson to block Fuelwatch and kill it dead forever.
He’s up to something or has a deathwish. What if he doesn’t even intend being around at the next election?
Kina at #60 [and others].
http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20061211-John-Howards-polluter-stacked-emissions-task-force.html
That’s how Howard’s Coalition favoured the same fellas who are giving Penny [and us] a hard time. Check out the names.
What a contrast in the way the 2 parties have approached climate change.
In the words of the Crikey article:
“The contrast couldn’t be starker. On the day when Labor put Peter Garrett in charge of climate change and the environment, John Howard announced a taskforce to establish an emissions trading system which is stacked with Australia’s biggest and dirtiest polluters.”
Oops, I wonder what happened to Pete?
I think Penny might handle these blokes better.
Rudd and the Public Service from a Qld perspective.
“IN the mid-1990s, Anna Bligh had to clean up the mess that Kevin Rudd left behind.
In 1996, after the ALP was kicked out of office in Queensland, the party felt its relations with the state public service were so bad that it appointed a frontbencher specifically to build bridges with the bureaucrats it had alienated.
One of the reasons for this alienation of the public service was the style of the head of the cabinet office under premier Wayne Goss, the now Prime Minister, Rudd.
And the Opposition spokeswoman for public service matters appointed to get the Queensland public service back into the Labor fold was none other than the current Premier, Bligh, then in her first term as an MP.
In the preceding election, where there had been a huge swing against the Goss government, a noticeable swing against the ALP occurred in seats where there was a high proportion of public servants.”
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23786426-5013404,00.html
Putting aside the sheer populism/ economic stupidity/ lack of costing of Nelson’s 5 cent proposal, i thought it was good politics. the fact that the polls havent shifted one iota indicates the massive hole the opposition are in.
The other thing is, the Libs had children overboard, WMD, Hicks, Haneef, AWB and managed to survive 11 years, I think Rudd can survive 2 fuelwatch leaks!
There’s a stinging article by Shaun Carney this morning in The Age that rips into both sides of politics and tells them to bloody-well grow up:
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/forgotten-themes-20080530-2jvu.html
I am personally very disappointed that Rudd has descended into populism and taken Nelson’s bait on petrol pricing. I don’t care about Shanahan’s and Milne’s cynicism in pooh-poohing Nelson’s 5c reduction in excise as stupid and then raving on about the political genius of it as if that salvaged the situation. They’re obsessed – obsessed</i – with the Messiah Principle: that the Coalition will be back in office after only one term of Rudd government, if only they can find the right leader to bamboozle the public into believing that the glory days of Howardism can be resurrected if the voters don’t dilly-dally too long and let the Coalition fall apart.
It already has fallen apart. Only the posturings and wet dreams of a few political journalistsare keeping the dream – or perhaps it’s a nightmare – alive.
Carney argues that we’re at the start of another oil shock. In one way, it’s crept up on us, suddenly with a few speculators in London and elsewhere hedging and the market in general taking up the theme. In another way we’ve all been warned for years this was going to happen. These two phenomena represent the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of Rudd’s outfit.
The Dr. Jekyll is sober, deliberative and focused on getting solutions right for the long term.
The Mr. Hyde is harnessed to a 10 day political spin cycle that thinks a good headline in The Daily Telegraph will immunize their fortunes and our economy against the simple fact that the World is running out of oil.
Much of the commentary on these pages (my own included) has been about the latter: the daily argey-bargey of pointless point-scoring (if you get my meaning) and the process of lampooning Nelson, Turnbull and the rest of them – including spruikers and urgers in the Media – as politically inept and delusional. It hardly elevates the debate. OK, so a bit of to-and-fro is good for a laughm but Rudd’s government is taking it too far. Ex-Sussex Street brawlers are now ministers. Branch stackers have thousands of people working for them. Labor has a country to run and a pathetic $hit-stir about Fuelwatch versus Excise Reduction is the best they can come up with? It’s no good at all.
Not.At.All.
I don’t know for sure, but I get the feeling that Rudd has appointed spin doctors on a kind of fixed term arrangement. Like the patient who doesn’t really trust his doctor, but sticks with him because he has decided to see the treatment out, come hell or high water. Just as a man with a hammer only sees nails, a spin doctor can only see opportunities to bull$shit. They bull$hit first, before they even consider telling the truth. It’s a habit they have. Even when you hear them say, “In a situation like this it’s best to fess up and tell the truth,” you know it’s only because they think they can pull the wool over the public’s head by appearing to be sincere.
My theory is that Rudd and his government have said to themselves “We’ll give these spin merchants 12 months and then review it. In the meantime, we’ll take all of their advice. After all, we’re paying good money for it. We’ll ’see the treatment through to the bitter end.” If this is so, then it’s wrong, wrong, wrong.
Maintaining a 75% popularity as PM and a 60% 2PP lead as a party is so much vapourware. The lead is evanescent, fleeting, temporary: but it’s how spin doctors get paid… for this kind of phoney, meaningless performance… like some over-priced CEO who gets the share price up (and his performance dividend paid) but wrecks the company doing it; or the doctor who relieves some of the symptoms but kills the patient by delaying treatment of the core disease.
Rather than let the Media take the lead by asking infantile questions, or (as Milne did) dismissing 99% of Australia’s economists and business people as “elites” for criticising Nelsons fuel “solution”, Rudd and his government should be educating the public that there are no instant solutions to, not only 12 years of Howard profligacy and demegoguary, but to the crisis based on growth without consequences that we’re facing in general.
He should be hammering home the plain and simple fact. It is this: unless we pull our heads in and start looking after the planet we live on, we’ll be like those passengers in furs and top hats, plus life jackets, swilling champagne on the Titanic until the water comes up to drown us. We will sink under the waters, a failed, forgotten species that – for a while – dominated the Earth, but eventually handed it back to its rightful owners, the cockroaches.
I know there still has to be room for “The Politics” of the situation, but the last week has been an unedifying spectacle of idiotic posturing and irrelevant noise from both sides. Rudd should sack whoever is advising him that he is, in effect, still in Opposition, and that he should time his policy announcements and Prime Ministerial activities around whenever the next Newspoll is coming out. Let the real Opposition play that game.
Rudd needs to learn that people want him to govern, not give even the slightest breath of oxygen to Nelson, Shanahan, Milne, Robb, Turnbull and the rest of those losers and wreckers who laughingly call themselves “Conservatives”. All they are conserving is their reserved seat at the stern of the Titanic as it slips under the waves forever with them toasting each other in the meantime.
BB, I think he is trying to do this – his speech in Parliament the other day (I’ll find a link and get back to you) – was all about the bigger picture when it comes to fuel prices.
He talked about hybrid cars, public transports, alternative fuels and the need to lessen our dependance on petrol. He also talked about the inevitability of further fuel price rises.
The ’spinners’ are not the government but the media, which choses not to report speeches like this.
It’s not the only example, either – I have seen several cases where the government media releases on an issue are quite straightforward and facts-based, but the media reporting put a spin on it that simply wasn’t there to begin with.
Anyway, I’ll go and find a link to Rudd’s speech – it’s really worth reading.
http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?id=2811705&table=HANSARDR
So he sets out, firstly, the pressures on fuel prices, and the international experience, then talks about various measures – investment in hybrid cars, public transport, tax cuts – which will help people deal with them.
A lot of emphasis here on getting people out of cars, nothing (that I can see) about making fuel cheaper.
None of this reads like populism or cowardice to me.
I have said it before: Rudd is deliberately letting the issue run, so he can use it to educate people about the subject.
Otherwise we’d still be talking about alcopops and deprived pensioners.
#77
All that is great. But Rudd flagging the possibility of dropping the GST from fuel was still a silly move. He could have taken the economic high ground and therefore chipped further away at the Coalition’s faux economic credibility. Instead, he took the populist route.
And the reason for this is because he (and/or his minders) were being too concerned about the polling cycle. It was a counter-move designed to head off any popular advantage the opposition might have gained from their plans to cut fuel excise. This is the sort of crazy stuff that happens in the heat of an election campaign when one side is trying to maintain their poll advantage, but completely unnecessary when we are two and a half years from the next election.
I realize the media aren’t interested in stories that involve solving real-world problems, especially the Murdoch group, but I would still have preferred to see Rudd talking about the real solutions to the cost of fuel rather than going for cheap headlines.
Bushfire Bill @ 75
Thanks for your lucid analysis and cogent conclusions. A great deal of food for thought there.
Frank Cal. #34.
I also watched that show,u also noticed they didn’t mention the Utilitys allowance for Pensionners has also been increased.
Zoom at 77
“I have said it before: Rudd is deliberately letting the issue run, so he can use it to educate people about the subject.
Otherwise we’d still be talking about alcopops and deprived pensioners.”
I agree with you (hey where did those pensioners and alcops go? )
If Rudd doesn’t play the game MSM would say he had “gone missing” or that he had no reply for Brendas “great” 5c policy. Unfortunately you can’t ignore the media scumbags and Kev has shown he’s more than capable of mixing it with the worst of them.
Given that the only politics most people see are the 20 second news grabs it’s no good him trying to explain to the public about world oil prices etc as all they want is a quick solution and someone nearer home to blame.
So Rudd has given them something simple Fuelwatch to keep the bastards (oil companies) honest. It might be cheap politics but what’s the point of going into detail if you know you won’t be heard?
Re the Goss election loss. wasnt it because the greens preferenced to Nats or Libs in the 6 or so “koala seats” that Goss then lost?
I could be wrong, haven’t looked it up. It’s just in the back of my mind, the greens protests about saving koalas and getting rid of Goss?
Hmmm, I think you’re right BB. While Rudd might be talking about “the bigger picture” the action seems to be around the little stuff. I watched Q&A on Thursday and was pretty disappointed overall. One thing that did strike me was Plibersek talking up transport infrastructure funding – when most of it will be going to roads. The end result will be that we’ll have lovely roads but nobody on them. SMH reported almost as much with the patronage figures on public transport in Syndye: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/petrol-crisis-fuels-crush/2008/05/29/1211654221491.html However there appears to be quite a lag between the prices heading into the stratosphere (even if they come back down soon) and the rails going in – the Metro train plan seems to be pushed back and back, and the Epping-Chatswood line wont be able to take all the (new) rolling stock (thats just bad engineering). NSW in particular seems to have plan after plan, but no hard decisions to start spending – but we do get more money for more feasibility studies!
I think it was Ross Gittens a few days ago who had a go at both sides about their fetish for arguing about petrol prices (5c vs 2.5c), but particularly Rudd for failing to just brush past Nelson and getting on and governing. But then, after 11 years of Howard, maybe we’ve gotten used to that style of Govt and are still exoecting to see it?
Vera@81
Yes, it was the freeway decision (I think it was 4 seats in the end), but then I would still argue that if Goss was doing such a great job why did he need to rely on just those 4 seats? I note that Beatty went on to create something of a dynasty by actually governing – however populist and dictated by ’spin’. But the lesson for the ALP surely was that you ignore local issues at your peril – they can matter big time. And while losing government might seem a big price to pay because of some koalas, maybe it was also a rejection of a ’style’ of governing that had been all too prevalent under Bjelke-Petersen & co.
Stewart J
thanks I just remembered koalas being involved is all.
People seem to be assuming that we’re NOT in an election cycle.
At present, I believe Rudd is keeping his options open and that a DD is a real possibility.
He doesn’t have control of the Senate at present, which is a minor annoyance when you’ve got a big policy agenda. But he won’t have control of it come July, either – and, as the Victorian experience shows, minor parties and independants can’t always be relied on.
So, at present, I believe that Rudd does see himself as being in election mode. He is not only preparing DD triggers but he is positioning himself for possible early election.
So polls do matter. And scoring of the Opposition matters. And addressing popular concerns matters.
It may never happen – the new Senate might be perfectly amenable to Labor’s agenda and the government may serve its full term.
But at present, Rudd is leaving his options open.
The fact is Public Transport has always had problems. There was never a time in the past when the trains always ran on time (except under the Nazis as the old joke goes). It seems nobody can fix public transport as it was never correct in the first place.
“I am personally very disappointed that Rudd has descended into populism and taken Nelson’s bait on petrol pricing.” Hang on BB, Rudd didn’t take any bait. He had proposed Fuelwatch in opposition and had promised to introduce it well before Nelson decided on his dog of an idea. Rightly or wrongly that is the order in which events took place so Rudd didn’t respond to anything Nelson proposed on this matter in fact vice versa.
88
Gary Bruce
I think the reference might be to Rudd’s decision to look at removing the GST on the excise. Some here have said that they see this as a weakness. I think it’s a good idea – a tax on a tax was always a rip off.
89 Steve K – Having read more posts here I think you’re right on the first point Steve. I also think you’re right on the second point. How any government can justify keeping a tax on a tax is beyond me. Maybe someone can explain why such a tax should be kept.
I’d like to see the Libs voting against the romoval of such a tax.
90 – I can. In order to adjust the GST on anything you need the all states to agree. Given the rumbles of some of the State Treasurers, this might be a difficult task. I suggest instead they lower the excise by 3.45 cents to take into account the GST. Same end result without needing to deal with the states.
However, as petrol increases in price the States are making off like bandits as for every 10 cent rise in the price they get an extra cent. (Is any wonder why they seem to care less than the Feds?)
Take all the GST off and states will rebel. Take half off and states still making a killing.
Also, Rudd said Henry will have a look at removing it, did not say he would do it. Quite frankly, I don’t think it will ever see the light of day.
Blair S. Fairman@87
Indeed, there wasn’t such a time, but I do remember when they existed – along with trams and trolley buses (okay I don’t remember trams, but I do remember the tracks and lines!). Sydney once had the most extensive tram network in the world – now nothing but the odd tram line in the roads exists. The trains have not progressed much in the past 30 years (the Epping-Chatswood line will be the first in that time), and the planning for the future always seems to be just that – planning – but no doing.
When Perth reintroduced trains, after a hiatus on the Fremantle line under Charles Court, and electrified them the jump in patronage was significant – they were fast and efficient compared to the old diesels, and whats more they generally ran on time (see – some them did!). Having travelled on a stinking hot day on an overcrowded, non-airconditioned train with a broken brake that the driver had to get out and assault with a lump of wood here in Sydney (and these carriages are still in service 5 years on) I can tell you that improvement would be a good thing!
ps: I always thought the reference to the trains running on time was to Mussolini and the Italian train system – I could be wrong here!
Steve 73
I was working in a Queensland Gov’t Department during that period(now retired). The Public Service under Joh was bloated without any real get up and go. This is no reflection on any individuals but a general comment.
Goss changed that for the better at least in the Department where I was. I could see that while there would be pain in the restructuring, in time it would be for the best . It was a time of opportunities for those who were willing to work and implement changes. While some people were hurt there were generous financial packages for those who wanted to go. Nobody was forced to leave.
I believe it was necessary. Rudd was part and parcel of this change although I did not know about him at the time. Change will always cause resentment amoungst those who simply do not like change and are too comfortable where they are. But it was necessary.
Rudd looks like he is going to do the same thing with the Commonwealth Public Service and it will not make him popular with them. But you must govern irrespective of the popularity of some decisions.
Change like this is always unpopular. Goss in my opinion was a far better Premier than Beattie as he was willing to make the tough decisions. He lost Goverment because of trying to put a highway to the Gold Coast through an environmentally sensitive area but Beattie regained it after only 1(or2?) terms, the Conservative Gov’t being hopeless. Progress and people’s needs have to be always balanced against the Environment and I am not saying Goss did the wrong thing.
I am with those who think that Rudd is educating the people regarding the Global effect on the price of petrol. Remember his statement at the Q&A a week ago(”we are doing all we can”). It was grossly misrepresented but the public reaction surely indicated, despite journalist hacks saying different, that the people were as a whole not aware of the Global impacts. After the headlines in the last week, most surely do know. Rudd may loose some bark in the shortterm but it will certainly pay off in the long term as his Gov’t will escape the backlash from the public on the future rise of petrol prices.
None of the above is the action of a man who lacks courage. The media are having a field day at the moment cutting down the tall poppy but I believe this will be shortlived. But you cannot maintain a 60% 2pp forever when governing properly.
86 – If Rudd was to go done the Double Dissolution path, he’ll want to have everything lined up and ready to go as it is not likely the ALP will get a senate majority in a DD as they need over 46.1% of the primary vote in the Senate to get half the seats and then need to find one more on top of that. So any legalisation they want to get passed needs to be voted on in the joint sitting.
Interestingly, If the past election had been a DD and joint sitting held, then the ALP would not actually have a majority. They would have 115 out of 228 but they still require a chair who doesn’t vote (except in ties and then for the negative by convention). They could always get an independent to chair too but this all academic anyway as it is not post DD parliament.
Certainly, a big loss in a DD in 2009 would devastate the Liberals, particularly if the leadership issue is not sorted before hand.
94- You’re probably right about the Facsists being one’s who get the trains to run on time. Might be the new policy of the Liberals in NSW.
And I do agree that Sydney public transport is shambolic. It is just nobody has the learn term vision, which is a fault of the way our democracy has gone more than anything else.
Blair and Thomarse good point and possibly a good solution but how would Rudd credibly argue a cut in excise when he has already canned the 5c drop in excise by the Liberals?
drop in GST not excise
heh, bracket creep on the GST
GB, has a politician ever had to offer a credible argument for giving people a tax cut? If the removal of the GST on petrol excise is presented as part of a package which includes more money for hospitals, schools, and roads then I don’t think the states will have much to complain about either. Also, I don’t think Labor will lose many votes by being seen to work the public service too hard.
The only difficulty for Labor this week has been countering the media’s assertion that 4 departments and 1 minister trump the ACCC. I think Graeme Samuel did an admirable job of defending the integrity of his organisation against this despite the implications of bias by PM and other outlets that his position is up for review shortly so he would support the government wouldn’t he.
Newspoll will decide the future of the ‘honeymoon’ meme.
So the Fibs have had a go at the reserve bank gov., the head of treasury, the ACCC, to defend their positions on various topics.
But if Cabinet does not agree with 4 out of 20+ submissions then they are ignoring the “expert” view.
It really is all to silly.
In some ways our education system has failed again:
Failed to teach the basic economics if international commodities (yes big words, but the concept is pretty simple and general).
Failed to teach the basics of what happens in a boardroom and associated ethics (I’d call the cabinet a specialised subset of this discussion).
Failed to teach information about the Australian economy in comparison to other OECD nations, particularly the comparative values of things like property, food, fuel.
Failed to teach the basics of household budgeting and contingency.Failed to teach the basics of a national economy – inflation, interest, debt, surplus, competition.
I’d argue that these (and a lot of others) are some of the basics for being a good Australian citizen, and that our populations lack of basic understanding in these areas is an impediment to our country’s growth.
When viewed from even a slightly more educated point of view, on even one or two of these areas, we an see that a lack of understanding allows the absolute snowballing of the general population. It’s nice to sit back and say that particular people should know better, but if we all knew just a little bit better we might make some collectively smarter decision.
Instead we’ve got the Fuelwatch debate ‘we had to have’.
If there is one Newspoll I want to see remain static or improve it’s this one. As Teddy Whitten once said it will “stick it up ‘em” and by ‘em’ I mean the media.
15
Harry “Snapper” Organs Says: ?
fred, that was just so moving, yet again. When he gave the speech originally, everyone in our office, everyone, just stopped and listened. Our emergency line (mental health) did not ring once. Just extraordinary.
That is very interesting, Harry.
Carney argues that we’re at the start of another oil shock.
Bushfire Bill
Not just another oil shock, but the big final one. Barring a major breakthrough in biofuel production, prices for hydrocarbon based energy are not coming back down, the massive cheap energy party is just about over.
Interesting article in the Fin Rev re a new bidder in broadband network
The well-funded consortium would own the network for 20 years after which it reverts to public ownership.
A lot more telecommuting is one way to reduce reliance on oil
Progressive # 64,
I ‘copied’ and ‘pasted’ this from Dennis’s article in the oz,
Shanahan.2:40 PM 29/05/2008
“The Rudd Government’s credibility on petrol prices is in tatters, its ability to function as a sophisticated modern federal government is under question, and it’s stretching credulity on economic management.”
I’ll remind him Tuesday after the polls.
Ed.
“Grocers wary of retail price monitoring system”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/31/2261273.htm?section=justin
“NARGA chief executive officer Ken Henrick says previous comparisons have failed to compare goods because sizes and products vary depending on the store and area.”
So you would think that Ken would be in favour of unit pricing? Surely this would make things easier?
But nooo.
“Do people really lie awake at night in a sweat? “Dammit, maybe the 600g pack might have been a better deal than the 375g after all.” Only when the ACA workshops the problem.
In real life customers don’t care. If price is an over-riding issue for a customer he’ll buy the cheapest pack in the category anyway and move on. He has more important things to do at home, like trimming his toenails.”
http://www.narga.net.au/
This will possibly be the next fuelwatch for the Fibs. It funny how they tend to side with vested big business interests.
Eddie: yes, I noticed the very anti-Rudd slant of today’s WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN.
Maybe I’m wrong, but do the majority of people in the real world really care that much about leaks in the public service?
Oakes has been grilled about the Leak.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23787569-953,00.html
108 Progressive – I really don’t believe they do. Nor will any leaks encourage people to automatically think Nelson is any better than he was before the leaks.
What is lost in all of this is that the next election is 2 1/2 year’s away, not next month. To even suggest the government is incompetent or in a mess because some rogue public servant has leaked info is a joke.
I hope Laurie learned the lesson from the last Deputy Premier of Tasmania and didn’t shred the document or it will turn up again in the parliament. Maybe he added salt, Pepper and tomato sauce and ate the document.
Besides, Rudd is very popular. If the criticism is seen as over done it will also be seen as unfair, which could play in Rudd’s favour.
#109 Wonder if the media will crucify the government over this. Everybody knows that some leaks are investigated, some not, depending on whether they help the government or hinder it. Therefore, if one of their own gets charged, they’ll probably scoff at any arguments about the rule of law, and will see it as an attack on their gang.
112 steve – problem is Steve it is a document the government already has.
The big fear in the government at the moment must be that hte leaker has more to leak. With an investigation going on what does he/she have to lose?
114 netvegetable, is it normal practice for journalists to destroy documents likely to be the subject of an investigation?
Gentlemen, the general media assumption is that Newspoll will show Labor’s vote plummeting. I can imagine the press gallery salivating over even a 55-45 Labor lead, and Shanahan spinning this in Nelson’s favour(rolls eyes).
114 netvegetable – that’s assuming they haven’t been crucifying the government up till now. I don’t think I see it that way.
117 Progressive – I agree, but I’m not so sure that will be the case. Even if it is there will be some commentators thinking “Is that all?” I think their expectations are high.
Gary: they’re desperate for a contest, they want the Liberals back in the game.
120 If that is what they want Progressive then the answer is to roll Nelson out of the leadership.
Steve: exactly, you’d think the MSM would be campaigning to get Malcolm in there immediately LOL
Channel 7 News in Sydney just attempted to smear Rudd with the assertion that he’s been cruel to that orangutan boy, because the government won’t cough up the $200,000 the Rodent promised for the monkeys. The media never fails to disgust me!
The 2020 Summit report has been released by Rudd (ABC website)
116 steve I really don’t know. I just remember during the Howard years documents were regularly leaked. Those leaks that hurt the government were were investigated to fullest extent of the law, those that helped them were referred to a standing committee for possible investigation.
e.g, http://tinyurl.com/3s4cf6
As far as the meeja is probably concerned, these are the rules of the game. They’ll see any dilligence in the investigation of this leak as an attack on “dear old Oaksey”, rather than an attempt to enforce the rule of law.
A pedantic note
orangutans are apes not monkeys
Cabinet Documents are classified and are not released for 30 years, to divulge the contents of these documents is a criminal offence.
So it is right and proper that the leak is investigated – but of course it is a “Witch Hunt”.
Sorry NO, it is an investigation into a criminal offence.
The media are going over the top and this will be recognised as such by the punters. You can just hear people saying “What next?” 7 are conducting their own witch hunt. Maybe we need a demonstration in the streets to rally against media bias.
The big question though is would such a rally be covered by any media organisation?
I know that most newscorp publications have always given him a hard time, but not all. And fairfax sites have generally given him a good run.
Perhaps the media has grown disenchanted with Rudd, because of his remote, presidential way of dealing with them?
Perhaps it’s simply the fact that the rightwing journos and sites can’t find anything positive to say about Brendan Nelson, so they’re now expressing all their pro-Liberal bias by attacking Rudd?
Community Radio & TV of course
Not much here for Libs to cheer about
Centrebet latest odds
http://centrebet.com/cust/?action=GoSports&btag=2-17-12
West Australian State Election
LABOR 1.25
COALITION 3.50
New South Wales State Election
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 1.80
COALITION 1.97
Australian Federal Election
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 1.19
ANY OTHER PARTY 4.50
“Govt inflating childhood obesity figures: Nelson”
ABC Online
“Mr Rudd is more spin than substance,” he said.
“He’s been telling us that there’s some sort of obesity epidemic or obesity crisis.
“When you actually look at the evidence, when you look at the facts, it seems that it’s been exaggerated.”
Brenda maybe you should talk to the Mad Monk who said:
“Reporter:
How serious is Australia’s epidemic of obesity?
Abbott:
It’s quite serious, because if we don’t do something about it we will eventually become the first generation in modern history that has a lower life expectancy than our parents. So, if we want to keep living longer, better lives we’ve got to tackle the obesity crisis. ”
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/health-mediarel-yr2006-ta-abbsp030206a.htm
Even AMA president was on 9 news tonight agreeing with putting goverment progams in place to fight obesity.
Nelson is on a hiding to nothing with the obesity issue. This bloke was a doctor and he is telling us that the problem is overstated. Wait until the doctors finish with him. What a silly thing to buy into. I wonder if the media will climb into him.
Nelson is losing credibility fast.
He never had any to start with
Dr Alcopop will be doing adds for Macdonalds next!
Nelson has just got himself another big headache now that Brough has won the vote for President of the Queensland Liberal Party 309 votes to Spence 152.
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/05/31/brough-to-can-pineapple-party/
Will he be playing the part of Ronald ?
nah Frank, that would be too hard for him, a non speaking role preferably
he could be a lump of sh*t on the bottom of Ronalds shoe, wouldn’t need a costume then
Jenny O’Dea researched 5000 children and their eating habits to reveal some shocking facts: one in six children had eaten no fruit or vegetables in the past three days, one in five had had no fruit juice, one in four had had no cereal, pasta or rice, and one in ten had had no milk. Even more confronting was her discovery that poor nutrition not only leads to poor physical growth, but poor brain growth and reduced intelligence, too.
Given that Prof O’Dea has not presented the paper yet, I will give her the benefit of the doubt.
I think the Oz has shot Brenda in the foot, if you look at the stats presented in their story they do not add up. Not one group of any type of kid had an obesity rate above 6% but some were as low as 2.4% yet the overall rate is 6%? I smell something fishy.
How hard is it to get your frontbench to stick to the same lie? He can’t even do that.
Worst opposition leaders I’ve seen:
1. Nelson
2. Downer
3. Latham
4. Hewson
5. Peacock
6. Crean
7. Beazley
Nelson wont hold the record for long. IMHO Turnbull is even worse.
The media’s job is to make money. They do this by selling stories. Sometimes there aren’t any interesting stories, so they have to invent their own.
This is what they have done with Rudd. Running positive stories all the time gets boring with the punters out there, so the media has decided to light a few spot fires and turn this fuel watch thing(which i reckon is the best idea to come out of canberra since sliced bread was invented) into a major issue.
This has made Brenda get a bloated head because for the first time someone is actually listening to him(the media) and now he is milking it for all it’s worth.
He may get a rude shock come newspoll day however, we will see if his shanningans pays off!
The Childhood Obese Crisis is a joke. It always has been. It is a clear case of creating a problem that doesn’t exist to get funding which is willingly supplied as it looks good to be help the kiddies. But in reality there has always been fat kiddies and the numbers are not increasing on whole*.
It is the adult obese crisis that is on the increase. I know as I’m part of it. I was 40kg lighter at the end of high school to what I weigh now. I reckon there are two reasons we are getting fatter: 1) a non-stop food supply; you can’t get food everywhere now. 2) We are doing less manual labour at work. If I was laying bricks all day or even working in a factory, I would not be in the shape I am.
* According to the report, there are groups of kiddies (Islanders, the Poor etc.) that are getting fatter. Going after these groups would make more sense. But then political this would lead to other groups whinging and Nelson saying “No parent wants a fat child, Every parent loves their skinny children….”
1) You can get food everywhere. That is what I meant…..
142 – The differences in the figures is probably a result of different sized samples. The overall total could very easily add up to 6.8%.
It’s also made the Perth Bulletin as well, so expect it to dominate tomorrow’s news cycle.
147 The parents picked it as a stunt right off the bat.
http://redapes.org/news-updates/broken-promise-australian-prime-minister-blatantly-lies-to-boy-with-cerebral-palsy-about-pledge-to-save-orangutans/
I read it somewhere but can not find it now. Some one said that Turnbull had chose the right words to describe his support for Brenda as “fullsome support”.
On checking the dictionary the word fullsome is described as; Gross, disgusting by plainness, grossness or excess…….
http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,fullsome
Maybe he is testing Brenda and Brenda has not flopped to it yet!
Given the details in the link at 148 It is only fair that Howard pay the $200 000 out of his own pocket as he knew that he could not fulfill the promise made while the Government was in Caretaker mode.
The Caretaker Conventions are quite clear.
4.1 Governments avoid entering major contracts or undertakings during the caretaker period. When considering whether a contract or undertaking qualifies as ‘major’, agencies should consider the dollar value of the commitment and also whether the commitment involves a routine matter of administration or rather implements or entrenches a policy, programme or administrative structure which is politically contentious. A further consideration is whether the commitment requires ministerial approval.
4.2 If it is not possible to defer the commitment until after the caretaker period, for legal, commercial or other reasons, there are a number of options. The Minister could consult the relevant Opposition spokesperson regarding the commitment. Agencies could also explain the implications of the election to the contractor and ensure that contracts include clauses providing for termination in the event of an incoming government not wishing to proceed. Similarly, in the case of tenders, agencies should warn potential tenderers about the
implications of the election and the possibility that the tender might not be completed.
http://www.pmc.gov.au/guidelines/docs/caretaker_conventions.pdf
The former Government was prone to this – I lodged a complaint with Kelvin Thomson’s office after the Latham election because our local member made several major commitments during the caretaker period.
It was done again this election and is now being used as a stick to beat the Government with – “the Howard government committed X to this project, and now Rudd’s letting this community down when it was told that it had this money”.
Dr Alcopop: I love it, that’s Nelson’s nickname from now on LOL
Maybe Nelson might care to meet someone with Type 2 diabetes before he claims the obesity problem is being overstated! This bloke was a former AMA president? I shake my head in disbelief!
There was a book I purchased before the last election but did not read knowing that it would really get me going so I left it until now which, turned out to be a good thing. A good thing because it puts everything in its proper context and helps me remember what good has now been done.
I take a little quote from the early pages of the book concerning the Howard government.
“….it stands to reason that national governments normally strive to avoid measures that threaten these sectors viability. That a government might not just fail to avoid but actively countenance measures disadvantageous to its own country – in so many critical policy areas – is arguably without precedent in the modern world.”
“….and to identify a pattern – a strategic consistency in the government’s choices that raises serious questions about the allegiance of our political leadership and the legitimacy of its national security credentials. ”
“Howard has made choices that we document…..not because he seeks to do good for Australia’s security (the opposite outcome being the usual result), but because he seeks to do good for himself and the party that keeps him in power.”
..and so on….
The grim reaper was at the door-step of Australia, but then Howard lost the election, thus the nightmare that was in store for us was averted at the last minute. Rudd, be he a good or bad Prime Minister, has already made a very great contribution to this country.
The sickening thing about Howard’s disgraceful abuse of Australia is that the media and murdoch media were accomplices, instead of holding him accountable they waved the flag along the way.
Some of these murdoch journalists are not just liberal party hacks, they are dedicated hardliners and dedicated haters on anything non-howard. You can see it in their delusional writings and their willingness to continually mislead the public and to brazenly work for the Liberal party.
The alcopop thing was an obvious tax grab and nothing more, everyone knows you can’t stop binge drinking without a CULTURAL CHANGE and jacking up the prices will do nothing. Even Labor faithful should be able to admit this if they are honest.
I have no issue with “alcopops” being taxed at the same rate as spirits but what really grinds my balls is how heavy beer is taxed. Beer is the very essence of what makes the aussie bloke tick, and it’s a shame the price for a carton has increased significantly over the last few years. Yes the wowsers out there will say “beers bad for you!”, but humans have been drinking the stuff for milleniums and who the hell are you to tell us to stop now?
Stop being wowsers and crack open a tinny
149 Gaffhook
‘Fullsome’ always implies insincerity and deceit: fullsome support is thus support that only pretends to be sincere.
See William Safire, New York Times, January 10, 1999 (about Bill Clinton’s ‘fulsome apology’ for his unseemly cigar episode:
FULSOME APOLOGY
When Senator-elect Charles Schumer of New York told the Judiciary Committee that the President had already made a ”fulsome apology” — intended to mean ”copious, complete, full” — usagists like Alistair Cooke winced. Throughout nine decades of speaking good English, the former BBC commentator knew that the word meant nothing of the sort. On almost the contrary, he and other incensed hearings-watchers told me on voice mail, fulsome means ”excessive, cloying,” even ”disgusting.”
Centuries ago, the original meaning of ”full” in that word had been influenced by foul. Surely the Clinton defender could not have intended to leave the impression that the apology reeked. Had the Senator-elect erred?
Two great dictionaries disagree. Webster’s New World, now published by Macmillan, has as its first definition, ”disgusting or offensive, especially because excessive or insincere (fulsome praise).” But then it reports a second meaning: ”(apparent revival of the original sense, obsolete since 16th century) full; ample; abundant: usage objected to by some.”
Now to Merriam-Webster, whose patron saint, Noah himself, defined it in 1828 as ”gross: disgusting by plainness, grossness or excess; as fullsome flattery or praise.” In the 10th Collegiate Edition, M-W turns the tables. Its first definition is ”characterized by abundance: copious.” Only in its second sense do we get ”esthetically, morally or generally offensive.” It then gives other pejorative senses as ”effusive” and ”overdone” before swinging back to ”generous in amount.” A usage note is added: ”Unless the context is made very clear, the reader or hearer cannot be sure whether such an expression as ‘fulsome praise’ ” means copious or offensive.
This commentator says: If you mean full, say full, or if you want to put your thumb on the upscale, copious. But if you mean gross, say gross or yucky, or try an expletive like feh! Never refer to a fulsome bosom unless you want to get slugged by an intelligent woman. Indeed, cross fulsome off your list entirely. Phooey on ambiguity. Never be of two minds about ambivalence.
Kina @ 155 :
I love your posts, and agree with you on the media bias. I tend to think that a lot of the friendliness of the press to the Coalition is because of the massive amounts of advertising revenue they made when Howard was PM.
$2 Billion over a period of about 10 years, with the majority since 2004, and most of it used in conjunction with Crosby Textor to ensure Coalition wins in marginal electorates.Now such easy money has dried up.
The media like to think that they set the agenda for news, and that the opinion of their journalists and writers matter.Unfortunately there is a concentration of ownership controlled by the few that are trying to influence the opinions of many, so this is where forums such as this are vital.
The Shamaham quote from above:
“The Rudd Government’s credibility on petrol prices is in tatters, its ability to function as a sophisticated modern federal government is under question, and it’s stretching credulity on economic management.”
The statements concerning the three areas are just straight up nonsense without an adult argument to support them. Seems he is typing what he truly wants to be the case not what is the case. This is classic trashy journalism and, has a real sense of desperation and pleading about it. You can almost taste his anguish over Rudd doing so well and the Liberals being in chaos.
Of course we don’t take him seriously because we know where he is coming from.
The truth is of course the polar opposite. It is Nelson and the Liberal party whose credibility is in tatters on petrol prices and, their ability to function as a government where they in power in doubt and, their economic credentials just about non-existent.
The reality is that the Rudd government is functioning normally and the Liberal opposition in chaos and losing credibility on just about any issue they touch.
These people have been waiting for the Government to make some serious errors, they were sure they would, but Rudd has been sailing quite calmly right from the beginning.
The vehemence of the shamamas and others attacks I think are probably in inverse proportion to the competence and performance of the Rudd govt. Oh how they must hate seeing Rudd so relaxed and in control over everything.
Well I guess they have no truth that suits their needs so they are left with misleading their readers.
LaborVoter
Fortunately beer is taxed at a level that pretty much covers the costs incurred by the state dealing with the health ans social costs.
If alcopops are causing more health and social damage then the cost has to go up.
The title of the book by the way is:
‘National Insecurity – The Howard Government’s Betrayal
of Australia’
159 Kina
We should remember, however, that very few Australians buy The Australian let alone read Shamaham’s dizzy meanderings. If you look at the tabloids such as the Herald Sun in Melbourne, you’ll see a different world, one where Rudd is in his heaven and all’s right with the world apart from the odd scandal and weirdness:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/
Of course I’m not saying that the Herald Sun has anything useful or interesting to say about the state of the nation, just that it’s not remotely concerned with the issues that exercise Shamaham et al: the election result that shouldn’t have been, and the imminent destruction of Australia by the Rudd government.
Shanahan, Milne, Neil Mitchell and Alan Jones had a very cosy relationship with Howard! Rudd isn’t as accomodating to right wing media hacks, that’s probably why he’s getting harsh treatment from those idiots.
And here comes the newest scare campaign from the Poisoned Dward – Grocery Prices.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23788690-5005374,00.html
apres is of course right and we thank god that they are not all in on it at the same time.
I think one part of Howard’s plan for a perpetual Liberal government apart from destroying unions with WorkChoices was to put most media in the hands of right wing friendlies, he hoped.
I do believe that it is imperative that every bit of Howardism be expunged from the Liberal party before it every should be elected to government.
Dr Alchopop thor the NSW Libs – “Don’t Be Radical”.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23789284-5005361,00.html
I see him as the antipodean version of Ferdinand Marcos and Lee Kwan Yew, with a good dash of Mugabe.
162 Apres
Do you know what the compartive newspaper circulation figures are? I ask because here in Adelaide the advertiser is so bad that I still see some people buy the Oz. Our house is NewsCorp-free though.
Pesonally I have gotten to the point where I simply don’t buy the Australian any more, and rarely even read their website, unless I see a link to a story I have a specific interest in. I don’t really care what Shanahan or Milne thinks either. On TV too I rarely watch current affairs except perhaps for interviews by Oakes or Bongiorno. The Insiders is on my “life is too short to waste” list. I find the SMH, BBC website and various blogs are ample for news coverage. I see better political analysis from William or Poss than 9 out of 10 journalists. I know you should try to get opinions from all sides but if these guys are nothing but right-wing trolls then why should I jsutify their existence with my attention. Make them irrelevant I say. Don’t read them. Don’t even click on their stories.
And Hyacinth as Imelda
The Australian could not change one single vote. Who the hell is this Shamahanahan? The vast majority have never heard of him. He is a nothing.
On the other hand The Daily Terror may. I came across one yesterday (would NEVER buy it) and honestly, page after page after page of blatant negativity over the Prime Minister.
The journos have increased their attack since the budget because there was zilch in it for the Top End Of Town and there is likely to be very little for them in future budgets.
BTW, between me and you guys. I’m glad Glen is currently overseas, he would have been unbearable at the moment.
On the Courier Mail’s site there are THREE negative stories on Rudd. One about what his BUTLER saw overseas, another about how public servants in the health department hate Roxon because of her temper and they blme rudd because of the work load and how Rudd has backflipped on interest in a comapany bing put in the pecunary interst register. How petty can they get?
The Age is running with how hard Rudd is working the public service. It wasn’t that long ago that rudd was being accused of galavanting around the world and should be home working, now he is being criticised for working too hard? Spare me.
Gary (171), either switch on spell check, or don’t post after a good night out!
Socrates @ 168
The ‘treeware’
version of the australian recently reported their circulation as being ~125,000 per day (a bit higher on the weekend, but I can’t remember the number).
So for every reader of the australian, there’s probably about 30 people watching Big Brother every night – puts the australian into perspective really
(and BB’s apparently rating very poorly this year!)
The same article listed circulation figures for The Age and the SMH too & both were above 500,000.
(We get the australian & advertiser at my work. Every month a different lab group in my dept. is responsible for keeping the lunchroom tidy & getting papers etc. When its our lab’s turn, I’m getting The Age instead. Take that Rupert!
)
cheers,
I haven’t bought a hard copy of a newspaper in months. Rarely switch the tele on either. Does anybody not get all their news off the net these days?
A great read is the prose from Kerry-Anne Walsh from the Daily Tele
” FEDERAL Government ministers, staff and unions are pleading with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to slow down or risk a serious political backlash.
The Commonwealth Public Sector Union, covering more than 60,000 Federal Government employees and hundreds of political staffers, is gearing up for a showdown over conditions.”
Read as: Kev needs to slow down ’cause our normal hours are 8.30am to 4.51pm.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/slow-down-kevin/2008/05/31/1211654370878.html
170 BTW, between me and you guys. I’m glad Glen is currently overseas, he would have been unbearable at the moment.
He’s found that other countries do have computers and made a couple of appearances on the Tasmanian thread in the past 48 hours.
Brough’s win of the Qld Lib presidency has gladdened my heart, he has canned the merger of the pineapple party. Now they can return to their natural state of infighting and internecine struggle. Should see them firmly in opposition for hmmm, another 50 years with a bit of luck!
Interesting note on the “Rudd works to hard” angle.
A couple of weeks ago the Telegraph accused him of spending $1,500 on an accompanying doctor when they did the Bali Climate Change conference. Kerri-Ann Walsh accuses him of not even taking a doctor to Europe.
Which is it to be?
Is Rudd callous about his own and his staffs’ health on long overseas trips?
Or is he just another corrupt politician with his fingers in the national till, wasting taxpayers money on fancy medical hangers-on?
I think we’re all agreed: there’s lots of negative press directed against Rudd, suddenly. And a lot of it seems to have absolutely no substance at all. I would just like to know why.
bushie,etc
i think the MSM is looking for a’hook’ to hang on rudd
the other more darker reasons are
1.the current revelations re asio and its ahem political inteference
2.the deplorable state of the liberal party machine both state and federally
3.the increasing tensions from the proposed merger between the fibs and the notionals
Here’s a clue.
In Dec. 2006 Rudd’s predecessor [the bloke with the eyebrows] appointed a Emissions Task Force to investigate climate change/carbon trading and the like.
And it was stacked with big business vested interest polluters’ [as Crikey described them] with nobody from an environmental or other background, a few tame bureaucrats not counting in the scheme of things.
Some of the exact same blokes and a few more of their mates have been giving Penny Wong a hard time in recent meetings. She, apparently, is not impressed with their attitude and, one gathers, they are not impressed with the forthcoming implementation of ALP policy on climate change.
Well you wouldn’t expect them to be would you?
Nicola had the same experience with the AMA/private health industry a day or so ago.
Now whose side do you reckon big business mass media, with their dependence on advertising etc, would be on?
So its a case of ‘lets blacken the ALP and its leader in every way possible’.
Not exactly a recent phenomenom.
And if we can’t get him/them on something substantive, and lets face it most of the governments announcements and policies of the last 6 months have been popular with the public as the polls clearly reflect, then we’ll blow up some trivia and get him/them with that.
All is grist to the mill, the dripping water of constant negativity will, possibly, wear away the stone of public support over time.
And then we can get back to the ‘way things should be’, with the ‘right people’ being appointed to Task Forces.
You know it makes sense.
as an addendum to 181, i recommend this article
“George Brownbill was the secretary to the Hope Royal Commission, the number two to Justice Robert Hope, who is now dead.
Mr Brownbill says these papers give new insights into the depths of ASIO’s inappropriate relationship with the conservative governments of the day.
“I should make it clear that we found a security service that had been badly politicised,” Mr Brownbill said.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/27/2257347.htm
little or no mention on the MSM of this
netvegetable @ 180:
“I think we’re all agreed: there’s lots of negative press directed against Rudd, suddenly. And a lot of it seems to have absolutely no substance at all. I would just like to know why.”
I’m starting to think that the MSM are on another planet. The Opposition keep talking about how Rudd is now out of touch – when I think it’s the MSM that is waaaaaaaay out of touch with reality. I have never seen such a ridiculous beat up. They keep going on and on about the leaks, for example, when the general public I certainly deal with don’t give a toss about it and don’t see it as damaging to the government.
I just heard Barry Cassidy on Insiders say that Rudd seems to be just talking to the “Sunrise” audience instead of a “broader audience”.
Um, yes Barry, how extraordinary that the PM would be talking to a general public that would watch breakfast television instead of political junkies that watch Insiders. What a stupid comment to make, and pretty much says it all about the media’s reactions this week. Bunch of idiots that seem to have no idea about what the average joe out there is actually talking about.
156
LaborVoter
don’t buy beer, brew it yourself!
I know of a good homebrewshop
Channel 9 didn’t want anyone watching their political interview. Downer was on.
You know the leak story is well and truly on the way out when the Sunday rags are talking about Rudd’s “butler”. What a bloody joke.
186 -Don’t build yourself a still however if want spirits. It can be a little dangerous…. it took months to regrow my eyebrows.
So the damaging leak comes out Wednesday night, gets a good run Thursday, is only being spoken/written about by political journalists to a select audience by Sunday. By next weekend the average Joe will have no recollection of it or care.
188 B.S. Fairman – LOL. Good one.
I’m disgusted with the SUN HERALD this morning! Gutter journalism at its worst!
Rudd ought to sue!
As for that dick Cassidy on INSIDERS: Why would Rudd bother with a show that regularly denigrates him and features that gigantic blob Ackerman spouting out his vile?
The butler issue is interesting. It is supposed to show that Rudd is out of touch by not being normal. There is the alternative arguement that the PM needs to look like a statesman. Part of the reason the media was having a go at Rudd’s wife for her dress sense was that he needed to look “statesmanlike” and she wasn’t helping that.
So I am not sure if the public is after a blue singlet wearing rum & cola drinking leader who knows the pain of the common people.
Rudd works too hard
Rudd isn’t enough of a bloke
Rudd’s wife has poor dress sense
I’m waiting for them to start attacking the family dog next.
“I should make it clear that we found a security service that had been badly politicised,” Mr Brownbill said.”
Same article also says
“ASIO was not only politicised – the Hope reports label the agency’s management as capricious, hierarchical and driven by the views and prejudices of senior staff.”
Not much would have changed over the years, but you can’t change the public service by changing the heads, you need the approach Howard took.
Sack the department heads, do wide ranging staff cuts, abolish a whole department where a leak occurred and install someone like Max to continue the politicisation.
Some say one of Whitlam’s mistakes was not instituting changes in a public service that was so blatantly anti-labor and that Rudd should not make the same mistake.
But to make changes like Howard did takes years and destroys the effectiveness of the advice, better to work with what you have, understanding what you are working with.
See Sunday has the Government-in-Exile’s Foreign Minister on today. When was the last time Laurie interviewed an opposition backbencher on the program? Certainly not once in the first year of the Howard government according to this:
http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/archives/political_transcripts.asp
Downer was in a friendly mood. And why not, when there’s a diplomatic job in the offing?
Mayo
Funny about Downer, quote from him “And I must admit, unlike my predecessor Gareth Evans who suffered from relevance deprivation syndrome, I think for me it’s rather the reverse. There’s been a great sense of relief and I’ve been able to do good deal of work in my own local electorate as I have been doing this weekend.”
Good to see he is not suffering from “relevance deprivation syndrome”, but it appears he still can’t stop comparing himself to Evans 13 years on.
Obviously Downer is disappointed that he has not been overwhelmed with job offers, but what sort of work could you offer someone who could not recall advice he was given 276 times?
Progressive 193
I agree the attacks on Rudd’s style recently have been quite inappropriate, except for the bit about demanding long hours, which to be fair he did bring on himself with his own previous statements. But the rest are rubbish.
By comparison, Howard as PM had an arm-chair ride from the same media, which demonstrates their partisan nature. I read the first chapter of Howard’s biography a few years ago and soon realised that he had lived at home with his mother until age 32, when he got married! If you think thats conservative by todays standards imagine what that implied back in the early 60s when Howard was a young man! No wonder all his policies were focused on married couples – he never had any idea of what it was like to live single and out of home. Indeed, when you look at his parents business, father’s death, effects of wartime rationing, and paying his way into university law without a scholarship, you could see that his entire political outlook was based on a relatively uncritical response to his own experiences. Yet no serious personal criticisms surfaced during his time as PM, even though there was a mountain of material to work with. While the morning walk was lapped up by journalists for years, even though it was heavily stage- managed for them.
Rudd must be the first PM to be criticised for working too hard and for being a control freak. Wasn’t Howard revered for his strong work ethic and leadership? The difference is?
Amazing! the end of the Coalition could be in sight and it isn’t considered a major front page newstory .
http://news.smh.com.au/national/nationals-may-consider-ending-coalition-20080601-2kcm.html
“We’re looking at all the options, not just merger. We’re looking at the potential to even go it alone or to have a stronger role or a different role within the coalition
Asked if he was talking about dismantling the coalition, Mr Truss repeated that all options were on the table.”
Yes, well, there’s a lot hingeing on Tuesday’s Newspoll, isn’t there.
I think it was Grattan (may have been Kerri-Anne Whatsername) who stated this morning in The Age that the Rudd honeymoon was “officially” over.
What does that mean?
“Officially” in the minds of a few tired pundit hacks?
Or “Officially” in the minds of the voters who are polled this weekend?
One would suspect the latter, one would.
I am not expecting too much of a change in the Newspoll results, compared to the last one. Nelson ruined it by his convoluted “Tarago in the petrol queue” fairy tale, if not with his assertion that his uncosted 5c a litre excise relief would make a difference to the average punters out there. There will always be a few whingers, but they vote Lib anyway.
The leak was clearly from a public servant. This is a rat act of the highest order, and the public won’t be sympathetic to the Opposition for it.
For a long time now the public have wanted Rudd to succeed. I believe they still do. A vote of confidence will most likely be in order come Tuesday’s Newspoll.
“The Rudd honeymoon was “officially” over.” Some journalists keep on telling us this. I’m just wondering how they know it. There hasn’t been one poll published that was taken over this pertiod? Are they telling us we should be “over” Rudd? Just sounds like arrogance mixed with wishful thinking to me.
I agree with your assessment BB.
maybe some internal polling, maybe some early newspoll results. makes no matter, above 55 was always going to be unsustainable.
Gary 199
Exactly! I suppose they’ll say that Billy McMahon got the work life balance correct ROTFL
I hope Labor attacks the miserable Liberals really aggressively over FuelWatch. Putting it in the terms that they want to deny consumers information that helps them find the cheapest petrol in their suburb, the Liberals would be bound to take a hit in the polls.
PROGRESSIVE 193
they’ve already attacked the family dog–in estimates the witch wanted to know who was walking the family dog in the Lodge grounds and who was paying for it lol, next they’ll be demanding the cost of the dog and cat food and who’se paying for that, heaven forbid if Marcus want’s to get a canary too, they’ll want to know who will be cleaning out it’s cage and who pays for the birdseed!
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23791986-10389,00.html
This is an example why Kev is popular
(brought a tear to my eye it did)
207 vera – At the moment this story has no chance of spreading to other nes outlets. It will be buried. Can’t have the PM being seen as a caring man now can we?
Make that “news outlets”.
I must admit, being from Victoria and not being up with the rugby the only “Tossers” I’ve heard of are political journalists.
gary
Notice the difference, Kev quietly goes off and does this sorta stuff without cameras or reporters, whereas Howard called up all his media cronies and was on all news channels to exploit a sick kid who loved orangutans, for his own politcal advantage.
The retail and grocery inquiry will be very interesting, what has come out so far.
Before Howard the retail industry had four major players, Woolies (@17% market share), Coles (@15%), Davids (@8%) and Franklins (@4%) with the other 56% made up of smaller players.
Now the big 2 have about 72% market share, the nearest comparable dominance in any other country is the UK, where 1 company has 28% market share.
Not even the USA has allowed this sort of dominance by the major players and when they do get dominant they are broken up, like the Bell companies.
How did this happen, is it good for competition, is it good for the consumer, does it affect pricing and inflation.
Expect teh libs to say the mum and dad shareholders benefit from this dominance, as dividends increase through the 40% rise in profits and tenfold increase in share price, the old Milo principle, what is good for the company is good for you.
the oil industry aught not escalate this issue in this environmet. all too easy to demonise them. in fact the public would be in the mood to support nationalisation.
The Rudd Government’s credibility on petrol prices is in tatters, its ability to function as a sophisticated modern federal government is under question, and it’s stretching credulity on economic management.
D. Shanahan
Now that is just plain desperate hyperbolic partisanship, Dennis. VERY unprofessional.
188
B.S. Fairman Says:
Don’t build yourself a still however if want spirits. It can be a little dangerous…. it took months to regrow my eyebrows.
It is no more dangerous than handling petrol, or deep frying chips. If you want to do it safely, learn from these guys:
http://www.homedistiller.org/forum/index.php
Kina
I agree with your view on the current mood but nationalisation of the oil industry would be unthinkable. Quite apart from breaching all sorts of promises we have made on international trade treaties and GATT, it would turn us into a pariah and kill any chance of foreign investment, which we still badly need. Alternatively, we would have to pay billions in compensation, which would wipe out the surplus and all government funds for investmetn in health education and transport. Plus, two of the biggest oil producers in Australia are Woodside and BHPB, locally owned.
This is priceless
“Mr Downer says the key is working smart, not working hard.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/01/2261544.htm?section=justin
I thought the key would be REMEMBERING the briefings and information that passed your desk.
Lexy, the new Max Gilles.
You would think with the push along the media have been giving them the leaders of the Libs would be out there on every political show going. Intead we’re treated to Truss and Downer, never have beens. At least the government was represented by a prominent minister, Linsay Tanner, on “Insiders”.
I enjoy lurking daily through this website: comments are often witty, frequently apposite. But as an old “rusted-on” Labor curmudgeon I would not dismiss the MSM too lightly. Their principle is “drip, drip to erode the stone”. No matter how ridiculous, unsustainable or maniacal their stories, they eventually seep into the public perception. I’ve seen it all before.
I can understand why Kev wants to get as much done as soon as possible; he probably hasn’t got as long as some might think. And he’s smart enough to know it. Hate to be a Cassandra, but that’s the ‘realpolitik’ as I see it.
I agree with you CC at 218. So it is important that the Govt. continue to use the new media and outlets like Sunrise.
Can anyone remember how the MSM behaved when Keating was defeated? Did those who had been used to having access to Keating and co get all petulant? Was Howard granted recognition as PM in the emotional sense by the MSM? Or all this failure to accept emotionally that Labor won a phenomenon reserved when Labor takes over?
I don’t know, CC. I think Kev will take a hit on Newspoll this week but still reckon the Poll should be reasonable. There has been a sustained attack on Rudd in the last fortnight from the trivia to the more significant issues including his character. The sheer volume will make a difference. The MSM and Opposition have been talking about the budget time for months as “D” day. Short term he will loose something.
I still think the long term is another matter. Nelson has shot himself in the foot something awful. Those weeks when Rudd was overseas he was travelling around Australia sympathising with everyone on Petrol and Food Prices, by inference blaming the Gov;’t and Rudd’s so-called election promises. All wasted. Now everyone is aware due to the Fuelwatch debate that the Gov’t can only operate around the edges and that Fuel prices are essentially a Global Phenomena. This will stay with people due to courtesy of MSM’s headlines and TV and blame against the Gov’t will be diluted except for the rusted on right wingers. Rudd could have stopped the debate anytime he wanted. Rudd seemed to end the week on an optimistic note almost as if he was satisfied with the weeks’ work.
Remember one of the reasons Keating lost in 1996 was he failed to convince people that interest rates were essentially a Global issue. Howard and Costello dined out on this for about 11 years.
Well worth it to loose a little short term popularity for this very important long term political gain.
half time Swannies 73 points ahead!
This past fortnight since the budget has been make or break for the Libs and they know it. Thus all the msm muckraking for dirt on Kev. Libs need a boost and need it NOW.
The next sitting after this week the Libs no longer will have senate majority, so Brenda can no longer beat his chest and threaten to block everything. Their voices won’t be heard anymore, by Kev or anyone else.
Vera
Swannies may be ahead but you need to have a look at the improvement of Richmond.
From the 1st quarter Richmond have improved their score 15 fold, from the second 2 1/2 times, whereas the Swannies have only improved their score 2 1/2 times since the 1st quarter and have only improved on the second quarter by less than 25%.
I think you will agree that overall this clearly shows Richmond as the better team and the Swannies are in deep trouble.
How can i argue with that sort of logic!
This idea of the slow drip was previously presented as the thousand cuts strategy. It didn’t work last year and won’t work this year. Remember the government holds the purse strings and can set the agenda. A very powerful position to be in. Does anyone really believe this government will be the first since the Great Depression to be a one term government? Hell, even Gough with all of his problems wasn’t a one term government.
I think that there will be no significant change in Newspoll next week. This will send a shock wave through the national fiberals.
Next week will be the end of Brenda’s honeymoon.
This will hurt News Ltd:
I grew up following Rugby League, and in the early to mid 90’s it was the no.1 code in Australia (yes, that’s right AFL supporters)!
So what happened? News Ltd got their grubby disgusting hands on it, that’s what happened! Four teams had to merge, one got kicked out of the competition, and another had to go through the courts to get reinstated.
You will never HEAR OR READ ABOUT IT, but so much damage was done to the game here in Sydney that the majority of fans don’t really care who wins anymore.
Now these same people want us to vote for Turnbull and Nelson at the next election, without regard of the consequences to the country?
I’m glad the AFL are introducing new teams in West Sydney and Gold Coast. Rugby League and News Ltd can suffer.
I’m a Sydneysider who supports both the Swans(great win today),and St George in the NRL – yep, I’m a red & white bloke!
I bet Lateline tomorrow night has a larger audience than usual, because we’ll all be hanging out for the first info about Newspoll.
I’m predicting Labor’s lead falls a little, down to 55-45.
I’ve noticed a fair bit of discontent on the pollbludger site with the media.
Just a few points to keep in mind:
1. All’s fair in politics. Criticisms justified or seemingly unjustified are all an acceptable part of the game, and it often is a game. Politicians are well aware of this and are as guilty as the media in peddling gossip and smear.
2. The media, even though they don’t believe it, don’t understand anywhere near as much as they think they do and have very little influence on anything.
How many times have they claimed the “Rudd honeymoon” over, only to find bugger all change in polling numbers? If you ever needed any proof of how little influence they have on anything, just think back to the NSW state election. All three major newspapers, The Herald, The Telegraph, and the Australian, advocated voting out the Labor Govt. And this view wasn’t just hidden in some Op Ed piece, The Herald’s major headline on the morning of the election pleaded with the public not to re-elect the Iemma Govt.
None of it mattered a cracker, as much of what they report doesn’t matter a cracker.
3. (And this point will help give some insight into why point two is true) Whenever Roy Morgan’s ratings for most admired/trusted professions comes out, the journalists are always down the bottom alongside real estate agents, insurance salespeople and used car salespeople.
So despite all their pontificating about all sorts of issues, the public has little regard for the profession and by definition, what those in the profession have to say.
Insiders was cringeworthy today. Cassidy like a petulant child who hasnt gotten over Rudd’s snubb, and the others getting very excited about the so-called major shift the suuposedly occurred last week in federal politics. The most amazing thing, as mentioned above, is that there has not been one poll to justify all the hysteria. There’s going to be alot of disappointed commentators out there- even if there is a small decrease for Rudd (which they will trumpet) it wont be sustained
For comic relief (and christ, don’t we all need some occassionally!), a hacker put this up on Bill Keelty’s Wiki entry:
“The Americans should stop looking for Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan. I have particularly sensitive intelligence from aliens – he’s living in an outside dunny in Dubbo.
“At this time he is training terrorist pixies and raising an airforce of stealth budgies to strike at the heart of the infidels, Allahu Akbar.”
SMH
…gotta say it, some people are just gems, even if they’re just anonymous hackers! LOL
Andrew
I do not watch “Insiders” anymore but I would imagine the glee today that would have replaced the “doom and gloom” of previous weeks.
Aristotle raises a few points that help with the one’s perspective of the media. They certainly do not know a fraction of what they think they do.
BB at 201 Grattan was the ONLY one as far as I can see that gave a calm response to the past week. When will the others even learn?? Arent they a tad embarrassed that their multiple previous predictions of Rudd’s demise have been shown to be ridiculous?? Maybe they hope we wont notice
Now obviously Rudd’s going to have challenges and the 60/40 polls cant last forever, media scrutiny is necessary, and the media wants to badly to have a CONTEST to report. I get that, but to get so excited about 2 fuelwatch leaks is desparation personified
Doug, Insiders is normally OK to watch, but the less conservative members of the panel did themselves no favours today. Now Bolt I expect to overreact, but the others could have said at least one- maybe this is not the big deal it’s been made out to be
I thought Shaun Carney gave a balanced view too.
Doug, you would be in the vast majority of the nation that doesn’t watch “Insiders”. Cassidy himself has acknowledged that in the past. It doesn’t matter what they say really.
I can’t wait until July when Bob Brown, Steve Feilding and Nick Xenophon all have more power than Brenda LOL
Kirribilli Removals @ 230 -
“I have particularly sensitive intelligence from aliens
Nah, he got it wrong, KR. ASIO isn’t spelt A.L.I.E.N.S.!
That should increase the size of my file by a foot or two
Aussie withdrawal from Iraq begins. Now lets see how REAL news gets reported
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=572885
I did notice Bolt was much cheerier this morning on Insiders. They did go a little overboard with the ‘Rudd spending and wasting’ too much time on the Fuelwatch thingy, something so trivial (their words). Yet it was the media which kept up the attack on Rudd, by Thursday even the opposition could not dent the resolve of the PM and the Government. What was he supposed to do not answer any questions? He was hounded all week. Lest we forget, Rudd never ever promised, to lower the fuel price nor the cost of food. He and the Labor Party always said said they will do something to bring fairness and visibility to the cost of fuel and competition to the super markets.
238
Andrew
Not with a bang but a whimper.
Big brassy show to go, and a quiet tiptoe home.
Ooops, we just f#cked up your country, it was a mess, now it’s an even bigger mess, with a few hundred thousand killed, millions displaced, no services, little real security, mostly Balkanised, and the neighbours very toey, but hey, that Saddam will never be a threat to anyone eh?
What’s that? You’d have him back instead of this anyday?
Let’s strike up the band and get all patriotic, shall we? So we can drown out the misery.
237
MayoFeral
Look out Mayo, they’ll pack you orf for a rendered holiday in the lovely tropical resort they have on Cuba!
230
Kirribilli Removals
The hackers were good, but is it crazier than real life.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2007/07/05/1183351363490.html
And Mick if you want to start a file on me me, please file me under pixie.
judy barnes at 206
If Marcus does get a canary I can think of a few good newspaper columns that would line the bottom of the cage nicely!
On petrol pricing and that over-the-top giant headline in the Courier Mail last week (the one about KEVIN07 etc), I work in a Gold Coast news agency (not in a labor electorate) and it was interesting the number of comments we got from customers about the government’s ability to do anything much about the cost of petrol. I don’t think the electorate is a stupid as the Opposition seems to think we are.
Oops sorry – it was the Gold Coast Bulletin on the KEVIN07 headline.
The Piping Shrike has an opinion on the media’s honeymoon over hysteria as well.
http://thepipingshrike.blogspot.com/
I note in today’s McDonald’s ‘Sunday Territorian’ that the Liberal party spruiker Murphy was also running a big Honeymoon over type headline. This guy gets to put a pretty full on anti-labor piece every week.
I don’t bother with the paper or his pieces at all now since they don’t say anything you wouldn’t expect, and I am not much interested in Liberal party briefing papers.
In fact they could simply have a little space saying .. Peter Murphy’s view on ..Blah blah…and nothing else. We would all automatically know what he would say so he doesn’t actually need to write anything.
————
The book that I am reading that I mentioned last night has as its thesis that Howard’s only intention and desire as PM was to on raise his personal status and, almost all that he did was to this end, even if it meant doing harm to the country. It seems Howard was obsessed about his status so much so that Howard came before Australia.
I remember Dr Hewson making a comment on the ABC that implied something like this as well.
SO what was his Cabinet up to?
Forgive me if this has been covered by someone before me – I have not read every post!
I am interested in Newspoll this week but lets not panic. The 2010 election is a long way off and I am interested in letting Rudd and Co staying on track and running the Givernment! That is why I voted for him. Silly to say on a Pseph blog but the next 6-12 months of newspolls are just noise!
The Coalition are not on their way back! They are a rabble and need to take a serious look at themselves policy wise. They are hoping their stabs in the dark will bring down the government.
Love all your work – this site keeps me sane esp if I read too much MSM!
Oldtimer @ 247:
I think that most on here would agree but the MSM are going to scream loud,loud and louder still if Newspoll shows any shift to the coalition.
It was interesting listening to the comments of people picking up the daily paper from a busy local newsagent today. Most extremely happy PM Rudd is working hard. A few ” not his fault on petrol…etc”
For the oppostion, and especially Brendan Nelson Joe Hockey…etc to claim they are the champions of the poor embattled worker grates me no end.
This is the same party that tried to get rid of penalty rates for overtime,trying to make people have to work longer hours for less pay and to strip award conditions away at the same time from the “real” workers.
You have to be kidding. !
Kina
I don’t think you said who the author of your book is although you gave us the title. Can you please let us know?
As for what the Howard Cabinet was doing when Howard was chasing all his self glory? I think they were mesmerised by him and just kept saying yes. The state of the Cabinet is verified by the fact that the Liberal Party is now without direction since they lost their Leader. These were men and women dominated by Howard for years. It was good strategy for Rudd to get him defeated in his own seat- now there is no genuine Opposition Leader.
I am one of those who believe that the last election was very important to Australia. I felt we were going in the direction of a dictatorship. I am sure there were plans for a permanent Liberal majority.
Joh in Qld held power for years by making the electoral boundaries suit him. By the way he too had a Cabinet of yes-men which disintegrated after he was deposed as Premier(by his own party).
National Insecurity: The Howard Government’s Betrayal of Australia
By Linda Weiss , Elizabeth Thurbon , John Mathews
http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&id=y0wLvsyrY48C&dq=national+insecurity&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=UBfQ-1cDAh&sig=4kwnN1sGXfGjdH0sl6y4SyE21OU
I also don’t worry too much about what Newspoll says this week. Realistically, thanks to the booby trapped economic settings left by the great manages in the previous government, some painfull changes were necessary. Add in the fuel price spike and the circumstances are difficult.
But from here things will improve for Rudd. The tax cuts will kick in on July 1 and give people some relief. If they don’t, it will be because the Coalition has blocked parts of them, which will be about as popular as trying to hang onto Workchoices. By cutting now, Rudd and Swan should get inflation more under control over the next two years. If they can go to the next election with inflation trending down they will be recognised as much better manages than the clowns they replaced. Combined with having kept their promises on a whole host of non-economic issues, from Iraq to detention centres, they will be in good shape.
The only issue I’d like to see more effort on is climate change, and I suppose the Garnaut report timetable allows that to be dealt with. If they use the investment funds intelligently, that can be dealt with too.
Wish the bloody public service would stop whinging though.
Speaking of Rudd keeping promises, the withdrawl of Australian troops from Iraq is being reported on nine late TV news. They referred to it as “keeping an election promise” by Rudd. That sort of thing will help. Fuel is just one issue, and for most people it is peanuts compared to the cost of a mortgage.
242
charles
Maybe Mick’s been doing too much Blade Runner! LOL
Oh sh!t, the bloody cyborgs have nicked my car again!
I don’t think so, somehow.
The other BS will pass into obscurity very quickly as other issues take hold.
Janet A’s latest blog in the Oz is not getting the type of response she was hoping for.
I had a read of a number of responses and an overwhelming number of them are not buying her rubbish.
{This PS issue is a beat up. The people who rang the radio station were just lazy whingers who expect everything from the world. They represent a very small minority of the PS. The rest of us aren’t afraid of hard work. Why should we be?!?}
and
{You dill Janet.
NOT ONCE, did you mention John Howard’s disrespect for the opinions of the public service. When he didn’t like what they said he vilified them and replaced them.
You liberal types need to wise up to the fact that you LOST the election, and lose the sour grapes. }
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/janetalbrechtsen/index.php/theaustralian/comments/pm_must_treat_public_servants_with_respect
My god, the thought of visiting a JA blog gives me the creeps. I need to take a shower to feel clean again.
Sondeo:
Hear hear! This is the point that Labor should hammer again and again and again.
The crocodile tears from the tories claiming to “care about people doing it tough”, when just months ago were championing one of the western world’s most extreme IR systems, is so much hypocrisy, that Labor has years worth of ammunition to beat them over the head about it.
IN A landmark 6-1 decision with implications for the current debate in Australia about WorkChoices, the Supreme Court of Canada has confirmed that the human right of freedom of association includes a right of workers to collectively bargain in good faith with their employers.
The court acknowledged that human dignity, equality, liberty, respect for the autonomy of the person and the enhancement of a democracy are all values that are complemented and promoted by the protection of collective bargaining provided by Canada’s Charter of Rights.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/collectively-condemning-workchoices/2007/06/19/1182019115981.html
Hmmm lets repeat that…..
human dignity, equality, liberty, respect for the autonomy of the person and the enhancement of a democracy are all values that are complemented and promoted by the protection of collective bargaining….
NOt that the Howard boys were interested in such trivialities
That was the very last thing on the rodent’s mind.
More bad news for Dr Alchopop.
http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=486887
On the thesis of Howard only ever using the PM’s role to enhance his status, particularly (or probably purely) in the eyes of Republican America it does make other things fall into place.
Howard in his quest to impress and seek approval of American Republican politicians (as well Bush and Bushites and the likes of Cheney, Rove etc) lead to him deliberately going overboard in his laws and rhetoric and control of everything he could control.
The extraordinary attack on Obama and the Democrats as the party best for terrorism was purely to impress Bush and the Republicans; Howard the little kid showing off to the big boys. It also showed that Howard put his desire to be impressive toward neocon America before the strategic alliance of this country.
Little Johny was trying to make Australia a little Republican America and hand delivered it to them as a gift in exchange for life acceptance into the club.
Just how devastated would Howard have been when he saw how well Bush and Rudd got on, especially that little salute? A lover cheated on, no longer special or unique, just ordinary ex John. Howard would have received a big wake up call from that. He is not one of them, useful at the time but not part of the neocon club really, only tolerated with polite smiles.
If status and reputation is all the Howard was interested in well he has lost a lot of it. The state of the party left behind is his fault and reflects on him.
Nick Xenophon is wobbling on FuelWatch.
If Kevin Rudd is as big a control freak as they say he is, his head might explode trying to deal with the new Senate.
The withdrawal of Australian troops from Iraq was on ABC radio news this morning. They asked Nelson for a comment and his reply was along the lines of:
“Oh that, we knew that was happening. But I don’t want to talk about that, I want to keep talking about FuelWatch this week”.
They really think they’re on to a winner.
So we’ve gone from:
What happens in Iraq has everything to do with our security and our future. That’s why we believe and we will stand up whether it’s candidates pushing these views in other countries or in our own, we will stand up to do what is right, and that’s what the Prime Minister has done. (Brendan Nelson, Minister for Defence, on “Lateline” 12/2/07)
to it being “Oh that…I don’t want to talk about that.”
Man of Sponge!
Troop withdrawal ’shouldn’t overshadow’ petrol price issue
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/02/2261831.htm
Sometimes they leave me speechless. When did they turn into a single issue party?
nelson effectively has lost the armed forces vote by this brushoff
where is the outrage from the MSM for his unpatriotic response?
The Liberal ‘decision’ to involve Australia in the Iraq mess in the first place, which pushed up the price of oil
+
Liberals blocking consumers’ access to information that can help them find the cheapest petrol in their suburbs
= a rhetorical & political goldmine for Labor. Go for it, Kev!
Even a 1 point drop in Labor’s vote will be interpreted by the MSM hacks as some massive swing back to the Liberals(rolls eyes).
And the Poisoned Dwarf(Milne) was on Alan Jones this morning, getting stuck into Rudd about some thing or other!
There is a story in The Age “Honda unveil People’s hybrid”
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/05/30/1211654284580.html
Honda plan to have a hybrid version of every model in their line up within two years.
This is exactly why our car industry needs to rapidly change course. Why would anyone buy a local V6 when you could buy a Honda hybrid for the same price? This sort of change will threaten both our local market and the export market for our V6s. Our previous industry policy was written as though we lived in a vacuum, where if our local manufacturers didn’t adjust to peak oil neither would anyone else. As the Honda announcement shows, the smarter overseas rivals are changing strategy fast. Our car industry is about to be wiped out within two years unless they make more economical markets very fast.
This is the real issue about fuel prices, not some nonsense about 5 cents a litre. It is a huge threat to what is left of our domestic manufacturing industry.
Sorry in previous post I meant to say “unless they make more economical cars very fast.”
I would say there are at least 10,000 jobs in Melbourne, and 5000 more in Adelaide under threat from this issue.
A good friend of mine works for one of the remaining local car manufacturers. I get to speak to pretty senior execs from time to time at functions, dinners etc. that we attend together.
The execs’ heads are buried in the sand over big cars. Because a few rev-heads want them they think they can just continue to service that market. Many of the execs aren’t far from rev-heads themselves, for that matter.
Stocks on the smaller cars in the range have run out because other countries are snapping them up. Meanwhile, here in Australia we just continue to indulge in large tanks that are euphemistically called “family cars”. In the meantime they just go on selling the gas guzzlers.
What I don’t think they realise (or, if they do, they’re not telling Little Me) is that if petrol goes up to $2 a litre and beyond (and it could happen easily within 12 months) then the “families” they’re relying on to purchase their monstrosities will evaporate away from the dealers’ forecourts.
The reality is that the big car manufacturers depend on fleet sales and the hard-heads at fleet purchasing offices all over the country are having the scales removed from their eyes regarding the soaring cost of fuel.
Already the truckies are complaining they can’t afford $5,000 for fuel one-way on the Brisbane-Melbourne run. Pretty soon the rest will follow. These are changing times, and catering for big car junkies who will dwindle to a small rump of car users ain’t the way to adapt.
Bill
Yes The Age article noted that Honda only had a quote of 900 Civic hybrids to sell in Australia because of demand elsewhere. Similarly most Toyota Prius’s are headed for the US market. So at the moment they are not really trying here. But Toyota and Honda are both building hybrid factories now. When the gloves come off and both try to mass market economical hybrids here it will hurt us.
I think this is more than a big car versus small car thing. It is really a powerful car versus economical car question. I would describe cars like Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas as medium rather than small. They comfortably fit four adults and have a boot. They are reliable and have low running costs other than fuel alone. They are not complex either so why can’t we make them here?
Also re fleet purchases, its not just fuel cost but resale price. A lot of State government fleet purchases rely on selling the cars second hand after two years for virtually no loss thanks to being exempt to sales tax at purchase. But that relies on the resale value holding up. I recall that the Qld government has a mountain of unsold government cars because they couldn’t get the price they expected for them when they were disposed of after two years. Once that sort of change trickles through the fleet market will move fast. I really think this market (V6s) is headed for a crash when you look at the reality of what is selling now and the second hand prices.
I shot off an e-mail to Gerard McManus of the Herald Sun. It went – “You say the honeymoon is over. Can you supply me with the latest polls showing this to be so. As far as I know there aren’t any at this time. I’ve yet to see a positive article on Rudd by you. True to form Gerard.”
I’ll give Gerard one thing, he always replies and for that I actually have a lot of repect for him. His reply was – “The honeymoon is over when the reality of government sets in, just like marriage. It has got nothing to do with the polls. Note also that I wrote the Kevin Rudd honeymoon was the longest in political memory.
There are quite a few problems facing the government, including petrol, inflation, Cabinet leaks.
Kevin Rudd himself said last week was the toughest week he had had in since he became Prime Minister.
Every other paper wrote the same thing, including the Age….saying the PM’s honeymoon was over.
I have tried to be reasonable with you, accepting your criticisms but you keep making snide remarks like “true to form” which I think are quite unfair.”
Has everyone else viewed “the honeymoon is over” statement in that way? I thought it referred to how the general public viewed the government.
Most of the media is in on the act now, portraiting Labor in a negative light for no particular reason really. Wonder who or what is behind it.The list of suspects is long – murdoch, oil, coal, medical insurance, Howard lovers, Gisspland election…
When did it all sart? When the fuelwatch issue was raised?
‘Real’ men don’t drive hybrids – c’mon!
I wonder if anyone has got some purchasing statistics for gen Y? My anecdotal evidence is that car ownership is certainly not the ‘must have’ it used to be.
So in the past when the commentators said ‘the honeymoon is over’ they were referring to a number of different honeymoons, all running consecutively with the same person, which have consequently ended until now we are left with the second last one (the last one being an actual shift in the polls)?
The existence of these numerous honeymoons and their ending were known to all the media at the time but were never shared with the general reading public (who would have been too stupid to grasp the idea).
Similarly, now every single commentator who is talking about ‘the honeymoon is over’ is referring specifically to the ‘honeymoon’ of ‘easy peasy gee this governing thing isn’t hard at all’ which they now all agree has ended.
I know we’re all ignorant prols out here in reader world, but it would be nice if the intellectual elite occasionally condescended to try and explain to us what is going on.
A list of the honeymoons they have been referring to, and the date of their official demise, would be a useful start.
The way I understand ‘The Honeymoon Period’ is when a government is newly elected, the Media and the voters are tolerant of a few little mistakes due to being new in the job. So when did the media give this new Rudd government an easy time?
They have been attacking Kevin 07 since early 2007, trying to find some mud to stick.
A quick google gives 67,400 hits for ‘rudd honeymoon over’
The earliest prediction of the end of the honeymoon I can find is from Peter Harcher, writing on December 7, 2006 (Rudd was elected as Opposition Leader on December 4).
Would be interesting to see how many hits you could get for ‘columnist admits wrong about end of honeymoon, promises never to make rash predictions again’.
Hartcher was keen to see the end of “the honeymoon” it seems. He still is I believe.
The Libs ahave lost it. This from Dutton – Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is using stunts to distract attention away from the debate about soaring fuel prices, an opposition frontbencher says.
Even withdrawing combat troops from Iraq was a diversionary tactic, Peter Dutton said.
They have got to be joking.
There are all these references to “the honeymoon” and “the narrowing”. Both seem to refer to the (desired?) change from polls where the ALP leads (honeymoon polls) to polls where the Coalition leads (after the narrowing). Does that mean these “journalists” see any poll where Labor leads as some kind of abberation? Do they think that voters will always vote Liberal when they come to their senses? Are we out of our minds not thinking Nelson is wonderful? I’ve heard of push-polling; now we have push-reporting.
Why don’t the writers just come out of their Liberal-loving closet, get jobs with Crosby Textor, and become full time conservative campaigners. At least then I could respect them for being honest about their prejudices.
These people do annoy me. They are not just right wing, but mindlessly and uncritically so. If I can admit that Latham was a disaste as Labor leader, why can’t they admit Nelson is a disaster as Liberal leader? He’s only being propped up by a few unethical public servants and a partisan press gallery.
Now Brenda’s mob may block the same sex reforms, send them off to a senate inquiry.
It could be September before they go back to the senate and Mr Family First ain’t likely to pass them is he?
Wonder how the gay groups that accepted these reforms as a given and then turned on Rudd about his stance over gay marriage putting the boot in, accusing him of breaking election promises, are feeling now.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/threat-to-stall-samesex-reforms/2008/06/01/1212258652642.html
There would be hardly any one in Australia that doesn’t know that rising fuel prices are entirely the result of international oil price rises and, out of the control of governments.
Nelson wants to keep the debate open on this for what purpose?
No matter how he attacks Labor on fuel prices it wont change the facts in peoples minds. And I guess Labor can mention that invading Iraq didn’t help anyone or that putting a GST on fuel didn’t help anyone.
The debate over fuel watch is also an academic one. Its intuitive that it should help and also intuitive that it wont hurt. At best a neutral result in the punters mind. AND at least Labor is trying something. Nelson in flogging this item is going nowhere – there is no hook on it, he will be as far as the punter is concerned just making noise and, their attention will have moved on by now.
They will win no one over on this issue and this is especially true when punters see internationally (Britain for instance) that fuel prices are a major concern.
This is a hollow ‘attack’ by Nelson and the MSM.
If the LNP pick up in the polls it wont be because of fuel prices it will be because the MSM is making it seem the Opposition is actually being an Opposition and the MSM trying its hardest to undermine the government, for purely political ends.
You can bet a lot of the MSM & Liberal friends in oil, gas, coal, medical insurance and so on are keen to push them to undermine the government. The Howard ‘friends’ feathered their pockets at Australias expense for a long time – they will be keen to get rid of the government so than go back corrupting a corruptible Liberal party in Govt.
Kina
As per my posts 270 and 273, the real issue with fuel prices is the survivial of the Australian car industry in the short term and inflation impact in the medium term. Any views on how this can be raised? The economic survival of places like Geelong is the “elephant in the room” that the MSM hasn’t mentioned. Announcment of a concrete plan to resolve that by Labor would be well received in the electorate in my view.
G’day all,
I personally don’t think Nelson will get a boost in the opinion polls. I hope so but I don’t believe so.
I tend to agree with you John but why do you think so? I believe the Libs may get a mall bounce but I don’t think Nelson himself will make any inroads. The perception out there is that he is a dud, rightly or wrongly. Perceptions are very hard to change and you don’t change them in one week.
283 Vera
The Libs must think that they are on a winner by stalling the same-sex reforms. I’d suspect that they’re well and truly out of step with ‘middle Australia’ in refusing to give gay and lesbian people rights that heterosexual people take for granted. And they can’t hide behind the threat of gay marriage since the legislation is about removing discrimination and not gay marriage. Out of touch, tricky and mean.
make that small bounce
286
John of Melbourne
Why is that John?
For the record, I haven’t subscribed to the West Australian for about ten years, even before the advent of their current loathsome editorial staffing arrangements. But the neighbour is on holidays, and a copy of the Western Drivel is my daily reward for feeding his fish and walking his dog.
The headline which greeted me today was “Newspapers win in credibility stakes”.
The first paragraph read as follows: “A major study has found Australians are reading newspapers more than ever because they are more ‘absorbing, dynamic and reputable’ than any other source “.
On reading futher I was informed that the font of this remarkable revelation was a “…study commissioned by the newspapers industry’s marketing body, The Newspaper Works” .
The CEO of WA Newspapers deduced from this that it was firm proof of newspapers’ importance. “It confirms in an era of information overload, that the role of professional journalists and information coming from a credible,trusted source actually becomes more important.”.
So there you have it. The newspapers’ union strikes back in support of its members. We were wrong all the time.
No matter that there is nothing in what the West reports to substantiate this opinion and that it has deliberately juxtaposed percentage figures which are irrelevant to its conclusion to appear to justify its own assessment.
But then again it is just the sort of trash the we have come to expect from our “credible, trusted source”.
Gary I don’t believe Nelson is a dud it’s just that Kevin has too much good will at the minute. Like JWH before him no one is listening to him, in time they will but we need a few more fuel watch type episodes.
Apres hopefully they do.
Steve K I don’t beleive too many people are listening to Nelson at the minute. KR has too much good will.
292 John – again, John, I agree with your reasoning. I don’t think Nelson is the complete dud he has been painted to be but the PERCEPTION is that he is a dud and that is worse than the reality and harder to shift. I believe Beazley suffered the same problem. I don’t see Nelson ever being PM.
291 Fulvio
Yes you wonder why they feel the need to commission such “research”. I suppose they must be comparing themselves to the Advertiser.
But consider the real tests of a papers credibility. Lets face it, as long as the West Australian still tips Freemantle and West Coast to win each weekend, they are just telling the supporters what they want to hear, and cannot be believed. Its a bit like the way they report politics to the few members remaining in the WA Liberals.
Gary you’re right perception is everything. Didn’t Beazley win the popular vote in 98?
Got to go now see you all later…
I know you’ve left us John but Beazley negative perception haunted him later in is stint as opposition leader, after the ‘98 election and he didn’t overcome that handicap. Once the perception is negative rarely does it go back to positive.
The “no ticker” label hurt the Bommer
sorry meant Bomber
Gary – have you read any of his media transcripts??
He IS a complete dud, it’s got nothing to do with perception.
Another example of the LNP living in a different era and not realising it. To most people now, IMHO, those who were for and against, it is historic issue, it has been accepted and the emotion taken out of it, the new battle line is marriage.
Nelson and co keep attacking empty trenches, they don’t know where the front is.
——————
Like I said before the election there must be some way to get to these partisan media outlets and partisan journalists so that they dont find it so simple and easy to be dishonest to Australia, or bypass them.
All that it really requires is for the punter to get it into their mind as accepted, that the MSM is against the government. With that sort incredulity operating it wont matter what the media say, they will have to back it up with real data.
Monicas/catch phrases such as big oil media, dirty coal media, big insurance media, anti-Rudd media and so on. Peple are more than willing to countenance conspiracy theories now days, thanks to the shenanigans of Bush and Howard.
Gary
I felt as you did for Nelson up to the 5 cents off petrol saga. Not only was that populist but impplied a willingness to be cyncically destructive of our econmy to be so. After that I concluded he deserved what he gets.
Q-time
Rudd is giving a speech on Iraq and there is a fair bit of LP baiting over Iraq.
I see the ghost with eyebrows found the need to pop his head up over the parapet this morning. I expect fathead lexy to be hitting the airwaves ASAP.
This is the definitive history of Australia’s involvement in Iraq from the start apparently – warts and all.
Hey they may have to strap The Rodent down to stop him getting into his army fatigues and going to meet the returning Iraq soldiers, lol, old habits die hard and all that.
Anyone else mentioned this yet? Looks like a victorian state By election to be held soon for Kororoit.
Ex-minister steps down
http://www.theage.com.au/national/exminister-steps-down-20080602-2ko8.html
Your friendly news service
http://www.ozelection2007.info/forums/uploads/127_oily.gif
They should be making these statements at some other time. If Nelson uses his 22 minutes, 3/4 of ABC TV’s Question Time telecast will have been used up. There’s nothing new in these speeches. The decision was made months ago. Question time should be for questions.
To be frank, Kina, I think we are already at the stage of mass public disbelief of nearly all political commentary in our newspapers.
In WA I have noticed this to be the case even amongst dyed in the wool Liberal supporters, and the treatment of Buswell (let’s face it, it was too good a running joke for any media outlet to overlook) has had an effect even on their psyche.
MSM has become increasingly irrelevant simply because it abused its position of relevance. It’s exaggeration, manipulation and convolution of truth, and it’s creation of it’s own parallel reality of it, is no longer subtle; it is blatant and hipocritical and even the undiscerning are aware of it.
The (to them) unbelievable has happened, the plebs are questioning their motives and are cutting through their thin veneers of credibility to the ugly lies and baseness beneath.
oh god
Nelson is making the case for WMD in his reply to a ministerial statement from Rudd.
He’s following it up for the ‘tit-for-tat’ defence that Saddam was bad so we can be too.
un-f’ing-believable
Sounds like Nelson is firing at an empty trench yet again.
This speech is serious fluff from Nelson.
Typically looking back – this guy should be a historian.
He can’t even place his indignation appropriately.
onimod
are you calling the good doc a fluffwit
It’s evident from its own questions that the government has had enough of the petrol debate, but the Opposition keeps pounding away.
Speaking of the MSM, here is some honest reporting of a study on it by itself:
http://news.smh.com.au/technology/study-shows-young-adults-hit-by-news-fatigue-20080602-2kql.html
“A key finding was that participants yearned for quality and in-depth reporting but had difficulty immediately accessing such content because they were bombarded by facts and updates in headlines and snippets of news.”
Just to prove that we tend to follow other countries ideas rather than think up our own, regardless of whether or not the ideas are good, this study was of news consumption in US, UK and India. I suspect we fit the pattern here too.
some doctor’s groups are OK (unlike AMA)http://news.smh.com.au/national/doctors-want-howard-in-court-over-iraq-20080602-2kqd.html
“Former prime minister John Howard could face the International Criminal Court for sending Australian troops to Iraq, under a plan backed by a doctor’s group.”
“Mr Howard committed Australian troops to the illegal non-UN approved war in Iraq on the basis of misleading information about WMD (weapons of mass destruction),” association spokesman Dr Robert Marr said in a statement.
“As a result of the illegal war in Iraq, over 650,000 Iraqi citizens have died unnecessarily.
“We understand a legal brief has been prepared by ICCACTION (International Criminal Court Action) Victoria to forward to the International Criminal Court.”
#305: Thanks Scotty, I’d missed that.
Nelson has just asked a cynical question on ‘Grocerywatch’.
extremely childish.
Rudd responds with the complete facts and figures of the ACCC inquiry, something the question didn’t deserve in the slightest. This gets right up those on the left’s nose. How dare he not slip in to name calling!!!
Mesmerelda asks about diary secretaries – I thought they were going to keep the pressure on the Fuel Gate Watch thingy.
#305
No big deal. Kororoit is a super-safe Labor seat. Haermeyer got 76% of the 2PP vote last time. The Libs won’t even stand a candidate in the by-election (given the failure to stand in much more marginal seats like Albert Park).
Another question time and another weak effort from the opposition. They are becoming more and more fractured each session seemingly without a strategy. I’m not sure if its Nelson or Hockey who should be held to account for their insipid parliamentary performance. It’s laughable.
Wasn’t Mr Speaker kind letting the useless Libs rephrase a question 3 times instead of ruling it out of order.
Agenda have a pollster I have never heard of saying that his “poll” shows a 5% drop in the Labor TPP vote.
320
The lack of strategy is pretty telling.
The irony of Hockey complaining about legislation being rammed through is just laughable.
It’s not right, but Hockey’s crew dared to venture on to the frozen lake while in government and now can’t believe no-one is waiting to save them.
It’s just symptomatic of their deferral of their responsibilities and reliance on weasel-words.
No offence, but I just love seeing lawyers and neocons being chewed up an spat out the back when they’ve moved reliance to language, instead of spirit.
ruawake, I’m amazed that anyone who watches these sessions could think for one minute that the opposition are mounting a serious challenge to the Labor government. I guess that’s why Nelson has gone the populist route (funnily enough his populist route may turn out to be extremely unpopular) with alcopops and fuel excise as they really have nothing at all to contribute to the big issues of the day. Where are they on health, education, security? The silence from them is deafening.
Re my 332.
His new result was 57-43 same a the last Newspoll.
332
i think that pollster does on line polling.
what about Spear’s big statement “well we can officially announce the honeymoon is well and truly over” Wanker!
ALP 56 down 5
Rabble 46 up 5
Rudd approval down 10 to 57
Nothing about Brenda
56 and 46???
Yep vera you are correct it is an “online survey” whatever that means.
#332 vera
I thought it was the pollster who said the honeymoon was over. If Speers said it too I missed it.
#327
It was 56-44
Just on Sky
Their latest poll
Should Australian troops be pulling out of Iraq?
Yes 51
No 49
LOL SMH same poll
Yes 81
No 19
329 triton
Oh yeah, Spears sure did say it and was nearly wetting himself he was so pleased
How many people watch Skynews anyway? Very few I would suggest.
Socrates at 273. Sales tax no longer applies. It was replaced when GST was introduced.
Why is Lord Dolly of Mayo the opposition spokes-personage on Iraq? Where are Minchin and Robb?
Enjaybee 333
Thanks; I had forgotten that. It only makes their buying strategy more silly though. I don’t see how it can be sustained.
334
The LP is still in fear of the old regime.
If they had any real policy, as opposed to personal ideology, they might find a few people who would be prepared to defend it. In the absence, we get Lexy the luddite.
I would like to see some of the normal polls to know what the change has been. Nothing to compare this one against.
Speers, I dont know why he bothers.
AND any Skynooz poll you would have to take with a pinch of salt until you know the make up of who they polled. You would hope their viewer database wasn’t polled, haha.
Usually the run of the mill Skynooz polls strongly favour the Liberal position – the major demographic of their viewers no doubt. But I gather we are talking about an independent poll.
The Skynooze poll was by “essential research” not much to go on via Google.
283 vera Just a gentle reminder X 1,000,000, it was the Labor Party that helped to elect Mr Family First.
I’ll wait for the real polls. By the way there was a time where I’d be delighted with Labor TPP 56 – 44.
If it were 56-44 that would be a very good result considering the belting Rudd has had by the Media. But we do not know when the last poll was taken and from when this poll dropped by 5%.
Best wait for the real polls.
338 This is the group who advised the MUA during the waterfront dispute and who advises the ‘Your Rights at work Campaign’ etc.
http://www.essentialmedia.com.au/
Brenda never mentioned wheelchairs, babies or oil in his statement to parliament on the withdrawal of troops – I wonder why?
He didn’t even look like he was going to cry …gosh what a compassionate guy!
What about all the lost children in Iraq – the lucky ones in wheelchairs with not a hope in hell let alone of their (dead) parents owning a Tarago.
Brenda sits in a gutter at 3 am and ponders why, oh why.
This makes me sick and to think I heard Spears say he spoke so eloquently …..
Did we hear about this poll when it was saying 61%?
Or was that considered too unbelievable?
cille
I appreciate your sense of dedication, but man, do yourself a favour and turn that junk off. Is it any more than a fluffer for conservatives and filler for Qantas lounges?
How far are we away from the claim that the opposition is ‘97% fat free’ and that it’s good for you?
Just as well I don’t have Pay TV, otherwise I’d be throwing rocks at the LCD screen whenever Spears appears.
If there is some big swing back to the Liberals in the Newspoll, wouldn’t it have been leaked on the commercial news bulletins? None have mentioned Newspoll tomorrow.
onimod – sorry to bring up the old junk and intrude on your sensibilities. Got carried away I guess. (Homework) I must remember not to dwell in the past x 1000 times. I promise to do better x 1000 times. Don’t mention the war x 1000 times.
Man, I feel better already! (don’t know how to do emoticon but its smiling)
Oh, and the Libs, about full cream at the moment!
I’m just worried for you cille
I have my own addictions and associated problems…
I’m still here for a start!
Don’t dissuade the Libs from keeping Nelson on. He’s one of the best assets Labor has come the next election.
“Why is Lord Dolly of Mayo the opposition spokes-personage on Iraq?”
He is just bringing to our attention that he is not suffering from the dreaded “Relevance deprivation syndrome.”
“Nope, no relevance deprivation syndrome here” says Lexy, again.
Onimod good for you, you can do those thingies with the smiley face – I’m impressed. I’m glad you’re still here bwtf????
Of course any improvement in the LNP position, and it is bound to occur even if it were run by Micky Mouse, will make it harder for Turnbull to oust Nelson.
Had a good trip home, filled my wife’s head over ownership of Australian media and their desire to undermine Labor, support Howard, big corporate interests etc….which she will spread to the Chinese community. I have managed to get many of the Chinese here to realise that the OO is a Liberal party paper.
No mention of Fuelwatch or petrol on either 7 or 9 news services tonight in Melbourne. The Libs are going to struggle to keep this issue on the boil. It has cooled down considerably.
I am going to against tide and I expect a bit of a down turn in some of the figures tonight. Maybe not in TPP, but I expect Rudd’s approval to take a dive. One thing, he insulted 2% of the population last week (Public Servants). Insulting a section of the electorate might not matter at the moment but these things add up. It is Howard-like to divide and take the largest chunk.
334
ruawake @ 334-
Why is Lord Dolly of Mayo the opposition spokes-personage on Iraq? Where are Minchin and Robb?
Possibilities:
1) Because much of the meeja see him as the Foreign Minister of the Government-in-Exile , i.e. our true legitimate rulers and not those unspeakable pinko upstarts lead by the even more unspeakable Rudd fellow who’ve somehow managed to usurp the natural order of the things,
and/or
2) because neither Minchin or Robb could point to Iraq (or indeed the M.E.) on a map id their lives depended on it.
Ah, but put a tiny teeny dollar sign on the map and they would spot it before you could say ‘war crime’!
Domino, I thought you didn’t interest yourself in politics these days
Well Fuelwatch is a trivial story anyway. It was only the Medias desire to help the Liberal party that made it in to anything.
Xenephon would do well to support Fuelwatch in the Senate bearing in mind that fuel prices will probably keep rising and he would have blocked something to help Australians. It costs him nothing in votes to go along with it but it could cost him a something to go against it. The subtle nuances of the negative debate will be forgotten later on.
On the gay rights issue Family First might vote against it but will the Liberals en bloc go against it? Main stream Australia I think are generally accepting of it now. They may be going against the majority if they block it.
The Liberal party are still on the negative, do negative things. Block this and that, criticise this and that. It might recover a few lost voters but in the end it might categorize the negative party with no ideas or future vision of tis own. Which is true course, the Liberal party only wants to be in power but doesn’t know why.
cille – you win a prize, but it’s not Domino posting.
I am interested in the Domino you know though?
And for anybody wishing to stay up and wait for Newspoll; If it is on Lateline, it will be on The Australian website a moment or two beforehand.
354
B.S. Fairman, from Rudd’s comments, he expects a bit of a dive in Newspoll. However, like you, I’m a bit worried about how he handled the public service work demand issue. It’s one thing to be yourself prepared to work extremely demanding hours, it’s another, and, in my view, unacceptable to expect it of people down the PS ladder. What I’d be interested in knowing, however, is whether there’s any real evidence that things have changed that much. I’m interested because 2 close rellies have worked at fairly senior levels during the Howard years, and would commonly work absurd hours. Still do, at times, in different roles. Another close rellie running own business, also works absurd hours.
Domino just give it up – game over
A little bird (who answers to the name of Peter) tells me that Mumble will be exclusively privy to the Newspoll result at 10:30pm this evening.
If Newspoll stays within 3% of the last one it is a win for Labor. I expect it to go down a bit simply due to the leaks and Media disembling info. The Media makes out there are some divisions in the Gov’t. Never mind Furgeson denied the first one and Laurie Oaks reportly said the 2nd did not come from the Cabinet.
The PS will play Ok with the people but some in the PS may feel slighted as B.S. Fairman says. But how many of that 2 % voted Liberal anyway?
Rudd’s own approval will probably go down but there may not be such a change in preferred PM as Nelson is a dud and people know it.
Anyway 3% can be passed off as the MoE.
Still while we may be all hanging out for Newspoll its importance is not much in long term although today it will either cause elation or disappointment for the Liberal Party. A drop could be a blessin in disguise for Labor as it will stop them becoming overconfident.
I dont know how may of you were following that little spat, but apologies to all here – long story – won’t happen again
362
cille, umm, who or what is domino?
Thank you, William. We’re all obviously hanging out for the result. Anyone prepared to have a stab? I’ll posit 57/ 43 TPP ALP/Coalition, Primary 46/36 ALP/LNP. For no particular reasons or evidence. I’ll probably be about as accurate as I am with footy tipping.
The name Onimod (back to front) Poster Domino
sorry, no more fretting over each coming Newspoll for the next two years. The polls will come down at some time or other, this we know. If the polls stay above 55/45 for a long while then it is justs fun to watch the LNP send themselves crazy.
If Labor can pull off 53-54/46 at the next election then that is a real bonus as far as I am concerned.
368
cille, rightio. I still get taken aback by the wars that go on here. The Montana etc. thread has been a mighty stoush. Buggered if I know why anyone posting think that what they think will have any bearing on the outcome for the race for POTUS, but people are in there swinging away. Absolutely fascinating. William, your forbearance is remarkable.
cille
You’re right about what it reads backward, but it’s definitely not Domino posting.
I’m not sure that there’s any way I can make that clear though. I am a little worried that there’s some baggage being attached inadvertently.
I have never posted under ‘Domino’.
I expect the polls to go up and down around the 55% mark 2pp for Labor [I think that is now their base popularity] in the next couple of years unless there is a major scandal or earth shattering event.
But around election in 2010 time I reckon the 2% or so of people who swung back to the Coalition in the last week in 07 will be there for the ALP, cos the fear and smear campaign will have proven to be false.
So my long range forecast for 2010 is ALP 2PP of about 55%, ie a swing of 2-3% in their favour, some of which, a half a percent to one percent, will be improvement from the Greens.
So I’m not going to fret over each and every poll between now and then.
Which applies to this one which surely must be lower for the ALP than the last.
Simply because Denis and his mates, who have inside knowledge of how it was shaping up in the past few days, would not have made such ‘bold’ statements on the back of nothing.
Would they?
It is not how many of that 2% is going to change their vote, a government can not afford to be at war with the Public Service. The Government needs a functioning PS to look good.
“Denis and his mates, who have inside knowledge of how it was shaping up in the past few days, would not have made such ‘bold’ statements on the back of nothing. Would they?” I’m assuming this is a bit of sarcasm Fred. Since when has Denis and his mates based any statements on fact.
373 B. S Fairman
That’s true. But the effect of the PS in this would not be felt yet with people I don’t think.
But the PS needs to be dealt with in some way as we did not elect them but elected the Gov’t. Rudd did not come across that well the way it was reported(and there has been plenty of misinfo). But we will see what happens as time goes on.
BS
I think you’ll find there’s probably at least as many people inside the PS cheering the changes as are lamenting the coming of Rudd. One of the reasons for staff leaving has been the perceived lack of performance and professionalism within the service. Several departments are well known as completely dysfunctional.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23799748-12377,00.html
50% want Costello & Lexy to go
Why has this poll all of a sudden made an appearance? Who cares about it?
who is essential research?
ABC News reporting on 5 point drop in TPP and 10 point drop for Rudd, which is the essential research figures?
The incorrect thing is it is being reported that it is a drop from the last Newspoll.
We wait to see the Newspoll results?
We are hanging out for the newspoll. Shades of the election LOL.
Preferred PM:
- Rudd 66%
- Nelson 17%
so is SBS oldtimer
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23800746-601,00.html
It is out.
No change TPP. 57 -43. Rudd down to 66 PPM. Nelson up to a massive 17%.
Harry “Snapper” Organs @ 361 -
It’s one thing to be yourself prepared to work extremely demanding hours, it’s another, and, in my view, unacceptable to expect it of people down the PS ladder. What I’d be interested in knowing, however, is whether there’s any real evidence that things have changed that much.
According to the Age’s Tony Wright on ABC radio this morning, many of Howard’s staff were expected to be at their desks by 4.30 AM every morning. Basically the only difference between Rudd and Howie is that the latter had the good sense not to antagonise his people with the sort of crap Rudd indulged in last week.
He also said that Howie had not one but several personal assistants, aka ‘Jeeves’ including on his last visit to Iraq one bloke who just carried Howie’s suit around all day. Apparently, Howard would wear something more comfortable under the flak jacket when being transported between engagements then change into the suit before meetings.
.
Thomarse @ 377 –
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23799748-12377,00.html
50% want Costello & Lexy to go
The other 50% are clearly not mentally competent to vote!
I’m closing this thread now, so over to the new(er) one.