The Australian reports that Labor’s lead in this fortnight’s Newspoll is down slightly from 57-43 to 56-44. Kevin Rudd is down three points as preferred leader to 65 per cent while Brendan Nelson is up two to 14 per cent.
The latest weekly Essential Research survey shows no change in Labor’s long-standing 58-42 lead. Also featured is a national-level question on state voting intention which suggests collective primary vote support for the state Labor governments is 7 per cent lower than for federal Labor (40 per cent compared with 47 per cent), although Coalition support is only 3 per cent higher (38 per cent compared with 35 per cent). Further questions involve federal Labor’s performance on various individual issues, and attitudes to the balance of power in the Senate.
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That should start some celebrations among Age journos!
147 BB
Fair enough. I may have been taken in.
You’re way too kind, Diogenes.
Comments accusing Diogenes of lying are being deleted.
Bushfire Bill
I agree with you th principal of quoting one off examples is meaningless Th soldier instead of spiting may as well hav been hugging him as a friend , for all th relevence one of examples mean , and so see where you were coming from and agree
Other posters hav also quoted inappropriate negative stories here of ‘nam’ soldiers , but they’re one of type examples , and they reely hav no place because they imply & or belittle all solders as if all may be like that , which is wrong to quote such one of examplles & think that was your correct thrust
Solders ar like everyone else , ar good bad & ugly , but like all public overwhelminglly good , as for ‘nam’ solders as said yesterday some bad damage was done for returning nams in 60’s and 70’s too late to unfix now , but young show more appreciation as alot of older ones still see th solders as part of somehow blame problem but were just solders for there Country some still with som memory scars
We’ve all, at times, made the mistake of taking what people say around us being representative of what people are thinking generally. That of course doesn’t make what those people have told us untrue but we need to be careful not to jump to general conclusions based on their accounts. Lesson over and out.
Iraq is history, some people need to stop living in the past.
Whether we should have followed American in? Probably not, but the end result is a dictator stealing from his country and killing millions of Kurds cannot hurt his country anymore.
So it was good and it was bad
Our soldiers served our country proud and deserve all the accolades we get.
The problem with society is there are too many self righteous people in the world who thinks only their view matters, who wants people to hate our soldiers (Vietnam/Iraq) So that they can make a point. These people need to grow up and live in the real world
Vietnam yes, can’t say I’ve seen anything but respect for our soldiers over Iraq. The hate was all directed at the politicians.
I think I’ll move on to a safer topic. No more anecdotes from me!
Janet Albrechtsen has applauded Rudd’s new “tough love” policy of linking welfare payments to school attendance. It deserves “unequivocal praise”. She also claims that the policy follows in the courageous footsteps of John Howard and The Australian.
Tough love is now bipartisan
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/janetalbrechtsen/index.php/theaustralian/comments/tough_love_is_now_bipartisan/
Feds to buy properties at auction to stop water diversion
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24248231-601,00.html
I was responding to a “hysteria” charge by Diogenes. It seems quite a few others agree with my substantial point, even if William doesn’t.
Onto other matters… Hilary just gave the speech that Rudd should have. How boring and flat can an oration get? Listen to Rudd’s effort and you’ll get a pretty good idea.
Education is important stuff but, due to Kevin’s stultifying delivery, guaranteed to fall as flat as a pancake on tonight’s news. We need inspiration, not more miserable promises of hard work ahead. If he’s not careful, Rudd will blow Labor’s opportunity to do something in government, by burying his party in a ton of policy and process. They’re needed, but lighten up Kevin, for God’s sake.
Swanee yesterday , enjoyed this
“the Opposition Leader, the Treasury spokesman and the former treasurer were the ‘three stooges’
You have got the Leader of the Opposition, one of the three stooges, who can’t do his job; you have got the member for Wentworth, who can’t get the job; and of course you have got the member for Higgins, who hasn’t got the courage to take the job,” he said.
.
.
now a competition to see who is Larry
I honestly don’t think Rudd can give an “inspiring” speech in the US Convention-sense. It’s not in his character nor have I ever seen him give one. After all, in his speech at the Labor election campaign launch, the biggest cheer when he said that he was a “fiscal conservative” – not exactly Kennedy-esque…
Of course, the $64000 question is how well a speech of the style Clinton delivered today would have gone over in Australia? Most people would have thought it “wishy-washy” and too rhetorical – you can imagine talkback lighting up saying “nice speech, but where’s my tax cut???”.
The sad truth is that in Australia, inspiring rhetoric gets you nowhere – it’s now all about tax cuts, interest rates and unemployment. The only good thing to note is that we’re not alone in this – remember, it was the Sheffield Rally that sank Neil Kinnock in 1992 in the UK…
Who is going to sit down and take notice of what Rudd says, inspirational or not? The populace won’t be sitting around glued to their sets or reading reams of prose on Rudd’s inspirational speech. Come on, get real.
The populace find it hard to tune in when an election is on.
Yep, Rudd should be out there deliverying the big ticket items based on jottings written on the back of napkins. We don’t need careful planning. We don’t need to know where we’re at. Just get out there and squander, er, I mean, spend the money on half baked schemes. That should keep them in power for about 11 years.
Precisely
william
the wrong andrew was sacked.
The Exclusive Brethren are crying foul over an attempt by the Greens to launch a senate inquiry into the activities of the cult.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/exclusive-brethren-hit-back-at-probe/2008/08/27/1219516539000.html
The Brethren grew fat from years of unwarranted and grossly inappropriate financial largesse courtesy of Howard & Co. Now the evil Dr Brown and his godless mob of witch doctors threaten to expose the shenanigans of this weird, weird bunch.
The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.
And the Lord moveth in mysterious ways.
Whoever is President affects Kevin Rudds Govt including there “character”
You’ll never catch a ‘slippery’ man , unlike a thief , with his hands actually in th jewelry box
I hav supplied two links below (main one is th Democrat leaning New York Times (“NYT”) investigative report on Obama re Rezko dated 2007
Before pulling up this link , can I say th article does not follow chronological sequence so needs reading twice to follow a pattern of behaviour PLUS KEY data is scattered between ‘filler’ stuff
Secondly details in this article & similar hav never been challenged , and Governor of Obama’s own State Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich etc was also involved with corruption charges involving Rezko
Thirdly Rezko , since th article has been actualy convicted in June 2008 on those 3 Federal charges of fraud & corruption referred to in article Forthley preconceptions can colour conclusions before reading , and whether this is back door financing given there “mutual history” as I think , a conclusion of knowingly (seeing it was public info Rezko was sleezy ) of close personal & professional association does not sit with being “a fit and proper person” at th minimum
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/us/politics/14rezko.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
mainly tit bits of background & sale but is only a site , whereas NYT paper is credible
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3486054.ece
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/us/politics/14rezko.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
only way to open this is open a new Google page and copy past above link
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/us/politics/14rezko.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Ron, don’t worry about slippery men from overseas. What about our own conservative authoritarian in christian socialist clothing.
174 TurningWorm – he’s not in power now. Remember? We had an election.
If the speech is inspirational enough, then it will be taken note of by the public. That’s the whole point of an inspirational speech. The details can be looked after by the relevant minister.
I hope you’re not arguing that Rudd shouldn’t even try to inspire the country. If not him, then who?
We were expecting a headland speech about the future and all we got was notice that a few heads will be kicked at the next COAG meeting. That’ll have the public out in the streets a’hoopin’ and a’hollerin’.
176 Bushfire – “If the speech is inspirational enough, then it will be taken note of by the public.”
I’m not convinced.
What makes you think an inspirational speech will turn anything around? Speeches don’t do it, actions do. Those that don’t agree with Rudd are not going to be persuaded by a speech. Those that see politics as a pain in the backside are going to keep on doing so. Those that support Rudd are not going to change, bland or inspirational.
Sorry, a speech is just that, not results.
BB, please feel free to list the inspirational speeches (other than in times of war – I think there is a place for them during war), that have really made a difference in Australia.
GB, not even the rodent himself tried to bring back the kanakas or cut centrleink payments off for families with unruly kids. It must be a Queensland thing.
Feds to buy properties at auction to stop water diversion
I’m not convinced this is the best way of going about fixing the overallocation problem. Plus Joyce has a point about the effects this could have on some communities.
I’d much rather see the government wipe the slate clean, determine how much water flow there is in the system, allocate sustainable flows to the rivers, including enough to fill backwater every few years to maintain their environment in good condition and then divide up/sell/lease/whatever the rest among current licence holders, providing compensation where necessary.
However, I doubt any government would have the courage to take it on.
179 TurningWorm – “GB, not even the rodent himself tried to bring back the kanakas or cut centrleink payments off for families with unruly kids.”
I’ll overlook the verballing of the actual policy re “unruly kids”.
Obviously you are against these things but I would bet that the average person has no difficulty with these stances.
Oh dear, how quickly we retreat into populism. Howard’s legitimacy must have been unquestioned for 12 years then.
I reckon you would be hard pressed to find any average person on the street in Australia who could provide you more famous speech quotes from Australian PMs than from US Presidents.
Actually, about the only ones I reckon you’d get from Aussie PMs would be Howard’s “we will decide who comes here”, and maybe Whitlam’s “It’s Time” although that was more of an overall election slogan than just a speech quote.
Nice little Libs /Greens clash over biofuel Power station.
“The Liberal candidate for Blackwood Stirling, Wade de Campo, says he supports the development of a 40 megawatt biomass power station near Manjimup.
The Greens’ candidate, Luke Petersen, says the station should be split into smaller plants to reduce the impact on local produce growers who oppose it.
But Mr de Campo says the plant has received environmental approvals and has been found to be safe to the community.
He denies he has a conflict of interest since he also serves as the local shire president, and is the owner of a trucking company.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/27/2348035.htm
I thought that’s exactly what he did in the NT intervention wasn’t it?
Talking about speeches. It will be interesting to see what tone Obama’s speech will be on Thursday:
1. Kumbaya speech – I am the one; I am the change that America needs; New politics, blah blah blah
2. I am one of you, I feel your pain and I got solutions to your problems speech
3. I am your commander-in-chief speech – Dubya like, i will proect you and america, strong homeland security and put the Russian and Chinese in place.
4. Attack McCain speech – too old, too rich, too senile, too out-of-touch, too close to Bush.
5. Attack 8 years of Bush speech
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/us/politics/27assess.html?hp
182 TurningWorm – unlike yourself obviously, I didn’t disagree with everything Howard did. I was glad to see him go for many reasons but he didn’t get everything wrong. He lasted nearly 12 years as you said.
GB, you miss my point.
We’ve had the detail and the process. It’s time to plant some big ideas in the public’s mind. That’s what they vote for, not arcane policy points made in obscure government position reports.
Of course there is a need for detail. But there is also a need for the people to know where they are being taken. Leaders have to rise up above the fray occasionally and show the way forward. They should leave the detail stuff to the underlings. Rudd insists on being across every brief, of being a “Devil int he details” man. He has to stop this and let his ministers do their job.
As to “war”… if the imminent immolation of the planet due to Global Warming is not something deserving of the nation going a war footing, then what is?
If Global Warming is to be as bad as the scientists say it is then everything – everything – will have to be subverted to it, and sooner rather than later. That means defence, the economy and at the root of it all, education. If we can’t defeat GW then wars, famine and all kinds of pestilence will follow. It won’t matter if we’re well educated or not, because the Law Of The Jungle will apply and it’ll be dog eat dog.
The last time the Earth warmed significantly was back in the Middle Ages. We were lucky then. We didn’t have the long range weapons, the technology and the populaton pressures to cause us to wipe ourselves and our childrens’ futures out. Today we do. GW is existential. We require more than details, details, details to get the message. We need to think beyond which pressure group or business organisation’s members will have temporary revenue setbacks, or which groceries will cost a dollar more.
But this is exactly the current state of the debate. Penny-ante stuff compared to the consequences. Whingers and moaners on the sidelines crying into their beer that they might lose 1/4 of a per cent of their income, swearing there’s nothing they can do to change their wasteful ways or we’ll all be rooned.
Contrast this with Hilary Clinton’s speech today where she called on the Democrats to work together not only for a secure future for America, but for a brilliant future, one of promise and prosperity… one where America regained its reputation for innovation, cleverness and co-operative World citizenship.
Wilson Tuckey is up in Parliament raving on now about a couple of hundred bucks extra in utilities per year if we get an ETS before 2010 (claiming of course he’s not a CC denier… like hell he isn’t). This is what Rudd is up against: endless minutae, rats gnawing at the edges of the last bit of cheese in the political cupboard to gain some imagined advantage, or in order to avoid being the first to go without. We are a small country. We can’t hope to affect the World’s ideas on GW. It goes on and on. The ultimate extension of his argument is to do nothing. But he not a CC denier, nosiree. Not Wilson. He just doesn’t want anyone to suffer from doing something about it before we all go down the tubes.
The only way to combat these erosive tactics is not to answer them with yet more details, more counter charges, but to rise above them and show the way.
Inspirational speeches are exactly what we need. The people will follow Rudd if he can convince them their future is not only secure, but exciting, prosperous and brilliant… but only if we act now and with enthusiasm.
The contrast between is effort and Hilary’s was stunning. You’d do well to find her speech on the net and listen to it. Every word of it.
Afternoon all. Sorry I missed the interaction on the vets. Looks like there is a bit of a blog consensus (not necessarily 100%) around that Viet vets were bastardised to a significant extent once they got home and that the civilians probably seem to have learned something by the time the Iraq vets returned.
A bit off topic but I saw a sign at a construction site today: ‘Infinity Constructions’. I must admit I thought that IP space had been taken a while back.
A small trial in the NT, you are correct Dario. But they never had the chutzpah to try what Ruddster is doing.
Actually I was too hasty on wilson Tuckey. He started out with the same old CC denial arguments, but then got onto something I found interesting.
So (gulp) I went to his web site (as he advised during his House Of Reps speech). Never thought I’d find myself doing that in this life, but there you go.
Some interesting reading on tidal electricity generation and hydrogen fuel for motor vehicles: http://www.wilsontuckey.com.au.
Tuckey’s angle isn’t anti-GW. It’s more for us to cease being dependent on Middle Eastern oil. This is something else Rudd doesn’t push: that anti-GW processes have benefits never discussed that have nothing to do with Global Warming.
Sorry Wilson. I misjudged you.
Equating CC with war is stretching it for me I must say. Yes, it’s a danger but I really don’t think people see it in the same way they view a military attack.
I’m also not convinced people will be swayed by the CC sceptics as you seem to believe either. We’ve had this discussion before and we will go over old ground. I just disagree with the notion that an inspirational speech will do the trick. Will it do the trick for Obama?
Socrates @ 106
Yep, I have been keeping an eye on it. I feel like the proverbial frog with a snake moving its way. And, yep, the Arctic is going to hell in a handbasket. And yep, there are some peculiarities going on. And yep, all those positive feedback elements like the permafrost melt releasing scads of methane and Carbon dioxide are starting to happen.
However, just pointing to what is happening to the Arctic ice and not mentioning what is happening in the Antarctic at the same time, is a bit like, like, well… er…a very little bit like B**t quoting the half dozen or so glaciers that are growing longer and ignoring most of the other forty thousand or so glaciers that are experiencing drastic reductions in net ice mass..
The Arctic sea-ice extent trend is in free-fall. The Antarctic has a slight upward trend in summer sea-ice extent.
Still Putin must be excited. A summer ice-free Arctic will become another flashpoint for the neo-colonialist wannabe. He will have to fight the Danes this time. They reckon that continental shelf stuff going out from Greenland means that a very large slice of it is all theirs. But will the Danes fight to the last Greenland Inuit. And if the Russians move first, will NATO be forced to act on the behalf of the Danes and the Canadians? Georgia mainly only lets oil through. That Arctic country is highly prospective.
TW
I believe “The intervention” didn’t withhold welfare payments. I think they were only “quarantined”. On a related matter, the teachers union and the Liberals are most upset, for different reasons, about Rudd enacting Howard’s “reforms” of sacking under-performing teachers and merging schools that aren’t up to their standards.
PM outlines system to compare school performance
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24249778-601,00.html
BB
I agree on global warming. Lots of experts talk about how warming in the Middle Ages (which weren’t as warm as currently despite what some sceptics say) was easily tolerated by the population due to much lower population density and interconnectedness between groups. They say that the “coupling” between many global needs (eg oil, water, grain, gas, coal) is so close that there is no redundancy in our systems to absorb even relatively minor perturbations, let alone the major ones predicted.
Our belief that humans can adapt to anything is not going to work this time.
Dio, there was a general policy of quarantining payments for all Aboriginal families. But there was also talk of a trial in a few communities of cutting off payments if kids were not going to school. I don’t think it ever amounted to much anyway. My knowledge of the NT intervention is pretty scant.
I apologise for mentioning the polls. I’ll keep it short before drifting off into more interesting areas,
1) My ongoing theory about the difference between the state and fed voting intentions are held here. Now I know this is not totally scientific, but I repeat, when the hawke keating thing was going on we had state fibs, etc etc. This would tend to be supported by the present polls, However the difference now is that ala NSW last year the opposition is so useless that they just can’t get their act together. It a bit like the Senate where there are a groups who doesn’t want any one party have the bat and ball. Really fairly wise.
Off thread, Re exclusive nutters, Go the greens, I reckon that they should broaden it to the Catholics and tony abbot, and convents etc, Schools maybe . One thing about the exclusive bretheran, no possible political backlash as they are exempt from voting, and presumable paying tax, I know that Work Shoices had special clauses exempting them from certain conditions!
Lastly the whole balance of power thing is a complete farce, in many governments the majors vote together 80% of the time. The new parties and inds have every right to vote against the government, remember most people voted against the ALP.
Since winning the election the Rudd government has performed exceptionally well. They delivered an excellent budget given the economic circumstances and have gone about their business of keeping their election promises and implementing their policies.
Of course, some are still not happy and expect miracles. However I must admit, the policy of cutting welfare payments to parents for not sending their kids to school is opportunistic, very Rodent like, out of touch and blatantly stupid.
I can’t imagine any parent not wanting to send their kids to school. The problem is with the system. If you provide an environment that is conducive to learning and where a student feels safe and content, they will want to go to school. Even I know that – and I am no quack.
Howard would implement this kind of policy to further cut costs and score cheap political points. I hope that that is not the case with this government.
Over the years, I’ve heard some very good speeches by Labor leaders, including Rudd. I’ve walked away from them expecting massive media coverage and discussion….they’re not even reported.
No matter how brilliant the speech, it will live or die on the 30 second grab…so why go to all the trouble of writing the rest of it, when you just need to get the 30 seconds right?
A few – very few – of us will go to the trouble of seeking out an important speech and reading it (I read Howard’s announcing the M-D rescue package; I occasionally read speeches on Hansard) but I’d bet that most will check out what’s in the papers and leave it at that.
NSW Coalition will vote against Electricity Privatisation tomorrow
This all transpired in February 2003
One could say that the LNP member for Herbert knows how to get a good story going. You know like the ones that asked to remain anonymous who said!
It almost seems like he was right there when all the action took place.
May have been trying to shore up a few votes in case the Rat pulled the trigger early.
At the time Peter Cosgrove knew of one incident —nationwide.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s788012.htm
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