Morgan’s latest polling release covers 955 respondents from last weekend’s face-to-face surveys, and shows Labor’s two-party lead down from 61.5-38.5 to 60.5-39.5. Labor’s primary vote is down a point to 50.5 per cent, and the Coalition’s is up 1.5 per cent to 34.5 per cent. On top of which:
• Silly Steve Fielding joined with the Coalition on Wednesday to vote down government electoral reforms that would tie public funding for election candidates to their electoral expenditure, lower the threshold for disclosure of donations to $1000 from $10,000 (which the Howard government used its Senate majority to jack it up to), ban foreign donations and anonymous donations of over $50, and require parties to disclose donations every six months rather than annually. The sticking point is Fielding’s insistence that the government also arbitrarily cap public funding to political parties at $10 million. The bill was reintroduced to the House yesterday.
• Submissions have been published in response to the federal government’s green paper on donations, funding and expenditure.
• Responding to mounting speculation she will take on Don Randall in Canning at the next federal election, senior Gallop/Carpenter government minister Alannah MacTiernan tells The West Australian: “It’s something that I’d consider but it’s far too early. The election is a long way away and it’s not something a decision can be made on until early next year.”
• The South Australian Liberals have picked a new candidate for the state seat of Mawson to replace former Kingston MHR Kym Richardson, who was charged in December with attempting to pervert the course of justice by impersonating a police officer. Matthew Donovan, described by the local Southern Times Messenger newspaper as a “self-employed importer and property developer”, won preselection ahead of Heidi Harris, adviser to Shadow Transport Minister Duncan McFetridge and unsuccessful candidate for federal preselection in Mayo; Heidi Greaves, public servant, former Onkaparinga councillor and unsuccessful candidate for Elder; and Alana Sparrow, Housing Industry Association lawyer and former media adviser to Richardson.
• The Daily Telegraph reports that NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell “will hire a team of constitutional lawyers to explore recall provisions to end fixed four-year terms for incompetent governments”. This would involve provisions for the Governor to “sack a corrupt or useless government” if called on to do so by public petitions, presumably in a fashion similar to that which brought Arnold Schwarzenegger to power in California. UPDATE: More from a skeptical Imre Salusinszky at The Australian.
• Chris Back this week took his place in the Senate, filling the vacancy created by the departure of Western Australian Liberal Chris Ellison.
1,149 Comments
Pages: « 1 … 17 18 [19] 20 21 … 23 » Show All
If you want to see real live media bias, look at this piece of garbage from Macquarie News.
http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2009/03/16/No_evidence_alcopop_tax_works_Inquiry
The headline is the exact opposite of the truth, as is half-conceded in the last few paragraphs. In fact there is plenty of evidence that alcopops sales have fallen.
None of the questions are exclusive either.
He can be contributing to the debate, undermining Turnbull and preparing to challenge all at once.
889 Benji, was out all day shopping and so forth, missed the lot today. But because it is Monday, won’t watch QT replays tonight. Underbelly takes precedence in this house
(will have to content myself with the posts here although I admit they are a bit thin today and any news articles that come up. Sometimes you can count on the journos to write some nice stuff the next day if QT was juicy or sometimes that afternoon/evening
Juliem, 99% of Australians lead rich and fulfilling lives without ever seeing QT at all, or even knowing what it is.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hGie4J3CTKwCjZEk7jxBc_4BACjQD96UEHH80
Yeah, and they wear these t-shirts:
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/moredetails.aspx?showBleed=false&ProductNo=364052963&colorNo=29&pr=F
Looks like Telstra’s Sol Trujillo has been well instructed by his US brethren in the structures that big business executives use to look after their mates.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25190944-643,00.html
And it just gets murkier and murkier.
Sol and his mates must have thought that Christmas had arrived after he was appointed to the Telstra position. They probably also couldn’t believe just how niave and incompetent the then Australian Government and regulators were. A tree full of ripe fruit just waiting to be picked. WOW!
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25190944-643,00.html
I blame Bill Bowe for this:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25191035-5007133,00.html
My guess is she used some of the campaign finance money to have plastic surgery.
With sales of non-alcopops alcohol rising?
Yes, but even accounting for that, over all less standard drinks worth of alcohol has been sold.
Now that may be a result of the tax, or the $20 million advertising campaign against binge drinking, or maybe there are more broader economic factors such as people spending less because they are worried about being sacked.
But you can’t dispute the fact less alcohol in total has been sold since the tax was introduced than before.
Pyne Shock Horror Photos: Christopher Pyne has just admitted on ABC Local Radio 702 Sydney to running down the street outside his house naked. His family apparently have images of the event carefully put away – only bringing them out when they want to tease him.
Pyne was 3 when the photos were taken.
It is not known if the SA Police or the AFP will take steps to seize the images.
Was he chasing the family poodle?
No, another man.
What sort of belly button has he got?
Innie, though many think he should be an outtie…
Speaking of being outied, perhaps Pyne needs to tell us all his dark secret……..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGaDjSXhB8s
Scorpio, i said it before, Mr Trujillo is giving the 3 Amigo a bad name.
The ABC cancer has spread to JJJ.
Two pro-Liberal stories in a row!!! I can barely remember one except for when Barnaby Joyce saved someone from drowning.
First we had a very negative story about the oil spill in Qld. Kate valiantly attacked the LNP Environment Minister but it didn’t help much. The Government’s initial story of twelve people with rakes fixing it all sounded awful.
And then Peter Garrett copped it for being a great singer but a lame politician. Greg Hunt really went to town on him.
Don’t be such a baby, Diogenes. Triple J will always be a bastion of radical leftism.
SBS News says some asylum seekers are being sent to Christmas Island. Didn’t the government shut down the offshore detention centres?
Isn’t that Hunt’s job to such things?
Anyway, what’s with all the oldies (no offence, I actually have no clue how old you are) listening to the Jay’s these days. My dad can’t get enough of it. He watches JTV as well.
The “on the attack Turnbull” photo is back on rotation on the ABC site:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/16/2517536.htm
Oz
I hope so. I almost threw up in my car today though I was so upset.
Finns
One of your Marxist rebel mates got over the line in El Salvador.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7944899.stm
Long way to go with the IR leg
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25194996-601,00.html
Christmas Island is part of Australia, therefore not deemed off shore as I understand it.
Total nonsense, I know.
The party is a formr marxist rebel party. Funes is actually quite the moderate. He refutes suggestions he’ll follow in the footsteps of people like Chavez.
I don’t like the FMLN one bit, but I think having them win an election will be the best way to bring them into the political mainstream.
They shut down Nauru. That Christmas Island is part of Asutralia is a big difference.
Everyone’s coming out swinging, I was just asking for clarification.
Grog
Would changing the definition from 15 to 20 be such a big deal? Gillard would hardly chuck the FW bill over such a minor point. Fielding is the real problem.
No, but the government doesn’t want to give in too easily either, otherwise it will make future negotiations too difficult
The great White Hope, of many, is not such a great White Hope after all. A new economic order must and will emerge after this GFC and TGR.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7941382.stm
And now for something completely different.
Ah, the real irony of life. John Robertson, NSW Corrective or Police Minister, ex NSW Union boss, is defending the privatisation of a jail near Newcastle and under attack from the Jail Officer Union. the same John Robertson was the main architect and spearhead that defeated the privatisation of NSW power industry and caused the demise of Morris Iema.
Haha 7:30 Report had a hilarious montage.
Rudd/Gillard/Turnbull all decrying executive payouts and then Bob Brown saying he’s the only one who’s tried to do something, like empowering shareholders and capping payouts at $5 million all of which have been voted down by both major parties.
Nice free kick.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25194996-601,00.html
Wonder what Rudd will do now – a Scullin or a Whitlam?
Fielding wants to exclude businesses with 20 or less employees from collective bargaining and exempt them from unions right of entry.
Sounds like the rights and exemptions the exclusive brethren got for their businesses from Howard.
904, once I had my first fix, I was hooked. QT is an addicting drug and I might add that A-Pac being on the horizon now makes getting that fix much easier
…..
ShowsOn 906, that is a classic
…. thanks for posting 
921,
Hmm ….. Hunt should make sure he’s doing a AAAA++++ job as a pollie before he runs around claiming anyone, LET ALONE Pete, is a “lame politician” …… x(
Xenophon still on the fence regarding Alcopops.
It’s all in the eye of the beholder. I think that pic is very unflattering. It shows Turnbull to be a smart arse. What was in the political leaning of the ABC employee who chose that particular image for the article? On the evidence presented it’s impossible to say.
Grog
Exactly my point. JJJ knew Hunt would say that Garrett has no control over his portfolio, was a lost soul, and had sold out his principles to have them churned out as mediocre, “balanced” policy. Something about Garrett being in Labor just to win the youth vote and sit quietly in the corner. And they still let him on!!! It’s the thin end of the wedge.
If I want to hear the Liberal Talking Points Memo, I’ll look at the ABC news online site.
Next JJJ will have an announcer from the Right. (Shudder).
X and Fielding should be taken to a business that employs 16 or so people and then be required to report on why those individuals should be exposed to the current unfair dismissal laws. I have in mind a panel beating operation where there is overtime worked during peak periods but reduced hours (less that a standard working week) during lows. Why is that fair when a business of 30 people is subjected to a whole set of different requirements? I think the minimum number should be lower rather than increased. A total of 3 to 4 employees would be about right IMO.
I wonder if Rudd will threaten a DD after all his two major policies Fair Work Australia and the ETS will not be passed.
Thanks Mr X and Mr F
I hope he does Glen. After all as you infer he was given a mandate to bring on significant change in both areas.
a very thin edge though…
sorry Oz – didn’t mean to come out swinging!
I don’t think so, and she should bend on it – or at least say, ok 15 full time equivalent. She should do whatever it takes to get the Bill passed and to have the LNP vote against it.
Glen, please explain why you are happy about the prospect of a DD election on the horizon? Unless I’m missing a piece of the puzzle somewhere, the earlier an election is held ahead of the NLT date the worse it is for the Libs given their disarray at the present time.
those chickens have hatched have they Glen?
So his default postion then?
Because if Rudd wants to go to an election with 2 policies that will cost jobs when we will most likely be in recession i hardly think he’ll do as well as he thinks, plus all the nut jobs that will get into the Senate is going to make life even harder for him there too.
Pages: « 1 … 17 18 [19] 20 21 … 23 » Show All