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

Newspoll: 52-48

Big shock from Newspoll: Labor’s two-party lead has slumped from 59-41 to 52-48, their smallest lead since the last poll prior to the 2007 election. The shift on preferred prime minister is much more modest, Kevin Rudd’s lead slipping from 65-19 to 63-19. It’s apparently also been reported both sides have shifted seven points on the primary vote, which would mean they are level on 41 per cent. More to follow. UPDATE: Graphic here. Rudd has had four points transfer from approve (59 per cent) to disapprove (32 per cent); Turnbull’s approval is steady on 32 per cent and his disapproval is down three to 51 percent.

It’s a very different story from Essential Research, which has Labor’s lead steady at 59-41. Supplementary questions show mixed messages on asylum seekers: one shows support for a tough line and an apparent belief that the Rudd government is delivering, but 55 per cent rate its handling of the issue “not so good/poor” against 36 per cent “excellent/good”. Significantly, a further question shows people do not think the Liberals would do any better.

UPDATE: Newspoll history records six reversals of comparable size. The poll of 6-8 November 1992 saw a 46-54 Labor deficit turn into a 54-46 lead, for what looked to be no readily obvious reason at the time. On 20-22 August 1993, immediately after John Dawkins’ horror post-election budget, the Coalition’s lead went from 51-49 to 60-40. On 23-25 September 1994, Labor went from 57-43 ahead to 51-49 behind in what looked like a correction following two consecutive horror surveys for Alexander Downer. When John Howard took over from him at the end of January 1995, the next survey of 10-12 February saw Labor’s 54-46 lead turn into a 53-47 deficit. The poll immediately after the 1998 election saw the Coalition turn a 53-47 deficit at the last (evidently inaccurate) pre-election poll into a 54-46 lead. Finally, on 28-30 May 2004, Labor under Mark Latham suffered a short-lived slump from 53-47 ahead to 54-46 behind.

2,123 Comments

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  1. 1801
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:10 pm | Permalink

    Joe is about to do “defence of god”. Does god need defending?

  2. 1802
    Diogenes
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:10 pm | Permalink

    Finns

    Psephos’ solution is a lot better than yours. You’d be lucky to keep a fleet of rubber duckies out of Australia with our Collins Subs, proudly built in SA.

  3. 1803
    scorpio
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:11 pm | Permalink

    Diog, What impasse? Herr Doktor wants his ships to fire on them and i want my submarines to torpedoe them. Methinks my solution is more effective and deadly and will scare the shits of the refoos more. Tough and not very humane but effective.

    And as someone said a while ago, give the Airforce first go at them with a few bombs and then let the Navy have a go. Any that get past that will give the Army a bit of artillery practice” ;-)

  4. 1804
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:11 pm | Permalink

    First Dario, now Gusface.

    It’s time to move the TV into the office!

  5. 1805
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:12 pm | Permalink

    David does The God Delusion.

  6. 1806
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:13 pm | Permalink

    I don’t get to see this for another 45 mins

  7. 1807
    The Finnigans
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:13 pm | Permalink

    Psephos’ solution is a lot better than yours. You’d be lucky to keep a fleet of rubber duckies out of Australia with our Collins Subs, proudly built in SA.

    Diog, the comrades in beijing got some some 2nd el cheapo navy surplus submarines but as reliable as Rudd’s Great wall Ute :evil:

  8. 1808
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:14 pm | Permalink

    Joe daggers David.

  9. 1809
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:14 pm | Permalink

    I think Richo’s right. Hockey to take over as OL after the next election.

  10. 1810
    The Finnigans
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:14 pm | Permalink

    Joe Hockey is giving St. Aloysius College a bad name.

  11. 1811
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:14 pm | Permalink

    TP.

    Pleasure is expectation. Your pleasure will be fulfilled.

  12. 1812
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:15 pm | Permalink

    Have tv to myself (wife is out looking after mother-in-law)

  13. 1813
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:16 pm | Permalink

    I’m in love with Maxine’s bodice

  14. 1814
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:16 pm | Permalink

    You were discussing Lovelock before. You know, I’m sure, that his thesis is that we are already at the tipping point for sudden and catastrophic climate change. I don’t think he’s right, but he might be. If he is, this could become a real issue much sooner than we think. Finns apparently thinks it’s funny, but he knows Indonesia well enough to know how precarious its economy is and how disastrous a sudden crop failure, for example, would be. It wouldn’t take much to turn our north coast into a battlefield in a global war of rich v poor.

    (I do get a bit annoyed when I’m accused as a Labor hack of not taking climate change seriously, and then when I do discuss its serious implications all I get is silly jokes.)

  15. 1815
    The Finnigans
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:16 pm | Permalink

    I wonder how Chickenroasting like to be whipped? maybe she enjoys it.

  16. 1816
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:17 pm | Permalink

    Marr is brilliant

  17. 1817
    Gusface
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:18 pm | Permalink

    I’m in love with Maxine’s bodice

    you can have the bodice,I want maxine’s whip
    ;)

  18. 1818
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:18 pm | Permalink

    David channeling Roy and HG

  19. 1819
    bob1234
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:18 pm | Permalink

    Holy Skyland! The Liberals would hit the front!

    It will really be interesting to see the reactions of some on here when Labor hits 50-50, and 49-51.

  20. 1820
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:18 pm | Permalink

    Gusface. A threesome?

  21. 1821
    Diogenes
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:19 pm | Permalink

    Finns

    Have your bagmen sorted out the Ruddster’s little problem?

  22. 1822
    The Finnigans
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:20 pm | Permalink

    Herr Doktor, you should be grateful that the Indonesians manage to keep their country together in one piece else Australia is FARQ. Not to mention keeping Mt. Tamboro and Anak Krakatau in checked.

  23. 1823
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:23 pm | Permalink

    Joe Hockey is an idiot, he can’t even say what the Liberals would do if they were in government.

    Tony Jones and David Marr demonstrated how ridiculously idiotic the Liberal non-position is.

  24. 1824
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:23 pm | Permalink

    Joe lying his ass off

  25. 1825
    The Finnigans
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:24 pm | Permalink

    Sexy Maxy should takeover QANDA next season.

  26. 1826
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:24 pm | Permalink

    “Do you want to be the leader of the Liberal Party?” Joe should have said Yes.

  27. 1827
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:25 pm | Permalink

    When does SYB come out?

  28. 1828
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:25 pm | Permalink

    SBY even

  29. 1829
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:26 pm | Permalink

    *Pearls before swine*

  30. 1830
    scorpio
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:26 pm | Permalink

    It will really be interesting to see the reactions of some on here when Labor hits 50-50, and 49-51.

    Give it a break, Bob. The bait’s gone off!

  31. 1831
    Diogenes
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:26 pm | Permalink

    Herr Doktor, you should be grateful that the Indonesians manage to keep their country together in one piece else Australia is FARQ.

    Finns

    I think that’s the point he’s making. If they start bailing, we’re going to have a “considerable challenge”.

    Psephos

    You are correct about Lovelock. His predictions are apocalyptic. He’s been right more often than he’s been wRONg too, which is a bit of a concern.

  32. 1832
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:26 pm | Permalink

    Cherry should be on answerphone. Great voice.

  33. 1833
    The Finnigans
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:26 pm | Permalink

    Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Australia is 1-200 at 35 overs Vs India, ODI. you little ripper.

  34. 1834
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:27 pm | Permalink

    Sexy is working her arse off. Don’t distract her.

  35. 1835
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:27 pm | Permalink

    Great voice

    And that’s where it ends

  36. 1836
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:27 pm | Permalink

    Overs?

  37. 1837
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:28 pm | Permalink

    Dario,

    You have interior knowledgs?

  38. 1838
    The Finnigans
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:29 pm | Permalink

    SBY is in big trouble in the current KPK vs the Police fiasco. They are saying now in Indonesia that he is weak as piss.

    A FACEBOOK movement has sprung up last week to defend the KPK, so far it has 880,079 members. They hope to reach 1M.

    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=169178211590

  39. 1839
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:29 pm | Permalink

    Joe would rather not be there.

  40. 1840
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:30 pm | Permalink

    You have interior knowledgs?

    Que?

  41. 1841
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:30 pm | Permalink

    OMG

  42. 1842
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:32 pm | Permalink

    Actually, these rappers are pretty good

  43. 1843
    Diogenes
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:32 pm | Permalink

    Finns

    SBY is in big trouble in the current KPK vs the Police fiasco. They are saying now in Indonesia that he is weak as piss.

    I’ve even heard it said that he doesn’t seem to have much pull in his own country. ;)

  44. 1844
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:33 pm | Permalink

    They should have had the rappers hosting and ditched Jones. No more Q&A for the year…

  45. 1845
    jaundiced view
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:33 pm | Permalink

    Hmmmm. Maybe our proposed CPRS targets should be stiffened up a bit already, never mind after Copenhagen? And who says what we do has no influence on key world players?:

    "Rudd singled out in African climate boycott

    A key African negotiator named Kevin Rudd, along with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in his criticisms, saying the greenhouse gas reduction targets set by developed nations are too low.

    It is a blow to those who are hoping for an international climate change agreement in the Danish capital.

  46. 1846
    jaundiced view
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:35 pm | Permalink

    mea – link for 1845
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/05/2734658.htm?section=justin

  47. 1847
    Diogenes
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:35 pm | Permalink

    jv

    The African negotiator is clearly a Liberal plant. How could anyone suggest such a thing?

  48. 1848
    vp
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:35 pm | Permalink

    Great Q&A (memo: download). Top finish. Performing to expectation: Joe? Yes, David+, Tony++, Maxine?Yes, Richo+, Cherry? minus.

  49. 1849
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:37 pm | Permalink

    The Africans don’t care if we go bankrupt. Of course they would think our targets were too low.

  50. 1850
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:38 pm | Permalink

    [David+, Tony++

    I think you have those the wrong way around

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