Matters related thereto
Roy Morgan has spared the government a new set of poll results this week, presumably holding over last weekend’s face-to-face results for a combined two weeks’ result to be published next week. So here’s some stuff that has accumulated during my recent period of indolence:
• The federal parliament’s Joint Standing Committee of Electoral Matters brought down its report into the 2010 federal election a fortnight ago. One noteworthy innovation is a less pompous report title, “The 2010 Federal Election: Report on the conduct of the election and related matters” replacing the traditional formulation of “Report on the conduct of the (insert year) federal election and matters related thereto”. Antony Green summarises its recommendations here; now that my holidays are over I’ll shortly get around to reviewing it and will have more to say after I’ve fully absorbed it.
• One of the majority report’s recommendations was that the federal government follow the example of New South Wales and Victoria in allowing government records such as drivers licences, vehicle registration and Year 12 school enrolments to be used to automatically update the electoral roll. However, this is opposed in the dissenting JSCEM report from the committee’s Coalition members, for reasons I do not find persuasive. Antony Green has reviewed the impact of such measures in New South Wales since their introduction last year, observing that only 12 per cent of the 70,000 people whose enrolments have been added or updated have taken the trouble to enrol the old-fashioned way for the federal electoral roll. His conclusion: “On the evidence so far, by the time of the next commonwealth election in the second half of 2013, there could be as many as 200,000 voters enrolled for NSW elections and eligible to vote at commonwealth elections who will be missing from the commonwealth roll or be enrolled at the wrong address.”
• Draft electoral redistribution boundaries have recently been published for both our nation’s territory parliaments. Antony Green surveys the results for the Northern Territory here and the Australian Capital Territory here. An ACT redistribution would normally be of minor interest, as the territory is only divided into three electorates for purposes of a regionally based system of proportional representation, but Antony asserts that in this case the changes are radical enough to be of substantial interest, and in particular to put at risk the fourth seat the Greens won at the 2008 election. For the Northern Territory, Antony has calculated new margins for each of the 25 seats, with the caveat that the enormous sitting member factors which result from pocket-sized electorates of 4000 to 5000 voters make party-based margins less reliable than usual.
• There has been much talk lately about the possibility of an incoming Coalition government calling an early double dissolution election should it meet Senate resistance from its efforts to abolish a carbon tax. Tony Abbott’s argument to those concerned about the resulting uncertainty and expense is that opposing its repeal in the Senate would be politically suicidal for a defeated Labor Party, a case pursued by Queensland legal academic James Allan in The Australian.
There was a fair bit of material I had been compiling on Western Australian matters to coincide with a looming quarterly state Newspoll, but I was caught on the hop when it was published a month earlier than I’d anticipated.
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Categories: Federal Politics 2010-, Western Australian Politics
Suit yourselves, of course.
by This little black duck on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:08 pm
by Glen on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:08 pm
:c:
by janice2 on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Charlton….if you are here I have just come across your post in the previous mentioning Arthur Sinodinos. I have a friend who taught him at University and considers him the smartest person he ever taught or met.Sinodinos apparently did two Ph’ds concurrently. I add that I have never heard anyone here question his intelligence. My mate is a Labor supporter.
by PoK on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:10 pm
‘Leader of the Opposition’ is more appropriate in that case IMO. Much like references to ‘the PM’.
by confessions on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:10 pm
OOPS – Who has been playing with my keyboard?
by janice2 on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:12 pm
These are the flaky so-called climate sceptics who would be in charge if the Libs won power. Andrew Robb is still pedalling “uncertainty”. Menzies House apparently called Turnbull a “traitor”.
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/liberals-seethe-over-turnbulls-carbon-stance-20110722-1hszv.html#ixzz1Suyn23dW
by lizzie on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:15 pm
Thanks for that! Will be interesting to see how it gets reported if she successfully brokers a deal, which seems likely. And this line “”There’s a real opportunity to be seized here and I believe we should seize it.” nicely sums up the unique circumstances of her Government, even with the polls making many think she’s a failure.
by rishane on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Mod Lib:
I know there’s no rule or convention requiring a response to another’s post, but if you’re lurking I would like to know on what evidence do you base your premise that the PM’s tenure is numbered in months.
I look forward to your response in due course, if not sooner.
by charlton on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Not really because he is not leading anything, he has few loyal followers and none who are willing to walk all the way out on his plank with him.
by ruawake on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:22 pm
Glen:
Thanks for re-posting. My thoughts.
If you suggest JBishop will depart politics should the coalition lose the next election, then I think you have to admit Robb will leave too. So will many others who really should’ve gone after the 2007 loss in order to transition the Liberals to the next generation, but hung on for goodness knows what reasons.
As for Labor, you’ve omitted Jason Clare, who is a future Labor leader, and Mark Butler who is also leadership material. You also don’t mention Mike Kelly, who is under-utilised at present from my perspective, and Kate Ellis who is being ‘mentored’ (not the right word, but it’s too late in the day to be literate) by the leadership team. Will Crean retire at the next election? He’s been a very committed, dedicated and solid performer throughout his career, so he’d well be entitled to it.
by confessions on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:29 pm
feeney @ 1103
I’m with you on this and I have taken to referring to the PM as Prime Minister Gillard and advise all here to do the same.
Let’s clearly differentiate between the PM and her opponent. And let’s clearly elevate her as befits her office.
Maybe it will catch on with her staff, ALP MPs and even the MSM.
by bemused on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Feeney: I said something along those lines a couple of days ago.
However, I would take it one step further. Rather than not using his name, I would be clear in referring to his every utterance as “the Liberal Party is now saying…” or, even better, “the COALITION is now saying …”
Up until now he has been able to get away with varying changes in position because he is Tony Abbott. It is a given that this is what he does and so the media ignore it. However, if these utterances were given the gravitas as coming from the party – or the Coalition – as a whole, I suspect those who disagree with his position on many things might start getting a bit restive.
Turnbull has started the ball rolling, but I image a few others, both in the Liberal Party and in the National Party, would be very uncomfortable at the thought of not only sitting with the Head Dunce, but having it made clear that he is speaking on behalf of ALL OF THEM.
by Danny Lewis on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Glen @ 1107
Trying to re-establish lost credibility?
You did yourself a lot of damage over the past few days and have a long way to go.
by bemused on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:34 pm
He occupies the office of Leader of the Opposition. If that’s the office you respect, then you should refer to that rather than the boofhead who occupies it.
By extension, if he’s not really leading anything, has a few loyal followers, but nobody who wants to commit hari kari with him, then this implies that even his partyroom don’t respect him for the office he occupies. If they don’t, then why should we?
by confessions on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Our local member played the ‘don’t name your opposite number’ game at the last election.
We called her on it; said that she was either out of touch, ignorant or rude.
One of the local papers took this point so much to heart that, when quoting her, it would put our candidate’s name in brackets whereever she said “my opponent”.
by zoomster on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Glen
Will you please get over the fantasy that Mal Brough will win pre-selection for Fisher. He will not.
Slipper will go when he feels like it and then his anointed successor will take over, with the blessing of the various church groups who hold all of the power in the local LNP branches.
by ruawake on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:37 pm
He’s as modest as he’s smart then; for I’ve never heard him being referred to as Dr. Sinodinos.
From my little knowledge of him, I think the current Tory leadership would be shaking in their boots and high-heels if he ever considered Canberra, as would the ALP.
I thank you for that additional insight.
by charlton on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Sinodinos has turned down the option to run for pre-selection in prime blue ribbon seats before, I think it is safe to say he is too smart to be an elected pollie.
by ruawake on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:42 pm
Was that the Border Mail?
From what I’ve noticed of their online reporting they always drag up the most awful photos of Sophie to accompany stories about her.
by confessions on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:43 pm
Vacant side of abbotts brain surely you jest BOTH SIDES ARE VACANT,you may have missed the sign
by canasta76 on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Sinodinos, for all his kudos as a backroom operative, wrote those embarrassing ‘I am Spartacus!’ articles about Tone.
I hope that his days as NSW Lib President cause him to look back in utter humiliation at those nauseating and cringe-worthy columns, and that if he ever again finds himself in need of some kind of gainful employment, that he bypasses any offers the OO throws his way.
by confessions on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:49 pm
I always refer to her in my posts as the PM & I suppose it’s only seven more strikes to add “Gillard.”
I refer to Abbott as “Abbott” as I have no respect for him whatsoever.
by charlton on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:49 pm
Trivia time;
Who said?
Clue
It is someone that TUT would bow and scrape to.
He should invite TUT over to the US as he would have no problem saying it.
None other than the dirty little digger from Delawares right hand man.
And how apt is the header on the video.
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201001310012
by Gaffhook on Jul 23, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Glen, excellent post #1114.
by Scarpat on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:00 pm
charlton @ 1135
I must admit I have been a bit all over the place in the past but am trying to standardise on my terminology, having given the matter some thought.
by bemused on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:02 pm
I wasn’t aware he authored the ‘I am Spartacus Articles.’ In fact, I never read them but will google them.
Nevertheless I still maintain that he’s one smart cookie, whose talents will be wasted in what is essentially a ceremonial role.
But thanks for a further insight into the man.
by charlton on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:03 pm
If he has not already, he’ll probably go down the corporate route.
by charlton on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:07 pm
Same here. Only he gets lower case quite deliberately – as all conservatives do.
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:12 pm
I’m feeling all lonely. Saturdays make me sad. I can hear all the people with real social lives out there partying it up.
Maybe Mary Jo experienced similar feelings and this led to her shoplifting incident. They say a lot of people (often women) steal for the rush they get, rather than because of any economic need. Maybe she was getting a high from sneaking out without paying. Maybe it was a sort of self-medicating for her depression.
by Two Piece Feed on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:19 pm
We’ll be in trouble if he ever gets to the job.
I’m thinking: PM abbott.
by charlton on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:24 pm
abbott. em tasol.
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Thefinnigans The Finnigans
“Once the identity of the attackers becomes known, the consequences for Andrew Bolt’s immigration policies could be profound” #pathetic
8 seconds ago
by The Finnigans on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:30 pm
PNG to take asylum seeker plan to cabinet
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/png-to-take-asylum-seeker-plan-to-cabinet/story-e6frf7jx-1226100453336
by victoria on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:31 pm
The Fiinnigans
Has the esteemed Bolt had anything further to say on the matter?
by victoria on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:32 pm
Vic, he has bolted away his big big mouth
by The Finnigans on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:34 pm
The Finnigans
Bolt should shut his mouth permanently. He has polluted the environment long enough
by victoria on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Making light of someone who is allegedly suffering from depression is the pits.
I’m sure if you suffered from this condition or have lost relatives or friends from depression you might change tack.
It’s truly a terrible affliction which, contrary to some views expressed earlier herein, is often impossible to treat successfully & which does result in suicide.
Sufferers usually self-medicate by using prescription or illicit drugs and/or alcohol, not getting a high from shop-lifting. Anyway, that’s my experience.
I suggest you read some of briefly’s earlier posts on this subject.
But please temper your remarks re. this subject.
by charlton on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:39 pm
Right-wing politicians, shock jocks and angry emailers have raged against
Muslim extremists for years.
Will they now turn their attention to right-wing born-again Christians?
by Toorak Toff on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Perhaps he’s been reading too many Arthur Sinodinos ‘I am Spartacus!’ columns, pretending to be one of the masses. He forgot sometimes the masses can do revolting too.
by confessions on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:41 pm
We will find out in a few hours on #ohmike – if a certain lemur isn’t hung up on last night by the producer as soon as he identified himself.
by Frank Calabrese on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:44 pm
by victoria on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:52 pm
here is link
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-22/one-plus-one—friday-22-july/2806322
by victoria on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Looks like the seppos are getting fair dinkum with Roo and his myrmidons now that subpoenas are going to be issued.
I do recall one of the pommie pollies asking Jimmy if he was aware of the term “willful blindness”
Phone hacking: US authorities preparing to subpoena News Corp
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/22/phone-hacking-authorities-subpoena-news-corp
by Gaffhook on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:57 pm
I would have thought Murdochs disgraced media would have tried to be a little less sensational given their current standing, but no it is business as usual…what a bludy disgraceful front page
melbourneninja melbourneninja
by sspencer_63
#Oslo terrorist is a right-wing, anti-Muslim, Christian extremist. But The Sun newspaper blames al-Qaeda
http://t.co/ilS6dTI
by david on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:58 pm
Gaff
rupe stuffed up with the #notw fiasco
now he is in a corner
by gusface on Jul 23, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Whats with you Charlton,her having depression hasnt been established yet so at best all she is entitled to is benefit of the doubt.
by canasta76 on Jul 23, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Watching Obama on the news responding the Norway attacks, he seemed to be implying it was “international terrorism” responsible for the bombing and shootings, whereas our PM simply said our thoughts are with Norwegians during these times of evil.
by confessions on Jul 23, 2011 at 9:07 pm
A pretty astute observation of the political reality, fredn. It’s not just the indies, albeit that is the primary one, but the perception that revolving door leadership will further undermine Labor support, especially considering NSW.
I think it has emboldened Gillard and the ministry to go for more reform. The ministers themselves are now having much more say than previously. Smith is probably the first one on either side to take on the defence bureaucracy and brass. (He could probably get some moral support from Robert Hill and Reith who both felt badly about what Defence got away with.)
I’d like to think reform is not finished with an election 2 years off and likely Green Senate support for any genuine efforts. A few here have mentioned either abolishing negative gearing (maybe a bridge too far) or halving it and using those funds to do something about housing affordability. Middle class welfare on private medical cover is another which may allow a little more infrastructure money for hospitals and health care.
Quite a few possibilities once carbon pricing is bedded down.
by Gorgeous Dunny on Jul 23, 2011 at 9:10 pm
He seriously said that? Its one thing for a nutter like Bolt to try and blame terrorism, but for the American president to say something that wrong, geez.
by rishane on Jul 23, 2011 at 9:10 pm