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
Yes, it was Harry Bridges.
by Scarpat on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:03 pm
tho
I have heard from some good ol boys that yankee is taboo in the deep south
go figure
by gusface on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Your American friends are imbeciles then.
If Charlton hadn’t exploded my pomposity detector the other day, I’m sure this would have done it now.
by Two Piece Feed on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Hi guys
The madrid bombings was indeed a case false accusation, in this case during an election, but it was the other way around. The Conservative govt straight away talked about ETA, but it was in fact a local al-Qaeda inspired group. they lost the election partly because of this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Madrid_train_bombings
by Leroy on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Gus,
You go callin’ an Alabama native son a “Yankee” and you could get tarred and feathered quick smart, now, y’hear?
by Atticus on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Scarpat@1213
Lets not forget Joe Hill either ! (Not Aussie though, of course)
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:08 pm
atticus
i wouldnt want to kill a mocking bird, thats for sure
by gusface on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:08 pm
dave
joe hill was one of the songs thingrybobby sang at the opera hse thingy
by gusface on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:09 pm
Gus,
spot on!
by Atticus on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:10 pm
by Frank Calabrese on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:11 pm
Atticus@1217
Therein lie great tragedy of course.
Of the *rebels* who received and caused so much dying and suffering, very very few had slaves.
They were whipped up by the lunacy of the day, by evil pricks.
Remind you where the abbott nonsense *might* head ?
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:13 pm
The first chink in the wall?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/23/phone-hacking-sunday-mirror-newsnight
by Gaffhook on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Atticus
KABOOM went my Hyperbowlometer.
by poroti on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:15 pm
dave
good point
the serfs defending the lords of the manor
or the plantations in the case of the confederacy
by gusface on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Which begs the questions as to how OO reporters get their scoops in OZ.
by Gaffhook on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:16 pm
gusface@1220
Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez etc back in the folk days until it morphed into country.
But Frank would know much more about this.
I liked the early Strawbs from the 1970′s etc folk stuff.
Showing my age
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Did thingrybobby sing like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Kxq9uFDes
by Scarpat on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Gaffhook…I suspect we are seeing the unraveling of the Murdoch empire…the Guardian Jurno who fastidiously and relentlessly proved that good old fashioned investigative journalism was indeed alive and well should be Knighted by HM Liz, his work led to the uncovering of her families phones being hacked…he is a hero.
Now I await the uncovering of Murdochville in the great land here and please God the Govt investigate and get him along with his CEO who knows the wolves are howling!!!!
Abbott should be more than a little concerned at this, as we know he is
by david on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:17 pm
gus @ 1220
It was the great Paul Robeson.
by bemused on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:17 pm
I have been looking at the website of the collection of industry groups behind the anti carbon tax campaign
http://www.getcarbonpolicyright.com.au/the-facts.aspx
I am amazed that such a respectable group would have the hide to put their name to this collection of half truths, selective quotes and dodgy assumptions.
They have 4 points:
why no mention of the proceeds of the revenue? compensation for households, investment if renewables and near free certificates for trade exposed industries?
this is a bald faced lie, as can be demostared by either reading the Productivity Commission report, or by doing basic research. Just one example:
South Africa Looking To Finalize Carbon Tax, by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com,
Thursday, March 17, 2011
South Africa’s government is looking to have a revised paper on its proposed carbon tax ready before the 2012 budget is tabled next February, while the tax could be in force as early as July 2012.
It was disclosed that the National Treasury is currently having wide ranging consultations on its proposals with interested parties, following the publication of the discussion paper in December last year. A draft carbon tax policy had already been approved by the government, and will soon be tabled before parliament.
Based on the “polluter pays principle”, the government wants to use the carbon tax to reduce South Africa’s greenhouse emissions while ensuring that polluters are “punished”. It forms part of South Africa’s commitments, made in Copenhagen in 2009, to reduce the country’s carbon emissions by 34% by 2020, and 42% by 2025.
While it is acknowledged that the move to introduce a direct carbon tax on measured emissions may hit company profits and hurt consumers, the government is adamant that if Africa’s biggest economy fails to act on climate change, the impact could be devastating. The National Treasury’s Deputy Director General, Ismail Momoniat, has said that: “What we know is that we need to act now and the tax is one of the instruments we will use.”
Although it has been estimated that the tax could add another ZAR82bn (USD11.7bn) to the government’s revenues, Momoniat added that the government would not use the carbon tax proposal as another way of generating revenue, but to “change people’s behaviour”. Funds made available from the proposed tax could be channelled to support green and environmental initiatives.
South Africans are already paying ZAR0.02 per KWh following the electricity generation levy announced in 2008, and, as from this year, all new cars will also be subject to carbon taxation. While there has been no final pronouncement on the matter, the National Treasury is thought to be mulling a new carbon tax of ZAR75 per tonne of CO2, which could increase to around ZAR200 per tonne of CO2.
this is really an ourageous selective quote taken out of context. Garnaut was developing a rationale for compensation and tax cuts, whis in part has been taken up in the final plan.
there are dodgy assumptions here; an example being set by an acknowledged 1st world country with a leading economy and currency bears no weight; China is joking when it says it is going to direct a move to de-carbonise its economy; Australia can stay with its old world non ETS economy and the rest of the world won’t penalise us
by sprocket_ on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:18 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Hill
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:18 pm
GD @ 1205
There’s a good book by Robin Archer called Why Is There No Labor Party in the United States? that looks at the different routes taken by the labour movement in the United Kingdom (and Australia) and the United States.
I attended a talk he gave, and basically, he said that the US was a more extreme and violent society than the UK and Australia. It’s politics on the left were more influenced by anarchist and socialist theory, and the right more violently reactionary than the British societies.
He noted that there were critical moments in Australia’s labour history where the powers that be chose not to violently crush the nascent labour movement. In America, they had no such qualms.
by gianni on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:19 pm
Scarpat@1229
I prefer Joan Baez version -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f2J4ceCikI&feature=related
Have always been a Baez fan.
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:21 pm
And if some one tells you that you have the American disease it means too many yanks.
by Gaffhook on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Just thought i would throw this in seeing as there is a poll due from newspol my bet is 60/40 coalition only because it blends in with the overall meme of the msm and the opposition,however if it shows a slight comeback it will upset that meme and of course news limited and shamaham would not like that so PBers expect the worst so at least we wont spend heaps of time navel gazing and hopefully spend the time trying to come up with ideas to help Prime Minister Gillard turn this around.
by canasta76 on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:22 pm
dave
no no no
I linked to paul robeson
he sang “joe hill” at the opera hse when the shell was dedicated
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg7bPgrosAE
by gusface on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Gaff for me the first chink in Hartigans armour was his immediate and hurried announcement of an investigation into his editors spending. Oh dear, then 2 eminent judges will look at the results of the investigation…his investigation and this from the CEO of the company…does he think we are all as gullible and stupid as his pawn Abbott.
by david on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:23 pm
My favourite Baez song -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AQJZys0cvI
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:24 pm
As I discussed earlier in the week, I am very concerned about the effects of far-right wing social manipulation on our society as a time when there is an overwhelming threat from anthropological global warming.
Our leaders are supposed to be leading, and by that I mean making rational, considered decisions or supporting that process, not scaring the living daylights out of everyone.
by Puff, the Magic Dragon. on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:26 pm
gusface@1238
Yes Gus – He was magnificent. O to be there. I know what you are saying
I like Baez.
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:26 pm
overingtonc Caroline Overington
“For true success, ask yourself these four questions: why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?
davidlen2 davidlen
@
@overingtonc are you drunk or just your usual stupid self …it is unknown for you to utter a coherent word but tonite you excell
by david on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:27 pm
David
+1
by Gaffhook on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:27 pm
david
+2
by gusface on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:29 pm
JuliaGillard Julia Gillard
Good luck tonight @CadelOfficial. Australia is behind you! #yellforcadel #sbstdf #tdf JG
davidlen2 davidlen
@
@JuliaGillard @CadelOfficial great work Ms Gillard, haven’t seen the budgie smuggler tweet the same
by david on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:30 pm
Then it is your view that Abbott would be a better PM than Gillard? Can you give us a reasoning other than what opinion polls are showing?
by Gorgeous Dunny on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:32 pm
It would appear to me that most of your detectors explode rather easily.
by charlton on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Brazil is another country allegedly doing nothing about climate change in their economy, so they can get a competitive advantage over the battling miners in Australia. without going into ethanol, about 80% of Brazil’s electricty is generated by hydro electricity (which can actually support baseload), but they don’t want to build anymore as it swamps their land, so…………
http://econews.com.au/news-to-sustain-our-world/brazil-reaches-major-wind-energy-milestone/
by sprocket_ on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:39 pm
No you are not. If Abbott lead the Labor Party, i wouldn’t vote for it.
The Liberal Party needs some tough love.
by Puff, the Magic Dragon. on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:41 pm
I wouldnt either
by gusface on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:42 pm
One for the NBN naysayers to read.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/broadband/8655699/Virgin-unveils-worlds-fastest-cable-broadband.html
by poroti on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Without wanting to join the fan club, very sensible advice at both a personal & legal level.
by charlton on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:44 pm
Hate filled thugs terrorise communities in northwest Melbourne suburbs
More right wing extremism in our midst??
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/hate-filled-thug-terrorise-communities-in-northwest-suburbs/story-e6frf7jo-1226100462930
by victoria on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:46 pm
Puff with all due respects that’s a spurious argument. Tony Abbott would never lead the ALP.
The Liberal Party is who ill be voting for not Mr Abbott.
And I’ve already given them tough love in the 2010 State Election when I voted Independent.
by Glen on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:47 pm
Frank Alban is a Wowser on R18+ Games:
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/nothing-good-comes-of-adult-only-games/story-e6frg14c-1226099970226
by Frank Calabrese on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:48 pm
Yes – I understand the Scandinavian countries use hydro for base load. The idea is to pump the water back up the hill during low load periods and then generate electricity again when it is needed. And other twists of course.
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:49 pm
The Republicans really are trying to get rid of Pres Obama by bankrupting the country, the insane position they are taking is nothing more than hatred and a disregard for millions of middle and lower income earners…time for young Obama to bite the bullet, call off negotiations with the Republicans and let it be known, be it on their heads….”it is just too stupid”, to quote a mate of mine in San Francisco, ” these tea party (+*%*+@’s) he said “the ignorant so and so’s will never win this and are ensuring Pres Obama will have a landslide, just as ‘zipper Clinton’ did in the 90′s.”
His description of the respected Bill Clinton, not mine. But I loved it
The Daily Beast
thedailybeast The Daily Beast
Congress Fails to Pass FAA Funding: Thousands face furloughs. http://thebea.st/rlmyXd
by david on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:50 pm
I just finished Jacqueline Kent’s book on Julia Gillard. I think the media are severely underestimating her.
This woman will do whatever it takes to win. Her style is to get pulled into things, and once she’s attached to them, she will not accept anything less than victory (regardless of the cost). She has done a superb job of hiding her private and factional persona to the public. Don’t write her off.
by spur212 on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:51 pm
Gillard’s problem? She doesn’t look like a leader, she doesn’t sound like a leader – where’s her gravitas?
She doesn’t give me the confidence that she’s Prime Ministerial.
Case in point: her response to the tragic events in Norway…….compare and contrast with Rudd’s statesmanlike comments at the ASEAN conference in Bali.
by evan14 on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:52 pm
Glen,
You know what I mean.
If you would like more precision, if Abbott’s clone was leading the Labor Party, I wouldn’t vote for it.
by Puff, the Magic Dragon. on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:52 pm
EVAN
low level trolling
1/10
by gusface on Jul 23, 2011 at 10:52 pm