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
BK
Then I think SA is more sensible than Vic. Having been run into from behind on two occasions when I was stationary after an accident, by someone exceeding the speed limit, I’m careful myself.
by lizzie on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:15 am
lizzie
If I were you I’d check to see what laws do apply in Victoria. Asking a cop is a good idea. I actually confirmed the 40 kph law with a policemen present at the house fire I attended last week.
by BK on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:17 am
BK, I was talking specifically about evan14 – he is the source of all goodness here. Like the song goes:
by george on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:19 am
Fess, waste? maybe.
sad, sympathy – no. self inflicted. many other people who are less fortunate than her, they just carry on with their lives with silence, dignity and no drama.
by The Finnigans on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:20 am
Evan
One could just as easily say that if you don’t like PB then you don’t have to post here.
And if you DO like it, don’t be so obnoxious.
by Bushfire Bill on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:22 am
Bilbo has officially crowned Evan2Gb as the Resident Troll of PB.
I have crowned Glen as the Resident VI of PB. what else do you want?
by The Finnigans on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:22 am
No talk about an 18% swing against Julia in her electorate?
What a surprise!
I bet if JSW did a poll in Warringah and it showed a swing against Abbott, there’d be a lot of gloating on this forum.
by evan14 on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:22 am
BK
At present, in my area (no freeways) we are menaced by an absolute plethora of temporary 40k road signs, added to all the ones outside schools.
The road workers seem to set out each morning and lay out the restrictions, go and have lunch, then ride along with a mower or fiddle about in little holes in the road for hours, while long stretches of the roads are under limits.
Worksafe is going just a bit too far. It used to be just a warning sign that work was going on.
by lizzie on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:22 am
BK @ 1864
You are kidding of course!
Some cops may have a fair idea but many appear not to.
Recent experience – I was booked by a cop who was himself breaking the road traffic rules and I wasn’t. He pulled me up and when I pointed out his trangression he booked me.
by bemused on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:22 am
Who is she and what does she do that is so missed?
by Bushfire Bill on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:23 am
Does anybody here watch Offsiders on ABC TV?
It is a great sports program with first class journalists such as Gideon Haigh, Gerard Wakely and John Harms. It goes into issues into great depth.
by BK on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:23 am
When did evan last debate any policy ?
But last night he turned on Rudd as well, viz -
by dave on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:24 am
BK
Someone remarked the other day that sports journalists were far more objective and analytical than political ones. I wouldn’t know, but it sounds logical. The sports journos actually know something about their subject.
by lizzie on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:25 am
lizzie
Exactly!
by BK on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:26 am
evan14
Why so aggro? Your man Abbott is doing well in the polls
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:27 am
BK @ 1873
I am not a great sports fan but I do usually watch that show and enjoy it.
Gideon Haig is a very good writer and Gerard Wakely makes things I am usually not interested in quite interesting.
by bemused on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:28 am
Amy Whinehouse has joined the “27 Club”, musicians who have died at the age of 27:
Jimi Hendricks
Kurt Cobain
Janis Joplin
Jim Morrison
Brian Jones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club
sad really, a terrible waste
by MickGCollins on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:29 am
evan, you’ve got problems old son. Work them out and become a happy man.
by Gary on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:29 am
bemused
I find Gideon Haigh and John Harms have delightful personalities. Gerard Wakeley is headed for a long and distinguished career.
by BK on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:29 am
You sure you got the right PB?
by scorpio on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:30 am
Given earlier comments re. depression, a very cheap shot indeed.
by charlton on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:30 am
victoria@1877
evan stabbing Rudd in the back, Rudd for whom he has cried crocodile tears about for month after month after month.
by dave on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:30 am
BK @ 1881
I became aware of Gideon Haig from reading him in the Bulletin and liked his writing. He used some brilliant turns of phrase.
There is a gigantic gulf between someone like Gerard Wakeley and boofheads like Ray Hadley. Why, I wonder? Does Sydney breed the boofheads?
by bemused on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:33 am
dave
Yes it confirms what we already know. evan is no friend of Labor
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:33 am
Good call.
by charlton on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:33 am
Thanks for that correction.
by charlton on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:35 am
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:37 am
Gary,
He’s probably happier being miserable!
by scorpio on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:37 am
Can we all just STFU with the ‘stabbing’ remarks?
by Puff, the Magic Dragon. on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:37 am
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:37 am
Insiders was worth watching for the footage they showed of Mr Abbott that had evidently been self-censored by the MSM that are looking after their man.
The footage was taken on the beach somewhere in Port Phillip Bay.
There were three noteworthy items on show.
(1) Mr Abbott was doing stand up comedy to a mall but sycophantic mob.
(2) He referred to the cold waters of the Bay, implying that how could it be getting colder if climate change was real. Wink wink. Nudge, nudge. Climate change is crap, get it? He laughed heartily at his own joke for a good 30 seconds.
(3) He referred to the impact of the cold water on his genitals, indicating that they were very small as a result of the cold water.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the future prime minister of Australia.
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:37 am
http://www.document.no/anders-behring-breivik/
This is a website that is collecting all of Anders Behring Breivik posts together from Document.no. There are some interesting observations coming through.
One is that this is not a right-wing nationalist site – it is a liberal anti-jihadi website. They are anti-racist, pro-homosexual and pro-Israel. It is run by a former liberal journalist Hans Rustad who warns about the Islamization of Europe ala Geert Wilders, bernard Henry Bernard Levy, Daniel Pipes, Melanie Phillips, Bernard Lewis. They feel that other non-Western Immigrants are welcome productive immigrants, but that Muslims are a problem. Extreme pro-Israeli sentiment is a common theme in the postings. Just a few days before the Norwegian Labor Foreign Minister had proclaimed that Norway would recognize a nascent Palestinian State in the UN General assembly in September. The previous day he was presented with a petition at a demonstration at Utoya by the Labor youth movement to boycott Israel.
This is a translation of one of his posts that gives an understanding of his line of thought.
What we seem to be witnessing is an outgrowth of anti-Jihadi terrorism. More targeted against anyone who dares declare their hand with pro-Muslim and anti-Israel rhetoric.
‘They hate us because we love freedom?’
by JohD on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:39 am
equartorze seems to have stirred the peasantry today.
Hint: Unlike the Louis Quartorze, this one lives and breathes for the attention of the peasantry.
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:39 am
I thought she was going to plead insanity!
Abbott can’t even get this story straight!
by scorpio on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:40 am
Boerwar
Strangely. The only thing that can stop Abbott being PM is if Turnbull decides on MAD
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:40 am
They wouldn’t do that poll though. Doesn’t fit the narrative.
by rishane on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:41 am
JD
So, where is the ‘liberal’ bit?
In the US, the bible belt and the Tea Party are all fervently pro-Israeli.
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:42 am
Yes
I have come to the conclusion that Evan is a “troll” ie really a liberal voter who has been stirring things up here.
Hard for me because I generally agree with him, but now think he is just a stirrer.
Of course it is possible that occasionally someone else blogs on his behalf. Happens occasionally I am sure.
Every now and again I see marked style changes in bloggers. I do not think these are trolls, just that OH or visiting offspring (or parent) have borrowed the blog for a while.
PS my spelling/typos haves got a little better because I now use a computer which has spell check on it.
by daretotread on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:42 am
“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the future prime minister of Australia.”
A shrunken testicle of a man!
by joe2 on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:43 am
JohD
One thing is for certain , Brevik is an evil cold blooded killer with hatred in his heart
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:43 am
victoria
Might be Turnbull that does him in. The interesting thing was that Mr Stutchbury was not asked to comment on the Abbott footage. I would have been interested to see what he made of it.
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:44 am
Boerwar
As ridiculous as it sounds, it appears that Turnbull may turn out to be the only lifeline Labor has.
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:45 am
The continuing focus on the disastrous polls will be the narrative of the msm. The polls will only improve if Abbott stumbles. As can be seen, no matter what he says or does, he holds court. Who is his only real challenge?
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:47 am
daretotread
My style depends on how tired I am.
by Puff, the Magic Dragon. on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:47 am
daretotread
Evan as been very consistent. He says the same thing over and over again.
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:48 am
“has”
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:49 am
6pm on sbs they are doing the tdf highlights
by Puff, the Magic Dragon. on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:50 am
lizzie and BK I gather you have not heard Gideon Haigh broach the subject of politics. He was once a regular on Faine and I can tell you “objective” is not a word I would use in describing his often disturbing rightish views.
by joe2 on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:53 am
Of course, she is accused of more than just shoplifting. Interesting Tone omitted that part.
by confessions on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:54 am
joe2
I don’t listen much to sport, so I haven’t heard G Haigh on Faine. Perhaps he was part of the ABC’s famous ‘balance’.
As a general rule I have always assumed that sports players, like policemen and military, tend to conservative thinking.
by lizzie on Jul 24, 2011 at 11:55 am