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.
Page 1 of 2 | Next page
Categories: Federal Politics 2010-, Western Australian Politics
if the polls do not improve, I predict Turnbull will up the ante to help Labor along.
You know it makes sense
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Of course the Big End of town is unhappy with Ms Gillard and the Labor Government.
The Big End of Town genuinely believes that governments are there to enable the Big End of Town to get Bigger. It stands to reason.
The peculiar thing is that this Government, partly by default, partly by accident, partly unwilling, will yet be one of the truly great reforming governments.
(1)increasing compulsory super
(2) controls on the ability of the finance and superannuation industy to rort woodies
(3) the MRRT
(4) putting a price on carbon
(5) putting the Australian national interest ahead of the interests of multi-nationals
(6) shifting wealth from the very wealthy to those in the poverty belt
(7) more spending on public education
(8) more spending on public health
(9) fair work legislation
(10) increasing old age pensions
(11) making broadband competitive and access universal
(12) tax reforms favouring the lowest paid in our society
(13) first ever universal paid parental leave program
(14) pokies reform
(15) increased spending on urban public transport
(16) plain packaging on cigarettes
(17) significant improvements to equal pay for equal work
(18) more spending on mental health
(19) MDB a bit more sorted
There are going to be some FAILS but that is not a bad list.
The Labor Government might yet end up crashing but that is quite a lot of progress for Mr Abbott to have to wreck.
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:54 pm
You are all good people, whether you are Labor supporters, Coalition supporters, Green supporters or independent. Our system exists as long as those who are willing to be politically engaged are engaged. Keep up the good fright!
by To Speak of Pebbles on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:54 pm
If people don’t understand what “done over” means they should be directed to a recent archive of the Daily Telegraph.
by BK on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Feeney
Regardless of anything else our Prime Minister Julia Gillard is one helluva woman ,she has, courage ,intelligence ,honesty and a tenacity that is beyond belief.Compared to abbott who is nothing more than a self centred,lying spoilt brat I know who I prefer as my Prime Minister.GO JULIA.
by canasta76 on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Thanks victoria.
Still looking for some info on when it will be legislated and then implemented.
We need to see that particular fear campaign ended too.
by cud chewer on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Boerwar
The trouble is that the OO and their ilk consider a 1% imperfection as a “debacle”.
by BK on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:57 pm
There is no need to guess.
You then repeated this mistake by asserting beliefs to Hitchens and Dawkins that they don’t actually have, so what seemed like a one off mistake at the start became a clear pattern of behaviour that you like arguing against positions as you think they should be rather than what they actually are.
Idiotic nonsense. You would have us believe that even though Osama bin Laden claimed responsibility for the S11 attacks, then it doesn’t make any sense to examine his ideological views which are religious and political. That’s stupidity.
For the hundredth (?) time, he didn’t do this because he is a Christian, but his religious beliefs should be taken into account when attempting to explain why he did what he did, and why he attacked the particular people he chose to attack instead of attacking other people. His crime was a political act as well as a criminal act.
I’m sorry you can’t understand this distinction, but it makes everything you post seem to be incredibly stupid.
How does it make sense when trying to explain ANY historical event to start by ignoring a potential causal factor?
Why do biographies of Hitler, for example, consider his religious beliefs and how this influenced his political ideology?
by ShowsOn on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:57 pm
That’s it.
I am looking over my shoulder to keep look out for crusading circular red herrings.
They are awful creatures. I need a devil dolphin to cover my back and a demon Jack Russell to sniff out any loony fanatics who was to crusade or jihad me to death.
Which reminds me. What is the technical difference between a jihad and a crusade?
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:58 pm
I apologise for saying you were on drugs; It was a bad joke.
It was pure coincidence that the terrorist in this case happened to be Muslims. Those who believed they had a grudge in this case happened to be Muslim.
It could easily have been a group from Grenada if they had the resources.
Or someone killed during Bush seniors invasion of Panama, or victims of the Contras in Nicaragua; … if they had the resources.
Islam had sweet FA to do with it, except for this coincidence.
by JohD on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:58 pm
To Speak of Pebbles
Here here !
by poroti on Jul 24, 2011 at 5:58 pm
Yes, well I have to wonder about Turnbull. He’s proven capable of lying and being insincere on a number of occasions since becoming a politician. I did have respect for him the days of the republic debate. I still have respect for him over crossing the floor on the ETS. He’s being both disingenuous and out of his depth over the NBN. And that incident with Grech will forever haunt him. So I really don’t know what to make of his character.
Nevertheless, I can’t put it past him to as a last resort, wreck Abbott’s campaign rather than see him get to power.
by cud chewer on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:00 pm
“Are there penalties for not sticking to “truth in advertising”?”
One thing for sure, running political campaigns, should not be considered a business cost.
If they had to pay they would reconsider.
by joe2 on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Glen, surely 25% has to be the lowest their primary vote can go, although Labor could decline to the low 20s and still people on PB would claim that there’s nothing for ALP supporters to worry about.
by evan14 on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:02 pm
While I defend your right to your own opinion that kind of sycophantic blind love for a politician is unhealthy and quite frankly it is just makes me sick to read that on PB. If I said that about Abbott you’d say I was mad as a hatter
by Glen on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:03 pm
WHAT? PURE COINCIDENCE?
You seriously think it would be just as likely that the hijackers were a mix of Muslims, Christians, Atheists and Jews?
THINK before you write! Al Qaeda is an organisation based around a guiding philsophy that EVERYONE in the world should be a Muslim that follows its particular Islamic ideology.
Now fine, you can debate what does and does not count as “true Islam” (it is apparently something Islamic scholars do every day), but you can’t say that RELIGIOUS beliefs had NOTHING to do with motivating the S11 attacks (that had the effect of killing some Muslims!)
This is crazy conspiracy theory nonsense.
by ShowsOn on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:03 pm
evan, you’re a concern troll. Wear it.
by cud chewer on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:04 pm
So we invaded Afghanistan and are still there ten years later because of a pure coincidence?
Better not tell the grunts.
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Just heard on Radio that there has been a warning issued re an email being sent around concerning the terrible events in Norway.
If it arrives in your inbox don’t open it as it is a virus.
by Mytwobobsworth on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:05 pm
Well, I’d like to think those in the Abrahamic religions are all just fraternal brothers in their belief in the same Big Guy, but maybe, just maybe, Tom Lehrer got it right all those years ago:
by smithe on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:05 pm
No. OBLs call for a holy war against the US and the fatwa were specific to him being a Muslim.
And if you think it’s a pure coincidence that the 20 people who committed 9-11 just happened all to be Muslim extremists, you are beyond help.
by Diogenes on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Maybe someone will write a poem, celebrating their love for Julia, rather like Robert Menzies’ ode for the Queen from the 1960s.
Glen……..nothing wrong with supporting Julia or Tony or any other party leader, but the over the top cheerleading is getting embarrassing.
by evan14 on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Channel 9 News on cadel Evans. Who did they show as “the leaders” to comment on it? Well, the Vic premeir Ted and of course the ‘PM’ Tony Abbott. That’s all.
by Gary on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:07 pm
JohD
I (shock horror) agree with you there. Remember GWB’s “They hate us because of our freedoms” crap ? Oh puhlease Dubya. Shame about what the British and French did in the Middle East. Shame about the string of despots propped up for decades by the freem lurvin west in the middle east. As with Ho Chi Minh THE motivation is more nationalism than ideology.
by poroti on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:07 pm
Glen
Do you think that Leaders of Her Majesty’s loyal opposition should talk about their shrunken testicles or should they rather talk about the ins and outs, as it were, of their policies?
Which would you prefer?
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:07 pm
If you mean that I’m concerned about the disintergration of the ALP…………yes!
by evan14 on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:07 pm
As if.
You are as concerned as te Norwegian Killer was concerned about the harm caused by his actions.
by Frank Calabrese on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Well if you don’t like it too bad. Live with it old son.
by Gary on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Oh Victoria, Labor does not need Turnbull to boost its stocks yet.
There is a long way to go, relax
by Centre on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:10 pm
Since Tone has so few policies it is no wonder he’s left there standing about talking about his nut sack.
by Glen on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:10 pm
checking
by george on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Gary
Bastard bloody “Southerners” .Territorians will be ropeable. Cadel is a true blue born in Katherine Territorian. Anyone who has read the NT News in the last few years should know that !
by poroti on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:13 pm
That bloke on Insiders today is more right wing than Bolt IMHO. Stutch something or other from The Australian.
by Glen on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:13 pm
Glen
*laughs*
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:13 pm
Tone…
Ease the squeeze!
by Glen on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:15 pm
beliefs they do have,and are quite proud of. I gave you the link to Dawkins. I can;’t keep spoon-feeding you just because you say the same nonsense over and over.
It’s stupidity to give OBL a constituency of more than a billion simply because of an accident of birth. The attacks had nothing to do with Islam. Agree to disagree on this. Your view is obviously rusted on.
OK, he did NOT do this because he is a Christian. Can we agree on this? This is what I have been saying all along. You insist I acknowledge that his Christianity it is relevant because it is part of his make-up. I disagree, it is part of his make-up but entirely irrelevant.
I also agree that I must be incredibly stupid; look who I am arguing with?
What about the other causal factors? The Zionism, Islamophobia? The casual relationship between Zionism and anti-Muslim hatred? The casual relationship between Israel, anti-Muslim Hatred and anti-antisemitism? What about all those causal factors I have been directly alluding to and that you have ignored in all your thousands of words about my posts?
What is your malfunction? Do you simply go around attacking people on some obscure issue or other, and ignore everything they have said? Do you think I enjoy wasting my time arguing with you?
I will give you the last word – please confine it to the relevant casual issues I have raised.
by JohD on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Until the PM starts to wear a bulletproof jacket, I shall contend that she has courage.
by lizzie on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:16 pm
… are we still talking about testicles?
by george on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:16 pm
G
Mr Stutchbury was quite an unpleasant surprise. I would not quite equate him with Mr Bolt.
Perhaps we could rate him a Mr Bolt Wannabe with remove for disimprovement.
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:16 pm
It seemed like he was jealous that Bolt has his own TV show.
His articles for The Oz are hilarious, he just asserts whatever he likes irrespective of what economic evidence suggests.
by ShowsOn on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:17 pm
Mr Howard spent some time wearing bullet proof vests, I seem to remember vaguely. It might have been something about the Gun Nutters Tea Party.
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:18 pm
I dunno Boerwar…
From what he was talking about it’s pretty clear who he votes for and after watching the Bolto Report seemed just as invective against Ms Gillard as Bolto.
by Glen on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:18 pm
g
‘ease the squeeze’
I wouldn’t like to be a Phthirus pubis in his nether regions.
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Is there a height preference for RWers, so that they can always look down on people?
Are we smaller people more reasonable (not counting Jack Russells, of course).
by lizzie on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Agree & I do “sincerely” hope things are going well for you, even though we have had minor differences in the past.
Life does have its up & downs but it’s amazing how quickly things can go from bad to good, often by only receiving or making a phone call or receiving a supportive message.
by charlton on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Shows
Mr Stutchbury filled in very well for the Right given the absence of Piers Akerman or Henderson.
by Glen on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:22 pm
I love Jack Russells…does that mean I’m a Tory?
by Glen on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:23 pm
showson
Because one event and one characteristic does not mean they should be associated.
You could just as easily say he was male, used Omo or rode a motor bike, there are a billion things.
Where two or more people act together or in a similar way, then if there are some factor they have in common you can start to identify it as a possible factor.
by ifonly on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:23 pm
I think the ALP will get a news poll boost this week due to every issue this week being focused on everything else but CC tax, boats, Cows.
by rummel on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:23 pm
Glen
JT’s would vote “Anarchist”
by poroti on Jul 24, 2011 at 6:24 pm