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
There is reality,which a vast number of Australians can see and accept and put Gillard and Gillard Labor down low and, there are a handful of Gillard idol polishers who no matter how badly she performs as leader, how much she destroys Labor’s primary vote, they will see no fault in her. It will be alwas something else responsible.
Labor’s primary could be 15% and these people will be going on about the MSM, Rudd and how blind Australians are. The electorate however can see, and see an awful and incompetent leader.
For goodness sake, dump the girl, and bring in Comber so Labor can obtain some respectability and recovery.
by Thomas Paine on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:27 am
briefly
I agree; I have supervised a staff member with depression at my work. But we made sure that person got help and time off to get treatment. Then we arranged a fairly low key restart when returning. And that was in a technical role with a lot less personal pressure than politics. I can’t believe it is healthy to leave a person in a Federal political position while genuinely clinically depressed.
by Socrates on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:28 am
Really TP that is just ridiculous. There would be an election within two months and Labor would lose.
by Goshome on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:30 am
Heaven forbid thomas/ kina – that would require knifing a PM – something you have sternly lectured all and sundry about daily, since you changed your mind that Rudd should go and unite behind Gillard *for the good of the party*.
Try being consistent Kina.
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:32 am
Same bat time, same bat channel…
by george on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:33 am
Parliament is a big number, true. But people can come back. For the benefit of all those who experience depression – and their families – she should be supported. Depression is a pernicious though, no doubt that.
by briefly on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:35 am
Only 24s behind now…
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:39 am
Now if SBS just ran those Skoda ads I would be much happier
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:40 am
Bloody adds!!!!!!!
by briefly on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:40 am
But the Skoda one is good!
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:43 am
Yeah, Voeckler well and truly given up yellow now. His team isn’t really chasing.
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:43 am
Informative youtube video ShowsOn…thanks.
by Glen on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:45 am
Briefly – you do not appear to have even considered for a second that the *defence* of *depression* is utter bullshit.
I am not saying it is, I don’t know. But you equally have no way of knowing it is valid.
The same applies for innocence of any alleged crime.
Comment here has been that the alleged crime was not in any media but in comparison a NSW Labor politician, in his own time and within the law visited a gay sex club and that was top of the pops in print, TV radio etc for almost a week.
I reckon he was *depressed* as well.
No one farqen spoke up for him!
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:45 am
No prob.
Monckton is simply an enemy of the truth. He will do and say ANYTHING to support his idiotic arguments.
There’s more videos by the same the same guy here. They make more sense if you watch them in order:
http://oneworldgroup.org/2011/06/21/climate-smackdown-lord-monckton-embarrassed-by-a-genuine-sceptic/
by ShowsOn on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:51 am
I think his phone was hacked. How else did someone happen to be on the spot with a camera??
Is she faking depression? Not really highly likely….sounds quite probable to me….
by briefly on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:51 am
oh bugger. bad news in Noway.
by imacca on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:51 am
GOT THEM!
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:53 am
Damn I thought Monckton answered my questions about how much the Carbon Tax would reduce temperatures maybe he didnt get that one right either. Doesnt mean everything he says is wrong but I must take what he says with a grain of salt from now on.
by Glen on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:54 am
Evans looks superb
by briefly on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:54 am
Champion effort Cadel. Hope there’s enough left in the tank!
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:55 am
Watching a great movie from 1978 – The Silent Partner with Elliott Gould.
by george on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:56 am
briefly@323
Channel 7 got a PI to follow him with a camera. They had heard *rumours* and thought it would be *delicious* to destroy him in the media. No corruption involved etc.
Where was the so called public interest?
But you haven’t serenaded my main question about assuming someone has depression, just because they are *Caught*.
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:56 am
serenaded = answered
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:57 am
Andy and Alberto look not too good. Frank looks good. Cadel?
by This little black duck on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:58 am
If you want to know why Australia should act, don’t take my word for it. Listen to a Liberal explain it to you:
http://australianpolitics.com/2011/07/21/turnbull-climate-science-speech.html
by ShowsOn on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:58 am
err – this is the bit you should *translate*
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:59 am
dave, I think it is highly likely she was depressed. On the face of it, it makes sense to me.
CH7 and rumours…….phone hacking, i bet.
by briefly on Jul 23, 2011 at 12:59 am
Nearly everything he says is wrong.
In fact, after you watch all those videos you’ll see that he uses all sorts of deception, omission, commission, exaggeration, and occasionally simply MAKING THINGS UP FROM THIN AIR.
by ShowsOn on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:01 am
dave
Good point re: outing the NSW politician. It shouldn’t have been done by 7. That being said, two wrongs… so I don’t propose picking on the mentally ill either. Of course, I’d also agree that mental illness is not necessarily a defense against criminal conduct. If the illness is that serious then the person really has no place in politics, or any other job.
by Socrates on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:02 am
George
Gold old Gouldy did you see him in Capricorn One (1978) – my favourite conspiracy movie
by Glen on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:02 am
Without doubt
by george on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:02 am
Who the hell knows how much any of them have left. Fingers crossed Cadel has the most.
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:03 am
On what basis? Is everyone who is caught stealing / assaulting someone *highly likely depressed*.
I was depressed going to work for many many years , but never stole or assaulted anyone.
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:03 am
Yep, saw him in Cap One, but not in this one – never heard of it. Good movie thus far
by george on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:03 am
Brilliant movie, but my fave is Andromeda Strain
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:05 am
That’s a stupid film.
Gould made his best films for Robert Altman, specifically California Split and The Long Goodbye.
He also makes a hilarious cameo as himself in Altman’s Nashville where other characters refer to him as “a somewhat famous actor”.
by ShowsOn on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:05 am
The viscount is delusional imo. He is erratic, narcissistic, deceptive, given to ranting, full of invective…..He is not all there.
Apart from that, he is also a fraud. He has nothing. No data, no hypothesis, no research, no work published, no nothing. He is an empty pot.
by briefly on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:05 am
loved that one ShowsOn
by george on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:06 am
I’ve always wanted to see it. I believe it is a Canadian film.
by ShowsOn on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:06 am
Serious? Loved it!
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:08 am
I need to add a bit here. I had a bloke named glen who worked for me. I used to kick his arse every day.
That made me very happy
That may be the reason I wasn’t that depressed.
by dave on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:08 am
Here we go… Alpe D’Huez
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:09 am
One of my favorites too. It always amuses me that all those nutty claims the moon landings never happened post-dated the movie. Did they think it was a doco?
by Socrates on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:09 am
The Big Sleep (1946) is one of my favourite films. You’d think Bogart as Marlowe would be definitive, but Gould and Altman turn the character and genre into a 1970s film brilliantly.
Leigh Bracket wrote the script for both films (27 years apart).
by ShowsOn on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:09 am
It’s all about guts now. Forget about teams.
by This little black duck on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:10 am
Go Cadel!!!
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:11 am
Andy is looking for Frank.
by This little black duck on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:11 am
Cadel still looking really good on the start of the climb. If he can keep within a minute of the Schlecks I recon he can win in the time trial
It is a comparatively long trial and he could easily gain a minute in it.
by Socrates on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:12 am
I like it, he’s attacking now
by Dario on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:12 am
My favourite conspiracy film is The Parallax View which is about the assassination of a popular politician, kind of based around RFK.
by ShowsOn on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:12 am