Newspoll: 54-46 to Coalition
GhostWhoVotes reports (though James J in comments had the numbers 45 minutes earlier) that Newspoll has the two-party preferred vote at 54-46, compared with 55-45 a fortnight ago and 59-41 the fortnight before. The primary votes are 32% for Labor (up two on last time), 46% for the Coalition (up one) and 12% for the Greens (steady). Julia Gillard’s approval rating is up three to 30% and her disapproval down three to 60%, while Tony Abbott is respectively down three and up four to 31% and 60%. Julia Gillard leads as preferred prime minister 40-37, reversing Abbott’s 40-36 lead last time.
Today’s Essential Research was less encouraging for Labor: it had them losing one of the points on two-party preferred which were clawed back over previous weeks, the result now at 57-43. Primary votes were 50% for the Coalition (up one), 33% for Labor (steady) and 10% for the Greens (steady). Other questions gauged views on the parties’ respective “attributes”, with all negative responses for Labor (chiefly “divided” and “will promise anything to win votes”) rating higher than all positives. The Liberal Party did rather better, rating well for “moderate” and “understands the problems facing Australia”. Bewilderingly, only slightly more respondents (35%) were willing to rate the state of the economy as “good” than “bad” (29%), with 33% opting for neither, although 43% rated the position of their household satisfactory against 28% unsatisfactory.
UPDATE (29/5/12): Morgan have broken the habit of a lifetime by publishing their weekend face-to-face poll results on a Tuesday, never having been known in the past to do it earlier than Thursday. My best guess is that they wished to offer a riposte to Newspoll’s relatively encouraging figures for Labor – “today’s Newspoll showing a swing to the ALP is simply unbelievable”, says Gary Morgan in the accompanying release – with their own results, which show Labor support at an all time low on every measure. The poll has Labor’s primary vote down 4.5% on the previous week to 27.5%, the Coalition up 3.5% to 49% and the Greens up 2.5% to 13%. This translates into 61.5-38.5 on respondent-allocated preferences and 58-42 on preferences as they flowed at the previous election.
Categories: Federal Politics 2010-
bemused – good advice and I’ve been doing some of that. I’ve been out talking to people and grabbing new members for Labor as requested by the Party. Have you been doing your share?
by BH on May 31, 2012 at 1:08 pm
View details ·
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:08 pm
View details ·
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Fiona @ 3729
No, but feel free. BG has done a superb job digging these up.
by ratsak on May 31, 2012 at 1:09 pm
I still call people silly galloots. Does that make me really ancient?
by davidwh on May 31, 2012 at 1:11 pm
Skyfuckwit presenter just referred to Ms Gillard’s speech to the miners as ‘bombastic’.
Memo to Sky: ‘If you are going to use big words, buy dictionary.’
by Boerwar on May 31, 2012 at 1:11 pm
Now this is all contemporary corporate governance standards that should have already been in place.
by davidwh on May 31, 2012 at 1:12 pm
Boerwar
Glad it all turned out okay with baby daughter at the tme!
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Boerwar
A baby with croup is the most frightening thing to watch. When it’s all over and the storm has passed, you feel so exhausted.
by gigi on May 31, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Peter Wicks open letter to Andrew Crook of Crikey
http://wixxy.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/an-open-letter-to-andrew-crook-of-crikey/
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:19 pm
Withdrawals in the House (courtesy the latest procedural digest):
by triton on May 31, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Smithe 3711
A couple of years of Cando will be enough IMO. Bligh copped it because she ‘privatised’ a lot of State assets without telling us before the election. By the time Cando has sold half the place to his developer mates he’ll be gone, and he’s the only one there with any leadership skills at all. Lurch, Seeney, Flegg et al have already been around and rejected so there’s noone else.
A decent swing will see the end of the LNP for another two or three terms. Look at the percentage vs. Number of seats.
by muttleymcgee on May 31, 2012 at 1:20 pm
v,g
Yes, it was hard. Fortunately the humidity was already around 99% so we just boiled everything we could and closed the windows to build the steam up.
The ‘cure’ was nearly worse than the croup.
by Boerwar on May 31, 2012 at 1:21 pm
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:21 pm
OzPol @ 3746
The Rose of then and the Rose of now would probably have different reactions to the letter telling her that he was a ‘gay galoot’!
Thanks for the C.J. Dennis.
by blackburnpseph on May 31, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Just for fun!!!
Last night on Lateline, they played a short clip of flipping through a two page credit card account in the name of Craig THOMSON.
Reversed and paused a few times and was able to make out (in order):
Craig THOMSON
CBA ATM Circular Quay NSW
CBA ATM Albert Park Vic
CBA ATM 254 Latrobe St Vic
CBA ATM Albert Park Vic
Prince Alfred Hotel Port Melbourne
ANZ ATM Quantas Melbourne Tullamarine
CBA ATM Pitt & Martin NSW
Total of account looked like $1574 (can’t be sure)
Thomson without the “P”.
Was not able to pick up dates or individual amounts.
Did not include in above the ATM charges, but indicates that credit card was not CBA or ANZ.
Looks like Craig had a trip to Melbourne for a few days on business and back to Sydney.
Where did Lateline get hold of this account? Are they available to view?
Move on people – nothing to see here.
by deewhytony on May 31, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Les Miserables the movie is coming. Here is the trailer. Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Ann Hathaway star
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5slbuWpZwjg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Sent from my iPad
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Well, that’s it. After the last few days, Abbott is flushed out now. He can’t control the agenda and he can’t control his image or the way he presents. He’ll have to faff about trying to find a new angle, which is going to be hard for him because he’s been using the exact same approach for so long and his minor variations have usually been disastrous.
He’ll never have the element of surprise over the ALP any more either. And for once there are unanswered lingering questions hovering over his own party, particularly regarding Ashby and the Kathy Jackson saga.
Plus, he’s expected by his fanbase and coterie to be moving away from stunts and into policy from here. He’s been overexposed on the outrage and hysteria front – everyone’s a bit “that’s so 2011″ about it. From here the chat about him moving to Plan B and talking policy is going to become a bit more urgent. He’s been nothing but hopeless in that area.
by Aguirre on May 31, 2012 at 1:26 pm
deewhytony
I did not even realise Lateline did another story on Thomson
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:27 pm
Goodness. Today’s MPI:
Mr Abbott (Leader of the Opposition)
“The urgent need for consistent economic policy to address Australia’s declining economic competitiveness.”
by triton on May 31, 2012 at 1:27 pm
Boerwar – comprehension would still be difficult for most of them. The only one there with any nous was Tracey ? who used to be with 2UE but they ditched her. I guess the comparison was too great between her and those remaining.
This morning on ABc Breakfast it was a hoot watching LibsRUs Clarke trying to avoid saying that Abbott and Pyne did a runner in the House. In the 8am bulletin we saw she skirted around it without using their names.
by BH on May 31, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Aguirre @ 3767
Wednesday 30 May 2012 could have been the day when Tony Abbott jumped the political shark.
by blackburnpseph on May 31, 2012 at 1:29 pm
OK, so the war mongers have realized that outright invasion of Syria by the West is very probably not on.
The fallback position will be: arming the rebels, training them, carving out an exclusion zone…
Get it. That would not really be a war.
by Boerwar on May 31, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Hasn’t Cando stopped free whooping cough vaccinations?
by muttleymcgee on May 31, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Bbp
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:31 pm
triton
This is simply a front page story in the AFR today. Usual Coalition work: taking the morning media
by Laocoon on May 31, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Sky just now misrepresenting the Government’s position on online gambling. They are implying that the Report’s recommendations are a Government proposal.
They are the pits.
by Boerwar on May 31, 2012 at 1:32 pm
And GALOOT Again: CJ Dennis “Nikki the Greek”
and “The Also Ran”
Then there’s Slim Dusty: “Woobly Boot” (and quite a few others; Slim was fond of it)
And Banjo Paterson, eg “The Scapegoat” (also a very frequent user)
Also used in quite a few other poems, eg Harlequin Rip, Tar and Feathers (as in the famous wily galoot that entered the vernacular.
So the word was part of the Aussie vernacular in Qld, NSW, Victoria, SA – don’t know any Tas or WA or NT poems using it.
by OzPol Tragic on May 31, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Boerwar
In all seriousness, how many viewers watch Skynews?
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:32 pm
v
I have just switched them off, so there used to be at least one.
by Boerwar on May 31, 2012 at 1:33 pm
I submit that the term “jumping the shark” has jumped the shark.
by William Bowe on May 31, 2012 at 1:33 pm
The Coastal Shipping Bills going through the HoR, and appropriations approved by the GG.
by OzPol Tragic on May 31, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Boerwar
Smart move
by victoria on May 31, 2012 at 1:36 pm
@triton/3769
I thought this do nothing government was being consistent?
by zoidlord on May 31, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Muttley there was talk that the adult program may be stopped but I haven’t seen a final confirmation of that. I don’t believe there is any policy to stop the child program.
by davidwh on May 31, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Laocoon
That explains it then. I knew something must be up if Abbott is giving a speech on economic policy. That’s as foreign to him as knitting.
by triton on May 31, 2012 at 1:38 pm
It’s wishful thinking that Federal Labor can save themselves by picking up seats in NSW at the next election, assuming Gillard is still the leader.
Gillard is as toxic in NSW as she in QLD.
A pity for her that the home town girl can’t find more marginal seats in VIC to win for Labor.
by Thornleigh Labor Man on May 31, 2012 at 1:38 pm
I’m a Les Mis tragic so for other Bludgers who might be here’s the trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5slbuWpZwjg&feature=youtu.be
by BH on May 31, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Abbott v. Andrew Leigh on economics should be fun.
by triton on May 31, 2012 at 1:40 pm
TLM, wouldn’t it be easier just to join the Liberal Party?
by triton on May 31, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Evan @ 3786
The Libs don’t hold Dunkley by much and Aston is just under 2%.
But going the other way, even a tiny swing against Labor in Victoria tip Corangamite and Deakin to the Libs – both under 0.6% (Deakin after redisribution). La Trobe is at about 1.4%.
by blackburnpseph on May 31, 2012 at 1:43 pm
blackburnpseph @3771
Yes, I think so. I’ve been a bit careful about these sorts of predictions, because it has seemed like Abbott could keep it up forever. But, as one of the twittering journos noted yesterday, without some whipped-up scandal to obsess over the Coalition don’t really have a lot to say. And the decks have been cleared over the past couple of months. Rudd, then Slipper, then Thomson – all of them shifted from the ‘unfinished business’ pile to the ‘dealt with’ one.
Of course, the Thomson one isn’t over yet, but it is finished as a stick to beat the ALP with. Making them play out the charade of refusing-the-tainted-vote seals it. The worst aspect of it for the Coalition is that it cements the idea of them as a party more interested in political chicanery than political process. They took the idea too far and exposed it in all its farcical glory.
I heard a bit of News Radio discussing it this morning, and gee weren’t they in a bind. They had to reduce it to a joke in order not to condemn Abbott as trashing parliament. But in the process they had to paint him as a lightweight. It was the only choice they had.
by Aguirre on May 31, 2012 at 1:43 pm
The Senate committee and the ‘Smoking Gun document’ hearing
The transcript of session held after Senators Abetz and Ronaldson held two pressers complaining that they had only received a specific document after the people from FWA had left and demanding the recall of FWA to appear again is out.
Poor EricA – It seems that the Committee now has two copies of the actual document – certainly one they received after FWA had left as a supporting attachment to an answer to a different question.
However the document was also supplied as part of seven folders supplied to the Committee some six or so weeks earlier.
(Smart Ms O’Neill – best not to have the schedule of documents to hand).
(This why Ms O’Neill is smart because if she handed over the FWA’S list of documents then someone could just go and look in the folders right now and come back to the Committee and confirm that the document is indeed there and Connie (Sen F-W) has just missed it. Ms O’Neill would much rather that fact be confirmed when she is ‘not around’.)
(EricA wakes up to this around then and goes on and has a go a confusing the issue:)
Hmmm – I wonder if the contents of the seven volumes will ever see the light of day now?
Poor EricA , Poor Connie.
There was the usual amount of bull shit from EricA around this to try to confuse the issues and the Hocky-Pokey Senator went on to again made an idiot of herself at the end of the days hearing as well.
There’s no doubt that the Coalition members of the Committee covered themselves in ‘Glory’!
by CTar1 on May 31, 2012 at 1:44 pm
DWH
We had to get whooping cough innoculations if we wanted to visit our baby grandson in the maternity hospital.
I took it from that, that whooping cough innoculation should be a whole-of-population thing but I am not an expert on it.
by Boerwar on May 31, 2012 at 1:45 pm
Further to my previous post, I wonder if Labor have written Mike Symon off in Deakin. We haven’t had nearly the amount of advertising material in this term as we had in the last term.
by blackburnpseph on May 31, 2012 at 1:46 pm
M 3773
I must say I’m a bit all over the place with vaccination. I myself never suffered side effects, as far as I know, but some children did.
by gigi on May 31, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Luckily I’d resigned from Eng teaching before ‘Gay’ changed meaning. Coping with expressions like “I stood rooted to the ground” was trying enough!
by OzPol Tragic on May 31, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Well today’s mining figs put paid to that. Perhaps ALP should just table the documents in response!
by jenauthor on May 31, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Going by Twitter Swanny is fired up. However so far no comeback from Hockey. Maybe he is busy in a leadership vote.
by guytaur on May 31, 2012 at 1:47 pm
There has just been what I take to be an ‘unexpected’ call for a division in the House. I wonder whether the Coalition is setting up a revenge attack for yesterday’s bolt from the blue.
by Boerwar on May 31, 2012 at 1:47 pm