Australia General Discussion 2.0

[morgieb]

The NSW ALP continues to make a strong recovery.


TPP
Coalition- 56% (+2)
Labor- 44% (-2)

Primary
Coalition- 47% (+1)
Labor- 33% (-1)
Greens- 11% (+1)
Otherd- 9% (-1)

Mike Baird Favorability
Approval- 63% (+6)
Disapproval- 23% (-6)

Luke Foley Favorability
Approval- 35% (-3)
Disapproval- 37% (0)

Preferred Premier
Baird- 57% (+3)
Foley- 19% (-8)

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2015/09/25/newspoll-56-44-to-coalition-in-nsw-3/

Foley needs to go jfc. NSW Labor is such a damaged brand.

I really can't see anyone doing any better. The issue is the NSW Labor brand and also Baird being uncontroversial and moderate.

Realistically Labor won't win until 2023 at the earliest.

[Talleyrand]

Decent approval ratings for Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, though nowhere near Baird levels.


TPP
Labor- 53% (+2)
LNP- 47% (-2)

It should be noted that this result is from using a number of past election preferences; if preferences went like they did in January, this would be 55-45.

Primary
Labor- 41% (+3)
Coalition- 38% (-3)
Greens- 9% (+1)
Others- 12% (-1)

Annastacia Palaszczuk Favorability
Approval- 53%
Disapproval- 33%

Lawrence Springborg Favorability
Approval- 34%
Disapproval- 43%

Preferred Premier
Palaszczuk- 49%
Springborg- 28%

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2015/09/28/newspoll-53-47-to-labor-in-queensland-2/

Makes one wonder if she'll go to an early election if she continues to get decentish results like this one. I assume she'll wait until after a federal election though if she goes that route.

[Talleyrand]

Apparently the LNP is planning to roll Springborg already.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/springborg-fends-off-lnp-spill-speculation-20150928-gjwlcx.html

[BaconBacon96]

Poor Lawrence.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The NSW ALP continues to make a strong recovery.


TPP
Coalition- 56% (+2)
Labor- 44% (-2)

Primary
Coalition- 47% (+1)
Labor- 33% (-1)
Greens- 11% (+1)
Otherd- 9% (-1)

Mike Baird Favorability
Approval- 63% (+6)
Disapproval- 23% (-6)

Luke Foley Favorability
Approval- 35% (-3)
Disapproval- 37% (0)

Preferred Premier
Baird- 57% (+3)
Foley- 19% (-8)

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2015/09/25/newspoll-56-44-to-coalition-in-nsw-3/

Foley needs to go jfc. NSW Labor is such a damaged brand.

The problem is, parties are too determined to win government back straight away (understandable) but realise that, especially in NSW Labor's case, they need to totally knock-down and rebuild. But instead, they're not interested in rebuilding, which is why Baird will be untouchable for a long time to come. There was no mea culpa, no public acknowledgement that Labor had lost faith with the public. That was step #1.

[Barnes]

Pauline Hanson is running for a Queensland Senate seat at the next election. Oh look, here's her platform.

[BaconBacon96]

Tony and Joe's new seats in Question Time today.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Tony and Joe's new seats in Question Time today.

Ha! Abbott has to sit behind Peter Hendy, one of his key knifers.

[Barnes]

The AEC has released the proposed electoral boundaries for New South Wales.

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[Ebowed]

Luke Foley is a massive dead weight and NSW Labor won't be winning with him at the helm.

The left hasn't forgotten that he began the campaign by coming out for an annual $100 million tax cut for the horse and greyhound racing industries, with the stated desire of making NSW the "gaming state."  Kicking off the campaign with gambling and animal cruelty as well as policy proposals lifted directly from the pages of The Daily Telegraph.  Refusing to back down after Four Corners revealed the twisted, illegal methods of the greyhound racing industry.  You can see the enthusiasm for his bland and uninspiring leadership in the swing against the ALP in his own electorate.  Pathetic.

[BaconBacon96]

So the federal government came out in support or legalizing medical marijuana yesterday. A Turnbull decision, or something a long time coming?

[Ebowed]

So the federal government came out in support or legalizing medical marijuana yesterday. A Turnbull decision, or something a long time coming?

Prompted by a Di Natalie campaign on the issue, at least in part.  He got Shorten to commit to medical cannabis the day before Turnbull also agreed to it.  Now we have a funny situation where the ALP is criticising Turnbull for only allowing states to give out growing licenses whereas they argue that the scheme should be federal, and that people should have access to medical cannabis regardless of their location.

[Knives]

So the federal government came out in support or legalizing medical marijuana yesterday. A Turnbull decision, or something a long time coming?

Prompted by a Di Natalie campaign on the issue, at least in part.  He got Shorten to commit to medical cannabis the day before Turnbull also agreed to it.  Now we have a funny situation where the ALP is criticising Turnbull for only allowing states to give out growing licenses whereas they argue that the scheme should be federal, and that people should have access to medical cannabis regardless of their location.

Probably more because of the Victorian government, let's be real Di Natalie has like no influence.

[Ebowed]

So the federal government came out in support or legalizing medical marijuana yesterday. A Turnbull decision, or something a long time coming?

Prompted by a Di Natalie campaign on the issue, at least in part.  He got Shorten to commit to medical cannabis the day before Turnbull also agreed to it.  Now we have a funny situation where the ALP is criticising Turnbull for only allowing states to give out growing licenses whereas they argue that the scheme should be federal, and that people should have access to medical cannabis regardless of their location.

Probably more because of the Victorian government, let's be real Di Natalie has like no influence.

^ The Australian Story episode this week gave credit to the Greens and Mike Baird (if anything, Baird more so).  Which is a bit iffy, IMO, given that NSW is still waiting for the rest of Baird's government to come through.

Anyway, it's fine that you don't like the Greens, and I'm glad to hear that the Victorian government has been pushing this as well.  I honestly hadn't seen much about that, just that Di Natalie had been promoting the issue and going on speaking tours.  You very well could be right that it was prompted by the Victorian government.  I was just putting together what I had seen: a very organised and concerted effort by Di Natalie, followed by Shorten's announcement, followed by Turnbull's.

In the latest news, Eric Abetz referred to Clarence Thomas as a "negro" in order to explain how opposing SSM is not a form of bigotry.  While he complains that the government is being ambushed into a premature vote on the issue, let us not forget that the non-binding plebiscite would cost a minimum of $160 million.  This is money that, according to the government, we do not have.

I didn't see anything here about this, either - the Coalition and Labor passed a law to take away cash payments from some Centrelink recipients on the basis that they live in indigenous communities.  Instead, they are given a card that they can use at the supermarket.  It is an effective way to remove the autonomy of the people affected and ensure that they would not be able to make cash payments for the most affordable items; i.e. fresh fruit and vegetable from a direct supplier, second hand clothes or furniture, etc.  Given that it only applies to indigenous communities, we can only assume that the politicians who passed this know something about racial genetics that presumably scientists have not yet discovered.

[BaconBacon96]

I don't agree with the decision of course but it's pretty obvious that the decision was made due to the long history of alcoholism in remote Indigenous communities.

They are also trialing cashless welfare cards in Ceduna, South Australia I believe.

[Ebowed]

Studying the medicinal cannabis issue more, I think Solopop is definitely right about the Victorian government being a driving factor and I apologise to him for being snarky about it.  In fact, the Victorian model is clearly superior to what NSW is considering and it frustrates me that Baird is able to brand himself in such a favourable way despite barely dragging his party kicking and screaming into progress on this issue.

Re: alcoholism in Indigenous communities.  The cashless cards have been trialled in NT for several years now, the same communities facing an involuntary and race-based prohibition of alcohol (and pornography).  Perhaps the alcoholism rationale makes more sense in SA where prohibition is not in effect, but that excuse can't be used for the Northern Territory.  And while we're on the subject of prohibition, some Aboriginal leaders are certainly questioning the wisdom of this policy where men sit on a highway 15 km out of town to drink alcohol, fall asleep on the side of the road, and get run over by trucks.  The disgraceful legacy of Howard's "intervention" is beginning to rear its ugly head.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Ebowed - might want to look at Claire O'Neil's speech in the treatment of NZ citizens

[Barnes]

The Cabinet has (once again) removed Knights and Dames from the Order of Australia.

[/]

^

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/11/02/10/08/prime-minister-malcolm-turnbull-axes-knights-and-dames

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

TONY ABBOTT'S ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT RUTHLESSLY OBLITERATED BY MALCOLM "ROBESPIERRE" TURNBULL.

RIP Australian sense of whimsy.

[Simfan34]

Boo hiss!

[BaconBacon96]

Onwards we march towards the Republic!

[Barnes]

Antony Green has published estimated seat margins for the NSW federal redistribution. Three Liberal seats have been shifted in favor of Labor.

They are:
Barton
Dobell
Paterson

[BaconBacon96]

The 11th was the 40th anniversary of the Dismissal of Gough Whitlam.

[BaconBacon96]

Anyone else see Labor's attack on Mal Brough and the Prime Minister in QT on Thursday?