So Called SUPER SATURDAY is upon us when 5 Federal by elections are to be held.2 of them in WA.Perth and Fremantle seem certain to be retained by labor with the Libs not even bothering to contest them.
Mayo in SA. held by the NXT (or whatever party she represents nowadays) Rebekah Sharkie looks like it will ,against all common sense and decency ignore the overtures from their lords and masters and reject the pure blood ,snooty snobby entitled princess Georgina Downer and stick with Sharkie. How I pity the servants in the manor on Sunday morning. It will be floggings all around with salt afters and no food for few days .
Which leaves Braddon in Tassie and Longman in QLD,
Both seats were held by labor but both members Justine Keay and Longmans Susan Lamb ruled ineligible due to dual citizenship.Both are re contesting.Both are held by slim margins 2.2% for Braddon while Longman is on a slender thin.08%.
Opinion polls in these seats have put the libs slightly ahead which has sent the MSM into a meltdown over Bill Shorten and his leadership and praising Turnbull over how wonderful he is, he has turned things around and will now go on and win at the next Election and finally fulfill his ordained destiny as the greatest PM. Rupert could ever construct.
Never mind the fact that Shorten and Labor have beaten Turnbull and the coalition in the polls since roughly the last election ,it is all about Leadership in Labor and unrest in the ranks while the libs are all hunky dory and one united tribe . I seem to think I have seen this all before but I may be mistaken as I get older.
If Labor hang on and win both it will be portrayed as nothing spectacular. You know no government winning a seat from the opposition in a byelection for 100 yrs blah blah blah. If they lose one it will be regarded as savage test of Shortens leadership and a firming of Malcom’s magnificence .
If labor lose both get ready for the biggest Kill Bill Campaign yet. It will be wall to wall,blaring from the mountains over the top non stop continuous bleating sniping unnamed sources from all the usual suspects.They will try to have him gone by next Friday.
I doubt we will know the results on Saturday night as if things are as close as predicted postal votes will have to taken into account and that can be up 13 days after polls close but if at the end of counting Saturday the Libs are even ahead by 1 vote the resulting avalanche of Leadership speculation will still begin.
Better get some drinks handy.
THE PUB 
Newpoll wasn’t an outlier.
Nothing more available yet, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.
https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/news/erry-2018/08/88ce31f2fa4310/oil-industry-wants-government.html
Bloody hypocrites!
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. The next few Bludger Tracks will be interesting!
Paul Bongiorno writes that the Liberal vote has collapsed, but there are no regrets from the plotters.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/08/27/liberal-leadership-farce/
Peter Hartcher examines the very quietly announced decision to freeze Huawei and ZTG out of the building of the new 5G network.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-bombshell-decision-canberra-wanted-to-bury-20180827-p5000d.html
The SMH editorial says that Morrison needs some policies. Urgently.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-urgently-needs-some-policies-20180827-p50017.html
The Liberal Party could be left with just two safe federal seats in all of Victoria if it cannot improve its performance in the polls, a leading Melbourne political scientist has warned.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/dark-times-expert-predicts-few-safe-places-for-victoria-s-liberal-20180827-p5003a.html
Adele Ferguson can’t work out who in the new ministerial line up will have carriage of the fallout from the banking royal commission. It could be Stuart Robert. He knows a thing or two about bad behaviour!
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/so-who-exactly-is-the-minister-for-the-financial-services-swamp-20180827-p50032.html
Eryk Bagshaw is similarly concerned.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/extraordinary-wait-for-crucial-minister-20180827-p50015.html
Morrison’s cabinet reshuffle has prompted cheeky observers of the financial services sector to ask one obvious question – is banking royal commissioner Kenneth Hayne now the de facto Financial Services Minister?
https://www.outline.com/qV68qC
A myriad factors lead to Malcolm Turnbull’s demise, but senior Liberal Party members have said Tony Abbott shoulders some blame.
https://www.outline.com/r8ahFr
Economics professor John Freebairn writes that Barnaby Joyce, Australia’s new special envoy for drought assistance and recovery, will have to be careful he doesn’t do more harm than good.
https://theconversation.com/drought-is-inevitable-mr-joyce-101444
There was a whole lot of fuss during Malcolm Turnbull’s reign as Prime Minister, with nothing much to show for it at the end, writes Ben Eltham. Except for maybe the Liberals being in an even weaker position, which is very hard to imagine.
https://newmatilda.com/2018/08/27/turnbull-obituary-frying-pan-fire/
Phil Coorey tells us that the federal government has dumped long-standing plans to dilute union and employer group influence on industry super fund boards after the damage done to retail funds by the Hayne royal commission ended any prospect of securing Senate support.
https://www.outline.com/Pf3DL7
Financial planning businesses are waiting to find out what study they’ll have to do when new standards kick in from next year.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/there-is-an-agenda-involved-warning-over-exodus-by-financial-planners-20180827-p5000g.html
Former Treasurer Scott Morrison is the new neoliberal Prime Minister, but the right-wing reactionaries in the Liberal Party will never be appeased, writes John Passant.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/prime-minister-scott-morrison-the-new-face-of-neoliberalism,11829
Oh oh! David Crowe and Fergus Hunter are saying Morrison faces a test on the Paris climate deal,
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-faces-test-on-paris-climate-deal-20180827-p50045.html
And Michelle Grattan says that with Turnbull’s resignation Morrison now has a real-time test.
https://theconversation.com/turnbull-resigning-seat-on-friday-giving-morrison-a-real-time-voting-test-102215
Michelle Pini attempts to shed light on the latest #libspill bloodbath winner, Australia’s current Prime Minister Scott “ScoMo” Morrison. She says he will uphold bigotry and failed Newspolls.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/current-prime-minister-scott-morrison-to-uphold-bigotry-and-failed-newspolls,11831
Banks have stopped rewarding mortgage brokers who sell the most home loans with bonus payments, admitting they risked encouraging excessive borrowing.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/banks-ditch-sales-focused-volume-based-commissions-20180827-p4zzzz.html
The insurance industry is the next to come under Hayne’s spotlight.
https://www.outline.com/652K3z
I reckon the real estate industry should be given the once-over too.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/property/2018/08/27/real-estate-agent-commissions/
Last Friday the big royal commission news was overshadowed by leadership spill. A scathing 222 page report was released by Counsel Assisting Michael Hodge.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/finance-news/2018/08/27/commbanl-nab-superannuation-charges/
Brent Finlay, former president of the National Farmers’ Federation, says Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce are the latest who are failing the bush
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/28/drought-policy-must-reflect-climate-change-says-former-farmers-chief
Erwin Jackson says that if we want strong climate action, we need to get the moderate Liberals on board.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/27/if-we-want-strong-climate-action-we-need-to-get-the-moderate-liberals-on-board
Jacqui Maley tries to work out what Abbott will get up to now.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/abbott-channels-oprah-promises-less-toxic-politics-20180827-p50035.html
Here’s the SMH rundown on last night’s unhinged Q&A. BTW Bob Katter needs help, serious help.
https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/q-and-a-recap-pauline-hanson-says-she-had-no-idea-what-final-solution-meant-20180828-p5004v.html
In the inelegant butchering that took place in Canberra over the week, one event should stand out in its ghastly affront: Parliament was shut down as the Liberal Party fought over who should lead it.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/renting-democracy-shutting-down-australias-parliament,11830
Jenna Price has an excellent contribution on the insidious power and the motives of the likes of Jones, Hadley and News Ltd.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/me-and-mr-jones-what-i-know-about-media-bullies-20180827-p5002f.html
And Michaela Whitbourn tells us how Sydney radio station 2GB’s star broadcaster Alan Jones has triggered an advertising boycott after he used a racial slur on air during a segment on the leadership rumblings in Canberra.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/advertisers-abandon-2gb-over-offensive-alan-jones-comments-20180827-p50011.html
Stephen Bartholomeusz reports that The BIS has warned that increasing protectionism could win back decades of global economic progress and create a ”perfect storm” in which everyone loses.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/global-economy-is-facing-a-perfect-storm-warns-bis-chief-20180827-p4zzzq.html
Peter Hannam writes about Turnbull’s son, Alex, who has come out swinging about the power of the rent seekers in the Coalition who brought down his father.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/can-t-vote-liberal-in-good-conscience-alex-turnbull-blasts-climate-stance-20180827-p50018.html
Tony Wright talks about the use of Akubra hats.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-new-pm-treads-an-old-track-but-leaves-the-akubra-at-home-20180827-p5003v.html
A shuttle bus ferrying Home Affairs public servants around Canberra each day will expand its route as it replaces a service costing nearly half a million dollars.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/hail-to-the-bus-driver-home-affairs-expands-shuttle-for-public-servants-20180826-p4zztz.html
Keith Aston makes some good points in this contribution in which he says that Australia is behaving like a spoiled brat.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-is-behaving-like-a-spoiled-brat-20180824-p4zzne.html
And here is this week’s favourite for “Arsehole of the Week”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/grandfather-71-eligible-for-parole-in-2039-after-years-of-child-sex-abuse-20180827-p4zzyf.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe brings out the wrecking ball.
A trio from Mark David.
And a couple from Peter Broelman.
Sean Leahy also has three for us.
Paul Zanetti farewells Julie Bishop.
As does Mark Knight.
Cathy Wilcox gets this one right.
Glen Le Lievre on our asylum seeker policy.
And he has a nice little gif for us.
Alan Moir.
A little cracker for Jon Kudelka.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/09e52a3e2f434b9d0b6a2086e7769a5d
Some very good ones in here, including David Pope and Matt Golding.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/best-of-fairfax-cartoons-august-28-2018-20180828-h14l9t.html
I think i can put together a reasonably coherent argument for what’s happened to the Liberal Party, and why it was inevitable from the start. I just don’t have the time to do it at the moment. Very briefly: from the moment Abbott became opposition leader and the party decided to jettison all policy work in favour of simply opposing, they were doomed in the long term – thought they knew it would be successful in the short term. It was in fact the only reliable approach available to a bunch of apparatchiks with no talent for policy work. I don’t think they’ve ever swerved from that philosophy, and have mainly seen politics in terms of pure PR. It was worse when they gained power, because the expectation is that you do something while in governance, and they refused to do that. A fall in the polls saw them casting about for a short-term sugar-hit, and they eventually turned to Turnbull and his latent popularity, even though they despised him. That was destined to fail too of course, because he was subject to the ‘oppose everything’ philosophy too. Now they have no short-term vote-grabbing mechanism, no policies, and nothing to use their PR skills on. And they’re being led by the PR-iest of the PR merchants too.
It’s not just Murdoch who is interfering in Australian politics.
We all know about Alan Jones using the n-word on air, we all know that has cost 2GB advertising revenue, but there’s a bigger story that’s barely getting a mention.
Alan Jones has admitted urging two Coalition MPs to support the challenge Turnbull last week. If you watched last night’s Four Corners you would have seen Jones saying he contacted John Alexander, and an unnamed second MP, telling them the government had to change direction. In his farewell press conference on Friday, Turnbull blamed “powerful voices in the media” for undermining his position. He was not talking just about Murdoch. He should have named names, but as always, he was too gutless to do that.
Alan Jones says he privately contacted two MPs during leadership crisis
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-27/alan-jones-says-he-contacted-two-mps-during-leadership-challenge/10170584
Ray Hadley has been involved in the chaos too in his cosy little chats with Dutton and Abbott. Dutton used Hadley’s show to set out his reasons for his possible resignation, just days before he challenged.
Yesterday there was this –
The prime minister using a shock jock to convey messages to one of his team. Why the frack didn’t SloMo just call Abbott into his office for a chat? Why have this done on a crappy radio show?
We have a couple of old men using a radio station to push their very conservative agenda to their listeners. Really, no-one should take them seriously, but the rest of our media do, we get their views reported constantly. Hardly surprising when Fairfax owns 2GB.
“serious papers” should not follow the shock jocks. I was amazed at the way they treated Turnbull, all in favour of Dutton. After having practically adored T they completely demolished him. All in favour of Dutton. MSM is much more reprehensible than someone like Hadley.
I think we should probably all start using the phrase “Don’t you think [he] looks tired?” with regards to radio personalities who have involved themselves in more than one ousting of our prime ministers.
Both Mr Jones and Mr Hadley have been involved in at least two Liberal spills and were instrumental in Ms Gillard being turfed, so … ?
I have no idea who the Liberal shock jock is here in WA, but it is likely they are getting “tired”, too.
It might work. They are both old, well past their use-by date and in Jones’s case, have already escaped the clutches of the Grim Reaper a few times. Hadley had a lung cancer scare years ago, but it turned out to be nothing.
Maybe we could add “and sick” to that quote when talking about them. I’m sure Doctor Who won’t mind.
Erwin Jackson says that if we want strong climate action, we need to get the moderate Liberals on board.
Totally missing the point.
If we want strong climate action we need to change the government. The rabble now allegedly running the country are incapable of dealing with climate change. They are either in thrall to the big coal-mining companies or they are denying climate change is happening. Or both.
As long as this bunch of head-in-the-sand idiots remains in charge nothing will happen to get any action at all.
Today’s Essential results, confirming the latest Newspoll – barely getting a mention at The Guardian, banished to a minor spot on both their news and politics pages.
Funny how polls are only news when they show a drop in support for Labor.
http://www.essentialvision.com.au/category/essentialreport
As is always the case. In fact I get a surprise when Labor get a bump in the polls and wonder what it is that is causing it. msm are pretty well all against the ALP. Many of the tv and radio all are very quick on dissing the ALP, but very slow when it comes to the lnp.
There is nothing in that pol that is good news for the government, not one thing.
Murpharoo tries hard, but the best “good news” she can come up with is Morrison has improved his standing as Liberal leader, no doubt because he is now the actual leader, not just an option in a poll, and he’s ahead of Shorten as preferred PM. Considering SloMo has been PM only since Friday that’s hardly a great achievement. Give him time and Shorten will overtake him.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/28/essential-poll-labors-two-party-preferred-lead-jumps-to-10-points
The media are now keeping the Dutton/au pair thing alive.
The comments by @RWoody in the thread are interesting.
All SloMo’s new ministers were presented with flag pins at their swearing -in. If these pins are now compulsory for ministers, how long before we all have to wear them? Or will we just go straight to barcodes tattooed on our foreheads?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-28/dutton-released-au-pair-after-lobbying-from-afl-boss-mclachlan/10172788
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/28/peter-dutton-intervened-in-third-au-pair-visa-case-for-afl-bosss-relatives
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-28/slut-shaming-forced-me-out-of-politics-emma-husar/10152266
Go, Beetrooter, just go
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-28/barnaby-joyce-drought-options-spark-controversy/10172702
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-28/cotton-executives-20-million-fraud-allegation-norman-farming/10172736
Tamil asylum seeker dies in Qld hospital
A Sri Lankan man has died in Logan Hospital south of Brisbane after his life support was switched off.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/tamil-asylum-seeker-dies-in-qld-hospital
Blame this death on ScumMo, for changing the rules and on Dutton, for being an utter bastard. Both are responsible.
They come here to die. Instead of finding a new life.Tragic.
With those pins does that mean that every full ministerial meeting will be a 29-flagger?
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