As a conversation thread starter, here are some links to help understand the recent election in France. I will avoid all but one of the obvious “This isn’t the end of Macron or France’s problems” articles, of which there seem to be at least a thousand.
Firstly, it is interesting that the polls moved to Macron between the first and second round, and his final vote slightly exceeded his best final poll, which might be partly accounted for by the fact that there is no last day polling by law. As with the 2017 election, I think some who don’t like Macron and who love to complain about the way things are, admit to themselves in the last week or even the last day that they will still vote to block the one they like even less. This 2021 post on french performative miserablism and polling on vaccination partly covers what might be a national political and polling tendancy.
https://www.tomforth.co.uk/miserabilism/
The below by John Lichfield from before the vote is a good read, he argues that the old French Right-Left system has mutated into a muddled pattern of three broad tribes: the scattered Left and the Greens; a pro-European, consensual Centre; and a nationalist-populist, anti-migrant and anti-European Right. No winner will ever be really popular with more than a third of the country.
Late last year Manu Saadia wrote a series of Substack posts on the French election for the benefit of the non french, explaining the basics and background really well. He stopped well before the vote, but they are still a good read. https://lacampagne.substack.com/
In particular I draw your attention to the one on why the Presidential vote matters so much, “Camembert President.” He writes “France is a monarchy that undergoes a succession crisis every five years, by way of an election. It is by design. Under France’s current constitutional arrangement, the so-called Fifth Republic, the sole real seat of power is the office of the presidency. It is therefore unsurprising that all civic and political life would revolve around it.”
https://lacampagne.substack.com/p/camembert-president
Another good read, “Eric Zemmour and the long shadow of France’s defeat in Algeria”
https://lacampagne.substack.com/p/the-long-shadow-of-frances-defeat
The amazing mechanics of an election that spans the entire globe
https://lacampagne.substack.com/p/a-vote
Finally, I recommend to you the recently launched Le Monde english language edition. Why read US and UK takes on European news when you can now get the news direct? Most of the best European newspapers are only in the local language, so this is a good development for us. Some articles are subscriber only (although you can usually still read good chunks of those), but many are free to read. Worth bookmarking the site for french news. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/
Two articles to start…
Jean-Luc Mélenchon devises plan to become Emmanuel Macron’s main opponent
The leader of the radical left hopes to win the legislative elections in June. Labor Day protests on May 1st will be the the left’s first show of strength against President Macron.
Quarrelling French far right struggles to unite for legislative elections
Marine Le Pen has already set her sights on the June 12 and 19 elections, hoping to induct a significant far-right group to the Assemblée Nationale. Eric Zemmour called for an alliance while criticizing her defeat, fueling their rivalry.
THE PUB 
Preferred PM: Morrison 44 (-1) Albanese 42 (+3)
Morrison: Approve 41 (-3) Disapprove 55 (+4)
Albanese: Approve 41 (+1) Disapprove 47 (-2)
Morrison with the unbridled help of the Moderator and the Journo’s Panel have turned this so-called debate into an unmitigated shambles.
And that is an understatement!!!!!!!
As Black Comedy it’s not bad. As political insight … !
Blimey! Am I glad that is over.
Probably the worst bit of television viewing I have ever suffered through.
Morrison’s desperation was palpable.
So well demonstrated by trying to totally dominate not just Albo, but the panel & moderator even though they were sympathetic towards him.
It’s a shame that I can’t find a clip to demonstrate, but whenever I see Scummo lately, I think of episode 10 of the latest season of Mad as Hell where his obvious parody character Donald McEngadine does an exaggeration of the way he walks and Shaun saying “Donald McEngadine, the PM’s Media Medea, lumbering out of the set, like a bear in search of berries.”
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Without question, today’s contribution from Katherine Murphy is the article of the week. Her derisive, scornful assessment of last night’s debate is a MUST READ! She described the debate ans a “genuine shit blizzard, the Jerry Springer of leaders’ debates.”
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2022/may/08/pity-australias-voters-awful-leaders-debate-cursed-by-absurd-format-and-incoherent-hectoring
Six of the NineFax journos have summed up and scored last night’s farcical debate at 5.5 to Albanese and 0.5 to Morrison. For what it’s worth!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-won-the-debate-and-why-our-experts-deliver-their-verdict-20220508-p5ajjw.html
A shouty, unedifying spectacle and a narrow win for Albanese: three experts assess the second election debate for The Conversation.
https://theconversation.com/a-shouty-unedifying-spectacle-and-a-narrow-win-for-albanese-3-experts-assess-the-second-election-debate-182423
Michelle Grattan reviews the two polls and the debate.
https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-labor-widens-leads-in-newspoll-and-ipsos-as-pre-polling-starts-182655
David Crowe has his say about the farce.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/leaders-debate-will-shape-the-final-weeks-of-the-campaign-20220509-p5ajld.html
Sean Kelly reckons Morrison’s bid to reroute the final laps of the race with be “Louder, simpler, stronger”.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/louder-simpler-stronger-morrison-s-bid-to-reroute-the-final-laps-of-the-race-20220508-p5ajfz.html
The AFR editorial wonders if the Coalition’s economic populism will turn Liberal seats teal.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/will-the-coalition-s-economic-populism-turn-liberal-seats-teal-20220505-p5aip6
There is a legislated process prescribing how government grants should be administered, but it clearly is not being followed and we need an integrity commission to enforce it, argues Michael Keating. He says Morrison is breaking the law as set out in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (PGPA) Act, and if his government will not enforce that law, we need an integrity commission that will.
https://johnmenadue.com/government-integrity-and-an-icac/
Shane Wight tells us that concerns of a dirty tricks campaign targeting “teal” independents has prompted the Australian Electoral Commission to bring in its electoral integrity assurance taskforce as pre-polling opens today. It is investigating reports of widespread defacing of corflutes and other signage last week that falsely linked candidates to other parties, ie the Greens.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dirty-tricks-aimed-at-teals-focus-of-electoral-integrity-taskforce-20220508-p5ajhi.html
But Anne Davies reports that attack ads targeting Labor are being published without any authorisation or party attribution on the Chinese-language social networking platform, WeChat, raising concerns that misinformation could be circulating without oversight.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/09/unattributed-attack-ads-targeting-labor-on-chinese-language-wechat-fuel-fears-of-misinformation
As News Corp goes ‘rogue’ on election coverage, Dennis Muller looks at what price Australian democracy might pay.
https://theconversation.com/as-news-corp-goes-rogue-on-election-coverage-what-price-will-australian-democracy-pay-181599
Tim Jones says that Tanya Plibersek’s reaction to the trained monkey interviewing on Insiders yesterday sets the tone for how the Labor party must behave toward the media moving forward.
https://theaimn.com/plibersek-shows-the-way-labor-the-media-and-the-future/
John Kehoe reports that in an interview with the AFR, Jim Chalmers said a successful “Accord-like” deal on climate and energy policy under a Labor government would build trust with business and set a pathway for a broader economic reform agenda on “thornier” issues to lift productivity.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/climate-can-set-up-labor-reform-era-chalmers-20220503-p5ai1e
Andrew Bolt reckons the Liberals are too scared to fight for their own principles and at this point in the election, the Liberals’ best argument now seems to be they’re better at giving you Labor policies. (Linked for the sake of comedy relief).
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/andrew-bolt/andrew-bolt-liberals-too-scared-to-fight-for-their-own-principles/news-story/c07e755ac20ae2b39edc4b4f7acf0ce4?amp
Benson’s turd polishing.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/labor-pulls-ahead-in-newspoll-as-scott-morrison-loses-ground/news-story/ba1882f2cc410e9b1d3a37d8587cb690
And here’s Phil Coorey’s grudging acceptance of the stunning IPSOS poll result for Labor.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/labor-steams-ahead-with-two-weeks-to-go-poll-20220508-p5ajgv
The prime minister is relying on being able to attract enough preferences from conservative independents and sway all those voters still unsure about Anthony Albanese. Writes Jennifer Hewett who says Morrison’s campaign is losing momentum.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/morrison-s-campaign-loses-momentum-20220508-p5ajha
Rodd Gittins writes that, relative to what was projected in the last budget before the pandemic, annual government spending is now projected to grow at a much higher rate. It’s true annual spending has fallen back from its peak in 2020-21, but not by nearly as much as it should have if all the extra spending had been “targeted and temporary”. He says that inflation is bad for your budget but good for the government’.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/inflation-bad-for-your-budget-good-for-the-government-s-20220508-p5ajh0.html
Angus Thompson reports that the union movement is upping its claim for an increase to the national minimum wage following revelations Australians’ pay packets will continue to be outrun by the cost of groceries for another 18 months.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/drowning-in-bills-actu-ups-wages-claim-as-inflation-rises-20220508-p5ajij.html
The Australian Electoral Commission confirmed it referred Vivian Lobo, the LNP’s candidate for the Labor-held seat of Lilley, to the AFP following its own investigation.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/electoral-commission-refers-coalition-candidate-to-federal-police-20220508-p5ajh3.html
Defence spending has been a key part of the Coalition’s re-election push and today, Scott Morrison will pledge $8 billion for new helicopters to be delivered by 2025.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coalition-moves-to-khaki-election-footing-promises-8-billion-for-helicopters-20220508-p5ajja.html
Jacinda Reddan laments the closing pf overseas polling booths that abandons Australians abroad.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/closing-overseas-polling-booths-abandons-australians-abroad-20220502-p5ahwe.html
Ben Doherty writes that an Australian soldier alleged by three newspapers to have participated with Ben Roberts-Smith in the “joint criminal enterprise” of murdering an Afghan villager named Ali Jan is set to appear in the federal court this week as a witness for Roberts-Smith in his defamation action against the newspapers.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/09/ben-roberts-smith-defamation-trial-witness-expected-to-deny-wrongdoing-in-killing-of-afghan-villager
More than 1900 Australian animals, plants and ecological communities are at risk of becoming extinct. We can and we must do more, declares the SMH editorial.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/urgent-action-needed-to-protect-our-threatened-biodiversity-20220508-p5ajk1.html
Education department staff being “conscripted” to fill Covid-related vacancies at New South Wales schools have said they are being sent into teaching environments without adequate training, and were just plugging holes in a broader “casual crisis”.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/09/nsw-education-staff-say-they-are-being-sent-to-schools-without-adequate-training-to-plug-the-casual-crisis
The Adelaide Advertiser says that ICU staff are ‘sick and tired’ of dealing with regrets from people who have not been vaccinated – and authorities say three jabs should be enough for those under 65.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/coronavirus/sas-health-authorities-say-three-doses-of-covid-vaccine-should-be-enough/news-story/9122ecd94e0af41b2648a034fbf31fdb?amp
Tom Rabe reports that more than 3000 electric vehicle chargers will be set up across NSW under a multimillion-dollar plan by the state government to boost regional tourism.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/thousands-of-ev-chargers-to-be-installed-across-regional-nsw-20220508-p5aji3.html
James Loxton writes that the return of the Marcos dynasty is sadly a common path for new democracies.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/like-father-like-son-the-return-of-the-marcos-dynasty-is-sadly-a-common-path-for-new-democracies-20220505-p5aiwm.html
The furore within the Liberal Party about Katherine Deves. Fox star Tucker Carlson’s accidentally homoerotic trailer for his new “documentary,” The End of Men. Even, partially, Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. All share the hard right’s obsession with strong men and imposing order, opines Lucy Hamilton.
https://johnmenadue.com/gender-anxiety-on-the-right/
A bankrupt and failed pyramid schemer’s control of Australian ice hockey has come to a quick end thanks to an investigation in Michael West Media. Sandi Logan reports.
https://michaelwest.com.au/corporate-chicanery-unveiled-ice-hockey-australia-supremo-gets-iced/
New York Democrat, Kirsten Gillibrand, has urged her party to stand up to Republicans seeking to abolish the constitutional right, and called the draft US supreme court opinion leaked last week, revealing a conservative-leaning super-majority supports overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision, “bone-chilling”.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/08/kirsten-gillibrand-democrat-abortion-rights-fight-of-generation
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Jim Pavlidis
Peter Broelman
Joe Benke
Badiuao
Mark Knight
Leak
From the US
I did not watch the debate last night but I did read summaries and comments on Twitter.
One thing is clear – Channel 9 must never again be allowed to host a major political debate. I have never before seen so many blasting comments about the ways 9 failed.
Clearly it was supposed to favour Scovid but even that aim failed.
9 couldn’t even get their online voting app to work. What an absurd shitstorm!
I will watch the replay but at least I will have low expectations.
These debates should only ever be held by the ABC. It is being white-anted, defunded and bullied, but it is still the public’s broadcaster.
I am paying much more attention to the Russian invasion of Ukraine than to our election.
I think Labor will win but I completely distrust the political intelligence of at least half of Australia’s voters. At least the Ukranians are united in fighting off the ones who want to steal their country and their democracy.
In Australia the Right steals people’s beds while they are still sleeping in them and it raises no censure.
Whoever was the Lib peasant on RN this morning would not be a help to SfM in WA. She was dealing out the usual soft soap and then KLUNG ! (less melodic than a Klang 🙂 ) Extolling SFM’s virtues she led off with a claim that SfM ‘led’ one of the world’s bestest responses to the Pandemic. I’m sure there were many a fellow Crood choking on their morning coffee after that claim . I don’t think it is a wise idea to keep reminding we Cave Dwellers about the management of the Pandemic.
The Labor premiers were responsible for that “bestest” response, not Scovid, as we all know. He fought against every sensible move they suggested.
Now Scovid has his wish and Australia has “let it rip” what do we have? Record deaths, record infections, exhausted hospital staff and too many brain-dead Strayans believing “Covid is over”. It is not over, the virus continues to mutate and each new strain becomes more infectious. Soon one will become far more deadly.
A social worker has been in the ward organising voting for the election. The reason for this election, she says, is “to see if ScoMo stays in”. So absolutely no bias there whatsoever. None at all.
I took great delight in telling her I had already voted.
I am the youngest patient in here, by around a decade. Most of the other inmates had no idea an election was happening. One thought it was a state election.
The stupidity and lack of interest in anything political of the average Australian voter never ceases to amaze me.
https://www.betootaadvocate.com/headlines/media-billionaires-now-panicking-about-possibility-of-a-government-that-doesnt-suck-their-dicks/
I just watched the replay of tge 2nd Leaders’ debate on the Ch9 app.
I had to use an email address to do so, annoyingly. This government supplied content that Channel is monetising!
I was okay with the lack of decent moderation, although I m not happy with the obvious pro-Liberal bias shown by the moderarors cutting off Albanese when his strikes starting hitting home on Morrison.
Morrison tried to bully and talk over Albanese. Albanese showed votes he was no pushover. Albanese did not back down, he persisted in making his points in spite of Morrison trying to shout over him.
He handled the slurs and lies Morrison hurled at him. He persisted in questioning Morrison about his answers until Morrison was made to look clueless and shifty. Morrison’s answer on the Darwin Port sale ended up looking like a fish-head left in the sun. The same happened on other topics.
Morrison tried out a few of his campaign’s negative strategies for the ALP and Albanese and didn’t land much. Albanese persisted until he turned those into a negative for Morrison. The shared ownership scheme was one. Morrison tried a fake claim that a rising wage would force the sale of the house due to changes in payments. Albanese pointed out the scheme is already ruiing in two states.
Then Albanese accused Morrison of back-flipping, being for the scheme in the past, but now opposing it under Labor.
Morrison’s pathetic attempt to qualify his double pike with twist by claiming he supported state schemes but never a Federal one. Yes, it was as really pathetic as it sounds. You know, that sad squelch you hear when your pizza falls face down on the carpet.
The moderater asking Albanese why he wouldn’t set up an inquiry into bullying in the ALP after the suicide of Kimberley Kitching was the ugliest moment of the night. It sickened me to see an ALP woman’s tragic death from a heart attack still being used as a political attack on Albanese by journalists who should know better and have better ethics. They should show more respect for the dead who cannot speak for themselves.
I cannot see how Ms Kitching would have been happy by her torment and tragedy being weaponised to harm the electoral prospects of a political party she clearly loved. The disgust, contempt and horror I feel when I see people, including our so-called top journalists and presenters, crawling so far into tbe sewer doing this us not quantifiable.
Albanese did get Morrison to admit a failure, in saying procuring vaccines was not a race as the Covid19 virus did Grand Prix laps around the planet.
I am happy the debate went free rien.
It is about time Morrison met his match.
In my opinion, in Albanese, Morrison was out-smarted and out-manoeuvred.
Albanese got the last sport for concluding remarks. He thanked everyone, which Morrison failed to do.
Abanese fished strong: ‘Five words you will never hear from me: it is not my responsibility!’
By thev way, during one of Morrison’s shouted tirades, did I see Albanese slip a sound bud out if his ear as he matched Morrison? Did Albanese cut Morrison off as he verbally went for Morrison?
I could be reading too much into a small arm movement but that is what I would have done. Hahaha.
Puffy, K Kitching died of a heart attack, not suicide. I agree with you, it should not have been brought up.
Good move by Albo to electioneer in SA with those two
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2022/may/09/federal-election-live-updates-no-winners-after-morrison-and-albanese-clash-in-messy-debate-prepoll-voting-opens#maincontent
The Croods out here in Da Cave were very excited about the debate. 98.6% of Perth’s population found they had better things to do than watch the debate. Speaking of which.:lol: from the Stokes stable here in Da Cave. How do you report a 54-46 poll result ? Teh headlines
I hope this clip comes up. If so, I would love to think it could be relayed to every possible voter in Australia.
So people who don’t follow politics, and especially Parliamentary proceedings and QT in particular, could see just how the Coalition won’t allow “ANY” scrutiny of them for the voting public to judge just how incompetent and corrupt they really are!!!!
Damn! Looks like I’ve been hacked. That wasn’t the tweet & video I tried to post. I’ll try again!
Primacy and recency are winners. Albo’s going for recency
Something that makes me hopeful about the possibility of a long term Labor government is the experience of how this current term has gone.
Thinking back to the 2004-2007 term, things were relatively good for the most part. The worst thing that was happening in the world was Bush’s bonfire in Iraq, but otherwise things were relatively good. Then Howard got all cocky and went full right with Workchoices and destroyed himself.
But then, even if I wasn’t born yet, what I’ve read about the 1980-1983 Coalition government term was that it was very bad. There was a deep economic crisis, as there is now. There was major global conflicts (the Cold War and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan), as there is now. There was a major pandemic (AIDS), as there is now. And there was even a major climate change related natural disaster (the Ash Wednesday bushfires and related drought).
Yes, I know I shouldn’t hold history as gospel as what will happen in the future, but there is a pattern here. And as long as the polls are accurate and Albo doesn’t stuff up, there’s the chance for a whole lot of good to come in the next few years.
A bigly problem for Labor is IF they win they will be taking over just as it looks like a huge flock of financial chickens will be coming home to roost around the globe. It will of course be ‘All Labor’s fault’ and every presstitute in Murdoch and Fairfax will be telling you that. It is how it always goes, the cause may be global forces but Labor gets blamed for it. Works the other way around for the scumbags. Be lucky enough to catch a global wave and it was all good management. e.g. The Rodent and Hammock Dweller getting lucky bigly time with the iron ore boom. Which naturally they pissed virtually all the windfall up against the wall.
2gravel
Thanks. I fixed my comment.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Australian businesses starved of skilled workers could recruit from a pool of more than half a million job-ready women, but only if the next government invests in better childcare, improves access to paid parental leave and drives higher wages in critical industries, explains Rachel Clun.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-solution-to-australia-s-jobs-crunch-could-be-already-here-20220509-p5ajs9.html
According to Paul Sakkal, a federal Labor government would chip in at least $2.2 billion for Victorian Labor’s Suburban Rail Loop, opening up a gulf with the Morrison government, which has argued that the project does not “stack up”.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-poised-to-pledge-billions-to-andrews-signature-rail-project-20220509-p5ajql.html
Scott Morrison’s unpopularity with female voters has been driven home by a compilation of poll data which shows support for both the prime minister and the Coalition are much lower than at the last election, writes Phil Coorey. It’s gone from 44% in 2019 down to 29% now!
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/morrison-s-support-among-women-is-low-and-hasn-t-shifted-20220509-p5ajpz
Michael Koziol reports that, despite promising to put the major parties last, Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party has preferenced the Liberals second or third in many seats. Does that surprise anyone?
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/liberals-to-benefit-from-uap-preferences-in-many-key-seats-20220509-p5ajs3.html
Paul Bongiorno reckons a huge momentum shift is Scott Morrison’s only hope.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2022/05/10/paul-bongiorno-scott-morrison-election-hope/
Barring a campaign calamity, Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party will be elected in two weeks. Australians have lost faith in Scott Morrison and the Coalition, even despite all the barracking by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp and other Liberal-aligned media, declares Michael West.
https://michaelwest.com.au/log-cabin-to-the-lodge-public-trust-in-scomo-gone-prime-minister-albo-here-we-go/
Alan Kohler writes that, with this being the first election fought in the context of endless government deficits, it is based on a lie: That we can have our cake, eat it, and not pay for it.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2022/05/09/deficits-democracy-failure-alan-kohler/
Peter Hartcher was less than impressed by the leaders’ position on China as evidenced at the “debate”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/as-china-encroaches-australia-s-leaders-can-only-fluff-their-lines-20220508-p5ajkh.html
An equally unimpressed Greg Sheridan concludes his contribution with, “You cannot make up for a lack of substance with an extravaganza of style. This campaign has lacked both substance and style. Many good things in life are dull; drinking more water and so on. Some things, such as daytime TV and this election campaign, are just dull, with no redeeming features much at all. And they can be deeply unhealthy.”
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/actions-speak-louder-than-shouty-debate/news-story/5d8884ff610c2404ecebfabfdeff99a7
This evaluation of the “debate”, the leaders, and the state of politics from Crispin Hull is a good one.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7730230/the-real-winners-from-the-leaders-debate-didnt-even-take-part/?cs=14258
It’s the Coalition, not Labor, who are economic reform laggards, argues Craig Emerson who says, “Business people shouldn’t fall for claims that the Liberals are the party of reform and low taxes. History and the government’s own economic forecasts confirm this is wrong.”
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/it-s-the-coalition-not-labor-who-are-economic-reform-laggards-20220508-p5ajk9
Morrison’s religious discrimination act is a sop to homophobes – pure and simple, posits Kaye Lee.
https://theaimn.com/morrisons-religious-discrimination-act-is-a-sop-to-homophobes-pure-and-simple/
Daniel Hurst reports that Peter Dutton’s department says the defence minister is in possession of six reports from the oversight panel regarding the Brereton reforms – but he is yet to disclose any details about what they found.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/10/peter-duttons-department-confirms-defence-minister-has-six-brereton-oversight-reports
Polls put Anthony Albanese on track for majority government but minor party and independent preferences are more uncertain – along with the definition of corruption to be adopted by a new federal commission, writes Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/sifting-through-the-politics-of-corruption-20220509-p5ajte
The Prime Minister has broken his promise to adopt legislation establishing a Federal Integrity Commission. The decision is not all that surprising. It has been clear for a long time that the Government does not favour a federal anti-corruption body. What is interesting, however, is how impoverished the reasons that the Prime Minister has given for ditching a commission actually are, explains Spencer Zifcak.
https://johnmenadue.com/morrison-on-a-federal-integrity-commission-is-not-credible/
Mike Foley tells us that the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has been accused of interfering in public science agencies by claiming caretaker mode should delay the release of crucial data about coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/pm-s-department-cited-caretaker-mode-to-encourage-delay-of-coral-bleaching-report-20220509-p5ajsc.html
Far from having a leftwing bias, the ABC has been tamed by cuts and incessant attacks, writes Kevin Rudd in this steaming op-ed.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/10/far-from-having-a-leftwing-bias-the-abc-has-been-tamed-by-cuts-and-incessant-attacks
With the country talking about the shambles of a so-called “Great Debate” on Nine on Sunday night, Dr Lee Duffield raises the case for getting a serious debate on the ABC.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/let-scotty-shout-through-a-debate-on-a-fairer-playing-field,16340
Now Paul Fletcher has been caught at it! he has removed a Lifeline chief executive from his campaign flyers after Lifeline Australia “firmly reminded” her of the rules about charities being involved in political endorsements.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/liberal-mp-removes-a-lifeline-chief-executive-from-campaign-flyers-20220509-p5ajtq.html
Labor will seek to legislate a religious discrimination act and scrap the ability of schools to expel gay and transgender students at the same time should it win government, but won’t give a timeline for pursuing the issue in the next parliament, writes Lisa Visentin.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-commits-to-religious-freedom-and-lgbtq-protections-but-no-timeline-20220509-p5ajrs.html
The SMH editorial says that care services should be considered essential economic infrastructure underpinning both national prosperity and community wellbeing. It points out that what is absent from the policies of either major party is a comprehensive plan for how improvements to childcare, aged care and disability care will be funded.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/better-care-services-can-boost-the-economy-but-they-must-be-paid-for-20220509-p5ajtw.html
Ditched or delivered? Jess Irvine revisits the major 2019 election promises of both parties.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ditched-or-delivered-the-major-2019-election-promises-revisited-20220422-p5afa2.html
Nick Toscano reports that Mike Cannon-Brookes says an investor revolt is slowly building at AGL amid shareholders’ frustration with the board for ignoring calls for stronger climate action and significant doubts about how breaking up the 180-year-old utilities giant will increase its value.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/cannon-brookes-warns-rebel-alliance-is-building-against-agl-s-board-20220509-p5ajp2.html
Mark Ludlow writes that retail electricity prices are expected to jump by up to 10 per cent on July 1 following a surge in wholesale prices in the past year despite claims from both the Coalition and Labor that prices are going to stay low or fall after the May 21 election.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/power-bills-are-going-up-no-matter-who-wins-the-election-20220509-p5ajor
A Star Entertainment Group director says he may have been “careless” in approving a stock exchange announcement that disputed explosive media reports revealing probity issues at its casinos rather than acknowledging they were accurate. Patrich Hatch reports that former Macquarie Bank chief executive Richard Sheppard also said on Monday that he and other Star directors made a mistake by trusting the company’s executives too much, and that the board was ultimately responsible for the litany of failures that left it open to criminal infiltration.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/the-star-suspends-vip-program-until-further-notice-20220509-p5ajna.html
Elizabeth Knight follows through by saying what we learned from this inquiry appearance was that he managed his governance responsibilities by channelling his inner box-ticker, not his financial ferret.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/the-star-s-board-needed-to-channel-their-inner-ferret-not-their-inner-box-ticker-20220509-p5ajrn.html
Back in his element, Stephen Bartholomeusz says that markets are wobbling and more pain looms on the horizon.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/markets-are-wobbling-and-more-pain-could-be-on-the-horizon-20220509-p5ajn3.html
Emergency medicine specialist, Sue Ieraci, explains how the pile ups in emergency departments can be eased.
https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/it-s-an-emergency-unhealthy-reliance-on-eds-must-be-triaged-20220509-p5ajri.html
Controversial Liberal MP Bernie Finn has resigned as the Coalition’s whip in Victoria’s upper house, just days after Opposition Leader Matthew Guy demanded he be part of the parliamentary team or leave the party and sit on the crossbench.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/controversial-mp-bernie-finn-resigns-as-opposition-whip-20220509-p5aju0.html
Adam Voigt has some ideas on how to address bullying, nastiness and violence at schools.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/here-s-how-to-address-bullying-nastiness-and-violence-at-schools-20220509-p5ajrr.html
Rob Harris writes that the Queen’s deteriorating health has forced her to withdraw from the state opening of parliament for the first time in almost 60 years because she continues to suffer from what Buckingham Palace described as “episodic mobility problems”.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/queen-withdraws-from-speech-to-parliament-for-first-time-in-59-years-20220510-p5ajw0.html
The theme of the American Society for Public Administration’s annual conference in March was ‘Democracy under Threat’. This was in response not only to troubles in the US but to falling appreciation of democratic principles in other Western countries and the rise of authoritarianism elsewhere, writes Andrew Podger.
https://johnmenadue.com/addressing-democracys-international-decline/
We must fight powerful bullies, whether they are Putin, Trump, or tech billionaires, urges Robert Reich.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/09/we-must-fight-powerful-bullies-whether-they-are-putin-trump-or-tech-billionaires
A new European package of restrictions with a Russian oil embargo at its heart has the capacity to deal the decisive blow, cutting off Moscow’s ability to fund its illegal invasion while cruelly exposing the extent of Putin’s catalogue of miscalculations.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/europe-s-oil-u-turn-threatens-to-cripple-russia-s-economy-20220505-p5ain4.html
The abortion debate in the US is hotting up. It’s not going to be a pretty period coming up.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/us-anti-abortion-office-hit-by-molotov-cocktail-after-threat-painted-on-wall-20220509-p5ajq6.html
Videos of people being dragged from their homes by health workers in hazmat suits coursed through Chinese social media late on Sunday before being pulled down on some platforms, as the city’s intensive lockdown enters its seventh week. Not a good place to be!
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/big-whites-shanghai-s-feared-hazmat-clad-workers-videoed-dragging-people-from-homes-20220509-p5ajsn.html
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
David Rowe
Matt Golding
Cathy Wilcox
Fiona Katauskas
Mark Knight
John Shakespeare
Andrew Dyson
Simon Letch
Spooner
From the US
On “democracy sausages” –
I do not like sausages. I refuse to eat white bread. I do not eat margarine. I quite like tomato sauce but only if it does not contain sugar.
For all these reasons I refuse to eat so-called “democracy sausages” which now seem compulsory on voting day.
I decided it was easier to just stay away and vote by post.
I was thinking who of previous ALP leaders, if any, Albo resembles.
Shorten: no
Gillard: a gender problem for resemblance there
Rudd: clearly no
Beazley: no
Latham: wash my mouth out with soap
Crean: no
Keating: no, no
Hawke: no, no, no
Hayden: no, but getting closer
Whitlam: different style, different man
Caldwell: no
Evatt: no, no
Chifley: getting close
Curtain: very much so.
(And that’s the limit of my living memory.)
My memories only go back to Menzies. Albo is nothing like that wanna-be Pom. I was born a few months after Curtin died but I have read a lot about him and I agree with you. Albo has what it takes to get Australia through what looks like being a very tough few years.
Curtain !!! should be Curtin. (Bloody automatic spell-checker and lazy me)
This is the calibre of the leader of the country that Putin is trying in vain to invade!!!!!
Menzies was Prime Minister from when I was born till the year after I finished school.
Every school book during my school days only ever had one single PM of Australia mentioned.
Bloody Pig Iron Bob!!!!!
From 2010, school text books had to have new editions every year to list the current PM!!!!! LOL
I can remember a huge “Pig Iron Bob” painted on rocks somewhere near Como railway station. It was there all through my childhood and years at Teachers college. It was still there when I took my kids into the city on the train. It is probably still there, although it must have faded into near obscurity by now.
Menzies will always be “Pig Iron Bob” to me.
Next Friday
The Hon. Marise Payne MP & The Hon. Penny Wong MP, the Minister & Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, will address the National Press Club of Australia for the ‘2022 Foreign Affairs Debate’ in the lead up to the Federal Election.
Do you mean the 13th or the 20th?
13th
Beautiful weather here today. We both saw the doctor, not many in waiting room, very rare. Then I dropped scripts into chemist, flat out like lizards drinking. Decided to go vote. Sometimes very handy when someone is in a wheelchair, they were busy, got straight in. Now home recouping.
Seth Meyers –
Rachel Maddow –
Jimmy Kimmel –
Brian Tyler Cohen –
https://www.tallyroom.com.au/47751
Typical bananaby:
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
From my inbox for the Croods and trogs over this side –
Did you catch the news that Scott Morrison has once again joined forces with Clive Palmer?1
This time they’re helping each other win seats in Parliament by swapping preferences.2 The Liberals are giving Clive Senate preferences, and Clive has preferenced the Liberals above Labor in 30 out of 34 marginal seats.3
This deal could be the reason why Clive is re-elected to the Senate, or why Scott Morrison remains as Prime Minister. We could even see them team up and form a Coalition Government.
WA beat Clive and Scott when they got together to take us to the High Court — now we need to beat them at the ballot box.
What a way to turn voters off the Liberals!
https://theshot.net.au/general-news/australias-election-weak-in-weak-out/
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Chris Uhlmann steps up to defend the indefensible – the “debate” on Channel 9. Read it. I couldn’t!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/great-debate-lived-up-to-its-name-20220509-p5ajvc.html
Anthony Albanese has silenced claims he is avoiding Daniel Andrews on the hustings. The downside? Andrews showed him what political cut-through looks like, says Clay Lucas.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/andrews-outshines-albo-in-ultra-marginal-chisholm-20220510-p5ak3q.html
Paul Kelly begins this contribution with, “Governments cannot fix these issues. Leaders cannot deliver on pledges beyond their control. Australia is not a centralised economy. Prime ministers don’t determine the inflation rate; they don’t set real wages. There is a King Canute element to this campaign – as the king couldn’t stop the tide, neither can Morrison and Albanese stop price impacts no matter how many polls tell them this is the public’s central concern.”
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/policy-expires-on-road-to-election/news-story/5c7062aa30beba1e05f924bcccbabdb7
Michael Pascoe reckons the Liberal ‘moderates’ have already quit.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2022/05/11/michael-pascoe-liberal-moderates/
The AFR tells us that employers and economists are warning that Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s advocacy for pay rises greater than 5 per cent to keep pace with soaring cost of living will crush businesses, fuel inflation and put upward pressure on interest rates.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/employers-warn-labor-s-5pc-pay-rise-will-crush-business-20220510-p5ak66
Bob McMullan has been looking at all the available polling information, and, still scarred by what happened in 2019, he dares to predict a Labor win. He gives Poll Bludger a good wrap, too.
https://johnmenadue.com/probability-websites-are-picking-labor-to-win/
And the AFR’s editorial says that the Labor leader should send the wage issues to the jobs summit he plans to hold if he wins the May 21 election, in line with his vow to govern like Bob Hawke and reform like Paul Keating.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/anthony-albanese-s-jobs-summit-must-strike-a-new-wages-bargain-20220509-p5ajne
Peter Martin sys we should stand by for the oddly designed Stage 3 tax cut that will send middle earners backwards and give high earners thousands.
https://theconversation.com/stand-by-for-the-oddly-designed-stage-3-tax-cut-that-will-send-middle-earners-backwards-and-give-high-earners-thousands-182751
If Labor wins, it will confront the same dilemma as the Whitlam government, while a returned Coalition will need to repeat the 2014 austerity budget, writes Percy Allan.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/election-winner-faces-stagflation-mission-impossible-20220509-p5ajnf
We are all, on average, about 3% poorer every year under the Morrison Government. Dave Donovan debunks the “Coalition are better economic managers” theory.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/at-least-as-easy-with-albanese–and-nowhere-near-as-sleazy,16342
Both Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison landed themselves onto the sticky paper on Tuesday, as they trudged through this campaign’s penultimate week. The issues couldn’t have been more different. But each was an area of their respective vulnerabilities – economic numbers in Albanese’s case and social views in Morrison’s, writes Michelle Grattan.
https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-albanese-and-morrison-caught-on-fly-papers-of-wages-gender-182781
Anne Davies reports that a subterranean campaign on the Chinese language social media platform WeChat has ramped up in the final weeks of the 2022 federal election campaign, with material being shared in private groups that alleges Labor and the Greens will fund school programs to turn students gay, impose new taxes and destroy Chinese wealth. Where is the AEC?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/11/wechat-posts-warn-labor-plans-to-turn-children-gay-and-destroy-chinese-wealth
Shane Wright reports that truck drivers are warning households face paying $20 extra a week for grocery essentials because the federal Coalition has bungled a centrepiece of its budget cost-of-living measure to cut the cost of petrol.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/bungled-fuel-tax-change-could-hit-households-20-a-week-truckers-warn-20220510-p5ajzm.html
According to Paul Sakkal, Labor will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in a final fortnight advertising blitz portraying Prime Minister Scott Morrison as anti-Victorian – a move the party hopes will lead to the government losing four seats in the state.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/labor-ad-blitz-condemns-pm-as-anti-victorian-20220510-p5ak2f.html
Scott Morrison has again defended his controversial captain’s pick candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves after she doubled down on her description of gender reassignment surgery as “mutilation”, in contrast to her previous apologies. Michael Koziol leads us through Morrison’s verbal gymnastics on the issue.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-defends-deves-again-after-she-doubles-down-on-mutilation-comments-20220510-p5ajyi.html
If the last campaign targeted the quiet Australians, this time Morrison is appealing to the anxious ones, says Katherine Murphy after Morrison returning to the transgender issue.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/10/if-the-last-campaign-targeted-the-quiet-australians-this-time-morrison-is-appealing-to-the-anxious-ones
Tom Rabe and Matt O’Sullivan reveal that a congestion tax for Sydney’s CBD and distance-based road user charges will be considered by the NSW government under long-term plans to overhaul the state’s transport network amid escalating budgetary pressures.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/congestion-tax-in-the-mix-for-sydney-cbd-secret-document-reveals-20220510-p5ak19.html
Dana Daniel tells us that higher inflation is driving up the cost of delivering hospital care, threatening to blow out the budgets of state-run hospitals and increase insurance premiums.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/inflation-driving-up-hospital-costs-and-private-health-premiums-20220509-p5ajm9.html
Labor leader Anthony Albanese has sparked a political storm by backing an increase in the minimum wage of at least 5.1 per cent despite businesses claiming the higher costs would destroy jobs, widening an election row over economic planning.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-sparks-political-storm-by-backing-wage-rise-to-match-inflation-20220510-p5ak48.html
Low wages in a raft of female-dominated industries is one structural factor discouraging women from taking up more jobs, explains Matt Wade.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/election-offerings-to-boost-women-s-workforce-participation-fall-short-20220510-p5ak4l.html
Operating hours will be lengthened at eight schools across the state in a NSW government trial to modernise the school day to better suit parents and students. The participating schools would partner with community organisations, local businesses and sporting clubs to offer activities for children at school outside 9am and 3pm, but it would not involve a change in teaching hours, reports Daniella White.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/eight-nsw-schools-to-trial-extended-operating-hours-20220510-p5ak47.html
Lisa Visentin writes that the country’s top lawyers have condemned Scott Morrison’s attack on the NSW corruption watchdog as “neither correct nor constructive” after the prime minister doubled down on his criticism of the body and took a swipe at the legal community.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/pm-s-corruption-watchdog-claims-not-correct-nor-constructive-barristers-20220510-p5ak2v.html
Meanwhile, Dominic Perrottet has agreed to ongoing increased funding for the state’s anti-corruption commission, putting him further at odds with the Prime Minister’s staunch opposition to the state agency.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/perrottet-makes-sweeping-changes-to-boost-icac-funding-20220510-p5ak5a.html
Doug Dingwall writes that Scott Morrison’s anti-ICAC argument ignores vast sums of federal spending – and the risk of corruption.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7732583/morrisons-anti-icac-argument-glosses-over-federal-spending/?cs=14329
Sumeyya Ilanbey tells us that a former NSW and Commonwealth ombudsman has been handed the task of investigating whether successive Victorian governments have undermined and politicised the state’s public service.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/former-nsw-ombudsman-to-probe-politicisation-of-victorian-bureaucrats-20220510-p5ak31.html
The AFR tells us how soaring gas prices are pushing manufacturers to the brink.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/manufacturing-threat-as-gas-prices-spike-20220510-p5ajxs
ABC veterans Kerry O’Brien and Philip Williams have thrown their weight behind a campaign to encourage people to vote for political candidates who support a well-funded ABC, reports Amanda Meade.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/11/abc-veterans-call-on-voters-to-back-election-candidates-who-support-the-public-broadcaster
The covering up of corruption and scandals by the mainstream media is highlighting the importance of independent journalism more than ever, writes Paul Begley.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/self-censorship-of-mainstream-media-underlines-need-for-truth,16343
Revisiting a post from 2017, John Menadue says that the Murdoch media has gone rogue again in the 2022 election.
https://johnmenadue.com/take-on-news-corp-at-your-peril-how-a-rogue-organisation-operates-repost-from-27-oct-2017/
John Lord begins his latest election contribution with, “And so, the second leader’s debate on 9News has come and gone. At times it was unedifying and robustly undignified. It lacked moderation and structure and demonstrated how much of a bully our Prime Minister is. And I might add how amateurish commercial TV can be. Sure, both combatants gave as much as they got, but the continual interruptions of Albanese’s answers by the panel and the Prime Minister became tedious. It mostly led to the responses of both being indecipherable at times.”
https://theaimn.com/lets-hope-the-polls-are-right-this-time/
Abul Rizvi tells us what he would do if he were to be the Minister for Immigration policy in the next parliament
https://johnmenadue.com/immigration-policy-for-the-next-parliament/
And it’s defamation time again! Georgina Mitchell reports that a barrister representing the ABC and the SMH has told a trial actor Craig McLachlan sexually harassed and indecently assaulted 11 women over the course of his career, during stage productions and television shows including The Rocky Horror Show and Neighbours.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/craig-mclachlan-sexually-harassed-11-women-defamation-trial-told-20220510-p5ak03.html
At the other defamation trial, an SAS soldier has backed Ben Roberts-Smith’s version of an Afghan man’s death during an SAS mission in Darwan in 2012, telling the federal court that a man shot dead during the operation was an insurgent spotter who was a threat to Australian troops and legitimately killed.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/10/sas-soldier-tells-ben-roberts-smith-defamation-trial-afghan-killed-in-darwan-was-an-insurgent-spotter
Australia relies on overseas-trained medical experts yet consigns them to professional purgatory, complains oncologist, Ranjana Srivastava.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/10/australia-relies-on-overseas-trained-medical-experts-yet-consigns-them-to-professional-purgatory
Tim Woodruff looks at the dream and the reality of our health system.
https://johnmenadue.com/our-health-system-the-dream-and-the-reality/
The tech billionaire may manage to torpedo AGL’s demerger, but he doesn’t have the firepower to derail its board nor its strategy, opines Elizabeth Knight.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/cannon-brookes-missing-agl-ingredient-what-happens-if-he-wins-20220510-p5ak2e.html
At the inquiry, Star Entertainment director Ben Heap has conceded before an inquiry that he should have asked more questions when former CEO Matt Bekier played down “problems” in an exclusive gambling salon reserved for high roller junket operator Suncity. The witnesses have not been covering themselves in glory.
https://www.afr.com/companies/games-and-wagering/star-director-admits-he-should-have-asked-more-questions-inquiry-20220510-p5ak2k
NSW Labor senator Deb O’Neill has proven herself to be a trailblazing force for the nation’s car dealerships, especially those currently at war with German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz over a shift in its sales model that could threaten their livelihood.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/business/margin-call/senator-deb-oneil-in-drivers-seat-for-mercedesbenz-dealers/news-story/2de97727e8753ab51aebf1a6e72c46cc
John Collett explains why falling property prices are actually bad news for first home buyers.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/why-falling-property-prices-are-actually-bad-news-for-first-home-buyers-20220505-p5ait0.html
Victorian Liberal MP Bernie Finn continues to show his colours by repeating his view that survivors of rape should not be allowed to have abortions, saying “everybody should be given a chance” to live.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/liberal-mp-doubles-down-on-comments-that-raped-women-should-be-denied-abortions-20220510-p5ak0i.html
The destruction of Ukraine’s farm belt is worse than feared, with half of this year’s crop lost to the world. With another La Niña looming, the next six weeks will be critical for the world’s food supply, explains Ambrose Evans-Pritchard who does not paint a pretty picture.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/leaders-are-getting-scared-putin-s-war-and-la-ni-a-could-set-off-global-food-emergency-20220509-p5ajm0.html
Anthony Galloway tells us that the head of the nation’s overseas spy agency has suggested an increasing number of disaffected Chinese officials are feeding information to Australian intelligence officers and raised the alarm about the pressures on Solomon Islands.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/asis-chief-hints-chinese-officials-are-passing-information-to-australia-20220510-p5ajwo.html
Stephen Bartholomeusz tells us that China has driven another fresh wave of selling in global financial markets with the release of worrying data driven by its zero-COVID strategy.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/markets-are-reeling-china-just-made-things-worse-20220510-p5ajxk.html
There is a new Marcos in Manila, and he wants a maritime deal with China, writes Chris Barrett.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/there-is-a-new-marcos-in-manila-and-he-wants-a-maritime-deal-with-china-20220510-p5ajzu.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Matt Golding
Cathy Wilcox
Mrk David
John Shakespeare
Simon Letch
Harry Bruce
Peter Broelman
Mark Knight
Spooner
From the US
The Cave’s resident media owning “demented plutocrat” has gone the full scare. The deadwood front page of The Worst Australian newspaper screams in a headline covering 50%+ of the front page
STAR LABOR
CANDIDATE
LINKED TO
CARBON TAX
The link ? 😆 They were a volunteer for a group that, among other things, reckons we should put a price on carbon.
All in all a Rupert level effort .
The front page reeked of Coalition supporter Stokes’ new after shave L’eau du Désespoir
The Worst Australian newspaper’s deadwood front page in all its glory.
.
Some 🙂 news for those who have been vaccinated not once not twice not thrice but four times…………..
Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237475-covid-19-news-fourth-vaccine-may-offer-substantial-antibody-boost/#ixzz7SwQ8GUlH
I hope to have my 4th dose soon – it’s due on 1 June. Must remember to book it
Definitely pencil in the date. It does look great news for ‘fourth timers’ . I’m just hoping some of my cold/flu virus relative imperiousness (3 colds in 40 years, 2 v. mild , 1 bad in about ’84 🙂 ) helps when it comes to dealing with The Plague.
Kaffeeklatscher,
AZ (obviously) for jabs #1 and #2.
Pfizer #3.
Moderna #4 – and that’s the only one where I had a very slight reaction: a sore arm and a slight headache that interfered with my sleep.
OH had the same regimen as moi’s #1 – #3. No idea what his #4 was, but it was administered at the same time as his Fluvax, so he MIGHT be able to complain. Not that I listen to complaints …
friendlyjordies –
Michael West –
Brian Tyler Cohen –
JImmy Kimmel –
Quite a grrrrr listening to a news item on RN. It was woe, woe is us about some skill shortages, in this case GPs. The problem ? Red tape slowing down the ‘importation’ of Doctors. Not a sausage about such shortages must surely point to a long term bigly FAIL on the part of the government to not be training enough Doctors.
kaffeeklatscher, re colds, I count myself lucky that I haven’t had a cold for at least 70 years. It’s possible I could have before I was about 7 and not known about it, but certainly not since then. Although I’m in the age bracket where it’s more likely, I’ve never had flu of any sort either and last year was the first time I had an anti-flu injection.
It would be interesting to know why some of us seem to escape these common ailments.
I put it down to my being born on a dairy farm and the early years of ‘immunity training’ aka copious contact with cow shit and dirt 😆 They’ve found Danish kids raised on Dairy farms very rarely get asthma so all there may be something in such training.
It was a bugger at boarding school though. Whenever a lurgi went through people hoped to get it because it meant a few days being spoiled in the school infirmary by the matron, ‘real food’ instead of the usual 😆 . Five years and I missed out on every outbreak, curse my dairy farm training 🙂
Helen,
I suspect Kaffeeklatscher’s suggestion of immunity training is accurate, especially the late 1950s-1960s obsession with cleanliness at all costs.
Given that I started preschool at the age of 9 months in early 1956 (yes, I’d already received my triple antigen, and the only reason I started so young was that the ACT were so desperate to get (shock-horror) MARRIED women back into the pre-school workforce asap) it was only at the grand old age of 8 years that I succumbed to tonsillitis, 9 – Rubella, and all of 10 for ordinary measles.
Like my mum, I didn’t get chickenpox until I was a young adult: she, in spite of spending 5 years at boarding school and then teaching at that same school a few years later, didn’t get varicella until she was 21. Symptom: ONE pock on her tummy. Result: 2 weeks off work. I contracted varicella after OH came down with shingles in 1979 – just after I’d bought my first house. A fortnight off work for him, and ditto for me when I exhibited TWO pocks on my torso.
DD caught it much earlier, when she was 4, but it was an extremely mild case. Maybe that had something to do with strong genes on the maternal side, and/or maybe it was that day when I discovered her with half an eaten raw snail in her grubby little fist …
Well McGowan took that well 😆
https://www.watoday.com.au/national/election-2022-live-updates-anthony-albanese-comes-under-fire-for-saying-he-supports-5-1-per-cent-wage-hike-campaigns-continue-across-the-nation-20220510-p5ak4m.html
”
Do we need ANY MORE PROOF this government is a custard filled vat of incompetent angry sharks? WE DO NOT!”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/11/so-many-unreleased-secret-government-reports-how-much-worse-could-everything-be
“national Scottastrophe” 😀
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/federal-election/election-2022-labor-set-for-convincing-victory-as-11-mps-in-danger-of-losing-seats/news-story/1ba669c61ff69e0e9d656cc79cc63ae2
Election 2022: Labor set for convincing victory as 11 MPs in danger of losing seats
Labor is set for a convincing victory at the federal election, with exclusive nationwide polling revealing 11 big-name MPs are in danger of losing their seats and six electorates are too close to call.
Tom Minear National Political Editor
May 11, 2022 – 7:56PM
Labor is in the box seat for a convincing election victory, with a major nationwide poll predicting the opposition will claim nine seats off the government.
And while Scott Morrison is fighting a rearguard action to win back outer suburban Labor electorates, including in Melbourne and Sydney, the YouGov research suggests the Coalition will fail to take any seats from the opposition.
The polling, commissioned by News Corp, finds the most likely outcome on May 21 is Anthony Albanese winning 80 seats – more than the 76 required for an outright victory – with the Prime Minister stuck on 63 seats.
The lower margin of error still gives the Labor leader the 76 seats he needs, while the upper margin of error hands him 85. The best-case scenario for the Coalition leaves them well short on 68 seats.
YouGov forecasts Victoria will be central to the government’s downfall, with the Coalition losing four seats: Chisholm and Higgins to Labor, as well as Kooyong and Goldstein to teal independents.
Labor is also expected to pick up Bass in Tasmania, Brisbane in Queensland, Pearce and Swan in Western Australia, and Reid and Robertson in New South Wales.
Retiring Liberal MP Nicolle Flint’s blue-ribbon Boothby seat in South Australia is also tipped to fall to Labor.
Of six seats deemed too close to call, with the two-party preferred vote locked at 50-50, five more are held by the Coalition.
These are Bennelong and Lindsay in NSW, Longman and Ryan in Queensland, and Sturt in South Australia. The Labor-held Victorian seat of Corangamite is also all tied up.
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In Victoria, Labor is holding safe leads in the urban fringe seats of Dunkley and McEwen of 54-46 per cent and 55-45 per cent respectively. This mirrors internal opposition research, despite a co-ordinated Liberal effort in those electorates.
The government is expected to hold Nicholls, the regional seat covering Shepparton, with independent challenger Rob Priestly’s primary vote on 19 per cent.
In Gilmore, the NSW seat considered the most likely for Labor to lose, the two major parties are tied on a primary vote of 39 per cent. YouGov expects this would give the opposition a 53-47 per cent advantage to hold on to the electorate.
Labor is also predicted to retain Hunter, with its primary on 42 per cent and the Coalition lagging behind on 16 per cent, while 22 per cent of voters back Pauline Hanson’s One Nation or Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party.
The Palmer vote is only tipped to hit 10 per cent in one electorate – Calwell in Melbourne’s north – while One Nation has stronger support, particularly in Queensland.