Elections in France and the UK

Kirsdarke election night, Political Observation, , , , ,

This is going to be a big week in international politics, because both France and the UK will be holding legislative elections.

In France, it will be held over 2 rounds on 30 June and 7 July via a runoff system. Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron’s Centrist Party is expected to suffer major losses to Marine Le Pen’s Populist Right party, with the French Socialist Left and Greens forming an alliance to contest this. Since the final results of Round 2 will be determined on what happens on Round 1, it’s difficult to predict what will happen. All that’s known is that there are 577 seats in the French Legislative Assembly, so a majority of 289 is needed. Currently, no parties seem to be able to secure that.

In the UK, there is a General Election due on 4 July (next Thursday), where the all-important BBC Exit Poll is due to be released on 10pm UK time, or 7am Friday Australian Eastern Time. But polls currently predict a massive majority to Keir Starmer’s Labour Party of 400+ seats with around 40% of the vote, what with the right wing vote split between incumbent Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party and Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, both of them at around 15-20% of the vote, and with the UK’s First-Past-The-Post voting system, there are no preferences as there is in Australia, simply the candidate with the most votes wins each of the 650 seats.

As a result, Labour is expected to easily win in a record landslide, according to the current polls. We’ll know by Friday.

EDIT: Now that both elections have been resolved, I thought it best to update the image on what the results were.

(Screenshot taken from CNN’s coverage)

Also results of the French election can be found here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_French_legislative_election#National_results

In a surprising result, Marine Le Pen’s far right National Front came 3rd, with the Socialist Left-Greens Alliance and Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ensemble party utilising tactical voting very effectively to keep her lot out as best they could.

1,088 thoughts on “Elections in France and the UK”

  1. Re Kier Starmer. The Vince Hooper article prompted me to post this article I saw yesterday. I’ve seen this language several times before and the result is always the same. A transference of public wealth into private hands and at ‘bargain basement’ prices. Good times for the chaps in The City, not so good for the ‘peasantry’. Not that I am at all surprised.

    Starmer vows bonfire of red tape.

    The prime minister is pledging to “rip out the bureaucracy that blocks investment” and ensure regulators prioritise economic growth in their decision-making………………as he gathers global chief executives at an investment summit in the City of London on Monday.

    Sir Keir will be joined at the historic Guildhall in the City of London by chief executives from Blackrock, GSK…………….. 

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/starmer-investment-summit-labour-growth-b2628495.html

  7. Good morning Dawn Patrollers

    Central banks have created their own measures of inflation. But new research shows their metrics are missing the real price increases experienced by ordinary shoppers, argues Shane Wright.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/an-rba-focused-on-real-cost-of-living-pressures-that-s-bananas-20241015-p5kiiq.html

    Nick McKenzie and Michael Bachelard report that Controversial Australian government contractor Paladin is suspected of abusing taxpayer funds to bribe then-Papua New Guinea police minister Jelta Wong to enable the firm to run the federal government’s offshore detention regime. The suspicions are detailed in police documents sighted by the SMH and come after federal agents seized the phone of a suspected Paladin middleman after he flew into Australia. It always had a smell about it!

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/police-probe-png-minister-in-3-million-detention-bribe-investigation-20241014-p5ki4f.html

    Last week, Australia’s powerful federal corruption watchdog released a report clearing a controversial federal government offshore processing contractor of wrongdoing. But, writes Nick McKenzie, like many things in the secretive and shadowy world of corruption probes, the National Anti-Corruption Commission report into Paladin didn’t tell the whole story. He says the AFP is now running a full-blown probe into Paladin and Thrupp, but given the police and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions’ poor track record in prosecuting foreign bribery, the public are right to be sceptical about whether any prosecution will emerge.

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/time-for-corruption-watchdog-to-prove-its-worth-to-the-public-20241014-p5ki50.html

    The intrigue over Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s $4.3 million coastal home joint purchase with his fiancée confirms that tall poppy syndrome is alive in Australia, writes John Kehoe who says, “Financial success of public leaders is celebrated in the United States. But in Australia, it is political poison.”

    https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/albanese-s-4-3m-home-controversy-is-pure-tall-poppy-syndrome-20241015-p5kif7

    Australians have strongly backed court action against Coles and Woolworths over supermarket pricing, while 50 per cent support a tougher crackdown under a Coalition policy that could force them to sell their stores. David Crowe refers to a new survey which shows that 85 per cent of voters support the competition regulator in its legal bid to punish the two big retailers for their “prices dropped” and “Down Down” promotions, although they don’t believe they have misled shoppers with false discounts. Populism strikes again!

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/voters-warm-to-coalition-plan-to-hit-coles-woolies-20241015-p5kibc.html

    Shane Wright and Lachlan Abbott write that high housing costs and the expense of bringing up children have been blamed for a collapse in the number of babies born across Australia as the nation’s fertility rate tumbled to its lowest level since the early days of European settlement.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/house-prices-blamed-for-australia-s-lowest-birth-rate-on-record-20241016-p5kio9.html

    The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has underlined the growing toll cost-of-living pressures have taken on borrowers, citing 132,000 support packages offered to customers in the last year amid “very challenging” conditions for households. At CBA’s annual shareholder meeting in Adelaide yesterday, the country’s biggest bank pointed to the uptick in customer hardship across the banking industry, with Australians squeezed by high interest rates and inflation.

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/cba-flags-very-challenging-conditions-for-households-as-high-rates-bite-20241016-p5kir8.html

    In defeating the PM’s voice, everyday Australians actually found theirs; the ‘silent majority’ was silent no more. Perhaps that’s why Albanese is so eager to silence everything on social media that Big Tech thinks his government wouldn’t like, whines Peta Credlin who says that if the misinformation bill passes, we should say goodbye to the right of dissent.

    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/if-misinformation-bill-passes-say-goodbye-to-right-of-dissent/news-story/7e100f6c3b287541e5ab36f748761099?amp

    Greg Jericho proposes a way to fix Australia’s skills shortage – and raise wages at the same time. He loads us up with lots of telling active charts.

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2024/oct/17/australia-economy-cost-of-living-wages-growth-unemployment-stats

    For a bill that was left languishing in NSW parliament for more than a year, Alexandra Smith says it moved with incredible pace once an Olympic swimming great, a bishop, sex workers and a grieving mother became involved directly with the premier.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/thorpey-a-bishop-sex-workers-and-a-grieving-mum-walk-into-the-premier-s-office-it-s-no-joke-20241016-p5kiq4.html

    Police have warned the CFMEU administrator of an imminent death threat, as the labour movement ruptures over the federal government’s efforts to stamp out criminality in the building industry. According to Nick McKenzie and Kieran Rooney, administrator Mark Irving, KC, has been warned by police that they have uncovered credible intelligence of a threat designed to undermine his efforts to clean up the union and industry.

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/rebel-unions-threaten-millions-of-dollars-in-labor-funding-and-consider-a-rival-to-actu-20241016-p5kivv.html

    Legislation to force women seeking a later termination to be induced, deliver the baby alive, and keep it or adopt it out, was defeated overnight by ten votes to nine in the South Australia upper house which has become increasingly infected and over-represented by religious nutters.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/16/south-australias-upper-house-narrowly-rejects-trumpian-bill-to-wind-back-abortion-care

    Controversial late-term abortion reforms have been defeated in a dramatic vote that forced a MP on long-term sick leave to make a mad dash to Parliament House. A scathing Michelle Lensink, who is currently battling breast cancer, said she was misled by parliamentary colleagues with an attempt made to use her absence to pass the bill. Liberal MLC Jing Lee suddenly pulled out of a pairing arrangement with Lensink. Lovely!

    https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/controversial-abortion-reform-legislation-expected-to-be-voted-down-by-the-upper-house-on-wednesday-night/news-story/ed8e97d2adf4e2144cd71499b9f6e799?amp

    Right-wing parties in the upcoming Queensland State Election are campaigning on divisive issues, including the gaoling of Indigenous children. Dr Lee Duffield writes.

    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/queensland-conservatives-divide-state-with-law-and-order-campaigns,19078

    Melissa Davey takes us inside the bizarre recruitment tactics of the Shincheonji ‘doomsday’ church. They target young, impressionable people in cafes, on dating apps and on university campuses.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/17/how-the-shincheonji-doomsday-church-targets-and-recruits-people-in-australia-ntwnfb

    Jim Malo tells us that banks would need to check if would-be landlords could afford to maintain their properties or bring them up to minimum standards under a new plan, which aims to improve housing affordability and living conditions for renters. The Consumer Policy Research Centre made the recommendation to the senate inquiry into the financial regulatory framework and home ownership, which was set up to examine whether rules around lending were helping Australians buy their own homes.

    https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/banks-to-check-if-landlords-can-afford-maintenance-under-new-proposal-20241016-p5kiqq.html

    Victoria should introduce consistent zoning laws across the state to boost housing stock and stabilise property prices, the Business Council of Australia says. Annika Smethurst writes that today the nation’s big business lobby group will release a housing report that will also recommend extensive rezoning across Melbourne and major regional towns to encourage more medium- and high-density housing to be built near infrastructure and services.

    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/upzoning-melbourne-needed-to-fix-housing-crisis-big-business-says-20241016-p5kir7.html

    A campaign to raise awareness of aged care star ratings is wasting public money, argues Charles Maskell-Knight.

    https://johnmenadue.com/a-campaign-to-raise-awareness-of-aged-care-star-ratings-is-wasting-public-money/

    The recent acquisition by Vocus of TPG’s fibre network infrastructure, along with a substantial submarine cable portfolio, represents a significant shift in Australia’s telecommunications landscape. Baul Budde explains that this move aligns with a global trend in the telecom industry: a transition from traditional vertically integrated models toward specialised, consolidated infrastructure ownership, often overseen by investment-focused entities.

    https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/vocus-tpg-deal-reshaping-australias-digital-infrastructure,19076

    The battle between the Rebel Sport owner and two former employees could become explosive – and very expensive, explains Elizabeth Knight as the corporate cavalry has arrived to investigate the innards of what is going on at one of the sharemarket’s best-performing retail companies.

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/as-asic-joins-fray-can-corporate-watchdog-sort-the-super-retail-mess-20241016-p5kiqw.html

    Josh Butler wonders if the visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla could be just what Australia’s republican movement needs.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/16/could-the-visit-of-king-charles-and-queen-camilla-be-just-what-australias-republican-movement-needs

    Charles III will be the first king of Australia to visit our shores. He could also be the last, suggests Professor Jess Carniel.

    https://theconversation.com/charles-iii-will-be-the-first-king-of-australia-to-visit-our-shores-he-could-also-be-the-last-241345

    Energy giant Woodside says setting up floating gas-import terminals in south-eastern Australia may be the only option left to prevent a domestic gas crisis this decade as old production fields in Bass Strait rapidly dry up with scant new supplies to replace them, reports Nick Toscano. How we got here defies logic!

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/gas-imports-might-be-eastern-australia-s-only-choice-says-woodside-20241016-p5kisx.html

    Consumers are shining a light on sneaky or potentially misleading sales tactics in a new way by giving big businesses a blast via social media, explains Kayla Olaya.

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/the-new-breed-of-social-media-sleuths-bypassing-the-regulators-20241014-p5ki31.html

    The arson attacks on the Bondi home of YouTuber FriendlyJordies bear all the hallmarks of underworld attacks, court documents released to the SMH reveal. Perry Duffin writes that a police case file, released by the NSW Supreme Court yesterday spells out the underworld plot against the acerbic political commentator, Jordan Shanks, by an alleged Mongols prospect and an associate of the Alameddine crime family.

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/inside-the-organised-crime-arson-attacks-on-friendlyjordies-bondi-home-20241016-p5kiq7.html

    3D-printed and privately made guns are becoming the weapon of choice for criminals with some weapons now able to fire dozens of rounds within a few seconds, reports Melissa Cunningham.

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/police-fear-explosion-in-home-made-guns-poses-huge-threat-to-public-safety-20241016-p5kinz.html

    Mastercard and Visa have threatened to stop providing refunds to defrauded customers in a pre-emptive attack on the Reserve Bank of Australia as it considers restricting the fees the credit card giants can charge. James Eyers writes that Labor has put the issue of payment fees on the agenda after pledging to ban retailers charging their customers for using their debit cards from the end of next year. At the same time, the RBA said it was considering restricting how much companies like Mastercard and Visa could charge retailers.

    https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/mastercard-visa-make-pre-emptive-attack-on-rba-card-fee-restrictions-20241016-p5kin0

    The ACT’s prison is run by a clique, with detainee bashings covered up, staff bullied into silence and the library better labelled “a supermarket” where any drug desired was freely available, reports Andrew Fraser.

    https://johnmenadue.com/absence-of-care-amc-prison-a-drug-supermarket-force-applied-with-regularity-report-staff/

    Few companies confronting Boeing’s challenges would be able to contemplate raising more than $50 billion. But Boeing is not a normal company., explains Stephen Bartholomeusz.

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/boeing-is-bleeding-billions-but-it-is-too-big-to-fail-20241016-p5kinv.html

    British MPs have voted to approve in principle a bill to strip hereditary aristocrats of the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords after more than 700 years. The Labour Party government says the decision will complete a long-stalled reform of parliament’s upper chamber and remove an “outdated and indefensible” relic.

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/we-were-first-cousins-of-henry-viii-british-mps-vote-to-abolish-hereditary-rights-in-the-lords-20241016-p5kiro.html

    The Israeli government’s frequent claim that it carries out targeted bombing of Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists is stretching credibility, with pointless civilian casualties and attacks on UN peacekeepers suggesting an urgent need to recalibrate its approach, declares the SMH editorial which says Netanyahu’s standing is being damaged by these events.

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/netanyahu-damaged-by-airstrikes-on-civilians-and-peacekeepers-20241016-p5kip1.html

    An American law professor who said October 7 is a day of “considerable celebration” at a pro-Palestinian rally on the eve of the anniversary of the terrorist attack on Israel has had his visa revoked by the government. Arizona State university associate professor Khaled Beydoun was reportedly sent home after being told his visa was going to be cancelled by the Department of Home Affairs. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has since officially revoked Beydoun’s visa.

    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/high-profile-propalestinian-activist-khaled-beydoun-kicked-out-of-australia/news-story/e02e636b8fe4d25ff1641912af453723?amp

    The Economist tells us that several countries are saying Vladimir Putin’s spies are plotting global chaos. Sir Richard Moore, the head of MI6, Britain’s foreign-intelligence agency, puts it bluntly: “Russian intelligence services have gone a bit feral, frankly.”

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/vladimir-putin-s-spies-are-plotting-global-chaos-20241014-p5ki4l.html

    Australia will donate 49 tanks to Ukraine to help its army fight a renewed assault from Russian forces amid fears the growing attacks are putting nuclear power stations at risk. David Crowe reports that the donation, worth $245 million, will give Ukraine more M1 Abrams tanks to add to those it received from the United States and other countries, after months of requests for more Australian help.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-gives-retiring-tanks-to-ukraine-for-war-efforts-20241016-p5kivb.html

    Elon Musk has donated $105 million to re-elect Donald Trump          .

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/elon-musk-donates-105-million-to-re-elect-donald-trump-20241017-p5kiyi.html

    Cartoon Corner

    David Rowe

    https://static.ffx.io/images/w_960/cce9d74131c978c5cd4c987ca7e425ab452850f5#image.jpg

    https://static.ffx.io/images/w_960/17ac848880760200319419ebf60ac378064fd18e#image.jpg

    Matt Golding

    Cathy Wilcox

    Glen Le Lievre

    Peter Broelman

    Spooner

    https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/2c46e46028ae94ff7988498d0e978abb?width=1024#image.jpg

    From the US

    • This sounded familiar. It reminded me of some of the snippets that would occasionally pop up in teh press re a certain former Treasurer . He’d have fit right in at Nein

      The findings paint a picture of an organisation …………….where decisions are based on personal gain or preference, and where an individual’s role or status can be used to bully, harass or punch down…………public white-anting and the abuse of power were commonplace …………… and leaders lacked accountability and often made decisions based on status, relationships or their own self-interest.

      A bit of a lol though as to what finally brought him down. The silly billy vented his frustration on one of Rupert’s minions. What Sauron giveth, Sauron can taketh away.

      Nine board chairman Peter Costello resigns after reportedly assaulting a journalist

      Footage posted on The Australian’s website…………………………….

      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-09/nine-board-chairman-peter-costello-resigns/103957314

  12. Good morning Dawn Patrollers

    David Crowe reckons Albanese has fumbled and will pay for the mistake, although the price will not be known until election day. He says his purchase of the clifftop house has taken all the light away from the government’s laudable actions to reduce cost-of-living expenses.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-is-striking-a-blow-for-the-battlers-but-has-he-blown-it-20241016-p5kix1.html

    Inspired by 2022’s “teal wave”, community independent campaigns are afoot in previously safe conservative seats across the country. But will the movement gather momentum in a very different election cycle? Brook Turner says the question in the wake of 2022’s teal wave was whether it reflected a movement or a moment.

    https://www.theage.com.au/national/teals-2-0-people-are-dying-to-express-their-dislike-for-the-majors-20241002-p5kf8v.html

    Paddy Gourley thinks could Albanese do better with less help.

    https://johnmenadue.com/could-albanese-do-better-with-less-help/

    Waleed Aly is not at all confident that Australia is immune to America’s misinformation crisis. A very good essay, this one.

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/is-australia-immune-to-america-s-misinformation-crisis-i-m-not-confident-20241017-p5kj23.html

    Late terminations, which have captured the imagination of conservative campaigners, are propelling a renewed battle over abortion rights, writes Natassia Chrysanthos who wonders why Australia is debating it at all. He says that while data suggests youth crime rates are at near-record lows, an examination of the LNP’s rhetoric and campaigning tactics shows how the opposition has pushed the notion of a “youth crime crisis”, then pitched itself as a hardline solution.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-is-australia-debating-late-term-abortions-20241017-p5kj34.html

    Craig Hill writes that Peter Dutton’s rhetoric and policies incite hate and division, are having an adverse effect on social cohesion in Australia — referring to the ability of a society to maintain harmony, trust and cooperation among diverse groups. Hill outlines several ways in which Dutton’s actions affect social cohesion.

    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/duttons-divisive-agenda-a-threat-to-social-cohesion,19081

    While data suggests youth crime rates are at near-record lows, it’s become a totemic issue in the Queensland election campaign and that has Indigenous academics worried, writes Ben Smee

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/18/queensland-election-youth-crime-crisafulli-steven-miles-ntwnfb

    The Queensland state election next week is looking like a bad choice of movies or between which way to return to the past, says Paul Syvret.

    https://michaelwest.com.au/queensland-election-back-to-the-future-or-return-of-the-living-dead/

    Australia has one of the strongest jobs markets in the developed world after employment growth hit a 16-month high and the rate of workforce participation reached a record, cementing expectations that interest rates will stay high for the rest of the year, writes the AFR’s Michael Read.

    https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/interest-rates-to-stay-high-as-employment-surges-64k-20241017-p5kj0d

    How the Australian monetary system prioritizes corporations and political elites over citizens, opines Denis Hay who suggests how to reform this for a fairer society.

    https://theaimn.com/how-australian-monetary-system-favours-the-powerful/

    More than a quarter of a million renters could own their own homes if Labor revived dumped plans to wind back generous tax breaks for residential property investors, new analysis shows. A Parliamentary Library analysis of NSW Treasury modelling and census data, commissioned by Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather, found home ownership would rise by 4.7%, or 292,902 more owner-occupier houses, if negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts were wound back. (It always amuses me to see predictions like “292,902” exhibiting what is known as “unauthorised precision”.)

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/17/negative-gearing-reform-could-help-292000-australian-renters-become-owners-greens-claim

    The Albanese government is ruling out revisiting negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions in response to political concerns about the prime minister buying a $4.3m waterfront home, despite backbench murmurs that they should be reconsidered. Karen Middleton tells us that yesterday the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, confirmed that public debate about Anthony Albanese’s purchase of the clifftop property at Copacabana, on the NSW Central Coast, had not influenced the government’s position.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/17/labor-negative-gearing-law-changes-ruled-out-albanese-copacabana-home

    Labor’s decision to put the construction union into administration has triggered a revolt within a significant part of the union movement, says Paul Sakkal and Kiern Rooney. They tell us that union giant Bill Kelty has made an impassioned plea for Labor and union leaders to stave off a damaging and historic split, as blue-collar unions prepare to spend millions to hamper the Albanese government’s re-election campaign in marginal seats across Australia.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/setka-stack-fears-as-greens-stand-to-win-big-from-labor-union-split-20241017-p5kj50.html

    Calum Jaspan and Jordan Baker outline the shameful findings of the external examination Nine Entertainment’s culture.

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/punishment-island-nine-s-culture-of-shaming-ghosting-and-belittling-revealed-20241017-p5kj26.html

    Here is Elizabeth Knight’s take on the report which she says lays Nine’s entrails bare.

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/it-s-dirty-washing-day-nine-s-cultural-entrails-laid-bare-20241017-p5kj22.html

    Amanda Meade points out that Nine’s ‘Punishment Island’ work culture has had a painful human cost.

    https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/oct/17/nine-workplace-culture-independent-report-ntwnfb

    Some are saying what happens in a private setting is no business of the AFL. But the Giants players who dressed up as “controversial couples” deserve to be punished who says that joking about sexual assault is never OK.

    https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/moral-police-too-sensitive-sorry-but-jokes-about-sexual-assault-are-never-ok-20241017-p5kj4v.html

    News Corp has raised concerns the federal government’s misinformation and disinformation bill could inadvertently capture its news sites due to its comments section, despite the legislation exempting news organisations. The misinformation and disinformation bill introduced into parliament last month extended the existing industry code on misinformation by giving the Australian Communications and Media Authority powers to create an enforceable industry code, if industry self-regulation fails to address the threat. Josh Taylor writes that the law would apply to material that is “reasonably verifiable as false, misleading or deceptive and reasonably likely to cause or contribute to serious harm”. That includes harm to individuals, such as vilification, or public health and order.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/17/news-corp-government-misinformation-bill-news-organisations

    Anti-dumping authorities are investigating whether canned tomatoes exported from Italy and sold as Coles and Woolworths home brand products are being dumped at cheap prices to damage local growers, reports Simon Evans. Both supermarket chains are selling 400-gram tins of diced Italian tomatoes for $1.10 under their own labels. Ardmona, the brand made by major local fruit processor SPC, is sold at $2.10 for a 400-gram tin of diced tomatoes that are grown and packaged in Australia.

    https://www.afr.com/companies/agriculture/trade-officials-launch-anti-dumping-probe-into-cheap-tomato-imports-20241016-p5kiwk

    Star Entertainment has been hit with $15 million in fines by the NSW casino regulator and its licence suspension has been extended until early 2025. Max Maddison reports that the financially distressed Sydney casino will continue to be overseen by a government-appointed manager. NSW Independent Casino Commission chief commissioner Philip Crawford said the recent inquiry by Adam Bell, SC, had uncovered continuing compliance failures.

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/embattled-star-keeps-sydney-casino-licence-cops-hefty-fine-20241017-p5kj2d.html

    The teachers’ union is pushing the state government to trial a four-day working week for teachers and other staff at public schools, as part of a wider plan to tackle Victoria’s chronic school workforce shortage. Noel Towell writes that the Australian Education Union has endorsed sweeping classroom reforms developed by a team of Monash University academics, who surveyed more than 8000 public school teachers, principals and support staff.

    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/teachers-push-for-four-day-work-week-20241016-p5kio2.html

    Premier Chris Minns’ cheer squad support for the brutal sport of cage fighting may be setting his government up for a world of pain with many women, declares the SMH editorial.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/cage-fighting-s-glorification-of-violence-should-not-be-taxpayer-funded-20241017-p5kj3e.html

    The Lebanese Muslim Association, which the Coalition blasted for taking part in a rally on October 7, has accused the opposition of failing to show ‘empathy’ to Muslim Australians, reports Noah Yim in The Australain.

    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/fuelling-the-fire-of-muslim-extremism-top-muslim-organisation-blasts-peter-dutton/news-story/7e1b3af7dbcec8caf576f4cc31d8853c?amp

    Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a mastermind of the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the Gaza war, has been killed by Israeli forces in the Palestinian enclave, Israel and the United States have confirmed. The Israeli military said it had killed Sinwar in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

    https://www.theage.com.au/world/middle-east/israeli-military-says-it-may-have-killed-hamas-leader-yahya-sinwar-20241018-p5kjb6.html

    The Netanyahu era isn’t over. If anything, his popularity is on the rise, opines Matthew Knott.

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/the-netanyahu-era-isn-t-over-if-anything-his-popularity-is-on-the-rise-20241006-p5kg6i.html

    It seems like every time Donald Trump makes a public appearance, he promises yet another tax cut. Now he’s doing something similar with his cherished tariffs, writes Stephen Bartholomeusz. He writes that Trump rejects the consensus view of economists – and the actual experience of his 2018 tariffs on imports from China – that it will be US companies and consumers that pay the price, making them a form of consumption tax.

    https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/i-was-always-very-good-at-mathematics-trump-goes-all-in-on-his-tariffs-20241017-p5kj0y.html

    Donald Trump’s transition team is reportedly preparing a blacklist of potential officials to be banned from a future administration, with special emphasis being placed on those with links to the radical Project 2025 plan to overhaul the US government. The former president’s eldest son, Donald Jr, is spearheading the drive to compile the list of barred staffers, according to Politico, citing a former official in the first Trump administration. America is f****d!

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/17/trump-team-project-2025-banned-staffers

    Fox News’s interview of Kamala Harris was grievance theatre, not political journalism, writes Margaret Sullivan.

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/17/fox-news-harris-interview

    Cartoon Corner

    David Rowe

    https://static.ffx.io/images/w_960/c3f31c1cde36ff5fdb84ac1b40d92cdbaa6c5ae3#image.jpg

    Matt Golding

    Cathy Wilcox

    Mark David

    Fiona Katauskas

    Peter Broelman

    Geoff Pryor

    Leak

    https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/061c07fa5091f0c23801dc059043fac6?width=1024#image.jpg

    From the US

  13. The Albanese government is ruling out revisiting negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions in response to political concerns about the prime minister buying a $4.3m waterfront home, despite backbench murmurs that they should be reconsidered.

    At least Albo can expect bipartisan support for not doing anything. Not that that would have anything to do with nearly 3/4 of Labor MPs and 2/3of LNP MPs being property ‘investors’.

    • Gee, Mr Davis seems to think it would be easy to explain to the general population, a very complicated association to MAGA, that would put them all off Drumft. Have I go news for him. Otherwise he said some very sensible things.

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