According to the latest Nielsen poll, only 24 per cent of men plan to vote for the ALP at the next Federal election. It is not much better for women.
The Coalition enjoys a 43 per cent to 34 per cent lead over Labor among women voters.
Category: Federal Politics
Gillard’s women problem
Posted by – 17 June, 2013
Its called colonisation
Posted by – 13 June, 2013
Consider: Australia’s illegal immigration problem is really an issue of forced migration / colonisation. This perspective is indirectly alluded to in the following interview. Obviously this problem is not an existential threat to this country, yet.
‘Canberra is a corrupt little mini-state’
Posted by – 11 June, 2013
Who said it? Accused rapist and Ecuadorian embassy live-in Julian Assange. The Canberra Times, which thought Assagne was one of them is not impressed.
On Monday night, senate candidate Julian Assange tried to badmouth the Australian government on ABC TV’s Lateline program.
Unfortunately, what he did instead was pick on Canberra. Not cool.
“Canberra is a corrupt little mini-state. We all know that. There’s a corruption of purpose,” he said, in response to a question on his senate bid.
Here goes nothing – dump Abbott
Posted by – 30 May, 2013
Tony Abbott should be dumped as leader before the election. He supports, against the wishes of his own party:
- Canberra controlling local government through a change to the Constitution;
- Taxpayers to pay for the administrative costs of running a political campaign (he changed his stance today, under public and party pressure);
- Sweet heart deals, mandates and tax-payer subsidies for the ‘renewable energy’ industry, even though the industry continues to drive up the cost of power (already the highest in the world);
- The substantive parts of Gillard’s draconian (against small business) workplace laws;
- Constitutional recognition of a particular group based solely on race and a rather distorted view of history – handing them special access to tax, land and other rights and privileges above and beyond the rest of the nation;
- The raising of an environmental ‘Green Army’;
- Maintaining the SBS and ABC in their current form (no privatisation or market pressure of any kind);
- The raising of the Medicare Levy to pay for a massive new welfare programme;
- The raising of the corporate tax rate on big business to pay for a massive new welfare payment; and
- Apparently, the pseudo-science behind big bad human caused global warming.
…and the election has not even officially started yet. If Abbott is unwilling to listen to his own back bench and rank and file party members, then how can Abbott expect loyalty?
Let’s face it, Abbott has never been popular with the electorate and given the 2PP lead, a drovers dog could lead the Coalition to victory in September. So let’s find someone else who is not so compromised before Abbott becomes Prime Minister.
UPDATE
If Abbott can change his mind on taxpayer funds going towards paying for the administrative costs of political campaigns, then he can change his mind on a host of other policies which are against the wishes of his party. Abbott’s awkward explanations here.
The Federal opposition front bench: Diet Labor
Posted by – 27 May, 2013
May has been busy. Turnbull has ‘re-launched’ the Republican movement.
Constitutional change to create a republic shouldn’t be ranked against other issues, like the recognition of indigenous Australians, Mr Turnbull added.
But, he said, “I’d rank it slightly ahead of the recognition of local government.”
Gee…the trifecta of constitutional tyranny explained in so few words. Remarkable that anyone on the front bench of the Liberal Party could hold such views.
So far Abbott believes in at least two of the three constitutional issues mentioned by Turnbull: Canberra taking control of local government and the creation of an aboriginal aristocracy. From Abbott today.
“The Aboriginal dimension is as much a part of Australia as our law, our language and our democracy. That is why it must finally be acknowledged in our national Constitution.
“I see acknowledging Aboriginal people in our Constitution not as changing it, but as completing it.
Okay….changing it, but not changing it????
Does anyone seriously think that the rank and file of the Coalition of centre-right parties believe in any of this? Unlikely. Seems Abbott is happy to take his base for granted, like David Cameron in the UK.
If Abbott continues down this path, then the same fury that has seen Gillard become unpopular will be turned on Abbott and he will not last. It will start in the blogs, social media, then make its way into talk back radio and then finally The Australian, Sky News and the rest of the main stream media.
Another Abbott Labo(u)r lite moment – Bolt nails it
Posted by – 22 May, 2013
With Abbott’s lurch to the left, where is the political alternative for conservative voters?
Mr Abbott was dismissive in Brisbane this morning of the push from the Victorian party branch, which will this weekend vote on a motion encouraging the federal Coalition to conduct an “operational review” of the ABC and SBS and consider the feasibility of full or partial privatisation.
Asked whether he was feeling pressure from the Victorians, Mr Abbott said: “The short answer is no”.
“Everyone understands that in the Coalition, it’s the parliamentary party which sets the policy and we have no policy to go down that path, we have no intention of going down that path, and we won’t go down that path,” he said.
So apparently Abbott is now a-okay with the ABC and SBS. Privatising the SBS, at least, would be an easy policy decision to make because hardly anyone watches the channel(s) and those that do are unlikely to ever vote for the Coalition. It would save the Federal budget $200 million annually and generate about the same amount in capital sales. So what’s stopping Abbott?!?
I think the evidence is building: the rank and file of the Liberal Party are at odds with the career politicians who sit on the Liberal front bench. Similar, although not as pronounced, in the way the Cameroons in the UK despise their own Conservative Party. Think of any number of issues from wind farms, to the Green Army, to Abbott’s PPL policy, and the Liberal Party rank and file get no say what so ever.
One thing that is clear, the Liberal rank and file are closer to Liberal Party principles than the Liberal front bench.
UPDATE
Bolt has picked up on Abbott’s swing to the left:
…for all his rhetoric, Abbott is campaigning as Labor-lite – without the stuff-ups.
Radio discussion here.
Timely given Ford’ announcement to end production in Australia. So what’s Abbott’s response? Cut the cost of doing business by abolishing renewable energy mandates, lowering corporate taxes and improving workplace flexibility? No, Abbott’s response is more industry subsidies, just like the ALP.
Tony Abbott’s budget speech
Posted by – 16 May, 2013
Based on Abbott’s speech I gather the next Coalition government will focus on building trust with the public, going back to basics, while planning for the future via tax reform. This makes sense given the black of hole of trust that currently exists between Parliament and the public. Abbott therefore will not be able to successfully implement radical conservative change without having the public trust that Howard enjoyed.
I’m attracted by devolving power back to the states and Abbott’s principles based statements on individuals creating wealth not government and taxes not being the government’s money. While Abbott announced more spending cuts tonight, I gather more will be on the way thanks to the impending commission of audit.
It does seem that Abbott wants to replicate Howard’s approach when he was elected: steady the ship in the first term and then at the second term embark on significant reform. We will wait and see.
UPDATE
The health war is being won, but I don’t understand why people should have to pay for their health insurance using after tax income.
Almost 47 per cent of Australians now have private hospital cover, according to Private Health Insurance Administration Council figures released on Thursday. The last time a higher proportion of Australian had private cover was June 1988.
UPDATE
Meanwhile, NSW ALP is ripping itself apart
CRAIG Thomson has landed NSW ALP secretary Sam Dastyari in a bind, with the Coalition requesting an investigation into an alleged offer allowing the MP to exit parliament with his $95,000 entitlement, but without running against his old party.
Gillard of course claims she knows nothing. Is NSW ALP basically a criminal organisation?
What is the Coalition going to do?
Posted by – 15 May, 2013
Joe Hockey is giving Alan Jones a ‘yeah, but no yeah’ routine on ‘renewable energy’ subsidies, and defending socialised healthcare. Typical. Jones also gave a ringing endorsement to UKIP.
Rank and file reject Abbott’s PPL
Posted by – 13 May, 2013
An Essential Vision report poll on Abbott’s socialist paid parental leave scheme found that most Coalition voters do not support Abbott’s scheme (36%) or any other scheme (38%).
Abbott starts listening
Posted by – 13 May, 2013
Previously Abbott seemed to support Gillard’s proposed change to the constitution to allow the Feds to meddle directly in local government affairs. Now, however, he seems to have started listening to rank and file supporters:
Mr Abbott said it was a ”bit rich” of the government to claim bipartisanship when it had not confirmed what the wording of the referendum would be.
Senator Cory Bernardi has rejected supporting the referendum ‘yes’ case on 2GB tonight.