tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69346297801166122522024-03-14T20:24:39.618+11:00politicalowlPolitical and economic news from an Australian perspectiveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3680125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-18485810738083090982024-03-03T22:49:00.001+11:002024-03-03T22:49:08.188+11:00Barracking for your own political team rarely helps it<p> I was puzzled watching the Liberal Party spokeswomen fervently trying to spin the Dunkley by-election defeat of their team as some kind of victory. The claims that a normal size swing in one electorate was a precursor to a future win at a full House of Representatives election was simply ridiculous. It showed no such thing.</p><p>The Liberals will need to do far better than they did on Saturday to oust Labor when the general election day comes.</p><p>Far better to describe Dunkley as merely a small step in the right direction. Playing politics as the underdog helps more than being a braggard.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-80813259485905190152021-06-29T19:38:00.000+10:002021-06-29T19:38:28.138+10:00Making a mockery of Labor Party pre-selections<p> </p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">The shenanigans of the SA branch of the Labor Party just gets worse and worse. The Federal Executive of the Party should intervene to stop this madness.</span></p><div data-pagelet="FeedUnit_0" style="animation-name: none; transition-property: none;"><div class="du4w35lb k4urcfbm l9j0dhe7 sjgh65i0" style="animation-name: none; margin-bottom: 16px; position: relative; transition-property: none; width: 679.986px; z-index: 0;"><div class="du4w35lb l9j0dhe7" style="animation-name: none; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><div style="animation-name: none; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; transition-property: none;"><div aria-describedby="jsc_c_n0 jsc_c_n1 jsc_c_n2 jsc_c_n4 jsc_c_n3" aria-labelledby="jsc_c_mz" aria-posinset="1" class="lzcic4wl" role="article" style="animation-name: none; outline: none; transition-property: none;"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t" style="animation-name: none; display: flex; flex-direction: column; transition-property: none;"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb" style="animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><div class="j83agx80 l9j0dhe7 k4urcfbm" style="animation-name: none; display: flex; position: relative; transition-property: none; width: 679.986px;"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb hybvsw6c io0zqebd m5lcvass fbipl8qg nwvqtn77 k4urcfbm ni8dbmo4 stjgntxs sbcfpzgs" style="--t68779821: 0 1px 2px var(--shadow-2); animation-name: none; border-radius: max(0px, min(8px, ((100vw - 4px) - 100%) * 9999)) / 8px; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px var(--shadow-2); box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; position: relative; transition-property: none; width: 679.986px; z-index: 0;"><div style="animation-name: none; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; transition-property: none;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; transition-property: none;"><div class="ecm0bbzt hv4rvrfc e5nlhep0 dati1w0a" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_n1" style="animation-name: none; padding: 4px 16px; transition-property: none;"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg" style="animation-name: none; display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-top: -5px; transition-property: none;"><div class="qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d" style="animation-name: none; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; transition-property: none;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql b0tq1wua a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d9wwppkn fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb hrzyx87i jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" color="var(--primary-text)" dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; display: block; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; word-break: break-word;"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">What follows is a post I received this evening from my friend <span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/digger.dawkins?__cft__[0]=AZUQWU0Ef6LItq4KzaYnIhB_u-lJ8CY1fEizFYv2n_8ZU_IPcQyjgeKgrzPBz5deTSb_pl8OgjiZwTffKh--m5k-0xCPltux_t-CKrSAGJWhag&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="animation-name: none; display: inline; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Maggie Dawkins</span></a></span> about her daughter Alice's courageous decision to take on the power brokers and seek preselection for the seat of Spence.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Alice innocently exercised her right as an ordinary member of the Labor Party to nominate for Spence. What she may inadvertently have stumbled upon is a done deal agreed to by faceless power brokers of the Left and Right factions. Ordinary members have not been consulted, but it is all leaking out as Alice calls the SA Party office to account. It appears that many members may not be comfortable with this done deal, as they are contacting me, not only as Alice’s mum, but also as a board member of Whistle Blowers Australia. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is the deal correct? Who knows? Perhaps time will tell?</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">We know that some of it is correct, for example, Nick Champion is moving from the federal seat of Spence to the state seat of Taylor.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marielle Smith is in the Senate. Marielle, I am informed, wants to move to the federal seat of Adelaide. This will mean that the sitting member, Steve Georganas will need to conveniently retire. Hasn’t Steve been promised another term? Who knows, will Steve go quietly? If he does, and Marielle Smith moves to Adelaide, that will create a Senate vacancy, and it’ll be left powerbroker Karen Grogan or Victoria Fielding for that, so the rumour goes. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alice said in an ABC radio interview this morning she didn’t feel safe having to deal with the onslaught of a well-orchestrated smear campaign. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">When do dirty tricks become intimidation and harassment? Does Alice have to be physically assaulted, or worse, before the women of the Party will break their silence? None have checked to see if Alice is OK?</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where is Penny Wong? Surely the sainted Penny wouldn’t be involved in all this?</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marielle is desperate to attract publicity, here’s your chance, Marielle! After all, Alice worked in your office. You know Alice. You encouraged her.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amanda Rishworth, you know better. But I get you don’t want to risk the promise of a Ministerial position if Labor wins the next federal election.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Liberal Party women don’t pretend to be anything other than what they are. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Labor women are held to higher standards because they represent higher standards. Penny Wong, Marielle Smith and Amanda Rishworth where are you? I ask that you at least have the decency to rein in your branch Party secretary, call off the dogs, and consider abiding by the national rules. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why are you so threatened by a young woman with an abundance of energy, policy ideas, a fresh approach to engaging with the electorate and who has the ability to attract members?"</div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div><div style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><div class="stjgntxs ni8dbmo4 l82x9zwi uo3d90p7 h905i5nu monazrh9" data-visualcompletion="ignore-dynamic" style="animation-name: none; border-radius: 0px 0px 8px 8px; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; 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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-16338704653411525052021-04-08T18:31:00.000+10:002021-04-08T18:31:08.710+10:00Are voters now immune to the PM Morrison's lies?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was a time when I thought that attacks like the one below by Chris Bowen on Scott Morrison as a man who lies over and over again would have an effect on the views of the public. But as I keep seeing the Morrison approval rating at a healthy level I fear such attacks may be doing.more harm than good</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYIY9a_4BEnMVnWOdSRLOxXYY4JUUbr_PkOQvjT9p9wmioVKCiTzoIKKTTqA8T3ccWUgGtxdkt3RQoDMAfpvw3NGhzq2BMg5BV2PqjtgdBf5WSoSd7pG1CrGCcO38icI8IcUYI4VJ6_k/s2048/CartoonStock_502156_BA500206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1615" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYIY9a_4BEnMVnWOdSRLOxXYY4JUUbr_PkOQvjT9p9wmioVKCiTzoIKKTTqA8T3ccWUgGtxdkt3RQoDMAfpvw3NGhzq2BMg5BV2PqjtgdBf5WSoSd7pG1CrGCcO38icI8IcUYI4VJ6_k/s320/CartoonStock_502156_BA500206.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>It is as if voters so expect all politicians to lie all the time. Indeed they are more likely to punish the ones who point out the lies for being whingers than they are the liars themselves. <br /> <p></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Scott Morrison lies over and over again, about issues big and small. He can't help himself. You can't believe a word he says. <a href="https://t.co/ae7noVYK8q">pic.twitter.com/ae7noVYK8q</a></p>— Chris Bowen (@Bowenchris) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bowenchris/status/1379905319568961540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2021</a></blockquote><p>Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese looked like he had reached that conclusion when earlies this year he asked his colleagues not to call their opponents liars in the interests of making political debate more refined. </p><p>Chris Bowen might be better served following the message of the cartoonists and concentrating on sex as the point of attack.</p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-15427987588421704452021-04-07T18:56:00.003+10:002021-04-07T18:56:31.406+10:00The Morrison problem - promising too much and delivering too little<p>No surprise that the last few months have seen a significant drift in the betting price of the Coalition to win the next election - our from $1.27 for a dollar to $1.74. And the way things are going with the vaccination program it will be no surprise if Labor shortly ends up as favourite.</p><p>The government has its problems with matters of rape and sexual abuse more generally but the Prime Ministerial mouth is another major factor in the growing unpopularity. In short Scott Morrison is being seen as a man who promises too much and delivers too little.</p><p>That is making Anthony Albanese's job quite an easy one these days.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Scott Morrison needs to stop changing his story on the vaccine rollout. Australians don’t want to hear excuses – they want to get vaccinated. <a href="https://t.co/Ci3H4IZE7T">pic.twitter.com/Ci3H4IZE7T</a></p>— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1379707503882104834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-71182244753624753022021-03-27T21:29:00.002+11:002021-03-27T21:29:23.126+11:00Proper good reporting by Nine News Brisbane gives PM Morrison a real problem<p>For the third night in a row Nine News Brisbane has set the national political agenda. Look at tonight's story and despair at the state of the Liberal Party.</p><p><br /></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Andrew Laming was this morning forced into counselling after allegations of bullying and aggressive behaviour, but tonight the most explosive claim yet; a young Brisbane mother has finally built the courage to come forward and tell her story. <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterFegan9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeterFegan9</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9News?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9News</a> <a href="https://t.co/9LdhK4x5Ew">pic.twitter.com/9LdhK4x5Ew</a></p>— 9News Queensland (@9NewsQueensland) <a href="https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/1375726017495580675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-71698529097768389612021-03-23T23:25:00.001+11:002021-03-23T23:25:46.046+11:00Sacking an Attorney General when you have a small majority is a risky business<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When you have a majority in the parliament of two and the opinion polls show you are in electoral trouble a Prime Minister is not in the mood to cause a by-election. Even less so when the vote would be in a state where your party has just been reduced to two members. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And that is the nub of a great difficulty for Scott Morrison when all and sundry are telling him that he should sack Christian Porter as his Attorney General.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What if Mr Porter responds to being told he is being dismissed by submitting his resignation not just from the Cabinet but from the House of Representatives as well?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And lest you think that's an unlikely prospect let me take you back to April when Jim Killen was Minister for Defence and I was carrying cases of beer to the cars of customers at my bottle shop. In those days Jim had a staff of two - a shorthand/typist/secretary and a private secretary on secondment from his department. There were none of those myriad of advisers that these days clutter up ministerial offices to proffer an opinion about what their boss should or should not do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhv4B_ISwZb7EizkbQyCewxWU1esqrMnw-LHmYrg8jjIvVqxytH9oEl-2XNp15aXrOIP7WbDQlv5YjON8BQ9P2J4LA1MI_E3LjHmsI79CquSOrZ-z-nW-CM4K5ew0NoYqbJqY7MSbwgds/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="246" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhv4B_ISwZb7EizkbQyCewxWU1esqrMnw-LHmYrg8jjIvVqxytH9oEl-2XNp15aXrOIP7WbDQlv5YjON8BQ9P2J4LA1MI_E3LjHmsI79CquSOrZ-z-nW-CM4K5ew0NoYqbJqY7MSbwgds/" width="185" /></a></div><br />So when Jim, who had picked up the scuttlebutt that the Prime Minister was unhappy with his peformance, was instructed to prepare for a meeting in the Prime Ministerial office later in the day he called and asked me to join him for a quick drink and a spot of advice. Now Jim and I having a quick drink or two was not unusual. We were mates in those days when Labor lads and Liberal ministers were still allowed to be friends (I got married in his house with Graham Freudenberg as the best man before hopping off to watch the Brisbane Cup.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jim was mightily distressed. He loved being Defence Minister and dreaded the prospect of ending his career by returning to the backbench. What was my advice?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Politely, ever so politely, call the big fellow's bluff. Tell him you appreciated his right to choose his own ministry, express your sorrow, wish him all the best and tell him you would immediately retire as the member for Moreton. See if he was courageous enough to risk a by-election he would surely lose.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The ruse worked. Fraser insisted on replacing him as Defence Minister but created a new Cabinet portfolio of <span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 14.08px;">Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the House. A knighthood followed.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 14.08px;">I do not know Mr Porter but imagine he would be far from happy to be forced out of hs post as the first law officer. Can Scomo find him aother job he would accept?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-35966606692601213022021-03-20T20:54:00.002+11:002021-03-20T20:54:13.311+11:00Remembering that Labor only lost last time because of Bill Shorten<p>A quote for the day from The Australian </p><p>'<span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: "Times Classic Display"; font-size: 18px;">Former Queensland Liberal Party vice-president and online pollster Graham Young, who runs Brisbane-based conservative think tank the Australian Institute for Progress, says Morrison was always going to struggle to be returned, nixing any suggestion the government had a lock on the election when it was riding higher in Newspoll. “<b>The only reason they won last time was that Bill Shorten was overconfident, unpopular </b>and they got over the line in a few seats in Queensland,” Young says. “Anyone who thinks it’s a lay-down misere because Albanese is hopeless or whatever is not thinking clearly.”'</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-74101425989790399562021-03-19T00:43:00.004+11:002021-03-19T00:46:01.893+11:00Prime Minister Scott Morrison under pressure as the question about knowledge of a rape gets embarrassing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Ou9QE1_6STdCn2zn0Ir6oeL7qkrVuVahTwaUh4Q2OAp80vYBfoh67Uu_O2dfw4KVEK8vT5PCrhYeCjiNuVTF5rgfRlKhk7L3V5uSEXdG1NJq9l0HjCnFnrQ9FPa30vshyjdVK0hPD_A/s204/screenshot-twitter.com-2021.03.19-00_38_47.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Ou9QE1_6STdCn2zn0Ir6oeL7qkrVuVahTwaUh4Q2OAp80vYBfoh67Uu_O2dfw4KVEK8vT5PCrhYeCjiNuVTF5rgfRlKhk7L3V5uSEXdG1NJq9l0HjCnFnrQ9FPa30vshyjdVK0hPD_A/s0/screenshot-twitter.com-2021.03.19-00_38_47.png" /></a></div><p>Any day of the week</p><p>Five words by Scott Morrison that fired up social media commentators today.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotMyPM?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotMyPM</a> <a href="https://t.co/YiGTGzLNU5">pic.twitter.com/YiGTGzLNU5</a></p>— M🕯️cr💧ft ...... 🍥 🐒🚶......🧠 (@KaurnaCopia) <a href="https://twitter.com/KaurnaCopia/status/1372396447748874240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2021</a></blockquote><p>They saw an angry and embarrassed Prime Minister. A politician under considerable pressure. Looking for a way out and not being able to see it.</p><p>Hansard tells the story of how it came about:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Members of Parliament: Staff </b></p><p>Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): My question is to the Prime Minister. Thirty
days ago, the Prime Minister told this House that he asked his former chief of staff, one of the few people he's
ever shown empathy for, to verify what his office knew about the reported sexual assault of Brittany Higgins only
metres from where he works. Mr Gaetjens reported his findings on the Prime Minister's sports rorts within two
weeks. Why is this report, about the Prime Minister's staff, taking so long, and will the Prime Minister release this
report when it is received? </p><p>The SPEAKER: Just before I call the Prime Minister, I'm just going to say to the Leader of the Opposition, if
it hadn't been he as Leader of the Opposition asking the question, I would have simply moved to the next question.
Whilst questions can have preambles, that character inclusion really is inappropriate. And we're not going to have
questions where there's a commentary about the person being asked the question. So I'm going to ask the Leader
of the Opposition to rephrase his question. </p><p>Mr ALBANESE: My question is to the Prime Minister. Thirty days ago, the Prime Minister told this House
that he had asked his former chief of staff to verify what his office knew about the reported sexual assault of
Brittany Higgins only metres from where he works. Mr Gaetjens reported his findings on the Prime Minister's
sports rorts within two weeks. Why is this report about the Prime Minister's staff taking so long? Will the Prime
Minister release this report when it is received? </p><p>The SPEAKER: The Leader of the House. </p><p>Mr Dutton: Mr Speaker, clearly the first part of that question is out of order, because it is not within the Prime
Minister's responsibility to comment on behalf of the head of his department.
Opposition members interjecting— </p><p>The SPEAKER: Members on my left!
Mr Dutton: The head of his department has a process underway, and the Prime Minister—
Opposition members interjecting— </p><p>The SPEAKER: The Leader of the House will pause. Members on my left will cease interjecting—the
members for Perth, Franklin and others. </p><p>Mr Dutton: Mr Speaker— </p><p>The SPEAKER: No, just pause for a second. As I've said, interjections are disorderly at all times. But, when
you're expecting the chair to listen to the point of order and rule on the question, I'm inclined to say to those on
my left, if you create a wall of noise when I'm trying to rule on it, I'll just go to the next question. Really, it's the
most counterproductive thing you could do. The Leader of the House will be heard. He will be heard now in
silence, just as the Manager of Opposition Business is. The Leader of the House, if you could start again.
Mr Dutton: Under standing order 98, the Prime Minister does not have responsibility for answering a question
that is outside of his responsibility. The fact is that the departmental secretary has a process underway, and the
question goes to the timing of that reporting. That is not possible for the Prime Minister to answer. It is a question
for the secretary of the department, perhaps in estimates, but not in question time to the Prime Minister. That part
of the question should be ruled out of order. </p><p>The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business. </p><p>Ms Plibersek interjecting— </p><p>The SPEAKER: Member for Sydney, I'm trying to listen to the Manager of Opposition Business. The
Manager of Opposition Business has the call. </p><p>Mr Burke: It's hard to know where to start. But on the point of order</p><p style="text-align: center;">—
Honourable members interjecting— </p><p>The SPEAKER: Just while we're trying to deal with this, the member for Goldstein is lurking, ready to ask a
question. It's not going to happen straightaway. If you want to stretch your legs, do it outside. Otherwise, take
your seat, please. You won't be asking it, if you keep doing that. The Manager of Opposition Business. </p><p>Mr Burke: I'll go directly to the standing order that the Leader of the House referred to. He referred to
standing order 98, where the limitations on what you can be asked are found in subsection (c), where there's a list
of three things: public affairs, administration and proceedings. Proceedings in the House is the first part of the
question, because it references what the Prime Minister previously told the House. In terms of public affairs, I
think it would be hard to argue that the government response to the reported sexual assault of Brittany Higgins has
not become part of public affairs. In terms of administration, if there is any part of the administration of
government that the Prime Minister should have a level of responsibility for, it is the head of the Department of
the Prime Minister and Cabinet. We have previously had questions about all parts of the bureaucracy. If a question
about the head of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is out of order, then there's actually not much
you're allowed to ask about. </p><p>The SPEAKER: I'll just rule on this now so that we can move on, having heard both points of order. I
appreciate the point the Leader of the House is endeavouring to make, but there is a long history of allowing these
questions, even where, I have to say, in fairness, they might be difficult or impossible to answer. They can be
asked, but, if they're unanswerable at this point, that's something that will become clear in the answer. And
certainly the one thing we all agree on is that the last part of the question is clearly in order, because that's directly
within the Prime Minister's purview. So I call the Prime Minister. </p><p>Mr MORRISON (Cook—Prime Minister and Minister for the Public Service) (14:39): As I've indicated to
the House before and I'll indicate again today, this work is being done by the secretary of my department. It's
being done at arm's length from me. I have no involvement in that process, and nor should I. That would be
inappropriate. The secretary should conduct his inquiries as he sees fit and without any interference or any
involvement from me as Prime Minister. That would be highly inappropriate.
He has not provided me with a further update about when I might expect that report, but I have no doubt the
opposition will be able to ask questions of him in Senate estimates next week, which is the appropriate place
where those matters can be raised with the secretary of my department. Yet again we see the rather personal,
sledging way the Leader of the Opposition is asking this question. He wishes to get into this, whether it's me or,
indeed, by trying to undermine the credibility of the secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet. He's undertaken personal attacks, which is his form.
On our side of the House, we will take a different approach. We will appoint people as secretaries of
departments because of their credibility for those jobs, whether it's Secretary Pezzullo or former Secretary
Moraitis, who once sat opposite each other in opposition in Kim Beazley's office. They are fine public servants
and fine secretaries. Secretary Kennedy worked for the last Labor government and is a fine public servant doing a
fine job. We will put people in those jobs because they have the credibility and the experience and the
professional expertise to do those jobs.
In the last 12 months, our public servants have done an extraordinary job in supporting our government,
whether it's been through Border Force and the work done by Secretary Pezzullo, or through Secretary Kennedy
and the amazing job Treasury has done to support the Treasurer and me in putting in place JobKeeper, or, indeed,
through Secretary Gaetjens, who has led our Public Service through one of the most impressive times in their
performance in the Commonwealth's history. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get himself into a character
assessment— </p><p>The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order? </p><p>Mr Albanese: Yes, Mr Speaker, on relevance. This question goes to his job and the job that his office is doing. </p><p>The SPEAKER: I'll just ask the Leader of the Opposition to resume his seat. There are a number of elements
to the question. I've allowed the Prime Minister to go down the track he's gone down for very good reason—
because the question did have an inference in it, which itself could have been ruled out of order on a strict reading
of the standing orders, about the secretary of his department. </p><p>Mr Albanese interjecting— </p><p>The SPEAKER: It did, when it asked why the sports rorts inquiry took two weeks and why this is taking so
long. If he's doing the inquiry, well, that is an inference. I'm allowing the— </p><p>Mr Albanese interjecting— </p><p>The SPEAKER: And he's responding to it. I mean, I didn't write the question. He's responding to it. The
Prime Minister has the call. </p><blockquote><p>Mr MORRISON: If the Leader of the Opposition wants to get into a character assessment contest with the
secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, he won't come up very well on that one. He's
saying he wants to be in a character assessment test with me. I'm happy to accept that challenge. I'm happy to have my character as an individual in this place and my personal conduct matched against this Leader of the
Opposition's any day of the week. </p></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-63683310278633319642021-03-16T21:14:00.002+11:002021-03-16T21:14:20.815+11:00Decline of One Nation a worry for the federal coalition government<p> The collapse of the Liberal Party administration in Western Australia is one worry for the government of Scott Morrisson. Perhaps more worrying is the accompanying collapse of the vote for One Nation.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGe8SvIq6oF8ZNXA8pQrllaw3-tX5OT_sonIEMI5rglOTLbyu3Z6rNIbHh37pVdcxmQI2TCeDlTmK5NN38G1vpFW-KUd2jiRlz5MWlYeiTx4mxhN7VBA_a7FERM0ZgmSkCWhyL0HTrH1k/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="245" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGe8SvIq6oF8ZNXA8pQrllaw3-tX5OT_sonIEMI5rglOTLbyu3Z6rNIbHh37pVdcxmQI2TCeDlTmK5NN38G1vpFW-KUd2jiRlz5MWlYeiTx4mxhN7VBA_a7FERM0ZgmSkCWhyL0HTrH1k/" width="320" /></a></div><br />At an admittedly casual glance it appears to the Owl that Labor in WA picked up a lot of the votes that used to go to the Pauline Hanson party. The same thing happened at last year's Queensland state poll when there was a substantial decline in the One Nation vote.<p></p><div>Unless Ms Pauline can bring off some kind of revival before the federal poll the Liberal-National coalition will be in trouble.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-26552084267916702012021-03-14T19:50:00.000+11:002021-03-14T19:50:21.755+11:00Danger for Scott Morrison as he becomes a leader who talks the talk but does not walk the walk<p> Our Prime Minister is in danger that the voting public realise there is a big gap between the promises of his words and what actually happens. The latest and most glaring example is the speed with which Australians will be vaccinated against the Covid virus.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">How it started How it’s going Scotty Busted Again 14 Mar 2021 Source Scott Hamilton <a href="https://t.co/O5NDQ25X1w">pic.twitter.com/O5NDQ25X1w</a></p>— 💧DUKE Clyde (HANSARD)CFW9 (Biden-Harris ELECT)💧 (@nobby15) <a href="https://twitter.com/nobby15/status/1370983878693777414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<p><br /></p><p class="selectionShareable" style="background-color: #fefefe; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Times Classic Display"; font-size: 18px; margin: 1.75rem 0px;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-78204379294267388612021-03-12T22:21:00.002+11:002021-03-12T22:21:53.116+11:00Bad news for the Morrison government as the Porter story shares prominence with the "putrid stench of rotting whale carcass"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59NB78tKNzHIoZQNhzNHzoMjmJPzZ30LxBhGVqhKLixHwyUBu-4rSQ1-pUBR2je8a9hwWS81tBplXSgRPWP3Ondj0iNrH6g0qMrCSIQLFxERjQet3fqVVXriBx1JOcAreYoPyqH5n77Y/s566/smhscreenshot-www.smh.com.au-2021.03.12-21_36_48.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="566" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59NB78tKNzHIoZQNhzNHzoMjmJPzZ30LxBhGVqhKLixHwyUBu-4rSQ1-pUBR2je8a9hwWS81tBplXSgRPWP3Ondj0iNrH6g0qMrCSIQLFxERjQet3fqVVXriBx1JOcAreYoPyqH5n77Y/w348-h273/smhscreenshot-www.smh.com.au-2021.03.12-21_36_48.png" width="348" /></a></div><br />Hard for a government to imagine a worse set of stories to feature at the front of The Sydney Morning website this evening. Not much better elsewhere either. The Age was virtually the same. The most read news site in the country, news.com.au, had splashed its revelation of the ex-boyfriend of Attorney General Christian Porter accuser being willing to front any inquiry. Then, having given that yarn a good thrashing, it followed up with the news of what the NSW police had not been told about the alleged rape.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90KJ7XtdC3MN0DrSypSuIw7hAdEpkWuivYeBL8yzltsX_ocGMzFXLGPEP2KDkciYFCIPqeOk9UB6Dz0GaUNujqC-wsYXqqeIEv0lv6o1uXPhhlfKfpPM7kqKdI6E3iKXUy_1n-aiOlh0/s537/guardianscreenshot-www.theguardian.com-2021.03.12-22_05_41.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90KJ7XtdC3MN0DrSypSuIw7hAdEpkWuivYeBL8yzltsX_ocGMzFXLGPEP2KDkciYFCIPqeOk9UB6Dz0GaUNujqC-wsYXqqeIEv0lv6o1uXPhhlfKfpPM7kqKdI6E3iKXUy_1n-aiOlh0/s320/guardianscreenshot-www.theguardian.com-2021.03.12-22_05_41.png" width="320" /></a></div>On The Guardian it seemed somehow appropriate for the "putrid stench of rotting whale carcass" to be nestled below the Porter story.<div>And lest the government spinners thought their job might soon get easier the Guardian had a little pointer under the whale pictyre of the March4Justice protests to take place across the country in the next few days.<br /><p><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-3924289472547719892021-03-11T20:32:00.003+11:002021-03-12T09:42:06.721+11:00Politicians can overdo the photo opportunity<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Today's example</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4r7pEULSYqHBvyOvHALMqRR8cg9eRYCaLLsMF9HSd90-F9cdP1IrFT_ha80aGtkkWJ43SfgLvlSQaDPZS2yXloCPiFzO3Qpyjzsv9VQN1yzvoUbi6KpZelflRDHhpHe5PspCNvozpvsU/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="680" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4r7pEULSYqHBvyOvHALMqRR8cg9eRYCaLLsMF9HSd90-F9cdP1IrFT_ha80aGtkkWJ43SfgLvlSQaDPZS2yXloCPiFzO3Qpyjzsv9VQN1yzvoUbi6KpZelflRDHhpHe5PspCNvozpvsU/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6G7BVKAPwTzlbX3tmZI7FqX71gq0io41XUki4bb8bbkAPGQ8nQd-X7eElXnKZ9HPf6HwY3Btz7asSR03vucv_cQeSr7zstgqAM3X0APd7hrxJCTXZOUTQL4oatBhb7qnvA_drRS3H8Oc/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="680" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6G7BVKAPwTzlbX3tmZI7FqX71gq0io41XUki4bb8bbkAPGQ8nQd-X7eElXnKZ9HPf6HwY3Btz7asSR03vucv_cQeSr7zstgqAM3X0APd7hrxJCTXZOUTQL4oatBhb7qnvA_drRS3H8Oc/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmU0KcAsb1Hlo-vBU6murLPLe4Qr1JtEhnEFrRnH1coYuRat7a6dfvRnvSOxMIFppym2tc-EjMJoNyE3IOfZOPWqzWYjISNwdoqj6lOovgSP2Fwcd4b28d9cBUyfG82Jm61DMgwSRb1Uc/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmU0KcAsb1Hlo-vBU6murLPLe4Qr1JtEhnEFrRnH1coYuRat7a6dfvRnvSOxMIFppym2tc-EjMJoNyE3IOfZOPWqzWYjISNwdoqj6lOovgSP2Fwcd4b28d9cBUyfG82Jm61DMgwSRb1Uc/" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bm8lz-70hFMhMxxz0JTgBSZ-qqU2mCqECAlo0pDIedJHPvqkdl1IPAEZXH36bOIWc5qaISy7lZ7Nik2B-EAynRA0Z5PXac1p2iRKjf6K-8WjopLhbNF8QeYJx34ADXPCMcXCdCGG2Sg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="236" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bm8lz-70hFMhMxxz0JTgBSZ-qqU2mCqECAlo0pDIedJHPvqkdl1IPAEZXH36bOIWc5qaISy7lZ7Nik2B-EAynRA0Z5PXac1p2iRKjf6K-8WjopLhbNF8QeYJx34ADXPCMcXCdCGG2Sg/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-18068594787135374922021-03-11T16:22:00.002+11:002021-03-12T10:26:34.696+11:00Petty politics: The perils of parliamentary pairing<p>With so many government ministers absent for one reason or another this story is worth recalling.</p><p><br /></p>
<h1 class="legacy">Petty politics: The perils of parliamentary pairing</h1>
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<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/3822/original/Abbott_and_Gillard_in_chamber.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=6%2C186%2C2825%2C1950&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" />
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Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard are not seeing eye to eye on pairing.
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AAP/Alan Porritt</span></span>
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<span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/craig-mark-3560">Craig Mark</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/kwansei-gakuin-university-1311">Kwansei Gakuin University</a></em></span>
<p>The decision last month by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to severely restrict the practice of “pairing” votes in Parliament is another demonstration of the fractious and polarised state of federal politics since the 2010 election.</p>
<p>The long-standing practice of parliamentary pairing occurs when MPs are unable to attend a vote, due to illness or personal emergency, or when on official business overseas or away from Canberra. To preserve the numbers in parliament, and essentially reflect those chosen by the electorate, an equal number of opposing MPs abstains from the vote. </p>
<p>The offices of the chief party whips – currently <a href="http://www.joelfitzgibbon.com/">Joel Fitzgibbon</a> for Labor, and <a href="http://www.warrenentsch.com.au/">Warren Entsch</a> for the Coalition – negotiate requests made for pairs.</p>
<p>The system is generally mutually beneficial, as the paired abstaining MP is freed up to attend to other party business. This convention of courtesy is a private arrangement between the political parties, and not part of the formal standing orders of parliament. </p>
<h2>The convention</h2>
<p>In the current 43rd parliament, the government <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/liberal-forced-to-foot-bill-in-abbotts-war-on-pairs-20110917-1kesc.html">has rejected</a> only one out of 27 requests by the Opposition for pairs, while the Opposition has rejected 60 out 185 Government requests.</p>
<p>During most parliaments, the practice of pairing has generally been a formality, particularly in the lower <a href="http://www.aph.gov.au/house/">House of Representatives</a>, where the Government usually enjoys a substantial majority. </p>
<p>But, with the present minority government in a hung parliament, pairing has become an issue of vital political importance. </p>
<p>If a pair is not granted, legislation will fail to pass. Recognising this vulnerability, particularly in the lead-up to the vote on the carbon tax, Abbott declared last month that pairs will no longer be granted by the Opposition for the remainder of the year in the House of Representatives, unless in cases of unavoidable illness or personal emergency. </p>
<p>In the <a href="http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/">Senate</a> though, pairing is being maintained, reflecting the generally more sedate and calmer atmosphere of the Upper House. </p>
<h2>Requests denied</h2>
<p>Following the recent death of prominent artist Margaret Olley, Arts Minister Simon Crean and Malcolm Turnbull were set to pair for each other to attend her funeral, but <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/friends-lay-bouquets-in-memory-of-margaret-olley/story-e6frg8n6-1226121550483">this was disallowed</a>. This was an especially petty decision by Abbott, and particularly galling to Turnbull, a friend of Olley’s, particularly as Senator George Brandis was sent to represent the Opposition at the funeral instead.</p>
<p>Defence Minister Stephen Smith was also recently <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/stephen-smith-denied-pair-for-australia-india-roundtable-speech/story-fn3dxity-1226140847135">forced to cancel</a> addressing a conference on Australia-India relations held by the Lowy Institute, and Kevin Rudd had to return to Parliament earlier than planned, with a pairing <a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/rudd-forced-back-early-for-carbon-tax/story-e6freooo-1226136218992">also refused</a>.</p>
<p>There was speculation that embattled Labor MP Craig Thomson <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-09/opposition-backs-down-on-pairing-threat/2878586">would not be granted</a> a pair to attend birth of his child, until Abbott relented from an earlier threat, and pledged to allow it. </p>
<p>Special Minister of State Gary Gray was <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-12/gary-gray-still-ill/2881390/?site=canberra">given a pair</a>, due to illness.</p>
<h2>Gentlemen’s agreement</h2>
<p>By restricting pairing, Abbott is relentlessly pressuring the government whenever he can, and will definitely not allow any pairs for the upcoming vote on the carbon tax. </p>
<p>But, in pursuing such tactics, the opposition can be accused of eroding the fragile sense of bipartisanship and cooperative spirit in parliament. </p>
<p>Despite the robust adversarial nature inherent in the Westminster system, the tradition of pairing reflects higher parliamentary ideals, that MPs are democratically elected to represent the shared interests of the Commonwealth, and are expected to act in a cordial and considerate manner towards each other to some extent. </p>
<p>Suggested reforms to consolidate the convention of pairing, while desirable, would be difficult to achieve. </p>
<p>It would require changes to the present standing orders of Parliament, the rules by which parliamentary procedure is established and enforced by rulings of the Speaker. </p>
<p>The House Procedures Committee would have to discuss and approve any such amendments, but pairing <a href="http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/proc/Proceduralchanges/report1/Appendix%20B.pdf">has not been on its agenda</a> of procedural reforms for the 43rd parliament. </p>
<p>It seems we will have to rely on the good graces of MPs overcoming the current acerbic political environment to preserve the voluntary convention of pairing.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/3510/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
<p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/craig-mark-3560">Craig Mark</a>, Associate Professor of International Studies, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/kwansei-gakuin-university-1311">Kwansei Gakuin University</a></em></span></p>
<p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/petty-politics-the-perils-of-parliamentary-pairing-3510">original article</a>.</p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-23279663396374191672021-03-11T15:45:00.002+11:002021-03-11T15:45:37.151+11:00When the going gets tough PM's go foreign<p> Scott Morrison is renewing his interest in foreign policy matters. The QUAD is now his favoured subject. The opportunity to big note himself with presidents and fellow prime ministers sure beats answering pesky questions about sex crimes. We will be hearing plenty more about his important talks with American, Indian and Japanese counterparts in the weeks ahead. Much safer than giving details of chats with his Attorney General and Defence Minister.</p><p>Seeking solace from the realities of local political life in matters of foreign policy has long been the choice of Australian Prime Ministers. It's a freedom that's like going on holday and PM Morrison is not the first to take advantage of it nor will he be the last. Just that it is occurring earlier in his term of office than normal - 18 months is not a long time in political life.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-73579291065195373292019-03-11T23:22:00.004+11:002019-03-11T23:23:25.934+11:00If forced to have a bet the Owl would be taking the odds on about Labor in NSWBack in November the Owl wrote the following about the NSW election:<br />
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<a href="https://politicalowl.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-owl-does-not-understand-why.html">The Owl does not understand why the Liberals are the favourites in NSW</a>The conventional wisdom is that the Liberals and National government will be re-elected in New South Wales. The betting markets have the coalition odds on favourite at $1.50.<br />
The Owl does not understand why. He thinks there has been an over reaction to the replacement of an Opposition Leader. He is happy to have a dollar or two on Labor at the $2.65</blockquote>
Those who followed that advice would be at peace with themselves at the moment because <a href="https://www.betfair.com.au/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.151791585" target="_blank">the Betfair market</a> now has Labor favourite at $1.88 with the Coalition at $2.08. There's a nice little earn there.<br />
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The opinion polls, for what they are worth, has the contest near enough to 50:50 but if you forced me to have another bet I'd be taking the odds on about Labor.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-52391925979711453652019-03-08T00:56:00.002+11:002019-03-08T01:01:41.630+11:00Will Barnaby Joyce be back in the National Party saddle for the election campaign?The Owl does not subscribe to The SydneyTele nor the Brisbane Courier Mail but has to confess to sometimes watching the free version of Sky News on free-to-air regional television. Last night he caught som of the item on what the papers will say this morning and was bemused by the suggestion that these eminent Murdosh journals were speculating that the National Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack was on the verge of losing his job.<br />
Surely not, I thought, with the next election almost upon us. But then again ... they are journals of record. And how much fun it would be to see Barnaby Joyce back in the saddle leading his party to victory.<br />
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Surely a good enough reason a political singalong.</div>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="242" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E5F-O_19lSI" width="448"></iframe></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-51702671177943640672019-03-02T23:46:00.004+11:002019-03-02T23:46:54.140+11:00Julie Bishop on how she coulda been a contender<div data-lang="en" style="text-align: center;" twitter-tweet="">
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/JulieBishopMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JulieBishopMP</a> has told the Sunday Times she would have beaten <a href="https://twitter.com/billshortenmp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@billshortenmp</a> if she had been selected during the leadership spill. <a href="https://t.co/YHeL5QvBnB">pic.twitter.com/YHeL5QvBnB</a></div>
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/1101815438361518080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-88711214621411914422019-02-24T23:34:00.001+11:002019-02-24T23:34:29.295+11:00Punters in the Adelaide Hills are shaking their heads as they sing "Hey there Georgie girl"A little bit of impersonation by Georgie Downer caught presenting a cheque which protocol says she may not be entitled to and then bowls up a died in the wool liberal operative as an “independent “ anti -Labor wringer all on her Sunday Bloody Sunday.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-58569631585803660142019-02-21T17:09:00.001+11:002019-02-21T17:09:47.355+11:00I hope my fellow West Ham supporters will forgive me but the Canberra bubble merits a political singalong<br />
So.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-35333425673057716392019-02-21T16:57:00.002+11:002019-02-21T16:57:49.223+11:00A song for the Finance Minister Mathias Cormann :Hello World - won't you open up the door and let me in<div style="text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-15827220481681632342019-02-14T21:51:00.002+11:002019-02-14T22:46:08.408+11:00 Singalong with Scomo as he celebrates a great parliamentary weekIt is good for a politician to have the faith. Scomo in action:<br />
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<iframe width="448" height="242" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IY1cEZ-jXlQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-6436620531892267732019-02-12T23:01:00.001+11:002019-02-12T23:01:29.244+11:00The Coalition like generals fighting the last war?When you cannot think of anything new to do I guess it's natural to do what you have done before. That's the Liberal-National coalition approach to the 2019 election. Scott Morrison is trying to do a John Howard Tampa fright or a Tony Abbott shotgun style scare campaign. The Prime Minister's National Press Club speech on Monday set the tone. He elaborated on the horrors confronting us all:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
People smuggling, natural disasters, organised crime, money laundering, biosecurity hazards, cyber security, the evil ice trade, violence against women</blockquote>
In the House of Representatives today the PM's target was more specific with boat people the target.<br />
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Bill Shorten and the Labor Party do not have the mettle, do not have what is required, and do not understand what is necessary to ensure that Australia’s border protection framework … can be managed by the Labor Party.</blockquote>
These comments met with applause from the normal pundits on talk radio and Sky News at night. But do these sentiments really reflect a general movement in support back to the Coalition? The opinion polls by Newspoll and Essential suggest not.<br />
But perhaps a better guide is that most of the independent members in the House voted against the government on medical treatment in Australia for those confined on Manus and Nauru. They have self-interest in mind as much as any other MP and their votes suggest that they do not see being compassionate as a vote loser.<br />
Nor does the Betfair election betting market.<br />
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Labor $1.22 (82.4% chance)<br />L/NP Coalition $5.70 (17.6% chance)</blockquote>
The past is not always the best guide to the future<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-8614558260384155452019-02-12T17:37:00.001+11:002019-02-12T17:37:48.615+11:00A light look at the Wilson family franking reviews<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="242" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z8IKyaFjWUE" width="448"></iframe></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-90847998272160621382019-02-03T23:00:00.002+11:002019-02-03T23:00:46.510+11:00Tony Abbott needs to bring back Peta Credlin<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
The most famous surf club in Australia shouldn’t need port-a-loos every time a crowd turns up. <a href="https://t.co/NJMm6U9RsJ">pic.twitter.com/NJMm6U9RsJ</a></div>
— Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR/status/1091919396623142912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>An unusual campaign offering today by Tony Abbott. Budgie smugglers are perhaps not the best look when you are under attack by women candidates. And promising to work hard for extra loos when you have done nothing about it for all the years you have been local member will have many constituents puzzled.<br />
<br />
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<br />
The Owl suggests Tony should bring back his old minder to add a little discipline to his efforts to retain his seat. Today's was the kind of stuff-up that Ms Credlin normally kept her boss away from.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934629780116612252.post-88818514911738222902019-01-21T18:32:00.000+11:002019-01-21T18:32:22.342+11:00View from The Hill: O'Dwyer's decision turns the spotlight onto Bishop<br />
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316">Michelle Grattan</a>, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a></em><br />
<br />
The political down time over summer can be something of a respite for<br />
an embattled government. But for Scott Morrison, it has just brought<br />
more setbacks. The weekend announcement by cabinet minister Kelly<br />
O'Dwyer that she will leave parliament at the election is the latest<br />
and most serious.<br />
<br />
O'Dwyer says she wants to see more of her two young children, and<br />
would like to have a third, which involves medical challenges.<br />
<br />
Her decision is understandable. The first woman to have a baby while a<br />
federal cabinet minister has been juggling an enormous load.<br />
<br />
But with the general expectation that the Morrison government is<br />
headed for opposition, many people will think (rightly or wrongly)<br />
that O'Dwyer was also influenced by the likelihood she faced the grind<br />
of opposition, which is a lot less satisfying than the burden of<br />
office.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Bad timing for the minister for women</h2>
<br />
Her insistence at Saturday’s joint news conference with Morrison<br />
that he will win the election won’t convince anyone.<br />
<br />
If the Liberals didn’t have their acute “woman problem”, O'Dwyer’s<br />
jumping ship wouldn’t be such a concern. She’s been a competent<br />
minister, not an outstanding performer. She was not in “future leader”<br />
lists.<br />
<br />
But it’s altogether another matter to have your minister for women<br />
bailing out when there has been a huge argument about the dearth of<br />
females in Coalition ranks, damaging allegations of bullying within<br />
the Liberal party, and high profile Victorian backbencher Julia Banks<br />
deserting to the crossbench.<br />
<br />
All in all, the Liberal party is presenting a very poor face to women<br />
voters. It was O'Dwyer herself who told colleagues last year that the<br />
Liberals were widely regarded as “homophobic, anti-women,<br />
climate-change deniers”.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Anti-women climate-change deniers?</h2>
<br />
An effort earlier this month to have assistant ministers Sarah<br />
Henderson and Linda Reynolds talk up the Liberals’ credentials on women looked like the gimmick it was.<br />
<br />
O'Dwyer says she has “no doubt” her successor as the Higgins candidate will be a woman. Morrison also says he thinks there will be a female replacement.<br />
<br />
But this just highlights how the Liberal party’s failure to bring<br />
enough women through the ranks now forces it into unfortunate corners.<br />
<br />
The candidate will be chosen by a local preselection. As one<br />
journalist quipped at the news conference, is the situation that blokes needn’t apply?<br />
<br />
And what if a man happened to win? Remember Morrison’s experience in the Wentworth byelection, where he wanted a woman and the preselectors gave him Dave Sharma? <br />
<br />
<hr />
<em><br />
<strong><br />
Read more:<br />
<a href="http://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-wentworth-preselectors-rebuff-to-morrison-caps-week-of-mayhem-103216">Grattan on Friday: Wentworth preselectors' rebuff to Morrison caps week of mayhem</a><br />
</strong><br />
</em><br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
Sharma was generally considered a good candidate - and Morrison is happy for him to have his second try against independent Kerryn Phelps at the general election.<br />
<br />
Assuming, however, that Higgins preselectors heed the gender call,<br />
it seems they will have some strong female contenders to choose from.<br />
<br />
Paediatrician Katie Allen, who contested the state election, has<br />
flagged she will run; Victorian senator Jane Hume is considering a<br />
tilt.<br />
<br />
There is inevitable speculation about whether former Abbott chief-<br />
of-staff Peta Credlin might chance her arm for preselection.<br />
<br />
But her hard-edged political stance would be a risk in an electorate<br />
where the Greens have been strong – savvy Liberals point out a climate<br />
sceptic wouldn’t play well there. And it would be embarrassing for her<br />
if she ran for preselection and was defeated.<br />
<br />
O'Dwyer rejects the suggestion she was swayed by the possibility she<br />
might lose Higgins. Some Liberals were pessimistic about the seat<br />
after the party’s drubbing in the Victorian election, and Labor was<br />
ahead in two-party terms in a poll it commissioned late last year.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<em><br />
<strong><br />
Read more:<br />
<a href="http://theconversation.com/minister-for-women-kelly-odwyer-says-liberals-were-subject-to-threats-in-leadership-battle-102608">Minister for Women Kelly O'Dwyer says Liberals were 'subject to threats' in leadership battle</a><br />
</strong><br />
</em><br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
But the government has a 10% margin in two-party terms against Labor, and despite the polling the ALP doesn’t expect to win the seat. (In 2016 the Greens finished second.)<br />
<br />
O'Dwyer, who is also minister for jobs and industrial relations,<br />
remains in her positions and in cabinet until the election.<br />
Understandably Morrison would not want a reshuffle. But having a lame<br />
duck minister in the important IR portfolio is less than optimal.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Attention turns to Bishop</h2>
<br />
Inevitably O'Dwyer’s announcement has turned attention onto the future<br />
of former deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop. Bishop has said she is<br />
contesting the election but there is continuing speculation she might<br />
withdraw.<br />
<br />
While she has previously left open the possibility of running for the<br />
opposition leadership this makes no sense.<br />
<br />
Now in her early 60s, her chances of ever becoming PM would be<br />
virtually nil if Labor won with a good majority and was set for two<br />
terms. That’s if she had the numbers to get the leadership in the<br />
first place.<br />
<br />
It is assumed Bishop has said she’s staying so she stymies any replacement<br />
she doesn’t want (such as attorney-general Christian Porter whose own<br />
seat is at risk) and can secure a candidate she favours.<br />
<br />
Even though she’s a backbencher now, it would be a another blow for<br />
the Liberals if Bishop does decide to retire at the election.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<em><br />
<strong><br />
Read more:<br />
<a href="http://theconversation.com/julie-bishop-goes-to-backbench-marise-payne-becomes-new-foreign-minister-102172">Julie Bishop goes to backbench, Marise Payne becomes new foreign minister</a><br />
</strong><br />
</em><br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
She was humiliated when she received only a handful of votes in the<br />
August leadership ballot. Her treatment left her deeply angry,<br />
especially because none of her Western Australian colleagues supported<br />
her.<br />
<br />
But out in the community she is very popular and many voters still<br />
can’t understand why, when there was a change of prime minister, she<br />
was not the one chosen.<br />
<br />
If Bishop were to walk away, she would be making a rational decision.<br />
But it would send another powerful negative vibe to voters about<br />
the Liberal party and women.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
UPDATE: Jane Hume, interviewed on the ABC on Monday morning, has<br />
ruled out running for the Higgins preselection.<br />
<br />
UPDATE: In reply to queries to her office, Bishop said on Monday: “I am pre-selected as the member for Curtin and it is my intention to run”.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110159/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" width="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --><br />
<br />
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316">Michelle Grattan</a>, Professorial Fellow, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a></em><br />
<br />
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com/">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-odwyers-decision-turns-the-spotlight-onto-bishop-110159">original article</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0